1. Humiliation
Annie
I stand before the man I've loved almost my entire life. It feels like a cruel joke that I'm living the same scenario that caused my parents' separation so many years ago. Twenty-five to be exact, and here we go again. A Travis and a Johnson, about to make a mistake. I listen to the priest speak, reaching the crucial point.
"Liam Thomas Donovan Travis, do you take Annete Sophie Johnson Robbins to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love her, cherish her, and be faithful to her, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?" My fiancé turns to look at me. I already know his answer; not long ago, I overheard his decision. I won't deny a pain starting to pierce my heart, but at least I'm prepared.
"No, Father, I don't."
Treacherous tears escape my eyes, impossible to hold back, accompanied by a bitter laugh directed solely at myself. Murmurs among the guests begin to rise. I turn my face, observing on everyone's faces confusion, doubt, but above all, pity. That's what hurts the most. Well done, Liam! You've achieved what you wanted, but you'll owe me for this. The humiliation you're putting me through, I will make you pay for it someday. I angrily wipe away my tears and look at him with hatred for the first time.
I didn't wait any longer. I grab the skirt of my wedding dress and rush out of that place. I run towards the exit and climb into the vehicle already waiting for me. My friend, Mirtha, opens the car door while her twin sister, Martha, is behind the wheel. As soon as I close the door, my friend takes off. Mir hands me a box of tissues, knowing I'll need them. The tears flowing now resemble an overflowing waterfall. The pain I feel in my soul is greater than anything I've ever experienced.
"Calm down, Annie, or you'll get sick. Remember, it's not just you now." Her words start to calm me down. She's right. It's not just me now.
"I'll try. I don't want to cry over someone who isn't worth it. But it hurts so much. I hope this feeling passes soon, but not today. Do you have everything ready, girls?" Martha answers this time.
"Everything's ready, babe. Our passports and luggage are already at the airport. I hope your parents understand the letter you left and don't look for you for a while." I nod at her words. It pains me not to say goodbye to Mom and Dad, but I know they'll be fine, cared for by my siblings. The day I return, I'll do it when I feel safer, but right now, I can't stay here, where the cause of my pain is so close. No, I can't. But someday, I will. I will return, and this pain I feel now will be gone.
*****
"Welcome, doctors. I'm honored to know that such valuable individuals like yourselves answered our call, setting aside the comfort of your jobs to go to those places where your knowledge is desperately needed. There may not be much monetary reward, but the personal satisfaction of helping those in need is immeasurable. Once again, thank you, and I hope we all return safe and sound."
I turned to look at my crazy friends, who couldn't bear to let me face this adventure alone. We're all doctors at a prestigious hospital, but we requested a year-long leave. The hospital director knows our destination, but I specifically asked him not to disclose it. I don't want anyone to know where I'm going, preferably until I'm miles away.
"Annie, are you sure you want to do this? You just found out you're pregnant, and it could be risky. Maybe you could go after the baby is born, or maybe not at all." I see the concern on my friend's face, but I smile to reassure her. This has been my dream since I decided to embark on this demanding career. I'm good at what I do, and I want to prove to myself that I can be useful to those who truly need me, not just those who can afford to pay handsomely for my expertise. No, I won't back down.
"Mir, I want to do this. Besides, you two will be there to take care of me. If I start feeling unwell and can't continue, I'll simply come back. Okay?" My friend nods, resigned.
Both twins embrace me warmly. I don't know what I would do without them. I've known them since I started medical school, and we've been inseparable ever since. I love them dearly, almost as much as Rocío, Robert, and little David Jr.
With great determination, we grab our luggage to check in and board the plane that will take us to an uncertain destination. As I'm in the air, I look down at the place I'm leaving behind, where I've lived almost my entire life. I close my eyes and try not to think about everything that happened. I knew what would happen in the end, but despite being prepared, the pain was the same as if I hadn't known.
I clasp my hands and realize I'm still wearing my engagement ring. It's a beautiful ring that belonged to my Aunt Susan. She told me she kept it with much love for her future daughter-in-law, and knowing it would be me, her satisfaction was doubled. It's a shame I have to return it. I'll take it off my finger, but it's best to do it when I reach our destination and can put it away. Subconsciously, I want to wear it a little longer.
The journey is long, and I try to sleep as much as possible. I'm not experiencing any pregnancy symptoms yet, but I know they could appear at any moment. My poor child. He won't have his father's love, but he'll have his mother's. All my love and dedication will be for him.
I smile slightly, imagining him in my arms. I hope that when he's older, he understands that I'm doing this for all three of us. He doesn't deserve to be born under the weight of his father's rejection, and Liam shouldn't carry the burden of a child he didn't plan to have with me.
"Honey, try to get some sleep. You're going to get sick. I know you haven't been eating or sleeping well. If you don't take care of yourself, we'll have to ask them to send you back home." My friend Martha sits beside me and hugs me. She knows I need some comfort. I smile at her, trying to reassure her.
"Don't worry. They say nothing lasts forever. I promise I'll be fine. We'll be fine." She smiles back and nods. I try to please her and close my eyes. What comes to mind is how similarly things are unfolding to the story my mother told me. She also walked away from the man she loved, pregnant with me. Now, I'm leaving so that the man I love can be happy with the woman he has chosen.
I always knew there was something more than brotherly affection between them. But come on, how could I have imagined they were in love? They grew up like siblings. At least that's what we all saw from the outside. Most likely, my aunt and uncle realized what was happening between them and that's why they sent her away from their son. But she returned just in time for our wedding, and that was the end of my story with him. A story that should never have been, I realize now.
