Page 3 of XOXO

“I’m leaving her with you,” he said, smiling at my brother and hugging Maya.

We watched him leave when Maya threw her arm around me. “Let’s go. You need to sleep for the big day tomorrow.”

Mario sighed, following us to his car. The ride to his house was silent, I expected a reprimand or something telling me not to upset my husband, but it never came. We pulled up to a quiet neighborhood that didn’t fit the life my brother and his wife were exuding. You would think they lived in a mansion, but they lived in a barndominion with a few acres to their name.

They had a few neighbors that were spaced out to give everyone their own privacy, but they were within walking distance. The home was beautiful, it was something my father and mother hated, it didn’t scream status like they liked.

Mario opened the door for me as I kept my eyes down, not wanting to answer questions about what had happened back there. Maya threaded her arm in mine as silent support, leading me through the house once we had left our shoes at the front of the house. I had my own bedroom with an ensuite in their home and I didn’t appreciate it enough.

I sat on the bed as Maya entered my bathroom.

“I started the bath for you with some lavender and Epsom salts. I’ll bring back some clothes you can wear to sleep,” she said sweetly.

Maya was only a few years older than me. She was a great mother to my nephews and niece, which only highlighted just how truly shitty my mother was.

“Thanks, Maya,” I whispered, getting choked up.

She looked like she wanted to say something, but she left before she did. I didn’t know if I should be grateful for her silence or disappointed because I needed to talk to someone. I laid on the bed for a moment, trying not to cry, but I was unsuccessful. I couldn’t do this anymore. Life with Lorenzo was becoming more and more grim.

“V.”

Mario was leaning against the door frame already dressed in sleep clothes.

“V, don’t cry,” he said walking towards me. “Getting married isn’t that bad.”

I cried harder at his words.

“Fuck, V, don’t cry. Everything will be ok,” he said, pulling me in for an awkward side hug.

“I don’t think I can do this, Mario,” I hiccuped.

He sighed. “I don’t know what is up with Lorenzo, the business must be getting to be too much.”

“No. He's been different since I came back.” I wiped my face. “I thought I could do it for our parents, but every week I see something new I really don’t like.”

“After college things changed. Once he started working for his father, it’s like something switched in him,” Mario said, rubbing my back. “I don’t know if it was the pressure or if money has really changed him.”

“I don’t care, but I can’t do this, Mario,” I cried.

“Why didn’t you say anything sooner?” He pulled away to look at me.

“I thought…I thought we needed time to get back to how we used to be,” I murmured. “But that never happened, it's like he hates me.”

Mario shook his head. “I know⁠—”

“Oh please, don’t make excuses for him,” I cut him off. “We’ve been engaged for six months, I've been back for almost a year. Nothing is going to change.”

“So, what are you saying, V?”

“I don’t think I can marry him,” I whispered.

“Mom and dad are going to be pissed,” he said, running his hand through his hair.

“She needs to leave and not tell them,” Maya said from the doorway.

“Maya,” Mario gasped.

“This whole arranged marriage is stupid, you’ve even said so yourself, Mario,” Maya sat next to me.