The Bride

ed right now, and I wish I could be there with you to take the blow, share some of your pain, but you know I can’t. It’s going to make matters worse and you’ve

amond shaped face in the wind, highlighting a thousand shades of blue and her electric blue eyes were filled with joy and laughter. Her smile was contagious; it made

ehind me when I ran but now I’m back again in dreaded Ruthwell and I have no idea what I sho

ld I be the one feeling miserable and haunted w

ce; seven years since my mother had served me her delicious home cooked meals and seven years since my father

ally been jus

e my favourite meal was on my sixteenth birthday when all of my friends from school were coming over to celebrate. And the last time my dad had given me an

ld they never wanted. Which was why my dad hadn’t even thought twice before setting up an arranged marriage between me and hi

it’s forever etched into my mind. Because he hadn’t asked…he had just

develop a career before my wedding. I’d won a scholarship at an inter-state dance competition and I had been so exci

thought that my dance teacher was putting ideas in my head. He’s always been one of those firm

I had promised to return all the money he had spent on my education and dance lessons if he did so,

bowed her head and agreed to everything my dad had to say. It was on my wedding day that I’d finally decided that enough was

e career and that felt like dying a thousand pa

ion without getting caught. From there I’d called Miss Lydia Stonewall, my dance teacher, and she had arranged for me to go to New York and fulfil my

Gabby’s persuasion; sitting in the driver’s seat of the car that I’d rented

iving town I’ve ever known and I highly doubt anyone was g

. But from what you’ve told me of your hometown, they

I’d shouted, not understanding why she was doing this. We’d had a big argume

ou, sometimes even more than they love me, but they’re not the people who gave birth to you. It’s unconditional love, Kyra. Make amends with them. You haven’t sp

how I ended up here…in front of the house that I was born in, in the same

rly for the past week just thinking about how I would face my parents. I had stayed up a

made to her about seeing my parents before our wedding. So I’d packed in silence, kissed her goodbye

led my blonde hair back from my face and I pulled my jacket tighter around my body to keep me warm. My hands and legs were freezing by

shining bright red through the open garage door. Nothing seems to have changed at all, this plac

ing. At least I was tryin

ther always liked it when people did that, knock instead of ring the bell, but I never really knew the reason why. Bu

e other side of the door. It wasn't long before I heard

omi

n with nerves. This was it. I was finally going to s

ad I sat on the patio stairs with my best friend and gazed at the stars in the sky? How many nights had my mother

e so overwhelming that I felt my eyes cloud with t

o i

artially open and a rapidly fading sm

could remember her. She was also a foot shorter than me in heels and her

I was away. And I had missed al

ut and raised my a

L