“Play for me, I want to hear the beautiful music you can make me.” Gru said to me.
Mom hadn’t really cared where I had been she just wanted to introduce me to this man, Gru. He was fifty-seven years old and mom had arranged our marriage. I, of course told her no way but she insisted. She told me that if I wanted to be accepted as her and live with her this was something I had to do. I still told her no, so she said that I would have to at least date him and give him a chance. I figured I could at least do that, for now anyway.
Gru was really into my piano playing and had asked me to play something for him. I figured it couldn’t hurt, so I played him a piece I had learned as a child.
“Come, dear, lets go rest on the couch.” Gru offered me his hand, but I walked by him instead over towards the couch. I could feel him staring at me as I walked away from him, he was making me very uncomfortable.
“So, what do you like to do? Do you play music a lot?” Gru was making small talk and I wasn’t really sure what to make of it, I was so disgusted by him.
“I used to play as a child, I haven’t played in a while.” I gave Gru a simple answer, not wanting to reveal too much.
Things quickly accelerated past small talk and into him trying to kiss me. He first grabbed the back of my head by my hair and then tried to put his other hand around my stomach while leaning into my face. Before he could get a smooch out of me I shoved him hard, he fell away from me a wounded look on his old face.
“That is out of my comfort zone.” I told him, jumping up from the couch. “I’m going to bed, feel free to leave any time.” I left him before he could say anything more and locked myself in my room.
Lacey and Luka, my puppies no more were right there for me. I wrapped my arms around their necks and sobbed into their fur.
“How could mom think this is right? That’s disgusting.” I whispered to the dogs, as the tears continued to come. What would Ali think of this? I thought to myself. My dad would never have asked me to do this, daddy would have accepted Ali and let me be happy.
After I had calmed down a little bit, I spotted mom outside smoking a cigarette. After watching her for just a few minutes, I realized she was talking to someone. I couldn’t see that there was anyone else out there with her, but I did want to know what she was saying. I gently eased the window open to try and listen to her conversation.
“I know, I know, Gru wasn’t my first choice but we’re going to be out on the streets without him.” There was a brief pause, but no one answered her. I wondered what she meant saying we were going to be on the streets.
“I just got my daughter back, I don’t want to screw up. I was trying to look at it as which would be the bigger screw up, getting kicked on the streets, or asking her to marry Gru so we take all his money. I mean it wouldn’t even be for that long, I could just get the money then get her a quickie divorce and she can have her life back.” Mom paused again, I finally figured out that she must be talking to her blue tooth in her ear. This information mom had just said was shocking, she basically wanted me to marry Gru so she could steal all his money so she wouldn’t lose her house because she has no more money left.
“I asked him already, he doesn’t want me he told me I was too old. He specifically asked me if I had a daughter, told me everything would be fine if I could get her to marry him and he would make sure all my needs were met along with hers. This is the perfect opportunity, maybe that’s why Ariel is back in my life.” I couldn’t listen anymore, mom was completely taking advantage of me. If I didn’t do this for her though, I would have no where to live, and neither would she.
Ali and I had planned to meet again tonight and I ran to see him. He was getting pelted with rain, I hoped I hadn’t made him wait for me for too long.
“Ali!” I called his name and he turned around.
“Ariel, this rain is terrible, but I wanted to see you so bad.” He reached out for me and I fell into his arms, beginning to sob. I felt his arms tense around me and he pulled back slightly to look at my face. “Are you crying, Ariel?” He felt my face where the wet tears were and held me even tighter. “What happened, what did she do to you?” He demanded to know, his face becoming very serious.
“She’s f-foring me-sob-to m-marry someone.” Ali’s jaw dropped as he looked at me with disbelief.
“Wait, what?”
“I’m s-so sorry Ali, I can’t s-say no.”
“Ariel, what are you talking about of course you can, what is this really about?” I knew I wouldn’t just get off that easy with Ali, he was the closet person to me he knew everything about me. I slowly began to explain everything that had happened to him and why. Once I had finished Ali gave me a passionate kiss and engulfed me in his arms.
“Baby, you can live with me you don’t have to live with her.” His eyes shown as he said it.
“No, I couldn’t, what about the dogs?”
“Ariel, we could make it work. I’ve been collecting materials to build a house for a while now.” I couldn’t believe what Ali was offering me, he wanted to live with me and build us a house and have a happily ever after together.
“Oh Ali! That sounds wonderful, you continue finding materials and I’ll deal with my mother.” I was so happy I jumped into Ali’s arms and wrapped my arms tightly around his neck. “I love you, Ali.” I told him, kissing him.
“I love you too, Ariel, always and forever.”
DisneyDreams 