(no subject)
Carlotta stands at the church, with her grandma.
"You know, you could have told us about this before making me put the dress on and do my hair." she says.
Her grandma smiles slightly.
"I'm sorry, but you look so nice in that dress. Let an old woman have her fun."
"Well I suppose you have to look for fun where you can." Carlotta says, looking over at the car where her father is sitting, reading the letter.
There was no dramatic walkout, no shouting, no screaming, no arguments. When they got to the church, Grandma revealed that she'd cancelled all the arrangements weeks ago, without telling anyone, because she knew the wedding wouldn't happen. She was right. Clever Grandma. The letter itself was pinned to the church door.
Carlotta's father gets out of the car, and comes over.
"You were wrong." he says to her. "But you were on the right track."
He hands her the letter then walks to a bench and sits down next to his brother, the only guest who still turned up. Carlotta, surprised to be allowed to read the letter, opens it and has a look.
'My dear John,
It is because I love you truly that I cannot go through with the wedding.
I told you my first husband Harry became very ill and died, but this was not really the case. He is still alive, and I am still married to him, but he is an invalid in an institute.
When I left Beatrice's father, taking the ring was truly a mistake. I was too ashamed to take it back when I realised; with hindsight I should have.
I wanted to go through with marrying you, but I couldn't bear hurting you if you found out.
Please tell Carlotta I am sorry for slapping her and calling her a liar. She's a clever girl and I thought she would work me out.
I hope you find a better woman some day, and thank you for loving me. I just wanted to feel attractive and special again.
Mary'
Her heart sinks slightly. What Mary did was still wrong, but she can find a trace of sympathy now. She and Grandma go over to join her father and uncle.
She digs into her pocket for the ring, the real ring, since she had Teja make a copy to give back to Mary. As she holds it out to him, she realises that her uncle, Grandma, and Harris are all holding out identical rings.
Her father looks up and stares at each of them in turn.
"All of you had a copy of the ring made? Which is the real one?"
They compare dates; Carlotta's is indeed the real one. She hands it back to him.
"She left the ring with the note anyway." her father says. "I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry at the lot of you for simultaneous cunning."
"You know, you could have told us about this before making me put the dress on and do my hair." she says.
Her grandma smiles slightly.
"I'm sorry, but you look so nice in that dress. Let an old woman have her fun."
"Well I suppose you have to look for fun where you can." Carlotta says, looking over at the car where her father is sitting, reading the letter.
There was no dramatic walkout, no shouting, no screaming, no arguments. When they got to the church, Grandma revealed that she'd cancelled all the arrangements weeks ago, without telling anyone, because she knew the wedding wouldn't happen. She was right. Clever Grandma. The letter itself was pinned to the church door.
Carlotta's father gets out of the car, and comes over.
"You were wrong." he says to her. "But you were on the right track."
He hands her the letter then walks to a bench and sits down next to his brother, the only guest who still turned up. Carlotta, surprised to be allowed to read the letter, opens it and has a look.
'My dear John,
It is because I love you truly that I cannot go through with the wedding.
I told you my first husband Harry became very ill and died, but this was not really the case. He is still alive, and I am still married to him, but he is an invalid in an institute.
When I left Beatrice's father, taking the ring was truly a mistake. I was too ashamed to take it back when I realised; with hindsight I should have.
I wanted to go through with marrying you, but I couldn't bear hurting you if you found out.
Please tell Carlotta I am sorry for slapping her and calling her a liar. She's a clever girl and I thought she would work me out.
I hope you find a better woman some day, and thank you for loving me. I just wanted to feel attractive and special again.
Mary'
Her heart sinks slightly. What Mary did was still wrong, but she can find a trace of sympathy now. She and Grandma go over to join her father and uncle.
She digs into her pocket for the ring, the real ring, since she had Teja make a copy to give back to Mary. As she holds it out to him, she realises that her uncle, Grandma, and Harris are all holding out identical rings.
Her father looks up and stares at each of them in turn.
"All of you had a copy of the ring made? Which is the real one?"
They compare dates; Carlotta's is indeed the real one. She hands it back to him.
"She left the ring with the note anyway." her father says. "I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry at the lot of you for simultaneous cunning."