AFTER HER FUTURE IN-LAWS SAW HER BIRTHMARK ON HER SHOULDER, THEY STOPPED THE WEDDING
As Martha was happy that her son was marrying with his dream girl, she was in her bride, Emily’s room, as she was dressing up for her wedding.
Emily said, “I’m just so nervous, Martha,” and continued, “What if something goes wrong?”
Martha walked towards her, and patted Emily’s shoulder, as she said, “You and Alex are a wonderful couple,”
“Everything will be perfect. You wait and see.”
Emily said, as she nodded, and looked at her bouquet, “You know, lilies are my favorite flowers,”
Then Martha stated that she loves them too, after she explained that her husband, George, had brought them on their first date.
As they were talking, Emily asked, “Could you help me with the zipper?”
“Of course, dear,” Martha said, and approached to her. Then she started to pull her zipper, and she noticed the birthmark on Emily’s shoulder, which was in the shape of a crescent moon.
Emily asked, “Is everything okay?” When she saw Martha’s face.
As Martha was shocked with the sighting of the birthmark on Emily’s shoulder, she said, “I think I just need some fresh air,”
“Of course, take your time. The hotel’s backyard is peaceful. It might help you relax.”
As she went outside to breath some fresh air, Martha started to think about the memories of her from 25 years ago.
She was standing above the dock, as he fiance, George, came towards her. They started to walk towards the ship. George was going away to a three months of sea voyage.
“I don’t want you to go. How will I live without you?” Martha said.
George hugged her, as he said, “I know, Martha. I’ll miss you too. But it’s just three months. Then we’ll start our family.”
Martha cried, “These three months will be the longest of my life,”
“They’ll pass before you know it,” George said, and kissed her.
As George boarded the ship, he looked back at Martha, and said, “These three months will fly by,”
As three months passed quickly, Martha’s phone was ranged. George was calling, as he said, “Hi, my love, we need to talk.”
“Darling, is that you? When should I expect you?” Martha said.
George said, “That’s what I wanted to talk about,”
“The captain offered me nine more months at sea. Good opportunity, good money. We can buy a house when I return.”
“You agreed without asking me? I’ve been waiting for you for three months!” Martha yelled, as she was shocked.
“It’s a good opportunity,” George responded.
“What about us?” Martha cried. “Our plans, our future?”
“You don’t understand. It’s my future, my life!” George said.
As Martha was angry, she hung up the phone. She kept crying, and called her griends, Kate and Liza. Before they arrived, she took her ring off.
Her friends wanted to take her to dancing, as they thought that she would be distracted. As Martha didn’t wanted, she agreed later.
As she was standing on the corner of the dance hall, she watched her friends, who were dancing. Then, a boy, James approached to her with a glass of alcohol. “I’m not in the mood for talking,” Martha said.
As she wasn’t a drinker usually, she decided to take one glass that night. As she was drinking, James said, “Rough day?”
“Understatement,” Martha said.
James said, “How about we get out of here?”
“I can’t leave my friends. I’m here with them,” she said.
“They’re having fun; they won’t even notice. Shall we?”
They left together the dance hall, and first walked around the city. Then James took Martha to the rooftop of his house, and there, they spent the night together.
Martha was feeling guilty, as she left James, while he was sleeping.
As she walked back to her home, she took her ring from the table. After few weeks later, she started to feel sick, and went to the doctor’s office.
She learned that she was pregnant. She asked, “Can I have an abortion?”
But her health conditions didn’t allowed her to abort the baby. As she went back home, she decided to call George.
“I shouldn’t have left without talking to you,” George said.
“Let’s get married when I return.”
As Martha was silent, her sobbing voices were going to George. “Are you crying?” He asked.
“They are tears of happiness,” Martha said.
As she was lost in her thoughts, at the backyard, her son, Alex came and said, “Mom, the ceremony is about to start. We need to take our places,”
“I’ll be there soon, Alex. Go ahead, I just need a moment,” Martha said.
As her son left, she went back to her thinking.
She asked to the nurse, “Can I hold her, just for a moment, before you take her away?”
As she held her daughter, she noticed the crescent moon birthmark on her shoulder. “I’m so sorry, my little girl,” Martha said to her daughter.
As she abandoned her baby, she was feeling terrible with her action. When George arrived, he said, “I missed you so. Let’s get married immediately,”
“We will,” Martha said, as she was having hard times with her feelings.
At the wedding of her son, Alex, the priest asked, “If anyone objects to this marriage, speak now or forever hold your peace…”
At that moment, Martha stepped inside and said, “I object to this wedding!”
“Mom, what are you doing?”
“Because…you are brother and sister. You can’t marry Emily!” Martha said.
Martha started to explain, as she said, “Many years ago, I had a baby girl and gave her up for adoption. She had a crescent moon birthmark — the same as Emily’s.”
“I never imagined she could be the one you would fall in love with.”
Everyone was shocked, as the guests gasped. As the ceremony ended, everyone left the church.
Then Martha, along with Emily, Alex, and George were alone in a hotel room.
Alex was angry, as he said, “How could you keep this secret?”
“I loved my sister, almost married her!”
“I thought it was the best for everyone,” Martha was crying.
“No, you thought about what was best for you! You destroyed our lives!” Alex shouted.
“When would you have told us? When we had kids?”
“I didn’t know until this morning. Not until I saw the birthmark on Emily’s shoulder,” Martha said, as she looked at Emily.
As she tried to hold Emily’s hands, Emily pulled herself back, as she said, “I have my adoptive parents, and I love them. But this?”
“I don’t know if I can forgive you. To find out that the love of my life is my brother…It’s just too much.”
As George was in tears, he said, “I’m filing for divorce,”
“Mom, please go,” Alex said to his mother.
As Martha left the room, her heart was crushing with the guilt of years, even though she was in regret of her actions, there was nothing she could do to repent them.
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