Tears

Episode 10

Stan—

I’d ended things with Helga minutes before.

Inviting her over and making her believe we were going to set things the way it ought to be, I told her my mind, letting her know the way I felt towards her.

“What? Y-you don’t love me?”

“Please understand, Helga,”

She got up and rolled fiery eyeballs that seemed like they were going to pop out. “What do you mean by I should understand? I waited long years so I could finally be with you,”

I let out a sigh. “My parents were the one who wanted you, Helga. To be frank I never felt a thing.”

She gaped as I moved past her. “Just what do you take me for?”

“A friend.”

“Humph! You’re going to regret this.”

I asked her, feeling threatened. “What are you going to do?” I smirked. “Can you even hurt a fly?”

She laughed at the sound. “You see them tears you made me cry?”

I scoffed as she drew closer with a finger pointed at her left eye.

“I’ll make sure you cry them, too!” she spoke through clenched teeth.

Watching her make for the door, I shrugged the feeling off—one that came with the threat she gave.

Feeling free at last, watching her throw the ring she had taken off, I grinned at the thought of being free, making to shut the door properly, as I turned around, my mind getting clouded—with the thoughts of having to tell my parents.

“Don’t worry, sweety, I’ll talk to him,”

Stanley overheard his mom as he and his fiancée came in. “What are you doing here?” he was surprised to see Helga there. Asking his fiancée not to worry, that she was a rat that needed to be dealt with, he introduced her to his mom, not minding what she was going to say.

“Mom, you see what I’ve been telling you? Stanley has another girl.

Stanley said no word but threw a signal to his woman to relax.

“Mom,” he began. Having found his voice, shifting his eyes from Helga, he settled them on his mom, and said. “Mom, I’d like to tell you that Arabel and I are getting married soon,” he looked at his fiancée as he made to take her hand.

“Oh. Is that so?” his mom could only ask. Adjusting her glasses a bit, she settled her eyes on the lady her son had introduced. Seeing how nervous she was, and her tummy, she gave a smile, though a half one, getting her eyes back on her son as she made to say, “So this is the wretch you chose over Helgy?”

Arabel gasped. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Yes, a wretch.” Stanley’s mother addressed.

“Mom, I will not let you speak to my fiancée in such way!” Stanley made to defend.

“Son, can you even look at her? She’s no damsel in distress.” She gestured towards the lady. “Son…”

“Mother, I do not care what you think of Arabel,” Stanley spoke. “She is the woman I love. The woman that lights up my entire world..”

Helga cut in with a grit. “ Wasn’t I that woman?”

Stanley clasped Arabel’s hand tightly. “I love her, mom,” he paused to look at her. “I love Arabel!’ he looked back at his mother as he continued. “And I shall match with her. Wherever. Whenever—” he exhaled. “With or without your blessings.”

His mother watched in silence