The Greatest Challenge of My Life

“Grandma, tonight I’m going out with an old friend for dinner,” I gave an excited big hug to my grandma who was cutting carrots and landed a peck on her wrinkly cheek.
“Hey, hey. Watch out, dear. Don’t make me to cut my finger,” she continued, “Okay, you lightened my burden, I’ll have a romantic dinner with your grandpa, in our favourite restaurant, of course,” she laughed gleefully.
“Okay, then, I’m going to work now, see you!” I just picked up a piece of plain bread from a plate on the dining table, and held it tight between my lips while I put on my favourite sneakers.
It was the most exciting moment of my life. My ex-boyfriend, who was my classmate in high school asked me to go for dinner! As we had lost contact for about eight years, I did not know what he was working as but we would talk about it later. I would love to talk about my job as an interior designer, which had always been my wish since I was in high school and he knew that when he was my boyfriend. I did not really know whether we broke up or not, he just vanished from my life suddenly though my love for him was still lingering on in my heart.
After two hours trying on many clothes and dresses, finally I decided to wear my light blue tank top and simple black cardigan, which was a casual chic. I looked perfect in my black jeans and comfortable leather sling back shoes. I would never wear high heels because my feet would be in pain if I wore it and it was hard to balance on it.
Over dinner, he popped a question, “Will you marry me?” and flashed a two-carat diamond ring, bewildering me. He also explained why he vanished. He had an important crisis to attend to, as he had a main role in his family business in United States.
I replied, “Yes” to him only after going out together for sometimes. Our lavish cocktail wedding reception was surrounded by many other important people that I did not even know.
My challenge had begun. As an important person’s wife, I had to dress elegantly and carry myself gracefully. I must wear five-inch heels, even at home! I must be well-dressed before getting out from my bedroom. The bedroom and bathroom were my places of refuge. My mother-in-law had always frightened me. She was the one who forced me to be a perfect wife for her lovely son. Every day I waited impatiently for my husband to reach home. Only he could understand me. I wanted to cook for my husband, one of my dreams. Yet his mother demanded me just sit and read books because our family chef would cook our meals. Our dinners were also very depressing. It was considered rude to talk to share our thoughts or joke. If I tapped my stainless spoon or fork on my plate his mother would give me her sarcastic tirade. Moreover, I could not go out freely, heavy build guards would always accompany me wherever I go, even to visit my family.
I could not bear to live with them anymore. Fatigue struck me. I lost all zest in life because of that witch.
I decided to write a letter as I did not have any courage to tell my husband directly about my suffering under his mother and to ask him to live in our own house.
I just left my letter on the table beside the bed, hoping he would read it in the night after work. Yet I could not sleep, I was too nervous. When I heard someone approaching the bedroom, I turned my body to avoid him. The door was opened, the rustling sound of paper was trembling me. I could not control my breath. Curious, I turned my head to see him. Fortunately, he was smiling. I knew that my suffering was over.

Trapped

Rey and four other adventures, Jin, Jack, Carol and Bryan were going to explore the Mermaid Island, which was famous among adventurers. They needed to take five-hour boat ride on Rey’s yacht to reach there. One day before departure, Ray spent time with his girlfriend, Cindy, instead of checking the yacht’s condition.
The next night, Cindy sent Rey off to the secluded harbor where the departure would be.
“Hi Cindy!” Rey’s friend greeted Cindy as they knew her very well.
“Hi guys! How’s your preparation?” she replied.
“Yeah, we prepared very well and didn’t go out with girlfriends,” answered Carol sarcastically. All kept quiet for a second, they were thinking, “How dare Carol said that to the Boss?” as they knew Rey’s character.
“Well, we don’t have any, Carol,” Bryan laughed and others just forced themselves to laugh.
“Okay, honey, it’s time for me to leave,” Rey landed a peck onto Cindy’s forehead.
“Take care,” she kissed him on the lips and hugged him.
Rey got into the yacht and loosened the rope from the mast. The other crew members pushed the yacht from behind while Rey turned on the engine. It stalled a little and when the engine came to life, the crew jumped into it.
“I love you!” Cindy bawled as the yacht sped away from the harbor.
“Rey, you did check the yacht’s condition, didn’t you?” asked Carol.
“Umm, yeah … of course!” he hesitated in his reply.
One hour later, the sky turned dark and gloomy, rain pelted down from the heavens. Suddenly, the yachts decelerated, the engine stopped and smoke emerged out from the engine.
“What the hell is this?!” grumbled Carol.
“I think the engine is too hot,” bluffed Rey as he checked the empty tank.
“Should we take out our paddles? Jim suggested.
“I think so, since the weather seems hostile,” Jack gazed up, lifted his hands to feel the rain.
Their yachts were tossed like feathers in the blizzard in the choppy sea. They continued to paddle although they do it in vain.
They were too tired to continue paddling.
“We couldn’t possibly go through this tidal wave,” Carol bawled as the symphony of the rain and thunder covered his voice.
They were trapped in the middle of sea, suddenly, Rey jumped out from the yacht.
“Hey! Where are you going, Rey?!” Carol shouted following by his friends, but they got no response, Rey just swam away.
“Bastard! It’s empty!” Carol swore as he checked the petrol tank.
“Only dolphins can help us now,” said Jack hopelessly.

Heroes

“How was your school, sweetie?” Clara’s mother, Holly, asked her when she picked up her daughter from a kindergarten school. They walked towards the parking lot.
“As usual, mammy,” she replied non-committally.
Holly was a bit confused by Clara’s answer. Usually, Clara answers excitedly and tells her mother about her school.
“Don’t you have something to tell me?” Holly asked her daughter sadly, glancing over her shoulder to the left where Clara sat. Clara seemed distracted and did not respond.
During dinner time, Clara, Holly, and Daniel, Holly’s husband, were sitting around the dining table. Clara was still thinking, actually, she had something to ask about her parents.
“Mom, dad, today my friend told me a story about her parents’ first meeting and I just wanted to know about yours. How did both of you meet each other?” Clara asked politely and gave her parents her toothless smile.
Holly and Daniel grinned, reminded of their first meeting and Daniel gave a wink to Holly as a sign for Holly to begin the story.
“Well, actually your daddy was my hero. When I was eighteen, I had a part-time job as a waitress in a fast food restaurant and I got the evening shift, so it was about 11pm when I finished my work. I walked home, I was alone and it was very gloomy,” Holly emphasized dramatically, and Clara felt a chill up her spine.
“I sensed a man following me behind. I was scared and quickened my speed. As I walked faster, the man also walked faster. Till the man reached me, I screamed. The man moved in front of me and threatened me with a knife. The knife shone brightly in the moonlight. The man asked me to take out my purse. I was trembling and took it out reluctantly; he had just taken it from my hand, suddenly another man, your daddy, came and saved me. He aimed a perfect kick at the robber’s groin, made the robber collapsed,” Holly got up from her chair and practiced the step.
“WOW! What happened after that, mom?” Clara was impressed by Holly’s story.
“You know sweetie, how your daddy could save me in the exact time?”
Clara just shook her head widely, waiting for holly to continue enthusiastically.
“Hmm, actually, your daddy had also been following me since I finished my work. He was one of my secret customers who secretly admired me. He called police station before he helped me. I was glad that he was there because I had just received my first salary,” Holly laughed gleefully
“Daddy, I didn’t know that you are a superman, I have decided to marry a man like u in future,” Clara said, opening her lustrous eyes widely.
Daniel’s eyes widened after hearing that, Holly put her arm on Daniel’s shoulder and smiled proudly.

Lies

“Why were you so late, honey? I missed you so much,” Laura whispered to her husband and manoeuvred her wheel chair towards her husband. Even though it took a lot of effort, she removed his coat and carried his office bag a dutiful wife.
“I’m sorry honey, I had to work overtime today,” he landed a peck onto Laura’s cheek and pushed her wheelchair to their bedroom.
They had been married for three years. Laura, 26, was an albino with blue eyes. She got involved in a car accident when she was 19 and doctor pronounced her paralysed from waist downwards. She came from a broken home and did not make friends except his husband. She had a phobia about being left alone because of the bitter experience that she had gone through in her youth. As a result, she would try all means to keep her loved one with her.
The next morning, after sending her husband off and ensuring that her husband’s car was far away, she manoeuvred her wheel chair inside, locked the door and closed all the curtains then she got up from her wheelchair, pushed it to the corner in the living room. She walked towards the dining room and picked up all the dishes for breakfast this morning. She was going to turn on the faucet when she heard a pounding on the front door. She ran towards her wheelchair, manoeuvred it and unlocked the door to open it. She saw her husband.
“Hey, I’d been waiting for so long. I forgot to bring an important document for meeting this morning, I’m going to be late for it,” he was talking while he walked to his study room.
“Bye-bye! Anyway, I’m going home late today,” he continued. He was talking like a train, did not let Laura speak even a word.
The next day, Laura made sure that her husband did not forget anything. She did all house hold chores. When she was washing her husband’s shirt, she found a lipstick stain on the collar. Her heart started thumping so fast. Her face crumpled and she started to wail sorrowfully.
Day after day, her husband went home later and later and the lip stains were found more often.
She tried to ignore the situation. She did not want to fight her husband as she did not want him to leave her. She acted normally in front of her husband. She was always in tears every night, waiting for her husband and staring out of the window till she saw blinding beams from the headlights of a car entering the garage. That is a sign for her to open the door and welcome her husband with smiles and kisses. Her husband did not even notice her swollen eyes.
One day, she was awakened by the sound of a car entering the garage. She was still sitting in her wheelchair, having fallen asleep while waiting for her husband. She checked the time by looking at her cell phone and it was already dawn. Still half asleep, she peeked outside the window and rubbed her eyes with her fist. The scene shocked her. She took her cell phone and took a picture of the scene. She began to shed tears. She forced herself not to cry then welcomed her husband who was drunk and reeked of strong perfume.
The next Sunday morning, she saw her husband was still sleeping. She took her cell phone, looking at the picture that she had taken. She touched her sleeping husband’s lip tenderly and smiled miserably. His lip was kissed by another girl in the picture. Furthermore, the girl was a pub dancer, ensuring me what he did would me more than a kiss. Laura shuffled herself closer to her husband. She could feel her husband’s breathe blowing at her forehead.
“You’ll always be mine,” she whispered and slowly reached under her pillow for the kitchen knife.