Choice to Make

 CHOICE TO MAKE

Cassandra
AI image 

Mum, I have something to say to you," Cassandra said, feeling nervous, knowing her mum has a temper and is prone to violence.

"What is it?" Her mum asked, feeling irritated by the interruption of her thoughts.

"I'm going to call off the wedding with Dave," Cassandra said with determination.

"I don't hear you well," her mum said, "Please repeat what you just said to me now."

"I mean, I'm not going ahead with the wedding."

Her mum laughed, "Cass, are you out of your mind?"

"Mum..." but her mum cut her off with an irritating wave of her hand. "How dare you? Do you know how much they have spent?"

"What about the one million dollars and the duplex gifted to us by Dave? Are you going to repay it?"

"Please, Mum, stop it. Dave hit me, and this is the fifth time in just two months."

"Of course, a real man hits his woman to put her in her place."

"What?"

Shut up you stupid girl, a real man will handle you like that when in the heat of passion.

It is not like that Mum, she said pulling her top off. There are a lot of pink bruises all over her body and an angry welt."

"What is this?"

"Dave's handwork Mum."

"That is sad my dear but you are going in with the wedding no argument."

Cassandra is stunned to hear her Mum reply to the beating she had received from Dave, it was a huge shock to her and at that moment she believes her mother sees her as a commodity to be traded for at any cost necessary to satisfy her lust for wealth.

With hot tears streaming down her face, Cassandra hurried out of the room. Momentarily blinded, she bumped into someone and grabbed them for balance. "What's wrong, Cass?" she heard her dad's voice, distant. She sobbed, and he guided her into her room.

Closing the door, he turned to her. "What's all this noise so early in the morning?" he asked, giving her a shake.

Cassandra snapped out of her daze, a look of disbelief on her face. "Dad, it's almost 2 PM!"

"It's too early for this. What's even wrong with you?"

"I'm calling off the wedding."

"Now, why would you do something stupid like that?"

"Dave is a monster."

"A monster?"

"Yes, Daddy."

Well, a monster who cleared my gambling debt, a monster who bought me a house and even gave me a million dollars, Cass, think of it."

"Dad, he beat me."

"You must have done something wrong."

"How can you say that?"

"Think of it, you are a stubborn child."

"Dad, so because of your gambling habit, you're making me your stake on a gambling board?"

Her dad's eyes shone with amusement. "Now you talk of stake, I guess you're right. You are my real stake."

Cassandra was numb. Her father saw her as a gambling stake, and without a word, she left the house.

Mr. Graham shook his head and went to his wife, who was reclining on a couch with a glass of wine and the latest trending phone in her hand. "Honey, did you speak with Cass?"

"That fool of a daughter wants to ruin me," she said, sipping her wine.

Her husband looked at the wine label and smiled. "My throat is sore from trying to reason with that girl. I need a drink too."

"Get your own and leave this one alone."

"You know I brought Cass into this world."

"Foolish man, who carries her in the womb for nine months?"

"Don't argue, woman, my sperm made all the difference."

"Leave that talk. What are we going to do about Cass?"

"There is nothing to be done. She will marry Dave."

Even though he beat her?"

"She will get used to it. See, I'm tired of being poor, and this opportunity made me a rich man. She wants to throw it away. How can she not care about what I've done for her and the sacrifices we've both made? Remember, they nearly made me a slave for the debts I owed. Can't she understand we're finished without Dave's family's money?"

Dave was in the club, having a good time with two strippers. He was high on drugs and booze, shouting and mocking the girls, but they didn't complain because of the money they'd be getting.

"And you think someone about to marry will be behaving like this?" said his friend Ray.

"I wonder too," added Clement.

"He who pays the bills calls the tune," Dave said, not even looking at them.

"Thank God you aren't paying my bills," said Ray, shaking his head with disappointment.

"What does that mean?" Dave asked him.

"You're too arrogant because of your parents' money."

"And so?"

"Is that why you beat Cassandra?"

"That's none of your business."

"What are you talking about?" Clement asked.

"Our friend here—or I should say, your friend here—is a woman beater."

"Don't be a joker, Ray. Dave would never hit a woman, right, Dave?" Clement asked, looking at him, but Dave never met his eyes.

"A man who beats a woman is insecure and very weak, you know," Ray continued, not even acknowledging Dave's glaring look. "I wonder if he'd be happy if a guy beat his sister."

"What's your problem, Ray? Are you in love with Cassandra?"

Ray laughed, "You're a fool, Dave, a very big fool."

"How dare you call me a fool!"

"Well, are you going to do something about it?" Ray asked.

Dave just glared at him but sat down and sulked.

"I don't think so. Only a weakling would beat a woman and is afraid to face a real man. What a coward."

"Calm down, Ray, stop antagonizing him," Clement said, looking at Ray pointedly.

Ray ignored him and turned to Dave. "So you think your parents' money is yours, eh? Like I said, you're a fool. You depend on your family's money and have no idea how to make your own."

"Leave me alone. You can find your way out when you're done talking."

"Oh, I surely will, but not before giving you a lesson."

"What lesson?"

Before Dave knew it, Ray was on him, beating him like a maniac without a care where his blows landed. Clement tried to stop him, but Ray pushed him away and dared him to try again.

He twisted Dave's hand behind his back and hit him hard. There was a popping sound, and Dave screamed.

"Listen very well," Ray said. "If you ever hit Cassandra again or any other girl, you will get more than this. Let this be a warning to you: a woman is someone to be cherished and loved. A woman is someone to protect and care for when needed. You better start learning, or you will regret it one day." And with that, he stood up and left the club, not caring about the onlookers.

Correction will be greatly appreciated.

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