Forced Marriage: Escaping Her Monster

"Hmm?" Jeremy gave a clueless look and Jerlina gritted her teeth. But Jeremy did not relent and still acted clueless as they walked.

"Will you tell me or not?" she stood in front of him and blocked the way.

"Tell you what?" Jeremy acted as if he was genuinely surprised. 

"You're a… stealer!" She said gritting her teeth. 

"You mean a thief?" Jeremy chuckled. "My cute wife forgets the English language in my presence! Oh, how much she is mesmerized by me!" he laughed holding his abdomen.

"Thief? What did I steal?" he leaned to her face, "Your heart?" he raised his eyebrows.

"Joel, you!" Jerlina fisted her hands and raised them to hit his arm but before that, he shouted..

"There! There's the cemetery! We're here. Let's go!" he held her hand casually as if she was not angry and walked at a faster pace. 

Jerlina forgot she was angry too by his sudden hurried movements and clutching the bouquet in her hand, she ran with him. Only when they entered the cemetery gates did she realize that they are not running to catch a bus or a train. They could have walked after having their talk. 

This guy!

She grumbled in her heart but then minding the place she's at, she decided to be quiet. From the morning, he's been acting weird making her think. She wondered what he is planning.

Jerlina was about to lead him to her mother's grave but holding her hand, he led her on a different path. 

"Joel, that way…" she whispered.

Jeremy nodded and his eyes were serious as he looked in a particular direction. Jerlina realized it should be something important and followed him. As she was walking she guessed that it must be his mother's grave.

Jeremy visits here often and people here know his mother and it was not a hard conclusion to arrive at. But she kept quiet as they walked through the stone pavement. Jeremy led her to the expensive part of the graveyard where there will be mostly mausoleums. 

Well, he is rich and he might have buried his mother here! And he's taking me to visit his mother!

Jerlina's heart started to pound without her realizing it. Maybe Jeremy realized it, his hold on her hand tightened too. Or it could be because he is nervous too. 

Near a ponderosa pine tree, there was a mausoleum constructed with wood. Although there was sun out that day, the temperature was still below freezing and snow covered everywhere. 

While others were made with stone, marble, and granite this one looked peculiar. She knew it in her heart that it should be Jeremy's mother's. Jeremy must have made everything by his hand. 

His heart… is filled with love!

Jerlina took in a deep breath. She had a feeling that his mother would accept her as his wife. Not when they first got married, but as of now, she is in love with Jeremy and she knew that his mother would accept her. 

She does not know Jeremy's mother personally but someone who gave birth to such a kind and honest man should be kind and filled with love too. And for Jeremy to hold his mother in his heart for this long, she could only say that all his memories of her should be pleasant. 

  And as expected, that was the grave of Jeremy's mother. They walked closer and all the while Jeremy didn't let go of her hand. There was a picture of his mother and with all the details she just learned, Jerlina found his mother familiar.

Yes, she has seen her pictures a couple of times and Jeremy would talk about her. His home has more pictures of Peter Fitzgerald than his mother. But she would recognize his mother's face a little bit. 

And this particular picture of his mother… she has never seen it but it was familiar – a little too familiar. 

"Mom…I married.  I brought my wife," Jeremy said placing his hand on her back. 

"Hello, mom," Jerlina said and placed the bouquet down. 

She doesn't usually talk loudly in a grave but since Jeremy is conversing she did it to be polite.

"Mom…" he knelt in front of the mausoleum and Jerlina took a step back to let him speak what's in his mind. 

She gently placed her hand on his shoulder and he looked at her and nodded. His eyes were a bit red and she smiled back. He placed his big hand over her hand and then silently looked at the picture. 

Jerlina's eyes ended up on that picture too. Jeremy had his mother's eyes and nose. And he probably got his features from his mother's side of the family. 

His father is ugly as f*ck. He can't be looking like him.

Thinking of genetics made Jerlina wonder who their kids would take after. Her side of the family had good genes. Her grandfather and father had a head full of hair till the day they died. As long as they don't take after Jeremy's father they'd look good. 

Ah… what am I thinking?

Jerlina felt guilty for thinking about stupid things in front of a grave. She looked at the picture once more. His mother had a serene smile and gentle eyes. Wait… the necklace…

Jerlina recognized the necklace Jeremy's mom was wearing. Her mother had one exactly like that. She still has it. And one by one Jerlina started to make the connection. 

That picture that repeated during our wedding… It didn't repeat! Joel has the same picture as we do!

By all things holy! 

Was Joel's mom the best friend my mom had?

And is Joel the boy I couldn't help but kiss that day as grandpa used to say?

She always hid that picture at the bottom of the cookie tin where she kept all the pictures of her mother. Her grandpa would repeat the embarrassing story every Christmas to make her blush. She wondered how Jeremy made that picture public considering she is kissing another boy.

Well, she thought that since she was a baby, he's leaving it as a cute thing babies do. 

And all this time that boy was Joel?

I should have known! This adorable jealous ball who gets jealous of Earl, wouldn't have made that picture public unless it was him I was kissing!

Why am I an idiot?

So, he is having a copy of that picture too? And he always knew I was the daughter of his mother's friend?

Could this be considered as being a childhood sweetheart?

Although this is not the place for that, she felt happy for a moment.

She turned and looked at Jeremy. He was still on his knees and she squatted beside him. Bowing his head, he was still saying something to his mom. Only his lips were moving and she couldn't hear him. Without shame, she tried to listen closely. But she couldn't hear anything.

'I love Joel very much, mom. Hope you'd give us your blessing,' Jerlina said in her heart. 

She was a bit startled when something fell in front of her. But she noticed it was a pine cone. Jerlina picked it up and looked up. The tree didn't have any more pine cones since all of it had fallen. 

This is the last one!

Jerlina held the beautiful cone to her heart. The wind ruffled her hair and she heard a soft whisper that warmed her heart as she closed her eyes.

It might be nothing special and it is just a fallen cone. But for her, that cone felt special. Just when she was asking for the blessing that cone landed right near her when there are no more cones left on the tree. 

She found that as a sign that his mom has given her blessings.

Mom, I'll definitely make Joel happy as long as I live!

She promised in her heart.