Chapter 5: The Preposterous Demand

Then one day, unexpected figures appeared on our doorstep: my father, mother, and sister. After the wedding, I kept my distance from my family and didn’t share my new address with them, but somehow they found us and showed up unannounced. Of course, the words that greeted them weren’t warm like, “Long time no see!” but rather, “What do you want?”

To which my sister replied, “I have a favor to ask of you.”

My parents chimed in, “It’s something only you can do for us.” Looking at me earnestly.

I was bewildered, wondering what they could possibly need from me after 13 years of estrangement. I remained silent, half curious and half fearful, as my mother spoke up. “We want you to give David to your sister.”

Both David and I were shocked by her words. “Wait a minute, what do you mean I need to give David away?” I asked, utterly confused and alarmed by the bizarre request. When I sharply questioned them, my parents looked away guiltily, while my sister stood there, smug and proud. Despite being 40 and still single, she seemed unfazed by her circumstances, which now included unemployment since her company had recently folded.

“It’s tough,” my father explained. “We’re worried about your sister’s future, being single and jobless. We hope you understand. As sisters, you should feel the same.” Internally, I rebuffed their reasoning with a firm no, I don’t think so, but remained outwardly silent, curious to see what they would say next. My frustration grew as my father spoke slowly, each word more absurd than the last. “She’s always liked David, and she’s still alone because of that. You’ve had your time with David, haven’t you? Could you please let your sister have him for the rest of her life?”

“What do you mean?” I asked, incredulous. David was equally shocked, struggling for words. Meanwhile, my parents continued to plead, and my sister maintained her haughty demeanor, convinced she would get what she wanted. Given my parents’ history of indulging her, it wasn’t surprising she believed this ludicrous request would be fulfilled.

As I stood there dumbfounded, David pulled me aside and whispered, “This might actually be a chance to put an end to all this. Remember that joke you made when you were drunk? It’s like it’s coming to life.”

Chapter 6: The Absurd Performance

Emboldened, we faced my family again. “Do you really love David that much?” I asked Amara. Taken aback by my direct question, my sister stammered, visibly shocked.

“Yes, I really have loved him all this time!”

“That’s quite a long time to continue loving someone who’s married to another,” I noted. Her response was filled with conviction. “It’s been very painful watching you two together. It should have been me!”

Stunned by her intense words, David and I struggled to maintain our composure. I decided to play along with the charade a bit longer. “If you love him that much, I’ll step aside,” I declared, shocking everyone, especially our parents.

“Really? Don’t you love David too?” my mother quickly interjected.

“No, actually,” David chimed in, playing his part. “To tell you the truth, I’ve always had feelings for Amara.”

My sister’s face lit up with delight. “Really? I knew it!” This surreal exchange left everyone reeling as David and I watched their reactions, barely keeping ourselves from laughing at the absurdity of the situation we had orchestrated. The reality was, of course, that David and I were securely united, but sometimes going along with a ludicrous scenario was the only way to highlight its ridiculousness.

As I hugged David, I noticed his eyes shimmering with a playful love. “I’ve been waiting for this moment,” he said, his voice quivering with suppressed laughter. Beside me, David feigned crying, but his shaking shoulders gave him away. “We just have to get through this little performance,” I whispered. “We’ll always be together from now on.”

Suddenly, my sister began to speak to David as if they had been intimate for years. “Amara, I’m happy! Please be my support from now on,” David said with a grin.

“Yes, absolutely!” she replied eagerly.

“So, I’m going to quit my job, really.” David’s announcement wiped the blush from my sister’s face, replacing it with shock. “I want to be with you, Amara, all the time, so I’m quitting my job to always be by your side! I won’t even go outside anymore. I’ll follow you to the bathroom and watch you do housework.”

David’s cheerful tone left my sister flustered and panicking. Our parents, too, couldn’t hide their disturbance. “But I’m not working either, and this is troubling,” she stammered.

“What’s troubling? If we’re together, we have nothing to fear! We don’t need money to be happy!” David continued, pushing the absurdity further.

“But nowadays we need to pay for insurance, right? It’s not like the old times. We can’t love each other if there’s no money!”

Seizing the moment, I chimed in, “David, if we do end up divorcing, I’ll be taking a generous share of the assets, so you better pay up!”

“Don’t worry, your sister and parents will take care of the payments,” David replied with a laugh. Hearing this, our parents went pale and looked at each other in disbelief.

“Amara, this is hard to say, but this isn’t right! Stealing a husband from your sister…”

“Exactly, Amara, that is indeed the case.” But where had all the previous passion gone? It was as if our parents had suddenly come to their senses.

“What are you talking about? You promised to give David to me!” Amara protested.

“But Amara, that was before!”

“I don’t want to hear it!” our mother interjected.

“Doesn’t anyone support me?” As my sister ranted, she grabbed our mother’s hair, and my father struggled to mediate the chaos. In the commotion, David calmly captured everyone’s attention.

“Honestly, you are not my type. I respect you as Scarlet’s sister, but apart from that, I don’t want to interact much with you. Especially that upward gaze you give—it actually turns me off. The thought that someone harbors unrequited feelings for me is quite difficult.”

David’s candid remarks left both my sister and our parents speechless. “But David, what was all that earlier?” Amara demanded.

“Please stop being so casual with someone else’s husband. There’s no way he could fall for you,” I concluded firmly, putting an end to the absurdity that had spiraled far beyond a mere family dispute.

Chapter 7: The Finality of Boundaries

As I watched my sister walk towards David with a pale face, I intervened. “We have a family, and we are living happily.” Her steps halted as she turned to face me.

“What? You tricked me!” she exclaimed.

“How can you think someone who hasn’t contacted you for 13 years loves you? Isn’t that unrealistic?” I challenged her, hoping to inject some sense into the situation. Her face flushed red, and tears of frustration welled in her eyes. “If you were truly an attractive prospect, maybe, but no one finds charm in someone unemployed, dependent on their parents, and lacking any self-sufficiency because her mother has always done everything for her,” I continued, my words sharp and unyielding. David snickered quietly behind me, understanding.

The reality of the words struck my sister, and her frustration turned to loud crying, her tears unstoppable. Our parents, attempting to console her, looked on with expressions of dawning realization and confusion, as if finally acknowledging the harsh truth of the situation.

“Therefore, I’m not handing over David. Please give up, Amara,” I stated firmly. At this, my sister’s crying intensified, her sobs childlike and unseemly for an adult. “Take this experience as a lesson, and please don’t involve yourself with us again. No matter how much trouble you find yourself in the future, don’t expect any help from us,” I declared, feeling the finality of my words as I slowly closed the front door.

When my children asked what had happened, I responded lightly, “It’s Halloween season, so it seems a ghost came early.” My eldest child suggested, “Let’s exorcise the spirit!” Although I dismissed the idea, it almost felt real with the echoes of my sister’s wails sounding like a tormented ghost outside.

Another four years passed, and my sister remained single. She managed to find a job, but her inappropriate behavior eventually led to her dismissal. Her rush into marriage and the resulting troubles got her banned from matchmaking events. It seems likely she might stay single for life. My parents are still working part-time, tirelessly saving money for her sake. They probably realize now that they can’t rely on her for their future care. I hope they understand the consequences of their indulgence.

After all their hard work, as a homemaker, I’ve been fortunate not to worry about my children’s school fees, thanks to their brilliance and my husband’s stable job. Sometimes I do wonder if having a job outside the home would help me shed the extra calories I tend to gain during the festive season. My daughter, who is naturally slim and now hitting her growth spurt, has started talking about dieting, but I encourage her to hold off. “Think about that when you’re older, like me,” I tell her. My two sons are passionate about dancing and have recently made a splash at a local event, bagging several awards. Brimming with confidence, they dream of one day joining BTS, so I find myself hoping that the band stays together long enough for my boys to have a shot at their dream.

We are blessed with regular visits from my in-laws, who are as dear to me as my parents. We relish the delightful meals we share. With spring break on the horizon, we’re planning a spa trip, eagerly anticipating some quality family time. Despite the challenges I faced before marriage, my life now is brimming with happiness, strengthening the genuine bonds of family. I cherish the happiness that fills my days and look forward to many more years of health and togetherness, hoping to share countless precious moments with our loved ones.