AMELIA

The room was another planet Pluto, so cold but yet comfy, the wall papers had clouds and the blue skies, whoever put me in this room wanted me to think I was in the afterlife.

With my shaking manicured hands, I touched the white window panes, and the sun blared into my curtains. I sighted a lemon pigeon, sitting in a bed cage and relief flushed my sides. I am not dead after all, there is a parrot in front of me.

“Hello there my dearest friend’’.

“ Hello dear my dearest friend” the parrot answered back and I was beginning to be fascinated by my new environment. The decorations were made specially for healing. But, a few moments into my somewhat spirited tour of the little beautiful room I heard the door swing open like a cop trying to break into a criminal's cocoon.

“It's good to see you alive and awake”. The girl spoke and I knew intuitively that she was the maid. Well of course white shirts and black mini skirts were the 21st century uniform of servanthood.

“ I am Ame…”

“The boss requests to dine with you, here is a dress, you should be down in 45 minutes”. She mouthed, she was too eloquent to be strapped as a servant, or should I say too beautiful.

“ I don't know your boss…”

“Will 45 minutes be time enough?” She answered back, making an effort or a habit to avoid all of my questions.

“I suppose,” I answered drily.

“Good, the boss hates to be kept waiting, have a lovely day miss Amelia”. She closed the door and disappeared out of my sight. I still had questions on my mind, questions about her boss and how she got to know my name.

“ Get your hands off my bride”. Those were the last memories I had of my short lived wedding ceremony, what happened next? I was totally in the dark.

***** ****** ******

“ENOUGH!” I watched how he banged his fist on the table till all the pigeons flew outside. He was busy shouting out orders to his domestic staff and all of them scurried away.

I wanted to race back up the stairs at least to buy myself more time to face the beast but my earrings fell off and the clatter on the terrazzo caught his attention.

“You should be in front of me at this moment!” The boss snarled and I noticed the strain in his voice.

“Good…good morning” I whimpered and he stared blankly at me for a few minutes

“Amelia Brets…isnt it?”

“It is sir” I said with my heart threatening to jump out of my chest.

“Oh don't look down goddamit!” He barked and tension hung on the walls, my hands shook and I fought the urge of peeing.

Just then, an unlucky servant came to serve him wine and he grabbed the bottle and spilled wine on his white shirt.

“You stupid boy! Serve me wine when I am in need of it. Take the piece of shit and get out”. The poor servant scampered away and hoisted himself through the door. I didn't understand was this man always aggressive or did I meet him on the wrong day?.

“I want to get your people off my chest” Pedro spoke out of the wind. I knew he was Pedro because his old uncle came in blaring out his name but to his dismay, he was shut in by the nagging Pedro . I was now used to being addressed like just one reed standing in the midst of nowhere.

“I'm sorry sir, I didn't quite get you”.

“ are you deaf?” He spat.

“I'm sorry sir”.

“ Your step father is taking me to court”.

“Oh”

“The social media is tainting my image and that of my company, calling me an imposter for ruining a family's moment”.

“ what can I say?” I mentioned trying to find the right words.

“You have nothing to say, but you owe me for this, and I am here to collect, except you want to go back to your cigarette little house and an old hag!”

I looked down rolling my feet like a little child, ashamed about where I had been.

“Good, it is obvious you do not want to be pushed around and be used only to be sold out like a woman with no security. But you have the right to make your decisions”.

I looked around like I was in a haunted house.

“What decisions?” I heard my insides declaring. I had stomached many things as a woman, this particular one was making my heart tumble.

“To get your family off your tail and to pay for your life… I have a proposal. You will have to sign some documents, Amelia Brets”.

“I don't understand sir, I am grateful you saved my life sir although I do not know for what reasons you did this…..”

“ Sadly I don't get paid with compliments”. He halted me with his answers, sipped deeply from his vodka and peered into my eyes.

“How well do you know Nancy Torres? “

“Who is Nancy..?” I asked finding my tongue

“Have you ever been a care giver?”

“Yes..I..I had a caregiver job …” my brain clicked, Nancy Torres was my last client, I knew because she never missed taking me to every doctor's appointment.

“ Oh God , I know Nancy Torres “. Pedro casted a hateful glance at me and the vodka burned his gut the more.

“I'm sorry sir, What does Nancy Torres have to do with your proposal? And what documents do I need to sign?” I was growing impatient, but I kept my cool. He's my saviour of course.

“ Amelia Brets, sign the documents of my marriage contract to you. It will last for as long as my grandmother lives”. He said blandly

Swinging a couple of stapled papers to me.

“ this is….”

“You have no choice Amelia! You abandoned my grandmother! I did nothing but saved you! Sign the stupid papers and get the media off my tail”.

“ Did you save me so that you can own me?” I stifled a tear, this was all I was and will ever be. A pawn, something to be used.