(Renata Pelegrini)
“Put it on!” Tiago throws a bag in my direction, I make no effort to grab it, I let it fall at my feet.
He leaves the room and locks the door from the outside. It’s been half an hour since I got off that helicopter, I threw up twice and now I’m wearing only a robe. I have no idea where I am, I passed out after being slapped in the face for throwing up on it twice.
I pick up the bag from the floor and pull out the clothes, my heart bleeding at the sight of the completely white dress, I lay it on the bed and touch the little stones that adorn the heart-shaped neckline. It looks like a princess dress, full of frills that go all the way to the floor.
Unable to control the tears, and consequently also unable to control the sobs, I sit down on the floor supporting my back on the bed.
I always wanted to get married, to wear a dress as beautiful as that and be happy with my family, I thought I would marry Filippo, sweet illusion… He abandoned me, he just had fun with me while I was still a novelty. He just used me, and left me pregnant.
I cry bitterly, how will I ever be able to protect my child? My baby is so tiny and so helpless, he only has me for him. I have to get away, but I am so weak, I can’t even remember the last time I ate, even though I am very nauseous, when I vomit, only water comes out.
I wonder what Filippo is doing now. He said that his family is the one who will decide who he would marry, is he already married? Is his wife already expecting his child? A legitimate son?
I take my hand to my belly and caress him, my little one, should I tell him who his father is? It will hurt too much to know that he is just a bastard who was abandoned by his father who doesn’t even know he exists.
I feel so alone, I wonder how Amanda is doing? I wonder if her father got her into some more trouble? What about Caio? His girlfriend was having health problems, is she better now?
I turn on my side and lay my head on the bed, touch the soft lace fabric of the skirt of the dress and once again my mind is deluded by the image of Filippo waiting for me at the altar, with a smile on his face… this will never happen… he has grown sick of me and for sure, if he knew about my baby, he would force me to aborting it away, after all, he has always made it clear that he would never have a child with me.
I close my eyes tightly and try to concentrate only on the moment. I need to be strong, taking a deep breath and swallowing the lump in my throat. I take off my robe and put on my dress, inside this room there isn’t a mirror, I don’t do any styling with my hair, I just let it loose, it’s not completely tangled because I used my fingers as a substitute for combs. I sit on the bed and wait.
“She looks beautiful.” After twenty minutes of waiting, Tiago opens the door. “Come here.”
I do as he says, with the slowest steps I have ever taken in my entire life. As I stand half a meter away from him, Tiago places a tiara on my head, I don’t raise my eyes to see it.
“Perfetta!” – “Perfect,” he says, looking me up and down, I can feel the malice in his eyes and my stomach twitches. “Let’s go downstairs, the priest is downstairs.”
Tiago takes my hand and forces me to intertwine my arm with his, I try not to vomit again, I have never felt as disgusted as I am feeling now.
Tiago leads me up a long staircase, I look at the place and it seems to be a church, an abandoned church. The roof is full of termites and creaks with the wind, the windows are closed with pieces of wood nailed to it, the glass is blown out.
As I step onto the last step, I look desperately for a door, but the only one I can find has a man on each side, it is impossible for me to get through. I turn my gaze to the priest, he looks fearfully at Tiago, surely he too is here against his will.
“Let’s begin.” The priest speaks with a stutter.
Tiago forces me to kneel on the altar, my knees hit the floor, I can’t hold back the groan of pain, the sound of my bones colliding with the floor echoes. James also kneels beside me.
“Tiago Bravanel, do you take Renata Martinelli as your wife, to honor and respect her, in joy and in sorrow, in wealth and in poverty, in health and in sickness, promising fidelity until death do you part?”
My heart bleeds as I hear the priest’s question, this can’t really be happening, this can only be a dream, not a dream, a nightmare.
“I accept.” Tiago answers and now the priest asks the question for me.
I feel all my blood escaping from my body, nausea rises up under my throat and I feel dizzy, James squeezes my hand tightly, making me look at him.
“I… I…”
“She accepts!” Tiago answers for me impatiently.
“And-she needs to say the words, sir.” The priest speaks with a stutter.
Tiago looks at me and squeezes my hand again, I look around, waiting for a miracle, but all I find are armed men looking in my direction ready to shoot at any suspicious movement of mine. I swallow dryly. Will I really have no other way out?
“No…” I whisper looking down.
“I’m sorry baby, I won’t be able to protect you, I know that if I agree to marry this man he will want me to abort you and I would rather die a thousand times than have to abort you, let’s go to the other world together.” – I say to my son in thought, tears keep falling.
“We declare ourselves married now!” Tiago softly stands up, I look in his direction and he is pointing a gun at the priest who is trembling all over.
“But she said no, I can’t…”
“Pow” – I open my mouth, but no scream comes out of it, Tiago has hit a shot into the shoulder of the priest who screams in pain.
I feel my heart beating harder, I get up and try to approach the priest, but James grabs my waist and points the gun at my belly. “Oddio” – ‘my God’, I cry out in wailing thoughts, he knows about my baby….
“If you take another step, I will shoot that bastard you carry in your belly.” He threatens me. “Stand up, repeat the question to her, now she will give the correct answer.” Tiago commands and all I can do is sob.
The priest gets up from the floor and picks up the Bible again, his voice trailing off he repeats the question once more.
“I accept…”
“Pow-pow-pow!” – The sound of three gunshots echoes loudly throughout the hall, I feel my eyes widen and all the blood run away from my face, right after the shots the sound of a bomb exploding leaves me stunned, I turn towards the door and as if I’m seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, started crying, he came, he’s here, he’s really here! He’s going to save us, baby!