NEW YORK DREAM

I stood frozen as they lowered Grandma into the ground. This was the last time I’d ever see her face, the last time I could pretend she was my anchor in this world. It still felt unreal like any second, she would rise and scold me for crying too much. But she wasn’t coming back, she is gone, the world felt emptier than I ever thought it could.

She had been my everything after I lost my mom as a child and my father… well, he wasn’t dead, but he’d been gone for over ten years. Grandma said his life crumbled because of gambling. He lost everything, properties, money, even his pride. Loan sharks dragged him away when I was about five, I remember clutching Grandma’s hand as strangers dragged my father out of the house, yet he still tried, in his own broken way, to check in. He would show up once in a long while, bruised and tired, holding me tightly before disappearing again. Later, when the visits stopped, letters came instead, promising he was working to repay his debts so he could return. Then even the letters slowed until there was almost nothing left but silence.

I loved him still, I couldn’t bring myself to hate him. A part of me always believed he meant to come back, that he still cared enough to fight through the mess he created. Maybe that was foolish, but it was the kind of hope Grandma and I lived on.

Grandma bore her sadness quietly, raising me alone, making sure I had the kind of education that gave me a chance at life. She was there at every graduation, every award ceremony, clapping the loudest, even when Dad wasn’t there. I wanted nothing more than to make her proud, get a job, work hard, and one day pay off Dad’s debts myself so we could finally be free.

But life had its own plans. Just when I thought things were finally looking up, Grandma fell ill. No matter what I did, no matter how much I prayed, she slipped away.

Losing her would have been enough pain for a lifetime. But she didn’t just leave me behind, she left me with a chain. I felt betrayed and angry , I told her I wouldn’t let anyone script my life. But Grandma reminded me that the contract tied not only me but our house and the little inheritance she had left for my future. If I refused the marriage, I would lose everything.

As if grief wasn’t enough, now I was left with fear and uncertainty. Who was this stranger I was supposedly bound to, What if he was cruel, or ugly, or nothing like the man I had imagined my future with? I couldn’t stop the dark thoughts from circling in my head. Why had Grandma done this to me?

Few days after, I lay awake, staring at the ceiling, turning over the weight of my life. I had always dreamed of leaving Florida for New York, to start fresh and make a life of my own but Grandma had been the reason I stayed, because I couldn’t imagine leaving her behind. But now she was gone and now the marriage pact held me back like invisible shackles. If Dad ever returned, this house would be the only thing waiting for him, and I couldn’t just let it go.

Then, as if fate wanted to toy with me, my phone buzzed. I checked my email and froze, the company I had applied to in New York offered me a job as an administrative assistant. My dream, I even saw two other offers from Florida, but none stirred my heart like this one.

I sprag up my bed, wanting to scream with joy, but reality hit me. How could I leave when I had a forced marriage hanging around my neck? I sat back on my bed, laying my back quietly. 

The next morning, I messaged Rosie, My best friend since high school. My partner in crime through college, if anyone could help me make sense of this, it was her.

 She arrived later that evening, dropping her jacket and sinking into the couch, she eyed me with concern. “You okay, girl?”

I sighed. “No, Rosie, everything is a mess, after the email I got earlier this morning from the company in New York, I got a mail from my unknown husband earlier saying he’s sending documents about our marriage plans.”

Rosie’s eyes widened before she burst into laughter. “Wait, who does that? Who mails marriage documents like a business deal? Your grandma was crazy, but this guy might actually be crazier.”

I shot her a glare. “It’s not funny, I just got a job offer in New York, Rosie. My dream job and now this marriage might ruin everything.”

She tried to soften her laugh into a smile. “Okay, okay, sorry. But maybe he’s not that bad, do you know his name? Can we look him up? Social media, anything?”

“Grandma kept everything hidden, all I know is his name is Dante, and he didn’t deem it fit to call me, he sent a mail to grandma’s phone that I will be getting our marriage documents soon.” 

Rosie leaned forward, eyebrow raised. “Then let’s wait and see what he’s like. Who knows? Maybe he’s rich, maybe he’s hot.”

I rolled my eyes. “I don’t care about that, I do not want marriage, not now, I just want to take this job, earn money, pay off Dad’s debts, and live free. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

Rosie sighed, finally serious. “Girl, this is the craziest mess I’ve ever seen. I don’t know what your grandma was thinking, but whatever happens, you’re not alone. We’ll figure it out together.

I loved my grandma but at that moment, I hated her. For tying my life to someone I have never met.

And yet, beneath all that anger and confusion, one thought remained unshaken, I had to find a way to choose my future, no matter what it cost me.