Chapter 6: Commitment

"I've been calling you all afternoon. Where have you been?" a female voice questioned the man who had just walked through the front door.

"I'm home!" Anthony announced sarcastically while extending his arms in greeting.

"And should I congratulate you on that?" the woman mocked and leaned closer to smell his alcohol-laced scent. "Have you been drinking?"

"Do you really need to ask?"

"You're a..."

"Calm down, Lorena," he silenced her. "Remember, we're not married yet, so save your complaints for later."

"Well, to me, it's as if we already were," she replied confidently. "Do you really need the paper?"

"Of course," he clarified bluntly. "The paper is important. Why, otherwise, how would our parents' businesses be united?".

“Don't forget that this is nothing more than an agreement between families; we're just a pair of pawns in a game of chess”.

"I've already made my peace with that, Anthony. This marriage is the best thing for both of us, you know that."

"Lorena," he called after her seriously, "look me in the face and tell me if this is really what you want?"

"Of course, Anthony, I've always loved you..."

"Lie!" he blurted and pull her away. "That's what your father made you believe. Haven't you considered refusing? We're not in the eighteenth century anymore; no one can force you to get married."

"And if you hate this marriage so much, then why don't you refuse?" she exploded.

"Because unlike you, I have no choice."

"For God's sake, Anthony!" she sighed exhaustedly. “The idea of living together was supposed to help us cultivate a better relationship, to convince ourselves that this was the right thing to do, that we love each other, also that we want this”.

"No, Lorena," he denied. "The truth is, these months have only served to make me realize this isn't what I want."

"Well, I feel sorry for you," the woman picked up her purse and headed for the door to leave. "But whether you like it or not, we're getting married," and with a loud bang, she sealed the reality of their impending union.

Anthony sank heavily onto the couch while remembering his mother in a coma and his father's threat.

"The doctor says the chances of her waking up are very low," he spoke calmly. It did not even seem like he was referring to the possibility that his wife might never wake up again. "Considering this scenario, he suggested disconnecting. Anthony, I'm really considering the idea."

"No, Dad," he immediately refused. "You can't be serious." “Mom's only been in a coma for five years; I've heard stories of people who need a little more time to react. Please allow...”

"Lorena says you've been very cold to her during your last visits."

"We're not talking about that!" he internally cursed Lorena and her gossip.

"You're wrong," the man walked toward the window. "Lorena is very important in this conversation."

"Why is that?"

"Whether your mother will be disconnected or not depends on your relationship with her," he blurted out.

"What?"

Anthony knew his father was a cold, a heartless man, but he never expected to hear such words.

"It's simple: you get married and your mother still has the slightest chance of waking up, or you don't get married and she dies."

"Are you thinking of killing her?" he blurted out in disbelief.

"No, I'm thinking of doing what the doctor suggested, according to her lack of hope," he defended himself.

"This is..."

"It's your decision, Anthony," and with those words, he sat down at his computer and continued working, as if he had not just threatened his son with his mother's life.

Anthony accepted the engagement then on one condition: that he never bring up the subject of disconnection again.

In this way, he visited his mother religiously every day. Alicia received her care at a private clinic, where the staff was generously paid for maintaining her personal hygiene.

"Every day I'm more convinced that I don't want to get married," Anthony told his comatose mother that morning. "Seeing Lorena's face is so exhausting. I can't stand her. But I have no choice, Mother. There's an important reason why I'm going through with this. I'll tell you when you wake up. For now, I don't want to overwhelm you with that story. You need to recover first, okay? Promise me you'll keep trying, please?" That would be the only thing that would make all this worth it.

As he left the hospital, Anthony took a deep breath and tried to gather his courage. “The wedding was scheduled for six months from now. Six damn months”.

With that in mind, he continued toward the parking lot, but in the process, he thought he heard a familiar voice.

"Wait, honey," Adeline urged a boy who looked about six years old. "Don't move so much. It'll only cause you more pain."

"It hurts, Mother! It hurts!" the little boy squealed while grabbing her arm.

"I know, honey. Come on, let's hurry." She hurried toward the reception area.

Anthony followed her with his gaze and analyzed each of her features. He had to admit that she had beautiful features and that despite her years, she still looked good. Not the type of woman he liked these days, since he preferred those from other dimensions, but he could not deny that Adeline was pretty. She had always been pretty.