#like...your husband mother and father all betray you in a devastating and humiliating way. and then maybe a few weeks later you realize
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I just...when do you think Shiv realized she was pregnant? How long after the betrayal did she find out? How do you process something like that? How did she cope?
#like...your husband mother and father all betray you in a devastating and humiliating way. and then maybe a few weeks later you realize#you're pregnant. and the kids father is the man who just stuck a knife in your back#she should get to kill everyone is what I'm saying#also...did tom fuck with her birth control? it definitely doesn't look like this was planned and he's talked about wanting to get her#pregnant on several occasions. and like. since we know he's a scheming piece of shit it would give him a more stable place in the family#failmarriage#shiv roy#siobhan roy#tom wambsgans#shivtom#succession season 4#succession spoilers#succession
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THE SOKKASM ZUTARA
I’ve seen a lot of tumblr blogs that ship zutara and I decided that is time for me to open mine too. So, yes, I’m a zutara shipper. And for the time being, my posts are going to be dedicated principally to analyze the ships in ATLA.
Disclaimer alert: I’m not forcing anyone to ship zutara. And I won’t accept hate because I (and many others) may have a different opinion, If you are one of those persons I invite you to leave, don’t waste my time and yours, because I’m not even going to reply. Everyone has the right to ship whatever they like and want, without been mocked, harrassed and humiliated.
Well... now that everything is settled: 3...2...1 go!
I’m starting with this small analysis, because every zutara shipper has been attacked on why zutara and zutara is horrible yada yada but, this ocassion I’m gonna use all the attacks we get and defend it.
I. Zutara is way the worst toxic relationship:
You call Zuko the abuser, the toxic and the bad tempered? Then you didn’t get a clue of his redemption arc.
You call zutara toxic for:
a) giving your mother’s closure and final acceptance into the group?
b) saving each other’s life?
c) being the “leading co-parenting” of the group?
d) support you when you’re about to beg for his uncle forgiveness?
II. The cave scene didn’t mean anything, and just think about it, they would never ever get along well:•
Of course, I misunderstood Zuko confessing his own grief, probably he just hates her.
When Katara opens to her mother sorrow like she never did with anyone was like no big deal.
That part when she offers to heal his scar with SACRED water was totally illogical.
And being the first person who he let touch his scar really said to me that they were absolutely toxic.
Yes, he betrayed her initial trust. And it hurt, but guess who betrayed worst? The man who for three years was his father. But nope, Iroh, should never forgive Zuko, for what he did. (Right? Katara was betrayed and she should bever have interest in him, so Iroh would never forgive his abuser, right?)
III. Zutara is about getting in love with your abuser:
The abuser love? When did Zuko abused Katara? When did he forced to do something she didn’t want? Did he ever physically abused her or sexually assaulted her? Even if he tied her to a tree, he never humiliated her, he never hurt her or overpass against her. Or are you trying to make up his whole plot to eliminate all his attacks towards team avatar only rest in the female character? (Have you forgot how he betrayed his uncle? Or even himself?)
IV. Zutara is an age gap, it would be underage thing. “You don’t like Aang because he is a child and still pair Zuko, being a minor.” You want to hypersexualize two kids (Aang and Katara) into having sexual interest.
Katara would have been dating an underage guy too. She would have been 18 and Aang 16. I know! Age gap only matter when the man’s older. Both Katara and Zuko had gone through puberty, and both were in adolescence, both shared the same maturity level. Yes dude, there a huge difference in being a CHILD and being a TEENAGER, yes, still minor, But with puberty hit already.
Actually, I still believe even being 11-12 you can get like a… spark… a hint. Even if its not a relationship whatsoever, and not having sexual interest of any kind. If you really want to see what closest we get to a “real” attraction and potential between kiddos that age, you get S1Mike and Eleven (stranger things) / you get Chihiro and Haku (Spirited away) / you get Pazu and Sheeta. (The castle in the sky) –Wooo, that really changes things right?
But yet there are people that believe shipping zutara is “pedophile” I thought in seriously not replying to this stupidities but, here I am, dismantling their theories.
So, this is real life. An adult person trying to sleep with a prepubescent kid. So… there is no support on this. Because a ship is about two fictional characters in a fictional story.
What about fictional pedophilia? Well, we can change that: Fictional pedophilia is a psychosexual disorder when you ship an adult fictional character (+18) to have a sexual interest in a fictional prepubescent child (-12) and / or attempt to engage both characters in sexual acts.
So step one… are either Zuko or Katara either an adult or prepubescent child? As you can see in the image at the right, both have gone through puberty. Step two, are you trying to a couple of minors to get sexually involved? No, this is a love story, not porn. And before you yell at me for the porn zutara comics/fics on the web, I guess you should see the porn Kataang /fics comics on the web too.
But I don’t hate any ship. So, technically, neither Kataang, nor Sukka, nor Yukka, nor Jetara, nor Maiko is pedophilia.
Ok, yeah yeah its not pedo, but is statutory rape, so yet it’s illegal.
Oh yes, if we state that 18 is the age where you are considered an adult (at least in my country) both are minors, your term is partially correct. But guess what would be statutory rape too?
Sukka (15) and Maiko (16-17), both implied to have sex relationships and canon during the series.
The episode "The Southern Raiders" became (in)famous among the fandom for what is a truly epic instance of this trope. Zuko bumps into a very flustered Suki on the way to Sokka's tent, and she hurriedly excuses herself. He walks into Sokka's tent to ask him a question and finds him pants-less and surrounded by flowers and candles. He even greets Zuko with a suggestive "Well helloooo..." before he realizes who itis. After a short talk, he rushes Zuko out and sticks his head out to call for Suki. And if there was any doubt, Sokka is shown the next morning fiddling with a flower necklace for no apparent reason... except to indicate that maybe Suki had been “deflowered���.
And yet, if Kataang had sex, it would be statutory sex at some point too: 16 and 18 -Conclusions: Statutory sex takes all ships equally.
V. Poor Aang he would be devastated.
Kid, he’s 12, in the comics he’s 13-14. Or what? Haven’t you guys had a broken heart ever? Your high school sweetie? Or Aang’s so frail to not be able to find love? To close himself for a better opportunity? Seeking your own happiness in not selfish. What is selfish is seeking your own happiness at the other expenses.
And even that, we all know what would Aang do if Katara starts a relationship with Zuko. (Even if it wasn’t Zuko, I highly doubt he would like Katara dating someone else) He would go on avatar rampage. That is NOT healthy, that is NOT romantic. That is extremely possessive and selfish to do. It’s psychotic. Because Aang cares more about himself than Katara’s feelings, even if she would be happier without him.
VI. Zutara is all about sex interest.
Well once more you mistake chemistry with sexual needs. Wanting me to sleep with my husband means I only use him for sex relief? If I find myself sexually attracted to anyone probably means I just want to sleep with that person and nothing else.
VII. A hug is all zutarians have to acknowledge zutara:
We have a complete extended analysis in all the small details, but we like to use that forgiveness hug because in that hug you have more potential that all the kataang scenes all together. We have thousands of complete analyses, pages dedicated exclusively zutara.
VIII. Katara “fell in love with Aang” and it’s not one sided.
Uh... Nope, just because two persons are good friends it doesn’t mean they are a good couple. Yes, the way the both of them interact is absolutely beautiful, But not romantically.
Do we see Katara’s view on romantically being drawn towards Aang? Yes, we see it, and yes, unfortunately, is one sided.
How Kataangers complete this:
· The fortune-teller: I didn’t see like “Wow omg the avatar is going to be my future husband!” But… was like “uh… really?… well, I guess it’s him” Zutarians and Aunt Wu are the base for many backs up theories. ;) Aang is not the only powerful bender you know? And actually, that episode is way trying too hard to demonstrate the crush Meng has for Aang and Aang has to Katara. How is even healthy to accept that sometimes persons don’t like you back and it’s not the end of the world.
· The cave scene: I forgot that Katara is telling him to be her boyfriend and they will live happily ever after. And really, it all gets us to a real Oma and Shu theory. Not to mention that they were “forced” to kiss because their kids innocence believed if they kissed, they wouldn’t die, and that Aang messed up things as well. But if you see it beneath, if she was truly interested, she would have told Aang: “wow omg we kissed, ok. let’s give him a clue…” nothing, she goes back in treating him same as always.
· The headband dance: Well that’s a fair point yes. Actually, I felt something different…unfortunately Katara later had to tell him not to kiss her.
IX. Zutara is because you projected on Katara and had a crush on Zuko, because Katara and Zuko were your favourite characters and because is the bad boy style romance.
My crush was Jet <3, and zutara was the most logical endgame for girls. Ask any girl, ANY 14 yo who would like to date: A high school, nice and handsome guy or a 7th grader that had potential to be her best friend. (See the logic)
And nope is not like “Insert fav characters of the opposite sex to ship them” You need to see real development.
I don’t know why they stereotype Zuko as the “bad boy” – relationship archetype. Zuko is never seen to be the classic fuck boy who treats girls like shit and suddenly there comes a lady to change him. Maybe he is a “bad boy” (confused though) in S1 and S2, but his redemption arc is literally the answer of why he is not “bad boy” anymore.
If Katara was truly and really romantically interested then she wouldn’t have friendzoned Aang. Once? Nope 4 times. And also… are we forgetting kind of imagery…
Friendzoned
When Aang fixes her a small necklace with the fishing thread.
When he kissed her at the invasion. She didn’t reciprocate it. (I’m not even mentioning the mommy proud speech)
When he wanted to talk about the kiss in the western air temple (Comic love is a battlefield)
When he kissed her at the play and she had to told him to back off.
Strange imagery
She was June Pippinpaddleopsokopolis (Aang’s granddaughter)
When Aang got shot, she held his body in her arms in the exact way Mary held Jesus in Pieta’s sculpture.
She was Sapphire Fire. (Aang’s pregnant mother)
After they got married, in the book legacy, she said she enjoyed most seeing Aang becoming a man. (Honestly ladies if I got a BF the least I want is seeing how the kid transforms into a man)
I’m looking forward to watch you grow into manhood as I did to your father (Katara’s letter to Tenzin)
I’m really trying to deny Oedipus complex here.
Still hard for me to track Katara’s love interest for little Aang since all we see is more a relationship mom/sister or Harry/Hermione. I have heard rumours that Bryke wanted to give the ship “mystery” and “expectation” but I think they really messed up, I didn’t see expectation or mystery, I saw a child insisting to a girl that didn’t reciprocate. It wasn’t even like she didn’t have much of a chance, because her love interests:
Was killed by Long Feng
Gave him a hideous mustache and disappeared him after Azula’s attack in the western air temple.
Forced to be attached to a toxic relationship.
Apart that all those points I’ve mentioned, Kataang is not a relationship for me. Staying in a formal relationship with the first person they met of the opposite sex at 14 -12 (guys not even Disney does that, jeez not even studio Ghibli) and not having any chance to experience any other relationship. Never experiencing a broken heart, or someone better. I think that it gives the wrong idea, telling guys that no matter how long they are placed in friendzone, eventually the girl will fall for them. They just have to keep insisting.
You could say, but what a hypocrite! Snow White was 14 years old when she went to live with that prince! Many princesses are 16! And not to mention that many men were the first they met! Like Aurora, Rapunzel, and Cinderella. Well, you are right at one point. But ... the interaction of these characters changes radically, mainly because they never "give cute kisses" to their future husbands, nor do they treat them like their brothers or their children and ... the men were never friendzoned, except for Naveen at the beginning. You see the real attraction of teenage girls with an older boy. And I'm not saying that they should never be friends or support each other. Mulan and Chang were allies, friends, they supported each other, they saved their lives. But at no time was there the kind of interaction Katara and Aang had.
If Kataang was to be endgame, we would see Katara’s reaction to Jet, totally different, THAT kind of reaction was what I was waiting. (That kind of reaction is what every princess do, at least one time)
The same chemistry we saw in Yukka / Sukka. Honestly, I saw more chemistry between Haru and Katara.
Or at least give us some character development like: Aang, I know my feelings where not as you wanted but now I decided I want to be with you because (list everything here except he being the avatar), I really like you, perhaps we can give it a shot. Or like several things that could clue us that she is interested (come on people, two persons can kiss/hug/ have sex and that doesn’t imply they will be together in a formal relationship) But all we got was: Oh, right, he’s the avatar... suddenly I fell for him and I’m gonna kiss him fully in the mouth and that’s how I’ll tell him and that all my confusion has magically disappeared.
X. I’ve never saw that kind of spark between them. Again, it was “Just a hug”
Yes! That’s initially the whole point of it, a friendship hug, the truth of why we don’t need silly blushes. Because that forgiveness hug shows their initial relationship, they are friends! All their love needs to come first from a truthful friendship, by the contrary of calling the “immediate falling” like Aang did for Katara, it shows us that friendship love can evolve into something more beautiful, and that’s why we like the ship, because all zutara shippers know Zuko and Katara wouldn’t fall in love like that all of the sudden, they have to create the romantic relationship, and that’s what we portray in the fics.
What makes Zutara exceptional is that he, sees her, he hears her, he listens what she had to do, at anytime he forced her to do something she didn’t. And before a “teenager adolescence ship” he sees her as a human, with feelings with own ideals and goals.
And there is a complete and extremely well based analysis in: The crossroads of destiny + The southern raiders + The lighting saving.
XI. The comics show us how toxic they really where.
Their interaction in the comics was something I like to call: destroying a character. Not only Katara, who turned to be that awesome badass to the submissive girlfriend. From how I see it in the series to the comics there’s all I have to say: That’s not my girl.
XII. How Katara could be queen of a country that almost aniquilates her tribe and killed her mother? It would be a betrayal.
I think this argument is out. Not valid. Is like saying a Jew can’t date a German because of the holocaust. (German doesn’t mean nazi, just as Zuko, who was from the Fire Nation and didn’t order Katara’s mother assassination, and not every citizen of the fire nation means a ruthless killer). Is like saying that a Japanese can’t date a us citizen because of the bombs in WW2. And even if we see it “political”, is like… an aphrodescendant can’t rule a country that is racist, then Mr. Obama would have never reached the presidency.
Two persons can unify them, because they can demonstrate that being from different country that initally has not good terms can reach peace. The union between those countries represents the power of maturity, of overcoming adversities and the power of forgiveness. *Our lands now connected by love* And I want her to be queen, I want her to rule, I want her in charge, I want her in power. Imagine all the potential she could have (politics, business, negotiations, rebuilding, restoration, education, public health!! ***faints***) Not only for the fire Nation but for the whole world! Imagine that once Zuko abdicated they left to the south pole and she opened a fighting school and a healing school of her own (like master Pakku, but now her students are given a medical license that acknowledges them as professional healers) And this is just an idea. Like these ideas are hundreds. It would have been the perfect feminist role model!
XIII. Since the beginning, Katara was always interested in Aang and she always supported him and was for him when he needed her. That’s proof they were meant to each other.
If a girl expresses faith in your abilities, she loves you, she hugs you, and she supports you clearly she’s completely into you. Because obviously female best friends don’t exist.
#zutara#ATLA#Zutaradefense#Ifyoudon'tlikeitscrollaway#Noreplytohaters#Katarandzuko#Dismantlingtheattacks
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Why Eliza is the Real Hero of Hamilton
https://ift.tt/2ZATEMv
We can all woop King George III style now that Hamilton is now available for the world to watch on Disney+. The long awaited recording of the global sensation is 2 hours and 40 minutes of pure magic – a beautiful retelling of the life of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton. We presume the show is all about Alexander, as he is in nearly every scene. Although he played such an important role in the Revolution and in forming the nation’s government, the show’s namesake – Hamilton – also plays homage to his wife, Eliza Hamilton.
It may take the story unfolding for us to realise that Eliza was, in fact, the real hero of Hamilton. Not only did she play a huge role in the show, but in American history.
Eliza, then a Schuyler, is introduced with her sisters Angelica and Peggy in an early number before she takes centre stage during ‘Helpless’. Not only does she sing about how she isn’t one to ‘grab the spotlight’, but she has no concerns with the fact her fiance is penniless, and that she would be settling for far less than the high society she was born into. Her father Philip Schuyler was a Revolutionary War General, and her mother Catherine Van Rensselaer Schuyler was born into one of the richest and most influential families in New York. Whereas her Alexander was born out of wedlock to an already married woman, Rachel Faucette, and a Scotsman that abandoned the family some years later. Through the lyrical genius of Lin Manuel-Miranda, Philipa Soo explores the true selflessness of Eliza during the song.
The next time we really see Eliza is during ‘That Would Be Enough’ where she sings to her husband upon his return from war. Pregnant, emotional and not having heard from or seen her husband in months, she still remains the rock when he breaks down. She reiterates how the only thing important to her is that he remain alive and meet their son, and talks about how amazed she is by his accomplishments thus far. During this time, the real Eliza Hamilton was also assisting her husband in his political writings – much of the information laid out in the letters that would go on to be hugely influential in American Revolutionary history, were in her writing.
Then our hearts start to break. We begin to see the impact Alexander’s tenacious, legacy driven lifestyle is having on his family life. Remaining ever calm, Eliza pleads with her husband during ‘Take a Break’ rather than going full crazy mode on him (like we would…) for missing important milestones in his children’s lives. All she wants is some love and affection from her husband, not even half the devotion he gives to his country, but still remains happy when he refuses her proposal.
In 1787, pregnant with their fourth child, Eliza took in Fanny Antill, the two year old daughter of Hamilton’s closest friend Colonel Edward Antill, who had recently lost her mother. She mothered 8 Hamilton children, as well as suffering a miscarriage in the wake of her youngest child falling ill. Eliza managed to do this while maintaining her household throughout multiple moves to accommodate her husband’s career (yes, really – she did maintain her own household despite living in a very sexist and classist society), being at the forefront of American society, constantly attending dinners and having little to no private life. Sounds like the dream, right? Having your every move sprawled across the national press, and being constantly watched and judged, is the modern nightmare.
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What we don’t see in the show, is that Eliza aided Alexander hugely throughout his career. She acted as a mediator between Alexander and his publisher for The Federalist Papers, and is reported to have helped him perfect Washington’s Farewell Address in 1796. It’s perhaps surprising – this was the 18th century, and she was a woman – but it’s true.
Here comes the real hard-hitter. In 1797, Alexander Hamilton admitted to his one year affair with the much younger Maria Reynolds that had taken place 8 years prior. In case you missed it in the show, he doesn’t just admit his infidelity to his wife, he instead published the Reynolds Pamphlet, a 95 page document detailing how he brought Mrs Reynolds into his marital bed behind his loving wife’s back. The Hamilton-Reynolds affair was one of the first sex scandals in American political history, and was just another example of how hard it was to be a powerless wife in the limelight at this time. Most of us would up and leave the sorry man that did that to us, but instead, despite being pregnant with their sixth child, Eliza composed herself and relocated to her parents house in Albany to give birth and escape the drama.
It’s impossible not to feel your eyes flood with tears when Eliza sings ‘Burn’. Devastated when she learns about her husband’s affair through the public Reynolds Pamphlet, Eliza, like all of us would in that situation, questions whether the words he had said to her throughout their relationship had meant anything at all. She worries that her children will feel the effects of the affair, and sings with passion about her anger, shock and humiliation. For the first time, we see Eliza consciously grip control of the situation and ‘erase herself from the narrative’ in one of the show’s most powerful scenes.
Her life continued to be marred by tragedy. Just 4 years later, her eldest son Philip Hamilton was killed at 19 in a duel after his father had encouraged him to delope (fire into the air) and throw away his first shot, counsel that would lead to his untimely death. Again, we see Eliza continue to sob her way through the next number as she prays for her son to survive during the reprise of ‘Stay Alive’.
‘Forgiveness, can you imagine?’ Embarrassed and betrayed by her husband’s affair, and now heartbroken by the death of her son, which was influenced by the advice of his own father, broken and beaten, Eliza chooses to forgive and stand by her husband. Of course, this shouldn’t be overly celebrated, because Alexander was a total idiot in making those decisions, but choosing to stand by her husband’s side shows the compassion and love deep rooted within her. Just a few more years later, her brother and sister Peggy died unexpectedly, followed by her mother and then her husband in 1804. Although she had enormous privileges throughout her life, it was one also filled with sorrow and unrest.
The final scene is perhaps the most important in letting us into something that may have been quite hard to identify throughout the rest of the show. Although the majority of the story is about Alexander, we learn that the storyteller, in this case Eliza, is just as important as the person that the story is about. Let’s not forget that Rob Chernow cited Eliza as being one of the most important sources when writing the biography Alexander Hamilton, which the show is based upon. This is Eliza’s story, too. Without her, we wouldn’t know as much about Alexander, or his role in the Revolution and American politics, as we do today.
A new element of the story is introduced in the final few moments when Lin Manuel-Miranda steps outside of his character as Alexander, and into his real self. Lin then introduces Eliza to the audience, where she can see what her work has done. She gasps and grabs hold of her heart in astonishment as she sees how she has helped immortalise the story of her late husband, and of a huge chunk of American Revolutionary history.
We don’t see much from Eliza after the death of Alexander, but we do learn about some of the things she accomplished following his death. She helped raise funds to memorialise George Washington with a statue in D.C., she spoke out against slavery, and defended her husband against his critics and dedicated the rest of her life to telling his story. But there are stories we don’t see. Eliza was so devoted to preserving his legacy that she reorganised all of his paperwork and letters along with their son John and fought relentlessly to get his biography published. With the help of his mother, John C. Hamilton would go on to publish his father’s first biography. She was known for wearing a small package around her neck that contained a sonnet which Alexander wrote for her during their early courtship. Even during her nineties, she prompted Congress to allow her to buy and publish Alexander’s works, adding them to the Library of Congress to help future historians know him.
But what is she proudest of? She founded the Orphan Asylum Society, dedicating over 42 years of her life to caring for and educating over 700 children. Eliza is noted as being one of the first female philanthropists, and is regarded as one of the most generous Americans that reformed the nation.
At the very end when singing with the ensemble, she asks for the first time “will they tell my story?” rather than “will they tell your story?”, showing that she remained modest and selfless to the very end. Everything was all about the greater good or her family.
She really is the ‘Best of Wives and Women’.
The post Why Eliza is the Real Hero of Hamilton appeared first on Den of Geek.
from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/3gFJp03
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Black Widow/Castaway What would you call her?
Tam Beddingford looked out over the beautiful back forty that made up the boundary of her ranch. Never in a million years would she have envisioned thdis for herself. Lord knows her beginning was full of betrayal to go with the doom and gloom. A tear slid down her face at the sound of her twin sons Peter and Zora splashing in the Olympic sized pool that was a gift from Jude. He thought spoiling them would absolve him of his guilt. She took a sip of her sweet tea as a tear slid down her cheek, then turned to Stephanie Heartache, a reporter from Broken Hearts and Troubled Wives. Stephanie had come all of the way from New York City to interview the Double Deadly Black Widow. It was kind of funny when she thought about it.
Stephanie took a deep breath as Tam asked her, “What would you like to know?” Well Tam, I would like to know how it feels to be so beautiful, talented and feared by every man on the planet? Tam responded with a bitter laugh. So you go straight for the juggler? Did you come for the juicy gossip or the truth? I have never told my story before. I am only doing so now because my boys need to know the truth about their mother. They are at that age where the internet will educate them about who I am if I don’t speak soon. Social media has destroyed my character and made me a pariah in the church as well as polite society. If my parents and father-in-law weren’t on the HOA board Heavenly Hills would have banned me from purchasing all that you see."
My family is originally from Senegal. I had no clue that they were still entering into traditional marriage contracts. I was raised believing we had moved to America to escape the rituals and traditions that held the women in my family in bondage. My father never indicated that he had promised me to Jude Blankenship’s first born son at my birth. The only time I even thought of the Blankenship boys and their nasty attitudes was when my sisters and I were forced to spend a week at their famly home on our annual trips to Senegal. I always assumed it was because our fathers were business partners.
My father summoned me home to Dallas the night before my 22nd birthday and two days before the launch of my first clothing line at New York Fashion Week. When I arrived the party was already in full swing at my family’s estate I naively assumed it was in honor of my birthday and my launch. No way would I have guessed it was my wedding. But it was, my father pulled me into my old bedroom and announced that Aaron had waited long enough for me to make something of myself. My fashion line was already sold out so it was time to take my place as his wife. My jaw dropped to the ground. I could not believe what I was hearing. Tam chuckled, I could not even tell you the exact color of the Vera Wang gown the stylist draped around me. I had no choice. A broken contract would cost my father his fortune. As the oldest daughter I felt obligated to protect what he had worked so hard for. I detested Aaron. He was a horrible unpleasant child. He was a saint then compared to what he had become. Yes he was fine, but he was selfish. He lorded his status and privilege over everyone.
Stephanie swallowed hard. She had been in this business too long to not know you never walked into an interview thinking you knew your subject. How many times had she prejudged someone only to discover they were the exact opposite of the blogs and social media posts. The most innocent people became monsters in person while those most maligned were usually victims of bad gossip and petty rivalries. Shame caused her face to turn crimson as she tried to to comfort Tam. It was not your responsibility to keep your family fortune intact. You had broken away from the fold and created your own launch pad.
I am Senegalese before I am an American. My family honor trumps the comfort and happiness of being a daughter. Being the first born anything carries much weight and responsibility. My father had no sons to carry on our name and Jude had no daughters to give in exchange for a secure financial future.
Tam frowned as she remembered how rough Aaron had been taking her virginity. The shame and humiliation she felt as he spilled his seed onto her belly while he laughed at her disdainfully. I’ll never put a child in a woman who is so weak. You didn’t even attempt to defy our fathers and their antiquated agreement. It is 2000 what woman allows herself to be sold into slavery to a man who will never love or be faithful to her? With these words he climbed off her returning shortly to throw a cold wet wash cloth at her. Clean yourself I am going to sleep. All she could do was crawl out of bed and run a warm bath. Maybe the heat of the water would ease the burn between her legs. That bath was her only comfort that night. She climbed back into bed with a husband that detested her only to find he had turned his back and was eerily cold.
She was eating breakfast the next morning when Rhoda ran into the dining room screaming that Aaron wasn’t breathing. Tam called 911. Aaron had died while Team was in the tub. The coroner's report said it was a heart attack.
Stephanie's next question was full of empathy. "How did it feel to have so many drastic life changing events in such a short period of time? Tam smiled, Girl, those were only the beginning of my life changing events. I should have bed relieved but I did not get the opportunity to process anything. Our parents swooped in and took Omar, Aaron's brother and myself to city hall where we were forced into a levirate marriage. Aaron had to have an heir to carry on his legacy.
Omar was a little kinder but could be just as mean spirited. Night after night for a week he pulled out right before planting his seed swearing he would not father a child that would not be considered his own. On the eighth night his heart gave out as he was pulling out of me. I know they heard my screams from Dallas to Fort Worth.
We had a double funeral because all of the family members had arrived the day before. Afterwards Jude and Theodore, my father, agreed that I would return to my parents home until the youngest and last Blankenship, Sean turned 18. We would marry fulfilling my family's contractual obligations and live happily every after. Jude decided I was cursed and never intended for us to marry. Sean was only a 14 year old boy. The whole idea was ludicrous. The local society page The Teetotaler game me tee name Double Deadly Black Widow.
I felt betrayed abandoned and rejected. I knew I wasn't cursed. Those men were no good. I was all alone in my parents home designing under a pseudonym. No one wanted to purchase a cursed woman's clothing. Even the women at my church shunned me.
Five years later my younger sister, Fabiola sent me a screenshot of a Facebook post. Sean had married a young lady closer to his age on the family yacht in a lavish ceremony. I was devastated, again. How could anyone be so cruel? My entire life had been planned for me from birth. I submitted to the culture and customs only to be thrown away without a second thought. Every year on the anniversary of the deaths it all starts up again. I became a recluse. I couldn't leave my father's home without paparazzi trailing me. I was 27 years old with no social life and no hope of ever marrying. I would never enjoy the beauty and ministry that is marriage.
An excerpt from Only in the Bible an original work of fiction written by yours truly.
Remain Blessed.
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