Maria's Page 69 Trial

Hey gang!

Happy Thursday before a 3 day weekend! ;)

As if you needed more reasons to read The Writer, here is Maria's Page 69 Trial.

Enjoy!!!




Marisol’s number came up. Maria reached for the phone and answered.

“Hello sister!” She answered jovially.

“Hola.” Marisol was short and curt.

“What’s wrong?”
“Necesitamos hablar, hermana.”

“Why? What do we need to talk about?”

Marisol sighed heavily into the phone. “Tu novia. And I really wish you would speak in Spanish.”

“Why? What difference does it make? Is it because of her? She lives with me now. She’s just in the other room. And you forget, she speaks Spanish, too. Whether it’s in English or Spanish, she will understand just the same.”

“Fine.” Marisol huffed. “There is a problem with her.”

“There is? What’s the problem?”

“She…” Marisol paused for several moments. “She is not right. She is not good. Even Mama says it.”

“What? Why? What isn’t good? What did Mama say?”

“Look at her. She is how much younger than you? She is digging for gold! She is using you.”

“There is no gold digging here as she makes far more money than I.”

“I don’t like it. I don’t trust her.”

“Why? What is there to not like? Why are you distrustful?”

“Even Mama doesn’t like her.”

Maria stood up and began pacing around the room. “You are not answering my questions. Why don’t you like her? I must admit, it’s especially difficult to accept and believe coming from you. You didn’t like Adelaide. Everyone else liked her. You were the only one in the family that did not come to her funeral. So for you to tell me that Stephania is bad is just…unbelievable. Show me – tell me. Give me a good reason why.”

“Look at her background. Look at her job! Can you really respect anyone that does that for a living? She’s a who…”

“Don’t you dare say that word, Marisol! If you knew anything of her or her work, you would know that’s not true.”

“Look at you defending her and rationalizing. Who are you trying to fool? We don’t believe that and you know that you don’t believe that, either.”

“I believe in what I see and what I know. I have seen every image from every shoot she has ever done. There is nothing to defend because there is nothing offensive there.” Maria stopped, and took in a deep breath. “Now, tell me the truth or hang up. I do not need this in my life.”

“Mama doesn’t like her. She said she is too young. She said that she just didn’t like her here. She said that your precious little trophy girlfriend is not right, and that she does not belong in this family. She thinks you are throwing your life away; wasting it on some stupid girl. You are intelligent, she is not.
“So what if she is making more money than you now? Hers is a career that won’t last forever. She’ll use you to support her and her shopping habits or drinking habits or drug habits or whatever have you!”

“Mama said that?”

“Yes.”

“Our mother said all of that? When she and Stephania joked around like two school girls? When Mama told me she was happy to see me with someone again? When Mama hugged and kissed her and told her she loved her when we left? I find that all very hard to believe.”

Marisol took several deep breaths. “We have wanted to say this to you for a while. Meeting Stephania was the last straw for Mama.” There was a long pause. “Maria, Mamá doesn’t like that you’re gay. She doesn’t approve of you being with other women, especially one that is younger than you. She thinks your life is an abomination, and she fears you going to hell when you die.
“She asked me to do this because she does not have the strength to argue. She cries herself to sleep every night and prays for your salvation every morning.
“This needs to stop. For yourself, for your family, for your mother. Please, Maria. Change your ways. Be the good Catholic Mamá raised you to be.”

Maria looked at the phone and shouted, “I am Catholic!”

“Not as long as you’re living that lifestyle. Please. Mamá said she can’t see you until you leave this sinful life.”

“Do not make me choose between my spouse and my family. I can’t do it.”

“You are making that decision as long as you continue to be that way. Don’t come around until she is gone. Neither of you are wanted here.”

There was a click, and then there was silence. A brutal, awful silence. A silence that slashed Maria’s heart in two. A silence that weighed heavily on her shoulders. A silence that strangled her.

Stephania walked into the room; she stopped when she saw Maria standing motionless. “What’s wrong?”

Maria bit her lip, trying not to cry. “Nothing, mi amor. I just need to be alone for a while.”

“Uhhh…okay. If there’s anything you need, tell me.”

“Thank you,” she hacked out the words.

Stephania slowly backed out of the room and left Maria in that deafening, murderous silence.