Chapter 66
Regina hurried Marshall back to the car and they got in, but he did not put the key in the ignition.
“Regina?” he asked.
“Yes Marshall?” she turned to him and he saw a wall behind her eyes, she had another secret sitting beside their marriage.
“What promise are you keeping for him?” She sighed and looked out of the window before looking back at him.
“Since we are married, it wouldn’t be right for you not to know the truth about it.”
“About what?” Marshall asked darkly.
“There is no easy way to say this, but Mario was not Maria’s father. He never touched me, he was gay, he wanted no part of it.”
“So, Maria’s father was,” Marshall trailed off.
“Father Tim. We’d been seeing each other for several years, that’s why I didn’t want to marry Mario, I was in love with him, so I thought. Then, I got pregnant, and well, he turned out not to be so much in love with me as I was with him. He said he had to choose between me and God, so he chose God.”
“That’s the promise you’ve kept for him?”
“Yeah. Why do you think my father pushed me down the stairs when I was pregnant? Mario told him we hadn’t had sex and the child was not his. My father is a very religious man. He found out who the father was, and he had to punish me, and he did.” Regina let everything out and thinking that Marshall would be angry, she braced herself for the worse.
“When I realized that he had no intention of caring about his child, I knew that I couldn’t love him. And I don’t, I don’t forgive him.” It was all clicking in Marshall’s head.
“That’s why you won’t got to church, isn’t it?” he asked, turning to her. She looked at him confused. That was what he was concerned about?
“A good part of it, yes, but, aren’t you upset?”
“About what?”
“I kept the truth from you about him, I lied about Maria.”
“Is he an issue, is he a part of your life, do you think about him?”
“No. I brought us here because I knew he would not tell anyone. He owed me a favor and that was it. Marshall, he told me we were gonna get out of here, that he was gonna get me away from my father and we could be a family, when he walked out on me and our daughter, I had no feelings for him left. Nothing what so ever. I didn’t bring us here to rub it in his face or anything, he was just convenient.”
“So he doesn’t mean anything to you?”
“No, like I said, when he left me and Maria, that was all gone. I love you Marshall and I wouldn’t lie about that. And as you can see, he doesn’t love me, because he certainly has not left the order.” Marshall considered this and wondered if there was anything else that Regina had not told him.
“What else is there?”
“Else?”
“Is there anything else you didn’t tell me?”
“No, that’s the last secret Marshall, that’s it.”
“Okay then, we’re starting this marriage off with the truth, no lies. A clean slate.”
“I’m sorry,” Regina said quickly.
“You don’t have to be.”
“But I am.”
“He’s out of your life, and we’re starting a new one together, that’s all that matters.”
“Are you sure?” Regina asked, guilt and worry flooding over her.
“Regina, you’ve been through the third circle of hell with your father, you thought you found happiness with a man but he left you. You’ve put all that behind you, put yourself through college, built an association from the ground up, recorded an album, made the world listen to you and then found the strength to give your heart to me. Let yourself be happy and finally free from it all. I’m not going to persecute you, I have no right to.”
“You’re not mad at me for lying to you?”
“How many times have I lied to you?”
“A few.”
“Too many. Regina, I love you, we’re married, so let yourself be happy.” He knew he should be taking his own advice. She relaxed and nodded.
“I love you too Marshall.”
Author's Chapter Notes:
Hey everyone, I'm such a dork for not posting, i know, and you all have been so great in giving me reviews! Well here it is, the rest of STB, as psychially soon as i can post it, the rest of the story will be up! Thanks!
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