Elaine rushed into her precious girl's room, "Honey, you're here, in your bed. You're completely safe. Daddy and I are not going to let anyone take you away." For years her child had horrible dreams of being kidnapped and then ransomed or sold for money. It was the strangest thing, she had never experienced anything but love in her whole little life.
"Mom, can you stay with me? Just until I fall back asleep." Arie pleaded with her mother. "Please, tell me the story. You know, the one of you and daddy."
Elaine shakes her head. Her daughter has always had a dreaming spirit and she romanticizes everything, especially the story of her parents marriage. Such a dreamy eyed girl, Elaine couldn't deny her anything.
"You must lay down and close your eyes, then I will tell you." She says.
Arie lies back with a blissful smile on her face anxiously waiting for her mother to begin.
.....
Elaine was out running errands and not paying attention to what was happening around her. She had her nose in her book and ran she ran smack into the most gorgeous blue eyes she had ever seen.
"Oh my gods, I'm so sorry. I wasn't paying attention and I just..." Elaine stuttered.
"That's quite alright. You are welcome to run into me anytime." The pair of blue eyes responded.
Elaine blushed deeply and looked down at her feet. It was then she noticed, "Ugh, I spilled your coffee all over you. I am such a klutz".
"You can you make it up to me by having another cup with me? My name is Ian, and you are?"
"Elaine, and I would love to go get coffee with you but I'm afraid I must rush. I have a music lesson at two and it's already one-thirty." Elaine replied "Here take my number. Perhaps we could try again?"
Ian was struck. He had never seen a woman so lovely and he could hardly wait to give her a call. Actually, he couldn't wait. He picked up is phone as he watched her walk away,.
"Hello?"
"Hello?"
"Would you like to get coffee with me tomorrow morning?" He asked
Elaine giggled, "I would love to, ten at the Brew? See you there"
From that moment on they were inseparable. They did everything together and became annoyingly adorable. They began planning a future and wondering how many children they would have. However, there was one thing that bothered Elaine, Ian had never introduced her to his family.
She began to wonder if something was wrong with her, "Ian, why have I not met your family? Is it me? Will they not like me?"
Ian shook his head. How could he tell his beautiful, perfect girl that his mother was a tyrant who believed no one would ever be good enough for him?
After much debate and some tears, Ian finally caved and took Elaine to meet his mother and her two sisters.
And It. Was. Terrible.
Minerva, Ian's mother, was insufferable. She hated Elaine and would say terrible things about her, to her face and behind her back. "Honey, I would love for you to wear my wedding dress in the upcoming wedding, but I'm afraid it won't fit."
"You know my Ian prefers his women blonde. You might want to consider a dye job. That stringy brown is really not that attractive."
The aunts felt terrible for Elaine, but could not step in. Minerva was a terrible person but a great sister and they owed her their loyalty. They simply said nothing and watched the poor girl suffer in silence.
Elaine tried for weeks to bring Ian's mother around. She would run her errands, call for her opinion on the wedding, and check on her daily to make sure she didn't need anything. Nothing worked and Elaine felt very down.
Finally, the wedding was here! Elaine could not hide her excitement but she was also very apprehensive. She was going to spend her life with a mother-in-law who hated her.
The night of the wedding she called Ian in tears,
"I can't, we can't do this. Your mother is never going to come around, and I just can't deal with it anymore."
"I can't, we can't do this. Your mother is never going to come around, and I just can't deal with it anymore."
Ian immediately got in the car and drove to Elaine. She opened the door in surprise, "What are you..."
"Elaine" he said, "You are my life, my future, and my everything. I never want to spend another day without you. You're my family now and it does not matter what my mother says. I love you most, nothing will change that."
Elaine fell into his arms in tears and even though it was bad luck, they stayed up all night laughing, talking, and holding each other. The dawn crept in and Ian left to get ready for the big day.
It was perfect. Everything Elaine had ever dreamed, except for one problem. "You're wearing white? Are you sure that is wise?" Minerva would not leave her alone.
Once it was time go for the honeymoon and they were saying their goodbye, "You can still back out, you haven't filed the license" Minerva told her son.
"MINERVA ENOUGH" Minerva jumped at the sound of her Dad's voice. "These wonderful young people have decided to spend their life together and from what I can see they are a delightful match. You'll not say another word about Elaine or this marriage. Understood?"
Minerva quivered, "Yes, yes father" for there was no one she feared on this earth except for her father.
The young newly weds flew off into the sunset and started a beautiful little family and welcomed a baby girl two years later who they named Arabella, Arie for short. It was a dream come true.
"Arie? Arriieee" Elaine quietly called.
Then she smiled as she slipped out of the room. Perhaps Arie was right, she really did live a lovely, dreamy life.Author's Note:
This story is loosely based on the love story of Apuleius's Cupid and Psyche by Terry Kline. In the story a young girl is kidnapped for ransom and an old woman attempts to calm her by telling her love story of Cupid and Psyche. Psyche is the most beautiful woman and Venus, Cupid's mom, is jealous that she is taking away from her. She wants Cupid to curse her, but instead they fall in love. Venus becomes very angry when she finds out and forced Psyche to perform impossible tasks. Finally in the end, Jupiter blesses their union and Venus is forced to accept what has happened. I wanted to play on the tyrant mother aspect while still using the fairy tale ending.
