This is the continuity of the series I started yesterday, click the image below if you didn't read the first episode.
Part II
Juan tried talking to her dad while he was driving home but the old man would hardly let a smile off his face so she gave up trying to cheer him up and she became moody as well. They finally reached home, she just left her luggage in the car as she ran to embrace her mom with her eye filled with tears, "mom, I missed you".
She continued, "Did I do anything? Papa has been mad at me, he wouldn't even talk to me throughout the trip coming back home. The mother sighed and said, "Papa is angry but everything would be fine".
Her father walk past them and told them both to meet him inside, Juan was scared because she hasn't seen papa so angry before. They quickly followed him and settled on the sofa while was quenching his thirst with a glass of juice.
Juan said to herself "He wouldn't even offer me a glass, this is very unusual. If I have done anything wrong Papa please forgive me", she didn't even know when her father sat down because she was lost in thought as tears were dropping quickly from her eyes.
She nearly jumped out of her seat when her dad yelled her name to call her back to life, Dad you nearly gave me a heart attack. She readjusted on the chair and looked in her father's direction.
He cleared his throat and continued. Juan, you are the only child God has blessed this family with and we will forever be grateful to God for showing us his mercies. Do you still remember why people refer to you as the special child? She nodded saying yes.
He continued, It would be a lie if I say that I am not disappointed in you. The moment you got the scholarship in Europe, I have been worried that you might bring shame to the family because it would prevent you from learning our culture probably. Despite the damage, I am glad that there is still the opportunity to correct your mistakes and it is left for you to tell us your plan on how to make things right.
Juan was lost in the conversation because she didn't understand what her father was saying, the expression on her face made her father look at her mom with surprise.
She finally broke the silence in the big parlor, "Papa, I don't understand a pinch of what you are saying". I have always lived a good life just to make you proud and I didn't know I was doing something bad that could tarnish the image of the family and I promised to change as soon as I know what it is.
She went on her knee and crawled to go and hug her father's leg, the old man got emotional because he felt pity for her and he wished he could allow her to live freely but he doesn't want it to be in the history that his family was the first to break their tribe's tradition.
Juan's father held her tight as he helped her up. You have grown enough my daughter, you will be 27 years old by December 29th.
You have never talked about the future of you getting married and I thought you aren't ready yet but seeing your Facebook relationship status changed from single to being in a relationship, I have been restless. It looks like you have a lover already where you are and the tradition states that you are not allowed to marry a stranger, your man must be from our tribe.
No, this can't be true. Mama is it true? Why must I marry someone from my tribe? It is about my life or honoring the tradition? Juan kept asking questions without even allowing them to give a response and when she stopped talking, her father was angrier than he was earlier.
He rose from his seat and yelled at Juan, How dare you talk to me like that Juan? You are questioning me for putting you on the right track in life, my word is final. It is either you marry from this tribe or remain single and I will disown you if you disobey or put this family to shame, he stood up and went into his room. His wife quickly followed him just to beg him for the show Juan put up earlier but he wasn't even listening to her.
While they went in, Juan also went outside to pack her things, and instead of going back inside, she stopped a cab outside the house and went back straight to the airport.
To be continued...
Thanks for reading today's part of the story, it continues tomorrow.
Is it proper to place tradition over our happiness? Let us put ourselves in Juan's shoes.
I read the whole story, it's a shame, that from being the special girl, I became the girl who desecrated them. Those customs should already disappear, one lives with whoever he wants and not with whoever is imposed on him for complying with rules that affect our feelings and our lives.