The Bride Of My Dreams Pt II

As I felt Gladis and Mays hands move suggestively further down my body, I firmly placed my hand atop and firmly moved them away from what in the back of my mind, was a trouble I couldn't yet process. I loved Gladis. Her genuine simplicity and earnest love was a treasure to behold. Her nonchalant willingness to share her daughters with me was a complete surprise - intriguing for sure - but it went against so much deeply ingrained inhibitions that I needed to come to terms with.

The next day we rose with the sun (or, more accurately, the rooster) and while the girls went about making breakfast, I went for a stroll to get away from the overpowering smell of whatever it was they were cooking (dried fish, I learned later. An acquired taste!).

Later I asked Gladis to talk with me about the night before, about why she felt so at ease with such an arrangement, and how her girls felt about all of it.

"My Greg" she said, "was a generous, sweet and loving man. He accepted my girls like his own, and they adored him." "Men here:, " she went on, "can be mean, drunks, and take what they want." With those last words she looked above her glasses to give me a meaningful look".

"When May was younger she was raped by a neighbor." I quickly asked why the police didn't do anything, but she shook her head and continued: "He's a wealthy man, and his family are politicians. The police wouldn't do anything, because here in my country it's about the power. If I had told the police there'd be trouble for us. and worse, men would know that they could also rape May."

"Is there no justice here at all?" I asked. "Not for the poor, Daddy Jack, no. But with you here, like Greg before, we're so much safer. The men don't want to involve a foreigner - because foreigners can be heard."

"Heard?"

"yes. Nobody trusts outsiders here, not the province government, not in Davao, not in Manila." She went on to explain that if they got involved, they would take what they wanted and laugh. "It's how it is here." she said. With that she hugged me close, and softly whispered to me. "When I was sick in my bones and back for a while, I talked to the girls about Greg. About keeping him satisfied. May agreed that since she was no longer pure, she would take my place, as she knew Greg was gentle and kind."

I took a long look across the farmland, and a long sip of my coffee. Taking it all in. This community reminded me of the system I read of in history class. Feudalism. Lawlessness and rights were defined by power and authority, not some piece of paper.

'Gladis, I'm so sorry for what you and your girls had to endure. I promise to protect you three the very best I can. May and Mary are certainly beautiful girls, and I want to protect them just as much." At that she beamed at me with such warmth and love.

"I need time to adjust to all this though. You know my country is very different and conservative."

"In the meantime though, I want to help with ome projects here like expanding the house, and fitting in a proper well and piped water." She nodded, as we had talked about these things before.

"Daddy Jack, I need to tell you something else," she said. There are lots of pretty girls around, and they might try something, since you're a tall, handsome foreigner…"

End Part II