Everyone had heard me say the wedding was off.
The Simmons relatives didn't look the least bit fazed.
Eustace's aunt let out a cold snort. "Oh please. You think calling it off is going to scare us?"
"We've already paid the bride price. Paid every bit of what your family demanded, too."
"So if you don't want to marry in, just hand it back."
"Money like ours, you think a man goes without a wife these days?"
The others chimed in one after another.
"Exactly. You think a bit too much of yourself."
"You don't want him, there are plenty of girls lining up for the chance."
"Eustace is successful, handsome, and rich."
"Women who'd kill to marry him are everywhere."
"You want to marry into the Simmons family and enjoy the good life, but you won't swallow a little grievance? When has the world ever worked that way?"
"You expect to have it all your way?"
They talked over each other, one voice after another.
Every word aimed at me.
The girlfriends who'd come with me weren't the type to sit quietly either.
They fired right back at the Simmons relatives.
In a heartbeat the courtyard turned into a shouting market.
And it was then.
Eustace hurried to my side.
"Sweetheart, don't say things like that. If you don't want to drink it, then you don't have to."
"You've got me backing you. No one's going to force you."
If he had stepped up and said those words the moment his mother ordered me to drink that footwashing water, then no matter how many thorns lay ahead,
I would have walked on beside him.
Even torn to pieces, I wouldn't have cared.
Because the man I was marrying was him.
Not his mother.
But no.
He waited until things had spiraled out of control, until it was clear that forcing me wasn't working, and only then stepped forward to offer that hollow little speech.
It didn't bring me the smallest comfort or flicker of joy.
Instead my heart dropped straight to the bottom.
"Mom, today is my wedding day, mine and Willow's."
"Can't you just not make an example of her in front of everyone?"
Seeing me stand there stone-faced and silent,
Eustace could only turn his eyes to his mother.
But it was no use.
His mother had made up her mind like a stone had settled in her gut. Today, she was going to teach me my place, no matter what.
Her face was dark, and a cold snort came from her nose.
She just sat there with her arms folded and said coldly, "Son, you know the Simmons family tradition."
"Any woman who wants to marry into this family must obey her mother-in-law's wishes."
Eustace reached out and put his arm around my waist.
His face was earnest. "Willow is the wife I chose myself."
"I don't want her bound by any Simmons family tradition."
"I just want to bring her home."
At that, his mother couldn't hold back. "Have you lost your mind?"
"If you don't put her in her place now,"
"who's going to rein her in when she runs wild later?"
"Mom..."
Eustace tried to say more.
His mother cut him off coldly. "Enough. If she wants to marry in, she does it my way, or not at all."
Eustace hesitated.
Then he looked at me, torn.
"Willow, why don't you..."
"Just take a small sip?"
