Eustace was actually telling me to drink it. One sip.
I stared at him, sure I'd misheard.
Then, fast, I laughed.
Not from happiness. From pure, blinding fury.
"Eustace, you're telling your own wife to drink someone else's footwashing water?"
"Willow, don't get worked up. Let me explain."
"This really is the Simmons family's rule."
"Once you're through the door, everything follows my mother's wishes."
"Honestly, my mom's easy to get along with."
"She doesn't have anything against you."
"She's just following the family tradition, that's all."
"I know asking you to drink my mom's footwashing water sounds insane to you. But for me, for our future—"
"Can you just put up with it, this once?"
He paused.
Then he pulled me in tight and swore it like a vow. "I, Eustace Simmons, swear to God, from now on, no matter what happens, I'll always be at your side and face it together with you."
I said nothing.
Eustace piled on more promises.
The gist of it was simple.
As long as I drank his mother's footwashing water.
He'd even be willing to die for me.
So.
I asked him, out of nowhere, "So no matter what I ask you to do, you'll do it?"
"Yes, absolutely. I'll stand with you through everything."
"My love for you, the sun and moon can bear witness."
"All right, then."
I nodded, and laid down a condition on the spot.
"Care to join me?"
"You want a drink? Sure, no problem, but let's get through the door first. Tonight we'll drink till we drop." Eustace looked at me, thrilled.
He thought I'd caved.
"Sweetheart, I knew you'd never put me in a hard spot."
"You're too good to me, really."
And right there in his moment of pure joy—
I reminded him, "The drink I meant isn't liquor."
Eustace blinked. "Then what?"
"This!"
I pointed at the footwashing basin.
"What?"
His face changed in an instant. "You... you want me to drink the footwashing water with you?"
"That's right."
"Didn't you say you'd stand with me through everything?"
"Your mom insists I can't come through the Simmons door until I've drunk her footwashing water."
"So we'll drink it together."
Eustace shook his head at once, frantic.
"No. I can't drink that."
"Why not?"
I asked.
He obviously couldn't admit he was afraid of being sick, so he braced himself and made something up. "This is a rule my mom set for you. If I drink it, I'm breaking her rule, and that would hurt the Simmons family's luck."
"Ha..."
"Even that ties back to the Simmons family's luck. Eustace, how did I never notice before what a talent you have for making things up."
My words left Eustace squirming with shame.
The next second.
I stripped off my wedding gown, right there in front of everyone.
