Leaving the comic book store had not been easy for me, even though to Armand, it probably looked like it was. I silently chastised myself for always giving into the person who had text messaged me and called me, all in a matter of five minutes. I could feel that normal pang of guilt that always coursed through my bloodstream every time I gave in to his demands, but today there was something else too, a small feeling of disappointment. I hadn't wanted to leave Armand, but yet I had. For once in my life, I had met someone whom I thought might be a good friend to me, and I couldn't even work up the courage to make up an excuse to stay longer with him. The way Armand had smiled at me, and gently placed his hand on my arm when I became defensive made me feel warm inside. Normally, when I get defensive, it usually turns the conversation sour, and whomever I'm talking to no longer wants to talk to me. I know my social awkwardness is a barrier for me when it comes to making friends, but I am glad that I still tried with Armand. After I bumped into him so inappropriately, I was mortified, and I panicked, thinking that he would just be so upset with me. I can't believe I basically just rubbed my butt up against him. My cheeks turned warm, and I knew my face was red from blushing at the very thought. I find him attractive, especially the way his light blue eyes radiate, almost like they're neon lights on a street. He probably doesn't think the same of me, though, and I don't know why he would, I'm so plain, and he's so... not. He's completely out of my league, but I am so happy that he could be a potential friend.
I felt pretty embarrassed when he had to save me from that bully, and I had never met a guy who was so skilled in the art of chivalry in these modern times. The way Armand addressed me when he didn't yet know my first name made my heart melt into a giant puddle. Miss Butchet. I was glad I was already seated when he said that because knowing my clumsy nature, I probably would have literally fallen over from the sound of his voice being so kind. I'm not proud to say it, but I have been very sheltered and have been taught to have a very narrow minded view of the world. Even though I'm eighteen now, in a lot of ways, I still feel like a little child. My parents are very strict, my father, more than my mother, but she goes along with his rules, often times enforcing them on me because he told her to. My father is very much in charge of our family, and that is a fact. When Father says jump, the correct response is how high. If that's not the response he receives, there is a guaranteed punishment that awaits, and I don't just mean a simple grounding or a time out, punishments are serious. My father used to be the headmaster of a Catholic school, and he would occasionally hit me on the wrist with a ruler, which is what I would have preferred to be my punishment all the time. I wasn't so lucky though because a belt to the back was what I would also be punished with. He's conditioned me to be fearful, timid, and I am very certain that's also how my social awkwardness developed.
I don't really know how to talk to people, or rather, what to talk to them about because I haven't experienced a lot of normal things in life. I rebelled a little in my early teen years, and that's when the belt lashings occurred. I had tried dating a boy in my school who was very nice, but my father didn't approve of us doing teenage things like going to the movies, making out, and going to parties. I had come home one night from a party, after my boyfriend had walked me home to make sure I was safe, but he had no idea what he was getting himself into. My father had stormed down the front steps and shoved my boyfriend so hard he bruised his arm on the sidewalk, telling him to never step foot on this property ever again. I had to sleep on my stomach all night because my back and sides were so sore from the wounds inflicted by the belt. The next morning when I went to school, I knew my relationship was over because my boyfriend ignored me when he saw me, walking quickly away from me if he caught a glimpse of me. I can't say I blamed him for doing that, considering how my father had manhandled him. Who wants to date the girl with the father who seems like he's crazy? After that relationship failed, I just resigned myself to the fact that I was probably going to end up alone forever because I wasn't worth fighting for, and my father wasn't going to let up any time soon.
As I approach my house, I notice the porch light is on, and I can see my father pacing in the front hallway. I can't tell if he does what he does out of love, or if he secretly hates me deep down inside his heart. I don't know why he has to be so strict, other than his Catholic upbringing, which he has enforced on our family. He's now a priest at the church, after he quit the headmaster job. When I get to the front door, I stop momentarily, very sure that I don't want to go inside, yet knowing full well that I must. I turn the knob and push the door open, looking at the floor as I do because I can't bear to see the disappointment, anger, and twisted features that I just know are on my father's face.
"Desiree Irene Butchet, I am severely unhappy with you in this moment. When you didn't answer my texts, I was worried you had been involved in some unsavory activities. I was relieved that you answered the phone call, however."
"Father, I was just talking to a new friend, and I lost track of time. I was having a good time with him, and I didn't want to leave just yet."
"HIM?! Desiree, what have I told you about hanging out with the opposite sex when it gets dark?! Do you want to be in danger?! I can't believe you are always this stupid!"
"He's not a dangerous person! He was just talking to me."
"Where were you?"
"I was at... at the comic book store."
I cringed after saying this because something else my father doesn't approve of just as much as me hanging around with boys is me being an art major. He hates that I use spray paint, which is the "medium of the heathens," and he wishes I was studying to be in a service career. My father rubbed the bridge of his nose like he was incredibly irritated with what I had just said, and just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, my cheek stung from his hand making contact with it.
"OW!!"
"Why do you continue to defy me, Desiree? Haven't I told you the comic book store is not a good place for you to go?! I have already let you study art as you wish, so must you hang out there? That's where all the heathens go, with their skateboards and tattooed bodies. It's unclean, Desiree."
I sighed in my head when my father mentioned 'heathens' and 'tattooed bodies.' If what I was starting to feel towards Armand was truly real, I could never bring him home to my parents and have them approve... all because he had tattoos on his arms. He was so nice though, but I had only talked to him twice, maybe I was jumping the gun in thinking I had feelings for him. I figured it was safe to say I at least had a small crush on him.
"Desiree? Have you even heard a word I've said? I swear, your attention span is worse than that of your mother's."
"Yes, Father I heard you. You don't want me to go to the comic book store because it's not good for my soul."
My father looked surprised that I had grasped what he was telling me. I of course, didn't agree with him, I enjoyed the comic book store because I felt like it was the one place where I didn't feel judged. People of all kinds hung out there, and as much as I hated to say it, sometimes it was a gathering spot for the socially awkward, which meant I fit in quite well.
"All right, you're home now and you're not hurt, so run along until your mother has dinner ready."
My father went into his office, and I headed to the kitchen, where I found my mother running around the room cooking. She looked like she had been transported into modern times from the 1950s, with her perfectly ironed dress and apron. I don't know why she bought into Father's view of women, which was the typical cook and clean for the husband attitude. I doubted that she actually enjoyed being his doormat, but like me, she was probably afraid of him and openly telling him off was not an option either one of us wanted to pursue. I found small ways to rebel against my father, but in the end, they didn't do much. I hoped someday I would be able to at least find my own husband and leave the life my father had created for me. Maybe if I was married, my father would be less controlling over where I was and who I was with. I sighed to myself, wishing I didn't have that thought... I didn't need to be married to be a functional woman. Just because my father was archaic didn't mean I had to be.
"Desiree, darling, how are you?"
"I'm fine, Mother. Do you need any help?"
"Oh no, I'm doing quite well. I wouldn't mind if I had some company though. Your father is ever so busy to spend time with little old me while I'm preparing dinner."
My mother's speech patterns were endearing, even though I found her odd sometimes when she spoke that way. I didn't know much about how she grew up, but I imagined her being from a very proper family with the way she carried herself. Both sets of my grandparents hadn't been around much, and I think both of them had already died... or was it that they moved away, honestly I didn't know. I hung out next to the kitchen island while Mother cooked.
"So, dear, how was your day? Anything exciting happen at school?"
"I had class as normal, and I went to the comic book store. I was there when Father called."
"The comic book store? Oh, Desiree, I'm sorry if your father yelled at you for that again."
"He did, and thank you for the sympathy."
"Honestly, dearie, I don't know why you like that place, but I'm not going to be so crass as to tell you where you should or shouldn't hang out, as long as you don't get yourself into a pickle while you're there."
"Thank you, Mom."
Mom put a mixing bowl on the counter in front of me and lovingly touched my cheek, looking at me with concern in her eyes. She was a strange woman, but I knew she loved me. Suddenly, after she finished touching my cheek, she got a glazed over look in her eyes, and then she stepped back.
"Oh, Desiree. Something sinister happened on campus, didn't it?"
I sighed and tried not to roll my eyes at her. I knew what she was doing and I wasn't sure I bought it, but wierdly, parts of it were sometimes true. My mom claimed that she could see visions, or get a 'sense' of something just from touching a person. She would say that she got visions about the person's environment, or what they had been through that day. She kept this part of herself hidden from Father because he would no doubt disapprove and call it the devil's work. She shared some of it with me, but she knew I didn't believe her fully, as much as she tried to convince me.
"Yes, a student died. A sorority girl. Reese Coorlee."
My mother got a glint in her eyes that I couldn't quite place, but it looked a little bit like happiness, which was disconcerting, considering I had just told her someone's life had ended.
"Was this the same girl who was bullying you the other day?"
"Yeah... why?"
There it was! That glint again! My mother smirked a little bit as she picked up the mixing bowl and continued to cook.
"Why? Well. just curious of course, darling. I like to know what is going on in my baby's life. I think that girl got what was coming to her."
"Got what was coming to her? What are you talking about, Mom? She died of an eating disorder."
"Oh, honey... no she didn't..."
"Mom? Did you do something? Did you poison her?"
"Of course not, dear. I couldn't have gone into the campus undetected. I don't look like a college student. I have much more effective means other than poison."
Oh no... not this again. In addition to my mother thinking she had visions of things, and attempting to tell me my fortune on numerous occasions, she also claimed she could cast spells on people without even being near them. I don't know why she had been so adamant about believing that stuff, but it was something that she was hooked on.
"So you're saying you used witchcraft to kill her because she bullied me? Mom... that's not possible. Witchcraft isn't real. Also, you can't just kill people because they are mean to me."
"Oh darling! Witchcraft is real. Just because you don't believe in something doesn't make it cease to exist. I cast a spell on that girl, Reese Coorlee."
"Ugh, Mom. She died because she had an eating disorder. When she bullied me she was making fun of my weight, so she clearly had body image issues. It makes sense."
"You keep telling yourself that, dear, but I know the truth, and one day you will see it too. Anyway, the food is ready, will you do your mother a favor, and retrieve the rest of the family for dinner?"
I nodded, shaking my head as I got off the bar stool and went down the hallway towards my father's office. I loved my mother, but sometimes she sounded downright insane. I really wondered what went through that head of hers. Maybe too many years spent being married to an overbearing Catholic priest had caused her mind to snap.
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Oh, Desiree. Your mom actually seems to be telling the truth. I guess that would explain how Reese died. But if she's a witch, how in the world does she stay married to a Catholic priest? Wow.
ReplyDeleteWitchcraft is a hard thing to swallow, even for someone who is open minded because it deals with the realm of things that are hard to see. There's never really much tangible evidence with witchcraft, and Desiree is more of a logical person when it comes to that area. She does have faith since she was raised in a religious household, but it's very much difficult for her to believe, especially since her father has preached the God system to Desiree for her whole life. Her mom is less pushy about her beliefs, so it just seems to Desiree like her mom's hobby.
DeleteHahaha valid question. You did see though, how the Catholic priest is so attentive to his wife *sarcasm* he pretty much just yelled at Desiree and then left the room, without even acknowledging her mom. She's his wife, so he expects meals and general 'taking care of' from her, but he knows nothing about her emotional needs, nor her hobbies, nor what she delves into when he's not looking. Basically he's oblivious. He's too busy yelling at his child and writing sermons and all that stuff, beating fire and brimstone into people to notice his wife. Desiree's mom is also intelligent, so because she knows that her husband would never approve of her hobby, she does everything she can to keep her witchiness a secret. If you want something enough, you'll go to the appropriate lengths to keep your secret hidden, especially from the ones who would seek to take it away from you.
Thank you for reading and commenting!
Yeah, he really is a "charming" husband, isn't he? I do wonder if the witchcraft here is hereditary. Since many lores have it that girls inherit it. That would be pretty cool. Anyway, it's always awesome to see an update of Echoes.
ReplyDeleteLOL indeed. Very well said.
DeleteHmm. I'm not sure yet whether I want the witchcraft to be hereditary, I am inspired by voodoo style witchcraft for what Desiree's mom is practicing. Since all of that is so mysterious in itself, there is the thought that every human has the capability to cast spells, but some of us just don't tap into it so that part of us never gets honed or practiced, and then it lays dormant. Well thank you! :) I love this story and I have plans for the generation that I think will be very cool.
Ooooh!!! I totally had the feeling that some sort of witchcraft was going on here, but I admit I suspected Desiree, not Desiree's mother! I also imagined that the "mysterious phone call" she got was from like, a drug dealer or something, but evidently it was her father (question's still out as to which can be more prone to violence). On that note, ugh, I just want to steal Desiree away so she never has to be around her dad ever again! Since I can't actually do that though, could Armand? Please? He could be like her knight in shining armor. Or maybe we could just get Desiree to roundhouse kick her dad and leave forever, LOL. Or at least tell him off, yeah? Though I'm sure with a man like that not much makes a difference, does it? Bleh >:|
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I AM trusting Desiree more now....especially considering my previous suspicions regarding her revolved around her being an vengeful witch or some who sells drugs, LOL. Now I see more of who she is as a person...and I feel more than ever that Armand, having gotten past his own insecurities and self-doubting, could perhaps help Desiree do the same. They even both share the experience of having an abusive parent, though in Armand's case it was emotional abuse, and in Desiree's case, both physical and emotional. Still, that looks like common ground to me....and Desiree could at least use a friend.
Awesome update! I was so excited to see that you'd posted! Eeee! I can't wait to see what happens next!
Hi! Haha, good, I'm glad you suspected Desiree, that's what I wrote the other chapter to sort of point towards, hehehe. XD Pahaha, a drug dealer, well, there's a drug dealer in my other story, Solace of Elysium, LOL. Desiree's father is quite violent, given the child abuse he has inflicted on Desiree over the years. Perhaps he's more of the torturous kind of violent, I know drug dealers can be as well, but Desiree's father would not just like, point blank shoot Desiree in the face with a gun or something, which I imagine a drug dealer might do to some people. Haha, nice, I'm glad you like her enough now to want to get her away from her father. I think I can tell you this now without giving anything away, so, yeah because this is already chapter ten, and Desiree is one of the few girls in Echoes, she is going to become Armand's significant other. :D But I'm not saying more, as to how they'll get together or if, or when, they stand up to her father. Details you will have to find out as I post more chapters.
DeleteLOL, I just got this image of this witch out in a back alley selling cocaine or something. Hahaha. They do share qualities about themselves that stemmed from similar backgrounds, as you say, abuse from a parent. All of that is very true, and yeah, I made them have similar hardships so that they could eventually come together and work through some of them. Desiree really does need a friend, she's very awkward, so most people kind of ignore her because they think she's wierd.
Thank you! Haha, I'm glad you stopped by and left me a comment. ^_^
Hello, Me! Here I am again! Lol. A little embarrassed now that I thought they were all drug dealers or something, but I suppose it's understandable that witchcraft wasn't the first thing that came to my mind, haha. Most intriguing....
DeleteAlso, OMG THIS LINE: "You can't just kill people because they are mean to me." WHAT A THING TO HAVE TO SAY TO SOMEONE. I MEAN, YEAH????? LOL. I get that Desiree's mom wants to protect her, but damn you could have just made Reese's hair fall out or something, lmao. Realllllllly makes me wonder a lot about Desiree's mom. What sort of past did she have? What would lead her to marry a fire and brimstone Catholic priest? There doesn't exactly seem to be much love between them, you know? Curious....
-LilyShadowWriter
Hi LilyShadow! :D LOL. No apologies necessary, I don't ever write so people actually know what's going on. I like the mystery and keeping my readers guessing. It's fun to see what people think is actually happening. LOL. Heh, yeah, Mama Bear came out in Marilyn, but in the most inappropriate way. Normal mothers don't go killing people who are mean to their children, LOL. It's safe to say Marilyn's heart was in the right place when it came to her daughter, but her regard for other people does seem a bit shaky doesn't it? Haha. Oh the mystery, Marilyn being in Louisiana too, a large voodoo practicing place, she's delved into some crazy things for hobbies. Perhaps Desiree is right and her being married to a crazy man has also made her crazy... o.O
DeleteYayyyyy so happy to see an update for this story! ^_^
ReplyDeleteAww, Desiree. I can relate a lot to her because I used to think like her, and still do, sometimes. Downing themselves, doubting themselves, bringing themselves down for no reason, really.. It's sad. :( But, I hope that she soon realizes that Armand isn't the type of person to think like that, that he's better than her and stuff.. I hope they get a chance to talk more.
Poor Desiree D: her father seems completely unreasonable and the things he used to do to her and her ex makes me so sad.. She couldn't even indulge in how most teens do and how they act because he wasn't okay with those choices. *shakes head* I just want her to move out and be like "so longgg assholee!" LOL
How he talks to her is odd, though, and I don't mean the way he talks about heathens and such.. I mean, he comes off as if she's still a little girl, like she's still 5 years old or something? Like when he said "run along now" I was excepting him to be like "run along now and go play with your toys" LOL idk.. He's a weirdo and I don't like him >:[
Yeah, I agree with Desiree. Her mom is a bit.. Odd. hahaha I like her better than Desiree's dad, but something about her still doesn't sit right with me.. I don't trust her.
Ohhhh kayyyy and THAT'S why I don't trust her LOL she's using witchcraft to cast spells on people who harm Desiree and she's killing them :O Besides Desiree, this family is pretty scary so far O_O
Great update!
Yayyy you and me both! LOL. IDK wtf took me so damn long... seriously I needed to make one pose and that held me up? *slaps self* LOL.
DeleteAwww T_T, I'm sorry you still do that.. I do too sometimes, it's fleeting, at least, but I want you to know you're awesome and you totally don't deserve to think that about yourself cause you're nothing but amazing to me. ^_^ Heehee, I hope she gets to that point too, where she realizes Armand is a wonderful man. I do have plans for them to talk more down the line.
Her father is ridiculous, he's strict to an unnatural level, and it's not healthy for either of them. LOL, true, she does need to move out, the poor thing, he has such a hold over her that she is forced to live at home even though she's a legal adult now.
Yes, it's true, he does talk to her like she's still 5, and it's because he sees her as such. Not that he thinks she's physically a child anymore, but his strictness, and his control freak nature, thinks that now that she's actually grown up, he needs to hold more control over her because she's more likely to do "heathenous" activities in his eyes. So he talks down to her to make her feel inferior, and like yeah, LOL, he treats her and her mother more like objects than people, so "the child" in his eyes is supposed to "run along now." It's creepy and wierd, and that's exactly the vibe I wanted to give the reader, so thank you, LOL, for pointing that out. ^_^
LOL, Desiree's mom is a bit wierd, she's got some issues, LOL, and yes, she killed Reese with her witchcraft voodoo. Yay, haha, I wanted Desiree's family to be scary and wierd, so I'm glad you felt that way. LOL.
Thank you so much for stopping by, reading, and leaving a comment!
haha I kind of like her mom and her weird ways. lol This is interesting. And I agree with another poster, I was suspecting Desiree of being the culprit of the magic going on and Reese's death. What a fascinating turn that it's actually her mom who's responsible!
ReplyDeleteAh, poor Desiree. Her dad is such a horrible person. I hate that his conservative views cause Desiree such pain and insecurities in her life. And that he basically controls so much of her life. I'm glad that she's able to rebel in little ways though, like being an art major. I can understand, though, why she would hope or think that getting married would get her out from under her fathers control. Although, yes, of course she can be a woman in control of her life and successful without a husband. But it's kind of like, which is the worse of the two evils right now and how is she going to get free of the life she currently lives?
I hope her and Armand can continue their friendship and it will allow her to becoming maybe a little more confident and self-assured, perhaps a little less socially awkward. Especially because I'm sure Armand would never be like those people who put her down. I mean, he knows how that feels and has a lot of the same insecurities as Desiree. I feel like their friendship could be really good for the both of them.
LOL her mom is strange, and a bit contradicting in personality versus appearance, but I am glad she is interesting to you. Haha, nice, I was hoping people would suspect Desiree and then I could throw in the twist to surprise you all! LOL.
DeleteIKR? Her dad is so blinded by his faith, it's made him a terrible human being. Yes, he is a huge control freak. Desiree is completely under his control because she is fearful. Her being an art major is the one thing she could do for herself, but then again she still gets in trouble for doing art major-y things like visiting the comic book store. Yeah, she is very certain that having a man in her life would make things better for her, but there is also that fact that if her father doesn't approve of the man, like her ex-boyfriend she had as a teenager, then it could cause her more pain. Your question is definitely a valid one, and one that Desiree should ponder seriously. :)
Heeehee, I have plans for her and Armand to see each other again maybe under less awkward circumstances, LOL, no butt to butt contact this time. XD You are correct, Armand would never ever treat someone like that because he knows how it feels firsthand. Yup yup, their friendship will be healing for both parties involved.
Thanks for stopping by, reading, and leaving a comment! :)
Alright, I have decided to comment right away (so I don't forget) - even though my thoughts are all a mess right now.
ReplyDelete1st off, I think people like her father really truly believe what they say and care about the people they inflict themselves upon. Whether or not that's love - I have no desire to believe so. It's a little ironic because I was literally just worrying about this exact sort of thing last night.
I'm the only one of my siblings that has moved out of my parent's home and they tend to be VERY judgmental and VERY controlling. My father hasn't hurt anyone in years, and it was never lashings or anything like that - but I can very much understand where she's coming from. The feeling of wanting to please someone whom you hate and fear, and the intense conflict of emotions you feel when you answer them or obey them... But, the part I'm talking about is the controlling bit. My sister just got in a fight with my parents again, and I know it ended with them controlling her. It reminded me how some parents (mine anyway) don't actually see you as a person when they think of you as a child. I was thinking of how much I've changed since then - how my life has changed and how they treat me so differently now. Part of me is grateful, but part of me just feels guilty. It's hard to explain... I guess the moral of my rambling is - it does get better Miss. Desiree. It might be scary, and it might feel like you need someone to save you from it, but you can leave. You're 18, you have rights now even if you don't feel like you do. You can leave. You have to.
(on a couple odd side notes - I'm surprised that her father's allowing her to go to a non-catholic college. And I'm also surprised that he allowed her to be named Desiree. He seems the type that would have insisted on some biblical name. Probably Mary specifically.)
I don't even know how to feel about her mother. After reading your reply that for the most part her husband just ignores her... I kinda feel like this is a convenience to her. Maybe, as a witch, it seams the most auspicious place to hide. Who could possibly believe a person like /HIM/ could possibly overlook being married to witch! And - with his absolute disinterest in her as long as she played a part - she had more freedom than she would have under "normal" circumstances. But - if that is the case - then she's a very selfish person indeed - subjecting her daughter to the cruelties and abuses of this man. It could be that she is afraid of him - but I find that very hard to believe from a woman that was able to kill a young woman she had never met.
And - on that other point. I'm a little terrified of her... She seems so "out of it". In a charming way... but the way she talks and acts feels like she's snapped. That she's manifested herself into a 1950's mind frame to hide from reality and that her "visions" are things leaking in that she's not really ready to deal with or explain. But, I don't know if that's better or worse than the alternative (that she's actually a homicidal witch that allows her husband to hurt their daughter).
I do have a question though - doesn't Desiree have a tattoo?
Well, my reply to you is too long, so you get two replies. LOL. Here's Part 1.
DeleteAww, well thank you for taking the time to comment. ^_^ LOL, I don't care if it's not perfect, I never expect perfect comments... your real thoughts are what I like to hear. You know that. LOL.
Yeah, you are correct. To an outside view, and by that I mean, to everyone except Desiree's father, he looks like a mean control freak who doesn't care about Desiree at all. To him, he does love her, why else would he try to steer her away from the "heathens?" LOL. So yes, you are right in that aspect. However, he's ridiculous in his extreme love, like he needs to back the fuck up and see how much he has damaged Desiree with what he thinks is correct parenting. Desiree is scared, and he does have her completely under his grasp. She does try to rebel in small ways, like going to the comic book store, majoring in art, using spray paint for some of her art projects for school even though he says it's the "medium of the devil." LOL. But sadly, that's not enough, and at this point Desiree doesn't have the confidence to do anything more. She knows she has rights, and she knows she is an adult, but that lingering grasp her father has on her will not go away overnight. She needs to convince herself that it is possible, but she's struggling at the moment. I'm sorry to hear that your parents are so controlling, but I'm glad you have managed to get out on your own.
Ahh yes, the Catholic college thing. He made her go to Catholic grade school K-12, so he figured that was a sufficient amount of time for her to be schooled in the belief system. He was right too, Desiree believes in God in the Catholic fashion, she just doesn't agree with the self-lashing type of stuff, some of those more extreme Catholic beliefs. This part where he did allow her to go to Louisiana State University, is the small part of him that actually does love her and lets her do some things on her own like choose what college to go to. However, he requested that she live at home and not in the dorms of course, so that he can keep tabs on her. The name thing, yeah, I don't like typical names, and Mary is a typical name, so that's why I named her Desiree Irene. LOL.
And here's Part 2.
DeleteI understand your doubt that someone as seemingly 'powerful' as Desiree's mom would have fear. However, I wrote that she does fear her husband. Incredibly so. It is because she knows what he is capable of. In this sense, it's like she's married to an abusive husband, and a lot of those cases, the wife never speaks up, she goes along with it. He has whipped Desiree with a belt before when she was a child, and that is downright scary as shit, to see your own husband whipping your child with no mercy. That instills fear into Desiree's mom, she would say something to her husband, but then what would he do to her? She does have a sense of self-preservation, as we all do, and yeah maybe she is a bit selfish, but when you're married to someone who is capable of such violence, the fear really puts you in your place. Now... all that being said, Desiree's mom practices witchcraft because she needs an outlet of some sort being married to such a jerk, but she does also believe in the power of God, which her husband preaches constantly. Desiree's mom is also fearful of God. If she tried to do something to her husband, she does believe that God would protect her husband, and then he would find out she was doing stuff, and then she'd be in trouble. So that's mainly why she doesn't just poison him or something drastic like that. It may look like she has freedom because he ignores her so much, but she's not free. She's a prisoner to her fear of him. She killed Reese because Reese posed no threat to her. In a sense that was her mama bear coming out, and you could argue why doesn't she go mama bear on Desiree's dad, but that's just it, he's papa bear, and he could go nuts on her, so she dare not try. Reese though, not part of the family, a random college student, no threat, no ties to her family, easy prey.
LOL. She definitely does have some mental instabilities, and Desiree's probably right, being married to an overbearing Catholic priest can't be good for a person's mental health. LOL. The fact that she practices voodoo in her spare time is a way to help her feel powerful in her life because she knows she has no power. She's decided to just accept her role as 'dutiful wife' to her crazy husband, hence the 1950s getup, because that's the only way she knows how to survive under this roof. A very crazy set of parents indeed. LOL.
Your question is answered, yes, Desiree does have a tattoo. She did it as a teenager, rebelling against her father, and you can bet your ass she got lashings, and a lecture about dirtiness and being a heathen when he found out LOL.
Thanks so much for stopping by! I always enjoy hearing what you have to say. ^_^
So Mom's a witch, killed Reece for being mean to her daughter, yet let's her husband be a tyrant for years??? Um...how exactly does that work? LOL Why hasn't she hexed his ass??? Seriously, he's a priest so she can't even be in this for the money. A lot of times those wives that stick with assholes like that it's because of the money and status, but that's not the case so why does she stay? Why does she let him treat her daughter like that? I am so confused on those family dynamics.
ReplyDeleteSo...If mom is a witch could Desiree have inherited her powers? Maybe she can hex her father? Also I'm guessing she sticks around because they are paying for college. If I grew up in that sort of environment once I hit 18 I'd be out of there.
One word will answer all of your questions. FEAR.
DeleteFear is very powerful, and has a stronghold on even the most 'powerful' people. Desiree, and her mother both fear the dad, to a very grave extent. Desiree's mother killed Reese because Reese didn't threaten her. Her mother wasn't scared of Reese, so she had no problem killing her, she had 100% power over Reese. She's not letting her husband be a tyrant, she doesn't have the ability to let her husband do anything, her husband has more power over her in her mind, so she dare not hex him. Because Desiree's father is a priest, her mother also fears her husband's beliefs. She might practice witchcraft but she has been around her husband's "God will smite you" ways for a long time, so that ALSO scares the shit out of her, and that's why she stays. I'm actually glad you are confused about the family dynamics because I didn't intend for their family to make a whole lot of sense. LOL.
I'm going off of the voodoo witchcraft, which isn't necessarily an inherited sort of thing. I'm going off more of the belief where every human being has the capacity to learn and practice witchcraft, some just choose not to. So, whether or not Desiree learns the voodoo down the road is completely up to her, and as of now she doesn't believe in it, as she stated in the chapter. Desiree sticks around because of fear, as I mentioned above, her father has control of her, and she doesn't have it in her mind yet that she could even leave. She doesn't have a whole lot of self confidence, and for some people, leaving their family (Even if it is a shitty one) is scarier to them than staying, so that's the main reason she stays. Plus, not to give anything away, obviously, LOL, but I wrote their family like this, and Desiree like this, because later on Armand and Desiree will learn and help each other through their hardships. I also need Desiree to stay there for now because I have a whole chapter planned for where things change, and for the chapter to have an impact, she needs to live there. LOL.
Trying this again.
ReplyDeleteHeee I caught up!...now what was I trying to say yesterday? - Oh! Yes. It worries me that Desiree is a bit suspicious of Armand as well as others. Completely understandable, but that lack of trust really showed with Armand's mom and helped caused all those relationship problems. I'd love Armand to get a nice relationship. You've only had one of those so far. Although Armand seems pretty down on marriage and so far the curse has really only been when their was marriage involved.
- I give up, I'm going to be Anonymous then.
Hi. I copy/pasted your reply with your username, just like I did last time. It's so wierd Blogger is being so strange, it probably is that iToy thing you were talking about, something is incompatible, but anyway. It's cool.
DeleteDesiree is suspicious because as you said, understandable from how she has been raised. There is doubt and suspicion permeating throughout her household. Oh haha, well, this is only the beginning of their friendship/relationship, just because it's starting out rocky doesn't mean it will end rocky. Remember all those relationships I had before that started out good, but then ended terribly? A good start or a bad start doesn't necessarily mean the outcome will be guaranteed, not with the way I write. I agree with you, I am planning on giving Armand a nice relationship, I just don't write everything going perfectly right from the beginning, and then staying perfect, those relationships bore me. The nice relationship will be earned through life's trials and then it will mean so much more when it comes to fruition. Armand only seemed down on marriage because he was scared of how his parents turned out. Can you really blame him? Although, I will say that Armand is not like Max, and it's not that he doesn't believe in marriage, he just hasn't really been surrounded by good marriages. Things later on in his life might change his opinion for the better, but, just an fyi this is still pretty early on in generation three, so nothing here is set in stone as far as dynamics go. You've read the other two generations, you know how much of a roller coaster ride I put my characters through, so yeah. Things the way they are now don't mean they'll stay the same throughout.
Thanks for reading and commenting!
Browser testing time!
ReplyDeleteExcellent I love a good roller coaster of a ride. I'm sure you'll be mixing things up and that's a good thing. It's what I struggle with, plots and things so I'm always happy to read them. And so far, your two generations were quite different so I expect the same to happen.
I think I may just end up joining blogger if only to comment here and have the blogger just link to my wordpress. Sigh. I click to log in via Wordpress, and everything looks okay - but then in preview it flips to unknown.
ooh it worked. mysterious.
DeleteHey! So glad you figured out a way to comment here. XD I know it can be frustrating sometimes. I think I've found out actually, cause one of my other readers has problems commenting, it's the selection of "Wordpress" as a log in option that is what screws up the comment. I don't know why... I recommend the "Name/URL" option instead, that way people can leave a link as well, like to their Wordpress or something, but making a Blogger account if you want is obviously also another good choice.
DeleteOh good, haha, I'm glad you like roller coaster writing, LOL, cause that's pretty much all I do. Haha. I love to write emotions and usually readers have strong reactions, all across the board, which I adore, and one of my favorite things to do is chit chat with my readers when they tell me what they felt. LOL. I'm using movies to help inspire each generation so that I draw on different types of plots. The last thing I want to do is have each generation start just being the same rinse and repeat thing, and that's also why I didn't make every generation do marriage and kids in the same way. XD I have nothing against marriage in real life, LOL.
Yeah it worked because the Wordpress login on Blogger is messed up somehow. Another person who tries to use Wordpress to login also cannot comment.
DeleteUmmm yeah... Desiree's parents need to chill. Lol... :P
ReplyDeleteThey're borderline ... Obsessive. They love her and what to protect her but still.... They will drive her crazy if they don't stop. O.o
Desiree can't really help the way she is... Considering how her parents treat her. She's 18 and that's a weird age... It's like you're an adult kind of sort of but when it boils down to it, you're still a big old kid. I hate that lol.
Her dad is very traditional, a little too traditional if you ask me... >.> Beating your daughter?! WTF! And he's supposed to be a holy man?! Bullshit! :/
I mean wtf... He was like "oh it's dangerous to be around the opposite sex..." and he proceeds to smack her. That dude needs a serious reality check >.> I'll slap him around and see how he likes it. 0_0
And the "tattoos and skate boarding heathens" lol. He made me laugh... Seriously. Tattoos are just an expression!!! I hate that so much omfg. I wanted to get a piercing and you won't believe the kind of shit people told me. The only person who was cool about it was my aunt and she's less-religious than everyone else in my family but yeah... Tattoos and piercings have been around since like fucking forever... Why do people associate them with trash and bad things? I don't get it. Her dad needs to open his mind... Tattoos and piercings are so beautiful<3
"Run along until your mother has dinner ready." So traditional! Wow... Lolz. I actually kind of like her mom even though she gives me the chills. Idk, maybe she can cast a spell on her husband hahahah xD . Make that dude shut up for once! I'm rooting for her :P
Nah but seriously... Omg... Imagine Desiree's father finding out that his own wife was practicing witch craft... Shit would hit the fan... But I would love to see what would happen lol.
As I was reading this I really got the feeling that she has this obsession with feeling guilty all the time. Not the normal kind of guilt but the kind associated with abuse... Feeling like you must obey your abuser because they've manipulated you so much, and still do some nice things for you from time to time... That kind of guilt. Especially when she was getting closer to the door. Idk they're her parents and they provide for her but still... It's like manipulation if you ask me. The poor girl is practically brainwashed. The way she calls him father too... It's so demeaning(as if she's below him). Idk... I never called my dad father...That just seems so... Belittling idk why but it just does... It's weird. Maybe I'm taking it the wrong way but dad sounds way more casual than father. :S I just don't know.... Ugh! It's like she has these psycho parents and she's just trying to lead a normal life... I just feel bad for her... I'm going to leave it at that.
Irene... I like her middle name it reminds me of a storm we had a year or two ago.. Random lolz. :)
I'm looking at some of the older chapters just so see pictures of Armand... He's so gorgeous. I just love looking at him lol.
DeleteHey littlesims2chick, I am SO SORRY for replying so late to this. LOL. I haven't been to any of my blogs in a very long time. Okay, on to the reply.
DeleteDesiree hasn't been allowed to be an adult for the most part because her parents are so overbearing, her father, mainly. Her mother enables it because she doesn't stand up for herself or Desiree. Both Desiree and her mom are scared shitless of her dad.
LOL, bullshit indeed. He is a hypocrite through and through. He runs his religious establishment with an iron fist mainly because he enjoys the power trip. He's definitely closed minded to the point where people want to slap the shit out of him. LOL. Ooh what kind of piercing were you wanting to get?
Definitely, if her dad found out her mom was even interested in witchcraft, he'd be so pissed.
You're right, Desiree does feel shame and guilt out of fear from her dad. She doesn't have much in the way of standing up for herself because she doesn't know how to. She is a little bit brainwashed, because she thinks that is the only way she can survive. In a way, she's closed minded too, not out of the same reasons her father is, but because that's how she was taught to be and she doesn't know how to do anything else. She's trapped, for the most part, in her own mind more than being actually trapped. She does have a choice to move out, but her mind and what she's been taught have made her feel like she doesn't really have a choice. Her dad does make her call him "father" as a way of keeping her below him, you're absolutely right. It's very formal and can have a nice connotation, but it can also be a means of control as well, which is how her dad happens to be using it. I'm glad that you feel for her, she definitely doesn't have a great home life.
Awww thanks, haha, her middle name was inspired from Irene Adler from the Sherlock Holmes stories. LOL. Heehee, I'm glad you think Armand's gorgeous. XD
After seeing Desiree's mother I do have to ask if you are putting a little of the Stepford Wives in with the Rosemary's baby theme here. That is the first thing I thought of when I seen her in her apron.
ReplyDeleteAnother question how can her father be a Catholic priest and not a deacon? Catholic priest are supposed to be celebate and usually do not have families. Deacon is the highest rank below a priest that can be married and that is only if they are married before they are ordained a deacon. If a deacon's wife dies than he can be ordained as a priest. Regardless of his status in the church he is clearly not acting like a man of the cloth.
Desiree's home life is bad as her father is abusive and a religious hypocrite. Her mother practices witchcraft yet she keeps herself submissive to that abusive man. I feel bad for Desiree as this is no way to grow up. No wonder she is so insecure about herself. I do hope that she will be able to overcome all of this.
LOL, no I wasn't consciously putting Stepford Wives in here, but I can see where you got it from. I was thinking like 1950s obedient housewife, which is what Mrs. Butchet is, an obedient housewife.
DeleteIt's because I didn't school myself on the Catholic levels of uhh what do you call it, ranks of priests? IDK. LOL. Secondly I had him be a priest with a family because I know priests are supposed to be celibate, but he doesn't follow rules because he's an asshole. LOL. So that was the main thing, he's a man of the cloth, but he's a total hypocrite about it, which I see that you saw while reading, so that's the main point I wanted to get across. Thanks for sharing that info with me about deacons though, I'm always up for learning new things.
Her mom does practice witchcraft and she is submissive because she's afraid. Because her mom believes in witchcraft, it shows she believes in otherworldly forces, which includes God, she just doesn't have exclusivity in her beliefs. So because she thinks that there is the possibility that what her husband believes is true, she is afraid of being smited by his God if she dare stand up to him. A little more will be revealed too with her mom in future chapters. Desiree is in the middle of a bad situation, she can't really stand up for herself effectively, and her mom can't really either, it's just not good for anyone to live with a man like her father.