Women should stay at home. Their work is to keep their family happy, even if they have to sacrifice their peace.
That's what our male-dominated society says. It's an old folk thing we still believe in, and we have kept doing these things to make our family happy and make our life unhappy. If some of us raise our voices, we are called characterless. We have no freedom, we are puppets first to our parents, then to our husbands or in-laws.
FUTURE (5/10/2030)
My name is Maria. I am 22 years old and unhappily married. My life is hell no matter what I do. I can't make my in-laws or my husband happy. Sometimes I think they are determined to make my life hell and they feel pleasure to see me in pain. If I had a chance to change my past, I would never get married.
RING! RING!
"Maria received the call," said my MIL, while doing nothing.
"Hello"
"Hello, mom, please take me away. I can't stay here," someone said.
"Wrong number," I said as I hung up.
"Maria, did you prepare Luca's breakfast?" asked my MIL.
"Almost done, mother!" I replied as I started making his breakfast like I am a maid.
Well, I am the maid. When I was part of this family, the day I came to this house, my parents gave me to live with my husband, but no my husband can't stay without his parents as he talks to his parents regularly. I forgot when he talked to his parents peacefully.
"Maria, I am going to the office and behave yourself. Don't anger mother, you know how she is," Luca told me and left.
Like I wanted to create problems and anger his dear mother.
After listening to his mother's taunts and insults, I can finally have peace for 2 hours.
RING! RING!
"Hello"
"Mom, where are you? Why aren't you here yet? Why don't you just understand I don't want to get married? Luca is mamma's boy".
"I think you got the wrong number again. You called this morning," I said.
"What's your name? I have been trying to call my mom since yesterday."
"My name is Maria. Try to call someone else. What's your name?" I replied.
"My name is also Maria." She laughed.
"Looks like we have the same name and the same problem", I also laughed.
"What do you mean?" she asked, confused.
"Well, you are having marriage problems and so am I. I have been suffering for 5 years," I replied.
" I am yet to get married. I just got engaged and my in-laws have already started creating problems." She said.
" Damn girl, I think every girl has to face these marriage problems!" I said, making her laugh. By the way, where are you getting married?"
"10th April!"
"Next year?"
"No, next month!" She said, making me confused.
How is it possible? It's on 5th October! Is she a mental patient?
"Today is 5th October 2030. You must be mistaken!" I said as I hung up.
PRESENT ( 02/01/2025)
"Today is 5th October 2030. You must be mistaken!" she said as she hung up.
Is she crazy? It's 2nd January 2025.
"MARIA!" Screamed my lovely baby brother.
"WHAT HELL DO YOU NEED NOW?"
"Why are you screaming?" He asked as if I was the only one who was screaming.
"What do you want?" I asked.
"Can't I meet my sister without any reason?" He asked innocently, making my mood sour.
"I am here to get that phone which grandma left here!"
"Why do you need that and what type of phone that was? I am sure grandma already forgot about that phone?"
I have that phone but I am not going to give it to him because he ruined my mood!
"Grandpa's last invention was this!" he replied.
"What kind of invention was this and, as I know, grandpa always researched medicine?" I asked.
Grandpa was a great scientist.
"It's a kind of time travel phone. You can call in the future and talk to anyone you want" he replied.
"How do you know about this?" I asked him as I started making some coffee for him.
" I went to grandpa's lab to clean up and found some documents about this' he replied as he drank his coffee.
"What makes you think grandma has this time-travel phone and she left this phone in my house?" I asked him.
" I saw her and you knew grandma always carries grandpa's things" he replied.
"How can you use this time travel phone?' I asked, making him confused.
"Why are you so interested in this matter?" he asked.
"Why do you need grandpa's invention?" I asked back, making him quiet.
"I don't know properly. The only thing I knew was you could make any call you wanted, but the only thing is that I didn't know what time your call would be, connected and who would receive the call", he replied.
"Well, I have to go for now. If you find that phone, please call me," he said and left.
The person I talked to this afternoon was me from the future. That's why our problems and names were the same. I can't be sure. I have to find out. Where did I keep this travel time phone?
Found it!
RING! RING!
"Hello"
"MARIA"
"I am Maria's husband. She is busy right now. May I know who is speaking?" He asked.
LUCA
"I am her friend. Can you tell her to call me?" I replied.
FUTURE (05/10/2030)
"MARIA"
"Coming"
"You called me Luca!"
" Your friend Maria called and told you to call her. I didn't know you had a friend named Maria." He said.
How can you know her when I don't know who she is?
Wait for a second!
Is that the crazy patient who called this afternoon?
"Are you even listening to what I just said?" asked Luca.
"I am not and dinner is ready," I said as I went back to my work.
PRESENT (07/01/2025)
RING! RING!
"HELLO"
"Maria, you called me last night!"
future me!
"Yeah, I did. I just wanted to say sorry to you. I was so stressed that I talked to you like a lunatic woman", I said, making her laugh.
"It's ok. I kind of thought you might be a crazy woman." She said.
"Actually, if you don't mind, I wanted to know about your marriage life since I am getting married in a few months," I said.
Knowing myself, I was going to spill everything.
"Well, my married life was never great. The day I got engaged, problems started. I and my husband were forced into this marriage. At first, we had lots of difficulties, but we somehow solved our problems. But the problems between our families started. They got worse and it affected our marriage life. Now it feels like two strangers living together because they have to. If I had a chance I would never have gotten married", she said.
"Thanks for telling me, Maria. Don't worry, you will get your peace soon." I said as I hung up.
As I thought, my married life would never be happy and I would have to suffer. Now I have a chance and I can do anything.
(10/01/2025)
RING!RING!
Why is Lucas calling me? He never calls me!
Unless something happens!
"Hello"
"Told your mother to say to my mom", he told me.
"Excuse me! You can't talk to your future wife like this." I said, making him angry.
"Don't tell me how to talk to you!" He said as he hung up.
HOW COULD HE TALK TO ME LIKE THIS?
WHAT DOES HE THINK OF HIMSELF?
PRESIDENT LUCA CARTER!
"Max, why are you and why is mom?" I asked my brother as I started looking for my car keys.
"She is here, talk to her!" he replied.
"Mom, did you talk to Luca's mother?" I asked her.
"Yes, I did. Why does something happen?" She asked.
"Nothing happened mom. Please just tell me about your conversation?" I asked her.
" I asked her about the guest list, nothing else. Maira tell me what happened right now?" She ordered me.
" As always, she started a scene and Luca is blaming me. Does mom just cancel this wedding? I am begging you", I told her.
" Such a small problem! Everything will be fine, don't worry", she said as she hung up.
Nothing will change, things will only get worse!
'Luca, where are you? I am sorry for what I said. I texted him.
Got a reply within a second
'At a club, with some of my friends,' he replied.
Have for the last time LUCA
'Oh! I wanted to spend some time with you.' I texted back with some crying emoji.
'Gentleman's Rest bar, come and pick me' He texted back, making me smirk.
"I didn't know you even missed me," he said as he sat in my car.
"You're my future husband, how can I not miss you," I said as I started my car.
" Maria, you are overspeeding. This highway is dangerous. Decrease car speed, Maria. You are going to kill both of us" he said.
"THAT" S WHAT I WANT" I screamed.
FUTURE
(01/11/2030)
"Luca", I called him.
Suddenly, some things started to disappear, like our wedding photos. Most importantly, Luca vanished in front of my eyes.
Then I had a flashback. I killed Luca.
RING! RING!
"Maria, are you happy now?" She said.
"I am!" I smiled.
PRESENT (10/4/2025)
Today is Luca's third month anniversary of death! His parents are still mourning their son's death. They blame me for their son's death. I planned to kill both of us. I don't how I survived.
"Maria, are you thinking about Luca?" asked my brother.
"I am! Here is your travel time phone". I gave him that phone.
"How do you use this phone?" He asked, making me confused.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"I never told you what type of phone this was, but you still gave me the correct phone" he replied, making me smirk.
THE END