Music Recommendation: Dreams- Fleetwood Mac
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A young girl walked down the dimly lit street, her tattered clothes barely shielding her from the chilly night air. Unbeknownst to her, two pairs of eyes followed her every move.
"Isn't that the daughter of that prostitute?" a middle-aged woman spat out with disgust, her words spilling out without a care for the child's feelings.
The other middle-aged woman nodded with a scoff. "Yes, she is. And if she's out here at this hour, it means her mother is 'working' again."
"Oh, dear! It's unimaginable to have a mother whose actions bring nothing but shame and humiliation upon her child. One can only imagine the misery and suffering that this burden would bring." The other woman replied, her face scrunched up in the process as she packed her foodstuffs from the store.
The other woman shook her head and commented, "I wouldn't show my face to the world if I were in that poor child's shoes, for fear of being tainted by her mother's loathsome conduct."
"What do you expect her to do? She was born from a shameful situation, yes, but she can't just live in hiding forever, can she? I can't help but pity her at times." She replied, earning a sympathetic nod from the other as they both watched the little girl's frail back until she had completely disappeared from their sight.
Once the little girl was sure that she was out of their sight, she let out the breath she had been holding, a sigh of relief escaping her mouth in the process.
But then, her shoulders drooped, and her eyes turned blank. How long would they keep doing that?
It was always the same thing: the judgmental looks, the whispered words…
The pity.
That was all they could show, but couldn't give anything more.
The hypocrisy was disgusting.
Diana knew it was pointless to defend her mother against their words; it would only be a waste of time and energy since they wouldn't listen.
Like talking to a wall.
"Diana!" A familiar voice called out, interrupting her thoughts.
Diana's initially frosty expression thawed instantly, transforming into a radiant warmth akin to that of a summer sun, "Mother!"
A beautiful woman with cascading brunette hair, walked up to Diana with a gentle smile painting her full round red lips.
Although she was dressed shabbily, it could not hide her graceful beauty. She was slender but had the right proportion of curves in the appropriate places.
She was Diana's mother, Adriana.
"Diana, why are you stalling outside the house instead of going in?" She asked as soon as she got closer to her.
"I just got back." Diana said. Not once did her smile falter, for her reason for living was in front of her.
Adriana sighed, pinching her brows with anxiety, "I explicitly cautioned you about returning home so late, given our precarious situation in this village. We are threading on thin ice here, and your disobedience only exacerbates the risk. Why did you ignore my instructions?"
"I'm sorry." Diana said, lowering her head out of guilt.
Even freedom of movement was restricted since they had to live in fear.
Fear of what could happen.
Fear of what the villagers could do.
Their every movement was monitored. Just one slip or mistake…
Then it was game over for them.
Adriana couldn't stay mad at her for long, so she asked, "Did you eat the leftover bread I kept for you this morning?"
"Yes, I did. I stayed over at Olivia's house, and Aunt Marian had offered me lunch." Diana said, a small smile making its way to her lips as she remembered the woman's kind gesture.
A rare kindness to find in this living hell called a village.
Adriana gave a side glance to Diana as she noticed her subtle smile and smiled back. "Let's go in. I'll be sure to send my regards to Marian."
"You must be tired and hungry. Have your bath, and then I'll finish prepping the food." Adriana said as she walked towards the small kitchen.
"No, I want to help you." Diana said firmly as she trailed behind her mother.
Adriana sighed helplessly. She knew trying to persuade her would be fruitless, "Fine. But you must promise to take your bath after helping me peel the potatoes."
That, Diana could do. "Sure."
"Wait, let me warm up the water for you." Adriana said.
…
Once Diana had finished taking her bath, her mother helped dry her hair and brushed out tangles. She was pretty sure her mother was the only one who could tame her thick, curly, and unruly hair.
"Your hair is so beautiful," Adriana said as she ran her hand through Diana's hair.
"I think something went wrong with my genetics." Diana huffed.
Adriana giggled, her chartreuse green eyes crinkling in amusement, she said, "Nonsense. Your hair is a gift from your ancestors, and it makes you unique. You should be proud of it."
Diana smiled at her mother's words. She wished she could be as carefree and optimistic as her mother, but the reality of their situation weighed heavily on her.
As Adriana made her way towards the bathroom, the weight of the world seemed to descend upon her mother's shoulders.
For what seemed to be an eternity, her mother had endured the incessant taunts, jeers, and sneers of those who would seek to bring her down. Yet, through it all, with a smile, she remained unyielding, resolute in her steadfast.
The memory of the day she asked her mother why she hadn't abandoned her, questioning her loyalty in the process, still haunted her. A poignant reminder of the pain her mere existence caused.
But Adriana had laughed and said, "You forget, my dear, that I don't just do this for you. I do it for myself, too. If I let the opinion of others dictate my life, I wouldn't be standing here today." She paused, her eyes gazing off into the distance.
"Words have immense power over us, but as time passes, we come to realize their insignificance. You have a choice my dear. You can let their words break you, or you can rise above them. I chose the latter. What about you?" Adriana's gaze shifted to her daughter, her expression serious. "Remember, your mind must become stronger than your emotions."
Diana felt a spark ignite within her at those words. As her thoughts lingered on the matter, Diana found herself increasingly taken aback by its sheer ridiculousness.
We all love ourselves more than other people, but care more about their opinion.
It was saddening.
Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice her mother's presence until her soft soothing voice resonated in the small room, "What's gotten you so lost in thoughts?"
Diana looked at her mother. The woman, who had gone through all sorts of indiscretion just to put food on their table, had tried her best to shield her child from all the criticism thrown on her.
She was her role model, her protector, and…
Her mother.
"Nothing much." Diana said with a smile still plastered on her face as her mother sat beside her.
Adriana looked at her for a while, as if contemplating something. Diana squirmed under her mother's heavy gaze, "Let me dry your hair." She said instantly, breaking Adriana from her stare as she nodded subtly.
Once she was done, they both headed to the kitchen and had a lively dinner.
It was these simple yet happy moments that filled both Diana and Adriana's heart to the brim.
Where no one was there to intervene.
No one to judge.
Just them. In their own little world.
They were both currently lying on the bed. It was already late and Adriana had a busy day ahead, so she was quick to fall asleep. Leaving Diana in her thoughts.
The room was dark, with only the moon filtering her rays through the worn out curtains. It was silent.
Solitude.
Just the way Diana liked it.
A perfect way to organize all her thoughts together. The thoughts that caused her sleepless nights.
Ever since her earliest years, she always had an interest in perfume making.
She could still remember the time she had developed this sudden interest.
An aristocrat had visited the village to discuss some trading plans with Leonard Lindberg, the richest merchant in the village.
Or, like Diana would rather call him, the lascivious prick.
You couldn't exactly blame her for cursing at such a young age. Growing up with profanities thrown at you, what do you expect?
The aristocratic woman had worn an alluring perfume as she strolled with the lascivious– I mean, Leonard in the market while discussing a business plan on how they would change the shipping to another location.
Being an inquisitive person, Diana couldn't help but have a peek at the beautiful lady who had the whole village buzzing.
She couldn't deny her beauty for sure, especially after seeing Leonard gazing at the woman with those dirty lustful eyes of his that she so wanted to pluck out.
However, what truly intrigued her was the alluring scent the woman excluded.
Although she was not typically one to pry, her curiosity had been piqued by the alluring scent emanating from the woman before her. It was a fragrance unlike any other in the village, and its intoxicating aroma had captivated her attention.
It was then, Diana's interest in perfume began.