Calgary, March 2024
Martin was lying in bed beside his new wife Anita. It was their wedding night, but it wasn’t the happy occasion it normally should be. Martin didn’t want to get married and definitively not to Anita. He hardly knew her; he only knew she was from a rich family which had business connections with his father’s investment company.
“You didn’t want to get married to me. Am I right?” he turned to her.
“You are right.”
“Then why did you?”
“For the same reason as you. Our families wanted it.”
That was true. Martin’s father, Sir William Johnson, needed money and Anita’s family wanted a relative with the aristocratic title.
“Is there somebody you love?” continued Martin.
“Yes.”
“When you told him you will get married, what did he say?”
“He was very unhappy, and so was I.”
After an awkward silence, Martin asked: “You want to have sex with me now?”
“No.”
“OK, I respect it. But eventually, we will have to do it."
“Why? Don’t you have somebody else you would prefer to do it with?”
“I did, but not anymore. When I told her I will get married, she said she would not share me with my wife.”
“Would you like to return to her?”
“I would, but I will not. I will stay with you, otherwise, there would be no point in this arranged marriage."
“So, you sacrificed a woman you loved for the wishes of your family. To me that suggests you are a coward. You don't dare to oppose them."
“You are right. I have always put the interests of my family ahead of my wishes. But you did the same, you are here with me now.”
It was not a happy wedding night. There were no kisses, no hugs, and no sex. Just the grim prospect of life together they didn’t want.
The journey to that unhappy wedding night started a long time ago when Martin’s father founded an investment company. The money he inherited from his parents was dwindling and Sir William Johnson needed income. But he wasn’t a businessman. He lacked the combination of charm and aggressivity needed for a successful business venture, and his investment company was close to bankruptcy. He was hoping his son Martin would get involved in the company’s business and eventually take it over, but it didn’t happen. Martin studied engineering and now has been working for a large engineering company. He had no interest in the family business and Sir Willian Johnson was contemplating the grim future. If his company runs out of money, they will have to sell the house, live in a cheap apartment and the once proud, aristocratic family of Sir William Johnson would be reduced to nothing. The humiliation would be unbearable.
But, as they say, when the need is greatest, God's help is nearest. In the case of Sir Willian Johnson, the help didn’t come from God, but from a person named Pawel Nowak, who decided to invest a substantial amount of money in Sir Willian Johnson's company. It almost looked like a miracle. Why would anybody want to do that? But Sir Willian Johnson didn’t question the motivation. He happily accepted the money, promised to his customer something he couldn’t deliver, and promptly paid off his company’s debts. This, obviously, didn’t do any good to Pawel Nowak’s investments and, half a year later, it put Sir Willian Johnson into an awkward position.
“Mr. Nowak, I am sorry, times are tough, and I couldn’t achieve the profits I have promised. Perhaps if you stay with me longer, things will get better,” he said, but neither of them believed it.
“Sir Willian Johnson, I looked at your company’s balance sheets, they are readily available, and it looks like you always had tough times. The performance of your company is dismal."
"Then why did you invest with me?"
“Sir, I am a rich man, and I can afford losses. But coming from Eastern Europe, in this class-conscious society, I am still a lowly immigrant and don’t have your social status. You, on the other hand, don’t have the money needed to maintain that status. However, you have a son and I have a daughter, and their union would solve both our problems. This, under no circumstances, implies putting pressure on our children. All I suggest is a meeting between your son and my daughter in some social context, perhaps a birthday celebration or similar, and to see how they react to each other. I hope my suggestion didn't offend you."
Pawel's suggestion didn’t offend Sir William Johnson; it only surprised him. It was true that such a union would solve the family’s financial problems, but Martin already had a steady girlfriend, Judy, and Sir Williams couldn’t imagine asking him to give her up. Still, just an introduction to Pawel’s daughter wouldn’t do any harm, he convinced himself. Martin’s birthday was coming, and it would be natural to invite the family of Pawel Nowak to join them. After all, Pawel was his most important customer.
The celebration was pleasant but inconclusive. The two young people were polite to each other but didn’t show any mutual interest. Then, after the celebration, Sir William started a difficult discussion with his son.
“So, how did you like the party?" was his first, innocent question.
“It was OK, thanks.”
“What do you think about Anita, the daughter of our guest?”
“She is nice and polite.”
“She is also a daughter of a very rich man.”
“Why are you saying that? Are you implying something?”
“You know what I am implying.”
“If I understand you correctly, you want me to drop Judy and marry Anita.”
“You understand me correctly.”
“Don’t you think this is asking a bit too much? You want me to drop the woman I love for the family finances?"
“Yes, it is asking too much, and I will fully understand if you refuse. But without it the company might go bankrupt, and our family will be ruined. Think about it”
Martin was a good son, and family well-being was always his first priority.
“OK, I will do it,” he said unhappily and went to his bedroom to cry.
Anita’s journey to that wedding night was less dramatic. Her father didn’t have to apply any pressure, he just dropped a few hints.
“Hello Anita darling, how are you? Anything new at work?” he started carefully during the Sunday family lunch.
Anita was a Phys ed teacher. She was always a sportfish girl and won some competitions in athletics, therefore it was natural that she studied physical education and got the Phys. ed teacher’s certificate.
“There is nothing new, it’s all the same.”
“And how is your friend Roger?”
Roger was Anita’s somewhat official boyfriend. He was also a Phys ed teacher, they met while studying and she admired his dedication to athletics.
“He is OK. Why are you asking?”
"I was just wondering if you have any further plans with him."
“You mean if I will marry him? I am not ready for that yet.”
That was good news. Pawel then mentioned Martin, pointed out his aristocratic status, and implied that Anita could also become a part of the high society. She found certain appeal in that idea and scarifying Roger might be worth it. After all, she didn’t want to marry him anyway.
What followed were additional contacts between the two families, resulting in that unhappy wedding night from the beginning of the story. But then the night was over, and in the daylight, things didn’t look that grim anymore. It was Saturday and during the next two days they did the final touches to their new house Pawel bought for them. Then came Monday, they went to work, and the life settled into the usual routine. Work, shopping, errands, and in the evening dinner, watching TV, and, eventually, sex. They were always polite to each other and in time they developed mutual respect and even some kind of friendship.
I could leave the story at that, but in stories, something must happen, and in this one, it was Martin's car accident. Somebody ran a red light and hit Martin’s car at full speed. The ambulance rushed him to hospital, at one point it looked like he would die, but the doctors managed to revive him. Anita came to the hospital right away and was horrified when she saw him. Most of his body was covered by bandages and there were tubes and wires everywhere. “Don’t die on me,” she cried. Then, as he was slowly recovering, she spent most of the time with him in the hospital. When he was finally released, she drove him home, put him to bed and sat beside him. He turned to her, the same way he did on that wedding night a long time ago and said: "You love me." It wasn't a question; it was stating a fact. Anita took his arm and smiled at him.