Fake Love | Teen Ink

Fake Love

October 23, 2014
By dejarenee97 BRONZE, Delaware, Delaware
dejarenee97 BRONZE, Delaware, Delaware
1 article 0 photos 0 comments

On the day of May 21, 2014, Mark Harris believes he is about to start a fairy tale life with his soon to be wife, Lehla Harmon. It is a beautiful day in Florence, Italy.
“They couldn't of picked a more perfect day to have their wedding.” Marks mother shared with everyone.
“Very much agreed!” Lehla’s father responds.
Mark glances nervously over all his friends and family while waiting for the piano to start. As soon as Lehla walks through the doors, Marks brother, his best man, grabs his shoulder with such warmth and love. As Mark stares at Lehla while she walks down the aisle, his eyes glisten off the diamonds on her $400,000 snow-white dress. This was his first time seeing her in the dress and it was agreed by everyone, that at that moment, she was the most beautiful woman in the world.
Slowly but surely Lehla reaches her fiance. As she begins her vows, her eye trickles a tear and she whispers, “I promise you, I will make you feel as though you are the most treasured man on earth.”
With that being said they kissed and before you could blink, Mark swept Lehla off her feet, into his arms and they rushed out the door.

After traveling for two weeks while on their honeymoon, and spending one week moving into their new home, they are able to say they are a happily married couple. Mark took over his fathers business and this is why he was able to pay off him and Lehlas $43,500,000 mansion the day they moved in.
“Marky boo,” Lehla whined, “I think we have a problem honey.”
Mark quickly shouted, “And what would that be?”
“I feel as though my ring is too small for my liking, can we please bump it up a size pumpkin?” Lehla whined again.
“As if $740,000 isn’t good enough for you..” he said with a slick tone, “but anything for you.”
A few months into their marriage, Mark is slowly starting to believe that Lehla is only with him for his money.
“All she does while I’m at work is take my card and goes shopping with her sister.” Mark complains to his brother, “I mean, she knows how hard I’ve been working to provide this perfect life for her and I can’t even get a hot meal after working 16 hours! Yet she can ask me to rub her feet as soon as I walk in the door.”
“Sounds to me like you gotta get something through her head bro.” His brother responds.
"And that's just the thing, you can't tell Lehla anything because as soon as you do, she starts a big argument. Yelling, cursing, throwing things.. and then says that you're the one who started it.. then she changes the subject."
“Well I suggest you tell ya chick get a job. You’re her husband, not her sugar daddy.”

                                                    ***

It has now been 2 months. Lehla is still without a job and buying more things then Mark can even count.
“All through the summer Lehla spent money on bathing suits that cost me over $1,400! Now its getting cold outside and she is complaining she needs more boots, she buys at least 3 pairs a day!” Mark sobs to his mother, “And now shes been talking about how she doesn't want a any children because it will mess up her ‘flawless body’”.. all she really wants is my money and I wont take that.”
“Just as you shouldn't son. I’ve been waiting on my grand-babies for how long? Well I’ll keep on waiting until you find the right one because I won't have no selfish woman raising my babies!” Marks mother exclaimed.
“Mom i just really don't want to hurt this woman's feelings, like where will she go? What will her family and friends think of me? You know I’m better than that.”
“Honestly honey, thats not your problem. All you can do is let her down easy.”
Mark waits for his wife to get home while sipping on their very tart wedding wine when he hears 3 loud vibrations on the wooden front door. He thinks it is Lehla trying to get him to open it because he already thinks her hands are full of Michael Kors shopping bags, but when he looks out the metal bar peep hole, he is shocked to see his co-worker, Kelvin. Mark quickly pushes in the 4 digit code to take the alarm system off. “6 8 3 4” The alarm system speaks plainly, “front door” followed by 3 loud beeps.
“Wassup Kelvin” Mark says confused, “whatchu doing here so late?”
“Well.. its not gonna be easy telling you this. I know I’ll be fired from your company after I say this but..” Kelvin pauses, “can I come in please?”
Mark starts to become nervous and for a short second asks himself, “Its 10:30.. where is my wife?”
He lets Kelvin in but only in the front room, Mark won't dare let him step another foot into the house until he knows what is going on.
“So whats the problem Kelvin?”
“Its all about.. your wife..” Kelvin says it loud enough for Mark to barely hear him.
“Where is she! Is she ok?”
“Shes fine but she didn't want me to tell you this but I think its best you know.” Mark waits for Kelvin to explain himself.. “We have been having an affair. She is so beautiful I couldn't help myself when she threw herself on me. Her long thick golden hair, skin so smooth and looks just like honey and her legs look like the eiffel towers.. but she ain't nothing but a gold digger so, none of that matters to me.”

Mark is so confused. He’s wondering if he should stay calm and invite in to have a drink and then crack him in the head with a wine bottle. He respects him for telling Mark the truth but, how could he do that? Him and Kelvin were such close friends in high school.

“Leave..” Mark says to Kelvin very calm, yet angrily, “don't come to work tomorrow either. Don’t come to work ever. If Lehla is at your house right now, you can tell her she can stay with you. She doesn't have a reason to come back here.”
“I’m really sorry, I thought I was better than this. I hope some day you will forgive me.”
Kelvin responds, “I know you’re hurt but I told you this out of respect.” He walks out and slowly shuts the door.

Mark stays up until 3:45 that night, thinking and crying to himself, “How could she do this to me?” Even though he already knew what was going on. The next morning his mother and brother come over and Marks mom cooks them all breakfast. Fresh, yellow eggs, toast golden brown and nice crisp bacon.  He couldn't wait to dig in until he seen a shadow moving from the corner of his eye. He turned to see what the shadow was and to his surprise it was Lehla.
“So where were you last night? With Kelvin?” Mark asks. At this moment Lehlas tears turn into a waterfall, but Mark doesn’t care. “The car i got you for your birthday is mine, all the clothes and shoes that you got with my money are mine. You don’t own a thing and you will be receiving divorce papers.”
Lehla pleads to Mark to let her stay but Marks mother tells her she ain't nothing but a b**** and tells her she needs to leave. Lehla uses the house phone to call her cousin for a ride and leaves.

Four days have gone by and Mark is feeling pretty good about his decision to tell Lehla to leave, until he gets a call from Elexis, Lehlas cousin. She is trying to get Mark to give Lehla a second chance.
"Mark just please do me a favor" Elexis sobs.
"I don’t want to hear anything that has to do with Lehla."
            "Well.. Lehla is pregnant and she wanted me to tell you that she's scared!" Elexis exclaims, “She’s three months.. she say’s that it’s no way that it’s not yours.”
Mark only heard one thing, that his wife is pregnant. So what is he suppose to do?
            "Tell her to come over tomorrow around 6, I'll try to get off work early." Mark responds nervously and hangs up the phone.

The next day Mark gets off work at 5 and try's to get home before Lehla, but she pulls up just as he is. They talk about what is going on & she tells Mark that she wants to work things out. Lehla moves back in and starts going to counseling to help her money addiction stay under control.

***

Mark & Lehlas son is now 4 years old. They have been doing great until Mark receives a letter in the mail from the children's court. "What could this be?" Mark questions to himself. As Mark walks in the door opening the tightly packed letter, it is printed in bold black letters, "Kelvin Williams would like full custody of his son, Mother is Lehla Harris." Mark screams for Lehla as she runs down the circular staircase. When Lehla looks at Mark she knows something is so wrong because his face look more red than a angry face emoji. "Mark what's wrong!?" He is telling and showing her the letter when she says.. "It's true, it's a chance Mark Jr. might be Kelvins son. I should've told you sooner but I loved you and wanted to stay with you, I didn't think it would get this far."
Mark tells her to leave this time and never come back. She crys to stay but Mark forcefully pushed her out the house.

A week later Mark and Kelvin get DNA test and it comes back that Kelvin is the father but Mark won't let him have his son. Mark, his brother and mother are in court with Kelvin, pleading and crying for them to keep Mark jr.
"Listen I understand that he is the father but so what if he has his blood, I've been raising my son for 4 years now by myself. No help from any woman besides my mother. We've bonded and he knows me as his father. You can't just take that away from us." Mark cries.
The judge says because he doesn't want Mark jr.,  to go with someone he doesn't know even though he is the real father he with give Kelvin weekly visitation with Mark jr.

                                                                          ***

It has now been 8 years. Mark Jr. is 12. Mark has remarried and is still living in the same house with his new wife Deja and their 3 children. Kelvin moved to Florida when Mark Jr. turned 6. No one has heard from Lehla ever since Mark told her to leave. Mark, Mark Jr., the other children and Deja are getting all of Mark's love and attention and living happy as can be.


The author's comments:

We had to write something in English class and this was my theme: Love is only the result of self-deception and denial.

The wants of people creates suffering.


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