THE MALES' HOUSE | CHAPTER 5 - ARRANGED MARRIAGES |
One day Daniele said to Fiore: "If either one of us was a woman, we could marry each other..." "But I'm happy being a man, and if you were a woman, I don't know if I would like you... I mean, you wouldn't be yourself any more." "Yes, you are right... but you know, it was just thinking out loud... I'm glad you are a male, and that I'm the same. And above all, that we found each other..." One day at lunch, Fiore's father gets up and makes an announcement, "Well, Fiore, as it seems that since you are not able to find a girl by yourself, I found a wife for you." "You what?" the boy asks, his jaw agape. "Yes, it's Elvira. She's a pretty girl, isn't she? And you've known each other since you were children..." "Do you mean Elvira, Daniele's sister?" Fiore asks with amazement. "Yes. And since Daniele also needs to find a wife, we talked with his parents about one more marriage -- your sister Lidia and Daniele. It is all arranged. Since you two are such close friends, you'll also become relatives. We will give you our bordering field and there we will build your new home, next door to each other. It's all already arranged, all the expenses will be shared half and half. There will be only one marriage ceremony, rather than two, so the marriage dinner will be less expensive." "Hey, listen, wait a moment... I don't want to marry Elvira!" "You are friends, aren't you? She doesn't lack anything. She's a pretty girl, and a hard worker. Anyway, it's already settled with the Marcucci family, we just have to decide the day." "But I didn't agree to this, you never heard yes from me!" Fiore protested, angrily. "What's that! You'll say your 'yes' at the altar. You will get engaged, we've been telling everybody." "Without asking me... without... and Daniele, what does he say? Does he want to marry Lidia? And you Lidia? I suppose that you have nothing to say about this?" His sister smiles: "I just heard about it now, like you. What do I know? They've discussed it... I saw them whispering together, but... To me, anyway, I'd like it. Daniele is a wonderful man, and quite handsome. I like him, and since they have already decided why fight it?" Fiore is in a black mood: "I have to think about this, I'm not about to say yes. And until I do, these marriages will not happen!" he says angrily, He stands up and marches out of the kitchen, into the barnyard. He paces back and forth, nervously. Then he stops, looks and then goes towards Daniele's house -- he must talk with him. They meet just outside the gate of Daniele's barnyard. "Did you hear?" Fiore asks him at once. "About the marriage? Yes, I heard the news just now. I was coming to see you to talk about it." "They cannot force us!" "No, they can't!" "What does Elvira think about this?" "That you are a bear, but that she likes you..." "Lidia likes you too..." Fiore says sadly. They walk through the fields, side by side, in silence for a while. Then Daniele smiles and says: "I was just thinking... They'll build our houses together... so we can live together, right?" "Yes, but you're on one side, and I'm on the other. We can't sleep in the same bedroom, in the same bed." "But anyway we'll live together, we'll work together, the same barnyard, the same stable, and possibly also the same kitchen." "But not in the same bed. We will have to continue meeting in secret." "But we will become relatives, in the same family... That's better than nothing, isn't it?" "Oh my God, yes... it's better than nothing, but..." "Our women in the kitchen and we two... we can create our own secret shelter, in different ways." "So, are you telling me that it will be in our best interest to accept?" "Well... don't you think so, Love?" Fiore's parents are quite astounded by the sudden change of heart of their son, but it makes them happy. The two couples become engaged. They stroll in the village, almost always together, the two boys always in the center and the two girls to the left and right of them. Fiore courts Elvira, Daniele chases Lidia... When they all sit on a bench, Daniele puts his arm around Lidia's shoulders, Fiore puts his around Elvira's waist, and their free arms, hidden between the two boys' bodies, are joined by their fingers tightly intertwined.
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