During the holidays, when I went back home, Aunt Jessica introduced me to a potential match.

There I was, staring at an elderly man with a limp who was divorced and had two kids. I wasn't interested, so I immediately redirected him to my cousin Anika, who was into the whole "daddy" type of guy.

It was all about keeping things balanced and fair!

——

On the first day of winter break, Aunt Jessica showed up at our door, excited and carrying two bottles of cheap liquor. When she saw me at home, her steps slowed, and her expression soured a bit.

But since she was already there, she forced a smile and said, "Phoebe, you're home early this year."

I smiled and let her in. My mom was also surprised to see Aunt Jessica. She usually avoided our modest home, only visiting during the holidays if she felt like it. Her sudden visit with a couple of bottles in hand clearly meant she had something on her mind.

Mom didn't think much of it and decided to stop what she was doing to prepare a meal for Aunt Jessica. Aunt Jessica glanced around at our worn-out dishes and waved her hand dismissively.

"I'm not here for dinner, Faith. I have something important to discuss…"

Before she could finish, she noticed I was still standing there. Frowning, she said, "Go on, this is grown-up talk."

Seeing I didn't move, she scowled and added, "College must have changed you. Now you think you're too grown-up to listen to your aunt."

Mom was eager to smooth things over, so she quickly said, "Right, Phoebe, go on and make some tea for your aunt."

Reluctantly, I left the room but stayed close. Aunt Jessica's visits usually meant trouble. The last time she came, she took a bribe from my brother-in-law's family and tried to convince my sister not to divorce her abusive husband.

The time before that, Aunt Jessica tried to persuade Mom to use my college fund to invest in a health product. I had to flee with my student loan to escape that situation.

So, I wasn't expecting good news this time. Through a small crack in the window that still needed fixing, Aunt Jessica's excited voice came through as she said, "Faith, I'm here with some great news. I found a man for Phoebe!"

Inside, Aunt Jessica was all smiles. "He's a good guy; I checked him out. He's got a nice face and looks presentable.

"He has a good job and makes decent money.

"And he's really helpful, always pitching in when someone in the village needs it.

"He's perfect for your Phoebe."

I couldn't take it anymore and stormed into the room. The door slammed loudly, startling Aunt Jessica.

Mom shot me a disapproving look. I tried to keep my anger in check. "Aunt Jessica, I'm still young, and I'm not in a hurry to get married.

"If he's such a great guy, why not introduce him to Anika? She's the one who really needs it."

Anika was her daughter. She was approaching thirty, about 5'3", and weighed around 160 pounds. She still hadn't found a suitable partner, which had always been a concern for Aunt Jessica.

Aunt Jessica's expression turned serious. "Faith, is this how you teach your children?

"Interrupting when adults are discussing marriage is really disrespectful!"

Feeling embarrassed, Mom tried to step in. "Phoebe, please don't speak to your aunt that way."

Mom was generally kind and treated her three daughters well, but her one flaw was her preoccupation with appearances. Given our family's struggles, she often felt overshadowed by Aunt Jessica's dominant presence.

I shrugged off Mom's hand and replied coldly, "Aunt Jessica, don't try to intimidate Mom.

"My marriage is my decision, and no one's going to interfere!"

Seeing that Mom couldn't stop me, Aunt Jessica was displeased. "Well, I've already made arrangements."

She set the two bottles of cheap liquor on the table. "This is a gift for the matchmaking meeting. I'll bring him over tomorrow."

With that, she turned and left.

Mom picked up the bottles, looking uneasy. "Phoebe, maybe we should at least meet him?"

Seeing my reaction, Mom hesitated and added, "She's your aunt after all.

"Do you really think she'd mean any harm?"

The next day, Aunt Jessica really did show up with someone. To my surprise, it was Dylan from the neighboring village. He looked like a decent guy, but he had an accident years ago while driving a truck that left him with a limp. He'd since switched careers and now ran a shop specializing in funeral supplies and memorial items.

He was indeed a helpful person, always assisting others in the village during funerals.

The most pressing issue was that Dylan's wife had passed away two years ago, leaving him with two young children. Even my mom looked uncomfortable.

Aunt Jessica continued enthusiastically, "Faith, Phoebe's getting older, so we can't be too picky. Just look at the girls in our village who don't go to school; most of them already have kids running around.

"I'd say Dylan's a great guy."

Seeing us both quiet, Aunt Jessica said, "Faith, I'm not trying to be harsh, but Dylan's okay with Phoebe's age and education. That's actually pretty decent."

She gave me a sideways glance as if to say she was sure I wouldn't find anyone better. "Anyway, let's not stand here. We need to give the couple some space."

With that, Aunt Jessica dragged my mom out the door without giving us a chance to protest.

As I looked at Dylan's crooked yellow teeth, I stood up, intending to leave. But Dylan's rough hands grabbed my arm. I turned to see him leering at me with a creepy smile.

"Where are you going, sweetheart?" he asked, his gaze lingering unpleasantly on my clothes.

I pushed him away in disgust. "Who do you think you are calling me 'sweetheart'?"

Dylan's face twisted with anger. "Your aunt Jessica took two thousand bucks from me."

I was stunned. So, Aunt Jessica was willing to sell me off to Dylan for two thousand dollars. Before I could fully process this, Dylan moved closer, wrapping his arm around my waist. The heavy smell of smoke and alcohol hit me.

"Sweetheart, I haven't had any fun in two years.

"Heh heh, you'd better be good to me today."