She took out thirty-five dollars from her pocket and threw it at me. “That’s the bride price they gave you. Take it and stop making trouble.”
I looked at the money on the ground and gave a bitter smile.
Then she held out her hand as she asked, “Don’t you know any manners? Where’s your family’s dowry?”
I looked at her with no expression and said, “You should be the one to prepare it.”
——
My words made my wife, Willa Thompson, furious. She looked at me with disgust as she replied, “Yohan, is your family trying to take advantage of me? Your sister is married and you expect me to pay for the dowry? Are you and your family beggars or what?”
“If you have that much time to argue with me, just call your father and tell him to get the money ready.”
“Let me tell you the truth, your sister wasn’t even the one they wanted. They just wanted someone healthy who could have children. If Kevin hadn’t worked to set this up, she would never have married.”
“You’d better send the dowry soon. If she gets mistreated at her husband’s house, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
I stared at her cold gaze and that made me feel bitter. So, this was how she really saw my family.