Siempre hice lo que tú y papá me pedían. No me casé con el amor de mi vida, sino con ese viejo al que metisteis en mi vida... Desperdicié los mejores años de mi vida y esperé durante años, vestida de negro, sin salir de casa.
Fingí estar de luto. Estaba de luto, pero no por él. Era por mi vida desperdiciada. Mírate en el espejo, mamá. No quiero acabar como tú. No voy a volver a leer ese libro. Es hora de irse. Merezco salir al mundo.

I always did what you and Dad asked me to do. I didn't marry the love of my life, but that old man you dragged into my life... I wasted the best years of my life and waited for years, dressed in black, staying indoors.
I pretended to mourn. I did mourn, but not for him. It was for my wasted life. Look in the mirror, Mum. I absolutely do not want to end up like you. I'm not going to read that book again. It's time to leave. I deserve outing into the world.

_{16-1-2026
Painter: María Katarina Wiik
Painting: Outing into the World (1889) - public domain
The contest Art & Writing is hosted by @solperez}