4 Chapter 4 two paths

François and I had different arguments or disagreements. How I did the dishes wasn't good enough. Using a mug to eat ice cream was weird. My family stresses him and started having nightmares, but it was little stuff or cultural differences.

We had a lot of good years too. When I lost my scarf Francois went by himself to find it and didn't give up until he found it. He cooked breakfast for me every morning. We went to see Wing Chung at the theatre. We went to restaurants together. We did everything together.

Me and François had our 1st terrible argument and it turns out that his mom told him "she doesn't know enough French ". Everything I felt for François was in friction and it was because of her. I said to him "who cares what she thinks" and he started yelling, "it is important to me and you have to learn French!" "I will learn Spanish too". I felt that we were going to break up and started to cry and in a few minutes he lay down next to me, hugging me and whispering to me.

I asked myself if I really loved him and I did love him. There was a lot we had to learn from each other still. Little by little we were feeling better.

We went to a club for the very first time, downtown, with my friend Ella and François's friend Steve. We were passing by other clubs and who happens to be there. No other than Miguel himself. We passed by and I remember him looking at me too. When we got to the club, François went to get me a drink and my friend and I started dancing. I loved dancing, it reminded me when Ella and I went to all school dances together. For prom, I got my hair done at a hair salon, my sister bought me a boutonnière, I bought a nice light blue dress, my aunt put makeup on me and I went with Ella and her friends.

Then I see Ella talking to Miguel and I just walk to him and say "Hi, did I see you at another club?" I would of asked him more questions but I got pulled by François, pulling me into a kiss and I was surprised. He thought that Miguel was bothering me and also got jealous, I think. I didn't see Miguel after that and I got to dance on top of the big speakers and we had fun.

There was one Christmas François went to celebrate with his family and I celebrated with mine. I was bored and confused because he didn't bring me with him. My sister got engaged that Christmas in front of the whole family. My aunts and uncles and cousins were so happy and I was missing François.

He came back on New Years Eve and we celebrated together with his friends and my dad, sister and stepbrother went to a Spanish party. I was surprised my dad didn't tell me to go with them to the party.

We were at his house, with his roommates and friends and it was a nice change. We went for a walk outside near a pond and it was a beautiful clear sky with the moon brightening the place up. It was very cold for New Years and he had his arm around me. He said "Maria we have known each other for a year now and we had so much fun and I really love you. I really want to grow old with you and make a family together." "Do you feel the same?" I said "yes, I love you too" He turned to see me and he knelt down and said "Would you marry me?" He opened a little box and showed me the ring. It was a really nice gold ring with a big diamond and little diamonds all around it. I was in such shock because I wasn't expecting it at all. I only saw this in so many movies and I didn't know how to react. I just remembered that I loved him and I should say "yes, yes, I will marry you!". We were so happy and he explained that during Christmas he went and bought me my ring. My sister's boyfriend asked my dad for permission to marry her during my dad's girlfriend's move and he also asked for permission and my family knew that he was going to propose tonight. So my family knew I was getting engaged that night.

We went to my sister's house for a bit to be alone and with all our excitement we were all over each other. We didn't want to go back to his roommates party but we had to or they will think that something happened to us. We went back and announced our engagement. They were all happy and we took pictures and looked at the ring.

A few months later François wanted me to move in with him, I knew that my dad wouldn't let me move out. I had to get married first, no matter what age.

My dads girlfriend moved in with us with her daughter in the one bedroom apartment. I was still going to school. His girlfriend wanted me to move out, so François was really happy.

I finally decided to moved in with Francois and his two roommates. My dad locked me out one time that I got home late and I had to get the last bus back to My sister's house and I stayed at François's house. Ever since we stopped talking to eachother.

The day of the move my dad was quiet and he was probably sad and felt betrayed but me moving was bound to happen.

I didn't understand the concept of paying rent but I worked and went to school everyday. I would pay rent when François did and the roommates were mad at me. No one told me when or how to pay.

Our engagement was for 3 1/2years and it was a lot of studying, working and French classes. I didn't have time for anything else. I was even falling asleep during other people's presentations in French class. I still passed my advance French classes. I eventually finished my courses for administration and graduated but barely passing. I tried to change my course to secretary and I applied but my dad didn't let me switch saying I would make more money in Administration. I decided to find another job since François had a great job as a director of the school, I decide I wanted a better job.

I got into a call centre and I was ok at it and after 6 months I applied for the HR assistant and I got the job. I was so happy but it didn't last long. The job relocated and I needed a car and they decided to bring me back to the call Center. It was too bad but I got a good raise out of it. François and me, finally decided to get married and we started our search and planned the whole thing.

Four months before my wedding I was working at Walmart and I decided to invite some Walmart friends. I was walking along and I saw one of my friends talking to Miguel. "Wow" I said to myself and I hid away and waited for him to leave.

I talked to my friend after and asked her questions. "Do you know, Miguel".

I thought I could confide in her and I told her that I had a crush on him when I was little but now I am engaged. I told her not to tell him anything. She told me he was a nice guy and he just got divorced, his wife was very mean to him and didn't let him talk to anybody. It was nice to know about him. Too bad he went through a divorce. My sister told me when he got married and kept me posted but I didn't know he got divorced after 1 year of marriage.

The next day, I had to work and he came to see me at Walmart I can't believe that I talked to him. He held my hands and he told me, he was working at Best Buy and that he went to University for engineering. I told him that I went to Algonquin College for administration but I had to continue working.

I went back to my Walmart friend and asked her why she told him that I wanted to see him. I have my fiancé and I don't even want to start something with him. Miguel told her that when he tried to talk to me I ranned away and he didn't know I had a crush on him. I told her "Did he tell you, his friends were bullying me". I didn't know if he was a nice guy. Oh well, it is done now. Why me? Things just happen at the wrong time.

I was hanging clothes on the racks the next day and I felt like someone was watching me so I looked around and saw Miguel again. He was at McDonalds and giving me the most wonderful smirk and I just freaked out and ranned away. This was too much for me. All my thoughts were jumbled. All my memories came back and my whole body went hot like fire with embarrassment. I was also mad with my friend. I was probably red like a tomato. I didn't tell her about Miguel to get a date. What will I do now?

After work, I felt terrible and I called François from a pay phone to come pick me up. I told him I didn't feel well.

I was waiting for Francois and of course, Miguel was waiting for me. I was so tired and François just pulled over. So I told Miguel "I have to go" and walked and got in to the car.

I always come back to this same moment in my mind that I could of just talked to Miguel and it could of gone two different ways. I was thinking that this moment is the time I made the big decision to stay with François but I could of also decided to get to know Miguel more and I could of had a different life with Miguel. There was many other times but this time we both knew we liked each other. At least we could of talked and be friends.

I barely saw my dad but he planned a few trips with the whole extended family. He paid for restaurants. I guess he felt left out no wanted to see us and make amends. My dad was in an accident and he ended up breaking his arm, he could work with one hand but it was hard. He was in physio and he had debt from hospital bills. He got depressed and he had to find a Hobby and also spend time with his kids.

François invited my dad to some of our trips to see his family in Timmins and he actually did twice and we had fun walking in nature. We went to pow wows and my dad got to talk to the leaders about his spiritual beliefs and how to manage his pain from his accident. We went to the Museum and met François's other uncles and saw their cottages. It was a wonderful trip.

My dad decided to pay for $500 to François's uncle for letting us stay at his cabin and also we almost had a cottage near his cottage, that we started building with him. We eventually decided it was too far and couldn't go more than a week for the whole year.

One month after our 2nd trip in Timmins my dad passed away from an aneurysm in the heart. It happened quickly. My dad invited everybody to a camping weekend and he went to fill up gas tank and checked his tires with his girlfriend and her daughter. He fell down and he was gone. Paramedics tried to revive him but there was nothing else they could do.