The Wives of Machismo: A Collection of Short Stories

By Sandra Moreno

Isabel grew up without a father, so shes never observed firsthand how a man should treat a woman. Although she wasnt looking for love, she meets Juanan attractive Mexican man who falls in love with her instantly. For the first time in her life, Isabel feels wanted. Little does she know Juans shyness hides his abusive demeanor, and she soon becomes a victim.

Delfina is a well-educated woman with an exciting career. Her job keeps her so busy that she doesnt have time for a social life, until she finds herself face to face with the most beautiful man shes ever seen and is instantly swept off her feet. Post-marriage, however, Delfina finds her husband to be controlling, and fearing for her life, she loses her hard-earned independence.

Veronica and Marcos are a fun loving couple that has been married for several years. They have four beautiful boys, and Veronica enjoys the privilege of working as a stay at home mom. One day, though, she accidentally runs across a picture of a girl on her husbands computer and her life is changed forever. Follow the stories of these and many more women as their lives are shattered and see if they have the inner strength to put themselves back together.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jun 27, 2016
• ISBN: 9781491799123

Sandra Moreno

Sandra Moreno was born and raised in Houston, Texas. She has been married for over thirty years and has two beautiful daughters and two precious grandchildren. She’s always had a passion for writing and would write on pieces of paper, on the back of grocery receipts, and on napkins, until she finally started blogging in 2012.

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Copyright © 2016 Sandra Moreno.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

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ISBN: 978-1-4917-9911-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4917-9912-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016909771

iUniverse rev. date: 06/24/2016

CONTENTS

Silence Is Golden

The Story Behind The Dress

The Girl On His Computer

Newlyweds

His Best Friend

Wednesday Night Basketball With The Guys

Just A Coworker

Love Thy Neighbor

Her Friend In A White Bikini

The Bathtub

Womanizer

Look What You Made Me Do

His Parents Never Batted An Eye

Clueless

The Night He Didn’t Come Home

Like A Zombie

Long Thanksgiving Weekend

My Mija

The Master Key

Are You Happy?

What’s Good For The Geese Isn’t Always Good For The Gander

Click, Click

The Key

Her Jealous Husband

Shame On Him, Shame On Her

Bad Daddy

The Wife

The Laughter Next Door

And She Stays

She Lives In Silence Everyday

My Husband Prefers Blondes

I Can’t Do This Anymore

Lusting Over Her

This Very Special Day

Everyday I Lose Another Piece Of Me

Till Death Do Us Part

It’s Not Me He See’s

Accusations

I Hate Him! I Hate Him! I Hate Him!

Expect Nothing, Get Nothing

Another Morning Of Tears

A Wake Up Call

A Shadow Behind Her Husband

I Should Have Left

SILENCE IS GOLDEN

It’s a hot summer day in August. The humidity is always high during this time of year in south Texas.

What’s wrong? asks Isabel, talking to Juan, her new boyfriend.

Juan does not respond.

Juan! What’s wrong?

Again, there is no response. Juan, pull over, stop the truck! says Isabel.

Juan remains driving and looking straight ahead with no expression.

Isabel is sitting right next to Juan because he insists on this.

He has his right arm wrapped around Isabel.

Juan! Isabel yells. What’s wrong? Say Something! I’m talking to you! What’s wrong with you? asks Isabel, again.

Isabel and Juan have only been dating a couple of months but he has never behaved this way.

Isabel is only sixteen years old. She stands about five foot, five inches tall and has dark curly hair with a nice slim body.

Her bright white teeth are highly visible especially because of her dark colored skin.

Juan is only nineteen years old. A mysterious young man of few words.

Standing at six feet tall he has a dark colored complexion with deep green eyes.

Isabel was intrigued by Juan’s silent personality when she met him.

Juan, say something. This is crazy. says Isabel, now desperate to find out what’s going on.

Juan! If you don’t say something! I’m going to. . .

At that moment Isabel feels Juan’s hand grab the back of her head and he slams her face into the dashboard of his truck.

You’re going to what? he yells. As he picks up her head and slams it on the dashboard once again.

Isabel let’s out a screeching cry.

Let’s get something straight! If I don’t want to say a word, you are to remain silent!

Isabel is frozen. She’s in shock. She immediately feels great pain. Her face is covered in blood.

Unable to move she doesn’t say a word. It is a quiet ride home.

Juan pulls up to Isabel’s house where she lives with her Mom. Isabel slowly gets out of the truck. Before she closes the door she looks up at Juan in disbelief.

Here! He says as he is handing her a little black box.

Isabel reaches for the box. She then opens it.

It’s a ring. What is this? she asked.

It’s an engagement ring. We’re getting married next month, he says.

Isabel closes the box, then closes the door to the truck and walks away.

She slowly walks in the house.

She heads straight to the bathroom. She looks in the mirror. She sees her reflection. She is terrified!

There is so much blood. She grabs a towel and begins to cry loudly holding the towel tight over her face to muffle the sound so her mom won’t hear her.

She falls apart. she sobs loudly.

At that moment the bathroom door opens, Isabel, what happened? asks Isabel’s mom.

Isabel removed the towel. She has a busted lip and a big cut on her forehead.

Isabel! Who did this to you? her mom asks.

Scared to tell her Mom, she whispers, It was Juan.

"Why did Juan do this to you? she asks.

Isabel cries as she looks at her Mom thinking she may hug her or hold her.

Instead her Mom begins to yell. What did you do? You had to have done something wrong for Juan to do this to you!

Isabel frowns and is confused at her mom’s reaction.

‘Mom, I didn’t do anything, all I did was ask him what was wrong because he wasn’t talking to me." cried Isabel.

Isabel! You need to learn to keep your mouth shut! Men don’t like to be questioned, her Mom says.

Mom, a man is not supposed to abuse a woman, says Isabel.

"You won’t get hit if you do what I tell you.

Now listen up, you never speak a word to Juan unless he speaks to you first." her Mother says.

Something falls to the floor. They both look down.

It’s the little black box.

What is this? asks Isabel’s Mom as she picked it up off the floor.

She then opens it. Is this what I think it is? she says with great excitement in her voice.

Did Juan give you this ring? she asked.

Yes, Mom, he did. replied Isabel.

Does this mean what I think it means? asked her Mother with great joy in her voice.

Juan says we are getting married next month. says Isabel.

Her Mom begins clapping her hands and yelling.

That’s wonderful! Congratulations! Isabel, I’m so happy for you! She says to her weeping daughter.

But Mom, I can’t marry him, he hurt me! Cries Isabel.

Sure you can, and you will. replies Isabel’s Mom."

Isabel, all men are like this. You need to learn to leave him alone. He will talk to you when he wants to. She says as she turns on the water and starts a hot bath for Isabel.

Let me get you some aspirin and a cup of tea. You will feel better in the morning. she says.

Isabel takes her aspirin with a glass of water.

She can taste the blood in her sinuses as it goes down her throat.

She gets into her hot bath.

She sips her tea and begins to feel her muscles relax.

After half an hour or so she gets out of the tub and slowly dries herself.

She is slow to dab the water off her face because of the pain.

She walks over to her room to lie down.

Wearing her robe and towel on her head, she falls asleep.

The next morning Isabel awakes to the sun shining into her bedroom window. She opens her eyes and remembers what all happened the day before.

She is deeply saddened.

The phone rings. She picks it up.

Hello? she says.

You hungry? a deep voice asks.

It’s Juan. The sound of his voice hits Isabel like a pile of bricks on her chest.

What did you say? replied Isabel.

Are you hungry? responded Juan.

No, I’m not, she says.

Well, I’m picking you up in thirty minutes anyways. He says.

She doesn’t respond. Juan hangs up the phone.

She sits up on her bed for a few moments thinking about what all her Mom told her.

She proceeds to get dressed.

Isabel opens the little black box and pulls out the ring. She slips it on her finger.

In a daze, she walks outside.

Juan pulls up in his truck and she gets in.

They are married the following month.

THE STORY BEHIND THE DRESS

The seamstress takes a look at the dress torn in half and looks up at Delfina. What happened to the dress? she asked. Do you want the whole story? asked Delfina. Yes, says the seamstress, from the very beginning, we have plenty of time. Okay," replies Delfina as she takes a seat next to the seamstress.

Once upon a time there was a girl named Delfina. Delfina got her name from her great grandmother who worked hard every day of her life. She would make quilts, sew and even iron clothes for many people. Although she didn’t speak any English she had a long list of customers.

Her gracious personality and ambition to work hard every day was her winning combination.

Delfina is just like her great grandmother. She is a career-oriented young woman. She dedicates her life to her work. Her job requires her to travel often which is how she has managed to escape tying the knot. Her wardrobe of designer suits and a perfect body make her extremely attractive. She is strong, confident and driven to