Aunt Anna’s Last Hurrah

3 min read3 days ago

A short story about Christie, a confirmed bachelor in his fifties, who unexpectedly announces his intention to marry. His decision surprises his family, particularly his Aunt Anna, who has long tried to find him a suitable wife. The announcement is met with a mixture of curiosity and scepticism, as the family knows nothing about Christie’s mysterious bride-to-be. The story hints at potential family dynamics and expectations surrounding Christie’s marriage, particularly his responsibility for his ageing mother and Aunt Anna. The excerpt ends with the family’s reaction to meeting the bride, a woman from a rural village, leaving the reader to wonder how the marriage will unfold.

The news of Christie’s impending nuptials, at the age of fifty-two, stirred a mix of surprise and scepticism among his family members. For over twenty-five years, Christie, with his vast ancestral properties, had been a prime target for marriage proposals. His aging aunt Anna had been the only one persistently pushing him to wed, while his sisters had long since given up, accepting his bachelor lifestyle as unchangeable.

Aunt Anna, despite her failing health, was reinvigorated by the unexpected announcement. For years, she had tirelessly presented Christie with potential brides – schoolmistresses, lady doctors, and other respectable women, often with properties as dowries. Her efforts had always been met with disinterest or irritation from Christie.

Now, seemingly out of nowhere, Christie declared his intent to marry a woman from a distant village – someone no one in the family had ever met or even heard of before. This mysterious bride-to-be raised eyebrows and sparked whispered conversations among his relatives.

Christie’s sisters, while surprised, received the news with a mix of curiosity and mild amusement. The eldest of his younger sisters quipped, “It’s good that my brother is getting married before my son.” This comment hinted at the family’s long-standing expectation that Christie would remain a bachelor.

The family’s reaction was a blend of cautious excitement and underlying scepticism. They wondered about this unknown woman who had succeeded where years of matchmaking attempts had failed. As preparations for the wedding began, the dusty courtyard of Christie’s ancestral home buzzed with activity, the air filled with the promise of change and the lingering question of who this mysterious bride might be.

Christie’s wedding day brought surprises for the guests. His bride, a woman from a rural village, stood out with her traditional attire, broad features, and discoloured teeth. While Christie’s sisters were privately dismayed by his choice, they maintained a composed facade.

Privately, they reasoned that it was a positive development for their brother – who had been living off them without taking any family responsibility —to finally marry. The youngest sister harboured hope that Christie would now establish his household, assuming responsibility for their ailing mother, whom he had long neglected, and their aunt Anna, who viewed Christie as the son she never had.