Religion

This is the story of my grand auntie. A story that played in a very Christian religious country in the 40s.

She was a wealthy woman from the money and properties she had inherited from her parents. She wasn’t specially attractive: short, plump, an average face.

When she was 19 a nice gentleman proposed to her. He was handsome, a very religious person and poor.

They got married in six months and she got pregnant straight away. She would get pregnant eight more times while he was alive.

He went to church every single day and took the whole family to church on Sunday. My grand auntie wasn’t a religious person but she played along. This gentleman belonged to the Opus Dei, a very well known Christian sect.

They were married for over 40 years. It wasn’t a happy marriage. He was controlling, demanding and aggressive but divorce never crossed her mind. Remember the time and country.

Then he got cancer and died in six months.

He had spent all her money. She had nothing.

To his funeral his mistress and their three children turned up. My auntie had no idea about them, although they lived in the same town.

The mistress had money, my auntie had none.