I Remember Nothing, But I Have Four Husbands

Ethan was not outside the shop waiting for Isabelle as he promised he would do. The two had to go back to the market to pick up the things they bought before David left. Thinking it strange, Isabelle walked towards the carpentry to see if he was still working. She just hoped he had not gone to the shop taking another route, or they would miss each other.

However, her worries were for naught when she found him in the front store of the carpentry having a heated conversation with a man that was starting to grey from the sideburns. Isabelle suddenly had a bad feeling after seeing the cheap brother haughtily standing by the man's side.

"Just tell me the truth, Ethan, and I will forget about the matter." The stout greying man said with a sigh. It seemed the conversation had been going for quite a while.

"What is going on here?" Isabelle demanded, or more like, interjected, not letting Ethan say anything. She did not want him to speak more than necessary before clearing the obvious mess.

"Your little Husband here stole the earnings of today, he doesn't want to admit it but I know he did it." That cheap brother gloatingly recounted.

"Where is the proof?" Isabelle asked.

"The proof is here. I wrapped the money in this handkerchief and saw him carrying it in his inner pocket!" The cheap brother said, taking out a suspiciously familiar handkerchief.

Oh, by everything that is holy, is it not THAT handkerchief!?

Isabelle glanced at Ethan, who was viciously glaring at the brother who carelessly waved the piece of fabric. Ethan was not angry because he was being framed of something he clearly did not do, but because someone else had taken his precious handkerchief which contained his and Isabelle's fluids. It was his most precious possession!

Isabelle just thought the whole matter suddenly turned awkward.

"Right, let us make this quick." Isabelle rubbed her forehead in annoyance. "That handkerchief is mine. My name is embroidered in a corner of it." The cheap brother was aware of it. He was even wickedly rubbing that corner while looking at her.

Such a nasty guy! But, will that cheap smile of yours be the same after you know the truth?

"Also, the handkerchief has Ethan's semen from the time I jacked him off and I cleaned my hand with it." Isabelle suddenly revealed. As expected, the moment he heard about that, the cheap brother quickly let go of the handkerchief in disgust.

In a flash, Ethan caught the handkerchief before it even touched the ground, totally ignoring the 'fucking perverts' the cheap brother grumbled, and the scandalized face from the other man. Surely no decent woman would say what Isabelle revealed in public. She did not care. If they wanted to frame her man, then they had to face the consequences!

"Alright, now that my Husband's innocence was proven, I think we can go." Grabbing Ethan's hand, she started pulling him out of the store.

"Wait! What just happened?! Please, explain!" The older man exclaimed after he coughed, regaining his calm. He was extremely confused as to what had just transpired.

Isabelle glanced at him and thought the man was most likely the owner of the carpentry.

"Sir, my Husband did not steal the money. The handkerchief this man here," she pointed at the cheap brother, "claimed to be his, is actually mine. I gave it to my Husband. If it were his, he would have known that what I said was actually a lie, then he would not have dropped it in such a hurry. It is obvious he was trying to frame my Husband."

Cheap brother looked livid from being lied to. Well, it was not a lie, per se, but he did not have to know that. It was a matter between Isabelle and Ethan after all.

The owner's eyes narrowed, and he sternly looked at the cheap brother. "What's going on?"

"The handkerchief might be theirs, but the money's still gone." The brother stubbornly held his statement.

"Can you not have a bit more integrity?!" Isabelle snapped.

The brothers, her future Husbands, were already facing enough hardships and did not need false accusations on top of it. She felt frustrated by the injustice and unfair treatment Ethan was receiving when he was only trying to honestly work to bring money back home. Could others not have a bit more empathy and not make more troubles for him?

"Just because you are as ugly as a bug and cannot catch the woman you like, it does not mean you can go branding my Husband as a thief! I also know you threatened with not paying him today! I do not know what kind of establishment you have here, Sir," she turned to fiercely glare at the owner, "but we, honest people, will not take this laying down. I am not afraid of looking for the authorities to solve this case because I completely believe my Husband is innocent!"

Silence descended in the store after her outbreak only to be broken by a slap and a cry of "Brother!"

"Go back home!" The owner sternly ordered. Then, the three watched the cheap brother leave the store with a betrayed expression.

Isabelle was terribly relieved the owner was a reasonable man who actually knew his brother's character and would not cover up for him, making the matter easier for the couple. She was lying when she said she was not afraid to look for the authorities as she did not know how far that cheap brother had gone to frame Ethan.

What if he had other tricks under his sleeve?

"I'm terribly sorry for that. My brother was spoiled rotten at home by our parents." The owner apologized and explained with a sigh, hoping to earn some sympathy for the other man. But he realized it was impossible seeing the irritated and unimpressed faces on Isabelle and Ethan respectively.

He coughed to dispel the sudden awkwardness and changed the topic.

"Did he pay you for today's work?" He asked Ethan, who only shook his head. It was a first for Isabelle to see him so quiet and subdued. Was something wrong? "This brat!" The owner fumed. "Here, I'll pay you double today as compensation for all this misunderstanding. You really work hard, Edris, and I hope you keep going like that tomorrow, too."

Patting Ethan's shoulder, the owner walked to the back of the store.

Isabelle looked down at the coins in Ethan's hand before he put them away. "Let's go?" His gentle smile told her he was not affected by what just happened, and that his despondent countenance was all just an act.

What a cunning fox!

The warm hand that grabbed hers washed away all her negative emotions, and soothed her heart. Isabelle could not help but cling to his arm, thinking the two became closer after that episode. Well, after everything that happened between them that day.

Ethan freed his arm from her grip and coiled it around her shoulders pulling her even closer. His other hand, then, grabbed the box she was carrying. It was the least he could do after such a staunch support she displayed back in the store.

His heart sweetly throbbed in his chest remembering how she fiercely fought to prove his innocence. He had been ready to be fired by the owner, even after proving his innocence. But, thanks to her, not only did he avoid being tagged as a thief, he also kept his job.

He could not wait to marry her properly and officially call her Wife! His hesitation and fears from earlier gone like smoke.

When they arrived at David's stall to pick up the saplings he had packed in a wooden box, Ethan flaunted the fact he had money to pay the coin and 7 dimes from his own pocket. He could not be seen as poor in front of other men as he walked hand-in-hand with Isabelle.

His manly act as a provider, though, was completely shattered by Isabelle's subsequent words.

"Corey, may I know if you have a glass container that is not like a bottle?" She asked David's Wife, who was there helping the man put away the seeds from the stall.

"Yes. They gave me these medium sized containers with a wide, round lid. I have no idea how to use them." The lady said, using her hands to describe the shape of the container. It was the type of container Isabelle was looking for!

Isabelle beatifically smiled. "Would you sell me a mix of dry herbs in the biggest of those containers? How much would that be?" She was planning to reuse that container for when they start drying their own herbs. It was a win-win situation for them! Corey made a sale and Isabelle got what she needed.

"3 coins." Corey quickly replied, happy to make the sale, but hurting Ethan's ego in the process. He… How could he afford that?!

Even Isabelle thought the price was expensive for a bunch of dried herbs – finally getting an idea on the market's prices thanks to her conversation with Jean – but it was fine since she was actually buying the container rather than the herbs.

"Then, can you prepare it for next week? Also, a bottle of olive oil. I quite liked that bottle with the narrow neck and the wide body. It had a handle, and a cork as cap." Isabelle detailed the bottle she saw at noon. She had still not earned the money for the handkerchiefs, yet she was already on her way to spend it.

"Oh, that one! Yes, I can put it aside for you. 2 coins for that. Just make sure you come pick it up by next week. If not, I will sell it." Corey teasingly smiled, but Isabelle could see how shrewd she was when making deals. No discount yet amenable to wait for customers to have money. Though, that also made her more sympathetic to the plights of her costumers.

Isabelle was starting to like Corey as the latter was very fair while making business.

"That is fine. I promise to come back in a week!" Isabelle nodded with a smile. "Also, I am looking for flour, sugar and salt..." Jean had mentioned sugar could also be used to season food. And the salt and flour at home was running out, so they needed to buy some.

"I have!" Corey once again jumped at the chance to make business, interrupting Isabelle. "5 dimes for the bag of flour. But it's bigger than the others sold at the same price, so you are not making a loss. Sugar has gotten more expensive nowadays so it's also 5 dimes the bag. And salt is, as usual, 5 dimes. That's 1 coin, 5 dimes."

Isabelle speechlessly saw Corey pull out bag after bag from who knew where. Next thing she knew, there was a big bag of flour, a small bag of sugar and a medium-sized bag of salt in front of her. Sadly, the younger woman only had 1 coin left, so she either had to bargain for those five dimes or leave one bag behind. Sugar most likely.

Yet, before Isabelle could do anything, Ethan generously pulled out the rest of his money and paid for everything. She stole a glance at the man, who once again looked proud to be the one paying, and secretly smiled.

With their purchases done, Ethan and Isabelle came out of the market with full hands. And her wish from that morning came true: they missed the donkey cart ride back, so they had to walk back home.