The Two Margherita: "We all have our Demons" Page #2

								

Within a few months, the new wife became pregnant and ultimately gave birth to a son. Margherita was busy most of the day cultivating her vegetable garden in a small area behind the house and became completely neglected since the attention of the proud father was given entirely to the new baby. Since neither their father nor stepmother acknowledged her existence, Margherita stuck to Graziella, whom she saw as a true friend.
The next year, the new wife became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. Tancredi's happiness knew no bounds as now he had two sons who eventually would be able to help him in the fields.
When Margherita turned nine, Graziella left for another village, where she found steady work as a laundress at the home of a wealthy landowner. She could not earn enough money from the intermittent work that Tancredi threw her way. Margherita suffered most from Graziella's absence and began walking around barefoot and half-naked among the farm animals. During the cold winter days when she played outdoors with neighbors' children, she was not warmly dressed and was always in rags and worn-out clothes... 
Despite being beautiful with long golden hair that attracted the attention of strangers and passersby, Margherita never once received a caress or a hug, not from her father or stepmother. At home, she felt detested and unwanted. Her father, Tancredi, associated her with his former troubles and turned his head away because she reminded him too much of his first wife. 
At the age of twelve, Margherita looked after her two younger stepbrothers and became a slave in her own home. Her world centered around household chores and the children. Her best moments were on Sundays when she went with everyone to church to pray and was dressed in clean, neat clothing. Market days were also days of joy for her because she felt like a queen when everyone gave her admiring glances because of her extraordinary beauty. She wore clothes that emphasized her budding breasts emerging from beneath her shirt and subtly swayed her hips as she walked among the stalls while traders threw gifts at her. Some gave her apples, while others gave her walnuts from the forest and deep-fried baked bagels whose smell attracted visitors from all around the market. At times she even received a chunk of smoked pork or goat's cheese, and she sensed the traders' quickness as they tried to pinch her behind or send her a wink.
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