Page 30 of Beauty and the Grendel

“Harlow, darling,” her mother began, her voice trembling slightly. “What... what is that thing you brought with you?”

Harlow’s smile faltered, her brow furrowing in confusion. “Mom, Dad, this is Griiq. The one I’ve been telling you about. My fiancé.”

Her parents exchanged a glance, their discomfort palpable. “Harlow, dear,” her father started, his tone cautious. “We didn’t realize... we thought...”

I could see the embarrassment rising in Harlow’s cheeks, her eyes darting between her parents and me. She took a deep breath, her hand reaching for mine. “Griiq is not a thing. He’s the one I love, the one I want to spend my life with. May we come in?”

The silence that followed was deafening. Harlow’s parents shifted uncomfortably, their eyes avoiding mine. I could feel the weight of their judgment, the unspoken fear and revulsion that hung in the air. Finally, they opened the door, and we stepped inside.

Harlow’s grip on my hand tightened, her voice trembling as she spoke. “I thought you would be happy for me. For us. I never imagined...”

She trailed off, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. My heart ached for her, for the pain and humiliation she must have been feeling. I wanted to wrap her in my arms, to shield her from the hurtful words and dismissive glances.

I knew that this was a battle she needed to fight on her own. A battle for acceptance, for understanding. A battle that would test the strength of our love and the depths of her family’s compassion.

As we sat in the living room, Harlow’s parents faced a mix of confusion and discomfort. I couldn’t help but wonder what the future held for us. Would they ever see past my monstrous appearance and accept me as a part of their daughter’s life?

My heart sank as Harlow’s parents stared at me with a mixture of horror and disbelief. Their daughter’s words seemed to fall on deaf ears, their minds already made up about the monster that stood before them.

“Mom, Dad, please listen to me,” Harlow pleaded, her voice trembling with emotion. “Griiq and I, we’ve been through so much together. We helped capture the Camazotz, the monster that was terrorizing the community. Griiq risked his life to protect me, to protect everyone.”

Her parents exchanged a glance, their faces etched with concern. “Harlow, dear,” her mother began, her tone gentle yet firm. “We understand that you’ve been through a lot, but this... this is not right. You can’t possibly think that marrying a... a creature like him is a good idea.”

Harlow’s eyes flashed with anger, her grip on my hand tightening. “A creature? Griiq is not a creature, he’s the man I love. The man who has shown me more kindness, more bravery, and more compassion than anyone I’ve ever known.”

She took a deep breath, her gaze softening as she looked at me. “I fell in love with Griiq because of who he is, not what he looks like. We bonded over our shared experiences, our hopes, and our dreams. He proposed to me, and I said yes because I want to spend the rest of my life with him.”

Her father shook his head, his expression hardening. “Harlow, we cannot give our blessing to this... this union. It’s unnatural, it’s wrong. We won’t stand by and watch our daughter throw her life away for a monster.”

The words cut through me like a knife, the pain and rejection washing over me in waves. I could see the tears welling up in Harlow’s eyes, the hurt and disappointment etched on her face.

I couldn’t bear to see her suffer any longer. With a heavy heart, I gently pulled my hand from hers. “Harlow, I... I think it’s best if I go.”

She turned to me, her eyes widening in surprise. “Griiq, no. You don’t have to leave. We can make them understand, we can...”

I shook my head, my voice barely above a whisper. “It’s okay, Harlow. I don’t want to cause you any more pain. I’ll be alright.”

With one last look at her parents, their faces still twisted with disgust and fear, I turned and walked out the door.

“Griiq, please,” Harlow called after me, but I didn’t look back. I couldn’t bear to see the tears streaming down her face, the anguish in her eyes.

I made my way into the city, my mind numb with the weight of what had just happened. I found myself at a hotel, booking a room without really thinking about it. As I stepped inside, the door closing behind me, and I felt the full force of my despair crashing down upon me.

I sank to the bed, my back bending as I lowered my face into my hands, and let the tears fall. The rejection from Harlow’s parents, the pain of seeing the woman I loved torn between her family and me. It was all too much to bear. I had foolishly believed that our love could conquer all, that the world would see past my monstrous appearance and accept me for who I was.

But now, sitting alone in a strange hotel room, the reality of my situation hit me like a ton of bricks. I was a monster, an outcast, a being that would never truly belong in the human world. And no matter how much Harlow loved me, I knew that our future together was uncertain at best.

Had I made a terrible mistake in allowing myself to fall in love with a human? If the price of that love was the pain and heartbreak that I now felt, then perhaps it was a price too high to pay.

Chapter 21

Harlow

“Mom, Dad, please hear me out,” I pleaded, my heart pounding in my chest as I faced their skeptical expressions. “Griiq is different. He’s kind, and he loves me for who I am.”

My mother shook her head, her lips pursed in disapproval. “Harlow, this is not natural. Humans and monsters are not meant to be together. What will people think?”

“I don’t care what people think!” I exclaimed, my voice rising with each word. “Griiq and I are in love, and we’re going to get married whether you approve or not. And our home is in Vermont, so you won’t see us anyway.”

---