So I will just tell you this.
My baby has died, Maria!
And now I am filled with the same sorrow and emptiness I felt fourteen years ago. Now I am mourning Juliet the same way I mourned for Susan, if not more. For even though Juliet did not enter the world from my womb, she was still my precious baby whom I loved and cared for. I mothered her for fourteen years and she grew to become a fine young women. But instead of being a blessing it lead to her downfall.
The poor girl was loved by two separate men. One of which was Romeo. Yes, that is right Maria. Romeo Montague.
Romeo and Juliet had fallen in love and there was nothing I could do to stop them.
Although I was aware at the time of Paris’s likeness for Juliet. I had no idea of his intentions to marry her. ‘Nor did I ever expect Lord Capulet to accept such a rash and profound proposal.
That is why, when Juliet asked me to help her marry her Romeo I agreed. Such a fine, charming gentleman he seemed at the time. I never would have believed he could even harm a fly.
Everything seemed just perfect. I believed the marriage between Romeo and Juliet would reunited the Capulets and Montagues, and put an end to that silly feud of theirs. Little did I know, that Romeo would go and slay our dear tyblat, or that Lord Capulet would then force young Juliet to marry his friend Paris.
I heard it with my very own ears; they have been an asset to us in the past Maria. As you know very well, they have never failed me yet.
“If you do not marry him on Thursday, I’ll disown you”, he screamed at the poor child.
He was in such a temper. Maria, you wouldn’t have even recognised him, with the way he was shouting and cursing. It was as if he’d gone mad. And poor little Juliet, being the sweet girl she was, tried to reason with him. She thanked her father for the thought, she even begged him on her knees to stop the marriage. But my Lord would not hear any of it. Even when I tried to help the situation he cursed me. A “mumbling fool” is what he called me. I was deeply offended by his hurtful words. Like I said, he was not himself at the time. He had been overcome with rage and so I try not to hold it against him. But sometimes I do feel to leave this place, to desert these Capulets. Maybe then my lord will know that I am good for more than just gossiping. As that is all he thinks of me. After all without my dearest Juliet, there is nothing left here for me anymore. What am I to do?
Oh, I’m sorry Maria. Silly me. I’ve rambled on again haven’t I?
Well as I was telling you, poor Juliet was in a state. She was married to Romeo, while betroved to Paris. And seeing the situation as it was, with Romeo being banished, as well as being an arched enemy of the family. I advised Juliet to marry Paris.
“Romeo is a dishcloth compared to him”, I assured her “you’ll be much happier in this second marriage”.
I was just thinking of her best interests, Maria. For is she refused her father would have disowned her.
“Then where would she have gone?” I ask you, “to Romeo?”
He was banished, and therefore as good as dead. And when I told my Juliet so, she agreed.
“Amen”, was her exact words.
Little did I know, she had been pretending. Such deceit. What should have been a joyous day, turned into that of sorrow. Instead of celebrating her wedding, we were mourning at her funeral. As if the death of Tybalt was not enough, we were left to grieve the death of yet another Capulet. And as if the death of one daughter was not enough, I grieved for yet another. Or wrongly grieved, should I say. Only after everything did we find out that Juliet was not actually dead the first time. She was in fact, only in a deep sleep after taking a potion.
It was I, who found Juliet lying there that morning we thought her dead. Lord Capulet had ordered me to go and wake her while he talked with Paris. He told me to make her look beautiful for her wedding. I tried and tried to wake her, but she would not get up. I thought she was just being lazy.
“Better get as much sleep as you can now”, I joked. I knew that Paris would not let her sleep on her wedding night. Only when I drew the curtains open and saw her lying there with yesterdays clothes still on, did I realise she was dead. Except she wasn’t. I could have murdered a brandy at the time.
“My lord, my lady”, I cried out. And when they came and saw her, they too believed she had died. Even Romeo believed his wife to be dead. That is why he came back to Verona, risking the death penalty, to which he was bound by his punishment. How he heard the news, I do not know. All I know is that he ran through the streets of Verona like a mad-man. A criminal running from the law. They chased him all the way to the chapel where Juliet’s body lay. He locked the doors and finally he was alone with Juliet. For what good it did him. While the police were trying to get in the chapel, it is said that Romeo, who like the rest of us, believed Juliet to be dead; drank a deadly poison in the hope off joining Juliet in another life. Only after he had swallowed the poison did Juliet wake from her sleep; to see her beloved Romeo struggling to fight in his last seconds of life. I imagine how hurt and distraught my Juliet must have been. So much it drove her to take her own life. If only she had entrusted me with her plan, I could have helped her; maybe even prevented this whole catastrophe from happening. If only I had known something. If only..!
Maybe it was all fate. It must have been written in the stars. And who am I to argue with them.
I am sorry to have been the bearer of bad news, Maria. I just really needed someone to talk to and felt it was only right you knew. I will continue to stay with the Capulets and see how it goes. If they need me I will serve them still. If I am not needed here anymore I’ll come and visit you. Take care of your self, my friend. I hope I have not caused you too much distress, I know how much you like the Capulets. But as I said before; It was destined to be.