Seven Times I Came, Seven Times You Didn't

There's a rule in Pine Ridge—women are only allowed to leave the mountain seven times in their lives.

If they aren't able to marry a foreigner who's not from Pine Ridge, they can only marry a local mountaineer and become a guardian of the mountain.

Because of that, I've borrowed some cosmetics from my grandma seven times in a row. Every time, I'm often wearing my prettiest dress and waiting for the man, who has promised to whisk me away from Pine Ridge, to marry me.

But despite having crossed the mountain and reached the same town seven times in a row, Joseph Kingsley is never there.

In the village, the village chief, Arthur Langley, has a smoke pipe dangling from his lips.

"This is your seventh time leaving Pine Ridge just to get your marriage registered. That director boyfriend of yours has gone over to the next village just to shoot more footage of the lass who has a really pretty smile.

"Caroline, your boyfriend is already behaving like this. Why are you still waiting for him?"

I clumsily pull out the phone Joseph has given me before keying in his number. The dial tone goes off three times before the call goes through.

Only then does Joseph explain the truth to me.

"When Gemma took us on a foraging trip, she got trapped by one of the bear traps in the mountain! You do realize that if a woman from Pine Ridge were to get crippled, no villager would want to marry her at all because she'd be a burden to them!

"If I were to leave Gemma alone, her life would be ruined! This is the last time, Caroline! Once I ensure that Gemma's leg gets healed, I'll come marry you right away!"

Joseph has been in Pine Ridge for four years so far. Throughout these years, I've hiked the mountain and braved the elements for him seven times in a row.

But Gemma Watson keeps getting into trouble. Whenever that happens, Joseph will abandon me without hesitation.

As I gaze at the phone, which shows that the call has gotten disconnected, I wipe away my tears quietly.

There won't be a last time anymore.

In three days, I will be marrying someone else.

"There's nothing wrong with life here in Pine Ridge. Even if you really wanted to leave, you shouldn't have pinned your hopes on a man like that," the village chief, Arthur Langley, took a drag from his pipe and coughed.

"He carries that camera around all day, filming one woman after another from every village he visits. If he were really worth a damn, he wouldn't have let you make seven trips to town for nothing."

The sharp smell of tobacco made my nose sting.

For four years, Joseph Kingsley's camera had traveled to every corner of Pine Ridge, filming every woman in every village—everyone except me.

I held back my tears and nodded. "I won't wait around anymore, Arthur. Let's hold the