(a/n - okay, I know this might seem weird, but in my head I always saw Emmett and Elizabeth as more than siblings... Actually, I never saw them as siblings, but as lovers. Don't judge me! They just always seemed to have chemistry that was more than siblings should have - like that American coffee advert wait what - and I always liked to think that the whole siblings thing was a very well kept charade. So, I am going to try and write how I think it was. It will be terrible but I would appreciate your support. Thanking you muchly in advance. ^.^)
The Best Kept Secret
From the day Hyacinth moved in, I knew my life would change. Don't get me wrong, the change was bearable, in parts, but I just couldn't seem to control myself around her. She made me feel so, well, ordinary. That could be a good thing, but when she came in boasting about her Richard and her Sheridan, I couldn't help but tell her all about my husband and my daughter. The only problem being, they didn't exist. I had never gotten married. I had never found the right man. All those I met didn't seem to be very interested in me, though I didn't mind. I got by plenty enough on the allowance that my late father and mother had left me, and from the small amount I had earned in my days as a waitress, barmaid and cleaner. I was well brought up, and had a love of music and dance, and I was longing for a job in that industry. That would come about later. Anyhow, when Hyacinth asked me, I just said how my husband worked abroad, and my daughter was in university, like her son. Doing incredibly well. At least I was proud of my imaginary daughter. I suppose being able to act has always worked in my favour, for Hyacinth swallowed up all of my stories, and she can be quite a hard person to fool. Luckily, though, I manage it.
I managed to get on really rather well with Hyacinth and Richard, I think. Oh, Richard! I do feel sorry for the man! I wonder what brought him and Hyacinth together in the first place. Love is a strange thing, isn't it, and it makes one do strange things. I should know. We get onto that later, though. As I was saying, I managed rather well, I kept a steady income for myself doing what jobs I could as and when I could. A small secretarial role here, a short term personal assistant there. It wasn't anything too strenuous, and I got about well enough, having the car and everything. Hyacinth never knew, though. That was another thing I kept from her. I was always going shopping or visiting a friend when she saw me leaving for work or returning home again. I wasn't bothered, she swallowed the stories, and as long as I was available for coffee or a candlelight supper every now and then, she didn't have a need to get suspicious. Too many pressing matters to hand, anyway, with her constant family related dilemmas. I was glad I was an only child, sometimes, given the amount of problems she had with all of her siblings. And her father! At least mine was safe in Heaven with mother, God bless their souls. I at least never had that sort of worry. Life continued in its same routine cycle. Hyacinth would occasionally ask about my husband or daughter, and I would create a whole new tale, always with just enough detail to seem plausible, but not enough to raise further questions. My husband was doing rather well out in the Middle East, I would tell her. Wonderful night life, he had told me, in his most recent phone call two nights ago. My daughter? Oh! Her studies were progressing beautifully! She had made some wonderfully polite friends it seemed, and was balancing studying and socialising to a very good standard. How was her Sheridan doing? And that would be enough. I could sit smiling and laughing politely for another half an hour about the antics of Sheridan and his close friend Tarquin, and then leave, my whole performance over for another day. It was exhausting, I admit, but worth the quiet neighbourly relationship all the same.
I couldn't always act perfectly around Hyacinth though. She just had some sort of weird affect on me. I could lie about my fictional family all I liked, but my hands couldn't help but tremble when I took a sip out of her Royal Doulton with hand painted periwinkles. The amount of china she got through due to my shakiness of hand when in her presence is inexcusable. But then, I suppose the lies I spun her are also inexcusable. I suppose that was what made it easy. She never suspected that I could say anything but the truth. No matter how much Richard knew my overly enthusiastic table arrangement comments were all an act, Hyacinth was happy in her own little bubble. And thinking of me as a simpleton enabled me to spin her tales and tales of my fantasy life, when I was really living the boring life of a middle aged spinster.
I wouldn't say that I intended for it to get as awkward as it did, but things just led from one thing to another and eventually there was no way out. It worked though, despite the huge act my life became. I suppose one could go mad from the strain of it all, but I found that my little show kept me sane when most would have crumbled under the pressure of living next door to Hyacinth. My stories became my life outside of my house, and for the few people that Hyacinth introduced me to, I was happy to go along with the story. It wasn't as if I was the most sociable of people, and those who knew the truth about my life would never end up in a 5 mile radius of Hyacinth, so I was safe. It all turned out well, anyway. Everyone was happy with what they believed. Even if few actually believe the truth.
As I have said, it wouldn't have been as bad as it was, if a certain event hadn't have happened. However, it did happen. And it was probably the best thing that has ever happened and ever will happen in my entire life. I for one do not care that it caused me further lies to Hyacinth, for it caused me much happiness. For I met him.