She sat on the top step of the stairs listening in a conversation downstairs that was none of her business. Lily got her knickers in a twist and told her it was wrong to 'butt into other people's business' and left. It's not like she could be perfect and red haired like Lily. If listening to Kristy, the babysitter, talk with her boyfriend made her feels less alone, why did anything else matter?
"I can't come see you," Kristy said quietly. "I'm babysitting."
Petunia desperately waited for Kristy to say something else. All she had wanted for the past year was a boyfriend. She wanted someone to hold her hand and smile sincerely. Someone to kiss her eyes and weave flowers into her hair. She wanted a Rhett Butler, but to never be a Scarlett O'Hara. Red heads were more trouble than anyone could ever possibly need. Like Lily, who made glass break with her eyes once.
"These girls are only eleven and nine; they need someone to watch them. What if they wake up crying? Who's going to comfort them?" Kristy asked. Now she sounded impatient.
Petunia crossed her little, pink fingers hoping they would stop fighting and start laughing.
"No, are you crazy, I don't want to have a baby!" Kristy was no longer whispering. Her inside voice had gone out the door and the shouting match had begun.
"I've been baby sitting for the last two months so your car payments can be made. I cannot believe you want me to leave my job now. What the hell are you going to without this money?" Kristy asked viciously.
Petunia knew that Kristy said something under the belt. But they had to be okay. They just had to. At dinner Kristy said they were in love and that they were going to get married after she was done with school.
"I'm sorry, so sorry. Of course, I love you," Kristy said, clutching the phone tightly. "I didn't mean it."
Petunia held her breath. They were supposed to elope and live in a cottage with a white fence. Kristy said, Kristy promised…
"Don't say that, we have something great. No, no, I was just tired. I say things I shouldn't say when I'm tired."
Petunia could barely breathe. It was as if Kristy's despair had seeped into her lungs. Ice cold and deathly.
"Don't say that Brian, we're perfect together," Kristy said, her voice shaking. "Remember, you said so. You promised me."
Petunia's face began to lose the little color it had. Frozen like a statue, she waited for what was next.
"You can't end this now, you can't," Kristy said, now sobbing uncontrollably. "I made one little mistake, that cannot be enough to ruin what we have."
"Oh no," Petunia managed to whisper to herself.
Click.
"No," Kristy cried, running out of Petunia's line of vision.
"Petty," Lily said, coming out of no where. "Why are you still listening?"
Petunia was surprised by Lily's appearances. "Wh-why are you?"
"Kristy's crying louder than I can sleep through!" Lily said. "And I definitely was not listening, not until everything got loud."
"I just wanted to know whether they would be okay or not," Petunia said.
"Obviously they're not okay," Lily said quietly, but according to Mum, this happens often."
"What happens often?" Petunia asked; She was surprised Lily knew something that she did not.
"Teenagers and silly, fake love," Lily said.
"They were really in love, it wasn't fake!" Petunia said.
"Come on, Petty, you hear the cottage and picket fence stories too right?" Lily asked. "They're not realistic."
"You're only nine, Petunia said, you don't know anything."
"I'm almost ten!" Lily exclaimed angrily.
"Quiet, Kristy will hear," Petunia said.
"Look," Lily said more quietly. "I think that falling in love is easy and falling in love with the right person is hard."
"You probably got that out of a fortune cookie," Petunia sneered.
"It was from my calendar," Lily said, folding her arms. "But it's true."
"Right," Petunia said, sarcastically.
"Well, look at Dad. He likes board games and buys cars that are meant for families. Kristy's boyfriend would probably buy a motorcycle and cigarettes," Lily reasoned.
"There should be cottage, a picket fence, and an after school marriage," Petunia said, ignoring Lily's last statement.
"There can be," Lily said, "I promise, just not with that kind of guy."
Petunia nodded, "He shouldn't have broken Kristy's heart. I'll marry someone responsible and kind."
"I don't even know if I ever want to get married," Lily said.
"Oh gosh, knowing you, I'll have a brother-in-law who thinks trolls are real," Petunia laughed.
"Well, when my husband and I prove they're real, you won't be laughing then! Lily cried.
Petunia still laughed and the years went by. She married Vernon Dursley. He didn't kiss her eyes, smile sincerely, or weave flowers in her hair. He rarely held her hand, but he did come home every night. He said 'I love you, Petty' and bought the family friendly car and a lovely house. He never made her cry. He put a smile to her lips and a baby in her lap. And that was a close to perfect as anyone could get. Not even Lily could to do better. She and her husband got killed. Petunia was alive, Petunia was on top, Petunia would never be heart broken, damnit.