Sorry for the late update, but I have been SUPER busy(I know, the regular lame excuse, but it is true) so I can only hope that this chapter was worth the wait. ENJOY!
4 years, 7 months, 2 weeks and 5 days. That was how long she had been away. But who was counting?
Wendy looked out at the street below her window, wondering how people could enjoy life scampering around like little mice in a cage. She wanted to be free, to fly, to dream, to.. No, she would not think about that anymore. Just because it was her 15th birthday did not mean that she had to focus on the one thing that she wanted (and had been wanting for 4 years) for her birthday: Pe... Stop that! She was not going to think about him anymore. She had made her decision long ago and could not even change it now if she wanted to, which she did.
A knock sounded on her door and Wendy waited as her mother came in and sat next to her. Her mother placed a small wrapped box in Wendy's lap.
"Happy birthday, my dear. Go on, open your first of many presents."
Wendy pulled the paper off and pulled out a small black box. She opened it and gasped. A small heart-shaped, gold necklace lay inside, with a small red ruby in the center catching the light. She smiled up at her mother.
"It is beautiful Mother, thank you so much." Her mother beamed.
"Well, I just thought that a beautiful girl as yourself deserved a necklace to wear as she began to socialize with other young ladies. Here, let me put it on for you."
Wendy turned around as her mother placed the necklace around her neck and clasped it. Her mother smiled from ear to ear when Wendy turned forward. "Oh Wendy, it looks absolutely gorgeous on you. Although," She frowned, "You could throw this old thing away now that you are older. It just looks old and disgusting now."
Wendy's hand flew up to the cord that held the small ring that she had worn on her wedding day. She shook her head and got up. "No, I will not do that. This necklace means the world to me and I would rather have it then a ruby any day."
Her mother patted her shoulder. "Of course, dear, whatever you want. I was just making a comment. Now, wipe that frown off your face and let us get you dressed for your birthday and get you prepared for your party tonight! I believe that several handsome young men will be there and you can meet them."
Wendy resisted the urge to roll her eyes and let her mother fuss over which dress she should wear during the day and which one she should change into that evening. Wendy's mind kept going to the window where what seemed like forever ago a young boy had entered, gave her quite a fright, and showed her how to fly. But she had to dismiss those thoughts. Those thoughts only led to more thoughts on Him and soon she would be sobbing uncontrollably on her bed once again.
Wendy focused her mind on the frivolous thoughts of clothes, hoping that this would distract her. At least, for a little while.
During breakfast, everyone gave Wendy her presents. Her two brothers gave her each a different trinket they had found, and congratulated her on becoming 15, but then went back to eating their oatmeal. Neither of them had ever fully forgiven Wendy for leaving them behind when she had gone back with Peter, but now they no longer believed that there ever was a Peter and decided that he was just a dream they had one night.
After breakfast, Wendy left her family and went into the kitchen to talk to their cook, Hannah. Hannah was always open to answer Wendy's questions or just sit there and listen to Wendy letting off steam.
Today, Wendy found Hannah stirring what looked to be batter for a cake. Hannah grinned when Wendy sat down at the counter.
"Why, miss Wendy, what do I owe the pleasure of your visit on your birthday?"
Wendy could not help but smile back. "Oh, I just wanted to see how my favorite cook was doing making my cake."
"Well, if you must know, it will be the best cake you have ever had in your life and ever will." Wendy could not help but laugh at what Hannah always said on her birthday about her cake, which was the exact same every year.
"I look forward to it." Wendy watched Hannah stir and could not help her thoughts wondering to what she had last said to Peter. But what stuck out the most to her was the last question he had asked her, the one that she had no answer to. "Hannah?" Wendy asked. Hannah nodded at her. "How are babies made?"
Hannah suddenly stopped stirring and frowned at Wendy. "Why, miss Wendy, why would you be asking such a personal question? It is not proper to know that until you are married, when you have babies. What brought this on?"
"Oh, nothing really. It is just, well, a dear friend of mine asked me that once and I could never provide him with an answer, but I have always wanted to know. Could you please tell me?"
Hannah sighed and set the bowl down, looking around the room before she whispered, "It is not my job to tell you, but if you promise me you will not break my trust and have a baby outside of marriage, I can provide you with a way of knowing how babies are made. Do you promise on your great-grandmother's grave that you will keep my trust?"
"I promise," Wendy replied, leaning in eagerly.
"Good. Now all you have to do is go up to my bedroom and take the pink book with the gold lettering on it that says 'Love create Life.' That book will tell you all you need to know, from a Christian point of view of course, and then you can return it when you are done. I keep that book for when I need to help some of the girls at the woman's house learn how babies are made for their wedding nights. Now get out of here before you get me in bigger trouble then I already am in."
Wendy ran up to the servant's quarters and got the book. She was slightly nervous as to what the answer to Peter's question was, but she had no time to worry because when she got back to her bedroom, she found her mother waiting for her.
"Oh good, Wendy it is time that you got ready for your lunch with me and then we have to get you ready for the party tonight!"
Wendy quickly slipped the book behind her pillow, promising to read it tonight before she went to bed, and let her mother begin to dress her up like a doll.
Okay, I will admit, I did not like how Hannah all of the sudden was all for telling Wendy about babies, but I could not figure out how to approach this situation and I just needed to get through it or the story would stall. So, sorry ahead of time if that was stupid to you, I just had to move on. Please REVIEW and let me know if the wait was worth this chapter! Until next chapter, Li Li.
P.S. Oh, and I OWN Hannah, so NO STEALING!!! You may ask to borrow her for a short time as long as you promise to return her in perfect condition and with no hurt feelings. I finally have a piece of Peter Pan in my closet, so back off from it! LoL :)
