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Chapter 9

"Gemma."

I sat up, my hands in the grass. I turned my attention to the person calling me.

"Gemma."

I smiled, standing up from my spot. I had left an imprint in the grass, but it faded away in an instant. The smile still on my dazed expression, I glided towards the gleaming figure, facing away from me.

She turned around, head first. The angel was a vision in white. She had soft red hair and a face I know all too well. I felt my smile grow, as I felt my legs pick up speed. Before I had time to react, I was running, towards my mother.

But the closer I got, the further away she seemed. It was as if I wasn't moving at all. Finally, I reached the hill she was on top of, originally. Looking all around, she was no where to be seen.

I woke the next morning to the pattering rain. I felt my hair, it was a tangly fright. My legs ached, as if I had walked for days. But how could that be? I haven't walked more than usual. Unless...my dream. But that's impossible. How could I have run in my sleep?

And my mother. She was so real, so there.

I sighed. It wasn't real, my mother is no longer real. It was just a dream. With that, I rose from my bed, the dream no longer in my mind.

"This is absolutely darling. Absolutely darling." The dressmaker was making a fuss over the design Mrs. Middleton decided on.

Yes, darling. If you consider a lacy, puffy-sleeved, princess dress, darling.

"Miss Doyle, you will look beautiful in this, if I'm not too bold to say so."

I have been in situations like this frequently. At least, since my engagement to Simon. I knew what they expected my answer to be. "Thank you kindly, Miss. Winifred. That is a most gracious thing to say."

Miss. Winifred smiled, as she returned to her sketch. While the sketch was well done, the dress itself was the ugliest thing I had ever seen, and I would have to wear it.

She then looked up, after admiring her sketch for a moment too long. "Now, when shall you come in for your fittings?"

I had no idea, but, luckily, Mrs. Middleton answered. "Within the week."

It was a very vague answer, but Miss. Winifred accepted it.

I was staring out my window, when I heard a movement behind me. My father walked quietly to my side and put his hand on my shoulder.

"How are you, Gemma?"

"As well as can be expected," I bluntly answered.

"Your grandmother told me, that you have lost your feelings for Simon. Is this true?"

My grandmother knows? How does she know? Unless, Simon told his mom, who, of course, told my grandmother, but how odd, that my grandmother or Simon's mother have yet to talk about it to me? He must have also told them of our agreement.

"Yes, I am afraid so."

His hand dropped. "I see, and you still are going to marry him?"

I guess my father was not completely informed. "Simon says that we will still uphold the engagement, in case, my feelings do return."

"Do wish that?" he asked so quietly, I thought I was mistaken I heard it.

"Honestly, no."

"Well, what do you want?"

I want to run away. I want Kartik to come back. I want to live somewhere else, so we can be together. Of course, I couldn't tell my father this, exactly, so I improvised.

"I want to marry someone I love."

"I wish I could make that happen, darling. Marriage should be for love, but once you make that kind of promise to someone, it is not appropriate to break it."

"I know."