Chaper 11
Later that afternoon the boy came up to me while I was scrubbing the floor in one room or another. I wasn't even sure where I was. He handed me the replies from my grandmothers, along with a look that said 'why on earth are you writing to two old ladies that live in crazy big houses?' I didn't bother to answer. I put the letters in my apron pocket to read later with Arica.
That night was the earliest that Arica and I could read the letters. We sat on my bed/mat, the curtains pulled. I took the papers out of my pocket and started scanning them, looking for the important bits. The first one was from my father's mother, Grandma Fay. It basically said that she was delighted to hear from me, that I was good to put up with Victoria, and that she was exited herself for the ball, though she didn't plan to be there. The answer I was looking for came after that bit.
Oh darling, my grandmother wrote, you poor dear! Victoria is only afraid that you will outshine her hideous daughters if she makes it more possible for you to get to the ball. And though I am sure that you aren't as hopeless as you say in the way of dresses, makeup and the like, I would love to come to your aid! I am sure we will be able to make you look magnificently beautiful, even more then you already are, even if that seems like an impossible feat! I shall arrive the day of the ball, so be expecting me!
The letter continued to describe the dinner party my grandmother recently hosted, but I skipped that. I had read the paragraph with her answer to Arica, quietly so that no one else could hear. Arica was now carefully containing her excitement. As I scanned the remainder of the letter to see if anything else important would be mentioned, she was muttering to herself, "This is going to happen, it's actually going to happen…"
"Well that's one grandmother; let's see about the other one." I said, opening the other letter.
This one was from my mother's mother, Grandma Agatha. She had a more direct way of writing, so I only had to read my way through a greeting, a mention about how she had never really liked Victoria before reaching the point of the letter, as even she put it:
Now for the main point of me writing this, or rather, you writing me. I would be happy to help you ready for the ball. I'm sure we can work around the schedule that Victoria gives you. I'll come the day of the ball. I can't wait to see you again!
Arica had gripped my arm in the middle of my reading, and didn't let it go when I finished. "Is this seriously happening?" She whispered. I nodded. She closed her eyes and smiled, and in the split second before her eyes closed, I could have sworn that they had just a little moister in them. I had never seen her so worked up, but I suppose it was her brothers we were talking about.
After that the candle Arica had stolen spluttered out, and she moved from my bed mat and onto her own. I put the ratty curtain up again. That was twice something that the ogress did helped us. Creepy.
Mostly everyone in the room was asleep, just us and a few of the other girls were awake. Arica turned to me. "Danie," she said, and though I couldn't see her face in the dark, I could tell it would be creased with worry from the tone in her voice. "we are going to find him, right?"
"Of course we are." I assured myself as much as her. "And he'll be just fine when we do."
There was a pause, and then Arica told me something I never saw coming.
"He loves you, you know."
Now what was I supposed to say to that?
Just in the tone of her voice I could tell Arica didn't mean a simple brother/sister type of love, but an actual, serious, marriage type of love. It struck me completely off guard. I think I ended up just saying "Oh." Arica fell asleep then, or at least I assumed she did. And I just thought for a while.
Let's have some fun, shall we? It's time to break some expectations! When I found out Karter was in love with me, I didn't:
-Immediately fall in love with him.
-Feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
-Suddenly realize I had been in love with him for as long as I knew him.
I did however:
-Have to think about having someone being in love with me, as that had never happened before.
-Feel rather confused, shocked, and creeped out.
-Wonder why I hadn't noticed it before.
In hindsight, it was rather obvious that Karter had, um, fallen for me. Gosh that was a weird thing to say. If I am to be completely honest, (not a common event) little creepy moments like the one in the dining room had happened a couple times over the passed few months, and that's only when I'd started noticing. Pleh. Don't ever make me say that again.
Anyway… Let's get off this disturbing subject, shall we? Thank you.
A/N: ... Well then. Never written something like this before, so I hope it turns out okay... And don't worry, it's not gonna get all mushy and fluffy and crap. If it did, I don't think I could live with myself...
I'm using a lot of ...'s lately, aren't I?
