The rest of the night went rather smoothly. Erin was chatted up by several guys with Paul watching carefully, and ended up having a heated discussion with one about the importance of jobs for females. So, she stomped over to Emma and Ben.
"He is such a small minded pig." Erin fumed, her face lit up with anger. "He thinks that women shouldn't have a job. Well, I showed him by telling that I was a boss at a defence plant!"
Ben smiled over at his sister. "Good for you, Er." Emma yawned, and her eyes focused on Elizabeth and Aimee who had stopped chattering to talk to a tall, handsome man. Mark. Emma's blood boiled and she shifted in her seat. Ben noticed, and raised his eyebrows at her, but she shook her head and stood up.
"Oh, girls, I think we need to go help Corabeth with the drinks," The older woman was struggling to give out her 'lavender cordial'. The two girl protested, but Emma eventually steered them away from Mark. "Corabeth, do you need help?"
Corabeth mopped her forehead with a napkin. "Yes. Yes. I need to go see Mr Godsey." She wailed before dramatically exiting the hall.
Aimee rolled her eyes before turning to Emma. "I was talking to that very good looking man, you know." She snapped, before grabbing Elizabeth's arm and trying to drag her back over to Mark.
"Stop it, " Elizabeth frowned. "I'm sure Emma has a good reason if she doesn't want us talking to him."
Jim Bob appeared at her shoulder. "Aimee, you wanna dance?" Aimee nodded and smiled prettily, her dimples showing. She grabbed Jim Bob's hand and flaunted away with him, her blonde hair bouncing against her back.
Elizabeth stared after her best friend, and sat down with Emma. "I can never be pretty like her. No boys want to talk to me. I've got dull brown eyes, and drab, thin red hair. I'm so thin and ugly."
Emma looked at her in surprise. How on earth could her little sister think she was ugly? Why, Drew basically fell over her, so that part about boys wasn't true either. Emma knew what it felt like to feel down about looks, though.
"Elizabeth, you are most certainly not ugly, and Drew really likes you. Mama would say you are just as God intented you to be, and I agree."
Mary Ellen and Emma sipped coffee and chatted together before bed in the kitchen. "Is this what being a mother is like?" Emma teased.
"Basically." Mary Ellen smirked. But then her face grew more serious. "Is this would being single again is like? I was so used to being married, and then suddenly I'm a widow. I just don't know how I can move on, Em." The sisters were silent before their eyes started to droop. They turn enveloped each other in a hug, breathing in and swaying. They weren't being weird, they were basking in the memories they had shared. Each one whispered a good night before heading to bed.
