CHAPTER 9: TUCK OF THE OPERA
Miles walked out with her first, leaving the door for Jesse to close. He helped her into the carriage and sat across from her. Jesse crawled in the door and took his seat next to Winnie. The trip down there went by quickly. Jesse and Winnie had talked and laughed so much while Miles had read the paper.
When they got there, Jesse opened the door and helped her out. He shut the door before Miles could get out, and Winnie, so intent on Jesse, had not noticed. Miles got out, and hurried to Winnie, stealing her arm from Jesse. Jesse followed behind them mocking Miles as he explained the origin of the theater. "You'll love it Winifred. I know you will." She cringed. She hated the way he said her name. He had said it so much, it had become worn out to her. She wished she could hear Jesse call her Winnie again.
Lots of people had gathered at the theater. When Miles turned to talk to a man dressed similar to him, Jesse whispered in her ear, "Pretend were in Paris. Imagine your the queen, and Miles is the king, and I am the knight protecting you, that you are secretly in love with." Changing his tone to a more middle ages one, he softly whispered in her ear, "this night was set up in your honor your majesty. Enjoy it Winnie."
Miles turned back around and they headed up the stairs to the personal seats, that rose above the rest, and cost more money to get. The lights turned out, and the curtains opened. A woman began to sing. Winnie had never heard such power come out of a woman's voice before. She seemed strong, independent. Winnie wanted to be her. Jesse leaned into Winnie ear. "She's talking about a young beautiful girl who fell in love with a poor boy, but her parents wouldn't allow her to see him, because they were poor too, and they needed her to marry rich. They already have a family picked out, and they found themselves in love because the son was so in love with the daughters beauty, and the rich family agreed to the marriage."
"Jesse," Miles interrupted, "be quiet. Were trying to listen."
Jesse and Winnie both giggled. Jesse leaned back so that Miles could not see him, and whispered quieter. "So they make plans to run away. She agrees because she loves him so much. They have true love. But on their way out, somehow the rich son finds out, and he hires someone to kill the poor boy. When the daughter finds out, she makes a deal with the son. She tells him that if he lets the poor boy live, she will marry him."
"Does she? Does she marry him?"
"They get to the wedding. And right before she says I do, he charges into the church on white horse, and realizing what she must do in her heart, she runs to the horse, and he pulls her up, and they ride off into the sunset. The play just shows that true love conquers all."
The girl walked off stage, and the play began. They showed another girl singing out her window, crying, and a boy dressed in rags watching her from outside, immediately falling in love with her. Winnie smiled at the purity and the love displayed between the two. Just then, Miles took Winnie's hand. She looked down, and so did Jesse. She couldn't pull herself away. His grip felt dangerous. She felt as if she were being thrown into another prison, and if she let go, she might be killed. So she looked at neither of them, and continued to stare out at the opera. But Jesse kept looking. Kept analyzing her reluctance to let go. He finally, in spite of his anger, turned his attention to the performance, but his thoughts were else where.
Miles walked out with her first, leaving the door for Jesse to close. He helped her into the carriage and sat across from her. Jesse crawled in the door and took his seat next to Winnie. The trip down there went by quickly. Jesse and Winnie had talked and laughed so much while Miles had read the paper.
When they got there, Jesse opened the door and helped her out. He shut the door before Miles could get out, and Winnie, so intent on Jesse, had not noticed. Miles got out, and hurried to Winnie, stealing her arm from Jesse. Jesse followed behind them mocking Miles as he explained the origin of the theater. "You'll love it Winifred. I know you will." She cringed. She hated the way he said her name. He had said it so much, it had become worn out to her. She wished she could hear Jesse call her Winnie again.
Lots of people had gathered at the theater. When Miles turned to talk to a man dressed similar to him, Jesse whispered in her ear, "Pretend were in Paris. Imagine your the queen, and Miles is the king, and I am the knight protecting you, that you are secretly in love with." Changing his tone to a more middle ages one, he softly whispered in her ear, "this night was set up in your honor your majesty. Enjoy it Winnie."
Miles turned back around and they headed up the stairs to the personal seats, that rose above the rest, and cost more money to get. The lights turned out, and the curtains opened. A woman began to sing. Winnie had never heard such power come out of a woman's voice before. She seemed strong, independent. Winnie wanted to be her. Jesse leaned into Winnie ear. "She's talking about a young beautiful girl who fell in love with a poor boy, but her parents wouldn't allow her to see him, because they were poor too, and they needed her to marry rich. They already have a family picked out, and they found themselves in love because the son was so in love with the daughters beauty, and the rich family agreed to the marriage."
"Jesse," Miles interrupted, "be quiet. Were trying to listen."
Jesse and Winnie both giggled. Jesse leaned back so that Miles could not see him, and whispered quieter. "So they make plans to run away. She agrees because she loves him so much. They have true love. But on their way out, somehow the rich son finds out, and he hires someone to kill the poor boy. When the daughter finds out, she makes a deal with the son. She tells him that if he lets the poor boy live, she will marry him."
"Does she? Does she marry him?"
"They get to the wedding. And right before she says I do, he charges into the church on white horse, and realizing what she must do in her heart, she runs to the horse, and he pulls her up, and they ride off into the sunset. The play just shows that true love conquers all."
The girl walked off stage, and the play began. They showed another girl singing out her window, crying, and a boy dressed in rags watching her from outside, immediately falling in love with her. Winnie smiled at the purity and the love displayed between the two. Just then, Miles took Winnie's hand. She looked down, and so did Jesse. She couldn't pull herself away. His grip felt dangerous. She felt as if she were being thrown into another prison, and if she let go, she might be killed. So she looked at neither of them, and continued to stare out at the opera. But Jesse kept looking. Kept analyzing her reluctance to let go. He finally, in spite of his anger, turned his attention to the performance, but his thoughts were else where.