What If?
Edelweiss
What if Satine never worked at the Moulin Rouge? What if they had met in another time, another place? What if there was no other angry man? What if Satine didn't have consumption? Would their love be perfect or would there still be hardships and struggles?
***
'Satine?' Kate whispered. Satine shivered and looked up. 'How are you?'
'I'm fine.' She said wheezily.
'No you're not. You're shaking. Here.' She handed Satine her shawl.
'You need that.'
'Not more than you.'
'We'll share.' Satine compromised. She wasn't going to let her younger sister freeze because of her. Kate huddled up to her and wrapped them both in her shawl. Earlier Joshua had set off with Lilibet back to the house to get some help.
***
Kate opened her eyes at the sound of horses hooves. She looked up to see their neighbours carriage stop and her father and Christian jump out and come flying towards them.
'Satine, darling, it's me.' Christian said frantically. When she made no attempt to move he rubbed her hand, hoping it would make her respond. Satine opened her eyes and smiled at him.
'What took you so long?' She asked in a raspy breath.
'Sorry baby. I'm never leaving you again.' He vowed. Earlier Satine would have rolled her eyes but now she realised how much she needed him and hated being from his side.
'I think we need to get Satine home.' William said. 'Joshua and Lilibet are waiting at home with the fire going and cups of steaming hot cocoa.'
'Mmmm.' Satine said happily as Christian gathered her in his arms. He held her close to keep her warm. Once in the carriage he wrapped a blanket around her and his arms tightly around her waist. He was never letting her go.
***
The next morning Satine woke up to find Christian smiling at her. A breakfast tray in his hands.
'Good morning.' He said cheerfully, setting the tray down in front of her. He helped her sit up and then sat on the bed next to her.
'What's all this?' Satine asked in wonder, gazing at the tray.
'Breakfast in bed.'
'Well, it's lovely. Thank you.' She kissed him quickly before digging in to her egg. Christian watched her eat.
'That egg looks awfully nice.' He said casually. Satine laughed.
'Is that you're way of asking for some?' Christian nodded and she dipped a piece of bread in the runny yolk. He ate it in one go. Satine looked disgusted and delicately ate her own in little bites.
***
Being cooped up in the house was doing no good for Satine. She would sit and mope in front of the window and all Christian could do was watch. Every other day the two of them would go and sit out on the balcony for ten minutes. During these times Satine's face would just light up and she would laugh and smile. It broke Christian's heart to see her so upset. After a month of being stuck inside the doctor came back to check on her.
'So, can I go outside now?' Satine asked hopefully after the doctor had checked her over.
'I'm afraid not, Miss Satine.'
'But you said that if I stayed in and everything I could come outside after a month.'
'Yes but you haven't improved as much as I was expecting. I'm sorry....'
'Get out.' Satine whispered.
'Pardon?' The doctor wasn't used to be spoken to like that by a woman.
'You heard me, get out.' He didn't move. 'Get out! GET OUT!' She screamed, not caring that this was making her condition worse. Her breathing got shallower and she gasped for air.
'Satine, let me help you.'
'You leave me alone!' Satine shouted, tears streaming down her face. She gulped in big lungfuls of air. Christian burst into the room and hurried over to Satine who was now kneeling on the floor.
'What's going on?' He asked, looking up at the doctor.
'I told her that she couldn't go outside yet and she went mad.'
'I think you'd better leave.' Christian said trying to comfort his wife. The doctor stood up and left without looking back.
***
Over the next few days Satine slowly came to terms with what was happening. Her father had gone to see the doctor to apologise and to see if there was any possibility in her going outside. The doctor agreed to ten minutes a day but no more. Satine wasn't happy with this but she knew she had to take what she was given. One afternoon, just before tea, everyone was sitting in the sitting room. William was reading the newspaper, Lilibet was playing with her dolls on the floor and everyone else was talking. Lilibet set her doll down and walked over to Satine.
'Satine, I'm bored.' She whined.
'Why don't you play with your dollls?'
'They're boring.'
'What do you want to play?' Satine asked.
'Edelweiss!' Lilibet said excitedly. Satine rolled her eyes good naturedly.
'Alright, alright.' She sighed and slipped down onto the floor. Lilibet sat next to her and they both held their left hands out. Satine slapped Lilibet's left hand with her right gently while Lilibet hit the air. Then, simultaneously, they hit first they right leg then their left before slapping the back of their left hand in an upwards movement before hitting their left palm twice. Then they began again. Once the rhythm was established they began to sing.
'Edelweiss, Edelweiss
Every morning you greet me.
Small and white, clean and bright
You look happy to meet me.
Blossom of snow may you bloom and grow,
Bloom and grow forever.
Edelweiss, Edelweiss
Bless my home land forever.'
What if Satine never worked at the Moulin Rouge? What if they had met in another time, another place? What if there was no other angry man? What if Satine didn't have consumption? Would their love be perfect or would there still be hardships and struggles?
***
'Satine?' Kate whispered. Satine shivered and looked up. 'How are you?'
'I'm fine.' She said wheezily.
'No you're not. You're shaking. Here.' She handed Satine her shawl.
'You need that.'
'Not more than you.'
'We'll share.' Satine compromised. She wasn't going to let her younger sister freeze because of her. Kate huddled up to her and wrapped them both in her shawl. Earlier Joshua had set off with Lilibet back to the house to get some help.
***
Kate opened her eyes at the sound of horses hooves. She looked up to see their neighbours carriage stop and her father and Christian jump out and come flying towards them.
'Satine, darling, it's me.' Christian said frantically. When she made no attempt to move he rubbed her hand, hoping it would make her respond. Satine opened her eyes and smiled at him.
'What took you so long?' She asked in a raspy breath.
'Sorry baby. I'm never leaving you again.' He vowed. Earlier Satine would have rolled her eyes but now she realised how much she needed him and hated being from his side.
'I think we need to get Satine home.' William said. 'Joshua and Lilibet are waiting at home with the fire going and cups of steaming hot cocoa.'
'Mmmm.' Satine said happily as Christian gathered her in his arms. He held her close to keep her warm. Once in the carriage he wrapped a blanket around her and his arms tightly around her waist. He was never letting her go.
***
The next morning Satine woke up to find Christian smiling at her. A breakfast tray in his hands.
'Good morning.' He said cheerfully, setting the tray down in front of her. He helped her sit up and then sat on the bed next to her.
'What's all this?' Satine asked in wonder, gazing at the tray.
'Breakfast in bed.'
'Well, it's lovely. Thank you.' She kissed him quickly before digging in to her egg. Christian watched her eat.
'That egg looks awfully nice.' He said casually. Satine laughed.
'Is that you're way of asking for some?' Christian nodded and she dipped a piece of bread in the runny yolk. He ate it in one go. Satine looked disgusted and delicately ate her own in little bites.
***
Being cooped up in the house was doing no good for Satine. She would sit and mope in front of the window and all Christian could do was watch. Every other day the two of them would go and sit out on the balcony for ten minutes. During these times Satine's face would just light up and she would laugh and smile. It broke Christian's heart to see her so upset. After a month of being stuck inside the doctor came back to check on her.
'So, can I go outside now?' Satine asked hopefully after the doctor had checked her over.
'I'm afraid not, Miss Satine.'
'But you said that if I stayed in and everything I could come outside after a month.'
'Yes but you haven't improved as much as I was expecting. I'm sorry....'
'Get out.' Satine whispered.
'Pardon?' The doctor wasn't used to be spoken to like that by a woman.
'You heard me, get out.' He didn't move. 'Get out! GET OUT!' She screamed, not caring that this was making her condition worse. Her breathing got shallower and she gasped for air.
'Satine, let me help you.'
'You leave me alone!' Satine shouted, tears streaming down her face. She gulped in big lungfuls of air. Christian burst into the room and hurried over to Satine who was now kneeling on the floor.
'What's going on?' He asked, looking up at the doctor.
'I told her that she couldn't go outside yet and she went mad.'
'I think you'd better leave.' Christian said trying to comfort his wife. The doctor stood up and left without looking back.
***
Over the next few days Satine slowly came to terms with what was happening. Her father had gone to see the doctor to apologise and to see if there was any possibility in her going outside. The doctor agreed to ten minutes a day but no more. Satine wasn't happy with this but she knew she had to take what she was given. One afternoon, just before tea, everyone was sitting in the sitting room. William was reading the newspaper, Lilibet was playing with her dolls on the floor and everyone else was talking. Lilibet set her doll down and walked over to Satine.
'Satine, I'm bored.' She whined.
'Why don't you play with your dollls?'
'They're boring.'
'What do you want to play?' Satine asked.
'Edelweiss!' Lilibet said excitedly. Satine rolled her eyes good naturedly.
'Alright, alright.' She sighed and slipped down onto the floor. Lilibet sat next to her and they both held their left hands out. Satine slapped Lilibet's left hand with her right gently while Lilibet hit the air. Then, simultaneously, they hit first they right leg then their left before slapping the back of their left hand in an upwards movement before hitting their left palm twice. Then they began again. Once the rhythm was established they began to sing.
'Edelweiss, Edelweiss
Every morning you greet me.
Small and white, clean and bright
You look happy to meet me.
Blossom of snow may you bloom and grow,
Bloom and grow forever.
Edelweiss, Edelweiss
Bless my home land forever.'