Chapter 3 - Black Pearls
Courtney appraised the tiny young woman drinking tea in her parlor with great interest. She wasn't beautiful but the incredible coal black eyes that peered from under thick dark lashes made you think otherwise.
So this is a gypsy she thought. Images of Wagons, violin music, magic, evil jeweled seductresses and dark handsome men making love under the stars filled her head.
He is so nervous. She wished her son would stop talking.
"Jonathan go and get us some ice."
"We don't need ice."
She offered a plate to her new Daughter-In-Law. "Biscuits?"
"Thank you." Sidi accepted the plate.
"Milk? I love my tea just swimming in milk."
"No thank you Ma'am."
Courtney sat next to the obviously nervous pregnant girl. Jonathan snapped. "Oh for God's sake." His mother made eye contact and promptly ignored him.
"You have the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen dear. She turned to the brooding man across the room. You are so right Jonathan. They are just like big black pearls!"
Sidi blushed. "Thank you. Ma'am."
Courtney smiled at her. "I would die for your hair. It's so long and thick. It's curly but not frizzy. Mine frizzes so badly in the heat. Why do you braid it so? A woman's hair is her crown dear"
Jonathan hissed "This has got to be the stupidest.."
"Sweetheart." She smiled much too sweetly at her son.
"We've covered tea and hair what is next Mother, sewing?"
"Jonathan. Darling."
"What!!" he yelled.
" Leave now." She sang.
He sat straight in his chair. "Excuse me??"
"I said go away dear." The maternal love in her voice was exaggerated.
"But."
"Now dear." Her voice turned edgy.
He looked at Sidi who had just turned white. She didn't want him upsetting his mother further. She also didn't want him present when his mother ordered her out of her house. It was best she did this alone.
"I have as much right to discuss."
"Trust me you've said enough. Goodbye Jonathan or must I call your father in and we can all discuss this together?" Stupidity was not a trait one could attribute to Jonathan Sparrow.
" I'm a coward" he thought as he bolted out the door.
"Ignore him" Courtney said trying desperately to put the situation at ease but as it were Jonathan's departure increased his wife's anxiety tenfold. She was struggling so hard to control the tears that had to have been blinding her by now. This was going from bad to worse. Courtney straightened up.
(Oh what the hell.) Like it or not the sweet child sitting next to her was
her daughter now. " Sidi," she said seriously, slapping her hand down on the girl's knee.
Sidi braced herself for a torrent of hateful words and ugly names.
"Child I was four months when I wore white and if you tell anyone I will deny it."
It was too much. The grateful girl threw her arms around her Mother-in-law. The women burst into gales of tears and laughter and soon Courtney was absorbed in the traditions and culture of the Traveler sitting beside her.
NEXT - James Sparrow
Courtney appraised the tiny young woman drinking tea in her parlor with great interest. She wasn't beautiful but the incredible coal black eyes that peered from under thick dark lashes made you think otherwise.
So this is a gypsy she thought. Images of Wagons, violin music, magic, evil jeweled seductresses and dark handsome men making love under the stars filled her head.
He is so nervous. She wished her son would stop talking.
"Jonathan go and get us some ice."
"We don't need ice."
She offered a plate to her new Daughter-In-Law. "Biscuits?"
"Thank you." Sidi accepted the plate.
"Milk? I love my tea just swimming in milk."
"No thank you Ma'am."
Courtney sat next to the obviously nervous pregnant girl. Jonathan snapped. "Oh for God's sake." His mother made eye contact and promptly ignored him.
"You have the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen dear. She turned to the brooding man across the room. You are so right Jonathan. They are just like big black pearls!"
Sidi blushed. "Thank you. Ma'am."
Courtney smiled at her. "I would die for your hair. It's so long and thick. It's curly but not frizzy. Mine frizzes so badly in the heat. Why do you braid it so? A woman's hair is her crown dear"
Jonathan hissed "This has got to be the stupidest.."
"Sweetheart." She smiled much too sweetly at her son.
"We've covered tea and hair what is next Mother, sewing?"
"Jonathan. Darling."
"What!!" he yelled.
" Leave now." She sang.
He sat straight in his chair. "Excuse me??"
"I said go away dear." The maternal love in her voice was exaggerated.
"But."
"Now dear." Her voice turned edgy.
He looked at Sidi who had just turned white. She didn't want him upsetting his mother further. She also didn't want him present when his mother ordered her out of her house. It was best she did this alone.
"I have as much right to discuss."
"Trust me you've said enough. Goodbye Jonathan or must I call your father in and we can all discuss this together?" Stupidity was not a trait one could attribute to Jonathan Sparrow.
" I'm a coward" he thought as he bolted out the door.
"Ignore him" Courtney said trying desperately to put the situation at ease but as it were Jonathan's departure increased his wife's anxiety tenfold. She was struggling so hard to control the tears that had to have been blinding her by now. This was going from bad to worse. Courtney straightened up.
(Oh what the hell.) Like it or not the sweet child sitting next to her was
her daughter now. " Sidi," she said seriously, slapping her hand down on the girl's knee.
Sidi braced herself for a torrent of hateful words and ugly names.
"Child I was four months when I wore white and if you tell anyone I will deny it."
It was too much. The grateful girl threw her arms around her Mother-in-law. The women burst into gales of tears and laughter and soon Courtney was absorbed in the traditions and culture of the Traveler sitting beside her.
NEXT - James Sparrow