"Ah...a new year means new promises!" I heard Abungu shout cheerfully. "So, Jack, what is your new promise this year in the beginning of a new century? It's 1800, it must be a big and bold promise!" Abungu took a large swig of his drink as we all sat at the dining table, enjoying one of the biggest feasts we've ever had, and nearly everyone was here this time.
"Yes, Jack, tell us!" I heard the tiger spirit, Tiana, request as she took a bite of steak. "What promise will you make this year?"
"Hmm...I hadn't really thought about it." I told them honestly as I drank the last of the ale in my mug. "How about you tell me some of yours, and it may give me an idea."
"Oh, fine!" Tiana giggled after taking a gulp of her drink. "My promise this year...is to hunt alongside as many tigers as I can. I want to hunt alongside at least twenty tigers."
"That's a good one, but I can't exactly hunt." I gave a small, but appreciative smile. "Who's next?"
"Oh! Me! Me!"
I looked to my immediate left and smiled down at her fondly and let out a warm chuckle. "Alright, Flora, what's your New Year's Promise?"
"I promise to make as many flowers grow as possible! Especially the chrysanthemums! I love the chrysanthemums! Oh, and to dance with the trees when the wind blows through them!"
"Hmm...I bet I can help you with the dancing part. I'm sure Wendy won't mind, but it still doesn't strike a chord with me..." I patted her head lightly. "...but that's okay. Alright, any other ideas?"
"Mine is to spend more time outside the domain." Isla answered in a matter-of-fact tone.
"Hmm...that one might be a good one, but at the same time...not. There's still something missing..."
"Hey, I know!" Summer piped up. "What about spending more time with one another?"
"Ah! That's it!" I shouted as I quickly stood from my chair and pointed at Summer all the way at the other end of the table, and I refilled my mug. I made my way towards him with it in my hand, and gave him a wide and confident smile. "My New Year's Promise is to spend as much time with everyone as I possibly can, and if I can't do it this year, then I'll continue onto the next."
He held his mug up to mine and we clashed them together. "Sounds like a plan!" He laughed out and I made my way back to my chair.
"How is that a big and bold promise?" Abungu asked me with an amused risen brow.
"Are you kidding me!?" I laughed out. "Do you see how many of you there are!?" I asked him as I gestured to the entire table.
"Alright..." He relented with a low chuckle. "...fair enough, but how are you gonna do it?"
"Ah, but if I told you, then I wouldn't be able to do it, now would I."
"I suppose not." He nodded. "What of the rest of you?"
"Mine is to create a large storm, but keep the thunder going for longer than ten minutes...and if I strike an ocean spirit in the process then it's a win-win." Nimbus took a large bite out the chicken leg he had on his plate and smirked confidently as he ate.
"Still mad at them are you?" I asked Nimbus with a curious brow.
"I will always be mad at them." He growled out after he swallowed his food.
"You shouldn't hold onto that. Besides, if it wasn't for that spirit we wouldn't have had the conversation we had."
He let out a heavy sigh and nodded his head. "Yeah...you're right. Well...then I guess I'll have to make my thunder go for thirty full minutes to make up for it."
"Sounds like a plan." I laughed out lightly.
"Oh, mine is to try and get people to dance and celebrate around the biggest bonfire." Adara chimed in with delight.
"Mine is to create a new waterfall in Scotland." Mesi mentioned as she tossed a piece of an orange into her mouth.
"My, now that is a bold one." Abungu commented with a hearty laugh. "I wish you the best, Mesi."
"Thank you, Abungu."
"Oh, my turn!" Bram shouted with amusement after he finished his second bowl of vegetable beef soup. "I'm gonna fly higher than any bird has before."
"Good luck with that, Bram." I told him with an honest smile. "Tell me how the view is."
"Oh, what are you talking about!? You're coming with me!"
"I am? I didn't know." I chuckled out as I took a bite of my turkey, cheese, lettuce, and tomato sandwich.
"Well now you do."
I swallowed my bite and grabbed a cube of yellow and white cheese. "I guess I do."
It went on and on like that for about two hours due to how many spirits were there, and then it got to Mother Nature. "So, Mother, what's your New Year's Promise?" I asked, and everyone stopped talking instantly. "What?" I asked them all.
"No one's asked her that before." Abungu breathed out as if he just realized something important.
"Hmm...well...now someone has." I smirked, and turned my gaze back to her as she sat in front of me, like she always does. "So, what's your New Year's Promise?"
She looked up at me with a small but soft smile that sent my heart into a frenzy as she glanced up at me with her head still tilted down slightly. "Same as yours actually."
"Really?" I asked her as I took a bite of my bread to try and distract myself from how was looking at me.
"Yes, I want to try and spend more time with my children...and you."
"Wh-What!?" I asked as I coughed, choking on my bread. Once I was able to swallow it down, I blinked at her with wide eyes. "What!?" I asked again.
"Oh, come now...I know you don't think of me as a Mother like the rest do. We're good friends you and I, and you're still one of my spirits. I want to spend more time with everyone at this table."
"I'll drink to that!" Nimbus said as he stood with his mug.
"YEAH!" Everyone shouted as they stood and lifted their mugs.
"Heh..." I chuckled out. "...To friends and family, then?" I asked them all as I stood and raised my own mug.
"To friends and family." Mother Nature agreed as she too stood with her mug.
oOoOoOoOoOo
"Oh...I'm gonna...haves another hangovers tomorrows" I told Nimbus and Bram in a slur as they helped me to my nest.
"You're not the only one, Father." Bram groaned out.
"Nimbush..." I started as they finally poured me onto my nest. "...if yous gives me beets and pineapples juicy agains, I will be the next shtorm you shee."
"I promise I won't. I learned my lesson the second time I did that, and you froze my legs to the ground." I saw him roll his eyes but then he sat on the bed and flopped on his back. "Can I just stay here? I'm too drunk to move."
"Then whys did the twos of yous helps me to bed?" I asked as I got under my covers.
"Because, no one else was going to, and those that would've were passed out on the floor. Besides, Mother is putting the rest of them to bed." Bram answered then he too flopped onto my bed. "Ugh...I drank AND ate too much. Can I stay here too, Father?"
"Oh...fine!" I groaned out and they got themselves situated in respectable distances, which the bed was more than large enough for. Nimbus moved to the far right of me and Bram to the far left, and they both slept on top of the covers. "I'm too tireds and drunks to shay no."
"Especially to your favorites, right, Father?" Nimbus asked in a sleepy tone.
"I don't haves favorites-ies, Nimbush. You knows better than thats. Now, go to shleep."
oOoOoOoOoOo
When I woke up, I had a splitting migraine and I could already tell that Nimbus and Bram were still asleep, so in favor of my migraine I didn't bother to get up, and tried to go back to sleep. I would've been successful too if it wasn't for the fact that someone just opened my door. "Three shirtless men in the same bed." I heard Mother Nature chuckle out.
I leaned up just enough to look at her. Then, her words had me curious. I remember taking my shirt off in the dining hall, but when I went to bed Bram and Nimbus were still fully clothed. I looked over at Nimbus and he was only in his long black pants that he wore last night. I then looked at Bram and he was in his charcoal gray shorts. I whacked Bram on the side of the head, causing him to topple off the bed in surprise. "Wha-!? What's going on!? Oh...my head!"
"Why aren't you wearing a shirt?"
"Hey, Nimbus ain't either...and did ya really have to hit me?"
"Yes, because I want you to answer me."
"We were both burning up from the alcohol, so we took off our shirts...we were still drunk..."
"Okay...so not only is there three shirtless men in the same bed, but KNOWINGLY so." She snickered, then chuckled, and then she was doubled over laughing.
"NOTHING HAPPENED!" I desperately shouted, even though raising my voice sent a searing pain behind my eyes.
"Oh, I know! It's just hilarious!"
I rolled my eyes with a groan of irritation, and I moved to hit Nimbus much in the same way I did to Bram. "Nimbus, get up!"
"NO!" He whined out, and for a second he really did sound like a child, and he quickly got under the covers and covered his head with my blanket.
"Do NOT make me freeze your nose!"
"UGH! I'm up..." He pouted as he shoved the rest of the blanket off of him.
"No you're not, and there's someone here to see you."
Nimbus quickly sat up and his jaw dropped as he saw the wicked grin on Mother Nature's face. "I...I...Mother, it's not what it looks like!"
"Like I told Jack, I know. The three of you are as straight as an arrow, but that doesn't make it any less hilarious. Especially when the lot of you wake up assuming that I think that the three of you 'slept' together. Oh this is the most hilarious thing to date! When Abungu told me that Bram and Nimbus hadn't come out of your room, Jack...I was instantly amused, and I was going to summon cold water on all of you to get back at the prank you pulled on me while I was watering the garden, but this is even better!" She took a moment to catch her breath and started shaking her breath. "Really...I know I already asked this once, but why...why is it when something happens, it's always you three? You're inseparable! I thought I had problems with how linked to the hip Nimbus was to Abungu, but this is almost worse!" She began to laugh again, and I just groaned back into my pillows, not amused in the slightest. "Oh...okay, okay...I'm done now. Jack, Nimbus, Bram...the three of you need to get dressed and meet us downstairs."
"What time is it?" I asked as I placed my arm across my face.
"Nearly noon." She answered. "C'mon, hurry up."
"Alright, you two...you better do as she asks, and Nimbus...this will be the one and only time that I willingly ask for the beet and pineapple juice."
"I already have it right here." Mother Nature said as a small portal appeared in her hand and out came a glass of the horrid and cursed juice. "I have two more for Bram and Nimbus as well."
We all reluctantly took our glasses and down them. She then summoned a portal again to take them away, likely to the kitchen sink. "Alright, let's go." I told the two of them and they got off my bed, grabbed their shirts, and left my room. Without Mother Nature. "Please don't take this the wrong way, but why are you still here?"
She moved to close the door, and once it was she came to sit on my bed which had my heart pounding so hard I was pretty sure it settled into my throat. "You know, it seems my children are spending more and more time in your room than in their own rooms. Care to answer as to why?"
"I-I-I...I don't know...I mean...we've gotten close, and I-I s-spend a lot of t-time with them, but uh...I can't...I can't really say why." It was the honest truth. I made a promise, and I couldn't break a promise like that. "Perhaps...I mean...Flora and Mesi said I h-have the largest bed...well...second largest bed, and that yours w-was the largest."
"That's very true."
"Is it...is it really upsetting you that much?"
"N-No...but I..."
"Oh my...you're jealous!" I laughed out, but the hurt look she gave me made the laughter instantly die in my throat and caused my heart to twist in a sharp and painful way.
"Honestly? I kind of am. I...they trust you so much...those that you've called The Nine..." She chuckled a little at the nickname I gave them. "...and well..." She started as her slight smile faltered back into a frown. "...since they trust you so much, I was wondering..."
"Wait...you don't think you did anything wrong do you?" I asked as I got up out of my bed and made my way to the dresser to grab some clothes to change into, and now more than ever, I was glad there was a bathroom attached to my large room.
"I-I...w-well..."
"Do my ears deceive me? Is Mother Nature stuttering?"
"OH! I don't know why I bothered!" She shouted and was about to leave, but I grabbed her arm and she immediately stopped and looked back and forth at my hand and my eyes in a state of shock.
"Stay...tell me what's wrong. I won't make fun again, I promise." I looked up at her eyes and though my heart was moving at the speed of lightning against my chest, I repeated myself. "Stay...please. I want to help."
"A-Alright..." She nodded her head and I slowly let go of her arm, and made my way back to my dresser to pick out a shirt.
"Do you mind if I get changed first?"
"I what? Oh, no..."
At first I wondered why she seemed so flustered, but then I remembered that I just grabbed her arm without her permission, and I mentally berated myself for my rudeness as I grabbed a loose white shirt that was apparently now known as colonial shirts, a pair of brown pants, and an opened brown vest. I went into the bathroom, got changed, and looked in the mirror. "Huh...this is what I was wearing when I came here." I smiled despite myself and I walked out of the bathroom. "Alright..." I started as I noticed my staff against the side of my dresser. I grabbed it and moved back to my bed to sit down. "...now, what's wrong?"
"I well...I...was wondering if you knew if I perhaps angered them or hurt them in some way."
I snorted and gave a light shrug of my shoulders while I shook my head. "Far from it. They mostly talk about you when they come to me. They say what their grand plans are for when they spend time with you, how their days went with you, and what they would like to do for you and ask for my advice. Why they ask my advice, I have no idea, but they do. Other than that, they sometimes come in here to sit in silence, or to tell what's bothering them, or how their day went regardless."
"Wait...to sit in silence?"
"Yeah...I'll be in here reading sometimes and if they don't want to be bothered they come in here and sometimes just sit on my bed, or they lay in the grass that my floor is made out of. They simply tell me they don't want to be bothered and I get up, lock the door, and go back to reading."
"So...your room is pretty much their refuge."
"I guess." I shrugged.
"And you let them sit in here for as long as they need...just...doing nothing?"
"Sometimes nothing is exactly what someone needs. No words, no questions, no answers, no cuddling, or touching...just someone's presence and pure silence. Well...as much as they can get when I'm reading."
"And...you've consoled them a number of times...I've seen it. You've also scolded them for their rude behavior towards their siblings or towards me..."
"I w-well..."
"You know..." She interrupted with a soft smile and for some reason, reassured eyes. "...that kind of sounds like you're acting like their Father."
My eyes widened in shock and I felt an anxious chill run up my spine. "I-I'm sorry..."
"No, don't be." She shook her head and smiled. "It's fine, really. I'm not angry. It's cute. It also explains quite a bit."
"Uh...wh-what do you mean?"
"It explains why they seem happier. Why they seem to smile more, and just...have more fun. Some of those in your group of The Nine, I have had for almost a thousand years, but never I ever seen them as happy as they are now. They also seem to want to help more around the castle, and even though they spend a lot of time in your room, they have started checking up on me more frequently since your arrival. Well, to be more precise...they all REALLY started helping and and caring after your spearing incident in 1720."
"Wait...so what are you trying to say?"
"I think you know what I'm trying to say, Jack."
"N-No...I really don't..."
"My children have come to think of you like a Father...and you know that...don't you? Now, before you answer, keep in mind I could make a truth serum and shove it down your throat, but I'm trusting you to tell me the truth."
There was no way out of answering her. I looked in her eyes, and there were a mixture of emotions in them, but mostly there was doubt, anxiousness, and curiosity. I looked down at the floor as I clutched my staff tightly and nodded my head as I swallowed a lump in my throat. "Yes...I know they think of me as a Father."
"Why haven't you told them to stop?" I flinched at her words and I looked towards the head of my bed as I felt my heart clench in pain, thinking that she was asking me to tell them to stop. Then, I heard her gasp, but I didn't turn to face her. "You...you feel the same for them...don't you? You...you've come to think of them as your children too. Oh my...that...that truly does make so much more sense. How you play with them, prank them, teach them, console them, scold them, spar with them, cook with them, and how you look out for them." I turned to look at her and her face held a dumbfounded expression of realization. "Oh..." She whispered out. "...and the fact that it's mutual...explains why they come into your room so often..."
"I...I gotta go..." As I got up I felt the ground of my floor wrap around me and I fell over.
"I-I'm sorry, but I need to...we...need to finish this conversation."
I felt the thin vines leave my ankles and I slowly got back up, and walked to my bed. "Alright. Let me say this...you can do whatever you want with me, just don't tell them you know, and don't be angry with them."
"I..."
I didn't even bother to look at her before I was up off the bed again pacing the length of my bed. "Look, I know that you're probably mad or...or may even hate me, but I couldn't help it. So, just...I don't care what you do to me, just don't be upset with them, because they couldn't help it either. So...what's it to be? Will you take away my powers? Is that even possible? Will you get a new General of Winter? That's fine...I don't think I'm one for titles...Will you tell me to leave and never come back? Will I be banished?"
"J-Jack!" Whatever I was going to say next stopped in the form of a lump in my throat, and my heart shattering to pieces at the sound of a choked out sob coming from her. I slowly turned to face her and if it wasn't for the fact that I had a bed to sit on, I would've collapsed to my knees from the ache the sight caused. As I sat on the bed I saw the pure hurt and pain on her face as tears that should never be there, rolled down her face. "I-I couldn't...I would never..." There was pure heartbreak in her eyes and more than anything I wanted to go search for the ocean spirit that speared me, because nothing could ever be as painful as seeing her tears...and me being the cause of them. "I...I would never take away your powers, or...or get a new General of Winter...and by the stars...I could never banish you!"
"I'm sorry!" I immediately said, willing to do anything to dry those tears. "I...I just thought...well...you're MOTHER Nature...and I...what I was doing...what I was feeling...what I let them feel, because I didn't deny them...it all seemed...well...wrong...and taboo in a way. We all agreed not to tell you, because we weren't sure how you'd react, but I...I'm so sorry...I didn't mean to make you cry. I didn't mean to upset you."
"You...I...Oh, Jack..." She sighed out as she placed her head in her hands. "Starshine, you fool!" She practically screamed out, but she was still crying out. "I...How could you think I could do any of that to you? What...oh my...what have I done to make you think I would or COULD ever do that to you?"
"I...I'm sorry. I..."
"NO! You answer me! What have I done to make you think I could...banish you or...get rid of you so easily!?"
"I...well...nothing. I just thought...I...I assumed that if you found out...that you'd be angry, or that you'd ask me to stop, or that you would tell them to stop, or that you would separate us, and...well...they're your children...I don't really have any right to feel like I...but I do. I...I understand if you can't ever trust me again, because I haven't told you, and it all came about eighty years ago...but I..."
"Jack Frost..." She started in a calmer voice as she wiped away her tears. "...you listen to me, and you hang on every word I say."
"I always do." I admitted as I felt my heart soar with the fact that she was drying her tears.
"A-And d-don't interrupt." She told me with a slight tinge of pink on her cheeks.
"Alright, I apologize."
"Good...now...I could never banish you. I could never get rid of you, nor would I ever want to. You've pranked me enough times now, you'd think I would've done it by now, but I just can't, and I've never even thought about it. I would never ever do that to you, Jack. I'm also not mad or upset that they think of you as a Father and you think of them as your children too. They already think each other as siblings...they created their own family, and you're no exception. The only difference is...those you call The Nine, have come to know you as a Father. So, no, I'm not mad, and after I leave this room, I will continue to act as if I don't know until you want them to know that I know."
"I...would appreciate that."
"Good...and as far as trusting you goes..." She turned her body just slightly to face me more and she held her hands out to me. I took them, and I gave her a slightly confused smile. "...Jack Frost. I'm giving you something only two other people have...three if you count Manny. I'm giving you the trust of my name."
"Y-Your n-name!? B-But S-Sandy said..."
"Yes, and I trust you that much."
"I...but why?"
"Because I do. You've been there, not only for my children, but for me as well. You're always where you're most needed if it's not where you may want to be. You've proven your worthiness by your kindness, joyfulness, patience, stubbornness, playfulness, loyalty, and how you speak your mind no matter what...you've earned the trust of my name for far more many reasons than just those, but those are the ones I'm comfortable saying right now. So...Jack Frost..." She gave me a slightly nervous grin and squeezed my hands a little tighter. "I trust you with my true name. My true name is Emily Jane Pitchiner, and I give you permission to use my name, but only in the domain for now."
"Wow..." I told her as I felt a calm yet surging warmth envelope my entire body.
"Try saying my name."
"Try?"
"Yes, if my trust was ill placed or will ever be ill placed, it'll harm both of us, but I don't think it was ill placed."
"A-Are you sure?"
"Absolutely."
"A-Alright." I squeezed her hands a little tighter and I looked her in the eyes and started as calmly as I could. "Your true name is...Emily Jane Pitchiner."
"You said my name." She breathed out with joyful tears falling from her eyes, but before I could say or do anything I heard footsteps just outside my room and quickly let go of her hand.
As soon as my hands were back in my own lap, Nimbus came in with a panicked expression. "Mother! Are you alright!? It's pouring outside!" I looked up at my skylight and wouldn't you know it, he was right, and then wind was blowing against the trees hard.
"I'm fine, Nimbus." She chuckled out in between her tears.
"Jack...what have you done?"
"I-I...!"
"Nimbus, come here and close the door." She waved a hand, and I looked up. 'Huh...it stopped with a wave of her hand. Why am I not surprised.'
"Alright, I've closed the door. Now, Jack...you and Mother are alone in a room together, and I go outside to spar with Flora...and I find it's pouring! Absolutely pouring! Mother's domain runs off of her emotions! What did you do!"
"Speak to him like that again, and I'll be the one you spar with!" She growled out and he snapped his jaw shut, but then he looked back over at me.
"I'm sorry...it was wrong of me to speak to you like that, Jack. I shouldn't have...I really shouldn't have acted like that...but I was worried..."
"That's fine. I can understand why you were worried. I forgive you." I beamed at him, and he seemed to physically relax.
"Now that you're done apologizing...I will tell the other of what Jack calls...The Nine..."
"Oh, told you of his nickname for us, did he?"
"Yes, he did, now shush and let me finish. I will tell the others of The Nine, but since you're here and you're closest to Jack, I will tell you. I just entrusted Jack with my true name, and permission to use it in the domain."
His eyes instantly went wide and looked at me, searching for me to deny it, or possibly for answers, but I had none to give because I don't know which question he wants to ask out of the many that are swimming behind his eyes. "I...you..." He then looked to Mother Nature and let out as calm of a breath he could before speaking again. "Not that I'm jealous or anything, but why have you entrusted your name to Jack?"
"I believe he's more than earned it. He cares for all of you, he scolds you, he spars with you, he helps around the castle, he listens to all of you, he defends all of you, he is patient with all of you, which is a miracle if I'm to be honest, he's been there for you all, and for me...There's also the fact that he's proven his worth of it by showing his endless kindness, joyfulness, patience, stubbornness, playfulness, loyalty, and how he speaks his mind no matter what."
Nimbus beamed brightly as he crossed his arms as he looked back and forth at the two of us. "My, my...isn't that something."
"Yes, I think so too." I told him as looked at Mother Na-Emily with a broad smile. Then, I turned my gaze back to him. "However, I'm not entirely innocent. I did make her cry, and after seeing it once, I know I'm going to do everything I can to never see it again." I returned my gaze to Emily, and her eyes were wide, but so was her smile, so it was worth the truthful words.
"W-Well then...I must go and prepare everything for tonight."
"What's tonight?" I asked as I narrowed my eyes at her while she got up from my bed.
"Think, Jack." I heard Nimbus chuckle out. "Last night was New Year's Eve...which makes day?"
"My birthday!" I face palmed myself as I remembered. "And I'll be eighty-eight."
"Ooo...Getting up there in age, Jack."
"Not as far up as you. I'm not the one turning two hundred years old this year."
"You got my age wrong!" He gasped. "I'll be a hundred and seventy!"
"Not if I'm including your human age, I'm not."
"Huh...then I suppose...you'd be correct."
"I'm off to prepare. I will see you both at Jack's party."
"See you later, Mother." Nimbus said as she walked away.
"I'll see you there, Emily." I tested, and saying her name alone left me practically dizzy, but apparently not as much as her, because she instantly turned around and her face was flushed.
"I...I'll see you there, Jack." She nodded her head with a surprised smile and walked out my door, gently closing it behind her.
Once it was closed, Nimbus rushed towards my bed and tackled me back onto it. "Did you tell her!?"
"Did I tell her what?" I grunted out as I pushed him off of me.
"Did you confess your feelings for her!?" He said as he gave me a shove to the right side of my arm as he laid on his back laughing freely. "I mean, that was the perfect time! She trusted you with her name! Do you realize how big of a deal that is!? She has so many of us, her children, and she's never given us her name. We only accidentally heard her middle name one time, but we all knew better to never say it..."
"I didn't."
"Hmm?"
"I didn't tell her."
"WHAT!? Why on earth wouldn't you!?"
"I...I made her cry. I didn't want to confess to her, and at some point...at ANY point...I didn't want her to think that I confessed to her because I wanted her to stop crying. I didn't want her to think it was a pity confession. It has to be right, and I have to prepare myself for rejection."
"Oh, not this again! Do you honestly believe Mother has no feelings for you?"
"I..."
"SHE. TRUSTED. YOU. WITH. HER. NAME!" He articulated every word, his voice like the thunder he creates.
I let out a sigh and put my hands behind my head. "Yeah, but she said three others are trusted with her name."
"Okay, who are they?"
"I don't know...well...I know of the Sandman and Manny, but I don't know the third."
"Jack, can I tell you something, and you not freak out?"
"Sure...?"
"I know Mother likes you."
"Of course she likes me. Otherwise, she wouldn't have given me her name."
"No, ya damn hard headed..." He fumed, but quickly relaxed himself. "...She romantically likes you."
"Did she tell you this!?" I asked as I quickly leaned up on my elbow to look at him.
"No, but I'm not blind...nor is anyone else in the domain. Well...aside from you."
"Well...I won't believe it based on rumor and hearsay. I won't believe it unless she says it. I'm sorry."
"Why won't you believe me!?"
"Because, believing it is far crueler than rejection. I can't allow myself to believe that she feels the same...and then it turns out she doesn't."
"Alright...that sounds fair...but...you have to promise me something, because I simply can't take it anymore, and if you DON'T do it...I will tell Mother myself that you have feelings for her!"
"Alright Alright! Fine! What is it!?"
"You tell her before 1850. If you haven't told her by 1850 New Year's Day, then I will tell her your feelings myself."
"Wha-WHY!?"
"Sixty-eight years, Jack. For sixty-eight years, I've watched you hopelessly and endlessly pine after Mother, and every time you're near her...I'm gonna be honest...it reminds me of a man and his wife."
"W-Wife!?"
"You're the one that said you'd like to marry her someday."
He wasn't wrong. About any of it. With all of his words, and the threat of him telling her, because I know very well he would, I let out a heavy sigh and nodded my head. "Alright. It's a deal. I'll tell her before 1850, and if I don't...you can tell her."