Aria's POV
As always, Ezra gives me privacy while I get ready for the evening. When we were on our honeymoon, Ezra took me into the city every night. I met some distant relatives of his, as well as some of his former classmates from West Point. Even though I wanted to make a good lasting impression on Ezra's friends and family, I was never intimidated by any of his companions. Tonight is different though. I'm extremely nervous to meet Ezra's cousin Spencer, and I cannot understand why.
Maybe it was the way Ezra's eyes lit up when he spoke of her, but I get the sense that Spencer is very dear to my husband. If Spencer doesn't approve of me, will Ezra stop being so kind and affectionate? Even though I despise Ezra at times, I do like the way he treats me, and the way his cheeks turn pink when we whisper together at night.
It's times like these when I wish I could freeze time. I want my relationship with Ezra to stay exactly how it is now. Our marriage is pleasant, and neither of us have gotten attached, comfortable, or heart-broken. They do say that the honeymoon phase of a marriage is the happiest time of a woman's life. And then the beatings start coming...
"Aria, darling." I hear my husband say, as he knocks on the door to our bedchamber.
"Do come in!" I call out to him.
Ezra walks into the room, and his jaw nearly drops to the floor when he sees me. I'm wearing light green dress, along with my finest pair of earrings. This happens every night after I get ready. Ezra starts to blush, and then he proceeds to tell me how lovely I am. Even though it's probably just puppy-love, I never get tired of hearing Ezra compliment me.
"Good God, Aria! You're surely the most beautiful thing in the state of New York! No! You're the most beautiful thing in all thirty-four states." Ezra says, before taking a step towards me.
Now it's my turn to blush. Ezra looks wonderful this evening as well. Like always, he's wearing his uniform, but for some reason it doesn't bother me tonight. Maybe it's because the worn blue color that the uniform possesses matches his vibrant eyes.
Without thinking about it, I take a step towards Ezra and press my lips against his. The kiss is gentle and brief, and I pull away almost immediately. Both my husband and myself gasp, as we stare at each other with wide eyes. Ezra is always the one who initiates the kissing. I'm never affectionate with him, unless he's affectionate with me first. Those eyes must be getting to me this evening.
"Are you- um- Are you ready to go downstairs to the dining hall? Mother told me that Spencer and Toby just arrived, and are waiting to meet you." Ezra says, breaking the awkward silence.
All the sudden, I feel terribly annoyed with Ezra. He gave me butterflies in my stomach, and then he does not tell me that ours guests have arrived. Surely I'll look like a terrible hostess now.
"Goodness gracious, Ezra. You should have fetched me sooner! It isn't polite to make our guests wait. Where are your manners?" I ask, as I begin to raise my voice.
Ezra doesn't respond. Instead he shakes his head slowly, and stares shamefully at the ground. He always acts like this after I shun him in anyway. I know I should be kinder to poor Ezra, but I'm not like him. I cannot take the easy path, and let my emotions overtake the brain God gave me.
"I am sorry, Ezra. I did not mean to be harsh." I say with a breathy sigh.
"I know you didn't, darling. Why don't we go to the dining hall, to great our guests?" Ezra suggests, as he rests a hand on my back.
I nod, and take my husband's hand. He helps me down the hallway, and then down the long flight of stairs. When we arrive in the dining room, I see a tall woman with olive skin, and a blue dress. Even though the woman's structure is petit, her stomach seems rather round. It occurs to me that Ezra's cousin in with child. Next to her, stands a tall and muscular man, with blue eyes and sandy blonde hair. He's handsome. Maybe not as handsome as my Ezra, but handsome all the same.
"Spencer! Why did you keep this from me? You're pregnant!" Ezra says as he leaves my side, and embraces his cousin, who has tears pouring out of her hazel eyes.
"Forgive me, Ezra. I wanted to wait until I started to show in case there were complications." Spencer says with a sniffle.
"Congratulations, you two. Words cannot express how happy I am this evening." Ezra says, as tears begin to form in his own eyes.
"I think I have an idea, Ezra. I'm guessing this is your Aria? I know I saw her briefly, while she was walking down the aisle at your wedding, but she's even lovelier up close. You got yourself an angel." Toby says before springing to his feet, and grabbing my hand. He kisses it tenderly, and a blush begins to form on my cheeks. What a gentleman.
"She is lovely, Ezra. My name is Spencer. I am sorry I did not have the chance to introduce myself at the wedding, but there were so many people." Spencer says before wrapping her arms around me suddenly.
Wow. Okay. I guess this girl likes to hug. At least she's friendly.
"Do not apologize. I understand completely. It's such an honor to finally be meeting you both, Ezra has told me so much about you." I tell my new cousins, softly.
"It's an honor for us as well. Spencer and I agree that the woman who stole Ezra's heart must be pretty special." Toby says with a chuckle.
An awkward silence falls over the room. I did not steal Ezra's heart, and he did not steal mine. Our parents arraigned the marriage. It was not by some miracle of fate that Ezra is now my husband, and lifelong partner.
"Would you mind staying in the dining hall with Spencer for a short while? I would like to borrow your husband, so we can discuss some gentleman's issues." Toby says, as his tone turns serious.
I have to fight to suppress an eye roll. This man speaks just as Ezra does. So... Proper. This dialect does get rather irritating to listen to all day and night.
"Surely I would not mind. It will give me the opportunity to acquaint myself better with Spencer." I say, as I force a smile.
"Thank you for understanding, sweetheart. We will be back in time for supper. Why don't you ladies open up a window, and sip on some tea in the meantime?" Ezra suggests.
"We can take it from here, Ezra. Go deal with your gentleman's business." Spencer says, with an ounce of bitterness in her voice.
Ezra nods, before leaving the dining hall with Toby. I stare at Spencer awkwardly. For some reason, she seems angry. Perhaps she does not wish to be alone with me? Maybe she dislikes me already.
"I love Toby and Ezra a great deal, but why must they always refer to it as "gentleman's business?" Do they not think we are capable of understanding the language they speak?" Spencer asks me furiously.
I gasp at her words. Spencer should not be speaking like this. Especially to someone she just met. If Toby finds out, he'll probably beat her. I would not want to see that happen to Spencer. She seems smart to me, unlike the pretty wives I'm usually left alone with.
"I am sorry. I did not mean to insult your husband..." Spencer starts to ramble.
"Do not apologize to me, Spencer. Quite honestly, I agree with you." I tell the pregnant woman truthfully.
Spencer's lips curl into a smile, and I grin back at her. This woman is better than I thought she'd be. Spencer is not prissy and judgmental like how I envisioned her.
"You must be pleased." I say, as I gesture towards her round stomach.
"Yes. I am incredibly pleased. Toby and I have been married for a year now, but this is only our first. Being with child is an incredible feeling. I don't think I've ever experienced this much joy in my entire life." Spencer says, with a teary smile.
"I can only imagine how wonderful it feels. I presume you want a little boy?" I question.
Spencer laughs a little, but shakes her head slowly. What? Surely I am mistaking her signs. What woman wouldn't want her first child to be a boy?
"My father certainly wants the baby to be a boy, but Toby and I are hoping for a little girl. They're so much easier than boys." Spencer says with a chuckle.
Spencer is mistaken, but I do not want to argue with her. This is only our first time meeting, and I do not want to scare her away, especially since she's so dear to my husband.
"Your husband is incredibly kind. How did you two meet?" I ask, desperate to change the subject.
"My father is one of the best lawyers in New York, and Toby studied law at Harvard. After he graduated, my father became his apprentice. He'd come by the estate almost every afternoon, and we'd spend hours talking after my father was finished working with him. Eventually we started to fall in love, and then he asked for my hand." Spencer says, as her cheeks turn bright pink.
Even though I believe that all men are selfish animals, I cannot help but feel happy for Spencer. She seems very fond of Toby, and I hope that her fondness for him lasts through childbirth.
"How sweet!" I exclaim.
"Yes. I am very lucky, as are you. Ezra is quite a catch. He's been my best friend since birth, and he's always been such a gentle and loving soul. Had we not grown up closer than most brothers and sisters, I would have been proud to call him my husband. Remind me of how you met? You're from Pennsylvania, correct?" Spencer asks, as she takes a long sip of her tea.
"Yes, I am. I grew up in the town of Rosewood. Surely you've never heard of it. And my father went to West Point with his father. They arranged the marriage as soon as my father returned from war." I mutter, feeling rather embarrassed all of the sudden.
"An arranged marriage? But why? You're so beautiful. Surely you had many suitors back home." Spencer says, as her eyes grow wide with shock.
"A few men did ask for my hand, but my father wanted me to marry a Fitzgerald. He did not give me much of a say in the matter." I accidentally tell Spencer.
"You're lucky. You couldn't have found a better Fitzgerald than Ezra. Wes is kind too, but he's rather childish if you ask me. Ezra is perfect though. Mature, without being an old grouch like my father. What do you think of Ezra?" Spencer questions.
I immediately remember what Charlotte told me to say if someone asked me this question. I have to be extremely complimentary of my husband, especially with his close family members. I can surely pull off telling Spencer how amazing her beloved cousin is.
"Ezra is absolutely perfect. Like you said, he's a gentle and loving soul. I'm so glad to have married him." I say, as I force a smile.
"Pish-posh. I know plenty of men who are absolutely perfect, but that does not mean I'd want to marry them. Do you love Ezra?" Spencer asks me curiously.
"Why, of course I love Ezra. He's my husband." I say, as I cross my arms over my chest.
"Obviously you love him, but are you in love with him?" Spencer asks, as her voice begins to soften.
No. I do not always know how I feel about Ezra, but I am certain that I have not fallen in love with him. I want to lie to Spencer, but I do not think I can. Love seems like a topic too pure, and too intimate, to lie about.
"You can tell me the truth. I won't tell a soul." Spencer says, as she stares into my hazel eyes.
"No." I say, in a barely audible whisper.
"I understand, Aria. You've only been his husband for about two weeks. It took me months to know with Toby..." Spencer starts to ramble.
I hear the words that come out of Spencer's mouth, but I am too distracted to comprehend them. Perhaps I'm unhappy because I want to conflicting things. Part of me wants to hate Ezra because that's what my mother told me to do. I do not want to fall in love, and then get hurt. But I also don't want to spend the rest of my life with a man I do not love. I want to experience the same amount of joy, and passion that the character's in my novels do. Why can't my life be like a romance novel? Things would be so simple... And that's when I realize that tears are pouring out of my hazel eyes.
"Aria, do not cry. If Ezra has not stolen your heart yet, he will soon enough. Ezra is special, and he's so very fond of you. I can see it in his eyes. Ezra dated a lot of girls when he was young, but he never looked at any of them the way I saw him looking at you earlier." Spencer says, as she rests a hand in my shoulder.
Perhaps the problem isn't Ezra. Maybe I'm the problem. Why can't I just trust him, like Spencer trust Toby? Why must everything be so complicated?
"Ezra is not the problem, Spencer." I say with a sniffle.
"Oh. You miss home. That's perfectly understandable. I missed home quite a bit when I first married Toby, and my parents were in the same city as me! I cannot imagine how lonely you feel, being so far away from your family. Don't fret though. Ezra will build you a lovely estate once he gets the money!" Spencer exclaims.
What if Spencer is right? Could I possibly miss home? No! I was so desperate to leave Rosewood before I married Ezra! But Rosewood wasn't always how it is now. When I was a child, it seemed so beautiful, and full of hope. Maybe it's because I always associated my home with Momma. But she's gone, so now Rosewood is empty. Just a bottomless pit of despair, and misery. So why do I miss it so desperately?
"It's not that I miss home. I think I just miss the way home used to feel. What it used to be." I say, after thinking about it for a moment.
"Yeah. I get it. The war changed everything. It's hard walking through the streets, and not seeing the faces of the boys you grew up with because they were killed in the battles. I'm sure it's even worse in Rosewood, since it's such a small town. I miss the old days too. Things were so much easier before we decided to start firing bullets at the southerners." Spencer says with a breathy sigh.
I don't have the energy to explain what happened to my Momma, so I just grab Spencer's hand and it give it a gentle squeeze. She gives me a soft smile, and I return the gesture. I've forgotten how nice it is to have someone to talk to.
"Thank you." I tell my new cousin softly.
"For what?" Spencer asks, as a look of confusion washes over her face.
"For everything." I clarify.
Ezra's POV
Dinner was quite pleasant. When Toby and I got back to the dining hall, Spencer and Aria were laughing and chattering as though they'd known each other for years. I knew they'd become the best of friends. They're so similar, and they don't even realize it.
Spencer and Toby just left the estate, and Aria is upstairs getting ready for bed. I desperately want to join her, but I know my wife needs her space. Then again, I've given her plenty of space today, and I want to go to sleep. I slowly make my way upstairs, and begin to knock on the door to our bedchamber.
"Come in." Aria calls out to me.
I walk into the room, and gasp when I see Aria. She's wearing a white corset, and her dark hair is flowing down her back. She looks like an angel. I'm so in awe of her, that I do not know what to say, or what to do. Basically, I just stand in the doorway, looking like a complete and utter fool.
"Are you just going to stand there, or would you like to join me?" Aria asks, as she raises an eye brow.
Do I even have to answer that question? I take off my boots, before hurrying to bed, and laying next to Aria. I immediately press my lips against hers, and Aria kisses me back with even more force. What is going on with her today? Usually when Aria and I kiss, it's soft and timid. Tonight it's passionate.
"Would you please remove my corset?" Aria asks, as she slowly breaks the kiss.
Aria wants to make love tonight? I cannot believe my ears. I have been waiting for this moment for so long, and now it's finally going to happen.
"A-Are you sure?" I ask, as my eyes grow wide with shock.
"Why, yes. Of course I'm sure. I want a baby Ezra. Plant your seeds inside of me? Please, darling." Aria says, practically begging.
For a moment, I can't help but feel disappointed. Aria doesn't want to do this because she loves me. She wants to do it so she can get pregnant. I guess it's understandable. We have a duty to our parents to make children.
My shaking fingers begin to untie Aria's corset, and eventually I am able to pull it off her body. Oh. My. God. Her body is absolutely perfect. I don't think I've ever seen a woman so flawless before. I look up at Aria's face, and realize that her cheeks are redder than tomatoes. Is she embarrassed?
"Do not worry, darling. You're beautiful." I mutter, before kissing Aria's lips.
She kisses me back, and I become painfully hard. I need to speed this up, or I might not last long enough to take Aria.
I abruptly break the kiss, and lower my head towards Aria's round breasts. They're so perfect. I take a nipple in my mouth, and begin to greedily suck her. My wife's breathing starts to get heavy, and I cannot tell if she's enjoying this or not. I know I'm enjoying it.
"E-Ezra..." Aria says with a whimper.
"Mhhhhh." I grumble, as I continue to suck.
All the sudden, my wife screams. I gasp, and immediately pull away from her. It looks like I overdid it, since Aria is sobbing softly.
"Honey, what is it? Did I do something wrong?" I ask her softly.
"N-No. I just don't want to anymore." Aria says, as she begins to cry even harder if that's humanly possible.
She's so upset. I feel so guilty for hurting her, that tears begin to form in my own eyes. Maybe I should have been slower, and gentler with her.
"It's okay. We don't have to if you're not ready." I say, as I rest a hand on her naked shoulder.
"I-I'm so sorry." Aria says, through her tears.
"You have nothing to be sorry about. It's okay. I promise." I assure her.
"I'm trying, Ezra. I'm honestly trying." Aria says, as she avoids looking into my blue eyes.
"I know you are, darling. You don't have to convince me." I say before kissing her forehead, and walking over to the couch.
Author's Note: What did you think of this chapter? Did you like the conversation between Aria and Spencer? What did Toby and Ezra discuss when the left their wives in the dinning hall? Did the scene at the end surprise you? Why did Aria pull away? Please review and tell me your thoughts! Thanks for reading :)