The morning after.
It was 9:00 in the morning. Cora had just woken up. The sun was shining on her bed. She looked at the clock and realized that she had slept in. She was very hungry and wanted to go down stairs, but then she remembered that it was her father would be down there. She was still in fear of his fury the night before, and terribly embarrassed of her own behavior.
"I wonder if Mother talked to him about it yet?" She thought to herself.
She got out of bed and stepped to the door. Quietly she opened it. She heard, in the kitchen, her parents were talking. Her mother said.
"Cora is sleeping late."
"Oh, she is probably hiding from me."
"Yes...probably. That girl is just...so sensitive..."
"Well, I suppose that I will go check on her, make things better." Tarrant said.
Cora gasped. Quickly she ran back into her room. She jumped in her bed and closed her eyes to fake a sleep.
Tarrant entered the room. He stared at her with her eyes closed. He flopped a hand on his hip and smirked. He had heard her door slam when he began up those stairs, and no one else could have done it but her. He walked closer to he. Then began tickling her on the throat.
She instantly opened her eyes, and began to crunch up her body from his tickling.
"Oh...Father!" She said grabbing his tickling hand.
He laughed loudly, then he sat on her bed.
"Come on now. I'm not mad at you." He assured her with a smile.
She looked at him with a little embarrassment that he had known she was hiding.
"I know that I was cross last night, but I'm not now." He said.
She lowered her head a bit. "Oh..." She said quietly.
He looked on her for a second. Then started wiggling her toes. "Come, on," he said in a playful tone. Then he stood up. "Let's just forget the whole thing happened. Come on down, breakfast is on the table, and your mother won't let me touch it unless you're there." He began to leave the room. He looked back at her.
"Coming?"
"But, Father!"
"But what?"
"I haven't brushed my teeth yet!"
He looked on her blankly for a second.
"Well then do so." He said and left the room.
About five minutes later, Cora went down stairs. She was still in her night gown, but her hair was brushed along with her teeth. Janice was starting to set the table for breakfast.
"Ah, there she is." Her mother said giving her a kiss on the head. "You certainly slept in this morning."
"I know."
"Well you did have a big night." Tarrant joked.
"Tarrant!" Janice said firmly glaring at him. She didn't want Cora to be upset again.
"Oh, it was only a joke..."
Janice kept her steady glare at him.
"Oh, all right. I'm sorry." He finally gave in.
Janice started tending to setting the table again.
About five minutes later the table was set with fresh-baked apple tarts and tea. They had all been seated and began eating.
After about one half hour had passed, Tarrant had left for work in his hat shop. Janice and Cora were the only ones home.
"Cora, are you going to play with your friends today?" Janice asked.
"Well...I don't know."
"Well I have to go to the market and get some ingredients to make cabbage soup. Chessur came and informed me that, poor Miss Fiona and her three daughters are sick with a flu."
"Can I go with you?"
"Well...If you'd like to."
"I would. I love spending time with you."
Janice smiled. "Very well then, let's get ready to go."
Cora went up to her bedroom. She put on her purple dress with a white puff sleeve blouse under it. Then she put on a green tie down vest with flowers on the trim and got out her nicest boots. Her hair was pulled back slightly, and she could never forget the purple top hat that her father made for her. Who could catch a Hightopp out and about with no hat on.
She came back down stairs and her mother was already waiting for her at the door. The two left. They walked through the village and chatted as they did. Finally they arrived at the market. They gathered a cabbage, some potatoes, onions, and parsley. Then they went to the counter to pay. In front of them in line was Janice's third cousin Wendy. Wendy was slightly plump, and she had brown hair. She looked at Janice in excitement.
"Why, Janice! I haven't seen you in too long!" She said.
"Wendy. How are you?"
"Well, I am just as fine as can be. Very fine, very well. In fact I am going to Lola's house for a tea party this afternoon." Then she peeked behind Janice and saw Cora. She gasped. "Oh, little, Cora. What a bright young lady you are becoming! Come, let me look at you."
Cora stepped out so that she could be more seen.
"Oh, beautiful. Just plain beautiful. I can see your mother's eyes just perfectly." Wendy stated.
Cora blushed a little. "Thank you."
Wendy looked up at Janice. "You know, I have a perfect idea. You two should go to Lola's tea party with me. I'm bringing my daughter who is just about Cora's age, and Lola said that I could bring friends."
Janice hesitated. "Well, I actually have to make some cabbage soup for Fiona and her children, they are sick."
"Well how long will it take you?"
"I'm not so sure. I suppose I should be finished by 2:00."
"Perfect! The tea is at 3:30. That leaves plenty of time."
"Well...I guess it will be okay."
"Wonderful! I'll see you there, but I must be off. I have some more errands to run." She clapped her hands together." Oh, this is so exciting!"
After Wendy left, Janice paid for the food, and they were off for home. When they arrived, they had filled a pot of water and began making the soup. They had a lovely time with each other. They always did have a very close relationship. When they had finished, they were off to Fiona's home. It was 12:30 in the afternoon. The sun was starting to warm the spring air.
Janice smelled the fresh air. "Oh, isn't it beautiful out here?" she said.
"Oh, yes. Very much beautiful."
They began walking. Then Cora spotted a horse grazing in the pasture.
"Oh, look, Mother! It's just lovely!"
"What, my dear?"
"That horse. I love horses. I would just paint a picture of that, right there." She exclaimed.
Janice smiled on her.
"Mother, do you think we could ever get a horse? Or a pony- Oh, I like ponies!" Cora said.
"Well...I'm not exactly sure. Ponies are hard work."
"I would take so much care of it. No matter what it took!"
"Well...Oh...I suppose you would have to ask your father."
Cora's heart sunk. Anytime her mother said "Ask your father" she lost all hope. Not that he would say "no," but she just couldn't ask him things so easily as she could her mother.
"You would have to learn how to ride it." Her mother said.
"Well, I have ridden ponies in Marmoreal, any time we take a vacation there. I know more than you think."
"What? You've ridden before?"
"Well...Yes. The queen let me. She said since I was her royal hatter's daughter, that I could do whatever I please at her dominion."
"I didn't know this!"
"Well I didn't get hurt or anything. And besides. Her stablemen helped me."
"Well...All right, Dear." Janice said still a little overwhelmed from this.
Soon they came to a small hillside in the woods. There was a very small cabin with a small pile of wood stacked outside of it. The cabin was a little broken down in some places.
"Is this it?" Cora asked.
Janice nodded a little sadly.
"They must be very poor." Cora said.
"Shush, Cora. They might hear you."
Cora dropped her voice to a whisper. "I never knew that they lived here. We never really got to know them. I've only seen them at parties." She said.
"Yes, I know. I suppose they are a bit isolated."
The two walked up to the door and Janice knocked on it.
"Come in..." A weak voice said.
They entered the cabin. Cora looked around. It was a small space with a kitchen, a dining room and a living space. Toward the left was a bedroom. Up on the right was a loft for sleeping, and a latter to get up.
Fiona waved her arm to them.
"Hello. Thank you so much for doing this." She said.
"Oh, It's our pleasure to help." Janice said as she set the pot on the table and began serving it into bowls. She handed one to Fiona.
"And where are your daughters?" Janice asked.
Fiona called down to the room.
"Nancy, Grace, Mandy! They are here!"
A moment later the girls all popped there sickly faces out. Then they came walking slowly in the living area, and bundled up in some blankets on the couch. All three of the girls have sandy blond hair, and green eyes. Janice gave a bowl to each of them.
"Thank you very much, Miss Janice." They all said.
"Oh, you are all very welcome. I hope it can help you all get somewhat better."
The girls nodded their heads wile putting spoonfuls in their mouths. Cora watched them curiously.
"Will you be needing anything else?" Janice asked.
"Well...If you could get the wood stove going, that would be very helpful." Fiona said.
"Oh, of course'." Janice said, and she rushed out to get some wood.
Cora approached the girls a little more.
"Hello." She finally said.
The girls looked up from there soup.
"Hello." The girls all said.
"I think I never really got a chance to get to know you all. My name is Cora, if you didn't know."
The girls all looked at each other. They didn't really know her as well. Then Nancy said, "My name is Nancy. I am 12, and Mandy and Grace are 10."
"We're twins" They said together.
"Oh. Well I am nine... so I am pretty close to you."
All the girls shared giggles.
"Maybe sometime when you are not sick, you can come to my cottage. I have lots of fun things we could do." Cora said.
All the girls looked at each other. Then they looked at their mother.
"Maybe...We might." The girls said.
Just then, Janice came back with the wood. Cora chatted with the girls. Wile Janice was starting the fire. After she was done she said, "Come, Cora. We should be off."
Cora got up and walked to her mother. She waved good bye to the girls. They waved back.
"Good bye, Janice, and Cora. And thank you very much." Said Fiona.
"Anytime. If you need anything else, just send Chessur," said Janice. And they were off.
On the way back, Cora was full of questions. "Mother, why don't we know them? They are part of the clan too."
"Well, dear. You see, I know Fiona very well. We used to be very good friends. We never did stop being. But...well, her husband died about four years ago, and she and the girls just haven't really socialized since then."
Cora got very quiet, and felt terrible pity for them. "They...have no father?" She asked very quietly.
Janice shook her head sadly.
"Oh, my...I guess that is why they are so poor?" Cora said.
"Yes, I'm afraid so."
"Well why can't anyone help them out? There are so many clan members."
"Well, you see. When Laird died; that was his name. Lot's of us did try to help. And you were too little to remember, but your father and I tried to take them in, as a matter of fact. But Fiona insisted on doing it all herself. But we all wish that she would just give in, and take some help. Those girls shouldn't have to suffer like that...But, Fiona has done her best to raise them alone, and has actually done quite well all this time."
Cora was silent, and melancholy. She realized how good her life was, to actually have a father, and how very sad it was that poor Fiona's children did not.
Cora and her mother talked on it a little more as they were on their way home. When they arrived they had to get ready to go to Lola's tea party.
