Hello again, everyone. Another chapter for your reading pleasure. Enjoy.
Nell never liked the wallpaper in Lucy's parlor. It was garish, with vertical green and yellow stripes that clashed with the furniture. Lucy didn't seem to, or pretended not to, notice the wrinkled noses of the women who visited her at home. She, herself, would have preferred something lighter. Pink, maybe, and feminine, as a ladies parlor should be. Albert had never bothered remodeling their run down home, since it was just a collection of three rooms, although she would have loved to entertain her lady friends in a lovely pink parlor.
The only feminine touches in Lucy's home were flowers. Every day for three weeks now, bouquets of flowers had been sent to the house addressed to Lucy. Any other woman would be flattered and send 'thank you' notes, but not Lucy. She sat in her tasteless parlor sipping weak tea with tears spilling in eternal rivers down her face. Nell was sick of looking at it, day after day.
Lucy didn't speak anymore. Not to Nell, at least. Sometimes she would mumble something to the baby when she cried, but once she had calmed and went back to sleep Lucy would return to her wordless existence.
"Lovely day today, Luce. Why don't we go take a walk?" Nell asked, trying to break her out of silence. When Lucy didn't reply, she crossed the room to Johanna's pen where sat playing with her doll and scooped her up into her arms.
"I'm sure Johanna wouldn't mind the open air." She clucked the child under the chin. "Would you? Wouldn't you like to go on a little walk with mama?"
Nell smiled at Lucy, bouncing the baby on her hip, trying to coax any emotion other than sorrow from her, but she just raised her wet eyes and shook her head.
"I'm not going out there," she whispered. "Not while that horrible, evil man is still alive to condemn innocent husbands."
Nell sighed, frustrated, and put the baby back in her pen.
"Lucy, you can't hide in here forever. We're going outside today. I'll fetch your bonnet and shawl and we will go out. Now pin up your hair, you look a mess."
Again, thanks for reading. Remember to R&R! :)