Author's Note: Hello readers, I'm back!
Thank you for waiting. I'm officially on spring break (which has been extended to two weeks, due to the coronavirus outbreak). That should give me time to write chapters.
Before I begin, a shout out to Jack Sparrows Wench 92 and 21 pefferc, glad you're both catching on. Enjoy the new chapter!
So, let's proceed then. I don't own Tuck Everlasting, just my OC Rosalie.
Chapter 4
That early evening, Rosalie and Winnie found themselves inside the cabin with Mae.
"I'm sure my boys didn't mean you both harm." Mae assured.
"It's fine," said Rosalie, after all the initial anger, shock, and overwhelming died down.
"Although, I should apologize for calling Miles a bastard and getting violent with him. I was angry,"
"Oh, you're fine, dear. Miles is just…rough around the edges. He means well." Mae said.
"Well, forgive me for being blunt, Mrs. Tuck. But; Miles spirited away me and my cousin, got rough with us and tossed us to the ground. To me, that's not how a guy treats a girl." Rosalie pointed out.
"I understand, Miss Foster. He's only testing you to see if you'll break or not. And you're doing well." Mae replied.
"And please, call me Mae." She added.
"OK. Mae," Rosalie said.
"Then why did they bring us here this way?" Winnie asked. "Why are we here?"
Mae sighs.
"You both have every right to be upset." She answered.
"And I know your families must be worried sick about you two."
"Well, certainly not mine." Rosalie replied. "My parents are gone."
Mae started to question Rosalie about her parents, but is interrupted when the door opens.
Rosalie scooted over to Winnie and held her left hand.
"Where's the children?" A male voice asked.
A man with short, golden tawny hair who appeared to be in his late forties, early fifties; entered the cabin. Miles and Jesse soon followed.
Seeing Miles, Rosalie felt her face slightly blush. Nevertheless, she kept her gaze away from Miles and focused on the man (whom she guessed to be the father).
"They're no children…Angus," said Mae.
The man, Angus walked over to the girls. He gets down to their level, and looked at Winnie and then Rosalie.
Both looked a little uncomfortable, but kept their gaze. It took all of Rosalie's willpower not to let her face be flushed. She gave Angus a polite smile.
Angus leaves the girls and walked over to his sons, Mae gets up and joined them.
The family began whispering in hushed tones. Rosalie and Winnie could make out a few words here and there, but it seemed like the family is hiding something.
"Know what?" Winnie asked.
"What the devil are you talking about?" Rosalie asks.
The Tucks stop talking and Mae smiles at the duo.
"Miss Foster and Miss Foster, this is my husband, Angus Tuck." Mae said.
"Angus, meet Miss Foster and Miss Foster," Angus approaches the girls, getting down to their level. He held out his hand for Winnie to shake, but Winnie doesn't shake his hand. Angus then extended his hand to Rosalie and she shakes his hand, making eye contact with him.
"They're the most important event that's taken place in this house in 80 years." Angus said.
"Eighty years?" Rosalie repeated, puzzled. She and Winnie shared glances.
"You two hungry?" Angus asks.
"Yes, sir." Rosalie answered, nodding.
"Oh, well, let's…let's all eat." Mae suggested.
Rosalie gave her cousin a comforting hug. She noticed Jesse smiling at Winnie. Rosalie had a feeling he liked Winnie.
The Foster relatives got up and sat at the table with the Tucks. Much to Rosalie's chagrin, she had to sit next to Miles; while Winnie sat beside Jesse.
"Jesse, pass your mother a plate, please?" Angus asked.
Everyone passed around plates with food. Winnie didn't take anything to eat, therefore Rosalie helped herself to a portion and made sure she didn't take too much.
"Mm, this looks good." Jesse remarked as Mae set down more food.
Rosalie helped herself to more food, taking a little bit at a time.
"Oh! Isn't this nice?" Mae asked. "Everybody sitting down together and having Miss Foster and Miss Foster here. It's just like having a party."
Rosalie smiled at the Tuck matriarch.
"My father will come looking for me and my cousin," Winnie said in a rather blunt manner.
Rosalie looked up and gave Winnie a look that said "Really?"
"Your father…will cut down the entire forest, the way things are changing around here." Angus informed Winnie.
"Make himself a very rich man,"
"Oh, now, let's not ruin a perfectly good meal with a lot of talk." Mae advised.
"My father has plenty of money," Winnie added. "He'll pay,"
Rosalie sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Anything you want," said Winnie.
"We don't want your father's money, Miss Foster." Angus said.
"Then let Rosalie and I go home," Winnie replied.
"We will," Mae assured. "We'll let you both go home…just like I promised. Directly,"
"We'll need to be able to trust them first before we're sending them back to their folks." Angus said.
"Trust them?" Miles asked angrily. "We can't trust them. Or any normal people. They'll turn on us in a second."
Rosalie raised an eyebrow, confused. What is it about the Tucks that made them not normal?
"No, they won't." Jesse said adamantly, frowning.
"You're a fool," Miles snapped. "You don't even realize what you've done here."
He got up from the table and left the cabin, slamming the door behind him.
"Geez, I wonder what the heck is his problem?" Rosalie scoffed, shaking her head.
"Rose," said Winnie.
"What?" Rosalie asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Don't mind him, both of you." Jesse said to the girls.
When Miles had brought her and Winnie to the cabin, Rosalie noticed an aura of anger in him, at the same time, there was sadness in his eyes. The one question that was on Rosalie's mind is what caused Miles to be bitter and angry?
And so, Winnie, Rosalie and the rest of the Tucks continued with their meal in silence.
Later that evening, Mae got the girls situated in a room they'd be sharing, with two cots. Rosalie spotted a wooden cradle in a corner.
"That's a nice cradle," She commented, while unbuttoning the top layer.
"Why, thank you," said Mae. "Angus made that cradle. Brought it all the way from Scotland. Oh, it's rocked a few Tucks. There you go,"
She finished getting the room all set up.
"The breeze off the lake will keep you two cool all night. The boys sleep up in the loft when they're home, so, you'll both have your privacy." Mae informed.
Winnie and Rosalie's layers were removed, revealing the corsets they were wearing.
"Oh, those corsets look painful. May I help you both off with it?" Mae asks.
Exchanging glances, the pair agreed.
"Tell you what, you undo mine and I'll undo Winnie's." Rosalie suggested.
Mae began unlacing Rosalie's corset as Rosalie started on Winnie's corset.
"Oh, honestly, I can't understand why women torture themselves this way." Mae said. "It's no way to live,"
"Exactly, thank you," said Rosalie. "I personally see no need to 'suffer to be beautiful', like my aunt would say."
"Do you have a daughter?" Winnie questioned Mae.
Mae hesitates before answering, "A granddaughter. And a grandson. Anna and Beau,"
She opens a locket, showing pictures of her grandchildren. Rosalie and Winnie peered at it.
"Oh, Miles loved them so." Mae said.
"What happened to them?" Winnie asked.
"Where are they now?" Rosalie inquired.
"They died," Mae responded. "Their mother, too. I'm afraid the good parts of Miles died along with them."
"Oh. That explains it," said Rosalie. No wonder why Miles was angry and sad. He couldn't have been no more than 22 at least when that happened.
"You'll have to forgive what's left of him." Mae said.
"I'm sorry," said Winnie.
"Me too," Rosalie interjected.
"Well, it's just the way things are, Miss Foster and Miss Foster." Mae pointed out.
"Can I call you Winnie and Rosalie?" Mae asks.
The Fosters nodded.
"If you want to, you can call me Rose." Rosalie said.
She liked Mae, somehow Rosalie felt comfortable and at ease despite this current situation.
"Do you have brothers and sisters?" Mae asked Winnie.
"No, it's only me," Winnie replied.
"Rose?"
"I'm an only child. Unfortunately, my parents died before they could have any more children…" Rosalie responded and exhaled, before getting sad at the thought of her parents.
Winnie decided to change the subject just to avoid upsetting Rosalie any further.
"My mother…decided she wanted to put all her focus on making me the perfect woman in society. She's also doing the same for Rosalie."
"I understand," Mae said, smiling. "I let my boys go and travel, not have them be tied down by the rules of society."
"So, where do they go?" Winnie inquired.
"And what do they do?" Rosalie asks.
"Oh, they go different places, do different things." Mae answered. "Miles can do carpentry and he's good with hands. Jesse, now, he seems to have settled himself. Of course, then, he's…he's young yet."
Mae helped put nightgowns on she'd given Winnie and Rosalie to sleep in.
"Well…I hope you two will be comfortable here."
"It's a good feeling having two women here." Mae added. "Try and get some sleep now."
"Thank you, Mae, and good night." Rosalie said.
"Good night, dears." Mae walks away, leaving the room.
Rosalie and Winnie looked at each other.
"Do you think we'll really go home?" Winnie asks.
"Maybe," Rosalie replies, shrugging.
"Meantime, let's just make the best of it. And get some sleep, it's been a long day."
Winnie and Rosalie get into the separate cots, pulling the covers over them.
"Good night, Rose." Winnie said.
"Good night, Winnie," said Rosalie.
The girls drifted off to sleep.
A/N: OK, I hoped you enjoyed the chapter!
The next two chapters will have elements that's movie and/or book based, before we get to the scene with Miles telling Rosalie and Winnie about the spring, the Tucks becoming immortal, and the events that impact them. Including the scene with Angus having a heart-to-heart talk with the girls. I'll probably be writing chapters out of order (and then type them in correct numerical order).
Everyone stay safe and healthy during this corona virus pandemic. Be sure to wash your hands and I'll see you again soon!