Joanna-I am not sure that you will see this, so I may put this on the next chapter of Hades as well since I can't reply to you being a guest. But you said you have enjoyed my other Rilla stories, so i am taking the chance to be able to say Thank you for the comment on my Emily story!
It made my night, as I have seen your other reviews floating about and it made me extremely happy that you enjoy my stories as well. They aren't perfect by any means, but I work hard at creating multi-faceted and emotional stories with a journey of self-discovery and of course love and romance because a story without romance is just my cup of tea for reading or writing. If you ever feel up to up, I will always enjoy and appreciate any feedback you wish to write. I have no direct plans for more Emily at the moment, but you never know what will pop into my mind and I do love Emily, even if I have a hard time making Teddy and her happy for some reason. But never stop looking, or if you ever wish to keep up with my non-Anne universe writing In Emily or Blue Castle if you like it as well you can always sign up and follow for emails and whatnot.
But thank you again and I hope to hear from you again!
"You should come!" Rowena tries to tell Willow as she is dressed in her party dress. "Mrs. Clarke won't mind watching the baby."
"Roe dear, stop pressuring Willow," Rilla says coming into the hallway. "She may not feel entirely comfortable going to a fundraiser for a war she was literally in the middle of a few months ago."
"It's fine, I rather stay here and do some drawing," Willow tells her as she hoists up Fleur in her arms. "Maybe another time? I am more than happy to watch Clara and stay here. Jimmy said he may stop by with Connie as well so we won't be lonely."
"If you need anything, call the magazine and ask for Ken, we'll let them know to come find us if you do," Rilla tells her patting Rowena's hair, before fixing the pin instead. "Duly noted," Willow says. "I'm sure it will be fine, it's only a few hours and we have managed on much worse times."
"I know, but don't hesitate," Rilla says reaching out to smooth the familiar blonde hair.
They head out in the car, kissing Clara goodbye who is pouting about not being invited, but Rilla reminds her daughter she'll have her own party soon enough for her seventh birthday.
They get there early, of course, finishing up the setup before people start arriving. Persis comes with Amelia, her husband Joe and George having begged off the occasion for their own war work. Shirley and Lillian came with their broad, Lillian working the room about potential wartime rationing and fashions of the day.
Still, a party is a party, Rilla tells herself as she watches another fundraiser happen. Another lace green dress, another gulp of whiskey she stole from Ken. She abhorred it in every other circumstance, but parties….parties she needed something. She watches her daughter sing accompanied by someone on piano, Rilla doesn't like to think she is biased but Rowena could hold a tune better than most of the girls in the choir at her school.
Oliver of course prefers to play without fanfare when people are not paying attention to him. She fretted as she looked at him these days, older and more mature by the day. Deciding what he wanted and what he thought about the war as he was reaching for the newspaper after Ken finished with them in the morning. Not quite ready to join Cadets, but he spent more time strengthening his body these days and running in the morning.
She goes back to Rowena is finishing up her rendition of Jo Stafford You Belong to Me—something Ken had brought home for her not long ago along with some Andrew sisters.
"I don't like this," Ken says beside her. "She singing to the boy."
"That boy, has a name and your daughter loves him," Rilla gives him a look.
"Loves him? She's fourteen and a half," Ken looks at her.
"And she is perfectly old enough to understand what love may feel like," Rilla gives him a look. "Remember what I told you,"
"I know I know, the more I object the more I push her to sneak around," Ken grumbles. "Doesn't mean I like it."
"I know dearest," Rilla laughs gently and rubs his back lovingly. "You know you still mean the world to her and that will never change."
Everyone clapped as Rowena gave a flourished curtsy to the crowd of people. "Thank you," she said. Before skipping back to her parents. "How did I do?"
"You were wonderful darling," Rilla hugged. "You sing beautifully, right Dearest?" She nudges Ken.
"You stole the stage," Ken says moving to press a kiss to the top of her head, hand on her back. Bare back of the halter dress that she was wearing for the June heat.
"Thank you, Daddy!" She smiles at him before hearing her name being called.
"Go on," Ken says sighing. "I have to wrangle some money out of people anyway. He tells her before their daughter takes off to see her cousin Amelia and most likely Robert.
Persis came up beside Rilla as Ken went to do his thing, with a glass of champagne in her hand. "How fast they grow up," she said with a shake of her head as the kids headed towards the sweet tables.
"Too fast," Rilla agreed. "Seems like Amelia grew overnight as well?" Looking at the ashy blonde young lady who was giggling with her cousin.
"She is older than Rowena and yet still shorter than her," Persis said with a sigh. "I doubt she'll be taller than me I think," Persis told Rilla.
"Well, Ken and I aren't exactly short," Rilla pointed out to her sister-in-law.
"Fair enough," Persis laughed "Where is Clara? Jimmy?"
"At home with Willow and Jimmy and Connie. Well, Connie has been lying low lately. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if she went earlier than September. She has all but given up on work and shoes," Rilla explains quietly to Persis at the fundraiser for the war they were attending.
"Do you think she has her dates wrong? I mean nothing is fool-proof," Persis says just as quietly.
"It's hard to say, but it hasn't been easy for her," Rilla says sympathizing.
"And the new editions?" Persis asks having been filled in on Willow and Fleur since their arrival.
"Willow got a job at one of the ammunition factories, her choice not ours, but it has daycare. She is fairly adamant about managing for herself, and we all work in some capacity so it makes it a bit easier. Jimmy and her are still adjusting to each other, they argue from time to time. She asked if someone could watch Fleur on Saturday so she could go to an art show or drawing class. Ollie offered to listen for the infant and whatnot and so she went. When she came back she was on cloud nine."
"To be eighteen," Persis nods her head knowingly. "Has Lillian deciphered anything about her time in Paris yet?"
"If she has, she hasn't said anything," Rilla says. "But one can take the word model in the art scene..many ways even in English. I told her to probably not lead with that unless she trusted them."
"Do you think she's…"Persis asks alluding to sex.
"Not my business, or anyone's business," Rilla gives her sister-in-law a look. "If a man requires a virgin on a wedding night, you probably don't want to marry him anyway," Rilla says quietly.
"Fair enough," Persis says thinly. "Though there is nothing wrong with waiting for marriage."
"Of course, there isn't, but it shouldn't be an end-all for someone if someone isn't." Rilla gives her sister-in-law a look.
"Mrs. Ford, there you are I have someone who wishes to meet you," one of Ken's editors comes up to her.
"Oh really?" Rilla says surprised. "Who is it?
"Mrs. Murdoch wants to know what it's like to be married to the magazine chief, and wants to make sure that her family donation is properly taken care of," the editor says quietly in her ear. Rilla sighs and nods her head. Persis waves her off and Rilla forces a smile on her face.
Rilla was still doing rounds when she found Rowena and Robert in a corner away from the party, embracing and lip-locked rather passionately. Rilla supposed her daughter had gotten past kissing and tongues.
"You're father is nearby, break it off unless you want him to blow a gasket." She tells them clearing her throat. "We are also talking tomorrow," Rilla tells her daughter.
"Mom!" Rowena says loudly embarrassed as Robert's hands drop from her waist quickly.
"Just warning you," Rilla tells her. "Robert, you have lipstick on your jaw."
"Sorry Mrs. Ford," Robert says gruffly, his voice cracking slightly. "Let's go dance Roe?"Rowena nods her head and looks to her mother still embarrassed to have been caught, thought it would be worse if it had been her father.
"Where did Ollie go?" Rilla asks quickly before they rush off.
"Around? He was talking to some boys at some point," Rowena tells her over her shoulder as they go towards the dance floor.
Rilla sighed and shook her head and went back into the party, grabbing a glass of something and grimacing at the taste of it before setting the mostly full glass down on a table and leaving it there.
"Have you seen Ollie?" She asks coming upon her brother and sister-in-law. Shirley was in his dress jacket and pants of his unit since he began doing whatever he did for the Army in the city of Toronto, while Lillian was dressed in pastel blue that set off her icy white hair.
"Not lately," Shirley tells her, taking a drink of his drink. "How's the party going for you?"
"All right I suppose?" Rilla says looking around and looking for her tall son in the crowd of people. "How many war bonds have you managed to sell wearing that get-up?" Rilla asks him.
"Plenty, you can thank me later," Shirley grins at her.
"Ignore him," Lillian tells her drinking her wine. "The girls were helping him."
"I still did a bit," Shirley grumbles. "Where are they anyway?" He says looking around looking for his children.
"Jasper took Lunette home, Elodie should be around though?" Lillian frowns scanning the room. "Maybe she and Ollie are together somewhere?"
"Well, at least we don't have to worry about them," Shirley jokes. "Kissing cousins is never a good look, even if the royals like to think it is."
"Very funny," Rilla says under her breath, knowing that she couldn't trust her brother with family secrets. "I think I see them," she says pointing to the two cousins looking down at the party from the catwalk on the floor above with a few other children of the attendees.
It's late when they make it home, Rilla kisses her children good night and sneaks into Clara's room who is fast asleep on her stomach. She smiles and fixes the blankets before heading toward her bedroom with Ken.
"I can't do this," Rilla says tossing her earrings into her jewellery tray to put away.
"Can't do what?" Ken asks looking up from his cufflinks.
"I don't want to be the wife who throws a good party, Ken. I hate this war. But I've done this before, I've done this so many times and it already exhausting," Rilla says sinking onto the bed still in her dress. "I need to do more than this?"
"You want to do more than raise money for a war you don't support?" Ken says piecing it together.
"I know it's ironic and idiotic of me Ken, I don't agree with war but I read the papers Ken, Germany is doing something and I can understand the need for it to be stopped and if that means war then so be it. That doesn't mean I want my sons and nephews in it or their friends. We lost Walter to the last war, no one, no family should ever feel that again. But I can't just do this…I can't. I'm not sixteen anymore thinking a party is an answer."
"Then do something about it, reach out to other organizations?" Ken says. "Do it on your terms, there as to be something else for you?"
"And do what Ken? Create propaganda that sends boys to their death?"Rilla says bitterly.
"Maybe you can volunteer at a convalescent home? Use your degree and Dr status?" Ken offers only to hear his wife snort.
"Oh yes, like they would let a female into their brigade, I could be the smartest, well-read doctor in that sort of place and they would still second guess me because I bleed once a month," Rilla argues.
"You'll figure it out," Ken says coming behind her and kissing the back of her neck. "You always do, and if thought that way they are missing out." Another kiss on her shoulder, as fingers undo the hooks at the back of her dress.
Rilla just hums, letting him the lingering traces of whiskey in her system and his kisses take her away. Her dress is peeled off, along with the fancy girdle that went with it. She doesn't have to do much of anything, just lay there reacting to his attentions. Only occasionally do household chores filter through, but a particular kiss or movement she finds herself gasping and brought back into the moment.
"You know, you're putting the duty into the whole wifely duties," Ken says holding himself above her.
"I'm sorry, would you like me to be more enthusiastic? It's one in the morning?" Rilla tells him.
"You could have told me you were tired or didn't want to?" Ken's eyes narrow slightly.
"It's not even that, I just…was enjoying not having to do any work, you seemed fairly happy to just take the lead tonight. I'm sorry for assuming?" Rilla says frowning. "I'll make it up to you?"
"You don't have to make anything up to me," Ken shakes his head, kissing her forehead. "Just look a bit more alive will you?" He jokes.
"I'll see what I can do," Rilla tells him lips curling upwards slightly. It's a calm and luxurious way to love making, small gasps and whimpers deep in her throat. They are quiet for a moment or two, drinking in the moment between them.
"Ollie is going to go isn't he?" She asks him about her most frequent nightmare.
"We still have a year and a half before he even turns eighteen," Ken says wrapping his arms around her. "Two years actually, because I won't let him leave school if it was college maybe, but he not dropping out of high school to go fight."
"I know I have to let him make his own choices, but I can't lose him, my baby boy," Rilla says quietly.
"Whatever he chooses, you will be proud of him. We will be proud of him, much like his first steps, words, and school days," Ken says after a moment. They take another moment of silence before reaching for their nightwear and settling into the bed properly this time.
"We'll be okay, he'll be okay," Ken says murmuring as he holds her.