America: Chapter 13
The Abernathy Trilogy
Abernathy, Abandon, America
by Kristen
America
Chapter 13
Justin
"It's not a palace, sure, but we don't have rats," says Amos proudly, showing me inside.
I look around the small--but comfortable--flat that Amos shares with two of his friends. From first glance, it is quite obviously the home of three youths, and not an established family, as much of the furniture is mismatched. Crude linens dress the windows and aged, unsold stacks of newspapers serve as tea tables.
"Still a happy improvement over my old room at the inn," I say, with honesty.
Two young men, about my age, emerge from the kitchen. They are introduced to me as Ralph and Francis, also paper carriers. Both shake my hand with friendly smiles.
"Justin's just been given the heel by his man and needs a place to stay for a bit," Amos explains to them. "Will the floor do alright for you?" he asks, turning to me.
I nod wide-eyed, still shocked that he would reveal me to these two boys.
"Oh. Don't worry about these chaps," he says with a wide grin, noting my unease. He puts his arm around Francis' shoulder and gives him a quick buss on the cheek. "They're in the family too."
All three boys laugh, and my fears are immediately allayed. For an instant, I can see what fun it might be to live with friends my own age. Especially ones with whom I have so much in common.
But then I am immediately reminded of why I had to come here at all. I cannot help but look down at the unadorned band of pale skin on my left ring finger, and the nausea begins again.
Brian
"You forgot to mention this," I say with unguarded rage, throwing down the piece of newspaper before Henrietta. Startled by my tone, she pauses in her unpacking and sits down to read the clipping. I watch her moving eyes with agitation, mentally recalling every horrible word.
"Brian..." she whispers. To her credit, she appears actually shocked. "What is this?"
"Don't pretend you didn't know."
"I didn't! Brian, I swear! Why would I do something like this?"
"You tell me."
"You honestly think I would try to trap you into marriage by placing false banns in the paper? How foolish do you think me?"
"You said yourself that you told your father we were engaged."
"Yes, but that was just to ease his... Oh, dear God. The letters!" She runs to the door of her room, calling out into the hallway. "Rachel! Please, come quickly!"
"Are you saying your father did this?" I ask, my head feeling light.
"He was writing letters all that day. I didn't even think..." Her contemplation is interrupted by the sudden appearance of Rachel, who looks as though she'd sprinted up the stairs.
"Rachel," says Henrietta, her voice like an impassioned plea. "The day my father died...you took his letters to the post."
"Yes," Rachel answers, her confused eyes darting back and forth from Henrietta to me.
"Was there a letter to the Gazette among them?"
"Yes...I believe so."
"Did you know what it contained?" asks Henrietta, showing the paper. Rachel reads it with a shocked expression.
"Dear God, no!" she replies, gazing imploringly at Henrietta. "Do you think I would let this happen if I knew?" She glances at me briefly, and I catch a look I can't quite interpret.
"No, of course not...I just...I'm sorry," says Henrietta wearily, before dropping into a chair. "He must have thought...I don't know. I can't imagine why he would take it upon himself to do this...it's so old-fashioned, anyway."
A silent pause, and I remain on the bed, my arms crossed in suspicion.
"Brian, I am so sorry," Henrietta pleads. "You must think I planned all of this. It does look so horribly contrived...but I swear to you, I would never even dream of such a thing. It was only my father's....well-meaning..."
"Never mind," I say tiredly. "It's done, anyway."
"I'll go to the paper on Monday and cancel the banns," she says. "It's not as though it's legally binding...just a social contrivance. I doubt anyone even reads these. What harm could it possibly cause?"
"Of course," I say morosely, fingering the silver band that now sits awkwardly on my little finger. "No harm at all".
Abernathy, Abandon, America
by Kristen
America
Chapter 13
Justin
"It's not a palace, sure, but we don't have rats," says Amos proudly, showing me inside.
I look around the small--but comfortable--flat that Amos shares with two of his friends. From first glance, it is quite obviously the home of three youths, and not an established family, as much of the furniture is mismatched. Crude linens dress the windows and aged, unsold stacks of newspapers serve as tea tables.
"Still a happy improvement over my old room at the inn," I say, with honesty.
Two young men, about my age, emerge from the kitchen. They are introduced to me as Ralph and Francis, also paper carriers. Both shake my hand with friendly smiles.
"Justin's just been given the heel by his man and needs a place to stay for a bit," Amos explains to them. "Will the floor do alright for you?" he asks, turning to me.
I nod wide-eyed, still shocked that he would reveal me to these two boys.
"Oh. Don't worry about these chaps," he says with a wide grin, noting my unease. He puts his arm around Francis' shoulder and gives him a quick buss on the cheek. "They're in the family too."
All three boys laugh, and my fears are immediately allayed. For an instant, I can see what fun it might be to live with friends my own age. Especially ones with whom I have so much in common.
But then I am immediately reminded of why I had to come here at all. I cannot help but look down at the unadorned band of pale skin on my left ring finger, and the nausea begins again.
Brian
"You forgot to mention this," I say with unguarded rage, throwing down the piece of newspaper before Henrietta. Startled by my tone, she pauses in her unpacking and sits down to read the clipping. I watch her moving eyes with agitation, mentally recalling every horrible word.
"Brian..." she whispers. To her credit, she appears actually shocked. "What is this?"
"Don't pretend you didn't know."
"I didn't! Brian, I swear! Why would I do something like this?"
"You tell me."
"You honestly think I would try to trap you into marriage by placing false banns in the paper? How foolish do you think me?"
"You said yourself that you told your father we were engaged."
"Yes, but that was just to ease his... Oh, dear God. The letters!" She runs to the door of her room, calling out into the hallway. "Rachel! Please, come quickly!"
"Are you saying your father did this?" I ask, my head feeling light.
"He was writing letters all that day. I didn't even think..." Her contemplation is interrupted by the sudden appearance of Rachel, who looks as though she'd sprinted up the stairs.
"Rachel," says Henrietta, her voice like an impassioned plea. "The day my father died...you took his letters to the post."
"Yes," Rachel answers, her confused eyes darting back and forth from Henrietta to me.
"Was there a letter to the Gazette among them?"
"Yes...I believe so."
"Did you know what it contained?" asks Henrietta, showing the paper. Rachel reads it with a shocked expression.
"Dear God, no!" she replies, gazing imploringly at Henrietta. "Do you think I would let this happen if I knew?" She glances at me briefly, and I catch a look I can't quite interpret.
"No, of course not...I just...I'm sorry," says Henrietta wearily, before dropping into a chair. "He must have thought...I don't know. I can't imagine why he would take it upon himself to do this...it's so old-fashioned, anyway."
A silent pause, and I remain on the bed, my arms crossed in suspicion.
"Brian, I am so sorry," Henrietta pleads. "You must think I planned all of this. It does look so horribly contrived...but I swear to you, I would never even dream of such a thing. It was only my father's....well-meaning..."
"Never mind," I say tiredly. "It's done, anyway."
"I'll go to the paper on Monday and cancel the banns," she says. "It's not as though it's legally binding...just a social contrivance. I doubt anyone even reads these. What harm could it possibly cause?"
"Of course," I say morosely, fingering the silver band that now sits awkwardly on my little finger. "No harm at all".