The Rosy Hours

Chapter Three - A Dangerous Game

My suspicions proved to be correct as I soon had the good luck of overhearing Marie speaking with my mother.

"You know, you'll have to tell her eventually." Marie spoke softly as I listened at the top of the stairs.

Madeline huffed, "I know... but you know how she is! She ruins everything good in my life! Can't I just have this one thing?"

"You will have to tell her at some point," Marie reiterated.

"Tell me what?" I asked, revealing myself to the two women.

Mother was in a pastel purple gown. She turned to look up at me, wrinkling her pretty little nose in distaste.

"Tell me what, Mother?" I hissed.

"I am seeing a man." She replied, jutting her chin up at me.

"Seeing a man? For what?"

"For... marriage."

"You're getting married!? Why?!" I gasped.

"We need a man around the house."

"We don't need a man! You have me! Name one thing this man can do that I can't!" I exclaimed.

"Marry me! Good heavens Kiera have you never thought about how lonely I might be?" Mother shouted.

I glowered at her.

Marie's face looked pained.

"No."I growled, "I have not. Because you aren't lonely. You have Marie. You have me. You have everyone at the church that I am not allowed to go to! You could leave and run away and never come back, you have no idea how free you are Mama!"

My mother looked back at me with a stubborn defiance, "I am seeing this man, and that is the end of this discussion."

Fine mother. Then I would use a different means of communication.

It took me a while to come up with a suitable plan. One that would make sure that my mother would stay by my side. I had tried in vain to understand why she would want a man around the house.

The answer came to me in the form of Marie as she gave me a very tame version of how a child was made.

"Marie. What do you suppose men are good for?" I asked as we sat down for tea.

Her round cheeks colored with a blush.

"Men are good for many things, Kiera." She replied dismissively.

"Like what?" I looked up at her, wide eyed.

"Like... building things." She replied, as she poured me a little cup of tea.

"I can build things." I replied.

"Well, it's not the same. I- why are you asking me this?"

"I was wondering why mother wants to see the man," I snarled.

Marie nodded as if something clicked in her head.

"Alright. Well men are very special, they can, um help with getting babies."

I frowned, "What?! How? Mother told me babies came from storks."

Turning redder, Marie stammered over her words.

"W-well you see you need a man, and a woman to fill out the... form for a baby."

"A form?" I cocked my head to the side.

Marie nodded rapidly, "Yes- and then once the form is filled out, a husband and wife submit it."

"To the storks? But birds can't read."