peculiar || g.blythe [ON HOLD]

2||light

✿

I stood in our 'dining room' at an easel, painting. Mother was busy trying to fix her motorcycle. We both had changed into trousers, finding it more comfortable and practical than wearing a dress. Mine were a simple grey pair, accompanied by a pair of suspenders and a subtle, yellow floral patterned blouse underneath.

Mother was covered in grease from her bicycle, which is not an uncommon occurrence in our household. She enjoys all mechanical inventions and figuring them out.

A knock at the door suddenly interrupted our recreations.

"I'll get it." Mother volunteered before getting up to answer the door. "Good afternoon." I heard her greet.

"Good afternoon, Miss Stacy." A woman's voice replied. "I'm Rachel Lynde, and this is my good friend, Marilla Cuthbert."

"Hello." Another woman's voice, I'd assumed to be Marilla Cuthbert's greeted. Cuthbert? As in Anne?

"Is everything alright? You seem to be in quite a state of... disrepair." I heard the other woman, Rachel Lynde say.

My mother chuckled lightly. "I'm often in this state."

"We brought you some bread as a housewarming." R achel Lynde replied.

"How kind. I'd invite you in, but-"

"We'd love to visit for a minute. Thank you. How nice." And before I knew it, two unknown women were in our house.

"Marilla has a child in your class, so we thought it was important-" The woman I assumed to be Rachel Lynde began.

"Sorry about the mess." Mother apologized. "Oh, I'd like to introduce you to my daughter, Arabella."

"A pleasure to meet you." I smiled politely, putting my paintbrush in the jar of water I had set beside my easel.

"Oh my word!" Mrs Lynde seemed startled by my appearance. To be fair, I was wearing trousers and had a bit of pink paint on my face and apron. "Why you two are a bit... unrestrained." She tried hiding her judgement.

Mother shrugged with a smile. "I've never believed in corsets. Since I have a skeleton to hold everything up, I've never felt the need. And Belle here is obviously too young for one."

"And trousers are quite liberating, if I do say so myself." I added. 

"I assume you're not affianced or married." Mrs Lynde said to my mother, rather as a statement over an assumption.