We'll meet again Evelyn Rosewood

Grand retirement party

Elisabeth, or Beth as she preferred to be called, stood at the entrance of her father's opulent mansion, with a sense of unease settling in her chest. The grand retirement party was about to begin, and she couldn't shake the feeling that her father had ulterior motives for hosting such a lavish affair. Captain Harold Miller was a navy captain in the Great War. Today, 13th of April 1939. was the last day of him being so.

Dressed in a flowing gown that hugged her figure, Beth plastered a polite smile on her face, ready to play her role as the perfect hostess. She politely said to all the guests at the entrance, "Good evening, God bless."

She would repeat it for every person that came in.

She was tired of being a pawn in her parent's game, a mere commodity to be bartered away to the highest bidder. Her father, who was a wealthy and well respected, but conservative man, wished for his only daughter to marry into a wealthy and stable family. All he wanted was for her to live a stable and comfortable lifestyle, but he was unknowingly burying her into a hole she wasn't ready to rescue herself out of. After all, she was only 18 years old.

As she stepped into the bustling hall, the sound of laughter and clinking glasses filled the room. Their house was gigantic, but still Beth couldn't hide herself. Relatives and others flocked around her father, congratulating him on his successful naval career. Beth's role was clear - to be the obedient daughter, engaging in overly polite conversations with people she barely knows, all while her father subtly tries to orchestrate her future.

"Dear God, almighty! Bettie dear, you have grown so much! Do you remember your old auntie Susan?", the woman came up to Beth and embraced her tightly. Beth didn't remember her one bit, but she had to slap on a smile and say she does. That interaction right there was the perfect describing of Elisabeth's life. Everything was fake.

Then Josephine approached her. Josephine Regina Wallace was Elisabeth's best friend since they were little. She was a short young lady, with long golden hair, deep blue eyes and spoiled demeanor.

"Beth, did you see the new bloke?", she talked about a tall guy standing next to Beth's father. One of the many he found suitable for Elisabeth to marry. Of course, Josephine knew what Beth's father wanted. In a friendship such as theirs there were no secrets.

"Yes. The third one in these 3 months.", Beth said, seeming completely uninterested and bored.

Josephine noticed her being so, and she said, "Gosh Beth, if I were you, I'd be thrilled to have so many guys thrown at me. My father barely allows me to engage with them, let alone have a dance or two." Beth wasn't the person whose mind is changed easily.

"That's because you're not of age yet, Jo. You're only 16, of course you're not there yet.", she summed it up. Beth knew that those blokes didn't hang with her because they found her interesting, they just wanted to move up a class. To them, she was just a prize to be won.

Jo still didn't understand why it bothered Beth. She may never will.

Deep down, Beth longed for something more. She knew that, now that she was 18, her father will use this event as an opportunity to set her up with somebody. She yearned for a life of her own choosing, where love and passion were not dictated by societal expectations. The idea of being married off to a wealthy suitor, chosen solely for his status and fortune left a bitter taste in her mouth.

As the evening progressed, Beth made her way through the crowd, her eyes scanning the room for an escape. She couldn't help but notice the calculating glances thrown at her by the guests. She didn't want to talk to any of them, but she had to. She didn't have a choice.

Then her mother, a short, stalky woman came to her saying, "Elisabeth dear, come over here. Come, don't be shy."

Beth stood in front of her father and the tall guy from earlier, her mother was beside her. The bloke had dark, chocolate brown hair. He looked like an expensive, shiny doll, with incredibly white teeth. He glanced and smiled at her. She didn't return a smile back, though.