The Villager

15

THE VILLAGER
ʚɞ Timothy ʚɞ

"Timothy, honey, you have company," mother announces into my office room as she leans against the door frame. Looking up from my work, I eye her expression. She is serious, but keeps a small smile on her face.

"Whom is it?" My voice is husky from not speaking in a while since I have been cooped up in my office. I needed to meet Tiffany in a while to tell her the news, and I also needed to think of the words I shall say to her. I wished very much for her to be okay, but only time would tell.

"Me." Tiffany pops herself behind my mother, and my heart drops at her sudden arrival.

Miss Lumpkin is dressed in a fine dress, carrying a fan in her hand and her hands are gloved, covering her engagement ring. Taking a stand from my seat, mother disappears from the frame, leaving us to be alone and have a moment of privacy.

She points to the door, silently wishing to close it. "I apologize for coming so early."

"No, no, it is fine. I wasn't too busy." Watching her close the door, she takes a seat in front of my desk, and I round it to take a seat beside her. We fall into silence.

"Tiffany..."

"I know." She looks down, interrupting my words and surprising me. She meets my gaze suddenly, gracing me with a small smile. "Timothy, I know. I know everything."

I'm struck, tense against my seat with no words to spare to her.

She turns to me. "I-I know you love Ruth."

We both fall silent now, taking in the truth that has unfolded.

I blow out a breath. "How did you know?" My voice breaks.

She hums. "I am smart. I saw how you were with her. It was so different with me." She smiles now and I don't know why she's smiling, much less not angry with me. Why isn't she blaming me? Why isn't she yelling? Hitting me? "And I can tell she loves you too."

"Tiff-"

"I do not wish to go through with this marriage if we aren't both sure. I thought I was sure- that I could love you, and perhaps you could love me too, until I saw how you are with her. She lights up your whole world, and I-" She grows emotional. Tears are now rising upon her, and it has my own involved. She holds up a hand, covering her mouth before continuing. "I could never be the cause that breaks the two of you apart. I will never be that lady."

I'm still. Silent as ever, and ashamed I have not given her words which she deserved more.

"You are a woman with grace and beauty, and I do not deserve any of your kindness..."

She nods. "You deserve all of my kindness, Lord Hampton. You are a wonderful man, and that is alright if you heart lies with another."

"I could not tell you how sorry I am to you. I never meant for her to come back into my-"

"Even if she did not come back into your life, your heart and in the back of your mind will always belong to her." She reaches for my hand, squeezing it for reassurance. "I knew as soon as you called for a meeting with me that you wished to end the engagement and I could not be more happy for you to realize what you really wish for."

She releases my hand, taking off her glove on her left hand and there lies her engagement ring.

She slides it off her finger, holding it out for me to take. "Thank you," she says.

"Why are you thanking me?" Taking the ring back, I eye the golden band with a huge diamond sitting on top. "You should not be thanking me. You should be trying to ruin my image, my name for how badly I treated you."

"I thanked you because we both realized we were settling into a marriage we did not wish for. We both love our family, we will do anything for them, even if that takes an arranged marriage." She looks down at the ring again. She smiles. "But we both learned that love wins over anything, that we shall always choose love."

"You have more grace than myself, Miss Lumpkin. For that, I am grateful to know you."

She stands from her seat, as I do the same and she holds out her hand. "Passing along my grace to you. Go get your lady, Lord Hampton."

Shaking her hand, she leaves with a smile- not angry with neither my mother nor I. My mother enters the room quietly, eyeing the ring in my hand. She has her arms crossed, staying silent until I find my words.

"Is it alright if I am scared to death right now?" My voice shakes because this means I can really try for Ruth. I was no longer a taken man, held down by a lovely lady that did not deserve my absence.

Mother comes to the rescue, wrapping her arms around my being as I breathe out. "Darling, this is fate. This is your sign. You shall not wait any longer, you have lost her before, do not lose her again."

-

Somehow I found myself locked up in Jaxson's bar room with the gentleman as they play a good game of poker, but I was not in too much at the moment. Ugene eyes me from across the table, Rafe taps me on the leg, sending an encouraging smile.

"What has gotten you in the blues?"

That question has gained the attention from the gentleman, and I place the engagement on the table. Jaxson's eyes widen with shock as the others have done the same.

"You broke the engagement off?" Jaxson questions.

"I was going to, but she beat me to it." Twirling my whiskey around in my cup, I don't even feel like drinking from how much I feel so numb. "You know she wasn't even angry, she wished for me to go after Ruth."

"That takes a whole lot of kindness," Bridger points out.

Rafe juts his chin up at me. "What are you expecting to do now?"

"First; play a good game of poker with all of you...." I brace a smile at them and they sigh in relief with a smile back at me. "Then I shall do as Miss Lumpkin wishes. I shall go get my lady."

They all clap around the table.

"Finally, a gentleman who knows what he wishes for and is going to get what is his," Jaxson says aloud to his friends whom have love stories that had a bit of drama. "Perhaps, leave the dramatics out of this this time?"

Bridger snorts a laugh. "It is a tradition. We are all going in a line." Raising my brow, he continues.
"Jaxson started all of us from the beginning. We have no one to blame but him. Then we have yours truly..." He places a hand over his chest, smirking at the group, earning groans. "Next we have stalker, now it is Timothy's turn."

Eyeing Ugene, he sits there unashamed that he used to stalk Josephine, though he most likely still does it.

"Who happens to come after Timothy?" Bridger looks around the room, pretending to be clueless and then sets his eyes on Rafe who's eyes grow wide, causing all of us to laugh and agree, teasing Rafe as his cheeks form a pink tone. "Rafe Velmont."

"Could we please get back to Timothy?" Rafe asks, rubbing his palm over his jaw.

Bridger winks at Rafe whom shakes his head. "Watch and see, dimples."