Crown of Thorns

Chapter Eight; Relations

"Mère!" Rèmi, yelled racing down the front steps of the porch to meet her mother, "When will they be here?"

"Any minute now enfant," her mother smiled.

"I'm just excited to see Aunt Juliette."

"I'm excited to see my cousins," Maxence said crossing his arms across his chest, "Where is Adrianna? I'm sure she will be happy to see Laurent."

"She is upstairs getting ready. I'm sure she will be beautiful," Josette smiled slightly, admiring her older sister.

"She talks to long," Rèmi said, ignoring her older sister.

The front door opened and Adrianna stepped out with her blonde curls pinned back and face makeup free. Her dress fit her perfectly.

Her mother shook her head, "Adrianna you want to look more presentable for our famille."

Josette smiled at Adrianna, "I think she looks beautiful."

Adrianna flashed Josette a thankful smile, "Mère, we no longer live in France, we are in America. This is how girls dress."

"I know chèrie," her mother said, "I just wished you could have of witnessed it..." Her mother was interrupted.

"We all know mother," Maxence said, "Before the revolution."

Adrianna glared at her brother before a carriage began to appear from the road.

"They are here!" Rèmi shouted with a smile on her face.

"Stay here enfant," her mother scolded pulling her back, "Where is your father?"

"He's in with Mr. Collins discussing the killings," Josette told her mother with a smirk on her face.

Her mother slapped her hand, "We will have no such talk of killing while my sœur and your les cousins," her mother said with her heavy French accent and word usage coming in.

The carriage pulled to the front and a coachman opened it. Aunt Juliette stepped out in a long blue dress, contrasting perfectly with her dark curls. She smiled at Adrianna's mother before devouring her in a hug.

"Comment avez-vous été Yvett?" She asked her sister.

Rèmi pulled on Adrianna's hand to get her attention, "What did she say?"

Adrianna bent down so she was ear level with Rèmi, "She asked how she was."

Rèmi shook her head trying her hardest. Out of four Harris children, Rèmi was the one who knew the least French. Adrianna thought it could have been her age, or her French father wanting nothing more for his children to speak English and have more advantages.

Soon a boy around Josette's age came from the carriage. Adrianna knew him Nazzaire, but she has not seen him since a small infant. Then a boy a little younger than Adrianna came out. She smiled at him, "Hello Reynaud, how are you?"

"Very well Adrianna and you?"

"I can't complain," Adrianna smiled. She turned around to see a big pair of blue eyes belonging to an older boy stare her down, she smiled before hugging the boy.

"Cousin Adrianna Harris, I have missed you," he said.

"And cousin Laurent Pier, how I have missed you."

••••

"So you knew my great great something grandfather?" Chloe asked Adrianna.