Finding Real Love

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Harrison. I-I. I just got a job! I'm independent! I, um, Harrison." I stutter some kind of embarrasing reply. I don't love him. He's my closest friend! Besides Grace, mynest friend, of course, but she's married. 

"I know that, Dell. But this way people won't judge you!" He tries to convince me.

"They'll judge me more, Harrison. They'll all say 'Why isn't she at home, being a wife?' No Harrison. I don't want to be expected to make you things and produce 12 babies for you. I'm sorry."

"You won't have to do that, I swear! I'll buy my own stuff and I don't want kids!"

"Right now, Harrison. But you'll want an heir! You'll want a warm house to come home to and a ready, plump wife to hold you and love you. And I'm just not ready for that!"

"How about in three years, Dell?"

"I don't know. I don't know what I'll be like in three years. Ask me again then if you haven't found someone by then."

"I will never give up on you."

"Don't be so sure. You'll find a nice girl, with a nice dowry. And then I'll be just somebody that you used to know."

"We'll always be friends!"

"I don't know about that! Besides, I have work that will have me away from home for weeks on end and you never know if I'll have even a few days off!"

"Ugh! Dell. You are so stubborn!" He turned around and exited the house. I fell onto a couch and lay there until Grace came home.

"Adella? Dell? Are you home?" Grace called.

I moaned from the couch, not bothering to get up.

"Dell! What's wrong? What happened? Is everything okay?" She said in one breath.

"Yes. Good news and bad news. What first?" I asked, already knowing her answer.

"Ooh! Good news, good news!" She squealed like a kid.

I smiled. "I got the job!!" Grace jumped up and down and clapped her hands. Her husband, Benjamin, popped his head in, and gave me a smile and a thumbs up. I continued, "As for the bad news... Um, Grace, your brother... he uh, he asked me to marry him..."

"What? That's great news! We are sisters!"

"See that's the thing... I said no..."

"WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?????" She practically screamed in my face.

"I don't love him,  I just got a job! I'm independent!" I explained.

"So?"

"I don't want to be expected to make him things and produce 12 babies for him. He'll want an heir! He'll want a warm house to come home to and a ready, plump wife to hold him and love him. And I'm just not ready for that!"

"But, Dell. Oh, I guess you're right. Just no going off and falling in love with a sailor!" She smiled and teasingly wagged her finger at me. I smiled back and laughed a bit. She sobered up and said, "Dell, I have something to tell you too."

"Oh?" I said raising an eyebrow.

"I'm going to have a BABY!!" She exclaimed delightedly.

"I beleive congratulations are in order!" I said and stood up, giving her a squeeze. I looked out the window and realised the sunhad just gone down. "Well, Grace, as much as I would love to celebrate with you, I need to sleep. I have to be at the docks before dawn. So this is goodbye for a while, I guess!"

Grace's eyes watered and she hugged me tightly. She gave me a little wave as I slowly climbed the stairs. I got into my room, stripped of my dress and lay down on my straw mattress in just my corset. I fell asleep before my head hit the pillow.

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My eyes flew open to a world that was still asleep. I streched, got out of bed and pulled on my dress. I threw all my belongings, my spare two dresses, three candles, my mother's chain necklace and my bible, into my carpet bag. I grabbed my lantern and my carpet bag, slipped on my shoes and let myself out of the house. I quickly walked down to the docks and saw the 'Charlotte'. She was a huge ship. (Picture on side because I can't describe boats properly.)

I walked over to her and got stopped by the first mate.

"Whater you doin here, lassie?" He growled.

"I'm Adella Harrison. Ladies' nurse reporting for duty, sir!"

"That fits right. But you're too pretty to be workin on a ship there, lassie." He said as he looked me up and down.

I pulled my neckline higher and said, "That may be, but I'm here now and ready! Where will I be staying on the 'Charlotte'?"

He laughed. "I like your spunk, Adella. You'll be staying below decks on the ladies' portion of the ship. I'm Gus Jones." He stuck his hand out and I shook it.