A Wager Of The Heart

57. Day One

:::Charity:::

I walked over to where Edi stood looking flabbergasted, I felt much the same way. Whomever that woman was she'd spooked both mother and son. Edi smiled weakly at us as well joined her but the haunted look did not leave her face. She watched the door without wavering for several long moments until the mysterious woman returned.

She looked a little disheveled and much less certain of herself. However when she caught us watching her, she smiled at Edi before walking in the opposite direction. Edi scowled at her but seemed more like herself when she met my gaze.

Geri was will gripping my arm tightly as anger radiated from her body. She declared this morning that she would not be separated from my side no matter what her grandmother said. This decision was immediately put to the test this morning and since then Ursula has been making wide accusations about me and complimenting Geri on her ability to put up with a creature such as myself.

I smiled at her and gently loosened her grip. I leaned closer to her to whisper, "Just because you are determined to make a statement doesn't mean you need to dismember my arm."

Geri smiled and bowed her head. "I hate her."

I glanced at Edi but the older woman was still distracted and was paying us no attention. I sighed and hugged my sister, it wasn't good for her to sit in such a temperament. "No matter the vile things she says it won't make you hate me, will it?" Geri shook her head adamantly and I laughed softly at her look of determination. "Then smile and laugh and do as you want anyway. I doubt you will ever be permitted or required to see them again after this."

"Really?" She asked hopefully.

"Really." I assured. "The decree states that they have access to you two weeks out of the year until you are married. At the end of the summer you will be married." I said as sincerely as I could, carefully keeping my emotions out of my voice. "I am of the strong opinion that Ursula will never be tolerated in any home your husband owns."

The sour look left her face and her first genuinely happy smile graced her. "I never considered that or that he would do that for me."

I smiled but turned from her, my thoughts too complicated to explain. I was so relieved to see a familiar face when I entered the room I seemed to forget he was Geri's intended. I felt disheartened and then foolish and I laughed at myself. 

My laughter seemed to shake Edi from whatever dark place Kent's disappearance had send her. She smile sheepishly and focused her attention on me. "Did you manage to have any fun this morning?"

"I did, but it was a wicked kind of fun." I admitted lightheartedly, stuffing my emotions safely away.

Edi looked at me quizzically and laughed, a little of her old spirit returning. "That sounds far more entertaining than the corner she stuck me in." Worry flashed in her eyes but was quickly buried behind her laughter. 

"Not so much as that," I laughed as well, brushing away my dark thoughts of this morning. "Geri made a great show of defying Ursula at every turn. It amused me beyond reason when Ursula would flounder and blame it on my dubious origins."

Edi's face morphed first to shock and then anger as her eyes left mine and searched the room for the monster in question. I followed her gaze and saw Ursula standing slightly away from a group of older women, her face scrunched in a calculation as she watched out little group openly. Edi shook her head and looked back at me. "Tomorrow we all shall put up a stronger front and all refuse to leave your side."

"Exactly!" Geri said joining the conversation.

I chuckled at her and sighed knowing there was little I could say to change their minds and even less that I wanted to say. "Her words of encouragement of your character and your great aptitude of tolerance shall make for even greater topics of conversation." I said supremely.