Illegitimacy (GxG)

Defend Her

Chapter 6

"Mom, you remember my friend Melanie, right?"

"Of course, how can I forget the girl with the amazing skin?"

"Aw, thank you ma'am."

"Mom, I do not want to be in that silly play." Zara complained throwing her hand up towards alter.

"It is not silly Zara, I'd wish that you'd see that and appreciate it's symbolism to our respect for our father in heaven." Zara rolled her eyes, "well, obviously he doesn't respect me." She mumbled.

"What was that young lady?" she snapped towards Zara. Even Melanie flinched a little. "Nothing mom,"

"Your father should be here shortly, be in sight when he gets here please. He has a copy of your lines."

She pushed a costume into Zara's arms and walked off leaving the two women alone near the entrance. Everyone else went to the dining hall to converse and eat pastries.

"You're so lucky you get to be in a play."

"Not lucky enough to get out of it. I feel like a little kid," They sat in a near love seat and waited. Zara rested her elbow on the arm of the chair and let her head fall into her palm in defeat.

Melanie tried comforting her by rubbing her hand on her knee, "Don't look so sad, it'll be fun! I wish I could do it."

Zara instantly had an idea, "Do you?"

"Of course!"

"Well you can take my place, I wasn't expected anyways. It's a pretty small part, not the virgin Mary or anything dramatic."

"Are you sure that's going to be alright with everyone?"

"Absolutely," Zara gave Melanie the costume and kissed her cheek, "I'm not sure where my father is with those lines but I'm going to go see if someone else has any."

"Okay, I'll be in the ladies room."

Melanie walked to the bathroom as Zara walked down the halls of the church until she came to an executive door. She walked in, talked to a chairperson and got a copy of the lines. Melanie was one of the villagers; she had a few lines here and there.

When she got back to the main entrance she ran into her father. "Hey dad," she smiled weakly.

"Well hello daughter. What a surprise seeing you here."

"What? Mom didn't tell you I was coming?"

"Of course she did, I was just pulling your tail. I know you're not a kid anymore and you're probably not looking forward to any of this," Zara nodded her head in agreement, "That's why I had your mom make you come because I knew she would be better at doing it." He chuckled and threw a playful pat on his daughters' back.

"Very funny father," Zara mumbled through pursed lips. A heavy voice from the back yelled that rehearsals would begin soon and that everyone in the play should report to their areas. Melanie rushed out the bathroom just in time to catch Zara's fathers' back. She held up her phone apologizing, "Sorry, I took so long that was my mother."

"Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, where do we go?"

"Well, you go two doors down to the right that way," Zara pointed down the corridor, "I'll go in here and get some junk because my stomach wasn't exactly fully satisfied with that lunch we never had earlier."

Melanie laughed, "Okay hurry back please."

A few hours had flown by and everyone in the play was still in their areas rehearsing. She occupied herself by going back and forth with snacks for herself, Melanie and everyone else. She'd see her father here and there as he met with his committee and they went around checking in on rehearsal's. Her mother was with all the other wives and women, reading or knitting somewhere.