Chapter 11

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Everyone was gathering to the table. Mr. Nelson sat next to Carmen cooing at her. Langston jumped down the stairs sitting on the other side of his dad. Casey came down with his head down and his wood car in his hands, his mother following close behind. Her high thigh dress and her sock guards and girdle showing. Even the top of her dress open showing off her cleavage. Her hair was messy and she was fixing it up as she was descending the stairs. Casey sat beside Langston as usual and his mother sat across from him. George was helping Martha and Angela come down the steps. Angela holding one of his arms while her other arm was preoccupied with keeping herself balanced with a cane. She had to keep blowing her insanely long light brown hair out of her face. Martha was holding George's other arm making sure her knees didn't give out underneath her. He sat Martha at the end of the table and Angela next to Clarrise, Casey’s mum. George sat at the head of the table with me on one side and mother on the other. “Well well well. Beef stew.” Clarrise says dazed and half sobered. Her voice was flat and a bit raspy. “What's the occasion?”
“Yes. I'm surprised we can afford it this week.” Martha’s small voice chimes in.
“Well there wasn't one originally, but I'm now making an occasion. We are celebrating (Y/n)’s betrothal and soon to be wedded noble fiancé.” George says and I blush in embarrassment, though you could barely tell strain in George's voice. “George, I…”
“Oh yea~ Doll face is marrying a richy rich noble.” Clarrise says drinking her lemonade. “You had that meeting today posing as a wealthy woman. How'd that turn out for ya?”
“She said it went well. No need to be Jealous, Clarrise. We all should be happy for her and support her on this good fortune that has bestowed upon her.” George says with an awkward smile.
“Yes. I agree. She gets to leave this place and go somewhere nice. I'm envious myself, but I'm glad that if not me then a good person like you is given the chance to live out of poverty.” Angela says with a high pitched soft voice.
“Who said I was jealous? I'm only saying what happened. She's lucky. Listen here, (y/n). This is a one in a lifetime opportunity. Don't mess it up.” Clarrise tells her.
“I didn't plan on it…” I say hesitantly.
“we don't plan a lot of things. I didn't plan on selling my body to perverts. I wanted to open a wedding dress shop. Now I'm here.” Clarrise says rolling her eyes leaning back in her chair with her arms crossed.
“What's going to happen to us when you're not getting food and cooking for us? Who's going to sneak change for us? None of us know how to that stuff. Are skills aren't good enough to do those kinds of things.” Langston mentioned.
“Oh yes. That is true. You're the only one with connections to the wealthy. You get benefits that we don't.” Martha says taking a bite of her food. I didn't even think of these things. What would happen to the people who helped raise me if I wasn't here to help them? I was too busy being selfish to even consider staying and helping. I feel terrible. They have hard lives and it was already difficult to get by with the small benefits I do have.
“Now now everyone.” Mr. Nelson says waving down in a calming motion. “Don'tcha panic. We've made it through tough times before their family even came along.”
“Barely.” Clarrise scoffed.
“I have to get agree. (Y/n) is our biggest source of income.” Angela says sitting straighter and pushing up her glasses.
“Well then Clarrise is going to be our biggest source of income again.” Mr. Nelson sighs.
“Whoa whoa. Hold on a sec. I make a decent amount every night, but not beef stew type of money. The amount of money I make can't support us all. It hardly supports Casey and I. You all know my little boy comes first before I start throwing money to others.” Casey says leaning forward putting one arm on the table and the other arm around Casey. “Even if I did I'm not making as much money as I use to. That was many years ago. Now that Casey’s here my money has declined around and I ain't no spring chicken anymore. Age and pregnancy took its toll and men aren't looking for middle aged mothers to have a good time with. Not many men out there that are that desperate.”
“That is true, Harrold.” Martha says holding up a shriveled finger. “There are much more of us since Jason and Elizabeth moved in. (y/n) was born. You had Langston and recently Carmen and Clarrise had Casey. Angela caught tuberculosis and lost feeling in her right leg and most of her right side. Couldn't take care of herself and neither could I. That's 6 more people that need to be provided for.”
“Mmm...yes...I suppose you’re right.” The large man mumbled thinking hard to himself. “We will get through it. I know it.”
“Well let's hope your blind optimization is enough to get us through winter.” Clarrise says unimpressed. She quickly finished her food before getting up. “I need to go to work. Casey, be in bed in an hour. Got it?”
Casey nods. “Got it.”
“Good boy.” Clarrise says slipping on her jacket and bends down kissing her son’s forehead. “Mummy loves you.”
“Love you too, Mum.” Casey smiles softly to her and she returns it with an even bigger loving smile. Clarrise maybe edgy and rude sometimes, but there was no doubt she loved that little boy, father or no father. She wished everyone a Goodnight and left. The room was silent except for Carmen’s light babbling. “She sure is a piece of work.” Martha chuckles.
“Definitely someone worth the work, I'd say.” I say eating myself.
“Aww. Even when she halfway insults you, you're still a sweetheart.” mother says pinching my nose.
“Ow...stoooop…” I whine rubbing my nose. The group laughs. Even Carmen giggles loudly.
“Yeah… things will be hard and very lonely once you leave, (y/n).” Casey says shyly with a small voice. He doesn't look at anyone. His eyes fixed on his food with a serious and solemn expression and a tightened grip on his car.
“I… I don't want to abandon you all…” I sigh. “I suppose technically I'd be rich then when marrying a noble. Maybe I can still help that way”
“(y/n), the money is your husband's money, not yours.” George says putting an arm on the back of my chair and crossing his legs. His eyes were serious and seemed a bit frustrated and sad. “How the money is used isn't up to you. It's up to James. The only thing you have ownership over is the land property that's in your name. Nothing else unless James wants you to be responsible for something else. Even then he can remove that responsibility when he wants to”
“Oh….well, James likes me. He likes me a lot.” I nod determined.
“That's true! He does seem to be very smitten with her.” mother gushes. “Tell them, darling. Tell them how you two spent the entire day together and he kissed you.”
“Mother, It’s not like we were snogging it's-”
“Hold on. What?!” George says sitting straight. “He can't kiss you until the wedding day! That's not in the contract…”
“Oh hush, George! A man should be allowed to kiss his fiancé, especially if they already have a bond. That contract is but a piece of paper. Complete rubbish.” mother waves him off.
“This whole marriage is what's rubbish! She shouldn't even be meddling in contract romanticism with these Midguar-” mother elbows him in the gut knocking the breath from his lungs. “I said hush! They're getting married to live a wonderful life that she deserves and that's final! Right here and only here where she was meant to be.” she takes a deep breath through her nose. “We don't question why she's in the situation she is. We just are here to support and protect her like a good family should. In this case we should be supporting her like we're suppose to and be happy that she can live a comfortable and wonderful life with a man she's content with.”
I look back and forth between mother and George confused. I didn't say anything considering that I more than likely will not be getting a straight answer. I see by the looks on everyone else's face that they're just as confused as me, but also remained quiet.
George glares at the floor. I don't see him angry that often, but when I do he seems to brush it off pretty quickly. This however, whatever it was, seemed to be irritating and deeply pressing his mood for awhile now. You could tell by his face that it's been eating him for awhile. Without a word he gets up, takes his plate and goes to the sleeping chambers to lay in his cot and finish his food there. The awkward silence was thick in the air. Even more so for me considering this whole quarrel was revolved around me. So much negativity on the subject of my betrothal. “Well… I think it's about time we hit the hay, Don'tcha think?” Mr. Nelson says clapping his hands together and standing up. Everyone mumbles in agreement. “Alright then. Langston,  you take Carmen upstairs agreed get her cleaned up and ready for bed. Casey, you can help Martha upstairs while I get Angela’s cane here some spoofing. Gotta make sure it ain't going to break on ya.” he says picking up the cane. Langston grabs his filthy sister making sure he has a nice hold of her. She looks on curiously wondering why the change of mood. She lays her head down on Langston’s shoulders sleepily still curiously searching in the eyes of her family. “Goodnight!” Langston tells everyone before carrying Carmen up the stairs for the night. Everyone choruses a Goodnight to him. Casey hops down from his seat and helps Martha from her seat. “Thank you, Casey. You're very strong for such a young boy.” Martha smiles patting the blond boy’s head.
“Sure thing, Martha. Careful of the steps. You'll fall.” Casey says holding her arm as they make their way up the steps.
“I'll be careful. I'll be careful.” she chuckles waving to the rest of us behind her. “Goodnight everyone!”
“Goodnight…” Casey mutters. We all wish them a goodnight. Mr. Nelson blows on Angela’s cane. “That should hold it for a little while longer. I'll just carry ya up there. Save ya a trip.” he says handing her cane back and picking her up. The petite young lady very light in the big man's arms. “Thanks, Mr. Nelson. I could have made it myself, though.”
“It's no trouble. We don't need ya falling though. You're only and teenager! You've got ya whole life ahead of ya. Don't want it to all go to waste from a nasty fall.” He tells her with a hearty laugh.
“I suppose so.” she nods and then waves. “Goodnight, (y/n). Goodnight, Patricia.”
“Goodnight, ladies! Sleep well.” Mr. Nelson salutes with one of his hands that was carrying Angela’s legs.
“Goodnight.” We tell them. I sigh and turn to mother. “I'm going to ignore what all of this was tonight. It only makes me tired and my head hurt.”
“I don't blame you. Not the best way to spend an even revolved around you. Go on to bed. I'll clean up here tonight.” she says nodding to the bedroom.
“But it's my turn.”
“you don't need anything else burdening your mind tonight… and to be honest with you I think George doesn't want me in there anyway. I'll be there in a bit. You just go to bed.”
“Alright…. If you say so.” I give her a kiss on the cheek before heading to the bedroom. George was laying in his cot with his eyes closed, but a angry expression on his face. I walk over and lay in my cot. His back faces me. I see his food laying beside him and hadn't been touched despite him bringing it in here. I frown and lay down looking at the ceiling. It was all my fault all of this misfortune has happened. I don't know how to handle these types of things at all. “I'm sorry…” George mutters quietly. I turn to him. “What?” He turns to face me now. “I said I'm sorry.”
“For what?”
“For how I acted earlier. I shouldn't have been so rude and take my irritation out on everyone else.”
“I… don't understand why you were upset at all.”
“I haven't wanted you to marry this man ever since the offer was made. Nothing about this seemed right to me. Being with someone who you're only content with and have to accept otherwise instead of love blossoming. Having rules and a contract over marriage. Love should be binding through heart, not a piece of paper, but everyone wanted it so I went a long only for it to be violated anyway. You won't be happy with that man. You won't be happy living your life here. You don't belong here. You would be so much happier somewhere else.” George sits up now and rest his elbows on his knees. I sit up to curious now. “What place did you have in mind?”
“A far off place where everything is beautiful and everything you've ever wanted.” George smiles.
“So a fairytale.” I leans back with my harms supporting me. “Hardly realistic at all. Nothing like that is part of reality no matter how much I want it to be.”
“I bet their could be if you tried to believe it. Fairy tales all came from somewhere. Some baseline of truth to get where they are today. If you want something hard enough that's impossible, then you should make it possible. Everything was impossible before it became possible and things now seem like they could be impossible but maybe a normal leisure thing in the future.” George says more to himself than to me.  I nod. “That's deep. I like it.” he laughs. “I know you deserve better, but it's just because you exist is why you're stuck here.” he tells me solemnly.
“No One can control how they're born. We all have to make due with what we have.”
“But you have so much more than the slums. You don't know it, but you deserve to have a life beyond anyone's imagination. A life that knows you instead of just accepting you in anywhere.” George says taking my hand. “I don't like James. I don't like his family, his friends, his money, hell I don't like his face either. Every time I look at him he gets on my nerves, especially when I know there's a man out there better than him that you could fall in love with naturally instead of being forced to love him through a binding contract.”
“How do you know? Have you met him?” I ask crossing my arms.
“No, but I know there is.” he says surely.
“Well let me know when you find him, so he can take me away to this fantasy place...until then James is my only option and a pretty decent one at that. I can't just turn up a chance like this even when I have the opportunity to maybe help out our friends and family. We need this. They need this. The deal isn't too bad… it's hardly a win lose situation. It'll be for the best for all of us” I tell him placing a hand on his cheek. “Really, brother. Everything is okay. We’ll be okay.” he nods taking my hand and kissing the back of it. “I know… it's just… I want you to be happy. Eliza- mom would have wanted this for you. Your father would-”
“Our Father. He's your father too…”
“...right. of course. He's always looking down at you and watching you and making sure you're safe. He loves you more than anything and he will always protect you and I bet he'd want you to be happy too.” George says looking at the floor. “He'd want you to come home.”
“I'm sure he's watching you too. We’ll join him in the heavens when our time comes. He loves you too.” I tell him.
“Not like he loves you. He's just watching me to make sure I do my job.”
“What job is that?”
“To keep you safe.” George says looking at her seriously.
“You act like father didn't care for you at all before he passed on.” I tell him confused.
“He’s not- you know what. Nevermind. It's been a long day. No need to press matters further.” he says dropping my hand and laying back down. “Get some sleep, kid, before you die of exhaustion.” he throws a pillow at my face.
“Hey!” I laugh catching the pillow. “That was a cheap shot!”
He chuckled and turned over. “Goodnight, (y/n)”
“Night, George.” I says laying down and using the pillow he threw at me. I pull the covers over me and go to sleep.

Hey, guy. I hope everything is well with all of you. I hope everything will get better whether it is or isn't. I hoped you like this update today. It was a bit long for me to write, but it's fine. I still hoped it turned out okay for you. Please comment down below on anything you want. Stay safe put there and I'll see you in the next chapter. Tootles!

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