Winters' 3 Dears- The 12: Book Three

2. The Grandmother

"It's about time you came to visit me," Mrs. Winters said. "Lord knows I could never get you up her while you mother was alive. I don't know what her problem was."

The three sisters sat orderly on the sofa before their grandmother wearing the white blouses she had purchased for them. Beatrice had made it no secret to her sisters that she hated hers.

"Oh but we moved here to be closer to you, Grandmother," Ladybird said with a smile.

"Hmph," the old woman grumbled. "Well I hope you are carrying yourselves respectfully. I don't want word getting back to me of any bad behavior." He eyes flickered to Beatrice as she said this but only the youngest sister noticed.

"We are always at our best, Grandmother," Ladybird said.

Mrs. Winters smiled. "That is good to know. You know Philemon visits me twice a week. He's such a pleasant young man."

"Yes, Grandmother," Ladybird said.

"That is why I snagged him for my lovely granddaughter."

"Yes, Grandmother," Ladybird said.

"And..." Mrs. Winters said with a raising of her brow.

"And thank you very much," Ladybird said. "I could have never found such a match at my own doing."

Beatrice rolled her eyes. Visits were always this way with their grandmother. They sat neatly on the sofa, with their backs straight never letting them touch the back of the sofa and they answered questions like the rehearsed lines of a play. Her grandmother always found ways to bring praise to herself and promenaded around like an aristocrat.

"You're time will come soon, Wysteria," Mrs. Winters went on. "Mr. Joe Johns' younger brother is very kind." She smiled and sipped her tea.

Wysteria felt herself sinking into the sofa and a sickly feeling washed over her. Mr. Joe Johns was nice enough and she enjoyed his children but his brother gave her the shivers and always had that gleam in his eyes. Both were good friends of her grandmother and close to her father's age.

"Mrs. Meadows' sons are all nice," Ladybird said kindly.

"Mrs. Meadows raised them by herself and I don't like that," Mrs. Winters said. "Besides she and I do not get along very well. I've known the Johns for many years.

"Listen to yourself!" Beatrice blurted out and all eyes turned to her. "Wysteria doesn't want to marry some old man! Do you, Wysteria?"

Wysteria stayed silent.

"Someone like Wysteria needs an older husband. The nerve you!" Mrs. Winters raised her voice. "You will have Satan for a bridegroom you little blue-eyed devil!"

Beatrice went stiff. She looked at her sisters who sat silently like the ebony swans they were then she jumped up and stormed from the room.

"Let her go," Mrs. Winters said to the remaining girls. "You two will do wise to listen to me and heed my warning. Your mother was a disgrace to colored women everywhere. My son loved her to a fault and that's why he raised that sister of yours as his own. Don't make the same mistake Portia did."

/

Ladybird and Wysteria found Beatrice outside their grandmother's home sitting on the curb watching a man and his son make their way up the street with sweet potatoes.

"Are you all right, Baby B?" Ladybird asked.

Beatrice jumped to her feet and wiped her eyes. "I would feel better if my sisters had stood up for me," she said. "I'd expect silence from Wysteria but you, Ladybird?"