My mama stared at me and seemed to be thinking for a moment then she replied “Since you have made a promise to Gabriel then it is your duty to keep it but you will be here to greet your grand mama so you will invite Gabriel to lunch with us then you shall have your walk. Agreed ?” “yes mama” I replied.
After dinner was over I was the first to rise “I am feeling quite tired, I need some sleep I bid you a good night. Then I left the room. Our house is not the biggest house in the land, we are only middle class but high up in the middle class area. So our house is quite large. Growing up I would play in the hall way but not alone. I had, had a older brother Jim he had been my best friend in the hole world. He taught me how to read and write. He would never get bored or mad at me. I can only just remember him he had long shaggy golden hair and bright blue eyes. In my eyes he was perfect in every way possible but other people did not see him that way to them he had one flaw something so wrong that they could not over look it. I was too young to understand, they said it was cholera. Around age thirteen, he got really sick and they wouldn’t let me into see him. Then one night I heard the soft mumbling of voices. A little while later I got out of bed and tip toed down the hallway to Jim’s room. The door was slightly opened and my mother was asleep in the rocking chair. I walked in and went right up to Jim’s bed. He looked so sweaty and his breathing sounded wrong somehow. I picked up a towel at the end of the bed and lightly dabbed ant his face. I sat on his bed and took his hand for comfort. He opened his eyes and looked at me, then he squeezed my hand. It looked as if he might have said something but suddenly he started coughing madly. My mama’s eyes flew open. My papa ran into the room. My papa tried to sit him up in the bed. Then Jim took one last breath then his eyes closed for the last time. Jim went limp in my papa’s arms. I moved out of the way as my mama sat next to papa. The funeral was one week later. My maid Antoinette dressed me in black. Then we went to the funeral. Kia had to wait with me away from the ceremony. I had been told I was far too little for this ceremony. Then my mama had said with a meaningless voice “Jim was also too young for this ceremony”.
Suddenly the light was in my eyes. I opened them with some regret. Kia was at my windows opening the curtains “Good morning Miss Juliet” she said as she always dose. “Good morning Kia” I thought for a moment “may I ask you a question Kia ?.” Kia looked at me with a somewhat startled look. “ah.. yes Miss Juliet”, I continued “Is the young gentle man from last night still hear”. “Why yes Miss Juliet, yes he is”. I grunted and slouched down in my bed, something that mama said young lady’s should never do. There were quite a few things that mama said young lady’s should never do. Sometimes it seems that young lady’s should never do anything. Kia smiled and said “I know it’s not my place Miss Juliet, but if I may say so the gentle men is not so bad a suitor Miss”. I laughed out loud and replied “well by all means you may have him Kia, I do not wish for my papa to choose who I may marry. That is something I wish to do myself.” Kia smiled and left the room. A few moments later my maid Antoinette came in. “bonjour manque ira faire je brosser vos cheveux” (good morning miss shall I brush your hair ?) “oui dit merci Antoinette”. (yes thank you Antoinette) I sat at the dressing table as she brushed through my long golden tangles and she spoke to me. “avez-vous dormi bien la Mlle ? je demande seulement parce qu'il y avait le vent terrible la nuit dernière”.(“Did you sleep well miss? I only ask because there was terrible wind last night.”). I thought of my dream of my brother again and replied “oui assez bien” (yes well enough).
After I was dressed Antoinette braided my hair and put it in a bun. I made my way to the dining room were captain Holl was sitting. He stood up then sat right back down not bothering with small chat. There was scones , croissant’s , toast , tea , coffee , chocolate. I sat down and picked up a piece of chocolate and started nibbling on it. The captain looked up and said “I never understood why women eat like birds.” I looked at him and replied “maybe if men weren’t so picky as to what we look like then we would not have to”. He looked as if he were about to say something in retort however Kia entered the room she stood there for a second then said “excuse me miss Juliet but Mr. Gabriel Halford is at the door.” At this the captain finally looked at Kia “well send him away we are in the middle of breakfast” he said indignantly. “no” I said “send him in Kia Thank you” The captain looked at me and I smiled at him. I did like him, I thought him too arrogant and smug. Gabriel then entered the room and he immediately sensed tension in the room and stood there. I was the first to break the silence “hello Gabriel how are you, would you like some coffee or a scone perhaps”. He looked at me and gave me the same goofy smile he always did, that’s what I liked about Gabriel he just looked comfortable. He never changed he had golden hair that haloed his face. He had dark blue eyes the color of the lake in summer time when the sun shone on it. “some coffee sounds good I’m sorry for coming so early” he sat down as he said so then looked at the captain who was staring at him. “Gabriel this is Captain Richard Holl of the royal navy. Gabriel held out his hand to the captain “It’s nice to meet I’m Gabriel Halford” the captain shook his hand “and same to you” it was quiet till Kia poured Gabriel’s coffee, then I said “so Gabriel about our plan for a walk today, my mama said I cannot miss the arrival of my grand mama from America so my mama said you can stay for lunch with us then we are free to do as we please with the rest of the day, so this is me formally inviting you to lunch with us and my grand mama”. Gabriel stared for a moment and seemed to be thinking then he said “have I met this relative before? , is this the relative that I did meet and she did not like me at all?.” I smiled and replied “would this be about the incident that happened when we were little at our first ball?”. At this the captain cut in “what may I ask happened at that particular ball?” I smiled and said “when Gabriel and I were little we were quite adventurous and something happened involving some candle wax, a box of matches, my aunt’s dress and Gabriel & I”. the captain did not seem to find this funny at all “anyway Gabriel this is not the same relative so will you come and save me from the pleasantry’s of my grand mama?” “it would be a pleasure”.
