Lavender - {G.B}

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She laid on the cold, hard ground. Her vision blurry and she could barely make out what objects were in front of her. She gasped for air as tears rolled down her cheek to her chin. The door slammed, shaking the ground. She pulled herself onto her bed, curling herself in a ball on the old grey covers.

That night, she cried herself to sleep, trying to muffle her loud sobs as best she could but to no avail. She was thankful that she didn't wake anyone in the house. That would end badly for her. Her stomach ached in pain. Her cheek was red, a bruise forming right below her cheekbone. She was grateful that this would end soon enough.

-

The next morning, she sat up in her bed, holding her arms over her stomach. She still had pains from last night. The curtains had not been tied last night, so the sun's rays felt warm against her skin instead of the cold she always felt. She got off the bed and opened her bedside drawer. She took her green brush out, beginning to brush her tangled, dark-brown hair. She slowly walked up to the window, resting her hands on the window sill. Birds sat on tree branches in their nests, feeding their kin. A horse whinnied, getting Alice's attention. She looked down, noticing the woman in a white blouse and a floral skirt with a black sash tied around her waist walking up to the porch.

She quickly walked back to the bedside, grabbing a few pins. She looked in the mirror, pinning strands of her dark wavy hair to keep it out of her face. She found a slightly wrinkled yellow dress with ruffles near the shoulders. She slipped into brown boots, too excited to tie them. She had just come home from town and hadn't seen her all summer.

Alice flattened her dress as best she could and reached for the doorknob. She stumbled back as the door was pushed open, almost slamming into her. She looked up at the man in front of her. Alice didn't see his face as he looked down the corridor. He tugged her arm, forcing her to follow down the narrow hall and downstairs.

He let go at the bottom of the stairs and hugged the woman in the kitchen, kissing her on the cheek as she did the same. He picked her up by the waist and spun her around in circles, both smiling lovingly. He dropped her down on the ground as their laughs died down.

"My lord!" the woman gasped. "You look so grown up and beautiful." She smiled, walking up to Alice. She brushed strands of hair behind Alice's ear and kept her hand on her cheeks. She didn't notice she was in pain. She never did.

"I've missed you." Alice hugged her tightly, never wanting to let go of her again. "Welcome home, mother." Everything was going to be okay now, she thought.

"You must tell me how summer has been," Ms. Miller exclaimed.

"Take your mother's things upstairs to our room," George said, grabbing his black coat.

"Hush, George. I'll get it later. Alice and I have some catching up to do. It's been months since we've talked in person," Ms. Miller told him with a smile.

"Alright." He sighed, grabbing his case from the ground and opening the door. "I'll be back before the church picnic." He closed the door behind him. Alice let out a breath of relief. George was finally gone.

"How was it? The town?" Alice asked, putting her small hands over her mother's. She had never been to the town or traveled by train before. She was always stuck in the house or at school.

"Oh, Alice. It was wonderful. I must take you and George there one day. Everyone was very kind. The shops had the most exquisite dresses. Speaking of which." Ms. Miller opened one of her cases and uncovered a lavender dress. "For your new school year. I'll have your dress straightened out before the picnic."

"I got it. It's okay," I assured her. Ms. Miller had been working for quite a while in town after her husband wasn't capable. The bags under her eyes explained it. Ms. Miller coughed a few times, covering her mouth with her arm. "Are you alright?" Alice asked, placing a hand on her arm.