Lilac

Chapter Five

A few hours later, I hear Mother call me down for dinner. 

I slowly creep down the stairs. But I gasp when I see Parker seated at the normally empty place next to my chair. His large backpack sits near the front door. 

My father, older sister and three brothers are nowhere to be seen. 

"Oh, Mr Jordan is such a dear. So gentlemanly. I've invited him to stay with us for a few days, he'll be a good escort for you. I know you run off whenever one off your brothers can't take you out. And I don't want you to do that. You should be a good daughter and stay put, that way you'll find an excellent husband in the next few years to marry." I notice Parker's eyes bulging at my mother's mention of my lack of freedom. But he's composed when my mother's attention returns to him. I slide into my chair to wait for the rest of my family to turn up. 

Parker and my mother just continue chatting about random things. 

Soon my little brother and sister waltz through the door. My sister Ellie looks shocked when she catches sight of Parker. My little brother Alexander just laughs. 

Ellie gestures for me to come outside with her to talk. I do as she wishes, pushing past my other two brothers and father as they come through the front door. 

"Who's he?!" Ellie whispers excitedly. 

"His name is Parker, he'd asked me for directions when I was out in the meadow earlier today. I brought him here to get him something quick to eat, hoping Mother wasn't home. She was though, she got super mad at me for even talking to him." Is my deadpan answer. 

She asks a few more questions, just about where he's from and stuff. Then she drops the bomb of saying that he's good-looking as we walk back inside. A little too loudly in my opinion. 

Everyone's eyes just end up on us as we seat ourselves. I see Parker give me a little grin, he must have heard Ellie's little comment. 

My father keeps up the stream of talk as we eat. Both of my older brothers exclaim something about Almia's army camps. 

"They're not actually that glorious, my father's hellbent on enlisting me as soon as I get home. All you do is train, train, train. My older brother enlisted around two months before I left home. He said it was like Hell itself. Even though he did mention one funny story about a guy who had to do all his intense exercises butt naked all day because he was caught working out like that by his commanding officer. 

Ellie, my father and all my brother laugh. 

Only me and my mother have sour faces. Me, for the fact that I'll probably have zero alone time for the duration of Parker's stay. My mother, for the story itself. 

I slowly shovel a clump of mashed potatoes into my mouth. The strong taste of the herbs dance across my tongue.