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A year later
I let the unlit cigarette dangle between my lips as I watched the guests arrive. The last Jennings sister was getting married today. It was official we would no longer have that name attached to us. The name that once connected us and made us feel whole was now just a name. It was a reminder of a man who promised to protect us and then went back on that promise because some pretty little thing batted her eyelashes at him. We were sisters with or without it.
"You do know you have to light that don't you," Finn teased offering me a lighter. I rolled my eyes and adjusted my position on the wall. The blush silk fabric tugged slightly making we quickly pull away. Dorothy would have a fit if I showed up looking tattered. "You know you're running out of time in deciding whether or not to stay. The landlord wants to know by tonight."
"Paris has fresher air," I sighed inhaling sharply. "Haven't once had to break up w bar fight there either..."
"But?" Finn pried.
"Paris isn't home. No matter how hard we pretend it is." I squished my smoke under my heel frowning. "I need to finish getting ready before my sisters send for me."
"I'll call the landlord. Tell him the Shelbys are staying put," Finn yelled after me. I couldn't help but smile as I ran into the back room to join Beth and Dot. Dot was frantic when I walked into the room. My eldest sister was clearly well on her way to drunk as she chugged back another glass of champagne. Ada has been in charge of calming her down, but not even Ada could calm her down this time. I took Frankie from Beth and waited for her to have a go but Dot turned to me instead.
"Josephine am I making a mistake? Am I rushing this?" Dot questioned. "You're the last to be married there must be a reason you and Finn haven't yet. I need to know." All of a sudden the small gold band on my ring finger felt heavy. How Finn and I had kept this to ourselves for so long was beyond me, but we had tied the knot in Paris. We decided that we wanted our marriage to just be us so we went to city hall and I change my last name. "Jo?"
"I was waiting till tomorrow to tell you, but actually Finn and I are married. We eloped in Paris." The three women ran at me hugging me as tightly as they could. "So no Dorthy I don't think you're making a mistake. Love is never a mistake."
"Josephine Shelby," Ada mused. "That sounds quite beautiful if I say so myself."
