When We Fall

Chapter 13

                                                                              S e p t e m b er
"Do not cut your food in a back and forth motion," Mrs. Ionnya said boldly, making a slow circle around the table where the four girls sat, all primped and utensils in hand. "Stroke it toward you." 

Leigh sat in the parlor of the Ionnya home, boredly watching Kitty, Clara, Florence and the Drevlow twins take their table etiquette class. Ida had decided to go grocery shopping by herself that morning, so she insisted Leigh and Helen go with Kitty to finishing school. She told Leigh it would be a good chance to look get a peak of the classes she's take one day, but Leigh deeply doubted she would be in Kitty's place one day. Finishing school was for girls who wanted to be an ornament of society, a trophy wife, one might say. Leigh had no plans on becoming one, a wife or an ornament, so she felt the whole thing was quite ridiculous. 

"Now, when eating your salad, use the correct fork. You'll notice it is smaller than the average fork." Mrs. Ionnya explained, staring down at the girls who all picked up the tiny fork in unison. Kill me now, Leigh thought. The only part of these classes that weren't dreadful was the food, and she couldn't even eat the food, just watch her sister eat it. She was hoping Mrs. Ionnya would offer her and Helen something to eat, but she was much too focused on the girls. 

"Leigh," Helen whispered, leaning closer closer to her on the parlor sofa. They were about ten feet away from the table where the class was taking place, so little whispers were unheard. 

"Yes?" Leigh whispered back. 

"We go home?" Helen's voice was almost in a whine. Leigh understood. She would have done anything to get out of there. They had already been sitting in silence for the past hour. 

"We have to wait until Kitty is finished." Leigh uttered regrettably. Helen sighed to herself and leaned back against the sofa. Leigh copped the motion, in sympathy of how bored her sister felt. It wasn't good to keep children silent, and it was already enough that they had to go to school. Another hour of this and she would break. 

"Alright, girls. Take a quick break, I'm going to retrieve our sewing supplies." Mrs. Ionnya suddenly said after a few more minutes of quiet. "Clara, come help me." In an instant Clara and her mother left and the other girls began to talk amongst themselves. Leigh suddenly saw an opportunity to escape, and she didn't hesitate to take it. She stood up and wandered to the table, where Kitty was chatting up a storm. She seemed to take notice of her sister before she even said anything. 

"Oh, Leigh, thank you for being so quiet and keeping Helen calm." She praised. "We're almost done, just another hour left." As much as Leigh liked to be rewarded of love by her sister, the thought of staying another hour made her feel utterly defeated. 

"An hour?" She whispered, afraid Mrs. Ionnya in the next room might hear her complain. Florence, the one with the auburn hair, leaned into their conversation. 

"Yes, these things take time to learn, you know." She said, in a very know-it-all way. Leigh was too eager to escape to notice her haughty tone, so she ignored her and looked back at Kitty. 

"Well, Helen is bored out of her mind and can't stay in here any longer." She complained, though she was also talking about herself. Kitty clicked her tongue. 

"Get her a book to read, then." She offered. Leigh shook her head, disappointed by her sister's lack of knowledge. 

"Helen can't read, Kitty." 

"Oh, right." 

"I think it's best if we just go home, sister." Leigh blurted, hoping that the quicker she said the words the less of an effect it would leave on Kitty. Kitty was still taken back by her words, though, and she leaned forward, saying;