Lady Illea (Lady Illea #1)

Chapter Four

"He what?"

   I just continued scrubbing the dishes and ignored Emilie. She slid into a stool at the kitchen island and slammed her palms on the granite countertop.

"I don't want to talk about it" I mumbled and tucked a strand of dark hair behind my ear.

   I rolled my shirt up to my elbows and continued scrubbing the pots I used to make dinner.

"So he just walked out after that?" she demanded, with her superior voice. "And you let him"

Impatiently I dropped the pot into the sink with a loud clattering noise and I looked at her.

"Damn it Emilie I'm trying to work in peace"

     I never swear. I hate swearing. Its gross and downright unlady like. But I just so annoyed with Emilie I snapped and lost my patience. I usually do work in the Emsons' house. Do the laundry, help maintain the gardens, cook, clean. That was why I spent so much time there. The Emsons' paid me exceptionally well but that pay check was always gone before I had the time to blink. A huge percentage went to my father's medical care, which, the Emsons' help paid, another portion went to my college fund, the loan on the house my father and I lived in, and then I what was left over were pennies I had to to manage to use for everyday life.

    Emilie, though I loved her dearly, was a bit of a brat. She would nag and complain and demand until she recieved what she wanted. I usually never gave in to her requests but todat was a day I truly did not want to surrender. I had told her what happened with Thomas the day before and now Emilie was on a rant. She liked Thomas a lot.

Apparently everyone did.

But me.

"I just don't understand!" she pleaded, with her curls falling from her bun. "He's wonderful!"

I continued to scrub one of the pots. "I don't know, Em. I care about him, I do. I just don't love him"

"You make no sense!" she huffed. "You don't want love!"

Frustrated I sighed loudly and dropped the pan again. I wipped my forehead and grabbed the edge of the island leaning voer the sink.

"You're right," I said. "I don't. But I feel horrible knowing he's such a wonderful man. And he's so in love with me. Meanwhile he's given me in his heart on a silver platter and I just can't do the same."

Emilie stood silent a moment, taking in what I had said. "What are you going to do"

I shrugged. "I might end things with him. He desrves better."

Emilie looked like she was in distress. 

"I wish I loved him!" I explained. "I really wish I did! I just don't....feel anything beyond a concern and affection that one would show a good friend or a sibling"

Emilie propped her face on her hand. "He's such a dream boat. And he's loaded"

   Finally I felt the weight fall on my shoulders. Emilie was right. He was loaded. But I didn't want to be the kind of girl that married a man just because of his wealth and fame. If I was to actually marry one day, which I highly doubted, I wanted it to be because I loved that person. To me it didn't matter. Whether that person be a homeless man on the street or for crying out loud the prince of Illea! I wanted to love someone for what was in their heart and not in their bank account.

    I wouldn't be able to support my father and I forever and the realization hit me hard. There were only so many jobs I could do, so many extra hours I could take on, before eventually I'd wear myself down. Then who was really going to take care of us?

"I know" I said.

   Before Emilie could say anything more Leslie ran through the front door.

"Guess what!" she sang.

I laughed and started with the dishes again. "What?"

She sighed dreamily and her glasses slid down her nose. "Today is the prince's birthday!" she slid into the stool next to Em and tied her hair into a ponytail. "Are you going to sing happy brithday to him when he comes on tv tonight?"

Immediately I stopped and shot a glare at her, and Emilie laughed so hard I could have sworn she snorted.

"Shut up"

"You used to," Leslie said. "I remember. You used to sit in front of the television and-"

I splashed some water and Leslie and Emilie collpased on top of each other laughing.

"Knock it off"

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