Surprises come in small packages

[onlytolerable]

Remember, Alexandrie Berthier used to say, you simply must make time for yourself. The fine spring day finds Sophie settled at a table overlooking the green taking her arrière-grand-mère's* advice to heart. She closes her eyes a moment and enjoys the sun warming her cheeks before pushing aside cup and teapot so she can admire her handiwork. That buttery yellow yarn she'd been saving knits rather nice, even if she does say so herself.

She picks up her needles and swiftly casts on stitches for the second tiny baby bootie, all the while humming a lullaby under her breath.


[*great grandmother]

Comments

[heneiddio]

"And you'll be happy like this?" That's the goal, after all. For not just the boys to be happy, but also this wonderful young woman. "Not married an' worrying you'll do something wrong?"

There's no judgement in the question, just a sort of musing statement. After all, who knows how these young people live. Maybe this is the new normal.

[onlytolerable]

It doesn't matter. Sophie stops the words before uttering them. Isn't that exactly what the other woman is worried about? Her smile's rueful as she says instead, "I was engaged once, you know--to my sister's husband. Arranged. Some old Deck families still do that." She rolls her eyes. "And some Deck children spend far too much time doing what they're told. But Reenie...he'd always had eyes for her. They're married now and--I hope!--happy.

"It took awhile after I ended that before I even felt like dating again. But when I saw that wasn't going anywhere, we parted amicably. I don't know the answer to your question. I'm happy now. I can't explain. He let's me be me. He likes me because I'm me. For the first time in my life I don't feel like I'm playing a part."

[heneiddio]

It's easy to accept that Adrien is good man. It's wonderful to have the confirmation that he's being as good a gentleman as he clearly is a father, a friend.

Over goes a hand to smooth back a few strands of beautiful red hair affectionately. "An' that's a right important thing, m' love. So long as you aren't afraid of what might come if that changes, that sounds a load off an old 'ooman's mind."

[onlytolerable]

"Stop playing the elder card. You're not so old." She smiles suddenly. "Life's too short to worry about what ifs." Her new-found optimism's another of Adrien's gifts, really. "I can't describe what Adrien and I have, but it works." The imp of the perverse makes her add, "And I'll even have babies someday. Cadogan promised me beautiful red-haired ones."

Look at this innocent face. Pay no attention to the dimples.

[heneiddio]

She's been here too long already to make any cracks about playing cards. Life's too short to make bad jokes, after all.

The optimism is encouraging. That dimpled smile is wonderful. None of that means she's not going to throw up her hands in despair. "Aye, you'll be getting none from him, cariad. I'm more'n happy with the grandchildren 've already got."

[onlytolerable]

"Adoption! We redheads are a dying breed. It's possible we pinky swore to perpetuate the gene pool." She laughs. "But feel free to tease him about it."

[heneiddio]

"An' any which way, I'll be more'n pleased t' call you my daughter, hm?" Which simply needed to be said.