Secrets Is Another Means for Friendship.

A Chapter by Kay

Secret Is Another Means of Friendship

Emma-Lee

“There's a time and place for everything. Time to have fun, time to play, time to be serious, time to love, time to hate, time to do anything, there will always be time. Yet nowadays it feels like there's no time for me to do any of those things I once loved to do, no time to train because I’m too busy at dress fittings, no time to ride because I have an arranged date around the corner, no time to do anything but being a chess piece in my parent's game. All I’m asking for is time, you know? A time to relax, and indulge a time to just be me, love for me, smile for me and not for my parent's happiness. I just need an escape, I need a plan, I just need a way out.” She signed her journal entry, another day of praying to no one and anyone who would bother to listen to her cries for help.

“Emma-Lee! Get down here! Donovan has been waiting for more than three minutes already!” her mother yelled from the steps before quietly apologizing to the brown-skinned man. Emma-Lee sighed loudly before placing her hair in a neat bun once again before she made her way down the stairs dreading each step she took “Ah, Emma-Lee your mother has told me so much about you.” Donovan said clasping his hands together in excitement as he gave Emma-Lee a once over causing a shiver to run along her spine, this man was different than the others, he was much taller and less lean, but by his gold pocket watch peeking out and his fabric freshly pressed and delicately made he was exactly the type of man her parents enjoyed. The cocky young man who loved to flash their money around, looking for a wife who they wanted to lavish with money to blind her from their true intentions which is to have many wives and mistresses to lavish with meaningless gifts and empty promises.

“Daughter of mine, why don’t you take Donovan to the gardens, I’m sure he would be much more comfortable outside.” her mother said squinting her eyes in Emma-Lee’s direction as she brushed the young adults off to the back of the house causing them to exit the hall and into the gardens. “So, Emma, your mother says you paint.” Donovan said choosing his words carefully “Emma-Lee. My name is Emma-Lee and I would appreciate being called as such.” Emma-Lee said walking further into the garden sitting on a bench directly in front of the angel faced fountain “My apologies', Emma-Lee. So, you are an artist?” he asked once more now sitting facing opposite of her as he placed in hands on his thighs rubbing them as if trying to shake the awkwardness between them “No, I am not an artist. I am an amateur with high hopes Sir Donovan.” she said not bothering to share eye contact with him because she knew where this would go, nowhere.

He was just another man her mother had found who had money and wasn't afraid to show it to the world around him, just another pawn until a person of higher salary came into her direction for her to seep her claws into “You aren’t very talkative Emma-Lee.” he said fiddling with his hands nervously causing Emma-Lee to catch a mere glimpse of his actions “You’re nervous Sir Donovan, why is that? Women aren't necessarily your strong suit, are they?” she asked now sharing eye contact with him noticing the small sweat beads beginning to form on his forehead and the dryness of his separated lips.

“Well, I’m not very comfortable with the female sex...” he said softly looking down at his feet “Men, are more of your strong suit, but since you're quite the charmer you are taken as a ladies man. My mother so desperate to find a man with money that she doesn't see who he truly is.” Emma-Lee scoffed adding a small laugh smiling at Donovan “I won’t tell anyone your true feelings on the world, your secret is safe with me.” Emma-Lee said as Donovan let out a sigh “Thank you, truly. My parents would disown me into a second glance if they knew the truth.” he said as Emma-Lee looked at him questioningly “She found you at the market place, who were you meeting that you felt the need to flash your pocket watch?” she asked turning over to sit in the same direction as Donavon on the bench. “Well... I was meeting, my beau... I can't believe I am saying this to someone I’ve only just met.” Donovan said running a hand through his hair in shame.

“Emma, you can call me Emma. Seeing as we are going to be friends now because you know something about me and I to you.” she said holding her hand out smiling waiting for him to accept her offer “Very well Emma, and I am Don, seeing as we are going to be friends for quite some time.” he said shaking her hand as they laughed together “Now this beau, please tell me about him, I’m dying to taste the outside world where my parents cannot taint.” Emma-Lee said exaggerating her sentence as she softly tugged on Donovan's sleeve “You poor girl, I shall tell you all you need to know.” Donovan said smiling as he looked up to the sky basking in the rays of the sun before telling his beau’s tale.

*****

The sun had fallen and the moon had rose slowly after it “Donvan you devil you, keeping a lady outside for such long hours.” Emma-Lee said lifting her skirt up as she walked around the fountain “Well forgive me lady Emma-Lee it was never my intent to cause such a scandal.” Donovan said faking his hurt emotions causing Emma-Lee to laugh and nearly lose her balance. The garden now was well lit in the hour, the flowers gave off such a beautifully vibrant glow of different shades “Your garden is quite astounding.” Donovan said looking at the several Forget-Me- Knots that had grown into several different shapes throughout the garden “My grandmother use to plant in this garden, day and night, it was her baby, she only cared for this garden and me ofcourse. So, when she passed I vowed I would keep the garden alive and well. It’s hard but she was my everything and this is the least I could do to repay her for everything she did for me.” Emma-Lee said quietly as she jumped off the fountain side.

“Well, it’s marvelous, truly.” Donovan said holding out his arm waiting for Emma-Lee to take his arm as they walked into her home “Truly today was an experience I am glad I got to experience. Please, we must do this again.” Donovan said as they reached her front door speaking loud enough for her parents to hear him from the kitchen, he bent down slightly leaving a simple kiss on her cheek causing her to stifle a laugh as he winked at her “Well, I wish you many lives and health Sir Donovan.” she said as he made his way to his carriage as she watched him leave her home she felt a sharp pang in her chest because she wanted nothing more than to join him and rid this awful place but within due time she would be free on her own accord.

“Well that was the longest time you’ve spent with any of the suitors I’ve choosen for you. What makes him so different from the rest?” Janice asked curiously as she stared at her daughter with playful eyes. The woman was nothing but devious from her grey eyes that were covered with deep bags under her eyes from over working herself, to her thin lined smile that never curved unless angry, Emma-Lee always wondered where her mother's beauty had gone throughout the years as the now thin woman stood in front of her itching for more money than she could wish for “He’s different mother, he makes me feel comfortable enough to be just me.” Emma-Lee said as she watched the once thin smile curve at the corners “You foolish girl! You are not to be ‘you’ or ‘yourself’ you are to be a bride! Now you’ve ruined your chances and I must find you another suitor!” her mother yelled raising her hand in the air ready to strike down at Emma-Lee when she felt a strong hand wrap around her arm “Are you mad woman?” Erik said looking at his wife in pure disgust “How will she be able to find a husband with a mark on her face?” Erick said throwing Janice's hand in anger.

Emma-Lee had once prayed her father would come to his senses and stop this cruel obsession for money but to her silent wishes met no hears of support. Her father also bore bags underneath his eyes as he worked countlessly without rest, his once tall and lean figure had now become nothing more than a tall skeleton of the man he was once was, a family man who truly did what he could for the woman he loved and yet now it seemed the only thing he loved along with his wife was money.

The Morin household wasn’t a poor household who could barely afford to support their family and servants, in fact their were the third wealthiest household in the town of Clear Meadows yet that wasn't enough for them. Erik and Janice wanted more and more, the mere scent of money become their only love, they couldn't get enough of the money they had began to earn once they opened their business in town. Emma-Lee had a name for what she described her parents as in her journal ‘Money Hungry Parents’ that's all they were to her and all they will remain begin, and as Emma-Lee stood there in the corridor she realized she despised the people she once loved for the Seamstress and Jewelry maker were nothing more than shells of who they once were and sadly Emma-Lee was trapped in this house until she came up with a concrete plan to run away or hide a husband who lived far away to marry.

Emma-Lee sighed as her parents begin to talk business and about the next suitor seeing as she was no longer needed she walked up the stairs to her bedroom. As she entered the cold room she sat on the bench next to her window looking at the night sky that shined away her horrible evening, and then she saw it, a star that shined harder than the other “I just need a plan, I just need patience, I just need an opening, I just need something.” she balled her fist in her silent prayer looking determined over the well lit night sky “Just one chance. That’s all I need.” she said before closing the window shut and making her way to bed.