Everything She Wants by Sarah Alva

Author:Sarah Alva
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.
Published: 2018-03-20T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

“Did Charles ask your permission before he proposed?” Lucy heard her brother, Freddy, ask their mother. Lucy had left them in the kitchen preparing the food for the party while she oversaw the setting up of tables in the backyard with her uncle. She stopped in the hall before entering the kitchen and listened, even though she knew this wasn’t a conversation she was supposed to hear.

“Which time?” her mother asked.

“The first time, I guess,” Freddy replied.

“Yes, he asked my permission the first time,” their mother replied. “And the second time too.”

“He asked my permission too,” Freddy said. “He told me he didn’t know who to ask since Dad is dead, so he asked all of us.”

“What did you tell him?” she asked. “I know you aren’t fond of Charles.”

Lucy felt a sharp stab in her chest at hearing this. She already knew it, but it killed her that her brother didn’t approve of the man she was going to marry. But he had never said anything overt about his lack of fondness.

“The first time, I told Charles it didn’t matter to me. Lucy could make her own decisions. The second time, Charles didn’t really ask me for permission; he wanted to know if I was happy for him because he was sure Lucy would say yes this time.”

“Well, did you tell Charles you were happy for him?”

“No, I didn’t,” Freddy said. “I told him I thought Lucy had given him the right answer the first time and to not be surprised if she jetted off to Timbuktu this time.”

Anger and heavy resignation settled in Lucy’s stomach. Her brother knew her better than anyone else, and if this is what he had expected of Lucy, then perhaps she’d made the wrong decision.

“Freddy!” their mother scolded. “I can’t believe you said that.”

“I couldn’t help it!” Freddy said. “He shouldn’t have asked me in first place. I didn’t think it would stay a secret very long that I don’t like Charles. I just didn’t want him telling Lucy what I said.”

And Charles hadn’t. This was the first of any of this—Charles asking her mother’s and brother’s permission for her hand—that Lucy had heard. Doubt niggled its way into her heart. There were moments when she was so certain Charles was the right person for her. Like Thursday night in her apartment when he’d held her for a slow goodbye. It had felt so right and exquisite to be so cherished. But if Freddy didn’t like Charles, what was she not seeing that he could see?

“I like him well enough,” their mother said. “He’s stable and dependable, and he loves Lucy deeply. That counts a lot in my book. He’s also patient, and Lucy needs someone who will be patient with her.”

Lucy wished she’d never heard any of this conversation. Served her right for eavesdropping. How could she enter the kitchen now? How could she attend this engagement party that her mother insisted on throwing when some of the people she loved

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