Fantasy Caught in the Waves (Closed)

[AvianJen]

Alec was excited to show Josephine his new house, but he was also a little nervous. What if she didn't like it? What if seeing it in person and imagining herself living there...somehow that life they had pictured together no longer seemed as perfect? Alec wanted to believe that it would be easy for her to change her lifestyle, and he knew that she had the best intentions, but there was still a little part of him that worried she would one day resent him for not being able to give her the lifestyle she was used to. That was his insecurity talking, though, and he liked to think that they could over come anything as long as they had the other at their side. They had overcome so much already.

He chuckled at her words about Ella, nodding. Not much had changed, it would appear. And that was a good thing. "Yes, that's what Ella seems to do best," he agreed with a laugh. "I wouldn't know, though. I never had a little sister." Though if he had, he would have been just as protective as Josephine was. It was no secret that he wasn't the biggest fan of Ella, but he cared for her because Josephine did. On the pirate ship he had played through multiple scenarios in his head where he might be forced to choose between saving Josephine or Ella, and it wasn't as easy as one might think. He'd want to save Josie, but he knew that she would want him to save Ella instead. At least that was a problem he didn't have to worry about now. He might have asked in what ways Ella was getting into trouble, but figured it was just the usual.

Mr. Sinclair had to smile at his daughter, shaking his head affectionately. As much as he wished it could be different, there was no denying how happy Alec appeared to make Josephine. "I love you too, sweetheart," he laughed, watching as she dashed off to find her sister. With Josephine gone, he looked towards Alec, who looked pretty happy himself. "How is it going, then?" he asked.

"Very well, sir," Alec responded. "I have two customers, a third getting ready to start soon. I'm not charging very much of course, as I'm just starting out and building my reputation."

Ella was upstairs in her room. She'd finally gotten out of her bath and was laying in bed, dressed for the day in one of her most comfortable dresses and reading. Her hair was braided back so that it would dry in the loose waves that she liked, and she was trying hard not to worry about Josie or think about it. Her mermaid doll was still on her bedside table, as well as her new spyglass.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine had no such worries herself. If all their prayers were answered and she did end up marrying Alec, there would be an adjustment period for sure, but she would never let a little bit of frustration ruin her love for him. They had made it this far, so she honestly believed there wasn't much else they couldn't survive. All her thoughts were filled with happy fantasies about their future together. Not just the house, but growing old with him. Having raven-haired children together, chasing a dog around the property, planting a garden like the one her mother had. It was the little things.

Josephine knew Alec thought Ella was immature and wild, and she would have to agree with him most of the time, but she also knew Ella thought some similarly distasteful things about Alec, too. It didn't bother her because she knew they both understood how she loved the other. She knew anything Alec would do for herself, he'd do for Ella too if she asked it. And Ella had been wonderfully supportive. Besides, did anybody really love their in-laws? She hoped they'd be in-laws one day, anyway. She laughed at his response, finding it hard to resist the urge to kiss him for it. "You're lucky. Believe me," she teased.

Three customers wasn't bad for a business like the one Alec was starting in the amount of time he'd had it going. It wasn't entirely surprising given Alec's talents. Mr. Sinclair never doubted that his stable boy was capable, but businesses required more than just talent. Alec, as knowledgeable as he was about horses, needed to be able to handle finances, accounts, and conduct good business. That had been mostly Mr. Sinclair's concerns when he'd heard about his plans, but he was glad to see the man put up an ambitious effort. It also sounded like he was doing well for himself thus far. He offered him a smile, standing from his desk so they could meet the girls outside by the carriage. "Good, good. I'm glad to hear it. You'll have to run me through your process and show me your books, and I'll offer advise where I can."

For once Josephine wasn't even thinking about Ella and Peter. Alec really had been the best distraction. She knocked on the door, and when Ella answered it, there was no mention of this morning whatsoever. It seemed a bit soon, anyway, and she really didn't want a discussion about it to ruin a happy visit to Alec's. Maybe when they returned, or had a moment to themselves after a tour of the house...

She smiled at her sister. "Alec's here," she said. "Father says we can go see his property today. Will you come with?"

 

[AvianJen]

Alec wasn't sure that he was all that lucky; he would have loved to have a little sister, or any siblings at all. But it had just been him, and when his parents died he was left all alone. Josie was the closest person to family that he had, whether she realized it or not, and even though Ella and Josephine disagreed quite often, they were still family. Alec saw how they both mutually cared for and looked after each other, and he wished that he had someone like that in his life. Someone that couldn't be taken away from him. But if he and Josephine did end up being allowed to get married...then he could finally have that family he had always dreamed of. It sounded too good to be true. "So are you," he responded, leaning in to press a kiss to the side of her head. Surely that was okay by Mr. Sinclair.

It was true, three customers was actually pretty good, especially considering that he'd only just started. But it hadn't been easy to win those three; Alec had spent a good three days in town, networking and advertising. He'd even bought a ticket to the races so that he could meet with and speak to others who were interested in getting involved in the industry. He hadn't been able to watch the event at all, but two of his customers had come from there. His weakness was definitely going to be the more business side of it; setting rates, keeping records, making sure that he was staying within the legal guidelines of everything. It was tricky, and Alec knew nothing about any of it. That was why having Mr. Sinclair's support was so essential, and he was incredibly grateful for it. "Of course, sir," he said with a nod. "I'm sure I could use some of your expertise." Mr. Sinclair was a master businessman, and his help really would invaluable.

The knock on the door caught Ella off of her guard, but she knew that it was probably Josephine. Taking a deep breath, she got out of bed and went over to the door, opening it and bracing herself for the onslaught of criticism. But, much to her surprise, it didn't come. Instead she smiled, like this morning's incident had never even happened. Ella didn't quite know how to respond to it. "Alec," she repeated. She didn't want to talk about Peter? That was fine with Ella, but it seemed too good to be true. She wanted to go visit his property, not talk to Ella about what had happened last night. "Um...okay," Ella said uncertainly, returning Josie's smile. She had no desire to go to Alec's property, but she didn't want to upset Josephine any more than she probably already had. And she did seem to be excited. Maybe Alec had made her forget about it.

"Sure," she said after a moment. "That sounds nice. Let me get ready." She took a moment to tie back her hair and put on some boots before going downstairs to meet everyone. Alec escorted them all out to the stables and saddled the horses- they had decided they should ride instead of taking the carriage- and headed off. His house was about a fifteen minute ride on horseback from the Sinclair estate, and it was a gorgeous day.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine knew Alec didn't really have anyone else, and that made her a little sad for him. They didn't talk about it much, but he'd mentioned it before. She tried as much as she could to fill that role for him. A girlfriend probably wasn't the same as having parents or some siblings, but she wanted him to know there was always at least one person looking out for him and thinking about his well being. She always made sure to set aside some time for him on Christmas and spend as much of the day with him as she could on his birthday. She always went a little overboard with birthdays anyways. Even though Ella sometimes drove her insane, she did know that she was lucky to have Ella at all. So she smiled when Alec gave her the small kiss, savoring it even if it wasn't the kind of kiss she longed for, and agreed. "I know," she said.

When Ella opened the door, Josie noticed her hesitance. Of course she would be. This morning had been embarrassing for all, but at least Josephine wasn't the one who'd been caught naked with a man. It was like the time Ella had first discovered her and Alec making out in the loft, but worse. Way worse. If their situation had been reversed, Josephine was sure she'd be mortified. There would come a time when they would need to talk about this, but for now, ignoring it seemed like the best course of action. It certainly wasn't forgotten, though. You couldn't erase something like that from your memory.

She continued to say nothing while she waited for Ella to finish up, then the two of them met the others outside. The ride was pleasant, and she and Chestnut flanked Alec on one side while Ella and Mr. Sinclair followed behind. Every house they passed, she perked up, wondering if it was the one, and every time she was let down until they finally came upon it. She looked towards Alec excitingly with a question in her eyes, and when it was answered, she took off a little faster towards the stables. They were smaller than the ones at home, but still plenty spacious enough for all of their horses.

"Alec, it's beautiful," she said as she dismounted her horse. She looked towards her father, knowing that in the end he was the one who actually bought it. Alec hadn't had much of a say at all, but it didn't change her opinion. The house was small even from the outside, but looking up at it's white, ivy covered walls already filled her with so many emotions. It felt like home, even if she wasn't living in it yet. She couldn't wait to see the inside.

 

[AvianJen]

Alec always appreciated everything that Josephine did for him. Especially when they were keeping their relationship a secret, it had been a risk for her to spend time with him on his birthday or during Christmas, but he loved and valued every second. She was the only person that he had to celebrate with, although the men at the pubs sometimes made for good company when there was a celebration in order. Still, he couldn't wait for the hopeful day that he and Josephine would be married, and she could wake him up with kisses on his birthday and no one would say anything about it. And he would be able to do a better job of treating her on hers.

It was hard not to be embarrassed about what had happened earlier; telling her sister that she had been with Peter was one thing, but actually being caught in act was another completely. It struck her as odd, too, that Josephine was acting like it hadn't even happened. Ella wasn't sure if that made this better or worse, but...at least this meant she didn't have to think of an argument to justify her actions right this second. Personally, Ella didn't think she needed to explain herself, but it was Josie, so she'd have to think of something other than the fact that they were in love. She and Alec had been in love for almost two years, after all. But maybe Josie wouldn't bother her as much about it if she put on a smile and went to visit Alec's house.

It was a fairly short ride, and when they arrived they headed towards the stables. There were only four stalls, but thankfully that was all they needed. He beamed at Josephine's compliment, grinning. He was thrilled that she liked it, and hoped that the excitement lasted. He couldn't wait to show her inside, but they could start with the stables. "Well, I have your father to thank for that," he said, smiling towards Mr. Sinclair. "Thank you again, sir."

"Not at all," Mr. Sinclair responded, looking around. "It looks like you've been doing a little bit of restoration?"

"Yes, sir. I've repainted almost the entire property. And Josie look, here's the loft." He knew that she would like that. He took her hand only long enough to help her get up the ladder, and then offered the same courtesy to Ella before climbing up himself. The loft was being used for storage; extra supplies, oats for the horses, and bales of hay. It was much smaller than the Sinclair's, but he hoped that Josie liked it. "Would you like to go inside?"

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

It was bound to be awkward whether they talked now or later, Josephine thought. So she chose to just ignore it for now. At least she wouldn't need to worry about an argument before getting to see Alec's house. She wasn't even sure whether it would lead to an argument. Ella could be a little unpredictable at times, and Josephine was still trying to figure out how she felt about the situation anyway. This wasn't something they could go on never discussing, but she worried if she voiced any of her concerns then all the progress she and Ella had made would go away. If that were to happen, then she would rather it not ruin something that was important to her, like seeing the house she might live in one day.

It was really great to see it. She hadn't expected to see it at all, at least not so soon. It was also impressive to learn he'd been hard at work repainting and restoring the place. No wonder he was scarcely around anymore. Between his business and the work on the house, he was keeping himself busy. It made her sad that she couldn't see him as much as she would have liked, but knowing he was doing this at least partly for her made her heart soar.

She took his hand and let him help her into the loft, grinning. Father probably had no idea how much time she and Alec had spent in the loft back home together, so it was a small amusement. This one was different. Smaller, and without the history of his old place, but she liked it anyways. It would probably never be used for anything other than storage, but she had fantasies about coming back up here with him from time to time just for old time's sake. Apparently Ella had experienced her first time in the garden, and whether it was planned that way or not, Josephine had to admit she had similarly unconventional ideas about where her first experience might be. If it ever happened with Alec, anyway.

As nice as it was in the stables, she was mostly just desperate to see the inside of the main house. "Yes, let's go!" she said excitedly. Mr. Sinclair had to shake his head affectionately at her excitement, though he would hate it if he ever had to let her down by saying she would never live here. He hadn't made that decision yet, but there was still plenty to see and he was curious to hear more about Alec's business. So far he was impressed, but that didn't necessarily mean he'd change his mind.

"I'm excited to see what you've done with the inside," he commented once they all got down from loft and started heading towards the house. Josie was already ahead of them, dragging Ella by the arm with her.

 

[AvianJen]

Alec knew that Josephine would like to see the loft, and would understand what he was trying to tell her by making a point out of it. One day, if all went well...they would have a new place to make new memories. It was just storage right now, but he could transform it into an attic or sort if she'd rather. He'd make it anything she wanted it to be, or it could just stay a regular loft.

He laughed, overjoyed to see how excited she was to see the rest of the house. She dragged her sister towards the door while Mr. Sinclair and Alec traveled at a more leisurely pace, not in any rush. He wanted to make these moments last, and he also didn't want to seem too eager in front of Mr. Sinclair. "Well, not much," he admitted with a chuckle in response to Mr. Sinclair. "I've never had such a big space to furnish before, but I've got a table and some chairs for the kitchen, and set up the bedroom. The living room is in the works." Furniture was expensive, and Alec wasn't skilled enough to build his own, nor did he have the time. But he was slowly buying things, making sure to spend his money wisely. Having a suitable home for Josephine to live in was just as important as having the money to support her, and Alec wasn't going to skimp out on that part of the deal.

Ella and Josephine waited for the men to catch up, standing outside the door. There was a lovely little porch with a rocking chair that Ella took the liberty of sitting in, giggling at Josie's enthusiasm. She was trying not to be too awkward after what had happened this morning, and she understood why Josephine was so excited. She deserved this, and it would be exciting for anyone. Ella looked around and realized that her sister might actually live here in this house someday; it was difficult to picture, but it was a cute little place. It wouldn't be so bad, especially if that was what Josephine wanted.

Alec unlocked the door and held it open for his guests, allowing them to step inside. It wasn't a huge space, but there was a kitchen to the right and a sitting room to the left. There wasn't a ton of furniture or decor yet, but the entire place was clean and freshly restored, if anything had needed to be done.

"It's a work in progress," Alec said as a disclaimer, following everyone inside and eyeing Josephine for her reaction. "But I think it will be really nice when I get it all set up. The kitchen has been wonderful- although I'm not the best cook," he said with a laugh. "I'm working on it. Come on, I'll show you the upstairs too." He was particularly excited for Josie to see that there were three bedrooms; a big one for them and two for any children that they might have. One of each, just like she wanted. He led them first into his bedroom, which housed a double bed, a dresser, a side table and a lamp. There was also a huge window that looked out towards the stables and the horses. Alec loved being able to wake up every morning and not even have to go outside to look out and see Nielson roaming in the pasture. The fenced area needed to be expanded, but he was working on that too.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Mr. Sinclair nodded his understanding. "The hardest part about owning a house is filling it," he agreed. "It took years to finish some of the rooms at our own estate." Although the property had been inherited from some of his extended relatives, he and his wife wanted to personalize it to their own tastes. Furniture was just one thing, too. A house could be well furnished and still lack comfort without people to share it with. Since the house Mr. Sinclair bought for Alec had been intended to encourage him to start a family, he didn't shy away from hinting at it now. Not even with his hesitation to let him see Josephine. "It's a shame my wife and I couldn't have more children, but you should be able to fill up the space here much more easily."

Josephine skipped up the steps of the porch and admired the railing. She smiled at Ella in the rocking chair, picturing happy visits in the not so distant future. The thought of hosting guests on hot summer days here was thrilling. She would need to learn how to make lemonade and pie. Maybe she could ask Rory.

The daydreams only got more detailed as she saw the actual interior for the first time. It was small, and still fairly empty, but it had promise and was charming. "Alec, it's great. It could use a woman's touch, but not too shabby for bachelor," she teased, but she was also imagining hanging artwork on the walls and placing some flowers in vases around to liven it up. But the real exciting part was the upstairs where the bedrooms were. She peered into the largest with wonder. Sleeping here had to be more comfortable than the loft, and she couldn't wait to curl up with him underneath the bedsheets. She wondered if their children would ever join them like she and Ella did whenever they had nightmares as kids. It took all her strength not to throw her arms around him and kiss him in front of everyone.

"It's really, really wonderful. I'm so proud of you," she said, wrapping her arms around his waist for a more appropriate and friendly display of affection. Mr. Sinclair had to admit that it was impressive as well. He never thought this place could be turned around so quickly. It was starting to look like a proper home.

"I'll have to agree with my daughter, Alec. It is a nice little place. Shall we look over business plans, now?" he suggested, steering Alec back downstairs.

Not really having much interest or understanding of business matter, Josie stayed upstairs with Ella. She walked into the smallest bedroom, empty for now, and started to imagine what it would look like one day. "I think this will be the nursery," she said to Ella. "If the bassinet goes along that wall, then the baby can wake up with the morning light." She could only hope that this place really would be hers to share some day soon. It was so perfect, and now that she was seeing it, she wanted it even more.

 

[AvianJen]

Alec was surprised that the decorating had taken the Sinclair's so long considering they had so much money, but maybe that wasn't the problem. Alec wasn't much of a decorator himself- he would definitely be handing that job over to Josephine if they ever did get to live together. It had always seemed strange to him, though, that the Sinclair's had such a huge estate and only a few people who actually lived there. The two girls and their father really weren't enough to justify such a massive space, although he supposed that Peter lived there now as well. This small house would be much easier to fill- though Alec hoped that he wouldn't outgrow it. In the short time he'd lived there he'd grown rather fond of the little house. "I hope so, sir," he said with a smile.

The men finally caught up with the girls, and Alec beamed once more at Josephine's reaction. He chuckled and nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yes, I suppose it does," he said in agreement. "I wouldn't know what to do with...flowers, and all that. He watched her expression closely when she looked into the master bedroom. It was the biggest in the house, but he knew that it was also much smaller than her current bedroom. Still, he preferred to think of it as cozy. He could imagine snuggling up to her under the sheets on cold winter nights, watching the snow fall through the window...and it was perfect. Maybe he could build a fireplace, too.

He chuckled again when Josephine said that she was proud of him; he hadn't done much to acquire this home. Mr. Sinclair was the one who had been generous and thoughtful enough to get it for him, and he had chosen well. Alec loved it. Josie would probably argue that he had gotten it by helping them on the pirate ship, and that was true in a way, but he still never would have been able to afford it without Mr. Sinclair's help. He hugged her back tightly, grinning from ear to ear. "I'm afraid I can't take much credit, but I'm glad you like it." His smile faltered a bit when Mr. Sinclair asked to look over the business stuff now; admittedly, he didn't have much to show. But it was a great opportunity to get some advice. "Yes, that sounds great. My things are downstairs."

He led their father back to the ground level, leaving the girls to look around more upstairs. Ella wasn't as impressed with the house as Josephine was, but it was cute. She peered into one of the smaller bedrooms, following Josie quietly. "The bassinet," she repeated a moment later, a giggle escaping her. "Josie, you're not pregnant yet. You act like the baby already exists." It was sweet, though, how Josephine was trying to plan everything out already, and it made Ella realize with a start how it was more likely now that she was pregnant, and she was the one who didn't even want kids. Josie had commented on it this morning. She and Peter had taken precautions, but it was a little bit of a frightening thought.

"Why would you want the baby to wake up at dawn, anyways?" she asked with amusement. "I think I'd want them to sleep in as long as possible."

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine didn't need anything big or fancy to be happy. Her parents raised her to appreciate what she had and to recognize her privilege. They'd never lived small, but she didn't look down at those with less either. This place could be just as much a home to her as the mansion was. Once it was filled with a few flowers, paintings to decorate the bare walls, and she put her personal touch into it, all she needed was Alec. Maybe a dog, like they'd discussed. And the children one day, of course.

She thought he was being too humble for all the work he'd put in. Father may have bought the house, but it sounded like he'd been hard at work fixing it up to what she saw today. She simply smiled, hugging him tighter. Taking a small risk, she gave him a kiss on the cheek to show him how excited and grateful she truly was, and thankfully Mr. Sinclair pretended not to notice. The two of them were downstairs to talk man to man shortly after that, about stuff she really didn't have the patience to understand.

Mr. Sinclair followed and waited for Alec to gather his things in the sitting room. He asked him a series of questions about his customers, his profits, projections, and goals. He poured over the limited information Alec was able to dig up, offered him a few suggestions and told him what he thought was good and what he might want to consider improving.

"You've made a lot of progress since you've started," he said. "I'll admit I'm pleasantly surprised. I hate to replace you as my stable boy, but you're suited to this. And... I admire how seriously you've been adhering to my rules about Josephine. I still wish you two would have been honest about your relationship with me when it started, but I can understand why you might not have been. You're clearly a good man who fell victim to my daughter's charms." If only it was as easy for men to please his daughter. He could honestly say he had never seen Josephine look at a man that way or with as much excitement regarding a future as he saw her today while touring the property.

He sighed heavily, gathering the papers Alec gave him into a pile. John was a nice man, but something about today showed him that while Josephine probably did enjoy the young man's company, she didn't want to marry him. She wouldn't ever look at John that way. He might manage to keep her content, but with him she might not ever be the happiest she could be. Not like he and her mother had been. Mr. Sinclair could hardly believe he was saying it, but he did anyway. "So don't break her heart. Don't make me regret giving you my blessing."

Josie smiled, knowing maybe she was acting a little silly. There was still a chance father would say no and she would live out the rest of her life with John instead in a bigger house, and with the large number of kids he said he wanted someday. That was still the most likely scenario, unfortunately, but seeing this place made her want it even more so desperately. It was hard not picturing the life she and Alec could have in the very walls they'd live it in. She just brushed a strand of hair away from her face bashfully and shrugged. "I'm not married yet either, but I can dream. Besides, I like babies." At least, she liked the idea of them. It wasn't like she had much personal experience.

She turned from the window overlooking the back of the property to her sister then. The undiscussed situation of this morning still lingered between them in silence, but thinking about babies had momentarily reminded Josephine of what Ella and Peter had done. "And of course you would. You don't even like kids," she said, eyes drifting to Ella's stomach where a baby bump would be if Peter did in fact get her pregnant. The thought scared her. Although he'd been living with them for some time now, the idea of him being a permanent addition to her life was something Josephine had never really acknowledged as a possibility before now. It didn't sit right with her, but she had limited control over her sister's choices.

"How long have you two been... um, you know...?" she asked hesitantly. She wasn't really sure she was ready for the answer, but wanted to ask anyway.

 

[AvianJen]

Alec smiled in response to Josephine's kiss, casting an awkward glance back at Mr. Sinclair...but the man had conveniently turned his attention elsewhere. While it was true that he had been putting a lot of work into the place, he had only lived there a few weeks. He had improved it, certainly, but it hadn't been in bad shape to begin with. Mr. Sinclair had been very thoughtful and very generous. He didn't think that he was being too humble, but he was certainly proud of how far he'd come.

As he'd expected, working with Mr. Sinclair was very helpful. Alec had no business experience, and he didn't know how he should arrange his books or keep track of his records. He didn't know anything about the legal side of it, and Mr. Sinclair was very knowledgeable in that area. Truthfully, Alec hadn't even known what a business projection was until it was explained to him, but he was an avid and willing learner. He took careful notes of everything that Mr. Sinclair advised him to do, committed to doing all of it and doing it well.

He was excited to have Mr. Sinclair acknowledge his progress, though. It was very validating, as well as encouraging. If he was optimistic about where Alec was headed, then that meant that he was on the right track. "Thank you," he said. "And I can't thank you enough for all your help." Then he changed his tone from business to Josephine, and Alec's heart began to race. Was this it? Was it actually happening? Then he said the words, and Alec felt his heart stop.

"I..." he was speechless, trying to process the information. Was this real? He could just be hallucinating, imagining this...but no, it was real. He and Josephine finally had what they had always wanted, a chance to be together. "Thank you," he sputtered when he was able to find his voice again. "Thank you. Thank you so much, sir, I..." A huge smile broke across his face as he rose to his feet. He couldn't wait to tell Josie. "I'll prove to you that I deserve it, I promise. I'll take care of her."

Ella wrinkled her nose. She didn't like babies very much, but Josie seemed to be obsessed with them. She had always wanted to be a mother, but she supposed it was a good thing that one of them did. That way their father would at least have some grandchildren. "Yes, I know," she laughed. "You'd make a good mother, though. I wouldn't." Ella didn't have the patience, and she didn't want to be tied down. It just wouldn't work out, at least not at this stage in her life.

She blushed, glancing away when Josephine asked about her and Peter. Like most everything involving her boyfriend, she wanted to talk about it with her sister, but...she already knew what Josie thought. And this morning had been incredibly embarrassing, to say the least. "Oh, um, just the one time," she said. "Just last night." Did Josie really think that she and Peter had been having sex regularly? Well, there wasn't really any way for her to know...and Ella wished it could be a regular thing. Maybe it could, she didn't know. She didn't know what came next, but she and Peter were figuring it out together.

But then, their conversation was interrupted by the sound of thundering footsteps. Alec came bursting into the room, and with a huge smile he ran to Josie, picking her up and spinning her around. Unable to contain himself, he then crushed his lips against hers, as he'd been wanting to do for the past several weeks. "Josie," he said breathlessly. "Your father, he...he's given us permission to be together. We can be together now." He enveloped her in his arms once more and squeezed her tight, overjoyed.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Although this wasn't the kind of life he always envisioned his daughter living, Mr. Sinclair could see now that Alec had the drive to care, love, and provide for her. It was his biggest concern that Josephine managed to be happy and well looked after, and there was no doubt about it that Alec would find a way to do both. If he could allow Ella to see a man like Peter, who like Alec was not a man of money but had a good work ethic, then he could no longer see an issue with allowing Josephine to see who she obviously wanted to see as well. They may have lied about their relationship before they told him, but that wasn't all of Alec's fault. He'd wanted to keep his job, for which Mr. Sinclair could hardly blame him for. Saving his daughters from the belly of a pirate ship seemed to make up for it.

"You're welcome. I still expect you'll ask permission before any proposals, and of course she will need to speak with John before you two make any public appearances together," he warned. There would probably be enough talk about Josephine and Alec without any added rumors of unfaithfulness. "I'd also still like to have you over for dinner whenever possible, and please do keep me updated on the business. But as long as you make her happy, I'm happy."

Josephine certainly hoped Ella was right about her ability to be a good mother. She liked to think she'd learned from the best, but with no experience it was hard to say. She also hoped that Ella realized that having no desire to have kids didn't mean she would never have them. Life happened. Accidents occurred. And now that she and Peter had apparently started being intimate, the risk of that was even higher. She hoped it wouldnt, because she wasn't sure whether Peter would stick around. She didn't want Ella to be stuck in that situation, especially if she couldn't rely on support from a man. It happened a lot unfortunately. Men had their fun and scurried the minute their actions resulted in a less than desirable consequence, leaving mother and child alone and scorned for daring to love someone.

"Just... One time?" Was that really better than learning it was a regular occurrence? She didn't really know. But she had questions. A lot of them. It was embarrassing for her as well, but without their mother the girls didn't have anyone to talk about this with except each other. She wasn't an expert. In fact, she didn't know much about it at all apart from the details she'd learned from some of her married friends. But she still felt like she needed to voice her concerns, and... Maybe she was a little curious about things she wasn't comfortable asking her married friends about, too.

She couldn't get to those questions though, because before she could ask anything, Alec was spinning her, and then his lips were on hers. A moment of confusion was followed by a moment of bliss. They hadn't kissed like this, let alone at all, in too long. She wanted to slow it down and enjoy it, but she also couldn't stop the sudden jolt of fear when she realized he was kissing her. And her father was around. She pulled away and looked behind them with panic, opening her mouth to question why he was taking such a big risk by kissing her right now. But her worries were replaced with shock and surprise when he explained that they were finally getting it. Their chance to truly be together.

"What?" She asked breathlessly, and then she broke out into a wide grin. "Are you serious?" She wrapped her arms around his neck and then she couldn't help but kiss him with all the pent up frustration she'd been feeling these last few weeks. She didn't care that they had an audience, and if they truly did have permission now, she would parade her love for him around town without care for a long time to come.

Mr. Sinclair, having followed Alec from below, allowed them to have a moment, but cleared his throat when it started to seem like they'd forgotten he and Ella were even in the room. Josephine broke from Alec then to run to him and give him a hug. She hugged him so tight he could hardly breathe. He didn't even know Josephine had that kind of strength to her. "Thank you, daddy! I love you so much, this means so much to me!"

 

[AvianJen]

Alec nodded fervently. "I will, sir. I promise. I really...I can't thank you enough." It meant the world to him that they would now be able to be together, openly, without having to keep it from anyone. After Josephine told John, of course. Then everything would be perfect, and once he started turning a profit he could propose. Of course it was just a formality; Alec knew that Josephine wanted to marry him as much as he wanted to marry her and her father's blessing more or less meant that it was a done deal. But still, it was something that he wanted to make special. He was never going to take her for granted.

Ella knew that one day, she would probably have children. She just hoped that it wasn't until she was ready for that part of her life, after she'd done all the things she wanted to do. After she'd graduated from university presuming she was accepted, and after she and Peter had spent a couple years traveling the world together. Then, if they wanted to settle down and get married and have children, maybe Ella would be satisfied with that. But she didn't know, and somehow she didn't think that it was going to happen. That was a naive position to take, but as long as she and Peter were careful she didn't see why they couldn't continue to have a sex life without her becoming pregnant. Like Josephine, there were still a lot of things she didn't have the answers to, though. There was no telling what would happen.

"Yes, just one time," Ella said again. "One...amazing time." And probably only one time for a while; it was risky, and if Father were to find out then she and Peter could say goodbye to whatever future they had hoped to have together. That wasn't allowed to happen. But Ella did want to do it again, and even though she had experienced intimacy she still had questions. Probably questions without any answers, or questions that would be answered with more experience.

Alec didn't care if they had an audience; he hadn't kissed Josephine in far too long, and now he could do so freely. He felt no fear at getting caught, and he felt no need to glance over his shoulder to make sure nobody was watching. The only other time he'd been able to do this was on the pirate ship after he'd been found out, but that situation had come with it's own set of difficulties. He watched Josephine's face as she allowed the news to sink in, and it was all Alec could do not to lift her up and spin her around again. "Yes!" he exclaimed, unable to contain his joy. "Yes. We can be together now. Well...after you tell John." But Alec wasn't concerned about that, and he kissed her again. "I love you."

He watched as she ran over to her father, grinning from ear to ear. Ella couldn't help but smile too, genuinely happy for her sister. Now they both could be with who they wanted to. Maybe even have double dates that they both wanted to go on. Mr. Sinclair was smiling as well, and hugged Josephine back tightly. "You're welcome, sweetheart," he said genuinely. "Ella dear, why don't you come sit outside with me? We should give these two some privacy."

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Maybe it was comforting to know that Ella had only done it once. Josephine doubted whether she would have found out if she hadn't seen them, but she might have been more surprised or upset if she'd heard about it a long time from now, and that Ella and Peter had been doing it in secret for a while. And, on the positive side of things, at least Ella had the choice. The girls both knew the fear of almost having that choice taken away from them from their time on the ship. Although it wasn't the choice Josephine would have preferred her sister make, at least it was one. Hopefully if everything went well Josephine would get to makes hers as well. These were all things they would have to discuss later, though. With the good news unexpectedly arriving, it was all she could do but forget her and Ella's conversation for the time being.

It was hard to explain just exactly how she felt in that moment. After two years of never thinking this day would come, it almost felt like it could be some kind of cruel joke. But it wasn't. This was real, this was happening, and everything they had been through together had been worth it. She laughed with happiness swelling in heart, matching his enthusiastic kiss with her own. "I love you, too," she said, and refrained from any more dramatic public displays of affection until her father and her sister left the room.

With them gone, she returned to her place in his arms, wrapping her own around his neck and grinning up at him adoringly. "I might have to ask you to pinch me so I know this isn't a dream," she said. If it was, she wouldn't mind if she never woke up again. It felt so surreal to be getting this news while they stood in the very house that would someday be theirs. They had been through hell and back just to be together that she had never felt really secure with their relationship. But now, for the first time, they could be certain. And public. She could kiss him in private if she wanted to, but also at her father's parties, in the streets... she could hold his hand without worry.

"On second thought, even if this is a dream...." she leaned up and kissed him, slowly this time so she could really savor the moment. It always felt good to kiss him, but it felt even better now knowing that they had permission to.

 

[AvianJen]

Josephine seemed just as amazed as he was. Alec really couldn't believe that this was happening, and he didn't think there'd ever been a happier day in his life. The only thing that could top this was actually getting married, but now...that didn't have to be such an impossible dream. He waited a second until Mr. Sinclair and Ella had left the room, but then he placed his arms around her waist and hugged her close. "It's not a dream," he murmured, leaning down to kiss her lovingly. It sure did feel like it, though. Who would have thought that a simple man like himself would ever manage to win over a girl like her, let alone get permission to see her officially?

He kissed her back, not afraid to hold her close now. It was so incredibly liberating, and Alec felt like he could just float off of the ground if he let go. She was so beautiful, and he loved her so much. And now, she was his. "Just think," he murmured after he pulled away. "Someday soon we might actually live here. Together." He hugged her again and held her close. "I'm so glad that you like it." He had been afraid of that; her liking it. He knew that she would be happy as long as they were together, but he still wanted her to like where they lived. He didn't want her to feel like it was too small...she was used to much more. He couldn't give her a big room or luxurious clothes, but he could love her. And they could have children and live a happy life together.

"You liked the bedroom, right?" he asked, pulling her back towards the larger one. He loved it; it was the best thing he'd ever had. "It's great- I can wake up every morning and see Nielson right out the window. It's a little bright so I think it could use some curtains, but..." Alec didn't know what to do about that. He didn't like spending his hard-earned money on seemingly frivolous things like curtains, especially when he had no nearby neighbors and it wasn't a privacy issue. Still, he was sure that Josephine would be able to help with things like that, and he couldn't wait for the day they could wake up in that bed together every morning, and fall asleep together every night. Alec wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and leaned his head on her shoulder. "What are you thinking about?" he murmured.

Downstairs, Ella and Mr. Sinclair found a place on the two rocking chairs on the porch, looking out onto the field. Mr. Sinclair looked towards Ella with a smile. "Did you have a good birthday?" he asked. "Did Peter treat you well?" Ella nodded fervently.

"He set up a little picnic outside," she said with a smile. "And he gave me roses. And a spyglass." Both gifts were safely in her bedroom. Peter had given her one more present as well, but it wasn't something she could really tell her father about. Mr. Sinclair nodded, thinking about it. Josephine was all but engaged now, and Ella didn't seem like she was far behind. It was hard to comprehend; he knew that he was getting older, but it was still scary to think of living in that big house all alone once his girls were gone.

"He's a good man," he replied regarding Peter. He looked towards Ella and tilted his head curiously. "Do you think he could be the one?" Ella returned his gaze and nodded, a sparkle in her eyes.

"Yes daddy, I think he could be," she replied.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Maybe there would always be just a little piece of her that wouldn't believe all of this could really be hers. Wealthy girls didn't marry stable boys. They married business men, merchants, governors, or sometimes princes. She wasn't supposed to love Alec. She wasn't supposed to want a life with him. He was supposed to regard her as a spoiled princess like most of them did. Yet, here they were. They survived two years of secrecy, a pirate ship, and a disappointed, disapproving father. So maybe she really was a spoiled rich girl who managed to get everything she wanted after all. The rest of them could take their expensive jewelry, mansions, and shallow husbands. She would happily take Alec.

She smiled when he pulled away. It was hard not to pull him back into another kiss after so long of going without, but she felt better knowing that they had a whole future ahead of them now. The rest of their lives would be filled with kisses, so she hugged him back and took in the familiar feel of his arms around her. She had her whole life to enjoy this, too. "It's perfect, Alec," she said. It was everything she imagined it might be minus the children, a garden, and a dog. All of that was to come, though, so it was enough just to imagine it for now. They had walls and a roof over their heads to make it more than just a far off fantasy.

She took his hand to follow him into what would be their bedroom, again imagining what it might be like a few years from now, and grinned at his enthusiasm. "I do. I like all of it. I can help with the decorating, but... you've really done an amazing job. I'm so proud of you." She sighed happily when she felt him behind her, and closed her eyes just to take it in all more deeply. Reaching her hand up, she brushed her fingers through his hair and gave him a soft kiss against the side of his head. She felt at peace for the first time in a long time, his question hard to answer because she had never had her thoughts so simultaneously busy with happy fantasies and empty with just contentment before. "Even if this... all of the hard work you've put into this place and your business... if it still wasn't enough to convince father to let us be together, I'd still be proud of you. You're the best man I've ever known. You deserve all of it." She liked to think that maybe he didn't need her as much as she needed him to feel truly happy, but she was glad it was working out how they wanted it to anyway.

Mr. Sinclair was a little saddened at the thought of being alone. Those weeks the girls had been gone had been the toughest time of his life, and having one daughter nearly resent him after they came back was a challenge, too. But they were his greatest joy in life, his biggest accomplishment. He knew that every little girl had to grow up sometime, and although it was going to be hard to let them both go yet again, he could at least do so this time knowing they were going to be taken care of and happy. Besides, there were always grandchildren to look forward to.

Neither of the girls had chosen a traditionally "good" match for themselves, but Mr. Sinclair could see beyond the superficial down into the heart of them. Alec and Josephine had given him trouble, but Alec was a hard worker and ambitious. He clearly loved his daughter. And Peter... he really meant it when he said he was a good man. A humble and brave soul to have helped his daughters survive a bunch of pirates, he was. He was glad to see that he could make Ella happy, too.

"Well, sweetheart, I'm glad to see you happy," he said. It couldn't be too long now before either one of the men decided to propose and he'd walk his two girls down the aisle to their futures. "You're all grown up, now. It's hard to believe that twenty years ago you came kicking and crying out of your mother. I knew right then I'd have my hands full, but you've turned out to be a remarkable young woman. Who would have thought my very own daughter would be the first woman to attend university around here?" He'd just gotten the letter this morning, actually, before Josephine and Alec had interrupted him.

 

[AvianJen]

Perfect. That was definitely how Alec was feeling right now, after everything that had just happened. Josephine had been the last missing piece of his puzzle; he had his house, his little startup business...and now he had someone to share it with. Or at least, he would assuming that everything went according to plan. But getting her father's approval had been the biggest obstacle, and they'd finally overcome it. Alec hadn't been too optimistic for a while, and he'd almost given up, but now he felt like anything was possible. And he couldn't be happier that she liked it so much.

He nodded in agreement when she promised to help with the decorating; it was all bare bones right now. Alec didn't have the patience, the skill, or the money for decorations, but he had all the essentials. When Josephine moved in she would transform the little house into a home. "Thank you, love" he murmured softly, turning his head to press a kiss to her temple. Normally Alec would deflect her praise, hesitant to accept compliments, but it was true he had worked hard. It meant the world to him to finally see it all paying off. And while he highly doubted that he was the best man he'd ever met, he was positive that she was the best woman he'd ever met. To think that just being himself was enough to win her over was incredible. "I don't deserve you," he said finally, tightening his arms around her and pressing another kiss, this time to the top of her head. "I'm the luckiest man alive."

Ella beamed at her father, thrilled that her relationship with Peter was going so well. She fell more in love with him every day, and the fact that both her and Josephine's relationships had earned Father's stamp of approval was something to celebrate. Ella knew that she and her sister were going to be up talking all night about everything, planning their weddings. It was all happening so fast, but Ella enjoyed the whirlwind. She'd never been happier. She listened to her father, her heart melting at his words. She didn't want to leave him all alone, but she didn't see her and Peter actually getting married for another year or two. First Alec needed to propose and Josie's wedding would need to happen. Then it was Ella's turn, but in the meantime she was excited to see how Peter progressed with his apprenticeship and see how their relationship continued to grow.

And Ella's day was about to get better. She didn't catch what he said at first, but after a second she managed to process through his words. "Wait..." she said, looking at him slowly, a hopeful look on his face. "What do you mean? I got in?" Mr. Sinclair smiled and nodded.

"I'm so proud of you, sweetheart. Your test scores were exceptional." Now it was Ella's turn to scream. She leaped out of her chair and sprung forward, throwing her arms around her father.

"Oh my god!" she cried. "Really? Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Mr. Sinclair chuckled and hugged her back tightly.

"What are you thanking me for?" he asked with amusement. "You did all the work."

"I can't believe it!" Ella exclaimed. She let go of him and jumped up and down, clapping her hands excitedly. "I have to tell Josie," she realized. "Josie!" She ran upstairs, probably startling her sister for the second time today and interrupting her and Alec. "Josie, Josie! I got accepted into the university, for real!" And Peter...oh, he would be so excited. Ella couldn't be more thrilled.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine could still hardly believe any of this was happening, but she was glad it was. She couldn't help the big grin on her face just from feeling him wrap around her and plant kisses on her head. She'd been starved of this kind of affection for so long, and now she couldn't get enough of it. The best part was they never had to worry about saying goodbye again. It was something new to the both of them, and it was not only a relief, but euphoric.

She turned in his arms when he said he didn't deserve her, though. Something Josie had learned about Alec a long time ago was that he was never very good at admitting his own strengths. There was nothing wrong with being humble, but he took it so far it was almost to a fault. Placing her palm on his cheek, she gave him a soft peck and shook her head. "Alec, you know that's not true. No other man I know would have put up with me for two years, let alone sneak onto a pirate ship to save me. And you didn't give up on me, even when it seemed like all hope was lost. All I've ever done is... is date other men and cause you worry. If anything it's me who isn't deserving of you." She stroked his cheek with her palm. "I love you so much. I can't wait to share all of this with you."

She leaned in to kiss him again, but before she quite got there she heard Ella bounding up the stairs and yelling her name at the top of her lungs. She sighed and pulled herself away from Alec slightly, but otherwise smiled softly in Ella's direction while she waited to see what all of the fuss was about.

When Ella broke the good news, Josephine rose an eyebrow. If this was true, if Ella really had been accepted into university, well then that was great news! "Really? Ella, that's wonderful!" She broke from Alec's embrace to go and give Ella a congratulatory hug. She really was proud of Ella for accomplishing something so seemingly impossible for women. Josephine didn't have the patience for it herself, or the desire, really. But that didn't mean that Ella wasn't fully deserving and capable of it, and she was happy for her. It was turning out to be a rather eventful day.

"We'll have to celebrate. Maybe the two of us? We haven't spent a lot of time together, just us girls." Not to say they hadn't tried. Last time they attempted it had been kind of a disaster, but it could be better now. Josephine could finally see Alec, and although she still disliked Peter, she was getting used to having him around. There wasn't much they could fight about, except maybe what had happened this morning. Josephine liked to think she had learned her lesson the last time, though, and hopefully any conversation about it would go smoothly this time. "How about some wine? And you can spend the night in my room again, like the last time. Except you'll be in a better mood and we can have fun."

 

[AvianJen]

It was true that Alec was almost humble to a fault, but there was a certain point at which humility turned into just a general lack of self-confidence. Alec had become more confident recently as he realized that he could be more than just a stable boy, but it hadn't been easy to even come to that conclusion. Coming to the conclusion that he actually deserved Josephine was much harder- she was more than he ever could have dreamed of for himself. He was the luckiest man alive to have won her heart, and he did not take that for granted.

"Put up with you?" he chuckled. "Josie, love, it's an absolute joy. And I know that none of that is your fault." He still didn't think that he was deserving of her, but he thought that was okay. If he thought that he was deserving of a woman like her, that might mean he would take advantage of her or take her for granted. But he didn't, and he'd promised himself multiple times that he never would. She deserved the best, and he firmly believed that. "Don't say nonsense like that. I love you." He leaned forward to press another kiss to her lips.

They were interrupted by Ella running up the stairs, and Alec was taken by surprise. But he had to congratulate her as well when she revealed that she had been accepted into the university; that was a big deal, especially for a woman.

"Congratulations, Ella," he said with a huge smile. "That's really wonderful."

"Thanks," Ella smiled. She hugged Josephine back tightly, unable to contain her excitement. This was such a wonderful day already, but Josie's suggestion made it even better. She hoped that they wouldn't fight, but they were both so happy she didn't see how that could happen. "Yes, I'd love that," she said excitedly. They hadn't gotten to have a whole lot of sister time recently, at least not nice, happy sister time, and she was eager to remedy that as quickly as possible.

She clapped her hands in delight when Josie even went so far as to suggest wine; usually adding alcohol was Ella's idea, but she was all for it. "Yes!" she agreed cheerfully. "Yes, we should. I'm so excited!" She bounced in a circle and stopped then, realizing despite all of Josephine's enthusiasm she had probably just walked in on her and Alec's blissful reunion. "I'm sorry," she said suddenly. "I didn't mean to interrupt, I was just excited."

"As you should be," Alec told her, shaking his head. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure Mr. Sinclair is ready to head out anyways." Saying goodbye wasn't going to be as hard from now on, because now he knew that he and Josephine had a future. These kisses weren't going to be the last.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine just laughed and shook her head. He was impossible. "I'm beginning to think I could get away with murder and you'd still say you don't deserve me," she teased. They would probably be having this debate for years, old and gray on their deathbeds, and they'd be telling the other how much they didn't really deserve the other. Sometimes Josie wished Alec would have a bit more confidence in himself, but his humility was one of the things she loved about him so much. It was refreshing when she knew so many other men who just liked to brag about themselves.

Between getting to officially see Alec and Ella's happy news, Josephine thought it really was cause to celebrate. It was true that she was not the biggest drinker in the family, especially after the one particular night when she experienced lapse in self control, but she didn't see the harm in a couple glasses. If it was just with Ella, it would be fine. They could watch each other, and it was much more likely that Josephine would be the one to abandon her wine to watch over Ella anyway.

She reached out to tuck a strand of Ella's hair out of the way and laughed at her sister's excitement. "It's alright. You have reason to be excited, and Alec and I will have plenty of uninterrupted alone time to look forward to from now on." She looked over her should at him meaningfully, still hardly able to accept that it was real. She finally had everything she wanted.

Alec was right in saying that their father probably wanted to leave soon, though, so she went to him once more to say goodbye. At least this time she knew it was a temporary goodbye and they'd be back in each other's arms soon. "Give me a few days to speak with John," she said. It wasn't going to be a pleasant talk, but it was necessary to make her and Alec really official. "And then you and I can celebrate this." Taking his hand in both of hers, she pulled him towards her and gave him one last kiss to hold them over for the few days. She couldn't wait to see him again or parade him around town arm in arm.

 

[AvianJen]

Alec laughed at her suggestion and shook his head. "No, I don't think so, love," he joked. "Don't go looking for reasons for me to dump you." Of course, he would never end things with her. After all they'd been through together, something incredibly drastic would have to happen for him to ever want to make that call. And once they were married, it was for life. Alec didn't take marriage and commitment lightly. No matter what happened, they would stand by each other and figure it out as a team.

Ella looked a little sheepish, but she still couldn't keep herself still. She was so excited, and so proud. She never thought that she was capable of doing something like this, and yet, here she was, about to go to university and be the only woman sitting in a class full of me. Peter had been the one to inspire the idea and stand up for her, but Ella knew that she had gotten in based on her own credentials. If she hadn't passed the test, they wouldn't have let her in. If her essays weren't satisfactory, they would have closed the door on her. Ella knew that as a woman she was going to be held to a higher standard- it wasn't fair, but it was okay. She was ready, and she could handle it. She was overjoyed to have Josephine and her father's support, as well as her boyfriend's. She was going to tell him the second that he got home.

But still, she was grateful that Josie wasn't angry she had interrupted her little moment. It wasn't as if Josie hadn't done that very thing this morning, but...Ella was trying not to think about that right now. She was embarrassed enough about it as it was.

Alec returned Josephine's look with a smile, nodding. "Just think," he said. "In a couple of days I'll be able to ask you out on an official date." He would love nothing better, and the thought of going taking her out on a real date nearly made him giddy. What would they do? He had to make it special...not just dinner, and she would probably expect something like the races. Not to mention that was more for him, anyways. He would figure it out. He nodded when she requested a few days to speak with John, knowing that was going to be hard for her but it was necessary. He leaned forward and placed his hand on her cheek, kissing her back gently. "I love you," he said. Ella stood in the doorway, pretending not to exist. "I'll see you later."

Alec walked the two girls back downstairs and thanked Mr. Sinclair again before letting the three of them get on their horses and ride home. He couldn't believe that this was reality.

When they reached the Sinclair estate, all three of them were in exceptional moods. Ella was a bouncing ball of energy, thrilled and eagerly anticipating Peter's arrival back home. Then, she and Josie would have a perfect sister slumber party.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine laughed, and moved in to give him a tight hug. She had no plans of doing anything to make him question being with her, although at this point, it seemed like they'd already been through hell and back. There wasn't much else either of them could do to make them question whether this was all worth it and should they really be together. She loved him, and she knew he loved her too. And now, even though he hadn't officially proposed, they were as good as engaged already. They would marry, have children, grow old together, and there wasn't a single person out there who she would rather do all of that with than Alec. "You would never," she said.

It was starting to look like Peter and Ella would never leave each other either. It was a hard idea to come to terms with, but after she walked in on them this morning it was quite clear that the couple was taking things seriously. At least, Josephine really hoped they were both taking it seriously. She may not agree with the sentiment that two people could only be intimate if they were married, but she still believed that it should be reserved for people who truly loved each other. It would be a lie for her to say that knowing Alec had been with other people didn't bother her on some deeper level, but she knew that whenever she and Alec got around to it, it would mean something to the both of them. She was aware of Peter's past as well, but was less forgiving and less certain that Ella wasn't just one of his many pursuits. But like Ella, she wasn't about to bring any of that up right now.

Josephine hadn't even thought about going on an actual date with Alec. It was strange, because for so long that had never really been a part of their relationship. Now that he said it, however, she couldn't help but beam with excitement. He was right. They had been in love for two years, but they hadn't ever actually gone on a date before. "I can't wait," she said, grinning. "But you know, generally the rule is you can't kiss me until after the date, so I'm going to hold you to that. I want us to do it right." She did let him kiss her one last time though, as a goodbye. "Starting now. I love you, too. I'm looking forward to it already."

Back at the estate, as much as she wanted to celebrate all the wonderful things, she knew Ella was still wanting to tell Peter the news, too. So she told her she'd see her after dinner for the celebration to give her time to do so and herself some time to freshen up after riding their horses.

Ella didn't have to wait too much longer after getting back from Alec's before Peter actually returned. For him, it was more or less a normal day at the job. Mr. Lawrence still worked him hard, and although he was still tired, he was adjusting to having the steady work. Thinking about Ella had been a bit of distraction today given their time together yesterday, so he was more than happy to head home and see her.

Finding her, he pulled her towards him and planted a hello kiss on her lips. "I've been thinking about you all day. How have you been?" he asked, leaning his forehead against hers.

 

[AvianJen]

When Josephine brought up the point that he wasn't technically supposed to kiss her until after their first date, it was a little bit hard not to roll his eyes. "I think we're a little bit past the formalities, love," he argued gently. But, if she didn't want him to kiss her again until he'd taken her out on a proper date, then Alec was not about to force himself on her. He would be sure to plan a special and exciting date; something worthy of her. Thankfully he had a couple of days, since she had to talk to John before they could take another step forward and finally make their relationship public. That was exciting, but there was a certain degree of intimidation that came with it. They were going to receive a lot of backlash for their relationship, and Alec hoped that Josie was prepared for it. He didn't know if he was, but he after all they'd been through he liked to think it would be easy.

Ella ate a light lunch while she waited for Peter, knowing that she would probably fill up on dinner and snacks later with her sister. But she was bouncing off the walls- she was absolutely thrilled for Josephine, and she was thrilled at her news. Mr. Sinclair had showed his daughter the letter as soon as they walked home, and Ella had promptly pinned the acceptance letter on her wall. When Peter returned, she rushed up to meet him outside, wrapping her arms around his torso and kissing him back. After last night she felt so much closer to him, physically and emotionally. There was something about intimacy that had that effect; she had trusted him by allowing herself to be incredibly vulnerable, and he had trusted her. She'd given him everything she had, and that meant something. So when she hugged him today, his arms really did feel like home. It was cheesy, and Ella never thought she'd understand love, but she was beginning to.

But, she could only dwell on the romance for a moment before she got too excited. "Great," she replied, grinning from ear to ear. "Better than great, actually. Guess what?" She bounced up and down on her toes excitedly. For a second she waited for him to guess...but she was too excited. She had to blurt it out. "I got accepted into the university!" she exclaimed finally, squealing with joy. "Like, actually got a letter and everything! Peter I can't believe it!" she threw her arms around him again, squeezing him tightly. "And Father gave Josie and Alec permission to see each other now," she added happily. "I don't think she'll be as upset about us any more."

Of course, Ella and Josie had yet to have an actual conversation about last night, but Josie was probably too thrilled to be angry with her little sister for something like that. "I'm sorry, I'm talking about myself too much," she decided, glancing back up at Peter's face. "How was your day?"

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

It was true they were past it, but she couldn't help but feel this need and desire to have something resembling normalcy for their relationship for once. It wasn't so much that she didn't want him to kiss her - she really, really did after so long of having to go without. This time, however, it was a choice of her own to have a bit of fun pretending that her first real date with Alec was like any other first date. She already knew him inside and out, but they had never been public before. They missed out on this opportunity to do normal, and although she regretted nothing about how their relationship came to be given they wouldn't even have one if she hadn't started sneaking out to the loft, it would be nice to try and do something the traditional way for a change. "Yes, but it's just for fun. Treat it like the first date we should have had before we loved each other. I'm curious. Aren't you?" She gave him a quick peck on the cheek and left him to mull the thought over. Ella was generally more imaginative than she was, but Josephine still had her moments too.

Peter rose an eyebrow, noting Ella's unusual enthusiasm right away. She was always generally excitable and cheerful, but he knew her well enough by now to distinguish between the normal levels of glee and those that indicated something was happening. It could, he supposed, have something to do with last night. He knew that he'd been walking on air all day himself. Sleeping with her hadn't been planned by any means, but he was glad at the direction their relationship had taken. He was hardly arrogant enough to believe that was all that was going on here though, despite Ella's insistence that the male ego was ever persistent.

When she indicated that there was in fact something else going on, she didn't even give him any time to guess. She just spit it out right away, and he found himself smiling and filling up with pride at the news. "Really? Wow, Ella, that's great! See, I told you they'd be insane not to let you in." He pulled her closer and squeezed her tightly around the middle, thinking about how they could celebrate the occasion. One thing came to mind, but he was unsure if he was willing to take the risk after being walked in on this morning.

Which led him to further surprise when she mentioned the news about Josephine and Alec. It was hard to be as excited about that, seeing as he wasn't particularly close to either of them, but it was good news, he supposed. It made him feel less guilty about everything, and the two of them really did deserve the chance to be happy together. He had to chuckle softly at Ella's suggestion that Josephine wouldn't be upset about them anymore, though. "That's good news, too, but I don't think getting permission to see Alec means Josephine will suddenly like me. More tolerant, maybe. Less insufferable and more distracted from annoyingly watching my every move as well."

He laughed again when she said she was talking about herself too much and shook his head. "Don't be silly. You have reason to. My day was fine, work was as it usually is. I heard Mr. Lawrence mention a short expedition coming up soon, and I thought I might ask him if I could help out."

 

[AvianJen]

Alec didn't think it sounded like a whole lot of fun; the common folk didn't abide by those kinds of rules. They kissed whenever they pleased, and if it turned into a relationship then great. If not...it didn't make too much of a difference. But the upper class operated very differently, and even though Alec didn't always like it, he would do whatever Josie asked of him. He wasn't that curious about what their relationship would have been like if they had courted the proper way and he didn't think that pretending would make anything seem different, but again, he wasn't going to complain. "I don't really get it," he admitted. "I'm sorry. But anything for you, love." He kissed her on the top of her head and watched them leave before getting to work. There was a lot that he had to do, and he had one of his customers coming by later in the afternoon.

Peter was just as excited as Ella had thought he would be, but that didn't make her any less thrilled to see how happy he was for her. She squeezed him just as tightly, her smile wide. "I can't believe it," she said with amazement. Ella was amazed, but it still felt surreal. She almost didn't believe that it was actually happening. "I really can't believe it, I wasn't sure they'd let me in...Peter, I'm so excited." She went back in for another hug and pressed a kiss against his lips as well.

He didn't seem as thrilled about Alec and Josephine, but Ella was encouraged by it, and glad that her sister had finally been given the opportunity to find her own happiness. She loved Josephine and only wanted the best for her, and she did think that it might ease tensions a little bit between her and Peter. Although he was right, they were unlikely to disappear entirely. She giggled at his description of her sister, nodding. "Yes, hopefully it will put a stop to all that," she agreed. "I think she's feeling better about it..." Except for this morning, of course. Ella and Peter hadn't gotten a chance to really talk about it, but she wasn't sure if they needed to. Last night had been amazing, and they both seemed determined to not let being found ruin it. Josie had promised not to say anything, and she would be so busy with Alec now she might not even notice if they were to do it again. Although Ella did think they should wait a little bit, to let everything settle.

Her smile wavered slightly when Peter mentioned an expedition, though. He was so happy for her and she wanted to be just as happy for him- she knew that he was getting restless after being stuck on land in the same little area for so long. He had to be. But the thought of him leaving for weeks, possibly months, was more than a little bit upsetting for Ella. He said short, but she wasn't sure what the definition of short was in the merchant world. "An expedition?" she tried to mask her fear of him leaving with a curious smile as she tilted her head. "What kind of expedition? For how long?" She didn't want him to leave, but if he did get to go then that would be good. It would be good for him and great for his career advancement, and as much as Ella wanted to be able to see him every day, she couldn't be selfish. "I'm sure he'll let you go," she said. "You've been working hard, and you deserve it."