Fantasy Caught in the Waves (Closed)

[AvianJen]

Now that she was safely wrapped up under the covers, Ella didn't think that she ever wanted to get up. She usually saw him briefly for breakfast before he left for work, but this was much better. She couldn't imagine how wonderful it would be to fall asleep next to him and wake up like this every morning, wrapped in his arms and feeling his lips against her skin. She smiled slightly when he said that he'd missed her, turning her head and pressing a kiss against his lips. "I missed you, too," she murmured. She had enjoyed her time with Josephine and it had been much needed, but she still missed spending time with Peter. She'd gotten rather used to it.

For several moments they just lay there, neither of them really wanting to move. Ella was so comfortable she was pretty close to just falling asleep again when the sun finally started to stream through the curtains and shine on them. Ella groaned and turned, rolling closer to Peter and resting her head near his chest. Really, she could probably just lay here forever. But, they couldn't. He would have to be getting to work pretty soon.

"I've was thinking..." she started to say. "I'm excited for you. It'll be hard when you're away, but you really deserve this. And I know that this is what you're going to do. Even if we do, like, get married...this is what you'll still be doing. Maybe this is a good test for us, you know?" She sighed, finally looking up at his face and running her fingers through his hair. "I want you to do it," she said. "And I think Mr. Lawrence would be stupid not to let you."

The last thing John was expecting this morning was a visit from Josephine. If he was being completely honest about how he felt regarding their relationship...he was still a bit on the fence. Josephine didn't seem like she was a hundred percent in it, and while John felt like they might be able to have a nice life together, there just wasn't any chemistry. He knew it, and Josephine knew it, but they both also knew that they were running out of time.

But he wasn't thinking about it now- he was sitting inside the boys' home with the kids, watching with amusement while they all played a new board game together. When he heard the knock on the door, he jumped up, brushed himself off, and went to go answer it. When he saw Josephine, his eyes widened.

"Josephine," he said stupidly, shifting awkwardly. "I...what are you doing here? Oh, I'm sorry. Please come in." He stepped back and opened the door wider, letting her step inside. It was just a simple building, with creaky wood floors and a small entrance hallway, but it was filled with laughter. He couldn't imagine why Josephine had decided to show up here this morning.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Ella was really the only friend or family Peter had the moment. Any time she was away from him was somewhat lonely, but he recognized that she had her own family to spend time with too. It was a good thing she and Josephine were getting along again. Ella hadn't said otherwise, so he assumed that Josie having walked in on them the day before was no longer much of an issue either. He could relax, and he did so, almost falling back asleep before the sun came pouring through the window.

He opened his eyes with the sound of her voice, and sighed softly while she adjusted herself. His hand lifted to gently play with her hair while she explained her thoughts. Peter didn't expect Ella to not be okay with him going away, but he did worry that she would take it hard. Being apart wasn't going to be easy on either of them, but it was something he had to do for himself. It was apart of becoming the man he was always supposed to be and turning his years of experience as a pirate into something more productive and beneficial for everyone. It did feel good to hear that he would have her approval.

"Thank you," he said when she peered up at him. "That really means a lot to me, Ella." He smiled softly towards her, and brushed his thumb against her cheek. He was so lucky to have a girl like her love and believe in him, even when he doubted himself. None of this was possible without her help and he still didn't think he deserved any of it. But he was glad he had it nonetheless. "I just want to make you proud. You have to know I wouldn't do this if you weren't comfortable with it, but... I think I'd be good at this. It's my chance to do something with myself where I can actually deserve you. Josephine's right in that you can do better than some pirate."

Josephine didn't want to do this for fear of upsetting John, but she knew that she had to. It was the best thing for both of them, and as nice and good as John was, neither of them would be truly happy together. She felt like John had to see that already. Her heart simply was elsewhere and if he were to give his to anyone, it was better given to a woman that could love him back. Maybe he would be angry at first for bringing him on this ride with her, but she was hoping he would forgive her eventually if that was the case.

"I'm sorry for dropping by without warning," she explained, stepping into the home and taking a curious look around. It wasn't much, but it seemed comfortable. It was good that the boys had some place suitable to stay. "But I was hoping I could talk to you about something. If you're not too busy... Could we maybe find somewhere private?"

On second thought it hardly seemed like an appropriate place to do this. The last thing she wanted was for this conversation to affect his work or relationship with the boys in this home. However, would it be more or less appropriate to put it off? She could have waited until they were supposed to see each other next, but then she would feel guilty for making him anticipate a normal night out only to ruin it. She could have also stopped by his home, but there was never any knowing when there might be guests or he was gone or busy. She couldn't rationalize putting it off, so it was best to just get it over with here.

 

[AvianJen]

Ella had learned that voicing her thoughts was the most healthy thing to do after their disagreement last week, and now she was ready to be more open with him. And everything that she said was genuinely true as well. When she had said her piece, she looked at him anxiously for a response, her face relaxing into a smile when he seemed to appreciate it. She closed her eyes, allowing the sensation of his hand caressing her face to be what she focused on. She loved him so much, and her heart warmed at his words.

"You've already made me proud," she told him lovingly, gazing into his eyes. "I know how hard you've worked, and how difficult it must have been for you to do all of this. You've completely changed your lifestyle to become a better person, and I'm already so proud of you." She squeezed him tight, wanting him to know that every word was true. "There's nothing else you need to do for me. But I think you're right; you would be good at this. You need to do it." She leaned forward and pecked a kiss on his lips, shaking her head at his comment about deserving her. He was always so hard on himself, and there was no need to be. "Peter, you're not just some pirate," she told him softly. "You're a wonderful man and I love you. At the very worst, you're my pirate."

She leaned forward and kissed him again, longer this time. Once they parted they would actually have to get up and face their day, but Ella could lay here forever.

John had no idea what possible reason Josephine could have for coming here, unless she had some bad news or just wanted to see the boys and know what he was up to. He couldn't imagine that she'd just wanted to see him- their relationship was nowhere near that good. When she asked to talk privately, his heart sunk just a little bit. That usually didn't mean good news. "Oh, sure," he said in his awkward way. "Um..." Empty rooms were few and far between in the boys' home, so he ended up just opening the door and motioning for her to step outside again. He led her around to the side of the building where there wasn't a lot of activity, hoping that it was good enough.

"How's this?" he asked. "Is something wrong?"

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

This was something Peter should have done a long time ago, honestly. He just didn't know how. Maybe there was an excuse for the eleven and thirteen years old version of him, but beyond that he was old enough that he should have been brave enough to say no to Tom and make something of himself instead of pirating. It was too late to turn back the clock though, so he took whatever words of encouragement he could get from Ella right now and smiled. "I love you, too."

He kissed her back when she pressed the long kiss against his lips. Although tired, he could kiss her for hours and not run out of energy. He wished he could get away with that, and groaned after a few moments knowing he had responsibilities. "I wish I could just stay in bed all day with you," he said, breaking away briefly. "You're much more enjoyable than loading crates."

Josephine followed him back outside. She wished there was some place even more private to do this. It felt strange to break things off with him outside the side of the building, but if that was the best he could do... Beggars could not be choosers. "This is fine. And no, nothing is wrong exactly. I just think it's time I'm honest with you."

How to even start? He already seemed worried. She wanted to do this as gently as possible. "Do you remember when we first went out? At the races? And I told you I've never been love before?" She crossed her arms nervously, but forced herself to look him in the eye. "Well, I lied. I have been in love before. With... With Alec." It felt surprisingly good to admit that out loud to someone other than Alec himself or her sister, but she still watched his face for a reaction. She didn't know what to expect from someone normally so calm. She felt guilty because she knew she used him, but she wanted desperately for him to forgive her for it. "I've loved him for two years knowing I could never really have him, and that's why I've been distant with you and all the others before you. I've been trying to stall my marriage while appeasing my father. But then after we got kidnapped, and Alec snuck into the ship for me, father found out. I was depressed for weeks because I was forbidden from seeing him. Father introduced me to you hoping I'd move on, but... As great as you are, John, I never moved on from Alec. I love him and I don't think it's possible to love anyone else. It's a really long and complicated story, but Alec's been working on his business and father's recently come around to the idea of us. He... He's finally given us permission to be together now, and... I'm just really sorry, John. I know none of this was ever fair to you."

 

[AvianJen]

Kissing him so was so easy. It felt so natural to Ella, and she could have easily lay there all day and just relaxed with him. She would miss him so much when he was gone, and she was already feeling sad knowing that he would eventually have to leave, but she knew that was useless. She just needed to soak up as much time with him as she possibly could, which was exactly what she was trying to do now. At his words, Ella offered him a little smile. "Well, I'd hope so," she joked playfully. "You're much more enjoyable than sitting around all day." Ella didn't have much to do except for study and prepare for classes, and of course hang out with Josephine. But she imagined that her sister would be going to see Alec today, which she entirely supported. It just meant a lot of time for Ella to spend by herself.

But, they had to get their days started sooner or later. So reluctantly, Ella rolled out of bed and took his hands in hers, helping him to get up as well. She wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned her head against his chest, closing her eyes for a moment and sighing. "I'll let you get ready," she murmured before finally pulling away. "Come see me before you leave." She gave him one last kiss before slipping out of the room and returning to her own to get dressed. Then she'd figure out what to do all day.

John was sorry that there wasn't anywhere more private for them to talk, but the outside was far better than the inside, where even if they did manage to find an empty room it would be invaded in a matter of minutes. This was really the best that he could offer at the moment. She began her piece, and John scrunched his eyebrows together, trying to figure out what she was trying to tell him before she actually said it. But he never would have guessed the truth.

"Alec," he said after a moment of processing it. He wasn't sad, just...a little bit hurt, maybe. The primary emotion he felt right now was confusion. "The stable boy?" Where had this come from? John wasn't sure what to think, and once she was finished he was silent for several moments, his arms crossed over his chest as he went through everything she'd said. Alright...so, their relationship it seemed was over. She wanted to be with Alec instead. He couldn't pretend not to be a little bit frustrated that he'd been strung along without ever really having a chance, but then again...he'd always known that, hadn't he? Deep down, she'd never seemed committed, or interested in becoming more committed. He was a little bit upset, but he knew that this was for the best. "Well...if you love him, I'm glad you're able to be together," he said finally. "He seems like he's a very good man. I'm happy for you. Don't you worry about me." He gave her a little smile shrugged. "I think I knew you never really liked me all that much anyways. It's for the best." He was a little irritated, but he was trying not to show it. It was clear how apologetic she already felt.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Peter laughed, but of course the two of them had a lot of fun together. He loved the little games she played with him, like the time they'd played truth or dare together. It was good that he could be around someone who knew how to have fun among all the boring business men that liked to visit her father or Mr. Lawrence when he was working. "I love you, you know?" He said, giving her another peck before eventually dragging himself out of bed.

He hugged her back and nodded. "Alright. I will," he grinned, and swatted playfully at her as she left. He took some time to wash up and get dressed and get a bite to eat, then before long found her again to say goodbye. "I'll let you know what he says," he said. "And then tonight I'll be all yours, as usual." He gave her a kiss on top of her head.

Josephine braced herself for his reaction. It was one thing to hear that the person you were seeing was in love with someone else, another thing entirely when that person was a stable boy like Alec. "Yes. The stableboy..." Of course Alec was much more than a stable boy to her. He was the man she loved, with a passion for horses and a kind heart, strong work ethic, and maturity. She didn't expect most people to understand without really knowing him, but she was hoping John could be. He was already taking it better than she expected he might, which just made her feel even guiltier. He didn't deserve this. She knew better than to believe he wasn't at least a little bit confused or annoyed though. She would be.

"I'm really sorry," she said again. "I thought maybe I could never really be with Alec, and father made it clear I really never could if I didn't show him I take my future seriously. I hoped that if things didn't work out with Alec then I could at least find some kind of happiness with someone else... I know it's not fair to you, though. I think you're a really decent guy. You deserve better, honestly. I want you to be able to be with someone who really loves you, anyway."

She shuffled awkwardly on her feet. There was so much hope he would find someone. He was a good and kind man. Maybe in another life, if she hadn't found Alec, she could have loved him. He had just come to her too late. "Is there anyway you think we could remain friends?" They were better suited for that, she thought.

 

[AvianJen]

Ella laughed along with him. "I know," she said with a smile. "But I love you more," she teased. Ella kissed him back briefly and left him to his own devices, heading downstairs where she made herself some tea and grabbed one of Rory's delicious muffins. When Peter was all dressed and came back down, she was sitting in the front room with a book and her tea, curled up on one of the love seats. She bounced up at his approach and hugged him back.

"Okay," she said. She knew that she would be anxious all day, wanting to know what Mr. Lawrence was going to say. Deep down, though, Ella knew that the answer would be yes. And if it wasn't yes now, it would be yes eventually. It was scary, but she meant what she said earlier. She loved him, and she wanted the world to know how incredible he was. "I'm so proud of you," she reminded him again. "I'll see you tonight." She gave him a kiss goodbye and then waved as he went to leave.

John was having a hard time understanding all of this. Josephine wanted to marry the stable boy? It was no wonder that she and Alec had faced so many hardships if this was the case, based solely on their huge class difference. He didn't necessarily believe that they shouldn't be together because of it, but it was certainly an unlikely romance that he couldn't help but be surprised by. Her little speech was sweet, but he couldn't help but feel that it wasn't truly genuine. It was hard to trust her words after what had just come to light- how she'd essentially used him. And though he understood that it wasn't really her fault and he was glad that she would be truly happy with Alec, it still stung a bit on his end.

"I understand," he said, leaning back against the wall. "I understand, but I..." now it was his turn to be awkward. He wasn't sure he wanted to be friends, at least not yet. He needed some time to process through all of this. And how could they even be friends? He didn't really want to hang out or anything. "I don't know, Josephine. Not right now," he said. "Friendly, of course, but...I don't know. Give it time."

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Peter smiled, happy to know that Ella thought the world of him even if he didn't believe it was entirely deserved. He left for work happy knowing he had her blessing to pursue this trip, but he was also a bundle of nerves about asking. Mr. Lawrence may not think he was ready. And then what? He wouldn't go. It wasn't to say he couldn't try again later, but it would certainly hurt his confidence a little. He tried not to worry too much about it, and left for work with a high head instead.

Waiting for John to answer was agonizing. She didn't really know what she expected, and she didn't really know what else to say. She had opened up to him about the truth, and there was really no way she could make what happened sound okay. She would be the first to admit that seeing John was a conscious, selfish decision of hers. It wasn't her intention to hurt him, nor was it her intention necessarily to like him the first place. But clearly she had, and she did. More than she expected to. It was the kind of like that was shallow, though. It wasn't deep, and it wasn't romantic. It had potential, but it hadn't quite blossomed into friendship though.

Even knowing that, she had to admit his rejection to be friends stung. She full well deserved it, and obviously she understood it. If she were him, she wouldn't want to be friends with her either. But it wasn't like Josephine had many friends as it was. She had rejected too many men, and the women didn't really understand her. It would have been nice to have someone like John to be around every once in a while without the awkward pressure to force something that wasn't there. As much as it seemed like there wasn't much there, she had opened up to him about more than she opened up to with most people.

"Oh..." She said, disappointed. His answer was a possibility she had prepared for, but it didn't lessen the blow. "I... I guess I deserve that. I understand..." For a moment she just stood there in awkward silence, not really knowing what to do. Eventually she took a few steps back. "I suppose I should probably just go then... Sorry to have bothered you. Goodbye, John..." She turned to walk away, finding Chestnut where she left him at the front of the house. Her next stop would be Alec's, and hopefully he could get her mind off of this for a little while. It seemed odd that their relationship was only possible because of the pain they had to endure recently, but at least they were together now. She just tried to focus on that aspect of it all.

 

[AvianJen]

John didn't meant to hurt her, he just didn't understand how being friends could be in the cards right now. He was a little bit hurt from what she'd just revealed to him, and he couldn't envision a context in which it wouldn't be weird if they were to hang out. He'd never gotten the impression she really enjoyed hanging out with him, anyways, so...John wasn't sure what to think about the whole thing, but he didn't think that it was a great idea.

Much to his surprise, though, she actually seemed disappointed when he said no. Well, he hadn't really said no...he'd just said not right now. "I don't mean not ever, Josephine," he said with a bit of exasperation. This really wasn't a conversation he wanted to have right this second. "I think you're a nice girl. But you have to understand how all of this makes me feel." He thought that was fair. He needed time, and he needed her to be okay with that. If it was a now or never type deal...John didn't know if he was interested in that.

"I'll see you later," he said, nodding goodbye when she went to leave. John lingered outside for a moment to think about everything, not wanting to be distracted when he was with the boys. A few minutes later, he pulled himself together and headed back inside to face the rest of his day.

Alec had a busy day as well. When Josephine rode up he was just finishing his first training session of the morning, which had begun at dawn. He had an evening session as well, and in between those two times he was planning to pay a visit to the estate to check on the other horses and then come back to work on his books and start putting Mr. Sinclair's advice into practice. He needed to get better at the bookkeeping part of business if he was going to be organized, and as Mr. Sinclair had said, organization was the key to success.

The customer had just left on his horse when he noticed Josephine, and his eyes brightened at the sight of her. This was incredible all on it's own, being allowed to see her at his home. The home that one day would belong to her as well. He met her at the barn and helped her dismount, immediately sweeping her up into a kiss. It felt so good to be able to do that without any of the usual anxieties that plagued him.

"Good morning, love," he said with a smile. "What brings you to my humble abode?"

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Of course Josephine understood. What she had done had been awful. She just wanted so badly to make it up to him, for him to get the chance to see who she really was. The pressure to try and find some kind of romantic attraction to him caused them some kind of awkwardness when they were together, and she knew he felt that too. Still, she felt like given the chance they might be friends. Hearing that maybe he didn't want that made her feel not only sad, but guilty. It was just hard to put it into words, but she did see where he was coming from.

"I know," she said. "I understand. I just... I already hate that I put you through this. I hope... I don't know, that maybe one day you'll forgive me." She gave him a sad smile, trying to shrug it off. He wouldn't be the first man she scorned, but he might be the worst of it, and maybe the only one she actually kind of liked as a person. "You know where to find me if you do, anyway."

The ride from the boys home to Alec's wasn't long, but it was contemplative. She was excited to see him, but also kind of sobered from the conversation with John. All she could do was hope for the best and focus on the positives for now. She was finally, officially with Alec. One day they would be married, have children... A whole future they had only ever dreamed about before was finally a real possibility.

Upon arrival, she was glad to see he didn't seem busy at the moment. She knew he had to work, and she hadn't planned on staying long, but he should know that the deed was done so they could figure out when they could go out in public with each other for the first official time. She let him help her off her horse, smiling when he pulled her in for a kiss. She kissed him back, arms wrapping around his neck, just enjoying the pleasant feeling for a moment.

"Morning," she replied when they pulled away, but she stayed close to him, still holding on tight. "How is business going?" She was curious as to what his typical day looked like now that he'd started getting more customers. "I just spoke with John. So... I am once more unspoken for if there's anything you want to ask me," she teased. It may have been two years, but she was giddy at the thought of him asking her out on a real date for the first time.

 

[AvianJen]

John shook his head, offering Josephine a little smile. "It's alright, you don't need to ask for forgiveness. It stings a little, but I'll be okay. I'm a grown man. Besides," he added, "I understand why you had to do it. I don't like it, but I understand it. I'm not upset with you." He didn't want her to feel too guilty; it wasn't really her fault. But he would get over it, and John still hoped that he would have a chance to find love for himself. Josephine wasn't it, and she never had been. It was okay.

Alec was very pleased to see her, and he held her tight, still not quite over the fact that they were finally able to be together. Today was the first day of the rest of their lives, together. "Business is alright," he said with a nod. "Not much has changed since yesterday, but I just had a session. The owners bring their horses or I go to their homes, depending on what they need, and I work with the animals, obviously...for a couple hours at a time. We mostly just did diagnostics today, so it was a good morning. I probably smell like horses, though." To be fair, Alec smelled like horses ninety percent of the time. The smell clung to him at all times, and his lifestyle didn't exactly help. But Josie had never seemed to mind too much.

He raised his eyebrows when she said that she'd already spoken with John. "That was fast," he commented. Not that he was disappointed; the sooner that they could get on with their lives and publicly be together, the better. "How did it go? Was he upset?" Hopefully the poor guy hadn't gotten hurt too badly; he seemed nice, and it was an unfortunate situation. She wasn't very subtle about wanting to be asked out on a date, though, and Alec smirked playfully.

"Hm, nope," he said, kissing the tip of her nose. "Can't think of anything." He wanted to make it special for her, he didn't want to just ask her out and be done with it. He'd come up with a plan, and then ask her when she least expected it. "I already forgot about your no kissing rule," he suddenly recalled. He didn't feel very guilty, but he wasn't sure how important that really was to her. She hadn't protested or anything, but he probably should have remembered. "I'm sorry."

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine looked unsure. She felt like she had to ask for forgiveness. Maybe it was true that given her circumstances she didn't have much choice, but she could have still chosen to be honest with him, and she hadn't out of fear that he wouldn't be willing to help her out for a little while. After all, he hardly knew her. It was completely selfish of her, and it had kept him from potentially meeting someone who would be good for him. That alone was reason to be upset. If he insisted that he would be okay, though, she had no choice but to believe him for now.

She didn't really understand much about business, or even that much about horses despite how much Alec talked about them, but she smiled while he talked about his day and giggled at how he probably smelled like horses now. She held him tighter and rested her head against his chest. "You do," she commented. "But I like it. You wouldn't be you if you didn't smell like horses." It wasn't a particularly nice smell, not in the sense that flowers were, but it was familiar. It brought her a sense of comfort because it reminded her of him even if he wasn't around.

It was fast, but again, the faster she cut her ties off, the sooner they could truly be together. "I don't know... It could have gone better, but it could have been worse also." He told her he wasn't upset, but he also didn't want to be friends, so clearly she had stung him enough to warrant some space. That was fair enough, and she expected as much, but it wasn't how she ideally wanted to end things. "I just feel awful about doing that to him. I would hate me if I were him." That was one of her fears about going public with Alec, too, although it wasn't going to stop her. Besides the romance she associated with it, the public backlash she anticipated was part of her reason for the kiss rule. That sort of required him to actually ask her, though.

She frowned, and gave him a light shove, feigning offence when he said he didn't have anything to ask her. "Alec!" she exclaimed, and crossed her arms haughtily. She had to smirk when he said he forgot about the kissing rule, though. She wasn't upset about it, obviously, and she honestly wasn't going to hold him to a strict standard. It was hard enough going so long without really being able to see each other that a kiss here or there wasn't going to kill them. A few public displays of affection too soon however could cause some unpleasant talk, though. "Don't be sorry," she said. "But if you have nothing to ask me, I can't guarantee when the next one might be. Or who it might be with?" she added with a grin.

 

[AvianJen]

Alec smirked at her comment and shrugged in agreement. He'd lived with horses for the past several years, and the smell was just a part of him. Now it was a little bit less; he had his own house apart from the barn and he was doing his best to keep it clean, but it was definitely still there. Alec doubted that it was possible to actually wash the entire smell off of his body.

She didn't give him a lot of details about how things had gone with John, and he frowned in concern. "Well, what did he say?" he asked, pressing her for more details. He was sure that John hadn't been happy, and it was unfortunate that Josephine had led him on. But she hadn't had any other choice, and even if John was upset he couldn't imagine him being too angry, not if Josephine explained herself well. Alec knew that she felt bad about it, and surely John had been able to tell too. "Well, it's not your fault," he said with a sigh. "It's not fair to him, and he deserves better. But at least you were able to tell him now instead of a month or two from now. Do you think he had feelings for you?" If not, then there was no real harm done and he would move on quickly enough. They hadn't been seeing each other for that long anyways.

"And either way, it's over now," he said comfortingly, putting his arm around her shoulder. "You don't have to worry about it anymore." He knew that she felt bad now, but those feelings would go away soon enough and he was confident that John would find someone else who could actually love him, or at least someone who actually wanted to be married to him.

He was relieved that she didn't seem upset with him for kissing her; that was stupid rule in his opinion, anyways. He didn't understand it, and it was another one of those things that he did just for the sake of making her happy. But at her little comment he frowned, looking somewhat hurt. "I don't think that's very funny," he said. Alec wasn't very into the cutesy relationship rituals, and they'd never needed them before. Why did they suddenly need it now? In his eyes, their relationship was perfect the way that it was. He wanted to take her out on a nice date or two, but if he was honest, he didn't want to be formal about it. He wasn't that kind of guy. To him, a perfect date was would be what they had always done, cuddling on the new couch he was going to buy and just talking...but he didn't know if that was going to be good enough for her now that they were allowed to see each other publicly. "I'll ask you out when I'm ready."

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josie shrugged. "Just that... He was confused. I'm not sure he was angry, and he said he wasn't upset, but... I don't know. He also said he didn't really want to be friends." Besides the guilt, that was the part she dwelled on the most. Given the chance she was sure they could develop some sort of relationship, just not a romantic one. As far as it not being her fault though, she had to disagree. "It is, though. Obviously I want to be with you, so I don't regret it, exactly. But I could have said no. I could have explained the situation from the start... But I lied to him and implied that I wanted something from him that I didn't and couldn't even give him myself. I'm pretty sure there were never any feelings, but it's still wrong that I'd led him on."

She just sighed and tried not to think about it too much. The deed was done. There was no going back and changing things. The ball was officially in John's court if he ever decided to pursue a friendship with her, and all she could do was wait.

She frowned in return, confused. "Alec, it's just a joke. I wouldn't really kiss anyone else..." He was her first and only kiss, if you didn't count Tom. But Tom didn't count because it hadn't been given willingly. As far as actual dating went, she didn't really think what she wanted was so ridiculous or silly either. It was a simple, easy request, to feel more like a normal couple for a change, in her opinion. But she had to look at him once more in disbelief when he said he would ask her out when he was ready.

"Two years of secrecy, a little over a month of forced separation, and now that we finally have permission, you mean to tell me you're not ready to ask me out on a date?" What did that even mean? What more could he possibly need to be ready? They finally had everything. Why wait any longer? "Am I not your girlfriend all of a sudden?"

 

[AvianJen]

Alec grimaced a little bit. He understood why that might make Josephine upset, but honestly he couldn't blame the guy. He didn't think he'd want to pursue a friendship right away either if a girl had led him on like that. "I mean, that's a lot to ask right now, love," he said. "I'm sure it's not that he doesn't like you, but what are you going to do? Go over to his house for tea?" That sounded miserable, and it was likely to be incredibly awkward for everyone involved. "You run in the same social circles," he pointed out. At least, they did for now. "I'm sure you'll run into him sooner or later, and when neither of you are trying to force a relationship it will work out for the better." Alec was never extremely comforting in the emotional sense, but he did try to be the voice of logic when things like this happened. He knew that Josie had the tendency to let her emotions get the better of her.

He was not amused by her little joke, though, and he frowned. "I know it's a joke," he said. "I just don't think it's very funny." Why would she think it was funny to joke about kissing someone else if he didn't ask her out right then and there? But then, it was her turn to get irritated with him. This hardly ever happened, and Alec wasn't sure what to think. Still, he was a little hurt by her lack of sensitivity.

"Of course you are," he said with exasperation. "And I love you, but I don't want...I'm just not sure how much I like the whole 'dating' thing. Why does it have to be so formal, why can't we just hang out like we normally do? I can't afford to take you to the theater or a fancy dinner, and I'm not going to ask you out on a fancy date until I have one in mind." He thought that was fair, but he didn't know if she'd understand. He'd never really revealed how difficult this sort of thing was for him. "And even if you can break up with John in less than twenty-four hours, I'm not that far ahead because I was up all night making working on a written business model. Which I have to do, or else your father is going to clue in to the fact that I have no idea what I'm doing."

Alec ran his hand through his hair and backed up, moving to sit on a bale of hay next to his porch. "I don't even know what a good date is, Josie. I've never done it before. If it were up to me we'd just...go for a ride, come back and make dinner, light up the fireplace and do what we used to. You've got to give me a little time to figure things out." Between a business and now, having to be a good "official" boyfriend, Alec was in way over his head and he needed a little grace from Josephine. It was all incredibly stressful.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

It wasn't like Josephine thought they were going to be best friends or anything, but it wasn't often that she met a man she could tolerate. John was a bit awkward and quiet, but he was genuine and nice. Somehow it felt like if she could be friends with him it might make up for what she did. "I know, I just... Sometimes I think it would be nice to have a friend other than Ella and you." She didn't say it out loud for his sake, but especially when she was bound to lose half of them when people found out. People in her social circle tended to be pretentious and judgemental. They might not be good friends, or her real friends, but Josie didn't want to be lonely either.

She sighed. It wasn't like she really meant anything by it. She didn't even really know why she said it, just that her intentions were only to tease him. She didn't realize it would upset him. "Sorry... I didn't mean it," she said, but her mood was a little soured. So far her expectations about what would happen once she came out here today were looking to be way off course. It was supposed to be happy, and instead she had already been snapped at and he didn't seem too eager to start making plans.

She rose her brow when he started to explain why he didn't think he liked dating, and at first she took offence. Didn't he want to go out and be seen together? She might understand some fear about how people would react, because she harbored some of that too, but not liking the actual experience of being out in public with someone you loved wasn't something she could wrap her around. Then she realized he was completely misunderstanding what she really wanted from him and her shoulders relaxed while she let out a small sigh. Just because she came from a wealthy family didn't mean she expected steak dinners and fine wine all the time. Having been with her for some time now, she would have thought he would understand that by now.

When he went to sit on the hay, she gave him a second before joining him. "Alec, it doesn't have to be super formal for it to be date. I don't care if we go to the theatre or somewhere with fancy dinners or not. I get that you can't afford that, and I don't want you to spend all your money on me anyway. And you know I wouldn't mind doing all the rest with you either, I just... I don't want to do what we normally do because I'm tired of hiding our relationship in a barn. I don't want to hide from other people how much I love you, anymore. Even if it's just taking a walk through town together, I just want people to know. I want to feel like we're normal for a change."

Inching closer to him, she slid her hand into his. It didn't really take that much to make her happy, but she felt like he was always way too hard on himself. "I also understand you're busy. I don't expect you to have time to do anything tonight, but Alec... You need to relax. You've been working so hard lately, and I really don't think you're giving yourself enough credit. My father already thinks you're doing just fine or I wouldn't even be here right now." She leaned up to give him a kiss on the cheek, relaxing and rethinking the rule for now. If he was already this stressed, she didn't want to add to it. "Your business if fine, you're doing great, and we'll be okay. We finally have everything. Your business model and my father won't mind if you take a bit if time to celebrate the fact that we can finally be together."

 

[AvianJen]

Alec sighed. He didn't know what to say to that. He knew that Josie and Ella had never managed to come by a lot of friends, and he didn't know what he could do to help her. John probably was a good option for a friend, but unfortunately it wasn't looking too hopeful at the moment. "Well...when we get married, you can make some new friends," he suggested. It made sense to him. "We'll have a different social circle, you know. And the regular people tend to be a little less insufferable than the rich, and are much more friendly. Generally speaking, of course," he said with a smile. And when they had kids, he was sure she'd make friends with the parents of other children. Alec was rather looking forward to that himself.

He knew that Josie didn't expect him to give her fancy things, but that didn't help him out too much. She said that, and Alec knew that she meant it, but he couldn't help but think that when she was faced with the reality of the situation she would change her mind or else be disappointed. If Alec was going to do something, particularly something so far out of his comfort zone, it was going to be special. It was going to mean something, it wasn't just going to be the first dumb idea that popped into his head. And he just hadn't had any time, and to be quite honest he didn't know when he would get that time in the future.

He looked towards her when she came to sit next to him, not especially encouraged by her words, either. That wasn't what he wanted or needed to hear. "So..." he tried to piece it together. "You want to go on a public date so that other people can see us, not so we can spend time together?" That was definitely how it came across, and that hurt even a little more to know that the real reason she wanted to go out so badly was for other people, not for him. "Josie, we don't have to hide. But I'm not about to parade our relationship down the streets for the viewing pleasure of everyone else. I don't give a damn what other people see or what they know. I'm not opposed to going out, but if that's the reason behind it..." he shook his head, not understanding. Who would have thought that actually being allowed to be together would be so difficult?

And he didn't think it was time to relax, not yet. There was still so much work to be done. He'd started his business successfully, but now he needed to stabilize it. "Your father gave us permission, but he could easily take it away," he pointed out. "And I don't think he'd let us marry today if I asked, I'm not there yet. I know this is more than anything we've gotten before, but it's still not a done deal, love. I can't afford to relax until it is. I love you too much to do that." She had no way of understanding how difficult this was for him, and although she was fully supportive and he appreciated it, it was a lot more work than she realized. And their future rested solely upon his shoulders- if anything went wrong, their happiness could be taken from them in an instant.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine couldn't help the small smile on her face when Alec mentioned marriage again. She loved how it was no longer a question of if, but rather a question of when. She was more than willing and even eager to give up her current lifestyle if it meant being with him, but she also did worry a little bit about the adjustment. There was a lot she had to learn still before she could feel like she could be a good wife to him. "You'd know better than I," she said, since he lived on the cusp of both worlds where she had only ever really known one. "Do you really think I'll fit in, though? What if they think I'm just a spoiled rich girl?"

Josephine furrowed her eyebrows again. He kept misconstruing what she said, and she didn't understand why it had to be so complicated. She slid her hand back out from his to cross her arms over her chest and shook her head. "Why can't it be both?" she asked. Of course she wanted to spend time with him. They had been separated for so long it felt like it had nearly killed her. But she had also grown tired of secrecy and hiding, and she felt like it was about time people knew. Sensitively, of course, but still. She didn't really understand what was going on here, or why he could complain and accuse her of not just wanting to spend time with him when she was sitting here still waiting for him to propose something. Anything. But he had pretty much told her he wasn't "ready" to ask her out, which made it seem like he wasn't particularly eager to spend time with her. It made her feel like that girl who pined after the boy who clearly wasn't in to her, yet that boy was Alec and he was supposed to be her boyfriend. "It sure feels like you're opposed," she mumbled.

Maybe it was true that father could take permission away, but whether he would was a different question. That would be more than cruel at this point, and unless Alec's business started to fail, she just didn't see it happening. "Okay, but we're not getting married today," she pointed out. She thought it was a bit of a moot point anyway. She loved him, but if he spent all of his time on his business, even if he did so to build a future with her, there would be no relationship. "And if you feel like you can't afford to relax, when will you ever have time for me? I don't want to wait around forever, Alec. I love you, but I know you. You'll stress so hard over pleasing my father to be with me that you won't actually... Be with me."

 

[AvianJen]

Alec let out a little laugh when she asked if he thought she'd fit in. "I don't know, love," he said with a smile. "I think you will. With the regular people, all you have to be able to do is be nice, don't take yourself too seriously and be able to have a little bit of fun. It's nearly impossible to have any fun in the wealthy circle," he laughed. That was what Alec had experienced; they were always so uptight and anal about everything. The common folk were more relaxed, and lived their lives to the fullest. And in their case, the fullest never meant having the most money. "And you are a spoiled rich girl," he pointed out, nudging her affectionately. "But that doesn't mean they won't like you. I do."

He was pretty annoyed with where their conversation had gone, though. Alec wasn't sure how this had happened, but they seemed to be continuously misunderstanding each other. "I'm not opposed," he said firmly. "But our relationship needs to be about us. We don't have to be secretive anymore, so this means we can stop being careful. People will find out in their own time. We don't need to go out of our way to make sure everyone knows." He didn't understand why she wanted to advertise it all so much. What was the point of that? It detracted from their relationship, and that was what was important. Not everyone else's perception of their relationship.

"No, we're not getting married today," he agreed. "On the day that we do get married, I can start to relax a little bit." Her next words stung a little bit as well. Alec loved Josephine, but she didn't seem to understand. He sighed and leaned back against the wall of the house. "Josie. What things are like now is not what things will be like in five, ten years. And we're going to have a life together. Married life isn't all romance and perfect days together, it's a lot of work. We both want children, and it's my job to build a business that will give them a good life. You want that, right?" Maybe that would help her see, if she could see his work as not just being for her, but also for the children that they would have together. "I'll be the man of the house, and I'm going to have to work. Your father had to work, and even Peter...he's going to go on those long trips for his work to provide for Ella if they get married. It's not all about...being physically together all the time, cuddling on the couch and all that. It's about being partners in life."

He didn't know what else to say. They didn't seem to be getting anywhere. "I just need you to give me a little bit of time, Josie," he said finally. "There's a lot on my plate right now, and I...how about this," he tried, an idea coming into his head. "I don't have any sessions on Saturday. Why don't you plan your idea of a perfect date, I'll come pick you up and we'll go do it. All I ask is that it's not motivated by wanting to show our relationship off, even if we go out in public." That way, he could learn exactly what she wanted and not have to go through the process of planning everything out when he had no time to do so. He knew that Josie sometimes liked to have control, anyways. "Does that work?"

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine offered him a small little smile. "I hope so," she said. A part of her would always be apart of the world she grew up in, at least until her father passed. She wanted to fit in with people more like Alec too, though, given that she would be transitioning to that world a lot sooner than she ever anticipated. It was just going to take some getting used to, but she would worry about it when the time came. She had never had any trouble getting Alec to like her at least, while the people in her own wealthy social circle tended to be a bit more complicated.

So it sort of confused her how the conversation had gone in this direction. Alec seemed to think that the only reason she wanted him to ask her out was because she wanted people to see them. It wasn't really about that at all. It wasn't supposed to be complicated. At the same time though, she didn't think it was a bad thing that she didn't mind people knowing about them after two years. "You don't understand," she said, a bit annoyed. "I'm not saying we need to make a production out of our relationship, Alec, but after two years I'm ready to celebrate the freedom we've never had before." All of that was a little beside the point, anyway. Going for a ride, having dinner... all of that was fine. Maybe she would have preferred to try something different, but she would have happily done so. He seemed to want to argue about the date itself when it was the lack of a gesture that had offended her in the first place. "That's not why I'm upset, anyway..." she said, not sure whether he was missing the point because he was new to this or because he was just being too stubborn.

Josie sighed. Everything Alec did for them was something she would always be thankful for, but she still didn't see the harm in him taking a day off to be with her. She loved him, and she understood how busy he was and that he was doing this so they could build a future together, but she also missed him. "Of course I want that," she said. "And I know you mean well, but father made time for my mother even with two kids. And Peter and Ella spend time together every night despite how hard he's working. Married life isn't all work either, Alec. You're making me feel guilty because I want to spend some time with you after weeks of being forbidden to see you." It also stung a little bit that he didn't seem eager to want to see her, either.

Finally, he offered all she really wanted in the first place, and she was able to relax. It would have been preferable that he surprise her with something of his own idea, but it had taken so long to get to this point that she wasn't going to complain, even if she still wasn't sure he really quite understood it yet. "Yes. God, Alec, all I wanted was for you to ask. I'm really not that complicated." She moved closer to give him a peck on the cheek, glad they were finally getting somewhere but regretting they had to go through all of that before they did. It had been a hard enough morning as it was.

 

[AvianJen]

Alec furrowed his brow, very confused about her intentions. It sounded like she was changing what she'd said- she'd just told him that she didn't want to do what they normally did because she wanted people to know, and now she was talking about celebrating freedom? Those were two entirely different things. He was irritated about what she seemed to want the date to be just as much as he was irritated about her not so subtle request to be asked out on one. Alec didn't think it needed to be offensive- he didn't have a plan yet, and he would ask her when he had a plan, not because she begged him to. "Well, I guess I don't understand why you're upset, then," he admitted.

He wished that she would just trust him a little more; they'd only been "officially" together for a day now, and with their future more or less secure everything didn't need to happen all at once. With how busy he was, Alec couldn't handle that. Maybe it was different for him than it was for Josephine, but being in a relationship was hard. It took energy to be around Josie, and maybe where he fell short in her eyes was that he didn't always have that energy to spare. It didn't mean that he loved her any less, but he wished that Josie could be where he found rest instead of another place he was drained after a long day. That was what they'd had before, and that was what Alec wanted. He'd never had a public relationship before, full of going out and doing things. That was foreign to him, and he didn't know what that would look like. It was a little bit scary, to be perfectly honest.

He was a bit frustrated with her comparison, too. "They spend every night together now," he corrected her. But they didn't go out, he'd sometimes seen them just sit down together and read their own different books. "When he goes on his trips Ella won't see him for weeks, maybe months at a time. But he has to do it, just like I have to do this. And it is going to be work, especially in our case. You don't understand, Josie, because you haven't lived this kind of life yet. Your father can take a day, even a week off every once in a while and know that his children won't starve because of it. That's not how it's going to be for us, at least not at first. I will make time for you, I promise. As much as I can. I want to spend time with you, but I need you to respect it when I say that I can't, or that I need more time. It's for you." She'd never understood that part of it.

It was nice, at least, that she agreed to his proposal. That was something. "You're more complicated than you think," he sighed, not meaning it negatively but...it was becoming clear that as their relationship was changing in its dynamic, they were going to need to adjust accordingly. Alec was a simple, quiet man who wanted a simple, quiet life. He wanted to live on his land, work during the day, and come home to see his wife and children happy and well taken care of in the evening. Josie seemed to have a few more expectations than that. "But alright, we'll do that. And I'm sure it will be wonderful," he said, managing a smile.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine thought it was fairly simple why she was upset. She had given him a pretty obvious hint that she wanted him to ask her to do something with him. Actually, she had pretty much expected him to do so given their time away from each other. That didn't mean they had to go out today or even tomorrow, but where was the effort to make plans for another time? Instead he heard her hint, but he hadn't taken it. How else was she supposed to feel about that other than upset and a bit rejected? "You really don't understand how snubbing your girlfriend would make your girlfriend upset?" she asked, a little dumbfounded they even had to have this conversation. "You could have said, 'I don't have time today, but I'd love to do something special to celebrate our relationship on Saturday, Josie.' Telling me 'you'll ask me out when you're ready' makes it sound like you're not particularly eager to see me anytime soon. How am I supposed to feel about that considering I haven't really seen you in weeks?"

When he said Peter and Ella spent every night together, she crossed her arms and rose her brow at him. That was sort of her point, actually. "Yes, they do. They spend so much time together they've even-" she stopped herself short before she could inform Alec of Ella and Peter's latest relationship development. That was a conversation for a different day. "Nevermind. My point is they see each other and we... haven't been able to. And now that we could, you're fighting me about it." She let out a long, exhausted sigh. What was she telling Ella the night before again? That she and Alec didn't really fight that much? Because she couldn't remember them ever arguing about something like this before. "I understand you're working hard," she said. "And I'm proud of everything you've already accomplished, but... We just got permission to be together after two years. After the secrecy, and the pirates, and the hell we've been through these last few weeks... You can't put one day aside to celebrate that with me?" She could respect his work, she could respect that maybe he wouldn't always have all the time for her, but she felt like in this one specific instance it was different. It was on par with an anniversary, a birthday, a holiday, in her opinion. "I do respect that, but I need you to respect my feelings too."

His proposal was something, and it was more along the lines of what she had hoped for in the first place, but she couldn't help but feel like it was coerced out of him when she felt like she shouldn't have had to try so hard to get him to do it. She couldn't even be as happy about it now because her mood had darkened. She was already saddened because of John... Alec was supposed to brighten her day, but it clearly hadnt gone as planned. She could only hope by the time Saturday rolled around they could get over whatever had happened today. "No more than any other girl," she retorted. She didn't really think she was asking much, or that what she was asking for was completely absurd. Then again, as much as she loved him, Alec had never been the most romantic man, even if he did have his moments. It was a shaky resolution for now, but she had a headache and he had work to get back to. Her welcome was perhaps a little overstayed, so she just nodded. "I'm sure. I'll see you Saturday," she said, turning to return to her horse so she could go home.

 

[AvianJen]

Alec sighed. He was quickly growing tired of this conversation. "Josie, I'm not trying to snub you," he said. "And I'm sorry if I made you feel that way. I guess I just thought...you'd expect me to already have a plan when I asked you out. Or, I feel like I should already have a plan. I want to know what that something is, not just that' it's something." That was part of Alec's problem, too. He wanted to make it special, but it had always been hard for him to come up with big, romantic ideas. He wasn't that kind of guy, and he didn't want to disappoint her. But apparently, that was exactly what he'd done by not giving her what she wanted. Alec didn't understand any of this. "And of course I want to see you. But I want to just...see you. Hang out, catch up. We've been apart for so long, I would rather have a more intimate time together before we make an outing out of it." Maybe she would understand his feelings better if he explained it that way. Alec just wanted to sit and talk, get their relationship back to normal before they started trying new things. He was already going so far out of his comfort zone with his business. It was just overwhelming.

He raised his eyebrows when she stopped herself, wondering what she was about to say. "They've what?" he asked, wanting her to finish her thought. "I'm not fighting you about seeing you, Josie. I think we just...want different things right now." And Alec didn't know how to tell her, but he didn't want to go out yet. He wanted to see her, but privately...and he didn't really see it as an anniversary or anything like that. For him, it was a sign that his hard work was paying off and he needed to keep it up. "I respect your feelings, Josie," he said calmly. "I guess I just don't...I don't understand them at the moment. And I don't think you understand mine. Maybe we should sleep on it?" When emotions were running high, Alec knew that giving it a break and reflecting was often the best thing to do.

She didn't seem entirely satisfied once their conversation had reached a conclusion either, but he didn't know what else to say. "Alright, Saturday," he agreed. "I love you." He leaned over to press a kiss to her temple before watching her go, and then returning to work.

Ella was rather bored at home. Having been accepted into the university, she didn't have any other application things to worry about and she had already been studying for hours. So she'd gone outside to the porch swing to sit and read her Greek mythology book for a while, although her mind was distracted and she wasn't paying very good attention. She knew that when Peter came home this evening he would have an answer, and she was so nervous to find out what that would be. All she could do was sit here and wait. When she saw Josie ride up to the house she perked up a little bit, bouncing to her feet and waving. "Hi, Josie!" she exclaimed. "Did you go see Alec?"

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josie wanted their time together to be special too, it just seemed that they had very different ideas about how to make it so. She wanted to celebrate by going places they had never been allowed to go together before, and he had something more intimate in mind, even if the details weren't figured out yet. The bottom line was that they both really wanted the only thing that actually mattered, and that was to finally spend time together. "I just want to see you, Alec," she said. "I've missed you... And I don't really care what we do as long as I get some time with you. I just thought for a moment that maybe you didn't want that, or that you were afraid of being seen with me or something..." It wasn't like she cared much what people thought about her and Alec, but she did worry that the public reaction might be harsh at first. As with her sister, she was fiercely protective of Alec as well.

When he prodded her about Ella and Peter, she held her tongue, remaining silent for several seconds. They were already both upset enough, even though she was starting to feel better about it now that she was a little more understanding of the issue. He had reassured her enough for now to satisfy her, but she was afraid to bring this particular issue up right now. It was one thing to talk about what she walked in on, and another to talk about it in context of this argument. "Nothing," she said. "It's not important right now."

She gave a solemn sigh, tired and ready to go home. It had been an emotional morning already, and she didn't want to argue anymore. "Look, you're right. We should just take a little while to cool down. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pick a fight, this just... It isn't the morning I expected to have," she stood, letting him give her a quick kiss, and nodded. "I love you, too. Good luck with the rest of your day." She would probably just spend hers the same way she spent most days since returning home - alone in her room with the occasional visit from Ella. Life had been particularly lonely lately.

It didn't take long to get from Alec's back home. Even with Chestnut at a lazy trot, it was only about a twenty minute ride. She spent most of it reflecting on the various unexpected aspects of her day and looking forward to a hot bath and a nap, but Ella's happy face was also a warm welcome. "Hi, Ella," she said, offering a small smile. It faltered slightly at the question, but she answered it anyway. "Yes. And John, too. It's been kind of a strange morning, honestly. I'm not really sure what to think about it right now."

 

[AvianJen]

Alec was slowly beginning to realize that maybe this wasn't as big of a deal as he'd thought. But their relationship was changing, and they just had to...adjust. He hadn't anticipated having to adjust very much to suit the new dynamic, and he didn't think that Josie had, either. They both seemed to have the idea that their relationship would just carry on as naturally as it always had despite the huge shift, but now it was becoming apparent that wasn't the case. And it wasn't a bad thing, necessarily, it was just...not what he'd expected. "No, love, it's not that at all," he said, surprised that she would ever think that of him. He wrapped his arm around her and gave her a squeeze. "If anything I would think you'd be the one not wanting to be seen with me. I mean, just think, I'll be the envy of every man in town." Maybe not the rich men that Josie had always snubbed, but certainly the others. He was, after all, still little more than a stable boy. But he got to walk around with Josephine Sinclair on his arm. He knew what that mean, and it was crazy, really. He was so lucky.

And yes, there would be the criticism...Alec wasn't sure how that was all going to go down, but it wasn't the reason he didn't want to go out. Not at all. "I want to be with you," he assured her. "I guess...I just want to get used to being with you again, before we add in other people."

She had certainly piqued his interest when she mentioned Peter and Ella; though he wouldn't admit it, he had a bit of a strange fascination with their relationship. He wanted to understand it, but he just couldn't. When Josie said that it was a conversation for another time, though, he nodded in understanding. He would trust her judgement on that. It wasn't worth pushing it, especially not right now. "Okay," he agreed. "And you don't need to apologize. But for what it's worth, I'm sorry, too." He hoped that come Saturday, they would be able to clear this all up and get on with their lives. They'd never fought before, or even had very big misunderstandings, but Alec didn't think he liked it very much.

Ella was happy to see somebody; she'd been left alone with her thoughts quite a bit recently as well, though she did get to see Peter every evening and spent some time with Josephine here and there. Ella was much happier now that they'd settled their differences about her relationships with Peter, allowing their relationship with each other to more or less get back to normal. Josie seemed like she was in a weird mood, though, and Ella leaned over the railing of the porch, looking at her quizzically. "Why? Weird how? Wait, I'll just come to the stables with you." Leaving her book on the porch swing, she approached Chestnut and squeezed in behind Josephine. They rode to the stables and Ella hopped off, greeting Nellie affectionately before turning back to her sister. "So what happened?" she asked curiously.