Chapter 3

Supper that night was surprisingly dull and quiet at first. Henry fully expected to be

bombarded the moment of his return, but it seemed as though everyone was waiting

for the right moment to say something.

His maternal grandmother, Julia, eventually cleared her throat though and asked, "So,

Henry, how did it go?"

"It went well." He replied simply, with Arthur adding in, "Winifred is a very sweet

girl!"

"I can imagine! You should invite her over for supper soon." She told him, with

Arthur nodding his head in agreeance.

"I'll do that than. How about Friday?"

"That's perfect!"

A loud scraping sounded through out the room, as Lewis, Henry's little brother, got

up to leave.

"Done so soon, Lewis?" Arthur questioned, to which his young son replied in a huff,

"I think the whole thing's silly!"

"Lewis! Mind your manners."

"Henry was the one who said he didn't want to get married, but you still forced him."

The bitter words fell off his tongue easily, for little Lewis was not afraid to voice his

dissapproval of the whole thing.

"Lewis, I didn't want to at first, but nobody forced me to do anything." Henry told

him, and added in sincerely, "You really should give Winifred a chance. I think you'll

end up really liking her."

Lewis wouldn't budge as he stormed off in a huff, but not before adding in with an

emotionally shaken voice, "You guys are just trying to replace mom, and it's not fair!"

"Don't worry, Henry. He'll come around." Arthur said it with a forced grin, but Henry

could tell that his father didn't believe his own words either.

Supper ended that night the same way it began; in silence and awkwardness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I really can't believe it..."

"What?"

"That you're getting married, silly!" Winnie sat upon her bed, with her little sister,

Georgia, at the foot of it.

"I can't believe it either." She admitted, before saying with a chuckle, "Now we just

have to wait for you to get married!"

Georgia waved a hand at Winnie, "No way! Besides, I'm only fifteen." She paused,

then added, "I guess, you're only seventeen though. Oh no! Are they going to make

me get married in like two years?!"

Winnie laughed, "I doubt it. You're their baby. Mother and father won't let you go so

easily. Me on the other hand....well, it's different."

Georgia flopped onto her belly and began kicking her feet in the air, before asking

with a cheeky look upon her face, "Sooo....is he handsome?"

An undeniable blush flooded upon Winnie's cheeks. She couldn't believe her sister

would ask such a thing. That, and Georgia would definitely make fun of her if she

answered truthfully. She gave Georgia a playful shove, and refused to tell her of such

things.

"Come now! You have to tell me! Besides, I'll see him for myself eventually, and then

I'll know for sure."

"Fine! I'll tell you." She was hesitant, for she had never discussed such things before,

for she had never even had a boy she liked, but she finally found the courage to admit

it, "He is pretty handsome, actually-"

"See! Now how hard was that to say?"

"It was very difficult, actually!" 

They laughed together at the absurdity of it all, for neither of them could believe that

the whole situation was in fact reality and not just a dream. Winnie didn't know if it

would ever set in. She was getting married, and to a boy who seemed sweet and kind

no less! And, if the whole thing was just a dream afterall, she planned to enjoy it while

she was still seemingly sleeping.