Helping One Another

'The drawing is perfection. It almost looks like someone I know but this fellow hates Mead.' Gina tapped the table.

'I have tasted it. I could not keep it down, I too join that fellow in his hatred for Mead.' Missy laughed.

Gina knew it was not going to be too much work for her to convince her cousin to ask for her work at the tavern back. Missy enjoyed working there.

'I have not yet had a taste of it, but we can go to the bar later and have some.' Gina said.

Missy knew it was a bad idea to drink from the bar. Her father was against it, but she was ready to do anything to keep Gina close.

She had been on her own for too long, she desired company so badly.

'We shall go at dusk then. My father must not find out about it, he shall have our heads, I tell you.' Missy laughed and put the paper on which she drew Richard into her drawer.

Gina went to Missy's bed and sat. she looked around the room again and still, she did not believe that rooms could be that big.

'Missy, do you no longer want to work at the tavern?' Gina kicked off her shoes and laid down on her cousin's bed.

Missy walked to the bed and laid down beside Gina. Before that moment, Missy had pictured the event. And when she was living in it, it felt even better than what she had imagined.

'I want to be with you, Gina. All my life, I have been alone, now that you are here, I must use my chance with you wisely.' Missy rolled closer to Gina.

'I want to work at the tavern.' Gina kept staring at the ceiling that was very high up.

It did not make any sense to Missy that Gina wanted to work at the tavern. Missy knew that it was not a norm for her to work.

'Whatever do you want to work for?' Missy asked.

'I desire to exploit it. Now that my father cannot stop me, I must explore my freedom.'

'Gina, you shall become a bride soon. Shall you not focus on Ansley rather than the tavern? My father has many workers there, he has no use for you.' Missy rolled away from Gina.

Gina wanted to tell someone how she felt and how everything going on was too much for her to handle. She had rehearsed how to tell her cousin the truth but the word she had given Richard stopped her.

She assured him that she was going to keep their affair a secret and considering how much love she had for him, she knew she just had to keep her cousin in the dark.

'You may be right about Ansley, but I also want to work at the tavern. It shall keep me busy at the very least. You must consider asking your father to let you work there again so that I might join you.' Gina sat up and looked at Missy.

She waited to hear Missy affirm to her that she was going to ask for her work back. But instead, Missy said:

'Gina, I have no desire to go back to the tavern. I wish to stay here with you until your father's return. Or until your wedding to Ansley.' She sat up too.

Gina's skin crawled whenever she heard Ansley's name. She hated the man so much because he was the most cunning person she knew. She wanted to work at the tavern and get his name out of her head, but Missy could barely say two words without mentioning it.

'I shall not marry Ansley without my father's approval.' Gina announced.

'My father is your father's older brother. He may marry you off to whomever he pleases.' Missy was not threatening Gina.

She had only said those words because she thought her cousin was worried that the marriage could be delayed due to her father's absence.

'Missy, I do not want to marry Ansley. He is not the person after my heart.' Gina stood up from the bed and began to pace.

'Forgive me if I am nosey, but answer me this, Gina, is anyone after your heart?' Missy's eyes moved along with her cousin's body.

'Surely there is one. He is a good man with a kind heart. I fell in love with him the very day I set my eyes on him.'

At that moment, Gina began replaying the events that happened the day she saw Richard for the first time. It had been like magic to her that someone like him even existed.

'Why have you not gone after him then?' Missy queried.

'I have gone after him, but Ansley shall destroy my plans if he continues to chase after me.' Gina sat on the bed again.

Missy wanted to help her cousin in any way she could to keep Ansley out of the way for her to go after the man she truly loved.

The only reason Missy wanted to help Gina was that she understood how she felt. Missy did not grasp her feelings for the stranger she had served at the bar fully, but she tagged it as love.

'I shall help you with Ansley then. You must be with the one you love. I too shall continue to look for the stranger I served that noon.' Missy said with hope in her voice.

Although the town was small and there was hardly a person everyone did not know, she understood how difficult it was going to be for her to find that stranger again.

'You shall help me?' Gina turned to her cousin sharply.

'I shall help you. While I help you with Ansley, you shall help me find my stranger.' Missy looked at the drawer where she kept the drawing of her stranger.

'I reckon there shall be no need for us to work at the tavern anymore.' Gina smiled.

'My stranger visited the tavern. He may return another day, but we must be there to serve him. We shall work at the tavern.' Missy announced.

Everything was beginning to look up for the two cousins. To them, it was impossible that anything could go wrong.