Chapter 106

"It's nothing special." Ginna huffed as we three sat by the window, where the finished dress was in full display for all the onlookers to gawk and point. They really did just that. "You remember I said my sister used to date Ethan?" She asked me.

I naturally nodded. How could I forget that? I got angry at Ethan because I was already angry at Joseph for their past lovers showing up as if they were vengeful ghosts.

"Right. So! There was this time before they broke that Ethan invited my sis to his house." Understandable if he was considering Ginna's sister as a Wife candidate. "My Mom told me to accompany her because she wasn't comfortable with the two of 'em being alone." She rolled her eyes. "As if two women being in a house with four guys was any better."

The images that comment produced in my mind were too explicit. Yes. The Mom sounded reasonable, but her ideas could make things much worse.

"So, there we were. Standing in front of their house after walking for one hour, much farther than our village!" One hour was quite quick. I sipped on the tea prepared by Mrs. Attile. There was no need to mention how much it took ME to walk from the village to town the first time I did. 

It has not changed that much, but with a cart, my life got a bit easier.

Ginna suddenly chuckled. "I still remember my sis' face as soon as she saw the house. Stepping on shit could have been a better option for her." She sighed. "Our house's bigger, one room bigger. But their-your plot has more space. We have no courtyard since the patch's in the same plot. And! You have access to the river! We have to go to the public washing area."

Hearing her compare their plot with ours, it did sound much better. So, what was the woman's complaint or dissatisfaction about the brothers' lifestyle?

"The first thing she said, with all the brothers present was: If you want to marry me, you've to kick your brothers out. I don't want them to sleep in the same room as us." Mrs. Attile chocked on her tea. She had been silently listening to the recounting with keen attention. 

I understood her big reaction. How could someone say things like that the first time you meet your lover's house and family. At least, she should have waited to be alone with Ethan. That way, it would have stayed between the couple.

"But, how did the enmity between you and Joseph surged?" Mrs. Attile asked once she was able to properly breath.

Ginna grimaced. "I may a been a bit… what was the fancy word you once used…?" She wiggled her fingers at me.

"Averting?" I tried.

"No… that one you said about that customer..." She rubbed her forehead to think.

"Rambunctious?" There was that time a woman brought a kid who even climbed onto the shelves, dirtying a few fabrics. Mrs. Attile almost fainted. Ginna quickly solved the matter by kicking both of them out, uncaring of the fierce comments from the woman towards the store's service.

'Be glad I won't make you pay for the mess your savage monkey made!' Ginna had said in return, surprising the woman who only shamefully walked away.

"No! It was that word you used with that man who wanted to hit on Mrs. Attile." Ginna finally mentioned the situation.

"Oh! Imprudent!" I exclaimed. The man had even come with a bouquet of flowers to declare his love! 

Because Mr. Attile was an unknown face around – neither Ginna and I had seen him – the man thought Mrs. Attile was alone. So, he sang praises to Mrs. Attile hardy personality, for opening up a business despite her condition.

I had been very insulted at that word: 'condition'. Being single was not an illness! Either way, Mrs. Attile was not single at all! Before I could say something to the man, Mrs. Attile spoke.

'If you go north and exit town there, you will see the Garrison. Go in there and ask for Mr. Attile. I am sure he will be happy to train one more person for the Infantry. Tell him his Wife sent you.' The man's face was priceless after those words and ran away with the tail between his legs.

"You've to understand that I had never met the brothers, so I had to be on my sis' side. So, I was very imprudent and said: Ew, they sleep together on the same bed? Are they those sort of people?..." Ginna blushed out of embarrassment. "I regretted it after seeing their expressions."

That was indeed a hurtful and intolerant comment. She had no idea what their situation was to be judging them like that. 

"Imprudent and insensitive." Mrs. Attile nodded. Ginna looked properly chastised. 

"Yeah… Then, as retaliation, Joseph said: With how ugly your woman is, I'm surprised your dick hasn't shrunk Ethan..." I sighed in disbelief. Trust Joseph to make things worse. "I told him he was a pervert, he countered with us being gold-diggers, then I claimed they were just poor bastards with small peckers, he shooed me off calling me a shrew who only thought of... you know..."

That was one nonsensical fight. Neither had any consideration of the situation they were in to start arguing like irrational fools. It really was fortunate Ethan broke up with the sister; otherwise, to have those two interact on a constant basis. It called for disaster.

"You two… Really..." Mrs. Attile shook her head, probably arriving to the same conclusion I did.

"After that, we met a few more times in town, and we just threw insult after insult at each other." Ginna ended her recounting.

"There is no point of return." I concluded. The other two nodded. Our moment was cut short when a customer arrived. We each went back to our respective jobs. 

When the day was over, and before Ethan arrived to pick me up, I bought a yard of very thick cloth. Since Joseph was traveling, I thought of making him something for him to carry his stuff; like his clothes, another pair of shoes, a little bag with medicine and any other thing he wanted to take with him.

When Ethan showed up, I was almost done with it. It was not an elaborate thing. It had the same design as a straw basket, just smaller and made with cloth. 

"He'll love it." Ethan said as soon as I showed him what I was going to give Joseph.

"Do you think Felix will get angry if I ask him to switch with Joseph? I really want to spend the night with him before he leaves." He was not gone and I was already missing him!

Ethan shrugged. "You'll know if you ask. Though, I don't think there'll be a problem." 

There really was no problem.

When I asked Felix, he even seemed kind of relieved for the switch. I blinked confused at his reaction. He had really been acting strange for some days. However, I wanted to address that when I did not have more pressing matters.

Like, making a wedding dress in less than a week.

"I'm flattered you're giving me this much attention, Isabelle." Joseph teased with his usual dandy smile. 

We sat at the table under the birch trees. There was only a candle illuminating our otherwise pitch dark surroundings. I actually had to look for him there after Felix mentioned where I could find him.

"I have to educate my Husband what to do and not to do while he is out." I said, leaning my head on his shoulder. 

He threw his arm over my shoulders and pulled me closer to him. "Shower me with your wisdom, then."

"You have to get along with the other coworkers; you might not know if someone will harm you out of jealousy or stuff. Learn well and do not anger your superiors too much. Though, if they are unreasonable and mistreat you, then you tell them a few things before returning." 

"I do not want you to unnecessarily suffer to pander to their whims like Ethan did. Use that wit of yours to impress your superiors, but do not brag with your coworkers. Do not forget to wash your clothes daily; and wash it yourself. Eat well and rest well; do not work yourself like a dog."

"But do not be lazy! Just do what you think best."

Joseph chuckled. "Anything else?"

"Obviously, do not look at any other woman. If you get yourself someone else, do not come back!" I threatened him.

He pulled me so I ended up on his lap. "If you're worried about that, you can become my woman." He purred, nipping my neck. He hinted at our lack of sexual activities that included penetration.

"And, then, end up carrying your child while you abandon me for another one? No, thank you." I said in mocking indignation. 

"If you carry my child, I will have even better reasons to return as quickly as possible." I gazed into his dark and sincere eyes. I believed him.

Actually, I was not that worried about him hooking up with another woman. It was just that feeling of not wanting to let him go that was driving me crazy.

I tightly hugged him, trying to appease that feeling with his proximity. It helped a bit. I even fell asleep in that position.

Though, I could distantly hear the conversation between Lucas and Joseph.

"You ok?"

"Yeah, she's a bit heavy but nothing I can't handle."

"Bath?"

"She's tightly clutching my shirt. I think we'll sleep with these clothes on."

"Alright."

I slept very comfortably that night. Though, the emptiness of waking up with Joseph already gone hit me quite hard.