Finch.
16.
Anyone who doesn’t know Birdie and I would think we were perhaps married. Anyone who saw us would perhaps think we were lovers. Though my heart skips a beat at the idea, we all know it isn’t so and will not be so.
It was always incredibly awkward for us to go out in public together. And it still is now.
You see, I am holding Birdie’s hand as we walk the busy streets of Chicago, on our way to get Birdie’s dress since my sister has indeed put her in the wedding, no matter how much her heart may protest.
We walk into the bridal shop behind Matthew and Norah, who also held hands. The woman behind the counter scans us both.
“Who’s the happy couple? Is it you dear?” The woman asks, looking right at Eleanor.
Birdie smiles and shakes her head, squeezing my hand.
“No, her,” Birdie says, pointing a thin finger in Norah’s direction.
“Oh, well maybe you two will be next,” the woman continues, looking at our intertwined fingers.
I stop myself from saying anything, there is no point in denying that we are together, for I suppose in some ways we are. I’m never really sure.
As stated before, going out in public with Ellie tends to be awkward.
It shouldn’t be awkward, but it is.
Norah has been talking to this woman, and the woman has walked away.
She comes back with a dress in wrapping, and gives it to Ellie.
“You’ll look so beautiful in this,” she says. Birdie just nods and takes the dress.
Norah takes her by the hand to the dressing room, and I’m left with Matthew, never knowing what to say to him. We stand in silence for a few minutes until the women return. The clerk was right, Birdie is stunning in the light blue dress.
I meet her in the middle of the store, wrapping my arms around her.
“It does look perfect,” I am whispering, then let her go. She smiles at me.
“The blue, it’s very blue. It matches your eyes well,” Matthew comments.
Birdie stops smiling and she has a very grave look on her face.
That’s when I remember.
“NO! I’M NOT BLUE! I’M NOT!”
My eyes are flying open, I am at Birdie’s side in seconds.
Her cries are filled with horror. Her screams are filled with sorrow. I can do nothing. I grab her and stroke her hair and I am whispering “Birdie, darling, wake up. Wake up.”
I’m so unsure of what to do. I don’t know how Eleanor will react. I let her stand there for a moment, and then she regains her composure. She smiles a coy smile at Matthew, just another thing I wasn’t expecting.
“Thank you very much, Matthew,” she replies. Matthew gives her a small grin.
It’s so hard to tell what she is thinking, and I don’t ask.
I’m afraid of the answer.
I feel Birdie take my hand again, and she is pressed hard against my side.
This small comment is effecting her more than I had first thought. I slide my arm around her waist, and it comforts her a little.
We pay for the dress, and leave.
When we arrive back at the house, Birdie goes to directly to bed, and I know it’s not because she’s tired.
It was always incredibly awkward for us to go out in public together. And it still is now.
You see, I am holding Birdie’s hand as we walk the busy streets of Chicago, on our way to get Birdie’s dress since my sister has indeed put her in the wedding, no matter how much her heart may protest.
We walk into the bridal shop behind Matthew and Norah, who also held hands. The woman behind the counter scans us both.
“Who’s the happy couple? Is it you dear?” The woman asks, looking right at Eleanor.
Birdie smiles and shakes her head, squeezing my hand.
“No, her,” Birdie says, pointing a thin finger in Norah’s direction.
“Oh, well maybe you two will be next,” the woman continues, looking at our intertwined fingers.
I stop myself from saying anything, there is no point in denying that we are together, for I suppose in some ways we are. I’m never really sure.
As stated before, going out in public with Ellie tends to be awkward.
It shouldn’t be awkward, but it is.
Norah has been talking to this woman, and the woman has walked away.
She comes back with a dress in wrapping, and gives it to Ellie.
“You’ll look so beautiful in this,” she says. Birdie just nods and takes the dress.
Norah takes her by the hand to the dressing room, and I’m left with Matthew, never knowing what to say to him. We stand in silence for a few minutes until the women return. The clerk was right, Birdie is stunning in the light blue dress.
I meet her in the middle of the store, wrapping my arms around her.
“It does look perfect,” I am whispering, then let her go. She smiles at me.
“The blue, it’s very blue. It matches your eyes well,” Matthew comments.
Birdie stops smiling and she has a very grave look on her face.
That’s when I remember.
“NO! I’M NOT BLUE! I’M NOT!”
My eyes are flying open, I am at Birdie’s side in seconds.
Her cries are filled with horror. Her screams are filled with sorrow. I can do nothing. I grab her and stroke her hair and I am whispering “Birdie, darling, wake up. Wake up.”
I’m so unsure of what to do. I don’t know how Eleanor will react. I let her stand there for a moment, and then she regains her composure. She smiles a coy smile at Matthew, just another thing I wasn’t expecting.
“Thank you very much, Matthew,” she replies. Matthew gives her a small grin.
It’s so hard to tell what she is thinking, and I don’t ask.
I’m afraid of the answer.
I feel Birdie take my hand again, and she is pressed hard against my side.
This small comment is effecting her more than I had first thought. I slide my arm around her waist, and it comforts her a little.
We pay for the dress, and leave.
When we arrive back at the house, Birdie goes to directly to bed, and I know it’s not because she’s tired.