Flirting With the Wind

So that I could avoid seeing him again I took my lovely time as I took a bath to wash the dirt off my body but made sure to keep my hair up so it didn’t get wet. Afterwards I put on a black loosely fitted turtle neck sweater and charcoal gray flowing skirt that reached a bit past my knees then black ballet flats. It was probably my most lackluster outfit and I chose to wear it because I could hear them downstairs meaning the Colonel would be staying for dinner. I didn’t bother with anything else not even fix my hair that was wild and messy.

The feeling deep in my stomach made me think Aunt Catherine may be trying to set me up with this older man, something I would not condone. Satisfied with my frumpy librarian look I quietly made my way downstairs hoping to escape outside before anyone spotted me. I literally had to take off my shoes then tiptoe my way past the dining room and into the kitchen. Luckily I reached the back door and exited the house quietly being sure to carefully close the door soundlessly behind me.

Once the door was closed I placed the shoes back on my feet then walked off towards the gardens that stretched to what looked like a large garage or guest house. I sat down on the bench furthest from the house and stared off into the distance. After a while I heard the back door open and two very loud female voices that I would recognize anywhere.

“Oh there she is!” Bridget announces.
“Sneaky girl has been in the garden the whole time!” Darcy states humorously.

I sighed before they finally reached me both smiling cheekily at me. God sometimes they could be such pains. Damn them for being immune to Aunt Catherine’s constant need to set them up with random men.

“Colonel Landa is staying for dinner,” Darcy says.
“Lovely,” I reply sarcastically.
“Aw cousin you don’t like the old fart?” Bridget inquires with a daunting smile.
“Because he sure likes you,” Darcy continues.
“That’s enough you two, come inside,” Sergeant Stiglitz orders appearing out of nowhere. The twins got up from either side of me and I remained seated hoping his order did not apply to me.
“You too Mirabel,” he states. I groaned miserably earning laughter from my cousins.
“Golly Mira you’d think you didn’t enjoy being fawned over,” Bridget states.
“I’d say, look at what she’s wearing, I’ve seen nuns wear less,” Darcy remarks prodding my side with her bony finger as she messed with the ill fitted sweater.
“Ha, ha, prod my side again with your bony finger I’ll stick it up your bum,” I mutter darkly.
“Violent you are cousin, maybe a man with a gun is best so he can better defend himself,” Bridget comments.
“Pff a seven nation army more like it,” Darcy adds causing me to laugh.
“You two are absolutely ridiculous,” I say shaking my head at them a smile playing on my lips.
“We are just happy you’re here to take the pressure to get married off us because you’re so old and all,” Bridget says.
“Yes I’m just the old scapegoat that shall be fed to the wolves, I truly feel so honored,” I reply sardonically.
“But you make such a lovely scapegoat my dear, at least you lived a long twenty one years,” Darcy counters with a cheeky smile.
“And what glorious years those have been,” I respond with a laugh.
“That’s the spirit!” they say in unison.
“Give it another year and you’ll be in the same position as I am,” I state.
“Oh that’s not very nice,” Bridget retorts with a huff.
“I’m not very nice,” I say grinning.
“That you aren’t,” she says. I caught Sergeant Stiglitz’s gaze briefly and forced myself to look forward avoiding the feeling I got whenever we’d lock eyes. Braving it out I entered the house and headed towards the living area where the group was conversing whilst the help was setting up dinner.

“We thought you had vanished into thin air Mira,” Aunt Catherine says making a bit of a face at my attire.
“I’m not that talented, I was merely just enjoying the greenery outside,” I reply with a smile as I sat down next to my father.
“Tell me Mirabel what are your aspirations?” Colonel Landa inquires sitting across from me.
“I aspire to join the convent and serve the Lord Almighty God more properly,” I respond.
“She’s joking,” Uncle Frederick states.
“No I’m quite serious Uncle,” I say straight faced.
“What brought this on?” Colonel Landa says as if interrogating me for information his eyebrows knitting together in a rather confused manner.
“Anybody can get married and have children, but a devotion to God seems more significant and challenging, it’s simple to me really,” I state seriously.
“You can’t be serious Mira, a pretty girl like you should marry,” Aunt Catherine counters.
“Pledging my life to serve God is a marriage, one that does not distinguish outer appearance or social status, beauty fades but that matters not to God, Aunt Catherine,” I say with more feeling.
“Did you know about this Gerard?” my uncle inquires looking at my father.
“Brother I will stand behind my daughter’s choices supporting them no matter what, I imagine her becoming the prettiest saint the convent will ever take in,” my father replies with a smile.
“Ay dios mio poppa, I don’t think I could ever deserve such a high status,” I respond slipping in a bit of Spanish.
“Santa Mirabel, does have a lovely ring to it you must admit,” he suggests.
“Oh you’re too much,” I chuckle lightly. I loved my poppa because he knew me best. None of this nun business was really going to happen I was just saying it to have Colonel Landa steer clear of me and perhaps have my Aunt Catherine get off my back. My father knew how my mind worked and went along with the whole thing something I was grateful for. I loved him dearly.

Soon dinner was to be served and all conversation involving me ceased as planned. Mentally I patted myself on the back for the wondrous feat. Time passed quite quickly and thankfully Colonel Landa was off but not without kissing my hand long enough to rattle my entire being as he smirked looking into my eyes like he knew some unknown secret.

I kept cool and collected smiling back. Once he was out the door I made my way upstairs to my room so I could read my tattered collection of short stories by Oscar Wilde. How I loved reading his words that were so full of truth and frank humor. While reading the tale Sphinx with out a Secret I heard some raised voices downstairs one of which my father’s. Setting down the book I headed back downstairs knowing my father should not be stressing himself by yelling. I reached the room in which I heard them yelling and tried to get their attention by their attention I meant my father and uncle.

“Halt den Mund! (Shut up)” I exclaim fed up with their fighting. Both of them snapped their attention to me stopping their loud angry German bickering.
“Sitzen (Sit),” I order sternly to the both of them. My serious harsh and demanding tone had made them sit somewhat shocked that I was not only ordering them around but doing so in German.
“Idioten dumme Idioten ist, wie du aussiehst gerade jetzt, Sie sind beide erwachsene Männer es jetzt zu handeln. (Idiots foolish idiots is what you look like right now, you are both grown men now act it),” I scold them in German like they were children.
“Ihr Deutsch ist besser geworden (Your German has gotten better),” Uncle Frederick comments quietly.
“Ich kümmere mich nicht um mein Deutsch verdammt (I don’t care about my German damn it),” I snap.
“Sprich nicht zu deinem Onkel so war er Ihnen ein Kompliment (Do not speak to your uncle that way, he was giving you a compliment,” my father retorts shooting me a dirty look.
“Scheiße auf Komplimente Komplimente sind für diejenigen, die Gewissheit, dass ich nicht benötige brauchen (shit on compliments, compliments are for those who need reassurance, that I do not need),” I counter angrily.
“Bruder who does she remind you of right now?” Uncle Frederick inquires turning to my father.
“Vater (Father),” my father states.
“Sometimes I think he has been reincarnated especially when she narrows her golden green eyes at us,” he jests with a smile.
“Oh yes, she does that same look that Vater used to give us before he gave us a good beating,” my father laughs. I merely shook my head at the pair as they began reminiscing about their childhoods and headed out of the room knowing that I had done a job well done. Having my grandfather’s eyes that only seemed to be a trait that had been passed down to me gave me ammunition when it came to my father and uncle. Heated from the angry German ranting I headed towards the back of the house to go outside. Once outside I walked around the gardens aimlessly enjoying the cool breeze.