The school year ended without a hitch, Matthew was both sad and excited to be done for the year. He was going to miss all of his friends, but he no longer had to get up and go to school. No learning for a couple of months! Unfortunately his joy was short-lived as Gregory had other plans for him. Matthew was going to work along side Gregory at the nearby farm. Matt's days would begin even earlier then when he was attending school!
With the mounting costs of all the extracurricular activities and Gregorys minimal salary was not enough, it was decided that Matthew would get a job for the summer. Seven days a week Gregory and Matthew would head over to the farm across the street working from 4am-10am and Gregory would go back in the evening for a couple hours. The farmer was happy to have an extra set of hands even if they were half as good as Gregory they would be better than most.
All his friends had summer jobs and Erin would be leaving soon to go to France for a month with the school studying abroad. So, everybody would be busy earning a little spending cash for the upcoming year. It was different for Matthew, they needed this money and he didn't complain, they raised him with the value of hard work! Sometimes he wanted to hit snooze, but if he did that would just mean he would have to work during the hottest part of the day and he always thought better of it.
Erin stated that she would write a postcard from France to Matt at least once a week and it was one of the few things that he looked forward to. Unfortunately or fortunately Matt was too busy to pine for her presence. He worked in the morning, came home for lunch, did his chores around the house and then maintained his education as instructed by Gregory and Emmeline.
Emmeline was happy to have him back for the summer. Erin was a lovely girl, but there was something just nagging at her. Something in the pit of her stomach. In the evenings before he would retire for the night they would read to each other or play games and it was just like before, before he went to school before there was the change.
Change the word echoing in her head. Change...
Emmeline felt a pain shoot through her. She fumbled for a second dropping the playing cards to the floor. She blinked looking at the cards and then looked at the three faces that were trained on her. Emmeline mustered a smile, "I truly don't know where my head is at!" There was the change that brought him into their lives and it would be another that would take him out of their lives. He was growing older. Change...once she craved for it, now it felt more like a curse.
They didn't seem to believe her. Gregory folded his cards, "I think it is time for Matt to go to bed, we have an early day tomorrow."
"Yes." replied Matthew, but he was staring at Emmeline. Something was going on, but she wasn't sharing. Ania followed Matt up the stairs.
When the door closed behind them Ania sat on the bed, "What do you think is going on with her?"
Matthew looked at the nightgown he held in his hands. "I don't know. I don't think it is related to her leaving the estate. But if she doesn't tell us, how can we know?"
Ania looked Matthew and balled her hands into fists on her thighs, "I wish she would stop being so stoic and just tell us what is really bothering her. What is going on in her mind. She didn't just drop her cards, she lost her material self...again, the cards slipped through her invisible hands."
"I know, trust me, I know. But I really don't know what to do about her especially if she is not going to tell us a damn thing."
Ania nodded.
***
When Ania and Matthew left the room he got up and sat beside her. She hadn't moved from her position. The cards were still by her feet. He put his arm around her and guided her to his shoulder. "Emmeline, what is going on? Please tell me, tell us. We are your family. This never used to happen before."
Emmeline sat back up and looked Gregory in the eyes and she put her left hand against his right cheek. The moment she touched his cheek Gregory could feel an influx of pain, sadness, loneliness, isolation, and misery. He felt true love and heartbreak. Because only if you knew true love could you understand the feeling of what happens when you feel that loss.
Emmeline noticed the change in Gregory's demeanor and the slight shake of his body. She quickly removed her hand. "Oh my God, what did I do?" Her voice shrill with concern.
Gregory quickly grabbed her retreating hand with both of his and brought it close to his chest where his heart used to be. "I know you don't know your past." Gregory paused for a moment, "But your soul does. Your soul remembers. You suffered a great heartbreak." He pulled her in close and hugged her. He hugged to let her know that she wasn't alone and he was here. He could feel the pain it was similar to his own when he lost is fiancé.
***
A week later in the beginning of August Erin stopped by unexpected on a Saturday. Emmeline saw the car and looked out. Should she pretend not to be here? Emmeline shook her head disappointed with herself. That would be rude )but there was some small part of her that blamed the girl even if Emmeline herself was not aware of it)! And besides the girl probably already seen her bending over the tub. She set the clothes to the side being careful not to get dirt on them and she had not interest in rewashing clothes that she had already washed.
Emmeline called out and waved to the young girl, "Hello Erin, are you looking for Matthew?"
Erin nodded, she hadn't seen him in months and she really missed him. "Yes, Emmeline, right?"
"Mmm, he should be home in about a half an hour or so if you would care to wait?"
"That would be great, thanks."
"I'll go put on a pot of tea and I have some marmalade and scones wait here a moment."
Erin nodded and looked at the tub that Emmeline had been huddled over. She noticed the clothes and a torture device (laundry press not that Erin knew what it was) not too far away. When she walked closer she could see the ribbed wash board, this isn't really how they do laundry is it? Why don't they just get electricity to the house? Before Erin could think to much more on the subject Emmeline emerged from the house with a tea tray. she set it on the table outside, and smiled towards the other girl. "Please, come sit." Motioning to the open chair by the table.
Emmeline wanted to have a chance to talk to this girl, to see who she really was and what their relationship was.
"I didn't interrupt you did I?" Erin asked curious if the woman really was doing the laundry that way.
"I always have time for friends of Matthews. The laundry can wait 30 minutes, its not like anything bad will happen." She smiled her face sweet and her voice like honey.
Matthew and Gregory were walking back down the drive with Ania in tow. They were dead and they weren't feeling the heat like Matthew was. All he wanted to do was run to the creek and cool down. Matthew stopped in his tracks when he saw the blue bug sitting in the circle drive. Suddenly he was full of energy. He quickly walked and called out her name, "Erin, you're back?!"
Emmeline heard the excitement in his voice and a felt an uncomfortable feeling wash over her. Was it jealousy?