By the River

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER 16:

The three girls sat by the fire in Dria’s room talking about what had happened throughout the past few months. Dria had decided it was time to tell her friends what had transpired two months past. She was a little apprehensive at first about what they might think of her but soon her worry turned into relief as she told them everything and they did not judge her for what had happened. Though they did tell her she was a bit foolish for going out alone on a night of a party. They were simply happy everything had turned out right in the end.

“You know you have a particularly good husband on your hands and life will be good for you. Perhaps you will even grow to care for each other if not even fall in love. It is possible you know. I know a lot of negatives has happened but perhaps it is time for good to come from all this.” Lily said to Dria.

Gemma nodded her head in agreement. She felt it was bad enough and only good could come from it from here on out. Gemma giggled a little then sighed. The other two looked at her with brows raised.

“I agree with Lily. I feel like here on out can only be good. It is a little sad that we are growing up and soon we will all have our own houses and families. Who knows how much longer we have until we are not able to do this anymore? I know we are older, and it should not bother me as much, but it does. You are my best friends, and I am going to miss you terribly.” Gemma replied with tears beginning to fill her eyes.

Lily and Dria scooted closer and enveloped her in a large hug. Dria moved Gemma’s hair away her eyes and smiled down at her. “We maybe growing up and not able to do this much longer but we will still have each other. We can always spend time together and have each other over. Besides, we will want to be with our families as well. We will not be losing each other merely adding to our family. Everything will be okay. I can promise you that. Just wait and see. Things will just be different but not over. All will be well. Have faith.” Dria told Gemma as they all hugged.

Lily nodded her head at Dria’s words and felt a slight pang in her chest but also a happiness that began to bloom as she listened to both her friends talk. She knew Dria was right, and all would be well. It would just be a new adventure and the next chapter for them to live. She was getting excited thinking about it. She sat back on her heels and smiled at her friends with a glitter to her eye and a wistful longing sliding across her face.

Dria looked over at Lily and saw the emotions playing across her face and sat back as well. “So, Lily is there something you would like to tell me about? How has your life been going? Are we hearing wedding bells in your future?” Dria asked.

Lily looked over at Dria with a look of shock that slide into a bright red blush. She looked down at her hands as they began twisting the end of her night rail in her hands. She glanced up from beneath her lashes at her friends.

“Um. . . well you see. Oh goodness you know there is. We have been talking about it and he is going to speak with father this coming week. Oh, I can hardly wait. I am filled with so much happiness I feel like I am going to burst. I am so happy. He is simply marvelous. Can you imagine me getting married? Oh, it is a dream come true!” Lily replied as she jumped up and began walking back and forth in her excitement.

Gemma and Dria jumped up and embraced their friend and began squealing and dancing around in happiness. They were laughing and giggled when they heard a knock on the door. They jumped apart and burst out laughing as they called for whoever was at the door to enter. They jumped onto Dria’s bed as the door opened.

Damien peeked his head around the door. “I figured all the clucking and noise was coming from here. You three sure are loud this late at night. What in the world are you three gossiping about?”

“Oh, Damien just this and that and Lily possibly getting betrothed.” Dria waved her hand airily around as if it were nothing.

Damien looked over at Lily’s blushing face and smiled at her.

“Is that true?”

Lily nodded her head with a wide smile creeping over her lips. He walked into the room further and gave her a large brotherly hug. She was like another sister to him as well as Gemma. He truly felt so happy and proud of the girls and only hoped Gemma would also find someone as wonderful.

“Congratulations Lily I am so beyond happy for you. You are like another sister to me as well as Gemma as you both know. I want you all three to be happy. When is he going to speak to your father?”

“Hopefully, this coming week he will ask father. That is what he has said at least. It is so wondrous to think I am next on the marriage list. Gemma is next and lastly you Damien! Oh, my, we cannot forget Isa. She is part of the group now. She will be the fourth sister.” Lily said.

Dria looked over at Damien and watched the strange emotions play across her brother’s face at the mention of Isa. She smiled a devious smile, walked to her brother, and placed her hands behind her back before speaking.

“So, when do you plan to start to officially start courting Isa?”

Damien’s face drained of color and looked like a fish out of water as he tried to grasp for words to answer his sister. She broke out laughing as the other two began laughing as well. She clapped her hands together and skipped around her brother. The other two girls sat on the bed and began rolling around in laughter as Dria gasped for breath from her fit of laughter.

“How did.... your mistaken........I do not know what you are talking about.” Damien sputtered out to the girls.

He straightened his back and took a deep breath and spoke more firmly this time.

“I see you have figured it out. But to be honest I do not know how the lady in question feels about me and I do not want to make a fool of myself if she were to turn me down.”

Damien turned to look at his sister as his eyes narrowed and a smirk slid onto his face. “But I know just the person who can help me find out.”

Dria raised a brow as the other two girls stopped laughing and were looking at him with a curious look upon their faces. Dria tilted her head to the side studying her brother. “And pray tell why we should help you out?” she asked.

He smiled and stoked his chin as if deep in thought, then looked straight into his sister’s eyes. “Because I am your beloved older brother, and she is your friend. Wouldn’t you like to be the one who brings happiness to two people you love? Besides, you owe me after all.”

“I owe you how?” Dria replied.

“Because I did not murder your husband but merely bruised him up when he deserved far more than what he got. I gave my consent as did Uncle Harold. You should be happy.” Smirked Damien.

“I see.” Said Dria. “We shall think about it and if it is something we agree on then we will ask her when she comes for tea tomorrow. So, make yourself scarce when she comes so she will confide in us. It would be very awkward if you were there.”

He nodded his head in agreement with the plan. “I can do that. I greatly appreciate your help in this my dearest sisters. This means a great deal to me as you should know. And if all works out well you will have a fourth sister for sure.”

The girls squealed and all three leapt up and ran to Damien hugging the life out of him. He hugged them all back and laughed with them. He felt a slight hope that he soon would know true happiness with the help of the three women hugging him. He pulled back and smiled at them.

“So, what else have you three been talking about?” Damien inquired about the three ladies.

“Oh goodness I almost forgot. I decided to tell them what was the cause of this hasty wedding that took place today. Now that all is as it should be I could not keep it from them any longer. I had to share and now I feel much better since they know now. It is hard keeping something so big from people who are like your sisters.” Dria said to her brother as she glanced at the other two.

He looked at the others as well and knew his sister’s secret was safe with them. He was slightly curious why she did not originally tell them when it happened. They would never have betrayed her trust. He mentally shrugged his shoulders and turned back to his sister who had followed the girls back to sit on her bed.

“That is wonderful. I am glad you told them, and it has relieved some of the stress upon your mind. It can be extremely hard holding in something as big as that from people you love.” Replied Damien.

“Well, I am off to bed now. You three behave and enjoy your evening.” He said as he headed out the door listening to a chorus of goodnights.