Wavering Mollisher

A Chance of Fate

“DELLA! UP!” Henry’s voice booms through the small flat. “EXPLAIN THE MEANING OF THIS!”

Della falls on the floor, a mess of blankets and pillows. Cursing under her breath, Della wrestles the blankets off her body; she looks at the nearby clock. “6 am, there better be a fire, Henry!” Della yells. She grabs a dress robe off the nearby chair and flings open her door. “Do you have any idea what time it is?” 

“Hardly the time, sister. Why is it that I hear from Caroline that you are walking into a wolf’s den today?” Henry slams his fist down on a kitchen chair.

“Good morning, Henry. Lovely morning, eh?” Sarcasm pours out of Caroline’s lips as she pours three cups of coffee. 

“Pleasantries, Caroline? How could you entertain this ridiculous idea?” Henry turns his ire on his partner.

“What crawled up your ass this fine morning, dear brother?” Della blows the steam from her coffee.

“Della, I don’t think you prepared or trained to walk into Lucas Clarke’s neighborhood,” Henry explains his reasoning.

“Are we talking about the same woman? Della is strong, quick, beautiful, and is twenty-two years old. Hardly any age befitting being told what to do by a male relative. You have nothing to worry about, Henry; I trained her.”

The last month had flown by quickly for Della due to her strict training regimen with Caroline. Caroline started Della off at the local gym, running her through some basic strength exercises. Since the gym owner knew Caroline, the two women stuck to the building since some frowned on women training and exercising. By the end of the month, Della knew defensive tactics to distract any would-be attackers. Not only did Caroline train Della in the art of defense, but she also taught her the subtle art of manipulation. If Della wanted answers about her parents from Lucas Clarke, she must know the right questions to ask.

Henry rolls his eyes. “I wasn’t saying that, Lina. She’s my baby sister.” Henry nervously rubs the back of his neck

“I’m aware of your relation, Henry. What I’m saying is that you need to look past that she is your sister. Tell him, Della.” Caroline calmly sits with her cup of coffee.

“Henry, in the last month, Caroline and I have been practicing self-defense tactics, the art of conversation, my observation skills, and how to escape a hostile situation.” Della lists off her lessons. “I can do this!”

“Not to mention, we discerned that Lucas has quite the soft spot for Della. She is the first of his kidnappees that he personally looked after-that I’m aware of.” Caroline nods back at Della. 

Della smiles and nods. She had kept her unexpected kiss with Lucas from Caroline. Something tells her that Caroline would not be happy about it.

“You made your case!” Henry hangs his hands-palms up. “Now, I have worked up quite the appetite, so if one of you ladies can whip up some breakfast….”

Della and Caroline share a smirk before whirling on him, throwing a dish towel his way. “I agree. You really should get started on breakfast.”

 The three share a joyous meal before they start their days on their respective missions. Della was slipping on her petticoat, preparing for her encounter with Lucas, while Caroline is outside to hail a cabby. Della pats her red hair updo and grabs her bag. She is nearly startled to death by the image of her brother in the mirror.

“You look lovely, Della.” Henry offers a small smile.

“Thanks. Is Caroline coming soon?” Della turns back to the mirror and gently places her hat on.

“You know she is in love with you, right?” Henry leans against the door frame.

“What? How? I thought you and her…?” Della‘s eyes shift to her brothers in confusion. 

“Me and her? No. I’m not her type. As for the how…you can tell when someone is in love.” Henry seems to drift off in his thoughts at the mention of love.

Butterflies exploded in her stomach. Della had grown fond of Caroline in the last month, but could they turn into something more? Della had never thought of Caroline in that way until Henry mentioned it. Somehow her heart began beating at the thought of kissing her friend.

“Let’s go! Cabby’s waiting.” Caroline bursts through the door.

Della staggers into the outskirts of Merryville. Before Caroline and she had departed at the end of the road, they had gone over their rendezvous point. Della had agreed to get some information for Caroline regarding Lucas’s group's secret deals and potential kidnappings.

Steam rises to meet Della’s boots as she walks through a thin alleyway. Above her, old cogs make a grating sound, a sign that the city did not upkeep the area. The streets are full of dirt, and the buildings are weathered beyond repair. Della feels guilty about her past snobby behavior. A month ago, she mocked the people who lived in this neighborhood. Looking around at the dark streets, she chides herself for her demeaning behavior.  

Off in the distance, a small girl runs into the street, playing with her dolls.

Della giggles at the sight. The girl looks carefree as she imagines a story for her door. Della is enchanted by the scene that she barely hears the noise of a horseless carriage speeding down the road. 

“Hey, child!” Della yells. The girl remains oblivious to the folding scene.

“Girl!” Della begins running toward the street. The girl twirls her doll about, laughing. As the girl turns a second time, she realizes the fate that was about to befall her. The tiny girl freezes in the road. Della catches up to her, scooping her up and throwing her to the side. Della feels a heavy knock on her back and falls to the side of the road.

“Oi!! Wha’ the bloody hell? Can’t ya see there are kids ‘ere?” A loud female voice yells after the speeding contraption.

“Mama!” the little girl sobs.

“ ‘ere now, Anny. Ya alright?” The woman brushes her hands over her daughter’s bruised face. Once she checks Anny, she moves over to Della. “Miss, ya alright? That was quite a save, miss. I’m in yer debt. Miss?”

Della's focus comes in and out of consciousness. She hears the woman yell for someone, demanding a boss. 

Della remembers feeling light-like she was being carried by someone. The next thing she remembers is waking up in a bed and looking up at the man she came here to search for: Lucas Clarke.