AWAY FROM HOME
1211 Words
Charlotte's excited screams were the first sound I heard when I walked into my house. With a gleaming ring on her hand, my sister was bouncing up and down with delight. She rushed over and took my hand as soon as she saw me, then resumed her bouncing dance. Even though I made every effort to hide my feelings of jealousy and emotion at what had just happened, everything had suddenly returned to me. I tried to smile, but I was actually experiencing an uncontrollable pain—this should have been me!
"He succeeded!" Charlotte let out a delighted gasp in between breaths. In front of all their friends, Sebastian knelt down and looked at Charlotte as if he was the only woman he had! He took my hand and said, "Charlotte, will you complete me and be my other half? I am currently incomplete without you. Say yes, or I'll live my entire life looking like this and embarrassing myself! It had been just right," she said with a joyful giggle. Everyone cheered enthusiastically while watching.
I foolishly thought Sebastian was planning our future together because he always had everything planned out perfectly.
"That is really incredible!" I replied with an eager smile. "I had no idea you were coming home today!"
"I wanted this to be a surprise!" she beamed proudly.But, of course, I told Sebastian. No secret can go undetected here; I didn't want him angry that I just left without telling him first, so I made him swear not to tell anyone! "Nothing much?" was his reply, with an impish grin on his face.
"Oh no," was my firm reply, while inside my heart was racing with excitement and worry.
Charlotte spun with excitement, nearly losing her balance. I quickly caught her before she could fall.
"Thank you!"
You are very welcome, and congratulations once more."
Lord Henry welcomed our parents and us into his living room, opening a bottle of champagne that soon filled it. Glasses clinked as laughter filled the air; for a brief moment I could almost convince myself everything was fine, until my father asked an unexpected question of me.
"Isla, dear, what about you? Who is the lucky man in your life? Since you've never introduced anyone to us before, I must admit I am quite curious."
"Oh, Father... As you know me, I prefer keeping things private; however, when the time comes, you will know. I reached for my glass, taking a large sip before forcing out an embarrassing giggle. "Oh no... As you know... I'll be there for you when you need me."
"To Sebastian and Charlotte!" He lifted his glass and grinned wryly.
While everyone applauded, I noticed something strange about Lady Margaret's smile as I joined in clinking our glasses. Had something happened today? Her fingers gripped its stem too firmly.
My parents had a quiet conversation close to the study after our celebration had ended. Charlotte dragged me into my room after I heard the word "hospital."
"I'm afraid, Isla." As we sat together on my bed, her voice hardly came beyond a whisper, and instead of her customary excitement, she gripped my hand in discomfort.
"Sebastian's family is so wealthy and powerful—what if I don't fit in?"
I already understood her fear, so she didn't need to express it explicitly. In comparison to the Wyndhams, who married for power alliances rather than love, our family wasn't exactly struggling, but we weren't as wealthy either. Charlotte didn't contribute anything worthwhile.
"The only thing that matters is that Sebastian loves you." I took a deep breath.
She held out a hand and asked, "Are you sure?"
"Good," I said again, trying to be stronger.
She loosened her shoulders. "Perhaps I'm thinking too much. I have faith in him.
We talked about wedding preparations for the remainder of the evening. She smiled as she fell asleep, dreaming of her dream wedding, while I found it difficult to sleep because of my own secret pressing down on me.
Hours later, Lady Margaret crept out of her room as I was reaching for the bottle of water on my nightstand to take a slow sip. I followed her into the living room out of instinct.
Her face was unreadable as she sat down.
"You need to leave," my advisor said sharply. After hearing that statement, I was momentarily stunned and asked, "What?" "Nothing?" "Who told you to do that?" I responded with confusion and confusion before understanding their point.
She rubbed her temple and sighed. Sebastian appeared likely to be the child of Margaret's call informing her of a pregnancy in their family.
I let out a breath. Margaret must have thought she was sharing good news because I had forgotten that she was friendly with both Margaret and my mother.
Tears were still streaming down my cheeks as I sobbed into my arms, saying, "This wasn't meant to happen." "This was not my destiny."
"We raised you better; you should have reconsidered sleeping with her partner."
Although it wasn't loud, her voice had a sharp edge.
"We've decided that you must depart immediately and not come back anytime soon. You are fortunate that we are not evicting you.
The word 'we' rang in my ears, and I winced.
"Who else knows?" I started to ask, my voice crackling.
Following a brief period of silence, she looked past me and then back at Lord Henry, who was standing in the doorway.
My heart hurt. My parents, who ought to have loved and shielded me, had already made up their minds. No, they were telling me, not requesting that I leave. They needed me out for their family's reputation and for Charlotte's sake.
I used the back of my hand to wipe away Charlotte's tears as soon as she left my side, got up, and went to my room to pack. However, I gave Charlotte's forehead one final kiss before saying goodbye in a quiet voice.
My dad handed me an envelope with an airline ticket and instructed me to "take this."
"What am I even going?" I felt overwhelmed and perplexed.
"Yorkshire." You'll be staying with someone you know."
Lady Margaret handed me a container filled with my favourite foods. We will give you a call to see how you are doing.
However, I secretly knew that this was farewell and not merely a brief exile.
It was past two when I arrived at the airport at two in the morning. My chest started to ache as I sat in the waiting area and watched families and couples say goodbye with smiles and kisses that sounded like vows; no one was there to support me.
As soon as they announced my flight, I gathered my belongings and boarded. A moment later, I felt a searing pain in my stomach, which made me gasp and grip it frantically for support.
I attempted to stand and use the loo as my pain increased, but my legs failed me.
The room was filled with screams: "Blood! "Leave me alone!"
As I saw what was in front of me—dark red stains on my thighs that pooled onto the floor—anxiety shivered up my spine.
"My baby!" Then, however, chaos reigned.
- Writer
