Annabelle rolled her eyes in a not too discrete way. Edith and her older sister Harriett were great people, she had grown up with them and loved having them around, but their need to have a man do everything for them, only further put Annabelle off the idea of getting married. Who waited desperately to have yet another man to answer to? Who wanted their stomach invaded with an alien presence? What sort of person looked forward to having a babe attached to their breast? It did not seem right, not when being young could be so much fun .
A scathing comment rested on the edge of Annabelle’s tongue, but before she could get it out her aunt turned in her seat and hushed the girls angrily. As her red rage filled face turned to shut the group up, Annabelle felt her cheeks flame and her throat bubble with a desperate need to laugh .
She always found herself that way, needing to giggle at the most inappropriate times. It felt like a curse most of the time, but more than ever at her sister’s wedding .
“Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Urwin,” the vicar concluded in a grave tone, bringing Annabelle’s attention back to the action happening in front of her. “Abraham, you may kiss the bride .”
All the girls had to force their expressions to remain blank while Abraham dipped his face down to kiss Beatrice. Annabelle couldn’t help putting herself in her sister’s shoes at that moment and it was something that she really wanted to avoid. She wanted to get married only if it was for love. Or at the very least, like. She would have much preferred to at least have some attraction to her husband. She certainly could not imagine a world where she was stuck with a man like Abraham Urwin .
Poor Beatrice, she thought a little helplessly to herself. Poor, poor Beatrice .
Beatrice and Annabelle had never been particularly close growing up. Annabelle found her sister to be much too uptight, she did not appreciate the way that she always followed the rules, and how she liked to get Annabelle in trouble if she decided not to. There were times when she wished that she could have been an only child or that she could’ve been blessed with a younger sibling rather than an older one, but in that moment, she felt desperately sad for Beatrice .
This time, following the rules, had not panned out for the best at all. Beatrice had a lifetime of misery in front of her .
"I hope the party afterwards is more fun than the ceremony," Catherine grumbled, quietly now so Annabelle's aunt did not hear. "That was incredibly dull ."
“I hope so too.” Annabelle was not convinced. She had wanted her family to hire out a hall for the after party, but her father wanted to keep with tradition. He insisted on using the grand hall in the family home for the event, which made it feel much less like an adventure to Annabelle .
With her wild nature, Annabelle loved the idea of an adventure very much .
“Thank you very much, everybody, now it is time to celebrate the union of Mr. and Mrs. Urwin .”
The music started up and the couple slowly walked back down the aisle hand in hand, leaving the church as husband and wife. Their eyes fixed forward as they moved, they did not glance at anyone. Annabelle expected that, it was considered uncouth to look at anyone sitting in the church, but she wished that she could meet Beatrice’s eyes for just a second .
People clapped, and the girls joined in but not all of them were feeling happy about it. Annabelle experienced another unexpected pang in her heart as her sister left. She had not truly considered it before, but it was the last time she would really get to spend with Beatrice. Just because they had not always been the best of friends, did not mean she was happy for their sisterly time to end .
She should have known this feeling would happen, she should have spent more time preparing herself. Instead, in a slightly selfish way, Annabelle had been more concerned with what dress she would wear for the occasion and how boring and long the day would be. She spent so long choosing her wine coloured satin dress, with a white under layer, and lacy ruffles at the sleeve and neckline, that she had not thought about too much else .
“Are you alright, Annabelle?” Edith asked her while slipping a hand around her waist. Maybe she was slightly annoying in her ways, but she had a very perceptive, caring nature. "It is a big change, is it not ?"
“I suppose it is.” Annabelle tried her best to keep her voice natural, but a little emotional crack appeared regardless. “It is just very strange .”
“I am lucky that I have not had to lose Harriett to a husband yet, but I am sure I will feel the same way when the time comes .”
“Probably worse.” Annabelle smiled thinly at her friend. “You two are much closer than me and Beatrice. But yes, prepare yourself .”
Once the couple finally exited the church, it was time for everyone else to go. Annabelle and her friends waited patiently for the parents of the bride and groom to leave first. As others made a move, Annabelle clung onto Edith tightly .
“Let us wait, we should leave last .”
She thought it would be a good idea to pause for a moment, to give herself a second to adjust, but it turned out she was mistaken. Her father had something so important to say to her that he broke tradition for long enough to wait for Annabelle to start moving. “Annabelle, I would like to speak with you outside.” His commanding tone rang through the church, even though Otto spoke in a hushed tone. “So please hurry up .”
Annabelle felt a spike of ice cold terror racing through her as her eyes glued to her father’s. She recognized that tone well, it had haunted her for her whole life. It was the voice which led to a telling off. She was in some very serious trouble .
Catherine recognized it too, she had seen it happen to her friend enough times to understand what came next. “Uh oh, Annabelle, what have you done?” she hissed quietly as Otto moved outside. “What has happened ?”
“I do not know,” Annabelle replied with a sharp shake of her head. “But I guess I will soon find out .”
The festive mood zapped from the girls as they finally moved out of the church, none of them were thinking about the wedding reception now. They were all afraid for Annabelle, they knew how little she liked to be yelled at. None of them wanted the girl at the centre of their friendship group to be upset or the afternoon would not be anywhere near as fun .
If Annabelle was happy and upbeat, they all felt the same way. Edith and Harriett exchanged anxious glances as a tension circled the group .
“Do you want me to come and speak with your father with you?” Catherine asked, despite the fact that she really did not want to face off with Mr. Hathaway. “If he is going to shout at you for talking through the wedding, then I should take some of the blame too .”
Yes! Please, do not leave me alone, Annabelle thought desperately, but she had no intention of saying that aloud. She did not want the humiliation of being yelled at in front of her friends... again .