My Daughter, Audrey [ON HOLD]

The Rest of the Night

Peter woke up, the sheets soaked with his sweat.  He felt a sharp pang in his arm, hindering him from getting up any further.   He groaned and sunk back into the bed.   He looked around the room and saw Jennie asleep with Audrey in her lap.  He smiled and then something else hit him.  He was twenty-five years old and there, right in front of him, were two young ladies who were thrown into his life.  He still couldn’t wrap his mind around the two events so suddenly upon him.   He stared at Jennie Willis.  Her firm lips, chiseled jaw, thick eyelashes, and signature blonde hair sent a warm sensation up his body.  He needed to ask her soon; he wanted her hand forever.   Even if he couldn’t afford the ring, he wanted her by his side; no one could tell him differently.   Nothing could be bigger than his growing love for Ms. Willis; he hardly knew her, but there was a connection between them that came natural—almost as if they had been close friends for years.  

               Peter looked at Audrey, whose fair face lay gently on Jennie’s bosom.    Looking at her blonde hair and sweet complexion was like looking into a mirror—she was part of him.  Peter could hardly believe that he had a daughter.    What did she look like when she was born?  Did she scream when she entered the world?  Or was she even brave then and only sang the world a one note cry?   Peter wished he had been there; he wished he could’ve seen her brown eyes and round, smiling face.  But oh, what a gift it was to still be able to catch her in her innocence.  

               Jennie’s eyes quivered and she moistened her lips before her eyes opened and she gazed out into the room.   Peter’s heart raced and his stomach shook inside of him.  Jennie looked down at Audrey and kissed her on the cheek.

               “Jennie,” Peter whispered through a trembling smile.

               Jennie looked up and her surprised face melted into the sweetest smile.  “Yes, Peter?”

               “Come ‘ere.”

               Jennie picked up Audrey and made her way to the bed.  She took a seat beside Peter and placed a light hand on his wounded arm.  “What is it?”

               Peter’s breath was taken away.  His throat went dry and all he could do was smile a ridiculously boyish grin.  “’Ow is she?”

               “She’s splendid.  And the doctor said you’ll be well soon.”

               “Jennie, where did ya come from?”  Peter asked in desperate interest of her heritage.

               “From Bristol; I was born in Bristol.  I moved around a lot and ended up living in London.   My parents had divorced the previous year and then got back together—made quite the gossip among their peers.   At the age of sixteen, my mother got cancer; I didn’t know where to get the money.  I gave my life to the streets against my father’s will.   I earned enough money to help my mother,” Jennie’s breath shuddered and tears were clouding her vision.  She laughed nervously and wiped away the stray tears, “The money only helped her die comfortably.   Though my father was kind old man, never harmed a fly, I couldn’t bare the absence of my mother, so I ran away from home at the age nineteen and continued my job as a showgirl at a night club.  When I look back, it was selfish act for me to do, especially to my dear father.  I didn’t fancy the manager, so I moved to Liverpool where I found a job here with decent wages and plenty of show time.”

               Peter was silent.  Her life before meeting him sounded horrid.   The poor thing.   He reached out and fingered the tips of her fingers.   A warm smile spread across his face, making Jennie return the mien.   “Wot about yer education?  And before answerin’ those, ‘ow old are ya?”

               Jennie laughed and stroked Peter’s cheek.  She didn’t response right away, as she was sequencing how she should tell Peter.  She began in a sweet, lyrical voice that could send Peter asleep.  But he stayed awake for the sake of seeing her tender face.

               “I’m twenty-two,” Jennie replied shyly, adding a quick smile after her answer, “I was sent to a private boarding school in London where I progressed faster than my fellow students.  I at first was punished by my first teacher for ‘cheating’ and finishing my assignment ‘too soon.’   But, they soon realized I was naturally good at academic, especially literature.”

               “I saw that ya were more intelligent than the rest,” Peter said hazily, lost in her voice and soft blue eyes. 

               Jennie blushed and turned away until the heat in her cheeks settled.  “Thank you.  I saw that you actually came to see me.  I never saw you look on any other girl on the stage.  It frightened me a bit, but I was soon flattered and then, in a way, I looked forward to you coming.”

               “Really?”  Peter tried to sit up, but his wounded arm permitted to him to only lifting his neck.

               “Yes, really.”  Jennie pushed him gently back down and tucked the covers around his shoulders.

               “Go on with ya story.”

               “Oh yes.  Well, I enjoyed reading as much as writing and it became my favorite hobby.   I wanted to major in English, but many people opposed of that, except my parents, they were very supportive of me.  My tutors, however, opposed and convinced my parents that it was not a career choice.  I then tried learning foreign languages.  Oh, what a bore that was!  I quit after two years of that.  I returned back to reading and writing, but all that ended when my private tutor discouraged me horribly by saying I should never attempt writing again if I continue to leave out punctuation.  I was scarred at that tender age of sixteen.  I never picked up a pencil after that to write for pleasure.”  Jennie bit her lip as she reminisced the saddest parts of her childhood.

                “Ya keep any of yer work?”

               Jennie shook her head sadly.  “No, I destroyed all of it in a frustrated rage.  Not a trace left.”

               “Wot a shame,” Peter said honestly, reaching up to touch the ends of her hair.  “Oh, Jennie, if there was anythin’ I could do to git ya away from there, I would do it!”

               “Peter, don’t say that!  I’ve got to work, and besides, it’s not as bad as the other places I worked.  Those men were cruel, harsh, and treated me like a toy.  But, I was eighteen, and knew nothing of that world.”

               “Ya ever consider workin’ when we get married?”

               Jennie’s smile widened and she looked up at Peter through her dark long lashes.  “You haven’t asked me yet!”

               Peter sniggered through his nose and his cheeks reddened.  “About that, I’ll ask ya.”

               “When?”

               Peter clicked his tongue against his teeth and gave her wink.  “It’ll be a surprise.”

               “Blimey.  I hate surprises.”

               “Oh, come off it, ya’ll like this one, I promise!”  Peter tugged at Jennie’s sleeve, asking her to snuggle up against him.

               Jennie smiled and, still holding Audrey, waddled on her knees beside Peter.  She fell into his good arm and pulled the covers over Audrey and herself.  “Good night, Peter.”

               “Night,” Peter murmured, planting a soft kiss on top of her head.   So many thoughts went through his head as she lay beside him.  He was somewhat afraid, confused, excited, but most of all, peaceful.   He hadn’t realized how lonely he had been before he had met Audrey and Jennie.  “Thank you, for them,” Peter acknowledged, glancing up at Heaven and then down at his two blondes.   Minutes passed, it wasn’t long before Peter fell asleep.