Beyond the Broken Angel

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Marguerite didn't seem the least bit bothered by the question. "Oh, no, I adored the man. Well, sometimes I did."

Giselle opened her mouth to ask her to elaborate, but was cut off by Selene.

"Will you take her while I drive?" the woman asked Marguerite, motioning to the squirming one-year-old in her arms.

Marguerite moved away from Giselle, happily scooping up Dorothy. "Why, of course!" She propped the baby up on her hip, smiling down at her. "Little Dorothy-Joanne loves me, don't you?"

Dorothy only blinked up at her, but that was enough for Marguerite to smile big and twirl around, pulling a giggle from the little girl.

"Alright," Selene announced. "Kids and Marguerite in my car. Giselle, you'll be riding with Will."

"Selene—" Giselle began, prepped and ready to protest.

"Nope," Selene cut her off. "You're riding with Will. I need you two to hurry up and be friends so I don't have to hear your bickering every day." She pushed Giselle over to Will's car.

Will was already in the driver's seat, and didn't look any more pleased than she did about the situation.

"I have a proposition," Will announced as she slipped into the car.

She leaned back against the seat, reaching for a seatbelt that hadn't been invented yet before quickly remembering that fact and looking over to him. "What is it?"

"Neither of us speak the entire ride."

Giselle breathed out a laugh. "I'm down," she said before following up with, "Sure," when he didn't seem to understand the phrase.

They both followed Will's suggestion flawlessly throughout the entire drive to the church. The steady hum of the engine and the faint music spilling in from the radio had even lulled Giselle to sleep.

She awoke to the sound of the engine cutting off.

"We're here," Will told her before stepping out and rounding the car to open her door. He extended a hand to help her out, which she took.

Will slipped his arm through hers as soon as she was standing, something Giselle ended up liking very much.

Giselle hated how her body reacted to the gesture. Goosebumps broke out under the long sleeves of her dress, her heartbeat picked up, a fresh blush dusted her cheeks. She nearly frowned when he dropped her arm to file into the pew.

She sat next to him on the uncomfortable, wooden pew at the very back of the chapel. Marguerite sat to her left, holding a sleepy Dorothy in her arms.

After singing several church hymns, the priest took the pulpit. He spoke about 'loving thy enemy,' which made Giselle and Will share an amused look with each other.

As the man began to speak, however, Giselle soon found out how monotone and soothing his voice was. She tried to stay awake, but couldn't for the life of her.

It didn't seem to take long for her body to start tilting off its axis, her head drooping to the side and finding rest on Will's shoulder. She was too tired to care that his body stiffened under her touch, or that her actions might be considered improper.