Across the Great Sea Book # 10

Chapter 2

The next day Mom and Susan left for their long stay in America. I was in my room, writing in my notebook of my siblings and my adventures.
"Writing are you?" Peter asks.
"How did you guess?" I ask, grinning at my older brother.
"You always do when you want to process your feelings, so tell your big brother everything," he sits down beside me.
"It's well, I'll miss you," I begin.
"Is that all, it's not like I'm enlisting and we still have a week together," Peter, he plays with my hair.
"No," I look at him,"But you've been drafted, I saw the notice, Peter, you can't hide this forever."
"I'm sure they'll give me an exemption, because I'm training to be a doctor," Peter assures me.
"But doctors have to go to war too, some are killed, while trying to save another soldiers life, and this war isn't like the wars we've fought in Narnia, over half of the soldiers die," my voice tears up and Peter pulls me close. I lay my head on his shoulder as I cry.
"I know, Verity, but isn't God with us always, remember what Jesus told us, we go through bad times to strengthen our faith in him and Aslan said something similar." He pats my back.
"Shouldn't go downstairs?" I ask, after I wipe my tears,"Ruth will be making tea."
"Sure," he grins at me.
When we get downstairs, we sit in the drawing room and enjoy Lucy's tea. Peter sits with an arm around Lucy on a settee, Edmund lies sprawled on the floor, reading a book surprisingly, since my brother cares not much about books, and I am sitting on Dad's easy chair and Ruth was sitting quietly next to me on the other chair.
"Too bad, we can't go to the Professor's with you, Peter," Lucy says.
I sit down on the piano, and play a few chords
"Too think it's been almost two years, since we stepped into that wardrobe."
"And saved Narnia from the white witch," Ruth adds,
"What are you reading, Ed?" Peter asks curiously
"A book about Tuverculosis," Edmund answers.
"Tuberculosis, Ed," I correct,"Too think you're sixteen years old and you still can't pronounce words properly."
Edmund glares at me,"Well, I wasn't asking you Verity and don't be acting so high and mighty, you're only 14 two years younger than me."
"I'm almost 15 it's only a year and a half's difference," I reply."Ruth's almost 14."
"Well, you don't have to be too worried about, Dad, he's getting better in that sanitarium, with fresh mountain air, he should be home soon," Peter tries to cheer us up.
"Are you sure?" Lucy asks.
"Of course, that's what I've read," he smiles down at her, mussing with her brown hair playfully.
"There are only two types of Consumption, Dad has the least fatal one," I say.
"How do you know?" Edmund asks.
"When I don't know something, I like too find as much about it as possible," I explain.
"That's a good idea, Verity, we should all do that," Ruth replies.
"Oh, so that explains why you're so smart," Comments Edmund.
"Well, I'm not always right," I try to act humble, because Peter gave me his warning look.
"So do you think he's going to get better," Lucy asks.
"Well, didn't he write that he is," I say, I continue playing on the piano.
"Would you please be quiet, I'm reading," Edmund tells me.
"Fine," I answer annoyed, I sit back down at my chair.
"But, I liked it, I can't play as good as you, Mrs. Wicket is ever so strict," Lucy protests.
"Neither can I," Ruth says.

 "Of course, you can, Ruth," I answered,"Don't be so humble."
Edmund closes the book,"Alright, Verity, you can play, besides this is a bunch of Giberish to me."
"That's alright, Ed, besides shouldn't we spend more time with, Pete, it's only one more week till he leaves," I said.
"Yeah, and we have to go to Useless's place," mumbled Edmund, using the same tone of voice I had used earlier.
"I'm sure it won't be that bad," Peter says to him.
"Oh, well, you think so too, because you know you could board at his place when you go to college this semester, but your boarding in a boarding house," Edmund replies, rolling his eyes.
"Well, it's because the boarding house is closer," Peter excuses himself.
"Huh uh?" I nod in disbelief.
"Well, Eustace can be a bit annoying," Peter admitted.
"Very," Lucy adds.
"We should at least try to be nice to him," Ruth the peacemaker tells us.
"And you'll survive," Peter encourages us.
"They might, I always have to share a room with him," Edmund replies sarcastically.
"Well, does anyone want some more tea?" Ruth asks, changing the subject, getting up from her place.
"I'll help," I say to my younger sister and Lucy follows me, leaving my two brothers alone in the drawing room.
After we had had tea, I said,"Ruth it's now your turn for the piano."
"Verity," she protested,"I.."
"Don't always be Ruth the Timid, that's not who you are," I said.
"Yes, we're tired of always hearing, Verity," Edmund teased.
I sent a glare at him.
"Alright," Ruth sighed, taking her place at the piano, which she rarely did when she knew others were listening. I know Ruth adored the piano, but she was afraid of what other people would think if she played alone, so sometimes I'd play my violin along with her, but sometimes I could get tired of hearing me play.