Infinite Shadows

12

      After I was fully dressed, I made my way down the stairs and into the dining room where delectable looking food was being placed on the table in Aunt Pol's virgin China.

Everyone was here including our guest, Alfie, who was in the kitchen taking the fresh turkey out of the stove.

I walked into the kitchen and to Alfie.

He glanced at me and smiled.

"Hello, love."

"I'm so terribly sorry you had to witness me in such a horrendous state early this morning. I truthfully have never been so barbaric in my short years of living. I-I am not quite aware of what came over me, but I-I owe you all apologies. And, well, I hope you do accept them." I say in a hushed tone.

He looks up from stuffing mixed vegetables into the cooked turkey and smirks.

"You have no reasoning to be ever so sorry, darling. For I was the intruder of your home. I should not have seen you like that in the first place. It is quite alright, love."

I looked at my hands, blushing and smile.

With his clean hand, Alfie raises my chin.

"Let's eat, shall we?" He shouts so his voice is audible to everyone in the house. His eyes stay on me and he smugly winks whilst grabbing the rest of the food.

"We shall." My smile brightens as we both walk over to the large table were everyone is already seated and filling their plates and glasses to the rim.

Two open seats were left in between Esme and Dean. I, of course, sat next to Esme and Alfie next to me.

We all began our feast in comfortable silence with the sounds of only utensils scratching plates filling the room.

I placed a wee spoonful of mashed potatoes in my mouth and looked at Esme with a smile.

I giggled at the sight of her purposely placing carrots into her mouth to make them appear as walrus teeth. I covered my mouth and tried not to laugh too hard.

Pol looked at Esme and me from across the table smiled small. 

Of course being the eldest she had to stop us from being impolite and have us act more "lady-like", even though you could tell she so desperately wanted to burst into fits of laughter as well. She carefully kicked us from underneath the table and Esme started to actually eat the carrots.

Pol cleared her throat and looked up at Alfie.

"So, Alfie, I am aware you agreed to work with Tommy here in trade for men and police relations?"

"Oh well, yes ma'am! You see..."

I started to lose consciousness in the conversation and arrived on my own train of thought.

The room was so quiet without Ada...

No, no, no! I was not to think of her. No. She betrayed me. She told me she didn't want me. She is perfectly content without my presence... Or was she? What if she actually misses me? What if life with Freddie is what she really wanted and felt forced into the marriage and having a child with him? No! Stop. She doesn't miss me. Not at all.

But I missed her...

Isn't it sad how you can love someone so much and devote your life around them, but they just throw you around? Treat you simply as a rag doll and pick you up only when they need something, but then put you down when their needs are fulfilled?

It's not fair. Nothing is.

I was sprung out of my thoughts by a knock on the front door. 

Pol looked at me and said, "Daisy, dear, won't you get the door please?"