My Spy 6: Private Eye

Space

I laugh, "You and Austin are already conjoined. Not sure how much more bonding you two need." I move back over to the center of the room, but before we decide on where the bed should go I say, "We're leaving tomorrow around ten, so the car better be there before then. My mother won't find that as a reason to be late to the parade."

"Trust me, after last year I understand the importance of Founder's Day. That and I am finally off your mother's shit list, I would like it to stay that way."

"Well, she might be on my shit list," I mutter. "We need to just get through tomorrow and then we'll finally have space. I think that's what I need the most just...space. My own space."

"Alright well, let's make the most of tomorrow and then we can hibernate." Ryan agrees and I look to him with hope. We're about to have the normalcy I have craved for the past year. I am ready to be an old, boring married couple. In our own house. Away from the town and drama. 

*******

Margot helped stuff me into my massive Antebellum dress this year and I was surprised she didn't slip in any backhanded compliments into our last looks. We've finally managed to be in a room together where she's not insulting me and I'm not trying to run away from her. 

I take in her perfect seafoam green masterpiece and am in awe of her mother's craftsmanship. She's spent the past three months sewing her and Molly's silk gowns and the details are stunning. If Margot was around in the 1860s, she would have definitely been an Antebellum Vogue cover model. 

Austin finds us crammed into her walk-in closet and informs us that they just finished unloading the Jag on the driveway. Margot doesn't give two shits about the car, so she waves him off with her gloved hand and we go to help each other into our boots. When we are laced up and buttoned into our monstrosities, she hands me a cream lace parasol and we're ready to go. She fastens one last bobby pin into her floral headpiece and tilts her head to run over her appearance in the mirror. As always, she's a goddess in green and I catch her smirk before she saunters out of the closet. I go to follow behind her but glance to see how I made out this year. 

I ended up in a damask, silk periwinkle gown with silver and cream lace trim. A silver locket that Ryan bought me is the only jewelry I wear and Margot tied matching silver silk around my wrists. The skirt is as wide and as obnoxious as it was last year, but the colors are much more subdued. I feel like a classy lady and I know my mother will be pleased. 

I spin a blonde ringlet that's framing my face around my finger and release it before striding out of the closet as well. Margot is halfway down the curved staircase when I reach the top of the banister. Austin and Ryan stand at the bottom, looking handsome while fully dressed in their gray uniforms, waiting for the belles to descend toward them. Austin takes Margot's hand and pulls her toward the front door while Ryan stares at me at the top. I smirk to him and his eyes don't leave me as I glide down the steps. Once my gloved hand is in his, he says, "I'm not going to be able to handle our wedding day." 

A laugh escapes me, "Why?" 

"Because I just got choked up seeing you in this nonsense. How am I going to handle you in something from this century?" He says while his hand goes to my locket. "Is this the one we found in New York?" 

I nod, "Maybe I should be creepy and put a lock of your hair in here. Really immerse myself in the time period."

"Well if we're going for authenticity then you must know, I would not have fought for the Confederacy. I really should be dressed in blue," he mummers, as if someone else might overhear him and strip him of his costume.

"You do look really good in blue. I wonder if I can convince my mother that you should be in navy for the wedding."

"You know Sawyer," he says as he leans in again, "It is our wedding. I don't think I need your mother's approval on my suit color."

"Don't let her hear you say that!" I tell him with a swat as I hear Austin call out to us, announcing that she's here. I tuck my arm around his and he leads me out the front door. Austin and Margot are standing on the steps and as my mother crawls out of the limo, we go and stand next to them. We all watch as her delighted expression suddenly becomes horrified, but I don't know what prompted the change. At first, I think she's pointing to me, but after she strips off her tortoiseshell glasses, I realize she's pointing to something behind me. 

"Why is that here?" She snaps as she points to the silver roadster parked at the top of the driveway. 

Austin watches her storm past us as he says, "Sawyer found it in the shed Tilly left her. It's grandfather's."

"Oh, I know whose it is! Why is it here?" She snaps again and I look to Austin as he says, "We wanted to get it running again. That's a lot of money just sitting there, decaying in a shed."

"He said he sold it," she mutters quietly and I almost didn't catch what she said. She's shaking her head while staring at the car, possibly hoping to develop laser beams that she can shoot at it. The hatred is evident, I just don't know why it's being directed at a vintage car. 

"Once you have it running I want it sold," she seethes. She looks to me, "I don't care for how much, but I never want to see that thing again." 

She spins around and marches back over to the limo she rented. She disappears behind the open door while the four of us wonder what the hell that was about.