Harry
"Welcome home sister," Harry shouted with open arms upon stepping out of the carriage at his fathers plantation.
"Brother!" Rose squealed excitedly and ran toward him.
"Sorry I'm late,...I was caught up with work," he apologized hugging her.
His father who stood by the porch rolled his eyes shunning his excuse. He was aware of the party he had with his friends the night before.
"I'm only glad you came," Rose grinned.
"You're just in time for lunch," Mr. walker, Harry's Father said, and continued, "come on in before the food gets cold."
They all walked in and settled in the family dining room where they talked about everything from friends, their childhood, work and life. As they all begun to eat roasted turkey, potatoes, vegetables and gravy, Harry filled his plate with potatoes.
"You haven't changed a bit," Rose said.
"What do you mean?" Harry asked. Rose tossed her head towards his plate.
"Potatoes," she smiled.
"He was a very picky eater," his father added with a smile, "he only loved potatoes when he was a child, your mother and I thought he'd grow out of it...guess we were wrong."
"You should plant potatoes on my grave, just in case there is none on the other side," Harry joked.
They all laughed.
"He used to say he'll never love a woman as much as he loved potatoes," Mr. Walker added.
They laughed even more.
"I wonder if that part has changed," Rose smiled and continued, "has any woman stolen your heart yet brother?" She asked.
Harry smiled awkwardly, it was a conversation he tried to avoid at all cost in front of his father. But obviously Rose didn't know.
"Not yet, I'm trying to find a perfect sister for you," he said.
"We all can't wait for that perfect girl," Mr. Walker said sarcastically.
Harry's mouth quirked.
"Father wants me to marry Elizabeth Hawkins," Harry said with a stiff smile.
"She's a wonderful girl, I like her," Rose said excitedly.
"She comes from a good family too," Mr. Walker added.
"What father means by good family is the strong ties he wants to build with her father, and her wealth that he desperately wants to exploit. Like always, it's all about his benefits, nothing about my happiness," Harry said shoving more potatoes in his mouth than intended.
"Nonsense! I'm doing this for you, you need her," Mr. Walker growled.
"I have everything I need....you do too father, but it's never enough for you," Harry said looking down his plate, his anger building fast.
"I think Elizabeth is beautiful besides all the wealth," Rose cut in, trying to ease the tension.
"Yes sister, she's very beautiful, but she's not what my heart desires," Harry said with a smile.
"Your brother here wants to marry for love," Mr. Walker smirked.
"I respect that," Rose smiled.
"I wonder how that's going to be possible when all he does is bed every..."
"Father!" Harry interrupted angrily, "have you no shame?"
"I never married for love, your sister never married for love and she turned out okay!" Mr. Walker said firmly.
"Okay?...Is this what you call okay?!" Harry asked angrily pointing at Rose who had not imagined that a simple question could turn things that ugly.
"Of course, she's fine..."
"She's a childless widow because you forced her to marry an old ugly jaded man for money! You took her away from the man she loved, and you tell me she's okay?.... Open your eyes father! She's miserable... she's sad and lonely."
The room fell silent as Harry and his father eyed each other. So silent like the wind and birds had stopped to listen to their bickering.
Harry turned his head to Rose and immediately regretted what he said. She was in tears.
"I...I... I'm sorry I shouldn't have..."
Rose stood up and ran upstairs crying. Harry narrowed his eyes at his father.
"Don't look at me, I'm not the one that called her husband old and ugly.... she loved that man... but you wouldn't know that because you know nothing about love son.... love grows with time, it did with your sister and now you just called the man she loved old and ugly," he paused and wiped his mouth with a napkin, "you hurt her feelings Harry."
Harry opened and closed his mouth. Could his father be right, did Rose fall in love with her old husband? He thought and immediately ran upstairs, calling her name. Before he could knock on her bedroom door, Rose opened it and hugged him, crying.
"I am so sorry, I didn't mean to say what I said," e apologized hugging her tight.
"Don't be sorry, I'm glad you said it, now I know someone in this family understands how I feel." She drew back and rubbed her tears, "walk with me".
***
"Father has never understood love," Rose said as they walked around the plantation, "like he said, he never married for love, it's always been about money and power for him. Mother was miserable, and she died miserable. I wouldn't want you to end up like me or her, follow your heart Harry. If you don't want to marry Elizabeth, don't Marry her, don't do it for father."
Harry sighed thoughtfully and said, "I don't know.... perhaps father is right, perhaps there is no such thing as real love and happy marriages."
"There is love," she said, "I was in love once....I still am, and you too will find that woman you will love unconditionally. Hopefully with less complications than mine."
His father was right, she had fallen in love with her late husband and he was stupid enough to make judgments. He truly didn't know anything about love. He thought.
"I'm beginning to believe that perhaps we are not meant to be with people we fall in love with.... Perhaps love is supposed to grow gradually after you marry," he said thoughtfully.
"What about all the people we see who met under normal circumstances and are deeply in love?" Rose asked.
"What if they are putting on a show, or their love grew somehow?"
"Well I believe we're all meant to be with people we love, not people we can stand until love grows and all that nonsense," she said, her voice filled with regret. "If you ever fall in love hold on to it. Don't let anything come in between. Don't fall in father's trap."
They walked for a moment in silence.
"Father is becoming worse....crueler and money hungry," Harry started.
"I remember the time when he thought slavery was despicable," she added.
"That was before he found out the amount of money he could make from it," Harry murmured.
"I was surprised when he convinced you to buy a plantation," said Rose.
"To which I've done nothing yet. And I asked him to buy me a house not a plantation, but like always he went his own way."
"How long has it been now?" she asked.
"Two and half years. I still can't decide what to do with it."
"I've never seen you as a farmer," she said with a smirk.
"Neither have I."
They walked in silence again, listening to crunchy sounds of their footsteps on the gravel as the wind rustled the leaves giving them a breeze they both welcomed.
"I lost faith in Father when, he forced me to marry my late husband," Rose started.
"I'm glad you came to love him after everything," Harry said.
Rose came to a halt and said, "I did not, he was a monster who cared about nothing but himself," she retorted and lowered her voice, "I hate to say this, but I was relieved when he died, may his soul rest in peace."
Harry frowned, "I assumed you meant him when you said you were still in love..."
"I'm still in love, just not with him," she smiled uneasily and started walking.
"Who then?"
"I'm still in love with Adam."
Harry wasn't surprised, he somehow expected that. He knew Adam was the love of her life. They were childhood sweethearts whom everyone expected to marry until his father tore them apart.
"You know his married now," he said.
"Of course, I do," she answered promptly.
"With children," he added.
"I know, and there is nothing I can do about that."
"You need to forget about Adam, you have suffered enough to torture yourself with love for a married man."
"He was meant to be with me."
"But his not," Harry said.
"You don't understand, he only married her to distract himself from thoughts of me."
"Don't be naïve Rose...."
"He told me himself," she interrupted and immediately regretted.
"You talk to him?" Harry asked
She could feel disappointment in his tone. She swallowed hard before saying,
"He writes to me...."
Harry raised his brows skeptically.
"We've met once or twice," she added guiltily.
"Oh no Rose," he said and rubbed his face, "you are just adding more stress on yourself. Work on forgetting him not getting back together."
"It's not easy."
"I know...."
"How would you know when you've never been in love ?" she asked.
"Of course I have," he protested.
He had fallen in love before or at least he believed he did. He felt something with some women he met... it just didn't last as long as he had hoped.
"Perhaps not as deeply in love as you have," he continued, "but I know how it works....especially in your situation.... you are going to get hurt Rose. He's a married man, he will tarnish your name and reputation."
"Relax, I haven't even decided what I want to do with him."
"Just promise me you'll stop communicating with him," Harry said.
She looked at him for a long time. She took a deep breath and said,"I promise."
He didn't believe her, but acted like he did.
"It's the right thing to do," he smiled at her.
Vote, comment and follow :)