A couple weeks with James was absolutely incredible. He looked spindly, but was actually quite sturdy and was even strong enough to lift me. He seemed to take a lot of pleasure in surprising me by sweeping me off my feet too. And well, it was a bit fun to be carried around like that. I’m not going to lie though, I was a bit vain and flaunted around my new ring to basically anyone I could. Mum saw it and was ecstatic about marriage. She even told me how proud she was! James wanted to see my father to have his blessing, but… I don’t think I need to explain why that was a bad idea. He would probably only be happy about getting some money out of it. On the other hand, the Hawthorne sisters congratulated me and immediately began to argue on who should be the maid of honor.

The best part of being engaged was that I could walk around town with James in my arms and nobody would shoot me any odd glances. I felt like a totally different woman. And for the first time, I really felt like people on the streets treated me like one too. Our dinner together with the Hawthorne’s was fantastic too.

“Aven! James!” Mrs. Hawthorne exclaimed from the kitchen. “I’m glad you two came! Reginald said you would join us for dinner.”

“Wouldn’t miss the chance to attend one of these again,” I smiled.

“I think you mean one without Beatrice,” Max murmured when I took my seat beside her. 

“You don’t have to slander someone who’s not even here,” Reginald side-eyed. “Let’s have a nice dinner together.”

“Fine, fine,” she sighed, rolling her eyes and scanning the table. “Food is always sweeter in welcome company.”

“I think it’s sweeter on my plate,” I said decisively, scooping some nice looking stuff in front of me.

“You’re not going to touch any of the meat?”

“Nah, I’m not feeling it,” I shrugged. “Who needs it when I can fill my stomach with soup and bread?”

“I feel like you need both meat and bread in your diet.”

“Oh let Aven have her fun,” James laughed, patting my back. “If she wants bread, I say bring her as much as she needs.”

“Aven, your husband is so romantic,” Ada giggled.

“He’s not my husband yet,” I reminded.

“The way you cling to him could fool me.”

“But it’s so sweet, I think,” Angel smiled. “And how can you shame something that looks so happy?”

“Beatrice could learn a thing or two from her,” William muttered just loud enough for everyone to hear, inviting a chorus of stifled laughter while Reginald gave his brother a slap on the back of the head.

“Who knew that Aven would’ve gotten engaged before Beatrice?” Angel chuckled. “Hard to believe nobody’s tried to at least marry her for money.”

“It’s not that hard to believe,” Max mumbled.

“That’s enough,” Reginald insisted, hitting the table and making everyone’s plates jump. “Can we stop talking poorly about someone who’s not even here? If not, then you’re no better than the actions that you shame our sister for so much.”

That shut everyone up real quick. His brothers and sisters looked down at their bowls in shame while their parents just gave a musing glance and kept eating. The mother did give Reginald a look of what I think was approval though.

“I know you don’t all like her, but… Well, she’s a Hawthorne too, whether you like it or not.”

“Just because you tolerate her the most doesn’t mean we all have to share your feelings,” Alexander frowned, glaring at his brother from across the table. “I’m sorry Reginald, but it isn’t right. She doesn’t deserve the name Hawthorne.”

“Don’t talk about deserving, Alex. The last I heard, you’ve been making a name for yourself as a womanizer by night.”

“What?!” Mrs. Hawthorne exclaimed, giving a rare moment of lost composure as her face scrunched together in scorn. “Alexander! Is this true?!”

“Mum… Could we talk after dinner…?”

“Fine,” she said coldly.

“Have fun counting the minutes until then,” William jabbed.

“William?”

“Yes?”

“Shut your mouth.”

Most of the dinner was spent in silence after that. A few jokes or remarks here and there, but the argument at the start killed the mood right away. Sometimes I forget that even the Hawthorne siblings have fights. But that’s just family, I think.

*   *   *   *   *

“I’m sorry about my behavior earlier,” Reginald groaned when the four of us came back home. “I just can’t stand it when hypocrisy crawls into family dinners.”

“Just talking friend to friend, your siblings do have a point,” James said. “I never hear anything good about your sister, but you insist on defending her. Why?”

“Beatrice… She’s got problems that none of us can understand or even solve,” he sighed. “If I can’t help her, I can at least try to clean up her messes and make her feel a little more welcome in her own family.”

“I don't understand how you do it,” Max frowned, shaking her head. “I’m ready to hit the hay though.”

While Max walked upstairs, James took out his pocket watch and yawned.

“Well, it looks like I’m off for the night. Goodbye, you two. I’ve got to make sure everything is ready for my departure back home in a few days.”

“It’s a shame you have to go,” I sighed. “I’d love to be with you for another month.”

“That may be arranged soon,” he winked. “I’ve also been here to find a job. I may be able to find a more permanent residence here if I do. And then the marriage won’t be any problem.”

“Careful James,” Reginald chuckled. “You’ll make her fall apart at the sound of such promises.”

“Reginald, hush…” I insisted, spawning laughter from the two men as my face turned red. “Just… good night.”

“Sweet dreams!”

As soon as James shut the door, I breathed a sigh of relief and leaned against the kitchen counter. Reginald just let out another chuckle and glanced at a couple photos above the fireplace.

“It’s nice to see you so happy,” he mentioned. “You’ve come a long way since Max took you in on that cold, rainy evening.”

“I… I do feel a lot happier,” I admitted. “But the bar for that was fairly low.”

He did have a point though. I didn’t feel so bad on a daily basis anymore and a little part of me was actually looking forward to waking up in the morning. That’s a first in a while, as sad as it may sound.

*   *   *   *   *

“Aven, can you go get today’s newspaper for me?” Max asked one morning, putting some small touches on a painting in the living room. “Just take a coin out of my purse and pay the paperboy.”

“Got it,” I nodded, fishing for a coin and running out the door to try and spy a newsboy. Once I found one, I held out my hand.

“Gonna need a quarter first,” the boy said.

“No way it’s 25¢,” I frowned. “I’ll give you a nickel for it.”

“I’ve seen you around with those rich Hawthorne’s. You can probably afford a quarter.”

“Just take the 5¢ before I find some other kid.”

“Fine,” the boy hissed, snatching the coin and thrusting the bundle of papers into my arms. “I’ll take what I can get…”

I just rolled my eyes and started walking back home. Curiously, I opened the newspaper and started seeing if there was anything interesting. A woman advertising healing crystals, a side column about a gentleman who can apparently lift five men at once, psychic life consultant… 

My eyes trailed on while I walked, but stopped dead in my tracks at a small news column inside. It was about Lucas. They had arrested him. No… they had executed him. That wasn’t it though; they were paying high dollar for anyone who could bring in any of his associates.

My pace broke into a frantic run back home, clutching the papers and wiping tears out of my eyes. When I got back home and ran to her painting room, I was frantically trying to get Max’s attention between my hyperventilating breathing.

“What is it?!” she exclaimed, locking a set of aggravated eyes with me.

“It’s Lucas! He-He’s caught!” I choked out holding the newspaper up and pointing at the dreaded column. 

“Wh-What…?”

Max’s expression fell to that of disbelief as she grabbed the newspaper. Her grip slowly tightened, ripping the edges of the paper. I could see it in her eyes. Fear and panic that I rarely ever saw bleed through to the surface. Tears trailed down her face as I tapped her on the arm.

“Max… Max, are you-”

“This… This can’t be right…” she whispered in disbelief. “I-I need to… I need to go find him and-”

“Oh my dear, dear sister, we all knew this day would come.”

Standing behind me in the doorway, holding a newspaper of her own was her. Beatrice and that damn snake wrapped around her shoulders. She didn’t have one of those victorious smirks like I thought she would though. It was more like a deep scowl. Maybe she knew that even being a high Hawthorne daughter wouldn’t guarantee her protection if she was linked back to Lucas. Smug or not, Max looked like she was ready to snap her in half. 

“Shut the fuck up!” Max hollered, crumpling the newspaper and throwing it away. “Did you do this?! Did you go to the police and-”

“Oh, be a baby somewhere else!” Beatrice growled, turning sour in only a moment. “If I wanted to go to the police, why would I do it only now?”

“I don’t know! You get bored and torment people into the worst things, because that’s what you are!” she screamed. I could hear years of frustration and pain escaping her in a moment. “You are the worst the world has to offer!”

“I didn’t even come here to mock you!” Beatrice yelled back, looking… hurt? That’s not an emotion I expected to see on her. “But he deserved it! You deserve it! You all deserve to rot in Hell!”

Ah well, Beatrice doesn’t let you feel bad for her for too long. I felt like a paralyzed bystander to the whole ordeal. There was no way I’d be able to stand between Max and Beatrice and still live to tell the tale.

“The only one who’s going to Hell is you!” Max screamed. “I’ll be content going anywhere knowing you’ll burn for the rest of your meaningless existence, and everyone will be overjoyed by it!”

“Would brother be overjoyed knowing about your little scandal?!” Beatrice threatened, storming out of the room. Max wasted no time balling her raised fists and running after her.

“You’re not going to-”

“Fluffy, restrain!”

Beatrice’s snake wrapped around Max’s leg, making her literally cry in pain. I chased after Beatrice though, who had already made it to the living room, where Reginald was. I could only imagine how the shouting match sounded from his study.

“Don’t make up lies about my wife,” he growled.

“I’m not lying,” Beatrice said, deadly serious. “I swear on my life.”

“That’s not enough for me.”

“I swear on Fluffy’s life.”

“Get out,” Reginald groaned.

“He saw it,” she said, pointing at me. “Adam saw what-”

“Call her by her real name,” he growled.

“She- He saw it! Aven saw it! He saw her affair in the act!”

“Beatrice- I-“ he turned to me. “Aven, what’s she talking about?”

“I… um…” I felt totally paralyzed. Something like this was definitely not for me to tell.

“Aven…” Reginald slowly said with a bit of an edge to his voice. “Did you see Max in the act of an affair?”

“I…”

“Aven, please, just say yes or no,” he begged.

“Y-Yes…” I mumbled, bowing my head. “I did…”

“No… I…”

“There you have it,” Beatrice said triumphantly. “She’s a dirty harlot, brother.”

Max finally stumbled into the room, connecting eyes with Reginald. She could tell what had gone down all from the hurt look on his face.

“Get out of my house,” he mumbled.

“Reginald, I-”

“Get out of my house!” he shouted, wiping his eyes and walking up the stairs. Max gave chase close behind him.

“Reginald! Reginald, listen to me, I-”

“I DON’T NEED YOUR EXCUSES!”

“Are you really going to trust your sister over-”

“Did you do it?!” Reginald demanded, giving Max a look that intimidated even me. I had only seen him give Beatrice those kinds of glares. “Have you been adulterous?”

The entire house went silent, and Reginald scowled. Beatrice let out a small chuckle and scratched Fluffy's chin while Max’s husband turned away in disgust and made it to the top of the stairs.

“Ugh, I thought I was your only love!”

“Reginald, it’s…”

“How complicated is it, Maxine?!” he exclaimed in frustration. “What miraculous explanation could you have except for that I was gone during the day and you felt lonely?”

Yet another wave of silence that made Reginald scoff and turn away.

“That’s what I thought…”

“Reginald!” Max pleaded, grabbing his arm.

“Get off of me, woman!” Reginald roared, shoving her away from his shoulders.

It just all happened so fast. Max staggered backwards, gasping as she fell down the stairs, looking weightless in the air. Beatrice cackled as I covered my face; I was already crying my eyes out. I hated so much how much of an easy crier I was… But when Max hit the floor… she landed right on the back of her neck. I knew she was dead. I just knew from the way her neck was bent at such a sickly angle… I screamed and turned away, trying to erase the sight from my mind.

This couldn’t have been happening… Max was my only close friend… She was the first one to take me in. The only one besides my own mother who accepted me without question… I barely registered what was going on anymore. All my senses dulled, and I could only barely even hear the muffled shouts of Beatrice and Reginald screaming at each other. I needed to sit down. I leaned against a wall, and only snapped back to reality when the front door was slammed. 

“Aven, Aven! Aven!” Reginald cried, trying to get my attention. “I need you to go get a doctor! Can you do that? Please…”

“I-I’ll go get one!” 

I ran out of the house, tripping over my dress that felt large and clunky now. One of the ones Max made for me… Men and women casted odd glances at me as I passed, and my frantic knocking on the doctor’s door made me look like a madwoman.

“What’s with all of the ruckus?!” the doctor gruffly barked, opening the door. I tried to get out the news, but my voice completely failed me. “Well? Come on then, you knocked so hard, so get your news out already!”

He kept demanding I say something, but I felt frozen. All feeling drained from my head to my fingertips. I didn’t want to say it… I didn’t want to admit it. Almost like it would only be real if I spoke the words, but I couldn’t deny what had happened… Max, my best friend, practically my sister, was dead.