When I'm with you

Wind of change

She shook her head, yawned, and hugged her knees. The big swing hanging by the Parker House swayed and made a long, ringing sound, as if someone had cried out in surprise or pain. Charlotte thought that was exactly what she wanted right now. Shout. Mindlessly, letting off steam and throwing away the emotions of the last few days. She wanted to cry, but the tears wouldn't come, leaving a gaping void and anxiety in their place. Just a month ago, her life had been simple and measured, perhaps as it should have been, but with Sidney's arrival, everything had changed overnight. She was once again whirled by a whirlwind of feelings and events that gave her seas of joy, but also oceans of sadness and doubt.

"Why does it have to be like this?" ,she asked herself, " Why can't it be simple and clear? How's Dan and Allison doing?"

Charlotte loved Sidney, but this love, which had brought her so much pain and tears five years ago, was again tormenting her soul. She no longer doubted his feelings, as well as her own, and she needed his presence as much as she needed air, but the events that had taken place did not give Miss Heywood any peace, forcing her to dig into the details and invent new excuses not to be happy.

Charlotte sighed heavily and buried her face in her lap. It was some time before she felt a warm blanket draped over her shoulders, carefully sheltering her from the cool sea wind.

She lifted her head and looked at Sidney with a smile.

"Maybe you should go inside", He said, "I'll bet you haven't eaten anything since this morning."

"I don't want to," Charlotte said softly, " I'll just sit and watch the wind play with the leaves."

He hesitated for a moment.

"Do you want to be alone?"  finally, Sidney asked, cautiously waiting for her to answer , “ me... I understand everything, this whole thing has fallen on you, on us... I'm sorry, Charlotte. If only I knew...”

He got up from the swing and turned around, intending to go inside and leave Charlotte to her own thoughts.

"Don't go," she said faintly, " just sit with me. You don't have to say anything.”

Sidney sat back down, and Charlotte spread her legs and leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder.

It was some time before she dared to speak.

"I like this house very much... and this garden "said Charlotte," they calm me down”.

“My mother loved this place very much”, Sidney answered with a smile, ”often sat on the swing and looked at the foliage. Just like you...”

"I think I'm still a long way from being the real Mrs. Parker," Charlotte said, snuggling even closer to him.

"No further than I was before the real Mr. Parker," Sidney said with a grin, “ We still have a lot to learn, including from each other.”

"What if your parents were still alive and they didn't like me?", she asked

"It just couldn't have happened," Sidney said, gently stroking her shoulder, " they would have fallen in love with you at first sight. However, probably, as well as I”.

"A new maid?"  Charlotte asked, trying to keep her voice low, “ Miss  aaaa ... “

He laughed.