Cursed Pool

Chapter 21. The Boring Evening

I hate to admit to myself how I was so terrible at finding love in my youth. I never told anyone about my romance weaknesses, because I didn't want my older sisters to constantly tell me what I do wrong. 
  As I child, I was a very judgey person, and I knew deep in my little desperate heart that I went after looks. It was always the looks that drew my attention, although I constantly told myself that personality is better, I just couldn't do it. I was falling in love with Martin Whiteson for five years as a student in a judgey school. He was more of a so called 'Smart Student' in perfectional classes and got an A+ on every test. I was so called a 'Basic' student, I loved learning, but I wasn't fast at it. My three older sisters were 'Smart Students' and when I turned out to be a 'Basic' In the Middle School, I already imagined all the anger I will have to hide from the judgey Conalie's that I knew forever.
  I used to spend time in my bedroom knitting. I started that hobby when I was in fifth grade, one year before middle school. I used to borrow the sewing equipment from my sewing teacher. I was so obsessed with sewing that I stayed up at night sewing random clothing items and bringing them to school so my sewing teacher could sell them.
  I felt helpful, but because my cruel Father hates sewing, I kept it a secret. When I say he hates it, I mean he HATES it in all caps. He likes clothing, just not the process of making them. 
  My life was problematic of course. I never had a Mother, I was the youngest of four girls, and needed to look up to expectations. That night in Cuba at thirty eight years old meeting Richard Blossom was the most beautiful day ever. I was far too strict with my opinions on what's perfect in a husband.
  Richard was tall, positive, great at cooking, honest and knowledgeable of fashion, perfect amount of spunk, rich, soft hair, fancy shoes, everything I liked in a person.
  After I married him, I constantly ask people if they know anyone who married over the age of thirty eight. It was rare when someone answered with yes.
 
"Where are the kids? Where are the kids? T-t-tell me! Where are the kids!?" Mr Espcu snapped me back to reality. He shook my shoulders and I almost fell. He's not very careful.  I nearly forgot I was in this food store because I was thinking. "Don't you worry Mr Espcu, the kids are in the bread section." I told him truthfully. He didn't respond, he didn't need to, his eyes already told me that he thought I was lying.
  To my amazement, the kids walked passed us just there and then. "See? What did I tell you?" I ask in a sassy way. Mr Espcu keeps giving me dark stares and it's really ticking me off.

After spending money for the food, Mr Espcu was next to me on the thruway. "Where are you going?" He asked. Or at least I think that's what he said, the wind was louder then his voice which is usually very clear. "I just have to drop things off at Mulberry & Paggles. It's my homemade sweaters. Everyone loves them Mr Espcu, I think you should wear something other than black." I call out cupping my hands to my mouth just to expand the sound of my voice. He was not impressed. "You should find my Granddaughter." He told me with anger is his voice.
  I was very anxious about Olivia Espcu as I went into the mall to drop of more clothing items.  Madilyn Whiteson seemed very happy to see me, but when I said "Mr Espcu is still on my case." She just stirred her yogurt with a spoon and sighed and said "Everyone is looking for Olivia Espcu." She responded in a dark voice. I was putting clothing on the shelves as I said "I swear Mr Espcu follows me wherever I go, always at the worst times too. He thinks I'm bad at taking care of children." As I say this, I turn to look out the window where my car is parked. I left the children in the car because I could trust them, and I didn't want to deal with them right at this moment.
  "How's your husband?" Madilyn asked me at the worst time possible. I shivered. I might just shiver all day. "Dead." I responded flatly.
  I wasn't facing her, but I knew she was facing me just stirring her yogurt. I slowly turn to look at her stirring her yogurt. I can't look at it for long because I'll get hungry. Her yogurt is fine anyway, it always annoys me.
"Dead?" She asked.
"The first time you ask, it happens to be the day he died." I say in a false calm voice that I used many times before. "I'm so so so sorry to hear that. How long has he been in the hospital?" She asked. "I lose track." I responded.
  "Oh lord, this is bad." Madilyn said half to herself as she looked out the window. She strolled to the window to get a better look. Nicholas Espcu's car pulled up in the parking lot. I did not want to deal with him, unless he says something good about Perri, but then again I don't think I would want to talk about Perri now that Richard is dead.
Madilyn looks straight at me. "Nicholas is Mr Espcu's son. He'll probably want to do something about the children." Madilyn told me in a rushed voice. She is standing so close to my face, I notice how green her eyes are and that she's the daughter of Martin Whiteson. Just now I wonder who Madilyn's mother is, Martin's wife, Jenifer's grandmother. You never really learn these things do you?
  If young Evangeline knew that Martin Whiteson would get married to someone else, I would've been jealous, but at this age I don't care about the silly crushes I used to have. I absolutely love Madilyn for making my fashion work extremely popular. "So Nicholas and Autumn are getting married tomorrow, and they were saying that they want to send their children to the summer camp." She told me. Tomorrow sounds like a good day for marriage. As much as I don't approve, the two love birds look young enough to say their a good age for marriage. I wonder how they met.
  Nicholas strolled into the room. "Hi." He told me. "Hi." I responded. Then he turned directly to Madilyn. "I need the best wedding suit that you have." He told her.  "Why would you get married tomorrow when you still have a missing daughter?" I ask matter of factly. "Because it's been scheduled for a month, besides Olivia hates weddings. She will always find something to complain about." He said.
  I sat on an office chair while Madilyn and Nicholas were standing. "She can't be far. You know, I doubt Olivia would be completely lost since she's so independent." Madilyn said in a brisk sort of voice.
Nicholas didn't seem impressed when he was looking on the clothing racks. I wasn't quite impressed either. Nicholas loves fashion, but he hates the new fashion. "Who designed these clothing?" He asked.
  There were many knitters that technically work for Madilyn, but I am not aware of what taste of fashion they have. I run my hand through the clothing rack. "The young knitters have been trying to start a trend." Madilyn said cheerfully. Nicholas squinted as he took a long stare at each individual item. They were hideous long white ponchos with gray cotton balls all over them. The sleeves were intirely long, and the poncho would go passed your feet. "Who knitted these things?" I ask in horror. "They look terrible." Nicholas says in an undertone. "The young and less experienced knitters made these last week. They are trending right now. The most popular wetting suit these days. Everyone thinks that they are the coolest." Madilyn said simply. Nicholas, who already claimed his opinion said "Yeah." Madilyn sat at put her gorgeous feet on her desk. "Your a fashion expert Nicholas, you should know about this don't you." She said. Nicholas's eyes went big. Big and gray like Olivia's. "Oh yeah, of course, I knew all about it. It's a trend so of course I'll buy them." He said it pretty loud, yet his voice seemed uncertain. I get comfused because I have never seen such horrible ponchos, and just now I'm hearing that it's a trend. "How does that become a trend?" I ask. Maybe it's just that I'm too old and I don't know what fashion looks like anymore. So now that Nicholas hears it's a trend he wants to buy the giant ponchos. He ran out of the office after giving Madilyn a bunch of dollars. I was shocked. Madilyn shook her head while she watched Nicholas's walk outside gazing at the sunshine, then ran to his big fancy car and drove away. Madilyn closed her eyes and shook her head and breathed. "I don't think that's too smart Nicholas, this wedding will be something, I told Autumn to marry you." I look at her in shock. "Your the reason that Nicholas has so crazy in love with Autumn?" I ask threateningly. Madilyn put her feet on her desk again. "Oh no. Several months ago, Nicholas told me that he was in love with Autumn, then Autumn told me that she was in love with Nicholas. They were really good friends already." Madilyn said this while smiling. "Autumn hasn't married before, is that correct?" I asked hopefully. "This is Autumn's first marriage yes." She replied quickly. "And Nicholas has children already, so he's been married before?" I ask. Madilyn is closing her eyes as if trying to fall into a peaceful slumber, though she answered me in an awake voice. "Mr Espcu told me that Nicholas first got married at eighteen, he rushed his marriage with some random girl from his school. After the three kids were all born, his wife ran away from the family because she didn't aprove of the way he organized. Last year he was willing to marry Perri Conalie, since she died in a horrible tragedy, he tried to convince himself that he was 100% into Autumn who he had a much longer aquanience with." Madilyn said. Mr Espcu told her this, he could've twisted a few words, but who knows?
  I almost forgot that the kids were in the car. I sat on an old chair listening to the sound of Madilyn's voice speaking to me. I learn that Nicholas and Autumn are actually thirty two, which is older than I thought. Perri would've been that age if she was still alive, she only died a few days before turning thirty one. I thought about Nicholas on the walk to my car. My thoughts about Nicholas were rather sad and dark. If Perri never died would Nicholas and Perri get married in secret, or would Perri tell me last second? Either way I would flip out. Perri was beautiful on the outside and inside and polite too, she was just a risky person and runs into problems a lot. She could've expanded Nicholas's intelligence, and he could've expanded hers, but I bet she wouldn't want to deal with his crazy kids.