Compulsion

Compulsion Part 16

"Oh!" Georgia's fingers automatically went to her mouth as she stifled a scream of surprise, "Sorry, I didn't see you there." If Georgia hadn't been so distracted she would have noticed the young woman sitting in the high back chair the moment Georgia entered the room. But Georgia's mind had been elsewhere. She, Caitlin and their father were at Elias' house for a casual bbq and pool party. Georgia knew most of the guests, though clearly not all, given she did not know who this beautiful young woman was.

"My fault." Bryony smiled and though she shifted in her chair she did not get up, "I thought if I made a sound I'd give you a shock!" The study was a perfect room with nooks and cranies and with the high backed chair facing the floor to ceiling windows and Bryony thought she had found the perfect spot to sit and watch the antics of the various guests in and around the pool.

Georgia smiled, her heart settled back into its normal rhythm after that small surprise, and she explained, "I didn't see you." She hadn't seen her because she hadn't been paying attention. And the woman had been sitting perfectly still!

"Even with the bump?" Bryony gestured to her slightly protruding tummy and then stroked her tummy with reverence. Being pregnant still felt new, even if her morning sickness felt as if it had been going on for years.

Georgia grinned and looking at Bryony's tummy, which was still relatively flat, speculated as to the term of this guest's pregnancy. "You're what 3-4 months?"

Bryony narrowed her eyes in surprise. "Yes, just over 3. You must be a medic."

Georgia nodded. "Guilty. Sorry about that. Force of habit." She came closer and asked rhetorically, "So I gather this is a bit of R and R? Time to take the weight off your feet?"

"Sort of." Murmured Bryony. The woman looked vaguely familiar, but Bryony was sure they hadn't met.

"Sorry?"

Bryony chuckled and revealed with a slight wince of regret and self-deprecation. "I am a waste of space at parties." Georgia blinked at the woman's honesty and directness. "In fact, my social skills are poor! Probably closer to non-existent! So I tend to spend most of my time avoiding people when I am at a party!"

Georgia was charmed by the sincerity and self-deprecation that she heard in the woman's voice. Georgia came nearer, and took the other high back chair beside the woman who'd startled her. "I can relate to that."

"Really?"

"Georgia nodded. "Me too. I'm like that." She said candidly somewhat surprised to find herself talking so openly to a near stranger. "Hello, I'm Georgia Fonseca."

Bryony smiled in camaraderie. "I'm Bryony, Bryony Matthias." She leaned over and held out her hand. Georgia shook it. "You're Caitlin's sister?" Bryony said instantly and now that she said she could see some similarities in their appearance which probably accounted for why she thought the woman looked familiar.

"Yes. You know Caitlin?" Which Georgia figured she should have expected, given her sister was a social bunny and had no difficulty talking to strangers.

"I met her earlier, here, tonight." Bryony smiled in remembrance. She imagined it was difficult to remember Bryony and not smile. The woman had an infectious easygoing charm. "She tried to explain the connection to Elias. And Logan, my husband was trying to explain our connection to Elias." Bryony said with a bemused shake of her head.

"You have a connection?" Georgia was curious. She had never heard of a Mendoca-Matthias connection. Never seen this woman before. But if they were related to Elias, then they must have bumped into each other in the past.

"Not me, exactly. But Logan's father's maternal grandmother, and Elias' father's paternal grandmother were apparently sisters. Or something like that." Bryony gestured vaguely, shook her head and chuckled. "I think that's what Logan said! I was lost after a few seconds of them trying to explain the connection."