Through It All

TWELVE

Her father was livid.

He paces through the house angrily, entering every room, slamming every door, as if he was searching for something. His loud stomps and the crashing of the doors as he opened them, made Sophia come out of her room, interrupting her daily sowing. Her father's face turned red with fury, his eyes full of hatred as he opens the armoire down the hall.

"What's happening father?" she asks as she slowly walks towards him but he doesn't hear her, instead, he pulls a rifle from the armoire, making Sophia tremble in fear.

From downstairs, she could hear her mother's consoling words. Sophia walks down the stairs and finds Lucia crying into her mother's arms. What happened to Lucia? Did someone hurt her? Her father rushes down the stairs heavily as he murmurs angrily to himself.

Her mother stands rapidly leaving Lucia crying alone. "Derek, please try to calm down," she begs but he dismisses her. Sophia sees her father charging his rifle, she gasps. "Don't do anything you might regret, please, give me the gun," her mother says fearfully.

At last, Mr. Willis turns to Sophia. "You are not marrying that coward," he says firmly, making her heart stop. She turns to look at Lucia who was still crying, that's when she realizes she is faking it. Tears weren't coming out and her cries were too loud. What did she do?

"Father, what's happening?" she asks anxiously.

"He is a coward who doesn't know how to respect my daughters," he replies but mainly to himself, he opens the front door and walks out angrily. "And to think I was going to let him marry my daughter, that bastard," he grumbles under his breath.

Sophia lifts her skirt as she runs after him. "Father please, tell me what's going on," she begs as she tries to pulls his arm.

He turns abruptly. "Get back home, Sophia," he orders.

"Just tell me what he did," she says rapidly.

He looks down at the ground then at her. "That bastard took advantage of your sister."

Sophia can't believe her sister had said such a lie. "No father, that's not true," she tries to explain but she can't keep up with him.

The second her father sees the Lancaster house, he shoots the rifle into the air, making the people around him scurry for safety. "Come out you coward!" he yells.

Sophia sees that the house is empty. She then remembers that Adam's parents weren't in town, she comes to the conclusion that Adam is at the carpentry. But before her father can come to the same realization, she runs towards the corner of the street heading towards the street behind it where the shop is located.

Her hands are getting tired from holding on to her dress so tightly to facilitate her movements, her feet are hurting from her foot wear, but she keeps running as fast as she can. The run seems eternal but when she sees the Lancaster's carpentry sign, she feels her heart race.

"Oh God," she whispers as she speeds up.

She rushes to the door as she screams his name. Adam appears from the back door, he sees her blushed cheeks and her rapid breathing. Alarmed, he runs towards her holding her arms strongly.

"Mr. Lancaster," she says between breaths. "My father thinks you took advantage of Lucia. He has his rifle and he's looking for you. You must leave," she says rapidly not wanting to waste any more time.

"What? Why does he think such a thing?" Adam says fearfully.

"Lucia told him," she says then she hears her father's angry voice. "You must leave immediately," she says desperately, but her father is already through the door.