Extra Darling

Chapter 2: Slip Up

I ran across the park to my house, my heartbeat pounding against my chest. That felt exhilarating! I had never been so bold with a gentleman before! Arthur is certainly someone I want to see again, and hopefully that whole flower thing wasn't too cliche.

Nana and I passed by the tree where my school uniform laid and she barked, trying to pull me towards it. Thankfully, I had the upper hand, and I kept us running.

"Sorry, Nana! No uniform is worth being late for supper. I'll come back for it tomorrow."
She growled in complaint but I kept jogging.

Finally, just when I thought I'd faint from exhaustion, Nana and I bound up the stairs to the front door and pushed our way inside. I closed the door and leaned my back against it, panting from the long run. In the dining room I heard the maid setting up the silverware for our meal. I thanked my lucky stars that my Mother hadn't called us down for dinner yet. If she had, and I didn't come, my Father would have been furious. He is a stickler for punctuality.

Speaking of Father, I saw him walk through the kitchen door and start on the stairs. He spotted me leaning against the door and paused.
"Ophelia? Are you quite alright?"
"Yes, Father," I lied, trying to calm my breathing, "Why ever do you ask?"
He looked me over from beneath his spectacles and decided on letting any other comment pass.
"Go upstairs and wash up before dinner, will you? We can't have messy children at the dinner table."
I pushed away from the door and tucked a strand of hair behind my sweaty ear, "Of course, Father."

He moved aside on the staircase so that I could pass, his keen brown eyes watching me suspiciously. It's not that I did anything wrong by going to the garden, but for some reason I felt unexplainably guilty beneath his gaze. I hurried passed him with Nana at my side and calmly walked up the stairs. No need to raise a suspicion.

"Ophelia, darling?"
I stopped and looked down at him, "Yes?"
My Father put a hand on the banister, "Why does the dog have a sunflower on her head?"

My gaze switched to Nana and I immediately ripped the flower out of her ear, "Oh, um, we saw them on our walk and picked a few. You know how much Nana loves the color yellow."
His nose twitched in confusion, but he had never known me to be dishonest so he simply nodded his head, and I continued up the stairs.
"Sunflowers? At this time of year?" I heard him mutter.

I released a breath when we made it upstairs without any further questions. Then I unleashed Nana once we got to the door to my bedroom, and she trotted away into the nursery. Last month, I decided I had had enough of being ignored by my siblings as I sat idly by. I boldly sat my parents down, and explained to them that it was due time I had my own room.
"As a maturing young lady, I require my own space," I explained to them, "Having my own room is a good place to start."

Of course, my Father immediately agreed. He applauded my decision to be so adult and beamed proudly at my formal discussion with them both. The next day he would hired three workers to come over and transform one of our spare bedrooms into a room suited for me. He was beyond glad that I was finally ready to leave the nursery.
"Fifteen years is a little late to be leaving your childhood behind, but it's better then never." My Father told me, "I suppose your sister shall move out some time soon as well. She is getting rather big to be in that tiny nursery, don't you think?"

Outside of the living room we sat in, I could hear my siblings collectively gasp. I had no doubt that they were listening. They were always into so much mischief these days.
"Wendy you ca-" Michael began loudly before a hand silenced his cry. My Father eyed the doorway angrily before putting a curt smile back on his face and looking at me.
He took my hands in his, "I am so proud of you, Ophelia."

After that, he promptly excused himself and went into the hallway to yell at my siblings. As he did so, my Mother remained in the room with me. I could hardly bare the gravity of my actions, and I hung my head low. It wasn't true. I wasn't trying to 'grow up' or 'mature' in any way. The nursery wasn't 'tiny' to me and I certainly didn't want to be the cause of Wendy's expulsion. I loved that place. I had memories beyond count that drew me to it. I had grown up in there and leaving it felt like loosing a part of myself. But in a way, I had.