LOVE&FAMILY

24) Love & Family

A week later, we announced our engagement at a ball that Meg held. We were so excited, so happy but then gossip started. While I was searching for Edward, I heard all sorts of cruel gossip from the women around me while they were talking to each other.

They were having an affair when Cecelia was alive.

They caused her death.

At least now, we know why she came here all the time.

I wanted to slap every woman of those, no; I wanted to slaughter them all. So, to stop myself, I went outside and sat on my swing to get fresh air and to think, is marrying Edward the right thing?

But as always, I am never left alone. A few minutes later, Edward sat next to me on the other swing.

He held my hand and I had to look at him, "what is the matter, Amy?"

I just shook my head and looked forward, "come on, dear. Tell me"

"I have heard terrible things, Edward," I said with a teary voice.

He frowned, "From whom? About what, exactly?"

I looked at him and whispered, "About us," I paused and took a deep breath, "I... I used to have an affair with you; I actually planned the death of my sister... No, I caused it, could you believe this?"

I bit my lower lip to stop the tears and Edward has already tightened his grip on my hand.

"You know what the worst thing about what they said is? They are right. One way or another, I caused Ceci's death. If she has not seen you so close to me back then, she might have been alive, now. If I have just stayed away like I should have, she could still be alive. I caused her death, Edward. I caused my sister's death"

With that last sentence, he was in front of me, taking me in a hug while I cried on his chest. After a while, he sat on his knees and cupped my face.

"You did not cause anything, Amelia," he said looking into my eyes, "Cecelia died because she was ill not because she saw us. You have committed nothing wrong. I was the one mistaken from the first time that I have met you both till she died. I did not measure my feelings right; I am the one who married her instead of you. Then, when you came back, instead of leaving you to be, I stalked you. I used to make promises to myself at night that I will stay away, that I will not do something that I might regret. But in the end, I did. I just want you to know, Amelia, that not in a million years would I have hurt Cecelia on purpose and that day... I just did it to be close to you... Only for that. I did not mean to be disloyal to your sister in any way"

I held his hand that was on my face and whispered, "I believe you but what about, now?"

"I told you that she gave us her blessings before she died," he said with some impatience.

"Does that make it acceptable?" I said slightly raising my voice.

"What do you want us to do, then?" He raised his voice in return while raising his arms to the sky, "I will not lie, Amelia, I love you and I am tired of hiding it. I want to be able to touch you without being afraid of what will people think, I want to talk to you without boundaries. I want you to stay with me as long as you can," he put a hand on my neck, "I want you, Amelia"

A smile appeared on my face as a tear fell from my eye. He removed my tear with his thumb and we closed the distance until our lips touched.

When we moved away, I debated with myself but decided to ask him.

"I know that I shouldn't ask you this and that it is wrong on so many levels but it has been killing me for a long while, now"

"What is the matter?" He asked with concern.