Somewhere // Spot Conlon

Chapter 42

"Sarah, what if they say no?" I ask with my feet at the threshold of my mother's shop.

"They're your family! They love Spot," Sarah sighs pushing me into the shop.

"Allyson, Sarah! How nice of you to stop by!" Father exclaims coming around the counter to welcome us.

"Père, can I tell you something? Something you cannot even tell Mère?" I ask him quietly.

He nods and I show him the ring on my hand," If I did not know any better that looks like an engagement ring. What are you saying?"

"Spot wants to marry me at the end of this week," I explain.

"He wants to marry you?" Father asks.

"Yes, he loves me."

"And you want to marry him?"

"I love him."

He takes my hand," Come, this is important let's go tell your mother."

My feet stay planted like a tree's roots to the floor," Father, I don't know if I can tell her yet."

"She is your mother, Allyson."

"Allyson, you need to tell her," Sarah says putting her hand on my shoulder," And your brothers too."

"But they will ask embarrassing questions."

"About what?" Evan asks running down the stairs.

"Oh, just that Allyson's getting married," Sarah explains.

Evan stops almost acting like time has stopped mid second," You're what?"

"Evan, you must understand," I explain as I place my hand on his shoulder," Spot wants to marry me and I want to marry him for we love each other."

"Wait till I tell Bennett, remember how mad he was when Dior was married to a Yankee," He starts scrambling up the creaky steps with me soon chasing after him.

"Evan Edward Orson Couture, you will over my dead body!"

Evan slams the door behind him before I can even come into reach of him. I tug and bang on the door repeatedly yelling in French at Evan. As soon as Evan opens the door, Dior, Cosette, and Fletcher swarm me.

"Dior, look! It's a pearl and garnet!" Cosette sighs.

Bennett sits there, fuming in a wooden chair, arms crossed over his chest. I push past the barrier they created around me to get to him.

"Bennett, you are not happy for me?" I ask almost in a whisper.

"I do not like my sisters marrying Yankees."

"I will anyway. I would like you to come, but if you don't want to, fine then," I snap back.

Bennett raises from his seat," Allyson, do you know what those Yankees do to us? To all French people living here? They beat us! They outcast us! They keep us hidden! What do you think will happen when you marry one?"

"That I will have a far better husband than Cosette will ever have."