Everlasting

Chapter Seven

Eliza

The door opened to my room slowly. I lay on my bed with one of the many books I own in my hands. I don't turn around to see it is for I know who it is. My mother.

“Time to get up and moving, sweetie. Today's your big day,” my mother reminds me. “Today's your weddin’ day. You gotta get ready in less than seven hours. Think you can do that?”

“Okay,” I say dreadfully. “I'll be out in a few minutes.”

“Oh don't be so dramatic, Elizabeth. Get up, make your bed, and brush out your tangled mess,” she orders. “I'll be back in ten minutes. And if you're not ready, I'll force you down that aisle myself.”

°°°

Leroy

“Son,” my father calls through my door. He knocks. “It's time to go. You have your suit on, son?”

“Yes, sir. You can come in.”

He comes through and closes my bedroom door behind him. My father claps me on my shoulder. “You're marrying a wonderful young lady, Lee. She's going to be a great addition to the family.”

“How is this great?” I ask him. “She's doing this whole thing against her will. And besides… what if she doesn't come to love me? And what if I don't fall in love with her? Like you said?”

“Trust me, son. You and her will fall for each other. When you see her walking down the aisle, you'll fall in love with every aspect her.”

°°°

Jack

“Jack, please! If you do this, you'll be going to the Gallows! And then they'll find out our secret. Please, don't do this,” she pleads. “They'll claim that we are witches and warlocks if we don't die.”

I look her in the eye. “There's something between her and me, I can feel it, Mama. I just know it.”

“But what if you're wrong? What if she ends up with Jack and she doesn't drink that bottle of water and screw everything up?!” Andy shouts, complaining like a big old baby. “What if we have to run away for the next eighty years because it's all your FAULT?!”

“Andy, calm down, boy.” My father looks at me. “And your brother is right...for once. What if you are wrong about this girl?”

I the on one of my ties. A brown one. “Well, at least I can say goodbye before we have to leave.”

°°°

Eliza

I'm at the wedding chapel, waiting for my father to knock on the door so that he can tell me it's finally time to go. I wanted to get this over with. My father giving me away, me marrying Leroy. I wanted it all to be over already so I wouldn't have to bear with it any longer.

Then someone knocks on my door. I turn around to see a maid not much older than me. “Someone's here to see you, miss.”

“Who is it?” I ask curiously.

I see with my own two eyes that it's Jack. He's in an old suit with a little brown tie. “It's me, Eliza, dear.”

I smile so big and I jump into his arms. “Oh Jack,” I softly whispered. “What are you doing here? My mother and father will try to kill you if they see that you're here.”

His eyes look downcast, and away from my face as he lets me go out of his strong and warm embrace. “Eliza, I broke my promise to you.”

“It's okay.”