When I'm with you

Idiot

The clock in the dining room struck six, as if to rouse the audience from their stupor. Sidney jumped to his feet, fighting the urge to punch Tom so hard that He would fall off his feet. His jaw clenched, and his hands clenched into fists. Sidney was angry at both of them, but mostly at Tom. His brother had brought Eliza Campion to the house, just like 15 years ago, and now this woman was threatening to ruin his life again.
"Mrs. Campion," said Mary, glancing uneasily at Charlotte and Sidney, hardly remembering that she was the mistress of the house and had to observe some form of decorum, " welcome."
"Mrs. Parker, Sidney, and the children," Eliza replied with a smile, and then, after a significant pause, " and Miss Hеywood, of course, are staying here again? Do you still live on the charity of the Parker family?"
Charlotte lifted her chin, frowned, and clenched her fists tightly behind her back, afraid to say anything wrong in front of the children. The newcomer persisted in testing her patience.
"What are you?... " Sidney began, preparing to tell Eliza to go to hell.
" Charlotte is not just our guest", strongly interfered Mary, "she is a real member of our family"
"Oh, really? You must be very generous, Mrs. Parker. Not everyone wants to have poor relatives from the provinces. It's such a burden," - Eliza said.
"What the ... why are you even here, Eliza?" Sidney asked.
"Your brother invited me," she said, still smiling sweetly, " to share a family dinner with you. After all that has happened, we are practically family."
Sidney gave Tom a scornful look. His brother had interfered with his life over and over again, and it had made Sidney mad.
"Of course, of course, we've known Eliza for so long, and we owe her so much, that I felt it my duty to invite Her to join us," Tom replied, smiling broadly, as if oblivious to everything that was going on around him "especially since Mrs. Campion had kindly offered to co - invest in our festival"
Sidney's face changed and he glared at Tom.
"I hope you didn't sign anything?" he snapped at the older Parker, hoping in his heart that his brother had at least some faint beginnings of intelligence left. Tom knew very well how Eliza did business, and that Mrs. Campion would never lose her own, but rather take a large chunk out of someone else's property.
" E.... I'm.... we... Yes",  mumbled Tom, "we signed an agreement. But you don't have to worry, it's all arranged in the best possible way, and then it's just a matter of time. Now that you've finally decided to get married, it's just a formality"
"What? What the hell? What are you talking about?"  Sidney asked, looking from Tom to Eliza and back again. He couldn't believe what he'd just heard - "what were you telling to my brother?"
Eliza smiled triumphantly and looked at Charlotte, who was so shocked by what was happening that she could not utter a single word.
"Uncle Sidney, are you really going to marry Mrs. Campion?"  Alicia asked in surprise.
"Yes, uncle Sidney, is it true?"  Jenny joined her. The children looked at him with such surprised eyes that Sidney did not immediately find anything to say, but only shook his head.
"I beg your pardon," Charlotte said at last, as if she had come out of her stupor and walked quickly out of the living room without looking back.
"You're an idiot!", in anger threw Sidney to his brother and turning to Eliza added, "and you are a rare bitch!"
He bolted after Charlotte, leaving the Parker family alone with their guest.
"God, they're all so sensitive," Eliza said, smiling ostentatiously as she sat down at the beautifully set table.
The children sat down opposite her in silence.
"What did I say?" Tom asked in disbelief staring at his wife, "I just wanted to congratulate the newlyweds"
"Thomas Parker, we need to talk, now!"  Mary's voice was icy,making Tom's mouth go dry. His wife was clearly angry with him, and that was what the elder Parker was afraid of more than anything else in the world.
"All right," Tom said, walking toward the office and glancing fearfully from her to Mrs. Campion.
"I'm sorry," Mary said, practically pushing her husband out of the living room.
The door slammed shut, leaving Eliza alone with the children, who began to look at her without the slightest twinge of conscience.
Mrs. Campion was uneasy at the scrutiny, but she made no sign of it, not wanting to show her weakness. Eliza just crossed her legs elegantly and smiled.
"That can't be true," Henry said thoughtfully, "He can't marry you. We haven't heard from you"
"Maybe your uncle is just a very private person."  Eliza suggested.
"Our uncle is a good man, the best, and he couldn't possibly have chosen you," Jenny said peremptorily.
"Is that so?"  Mrs. Campion asked , "wondering why?"
"I don't know, you're like fire and gum, just."Jenny answered," .. just not compatible"
Eliza had to restrain herself from scowling, and only pressed her lips together more tightly.
"Who do you think is right for your uncle?"  Mrs. Campion blurted out, instantly regretting the question.
"Charlotte," Jenny said without thinking.
"Yes, Charlotte" , supported  her Alicia, "she makes his laugh, and still Charlotte very beautiful, cheerful and smart and warm. She's real."
"And she's really good with horses," Henry said, "Definitely, Charlotte is the Best"
"Maybe you don't know her very well."  Eliza added fuel to the fire, "maybe she has a lot of skeletons in the closet and she will still show herself on the unsightly side?"
"That's not true, Charlotte has been living nearby for a long time, but we don't know anything about you," said Alicia, "why should we trust you and don't trust to her?"
Jenny nudged her gently, keeping her sister from saying anything else.
Eliza pursed her lips even more tightly, feeling that she was beginning to lose her temper completely.
There were footsteps, and the Parkers appeared in the dining room. The owner of the house was clearly nervous, shifting from one foot to the other, not daring to start a conversation.
Mary smiled at the audience and nudged her husband in the side, forcing him to do something.
"Children, your uncle is actually going to marry, but not Mrs. Campion", Tom said.
"Charlotte?Tell me it's Charlotte, " the children interrupted in unison.
"Yes," Tom muttered under His breath, glancing guiltily at Eliza, "This is Charlotte".
Mary smiled with satisfaction at Mrs. Campion's highly displeased face and the General glee of Her own children.
After Tom's message, the younger Parkers were unstoppable. They jumped up from their seats, noisily discussing what the wedding of their favorites would be and who would carry the flowers at the wedding. Even Henry was not left to discuss whether the old Lady would give him her rare carriage and which horses would be harnessed to it, and Jack began to circle the dining-room joyfully. With each new word, Eliza grew darker and darker. Without realizing it, she pulled the snow-white tablecloth tighter and tighter, and finally yanked it so hard that some of the dishes fell to the floor with a crash.
Mrs. Campion sprang to her feet, and, after making her apologies to her hostess, hastily left the drawing-room.
"Thank God," Mary whispered, and then, turning to the children, she added aloud, " why are you sitting therel? Who will be the first to congratulate Charlotte and Sidney?"
"Me... no me, no me," the younger Parkers shouted, running out into the hall in search of their uncle and his fiancee.
Mary turned and looked at her husband. Mr. Parker just looked at the floor.
"Are you... are you still mad at me?"  Tom asked.
"Yes," said Mary shortly.
"But I do... I just didn't know... Sidney said he was going to get married, and I thought it would have to be Eliza, because he loved her so much, I had no idea my brother was in love with Charlotte", Tom began.
"You never know or notice anything," interrupted Mary, " how can you be so careless, so blind and indifferent? You are so obsessed with your ideas that you don't notice anything around you! You ruined your brother's life five years ago and didn't even realize it, taking his help for granted! When will you grow up, Tom? When will you start taking responsibility for your actions? I'm so disappointed in you, I don't even want to see you!
Mr. Parker opened his mouth in surprise and sank slowly into the chair, as if his legs had suddenly ceased to support him.
He stared at her without blinking, stunned by her words, not knowing what to say or how to respond to her well-founded claims. Suddenly everything that Tom had been so sure Of just a few minutes ago was shattered and shattered into small fragments, leaving his head empty and confused. Not knowing what to do next, he looked at his wife again and again, instinctively clutching at Mary as if she were a straw, the only thing that was still real.
"I'm sorry, Mary," he finally gasped, feeling like he was about to cry like a small child.
"You must ask your brother and Charlotte to forgive you, not me," said Mrs. Parker sternly, " and you had better do it now"
"But I don't..." Tom muttered, but stopped when He saw the eloquent look in his wife's eyes.
He nodded in silence and went in search of his brother and future daughter-in-law, who, judging by the enthusiastic voices of his children, had not left Trafalgar house.