Anne with an E The Next Chapter

Home Is Where the Heart Is

"I can't believe you are doing this to me again Diana!" Mrs. Barry shouted.

"Mother!!! How can you say that..What about what you are doing to me???"

Mr. Barry set his paper down and looked up to see what the commotion was. "What on earth, it's not even 9 AM!" A Sunday at 9 AM, a daughter newly home from a spell away and already the havoc had started.

Mr. Barry made his way through the house to find Diana sitting on the sofa in the parlour and his wife pacing the floor.

"NO, you see i've made things right because you wouldn't. I've written to James to come right away so we can sort this mess out. You'll need to appologize for your distance of course but we will set it right".

"Mother, no... I told you yesterday, Jerry and I are happy, we're in love, we are going to build a life together".  Diana said looking panicked. As she said it, she saw her father walk into the room and swept herself up from the sofa, gathering her dress up in her hands and moving towards her father. He was looking perturbed and frustrated, but not at her, at her mother. She hadn't even noticed her husband walk into the room.

"Father, please, will you tell her" she pleaded.

"Darling, what's the trouble?" he asked cautiously. "We've discussed it and we are going to see the Barry house today with Diana and her friend".

Diana exchanged looks with her father. The familiar side glance she had, the set of her mouth, her father knew she was not going to back down at this point. He corrected the statement "with Diana and Jerry".

"Oh yes, I heard you, but I am also having James to tea as soon as he connects with me. I'm sure he won't stand for having his fiancé in the throws of some escapade with a farm boy."

"Fiancé? What?" Diana was flabbergasted at her mother's behaviour. She could understand her parents trying to make adequate matches for their daughters, implying suitability and encouraging connections with suitors, but to create a scenario like this one was simply absurd.

"Darling, there has been no formal engagement to James, there is nothing to be concerned about. If Diana and Jerry can make this work I don't see a prob—"

"Do not mention this to me in my house.. I said I would go see this charade of a house with you but I will not stop pursuing this opportunity with James for MY daughter".

Diana felt herself building the wall up inside herself again... the emotions of the weekend were still raw and real. She had gone from facing her fears, to being buoyed with hope, to feeling gutted with her mother's latest revelation. She felt herself wilting under the pressure of it all. The thought of facing James, of pretending to be respectful, it was all too much. She couldn't possibly look him in the eye and not want to strike him down with her words or her bare hands. She couldn't imagine sitting across from him for tea and seemingly acting as though all was well. But she could never let anything on, not without betraying Ruby or letting on that something untoward had happenned. If James knew he could devastate Ruby, he could ruin any chances she had at a normal life. Diana pushed the thoughts from her mind and looked at her father.

"We must get ready for church or we will be late" she said, knowing that soon after the service, she would be near her light, her beloved Jerry and her father would slowly slowly warm up to him and her mother couldn't stop it.

Mrs. Barry rushed up to her room to get ready, shouting at Minnie Mae to hurry up.

"Father, I'm sorry I can't possibly see James again, could you please just speak with him and let him know plans have changed. I've only met him but twice and I can't imagine he has much attachement to the idea of me. I've not even heard from him once since I've been away".