𝗜𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘁 𝗔𝗳𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗿𝘀 | 𝐁𝗼𝐛𝐛𝐲 𝐊𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐝𝐲/𝗥𝗙𝗞

X: "Secret Admirer"

"I didn't know you were close to her." Evelyn poured some rose-infused tea into two French porcelain cups. She set the teapot down, and found her seat on a chair across from her father in the garden. "Well, she confided in your mother and me about the predicament she found herself in— just four years ago, when she'd returned to the States." It was quick for them to remember Kathleen — who was then smitten by Billy Cavendish, came to their house far often than she'd stay in her own home.

Evelyn reached for her pastel pink Fabergé cigarette case, her fingers delicately picked one of the cigarettes out before placing them in between her lips. Right before she could get the lighter, Maurice seized it, "I don't like it when you smoke, ma chérie." His eyes were judging her wholly — with love. Evelyn yanked the cigarette out of her mouth. "Papa, I need this," she said, narrowing her brows together with a pair of begging eyes.

Maurice continued to stare at his daughter momentarily before flicking the metal Zippo lighter open, and sparked a fire before bringing it closer to Evelyn. Reluctantly, the girl leaned into the fire and gets burned. "Merci." While inhaling the smoke into her lungs, Evelyn was in a realization.

"Oh, so that's what it was. You and Mama were her confidants." Evelyn let the smoke escaped from her mouth, she sipped her warm tea as she wondered if she could confide in her father about her fate. "Mostly it was your Mama, but some other time— very rarely, she'd come to me. Since she could not go to her father." Maurice raked his aged beard with his fingers. "I wish I knew her better." Evelyn was in her own thoughts when she uttered the words, wishing that Kathleen was alive so she could ask her about her tumultuous feelings.

"You should see your petit cœur, be with him," Maurice whispered before smiling weakly at Evelyn. A teacup almost fell out of Evelyn's handgrip, and her cheeks froze while being sucked in as she was inhaling smoke.

"What do you mean 'sweetheart'? Who is 'him'?" She spoke, acting oblivious — as if Maurice was going to buy it. "Oh, ma fille," The man exclaimed, he shook his head — a genuine smile pasted on his face.

"I know you have fallen head over heels for that garçon, and I do not blame you— he is sincere." Maurice reached across the table for Evelyn, he held his daughter's hand — that had a burning stick between her fingers — with a gentle grip. "He needs you now. More than ever." As he finished uttering the words, he rose from the chair. "I won't tell anyone about it." Maurice approached the girl, and patted her on the shoulder before retiring to his study in his home.

Evelyn was surrounded by wildflowers and enclosed by hedges. Her heart skipped more than a beat, she felt it sunken into her stomach. Maurice had always been a great sentimental man, but this was not participated by Evelyn. She should have experienced happiness, but instead, the overwhelming anxiety filled her head — you could see it in the way she impulsively used the cigarette as a way to release her tension.

"I have to go..." Evelyn bit her bottom lip, her mind's eyes had only been seeing images of Bobby — and only Bobby. The clock kept ticking; it was striking seven o'clock, and the world still spins, time clearly waits for nobody.

Without cleaning up, Evelyn flicked the cigarette into the pool as she ran back into the house, and sprinted upstairs to change into black, out of courtesy. Her mother was still at the house next door, consoling — or accompanying Rose. I still have time, Evelyn repeated inside her head while dragging up the zip to her modest black-laced dress.

"What will you say to her?" Evelyn ceased her movements when Maurice called out from the living room. She proceeded to descend from the stairs while replying to her father, "anything that doesn't include the words 'cruel' and 'brutal', I reckoned." and Maurice sighed upon hearing it. "Just be sympathetic. Stay with Mama for a bit before excusing yourself upstairs." There was no need for Maurice to be a wingman for his daughter, yet he did anyway.

Evelyn huffed out, she rolled her eyes at Maurice, "Papa, I'm not going just for Bobby, alright? I still care about others. Ted must be devastated." She halted in her tracks. "Je sais, je sais. I was only advising you." Maurice shifted his sight back to the notebook in his hand. Evelyn strolled to the door, she was prepared.

"Hello," Evelyn greeted. She stepped into the living room where all the familiar faces were looking at her. "Evelyn, come here." Evelyn's mother, Julia, gestured for her daughter to sit by her on the couch. Evelyn's eyes scanned the room, she tagged names on the faces — Bobby and Ted were absent.

"How are you holding up, Mrs. Kennedy?" Evelyn uncomfortably shifted in her seat. Rose stared at her with a pair of ambivalent blue eyes. "I just lost a child, again," The senior woman conversed monotonously. "I'm sorry... that you have to go through this again." Evelyn quietly muttered as she tucked strays of hair behind her ear.

"Why don't you go see Ted? You both are close, right?" Julia whispered to Evelyn. The young girl glanced at her mother and to Rose. "Mrs. Kennedy, if you'll excuse me, I should go see how your youngest is doing." With no response to Evelyn, Rose looked away. Feeling awkward, Evelyn placed her hand on Julia's shoulder, "à bientôt," and she was on her way upstairs.

Upon arriving on the second story of the house, Evelyn eyed the door to Ted's room, but something else catches her eyes — the room across the hall. It stood out the most, and it was Bobby's.

Evelyn turned on her heels and rerouted toward the different room. Her body felt as if it was getting heavier with each step, and when she was finally standing in front of the door, she couldn't push herself to open it. Her hand was right on the doorknob but something was making it hard for her to twist it open.

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PS: I couldn't wait to publish this chapter lol. Also, have any one of you watched Call Me By Your Name? If so, then you'd understand what I'm trying to do with Maurice. I want him to be Evelyn's silent confidant, I want to make him as sentimental as Elio Perlman's father was; extremely supportive, yet realistic. I just think it'd be great if someone in this story is actually emotional. What do you guys think?