The Price Of Love

Chapter 1

The Price of Love

Chapter 1

July 1941

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Isabella Price hummed the tune of Amapola (Pretty Little Poppy) as she hung her clothes on the line to dry, she imagined herself dance the night away with a handsome gentleman as she did so. At nineteen years old Isabella had never had a gentleman caller, she wasn't even allowed to speak to boys. Her parents insisted she remain as pure as snow, the two were always very strict on her, she couldn't even paint her nails!

She did however wear her dark hair in a very fashionable way and made sure to make her own clothes so that she may fit in better with girls her own age. If it were up to her mother, she was sure she would be covered head to toe.

She was very thankful for her brothers, without them she was sure she would go mad. She had four older brothers, Abraham Junior, Benjamin, Ernest, and Louis and one younger brother Martin. Her parents insisted she call people by their full names as it was proper to call one by their Christian names. She never did though, she called her brothers AJ, Benny, Ernie, Lou, and Marty.

"Isabella" she heard her mother yell for her, and she resisted the urge to sigh heavily "What are you doing back here?"

She looked at the laundry that was now hung up and back at her mother.

"Isabella, answer me when I ask you a question" she scolded

"Yes Mama, I was just hanging up the laundry to dry." She said as politely as she could, her mother still treated her very much like a child. Something that irritated Isabella to no end.

"Alright well don't doddle we must make dinner, we're having a special guest over tonight!"

Isabella nodded, she picked up the basket and followed her mother back inside. Their kitchen was small and outdated for the times. Her parents didn't like to upgrade things claiming, "if it isn't broken don't fix it." It did make for extra work though. Their oven didn't heat up very quick and it was very small for such a large family.

She put on a nice apron before assisting her mother in the kitchen. Her mother always dressed very plain, she wore a dark dress and a simple apron. Her hair was styled in a bun. she found herself wondering what she must have been like when she was young? Was she a dreamer like Isabella or had she been the same as she is now?

Her mother cut up carrots for the roast they were going to make, and Isabella smiled when she noticed that her mother was humming, she at least shared a love of music with her mother.

"Isabella" her mother said after awhile "I think it would be nice if you would play the piano for us after dinner."

Isabella smiled and nodded, she would never say no to that. Her parents had gotten a nice piano for her when she was young, and it set in their parlor. It had been their only form of entertainment in the evenings as Isabella would insist on practicing every day for years, now though she was a very talented piano player.

She wondered what guest they were going to have? The only sibling that didn't live with her was her brother Ernie whom was married to Nellie and the two had four children Edward, Kenneth, Shirley, and their youngest Stella who had just been born three months ago. Perhaps it was AJ's fiancé Penny?

"Isabella?" he mother said again trying to get her attention "Why don't you go get ready for dinner... wear something nice."

She was confused by her mother's request, she looked down at her brown dress, it wasn't the prettiest dress she owned but it wasn't awful either, her mother usually preferred this one as it didn't draw too much attention. But now she's telling her to wear something nice?