Along Came Rita

Epilogue

"I heard she stabbed him in the eye when he said he didn't like her, and then she ran off to her lover, look, here she comes now," they whispered not so quietly as to keep me from hearing them. I knew they did it on purpose, to rile me up so they could get the real story out of me. But it wasn't going to work; the real story was too sweet and too happy for their bitter ears to believe.

I waited outside my house where they were standing little beyond my fence, waiting for a letter from Isabella and Zack, who were happily ever eloped. Everyone got their happy ending, of sorts. Even though every time Trent saw me he'd look down at his red headed wife, and then wistfully back to me.

Rita had managed to snatch him up, despite her previous life on the streets, as he didn't care about personality or past, for as long as they were pretty he'd want them.

And Patricia found herself alone at the house most of the time, although she did get to spend more time with my father, which she always liked almost as much as spending money.

I, along with Rita and Isabella, was also a very happily married woman, and had got married in his church, and wore a dress designed and made by Hazel's to pay Polly back for my pettiness. It was cheaper, but it was more beautiful than any other dress. Everyone had been asking me where I'd gotten it from, and I'd told them.

Someone rode up on a horse and then swung off it, walking up to me, bag in his hand. He pulled the envelope out of the bag, and then, reaching out, placed it in my outstretched palm. "A message from Isabella and Zack, my lady," he told me and bowed deeply.

I smiled and opened it, pulling the envelope open and eyeing the page.

Hello, we will be returning soon, you know I love you, and Zack is very fond of you, too. I'm glad I finally have your blessing (although Eleanor, I never needed it) and I'm glad to hear of your marrying this Daniel Richards –

My heart skittered and loop-de-looped at even the mentioning of his name.

you like so much. I told you he was closer than you think, I told you. I'm just glad it all turned out for the best, and how is our sister, Rita?

I'd stopped hating Rita so much now, we both had. She wasn't really all that hateable, although incredibly selfish. She was like a breath of fresh air, sometimes, and she really didn't go around intentionally hurting people. She went around getting what she wanted, even if the consequences were awful.

And our mother? Sigh, I wrote her a letter, and she has refused to write me back as of yet. I suppose when we come down we'll have to give her a little visit? Anyway, I must go, I'd hate to tear you away from your husband too much longer. He doesn't seem to tolerate you not being around him too well if your last letters ring true.

She was so right, although it wasn't his entire fault; I hated being away from him too. He just was more upfront about it, finding me while I was shopping, dragging me away when I was cooking him breakfast, and whispering in my ear when I was trying to read a book..

He just wouldn't leave me alone, and I loved it.

Sincerely, Isabella, kisses!

"Finally, you're finished reading it," a voice said from over my shoulder as I folded the letter back up. I rolled my eyes good naturally, and put the letter back in the envelope. "Hello," my – dare I say it – husband said, wrapping his arms around my middle and confiscating my letter, putting it in one of his pockets.

"Look, there he is," the people beyond our house whispered not so quietly again, "he's so handsome, but he's probably a devil if he's going to steal someone's fiancée of them."

"Oh leave me alone, you're making them talk," I said with an inward smirk (I didn't really care) but made no move out of his arms.

"Let them, let's give them something to talk about," he said mischievously, and I tilted my head up to look at his, and narrowed my eyes. He could be so rude, sometimes, and kissing with a passion that we got into at times, well – let's just say it was nothing we'd want people talking about, or seeing for that matter.

"No, I've got some dusting to do, need to polish up some of our silver," I said, trying to sound bored and uninterested in his offers. I turned my head away from his and stepping out of his arms, or trying to. His grip was far too tight around me. "Come on," I said digging my nails into his hands, "We'll have visitors soon, Isabella might visit soon."

"For God's sake, the maids are here to cook and clean, and you're here for me," He told me with a roll of his eyes, and then his hands slipped to the back of my dress. I widened my eyes. "Remember our wedding day, and then remember our wedding night."

I blinked and reddened, "They might hear you, what are you thinking of?" His only reply was to kiss my ear and I backhanded his head and glared at him. Really!

He ignored me and pulled me to him, kissing me fiercely. It thrilled me to pieces, but I still didn't want people watching me.

I was about to chastise him when he abruptly pulled away and started walking off.

I blinked again, and then narrowed my eyes. He could kiss me like that, and then walk off. I started to follow him; thoroughly irritated I didn't get the chance to chastise him about it before he stopped himself and walked off. I was the one who was supposed to stop, not him.

"Daniel," I said irritably and he waved a hand over his shoulder. I frowned and walked faster.

"Now you can go dust or whatever, I'll have some fun in the garden," he told me with a shrug, looking over his shoulder as though saying what can you do?

"Fun in the garden?" I inquired with disbelief. He didn't even like gardening. I was the one to do the gardens, not him. He would feed our chickens, and he would cut the grass. But he would certainly not garden. The garden was all soil and grass before I came and planted roses everywhere.

"Yes," he said and walked even faster, into our house and nearly slamming the door in my face if I had not caught it with a hand. I cursed at him, something that wasn't very ladylike at all but it wasn't like he cared, he thought me funny when I was mad and rude. I stepped in, going after him and slamming the door behind me.

"Where are you going?" I wanted to know as he walked through the house.

"The garden, I said I was gardening," he told me and I blinked, eyebrows furrowing.

"You can't be serious," I said, "you don't garden, you only grow vegies, you don't garden."

"Your flowers are getting a little out of hand," he told me with a shrug, walking out the backdoor of our house, "I'm going to cut them all off."

What? Cut all my flowers off? But I'd spent days, weeks, months looking after those flowers; he couldn't just cut them all off because they were getting out of hand. But they weren't getting out of hand in the first place.

I followed him outside, glaring at him and rushing to stop him. My hands reached his waist and I tugged, "No, you can't be serious."

But he started laughing, "No, I'm not..."

"Surprise!" I jumped out of my skin and my eyes darted to a bunch of girls from church, his family, Isabella and Zack, and Patricia, Rita and daddy. I was surprised. So surprised I let go of Daniel and nearly tripped over my own feet, if he hadn't pulled me into his arms at the same time.

"Happy baby shower," he whispered into my ear, and moved his hands over my stomach, stroking it, "you big fat beautiful woman."

"Thankyou," I breathed, slightly overwhelmed, but not insulted because I was big and fat. I reached for his lips, puckering my own and closing my eyes, and then I felt his lips meet mine, and his hands play with my hair.

And then when I opened them, an umbrella was being brought over our heads, and we were showered with presents.

"May the baby be as beautiful as the parents themselves," Rita said coolly, giving me a sly grin and a wink. I was glad she hadn't brought her husband, because I didn't think I'd be able to stand his company.

Everything was fine, everything was perfect, and then along came Rita, and though it was awful for a while – the events after it just got better, and better. And they just didn't stop.

xoxo

AMERICAN DRAAGON HE'S THE AMERICAN DRAGON! To the J to the A to the K to the E! He's the mack daddy dragon of the NYC you heard?

Or something like that. I love that show. I watched another movie today as well as the first episode of Smallville. I started v. late in series and am trying to rectify that. The movie was "Another Cinderella Story" of which I gagged at the thought of...before I watched it. I mean, I love Hilary Duff, and it was like, WHAT? That movie didn't NEED a sequel. Especially one with dancing in it because I'm sick of so many high school musical types.

But it was good. VERY good and funny and sweet and it had KISSES in it. Go watch it. I love the girl in it, she's so cool, and I love the song she's singing at the start. I downloaded it. And am playing it.

This life I'm persuing, the odds I'll be losing! Everybody tells me it's like one in a million, more like one in a billion, or one in a zillion! I hear it every day! I hear it all the time! I'm never going to amount to much but they're never going to change my mind! Tell me, tell me, tell me something I don't know! How many inches in a mile, what it takes to make you smile? Teach you not to treat me like a child, baby.

I love it. Listen to it.

You know you love me,

xoxo.

ps. Hope you enjoyed epi!