Chapter Text
Delphine awoke early Saturday morning. she hardly slept at all, nervous and excited for the afternoon. She immediately went to collect the eggs and did her chores all morning. By the time the afternoon had come, she was practically jumping off the walls. Her grandmother eyed her suspiciously as she did her sewing, anxiously looking up at the clock every 30 seconds.
"Staring at that won't make the time go any faster." Dellie looked up sheepishly at her grandmother. "Any particular reason you're so restless."
"I have a lot of energy. I am a kid."
Hazel looked skeptically at her grandchild. "Are you sure it has nothing to do with you inviting your school teacher on your picnic."
"I have no idea what you mean."
"Sure you don't. Now don't go around causing trouble where there isn't any, you understand?"
Dellie nodded.
"Good, finish your sewing before your father gets back."
Delphine worked diligently on her sewing, under the highly critical eye of her grandmother. Not only did she have to do her boring sewing, her grandmother expected every stitch to be perfect. by two o'clock, however, her restlessness had returned, just as her father and brother came home.
"Good afternoon," Bash greeted as he walked in. Elijah tipped his hat at them and promptly walked upstairs to wash up.
"Why is that boy in such a rush these days?" Hazel tutted. "The train for Charlottetown doesn't leave until 5."
Bash chuckled. "You know he likes to stay with his friends on the weekends. Besides, I heard that there's a girl there that he fancies."
"Sebastian, what have I told you about gossip."
"Mom, it's not gossip if it's true." Hazel rolled her eyes and finished putting the finishing touches to their basket. "That smells delicious."
Bash attempted to grab a scone, but his mother swatted his hand away. "You are not touching this food until you wash up. And you better hurry. It's rude to be late. You too Delphine"
Delphine put away her sewing and put on her nicer dress. she was already waiting downstairs with the basket when her father emerged from his room.
"Ready to go?" he asked her.
"Ready!"
*********
They chose to take the more scenic route to Ms. Stacy's. Delphine enjoyed her monthly picnics with her father. When her grandmother got to be too much for both of them, it was nice to just be the two of them. As far as she could remember, she'd done this with her father. They would always eat the delicious food her grandmother packed and talk for hours. she liked to confide in her father and there was no secret she kept from him. by the time they reached Ms. Stacy's front door, they were both laughing about a story he told about his childhood.
"And remeber.."
"Don't tell my grandmother. I know dad."
Bash smiled and knocked on the door. After a few moments, Ms. Stacy appeared, in her signature trousers, a basket, and a fishing pole in her hand.
"Good afternoon, "Bash greeted. "Fine afternoon we got here."
Muriel smiled and grabbed her hat off the hook. "Fine afternoon indeed. Shall we go?"
"After you."
Dellie tried to give the adults space and chose to focus on collecting wildflowers on their route. she overheard snippets of their conversation. what had started off as slightly awkward was soon dissipating to more friendly conversation and banter.
"You do not have a bet going on," Ms. Stacey chuckled as they reached the spot.
"Oh yes we do," Bash said. "Gilbert is one oblivious fool. Do you know how long I had to listen to him complain about Miss Anne before he finally whipped up tje courage to tell her his feelings."
"It's just so strange. I thought they were already engaged."
"Not yet. He's waiting for 'the right time', whatever that means." Bash began laying out the blanket and the food so that they could eat. "They've been courting for almost 10 years and I just know that Anne is getting restless."
"I'm sure Gilbert has his reasons."
"He just needs to do it. I knew Mary for about a month before I proposed. When you know, you know."
Miss Stacey began pulling out the food that Hazel had packed. Dellie began eating quietly, enthralled by her father's stories of her mother. "You only knew mama for a month?"
"Yes. And I proposed to her and we had the most amazing marriage." Bash became wistful. Dellie noticed the look on her father's face. He always had that look on his face when he talked about her mama.
Dellie was only a baby when she passed away, and even though she yearned for a mother sometimes, she'd never let her family know. she didn't want them to think that they weren't enough. Because they were. Her father and her grandmother did their best to raise her, even if they had different philosophies when it came to raising children. And her brother was always there to keep her out of trouble (for the most part). But when the kids at school talked about their mothers, especially her friends, a part of her would always feel funny. Like she was missing something.
"Mary was a lovely woman," Miss Stacey said, trying to keep the atmosphere light. "I wish I got to know her more. Anne and Gilbert would never stop talking about her at school. "
"I bet," Bash chuckled. "Teaching them must not have been easy, with their supposed rivalry."
"I always felt that the rivalry was more one-sided," Muriel joked. "But you know how stubborn those two are. Glad they worked it out."
"You have no idea," Bash said. "It's just so frustrating to watch two people who clearly have a connection dance around their feelings."
Miss Stacey looked at him amused. "Well not everyone can be as upfront as you."
"Oh no? How about you and your husband? You never have really told me how you two. met."
Miss Stacey paused, thinking. "We met in college. He was a fellow classmate. Actually, I didn't like him very much. I thought him to be pompous and arrogant and he found me outspoken and stubborn."
"Sound familiar?"
Muriel blushed slightly as she continued. "Well, one night after a particularly fun evening out, he offered to accompany home, which i found rather gentlemanly of him to do. And we began talking and we became friends. It wasn't until our last year that he asked me to court him. I began teaching and he got his certification and we got married two years later."
"Well, he sounds like an alright fellow."
"He was. He was rather practical which helped me be a bit more grounded. And I helped him become more adventurous and creative. We had six great years together."
"Why didn't you have a baby?" Dellie asked.
"Delphine!" Bash reprimanded. "It is rude to ask people private questions like that."
"Oh no, it's alright," Muriel said. "She was just doing what I taught her. Listening and being inquisitive. to answer your question, Delphine, my husband and i wanted to explore a bit more before we had children. unfortunately, he passed away before we actually tried to have any. And well, I believe that my time has passed."
"You don't know that," Bash said.
"I'm afraid so." Muriel shook her head. "I'm nearly forty and well at my age, eligible bachelors are few and far between. But enough talk about this. It is a beautiful day and we should take advantage of it."
*****
Delphine awoke Sunday morning groggily as her grandmother yelled for everyone to get ready to attend church. Sundays were her least favorite days because she had to wake early to catch the train to Charlottetown to attend church. She lazily put on her best church clothes and fixed her hair as much as she could. her grandmother would fix it and braid it later when they came home o that she would be presentable for school the next week.
As she detangled her hair she began thinking about the previous day. After Miss Stacey told her why she didn't have children, Delphine felt sad for her. Her Auntie Anne had always talked about tragical romances in books, but she had no idea how to deal with them in real life. She remembered the way that both her father and Miss Stacey looked when they talked about their lost loves.
At least her father has her and her grandmother, but Miss Stacey had no one. And even though she was with her father now, she would eventually grow up and leave to go to college. And her grandmother won't be around forever. Who would be with her father then? He would get awfully lonely.
No. Delphine decided then and there that her father and Miss Stacey would not spend the rest of their lives alone. She was going to do something about it. Her. Delphine.
"Delphine!"
Dellie jumped at the sound of her grandmother barging into her room.
"Child, don't you hear me calling you? We're going to be late."
"Sorry."
"Let's get a move on then."
*****
Church had been just like any other in Dellie's opinion. After church not so much.
As they walked outside so that her father and grandmother could talk with the grown folk, Elijah had made their way to them. He had nit sat with them at their usual pew like every other week and Dellie had thought that he chose to skip to church. But as he walked up holding hands with a woman she had never seen before she knew that wasn't why.
"Everyone, I would like to introduce to you, Miss Esther Collins."
Esther walked up to them shyly. "Good afternoon."
Bash immediately walked up to her, extending his hand. "What a pleasure to meet you. Now we know why Elijah here has been itching to travel to Charlottetown every week."
Elijah blushed while Hazel slapped Bash upside the head. "Where are your manners? It's very nice to meet you, Miss Esther."
"I wanted to introduce her to you all because we've been courting," Elijah said, smiling like Dellie had never seen.
"It's very nice to meet you," Dellie said, smiling through her teeth.
"The pleasure is all mine." Esther smiled and her and shook her hand. "Elijah has told me all about you. Don't worry. We all grow out of our troublemaker phase. Some just later than others."
Esther winked at her as if they were friends. Dellie frowned. They were definitely not.
"Why don't we get something to eat?" Bash said, sensing the tension.
"Yes, why don't you come to my home," Esther said. "My mother has something delicious planned and would love it if you came."
"Very well," hazel said. "It would be an honor to meet the people who raised such a fine young lady as yourself. I only hope my granddaughter will be just like you someday."
"Oh you are too kind," Esther said.
Dellie glared at the back of her head. She didn't like how her grandmother was already in love with Esther. her father poked her side.
"I know that look. Behave please."
"I will," Dellie grumbled. This was going to be a long meal.
*********
Monday could not have come any faster for Dellie. Her weekend left her drained and confused, but as soon as she saw Margaret and Georgie in front of the school, she felt her mood brighten.
"Margaret! Georgie!"
"Delphine!"
"Dellie!" Margaret ran up to her and embraced the girl. "I have so much to tell you."
"Not as much as I do."
"Oh?"
"Georgie!" The boy rushed up to them. "You were right! And I have a plan!"
Margaret and Georgie looked at each other. This could not be good.