Loving you

"Oh Lord. CATHY!!! We will be late. Fetch down Henrietta's gown at this instant. Oh Lord! Cathy!!!"

Cathy came running down the stairs, a royal blue ball gown in one hand, and a bag filled with accessories in the other. Her aunt gave her a glare. She snatched the things from her and locked the door behind her. Cathy stood there as her aunt shut the door on her. Not knowing what to do, she went upstairs to see her cousin, Charles.

Charles was a lovely boy who had recently turned 10. But alas! On this fine day of the Christmas ball, he had fallen down the tree and cut his leg on the snow shard and bruised his head.

She opened the door and closed it behind her quietly.

"Oh poor Charles," she whispered. She brushed that poor kid's forehead gently. "I hope you have a quick recovery. I can't bear to see my lovely cousin like this. All dull and quiet."

All of a sudden she heard a knock on the door.

"Come in"

"Oh dear Cathy. See Mama ruined my hair. How shall I attend the ball....."

Cathy silenced her cousin, Henrietta, by placing her hand on her mouth.

"Could you calm down for heaven's sake," Cathy whispered. "You can see that Charles is unwell and he needs rest and you might wake him up from his slumber."

Henrietta nodded. Cathy removed her hand from her mouth and guided her downstairs. Her aunt, Mrs. Dudley, was glaring at her, the reason was unknown to her .

"Do you think that this old sister of yours knows how to do hair for the ball. Do you not think that she has no skills. That is why no one pursues her."

Cathy flinched at those words, but she maintained her composure.

"You can trust me this time, dear aunt of mine," she reassured her.

Her aunt left the two alone.

"Mama is the one who's unskilled. That old hag does not even know how to do a simple braid. Oh dear Cathy, I know that you can work those magical fingers of yours upon my hair. So that I attract all the men in the ball. Oh! How I hope that a wealthy man asks my hand for marriage. Wouldn't that be lovely?"

"Henrietta, I would be glad if a fine gentleman asked you for marriage but do not get your hopes too high for this is your debut ball. People may be interested in you but don't give your pride, your honour to any man who lures you, and uses you to complete their sexual desire, and later throw you out to rot," warned Cathy.

"Oh Cathy! You dread a lot. More than my mother," huffed Henrietta, as she sat by her dressing table.

"Because you are my sister. Now my sister, how do you want your hair to be. Do you want me to braid it up, or braid it down? Part it in the middle or from the side. Or do u just want something simple?" Cathy brushed those brown locks of hair, each curled to perfection. "Oh dear, you have such beautiful hair."

Henrietta giggled at that. "I always oil my hair and wash it thrice a week. I have always taken grate care of them.and I don't want something simple today. Make me look as charming as a lady."

Cathy nodded and started parting and braiding her hair. She pinned those loose strands of hair to perfection. She briaded her hair up and secured the feather har on her hard. Her brown curls fell effortlessly. Henrietta looked herself at the mirror in complete awe.

"Cathy, oh god! I look so good. I will cry. I look so pretty and beautiful. Thank you."

Henrietta jumped off the tool and slipped on the pair of gloves into her hands. "Mama will be so proud of how I look today.

She watched her sister trot happily and broke into a smile. "Such a little girl," she whispered.

But indeed it was undeniable, that she was yearning to go to the ball. She had never been to the ball. Her father had passed away a week before her debut at the ball. Since then, she had never attended one. Well, more like, her aunt had never allowed her to attend one. Her aunt had never spared a day of insulting her. She never knew why she hated her. And she never thought of finding it out.

"Cathy, we are leaving. Take care of Charles. Love you," shouted Henrietta and then she heard the click of the door. She went to the hall to check, and indeed her and and her aunt had left for the ball.

Well, her sister did look lovely, she would not lie about it. Her heart ached when she imagined Henrietta getting married and leaving her alone to her aunt. Oh how her aunt would torture Cathy. She felt scared and uneasy just by thinking about it. No she had to be strong.

She has been strong for the past 5 years and she will continue to be. Even after the death of her father and mother, she had been strong. She did not cry at their funeral. She knew that wherever they were now, they wouldn't have to suffer from hunger, agony, poverty or anything. And she knew that they loved her.

She ran upstairs to check on Charles. She saw his stomach moving up and down in a steady pace. He seemed to be in a sweet slumber. She decided that she should clean the house and make some supper for her and Charles to eat before retiring for the night.

She grabbed the broom and began sweeping the floor. She hummed "deck the balls" while she sweeped the floor. After that, she began dusting the shelves. She lot the candles by the staircase and went to the kitchen to prepare the supper.

She opened the door and placed the soup at the table beside the bed where her young cousin was sleeping.

"Charles dear, it's me. Wake up, it's time for your medicines and dinner." She nudged him gently, making sure it did not hurt him.

He squinted his eyes and finally opened them. "Cathy, what time is it?" It was the first thing he asked after waking up.

"Quarter to nine my dear. Why?"

"Oh, I have been asleep for such a long time," he exclaimed.

"Sleeping helps your body to recover. Now Charles be a good boy and finish up the soup, so that you can take your medicines and sleep. By tomorrow you will be able to run and play with your friends."

He gave her a smile and finished the soup in no time.

"Thank you for the food," said he. She gave her a smile. She fed him the syrup and patted his forehead. She sang a lullaby, untill he fell asleep.

Quietly retiring from his room she went to the kitchen to wash the dishes and close the windows before falling asleep.

"Oh God! It's raining," she exclaimed. "No, it's a storm!"

She closed the windows quickly. She had put her clothes outside to dry. Oh God!

She ran outside to collect her clothes. The winds were to strong. She tried to be quick. She pulled the clothes from the clothes line and held onto them with the other hand.

She became helpless when one of the clothes was stuck to the line by a peg. She tugged at it but in vain.

"Let me help you my lady," said a deep voice. She had no time to turn around to see who that voice belonged to. He saw a tall figure of a mane, in white shirt open the peg and hand over the dress to her.

The two entered the house quickly and closed the door behind them.

The two were panting.

"Thank you," she said. Now they were standing face to face. He was a handsome man, maybe in his twenties. She didn't know. He had dirty blond hair and his face was cleanly shaved. His brown eyes felt like a pool of cocoa.

"I should thank you my lady, for I have locked myself outside my house. Could I take shelter before the rain stops?"

His voice was so deep that Cathy could feel her feet shaking. She put the wet clothes on the stool and brought a towel , a shirt and a pair of trousers which belonged to her uncle.

"Yes you can, but please dry yourself. I don't want my guest to catch a cold as soon as he leaves our house."

The man simple nodded and was about to go when he looked at Cathy, as if he was asking her where to go.

"Upstairs, left room," she said, as she put the clothes into the basket. "Tsk! I'll have to clean them again," she whispered.