Adele's Stories

My dress was completely and utterly ruined. I had worked all day to finish it so it would be ready in time for the harvest festival tomorrow. I just had to have brothers. My parents couldn’t have given me sisters, no, it had to be three little brothers. To his credit Lucas did look genuinely sorry. Unlike the older two, Marcus and George who couldn’t care less about my dress and who’s only purpose in life was to ruin mine. I crossed my arms and stared them down. Mother had forced them to apologize but I knew that was the only discipline they were going to receive. I also knew that it was going to be all on me to figure out what I was going to do about my dress situation. We didn’t have the money to buy a new dress or even new materials. And my mother knew nothing about making dresses. She preferred painting and embroidery. Of course I knew how to embroider as well. It came in handy while making dresses. But mother could care less about that. She could care less about us. She was the kind of mother who loved us dearly but didn’t really know anything about children and how to handle them. And she was too soft hearted to discipline us for anything. So as a result the boys ran wild and did practically whatever they wanted. Father was a merchant and was always sailing away somewhere to sell more stuff. I believed that he had enough people working for him that he didn’t need to go on these trips himself but he just didn’t want to be home with three uncontrollable boys and a wife who was always hiding away in the parlor. I did my best to teach the boys right from wrong. But I wasn’t their mother. And they weren’t going to listen to their big sister.

I heaved a sigh and turned to go upstairs. “Liza. Aren’t you going to accept your brothers’ apology?”

I froze at the base of the stairs, my hand on the banister. What apology? They didn’t really mean it. Except maybe Lucas. He was a lot sweeter than his older brothers but they made fun of him for it and he looked up to them and did whatever they said. I plastered an appeasing smile on my face. “I accept your apology.” The older two snickered and ran off. Lucas gave me a hesitant look before chasing after them. I shook my head and went upstairs. I suppose I could just wear my green dress. It was the nicest one I owned. But I had already worn it so many times this year. Maybe I could do it up with the scraps from the dress the boys destroyed. Yes, that would work. Using the gold fabric to create accents and embellishments would look quite nice with the green. Yes, that’s what I would do. I would improve my green dress.

With this new plan in my mind I raced up the stairs, eager to get started. I spent the next few hours painstakingly lining the hem of my green dress in gold, along with the sleeves and neckline. I even stayed up all night (well nearly all night. I did get a few hours of sleep.) embroidering the skirt with the gold lace. When it was finally finished I had convinced myself it was prettier than both the original gold and green dresses.

In the morning I slipped into my new dress and marveled at myself in the mirror. I prided myself on being humble. I didn’t want to be like one of those girls who was obsessed with only how she looked. But I hadn’t had a new dress in ages and I couldn’t help admiring my reflection. Especially after I did my hair up.

“Liza! Are you coming? It’s time to go!” My mothers voice called up the stairs.

“Coming!” I slipped into my shoes and picked up my skirts as I slipped down the stairs. Lucas met me at the bottom. He peered up at me shyly and turned to look at his brothers over his shoulder. The sneered at him. Lucas quickly shoved something into my hands and ran off. I looked at the object he had given me. It was a rose. Lucas new how much I loved roses. Especially how much I loved wearing them in my hair on special occasions.

I smiled softly to myself. I knew this was Lucas’s way of apologizing. I knew what a sacrifice it was for him, that his brothers would tease and taunt him for showing this little act of affection.

I looked over at him as he shoved away his brother’s arm from around his neck. His eyes caught mine and I smiled at him and slipped the rose into my hair. He smiled back.