"Willow's Missing Tail" 32

Martha and Perfidia had several trays of the perfect after-midnight snack food heating in the kitchen’s large commercial size oven. Martha decided a nice cup of tea was called for and began to fill the kettle with water when Daphne walked into the room humming a romantic, pop tune and smiling like a giddy teenager.

Perfidia gave Martha an exasperated look but Daphne didnt notice..

“Oh, you’re making tea? I’d love some,” Daphne smiled at Martha and settled into a seat at the table.

“I'll get another cup,” Martha offered and walked to the cupboard.

Perfidia smirked at her cousin. “Love a cup huh? Love must be on your mind,” Perfidia chuckled.

Daphne’s dreamy expression soured a little as her eyes slid to Perfidia. “Are you happy for me cuz, or trying to burst my happy bubble? If it’s the former I’ll thank you but if it’s the latter, shouldn’t you be off somewhere pestering Jon?”

The mention of Jon hit its target. Perfidia was sorry now she’d said anything.

Martha knew the remark had upset Perfidia and changed the course of the conversation. “I noticed there’s a lemon meringue pie in the refrigerator, would you like a slice of it with your tea, Daphne?”

Daphne’s eyes lit up with happiness once again. “I’d lov- enjoy that,” she corrected mid-word with a side glance at her cousin but it appeared Perfidia was preoccupied, checking the oven’s timer.

“Why are you cooking? You know it’s nearly two in the morning.” Daphne asked Martha.

“We know but with most everyone here at odds with eachother and all having to wait out the effects of that ramulus lock on the house, not having access to the upper floor bedrooms, we decided some comfort food might ease tensions until the sunrise.”

“Tensions, I’m not tense.” Daphne giggled.

Perfidia bit her tongue, she had to or she might have said something she’d regret, or not. Luckily the tea kettle started to whistle so she walked over to it.

Martha had taken the pie from the refrigerator and was cutting three slices when Miriam walked into the kitchen.

“So this is where you all went off to,” she said joining Daphne at the table.  

“Were you looking for us Miriam?” Martha asked placing the pie slices on plates.

“Not particularly, but I did feel awkward sitting in the study with Dillon, Avery and Percival all discussing last night’s football game. I had nothing to contribute. Football isn’t of interest to me.”

“Don’t you go to the games with Percival?” Martha inquired.

“That’s only because I enjoy his company…I don’t enjoy the game.”

“Does Percival know?” Perfidia asked as she poured hot waster over the tea leaves in the first cup.

“He knows I tolerate it, for him,” she answered, eyeing the tea kettle. “Are you making tea? Could I join you?”

“Of course and we’re having pie too. Would you like a slice?” Martha invited, but was already taking another cup and plate down from the cupboard.

“That’d be lovely. I’ve had a trying evening and a nice cup of tea and slice of sweetness would be welcome right now.”

“So, it didn’t go well…your discussion with Percival?” Martha inquired.

“Do you see a ring back on this finger?” Miriam held up her hand and wiggled her ringless fingers in the air, “You don’t, because Percival didn’t give it back.”

“He didn’t forgive you?” Perfidia asked pouring hot water over the leaves in the third teacup.

“He forgave me for keeping secrets from him but I don’t think his ego has healed. He didn’t want to discuss our future when I tried to bring it up, and he didn’t offer me back the ring that's still in his pocket.”

“Well, you did throw it at him in front of everyo-” Perfidia’s words were cut off by Miriam’s harsh look and words of annoyance.

 “I know what I did Perfidia and I…” she stopped because her eyes fill with tears. She wiped them away and sniffled softly as she continued, “I know I can’t undo what I did, can’t take back my outburst,” her voice trembling with regret. She turned to Martha. “And I don’t know why I felt so much jealousy over his relationship with you but I did, and I still do. And before you tell me its ancient history, I know that. I know Percival loves me but I’m insecure. That flaw is mine so maybe, I don’t deserve Percival.”

The revelation hung in the air.

Perfidia was pouring hot water over the tea leaves in the last cup and almost let it overflow but stopped in time.

“That’s quite an observation,” Perfidi said setting the kettle down on the counter.

“And you’re thinking it’s shocking I’d admit it, aren’t you?”

Perfidia was about to agree but Martha answered before she could.

“It isn’t shocking, Miriam. It’s good you’re analyzing your reasons.”

“What else can I do, Martha? Percival placed a distance marker between us and I don’t know what to do about it.”

Perfidia was about to suggest it was Miriam who’d placed it but a sharp look from Martha kept her silent. She shrugged and put the filled teacups on a tray.

 

Martha brought the plated pies to the table and placed a large slice in front of Miriam. “I’m sure Percival will give you back the ring…He just needs time.”

Miriam gave a resigned sigh and nodded. “I hope you’re right, because I do love him and I don't want to think how I may have ruined our future.”

“Wow, all this gloom and sadness,” Daphne grumbled, “You’re deflating my happy bubble.”

“Deflating your happy bubble, what are you in kindergarten?” Perfidia scoffed as she carried the tray of teacups to the table.

Daphne gave her a childish smirk and stuck out her tongue. “Don’t be such a pickle puss cuz. You know what I meant.”

“I don’t know cuz, since all of this started because of you, I’m not sure I do know about happy bubbles,” Perfidia said dropping the tray on the table a little too hard hearing the delicate cups rattle.

“Enough,” Martha scolded gaining everyone’s attention, “Why don’t we sit down and enjoy our tea and pie and try…please try, to get past the need for childish remarks,” she suggested and sat down.

Perfidia wanted to say more but a sharp look from Martha had her rethinking it and she sat down.

“What’s that delicious aroma?” Miriam asked, sniffing the air.

“We’re making a few comfort foods to share as we wait for morning,” Martha said, stirring her tea.

“Good idea,” Miriam nodded, “If we pretend it’s the middle of the day instead of the middle of the night, we might get through whatever this is…And on that thought,” she looked around the table, “Does anyone else feel a push of…oh, I don’t know…truthfulness?” 

Six pairs of eyes masked what it was they felt and all three sets of shoulders shrugged.

“Couldn’t say as I have,” Daphne said picking up her teacup.

“Yeah, same,” Perfidia said lifting her cup and avoid eye contact.

Miriam frowned at them. She was positive they’d have felt something because that strangeness was still in the air.

“Well, I feel it and I know something’s going on,” she concluded then stirred three heaping teaspoons of sugar into her tea.

Perfidia looked at Martha telegraphing her opinion that Miriam needed the artificial sweetness, having very little of her own.

Martha’s brow drew down in a silent response that telegraphed, ‘don’t be mean’.

Daphne intercepted their looks but couldn’t have cared less about Miriam’s lack of sweetness or Perfidia’s inherent meanness. She was too happy having discovered her feelings for Avery had always been reciprocated. Now her world was rosy and bight again and she needed absolutely no sugar in her tea. Avery’s kisses were sweet enough for her.

She sighed and the corners of her mouth drew upwards in a secretive smile.

Perfidia caught the rapturous look on Daphne’s face and nearly choked on her tea. Her brows furrowed downward and she sent another look to Martha that implied, ‘Daphne has some nerve being happy while everyone else is miserable because of the plan she’d set in motion to destroy Avery. And how is this fair?’

Martha’s response was a small smirk that told Perfidia simply, ‘let it go.’ And her uplifted brow added, ‘You’d have had to deal with the consequences of that bracelet eventually.’

Perfidia’s expression darkened but Martha didn’t soften her non-verbal response.Perfidia frowned.

Miriam sighed heavily. “I don’t know why I said the things I did. It was as if something forced the truth out of me. Are you sure none of you felt that….push?”

“Maybe what you felt was your conscience pushing you to be honest,” Martha offered, “You had been keeping secrets from Percival for a long time but after he asked you to marry him, maybe you felt the need to confess.”

It made sense to Miriam, and she might have accepted it as fact if she hadn’t felt something external in that room, something that had messed with her ability to shut up. “You’re right. I should have told Percival everything before we got engaged or at the time of, but it was still weird how I couldn’t shut up.”

Daphne frowned at Miriam. She’d heard enough depressing talk. Why was no one allowing her to stay in her happy place? She sighed dramatically, “Well I’m sorry you were compelled to tell the truth to your fiancé Miriam but…as you all know, Avery and I also talked everything out and I think the honesty helped us. And Martha, you were right. We had misconceptions about the last day we were together and being honest about that day, helped us both to see it. So, for me, I'd say being truthful made everything work out beautifully.”

“Yes, we can see you’re happy,” Martha observed and kicked Perfidia’s leg under the table to stop her from mouthing the sarcastic response Martha knew was about to leave her lips.

Perfidia felt the light kick to her shin and turned a dark look on Martha, but she did swallow the unkind words she’d been about to say.

Daphne glowed with happiness. “I am happy Martha but…I do want to apologize to you and Perfidia,” she turned a cautious look to her cousin, “Perfidia, we were like sisters when we were kids and I missed having you around as I grew up. When your dad died and then my mom and dad divorced shortly after, I was broken. I hated that my mom moved us so far away from you but I didn’t know she hadn’t sent our new address to your mom. I needed you back then and I knew you were hurting about your dad. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you. I wanted to be,” she touched her cousin’s hand conveying sorrow, regret and love in the warm gesture.

Perfidia was unprepared for the flood of feelings Daphne’s words had unearthed.

“I wished you were there too,” she admitted in quiet, unlike Perfidia, voice and placed her hand on top of her cousins, “I missed you too and…I’m sorry for not trying harder to find you.”

Martha looked up and noticed the tiny, dark cloud of conflict that had been hovering in the room, watching, perhaps listening, appeared to be in a state of indecision. The revelations coming to light between Perfidia and Daphne made its presence unnecessary. There was no conflict here to stir. They were opening voluntarily, without any push from it.

Martha smiled seeing the billowing dark matter slither out of the room and with its departure the cloak of darkness lifted.

The oven timer went off drawing everyone’s attention.

“Time to set up the food,” Martha said standing up.

“Right, and we’ll all help,” Daphne volunteered but everyone agreed.