“Thank you very much, everybody, now it is time to celebrate the union of Mr. and Mrs.Urwin.”
The music started up and the couple slowly walked back down the aisle hand in hand, leaving the church as husband and wife. Their eyes fixed forward as they moved, they did not glance at anyone. Annabelle expected that, it was considered uncouth to look at anyone sitting in the church, but she wished that she could meet Beatrice’s eyes for just asecond.
People clapped, and the girls joined in but not all of them were feeling happy about it. Annabelle experienced another unexpected pang in her heart as her sister left. She had not truly considered it before, but it was the last time she would really get to spend with Beatrice. Just because they had not always been the best of friends, did not mean she was happy for their sisterly time toend.
She should have known this feeling would happen, she should have spent more time preparing herself. Instead, in a slightly selfish way, Annabelle had been more concerned with what dress she would wear for the occasion and how boring and long the day would be. She spent so long choosing her wine coloured satin dress, with a white under layer, and lacy ruffles at the sleeve and neckline, that she had not thought about too muchelse.
“Are you alright, Annabelle?” Edith asked her while slipping a hand around her waist. Maybe she was slightly annoying in her ways, but she had a very perceptive, caring nature. "It is a big change, is itnot?"
“I suppose it is.” Annabelle tried her best to keep her voice natural, but a little emotional crack appeared regardless. “It is just verystrange.”
“I am lucky that I have not had to lose Harriett to a husband yet, but I am sure I will feel the same way when the timecomes.”
“Probably worse.” Annabelle smiled thinly at her friend. “You two are much closer than me and Beatrice. But yes, prepareyourself.”
Once the couple finally exited the church, it was time for everyone else to go. Annabelle and her friends waited patiently for the parents of the bride and groom to leave first. As others made a move, Annabelle clung onto Edithtightly.
“Let us wait, we should leavelast.”
She thought it would be a good idea to pause for a moment, to give herself a second to adjust, but it turned out she was mistaken. Her father had something so important to say to her that he broke tradition for long enough to wait for Annabelle to start moving. “Annabelle, I would like to speak with you outside.” His commanding tone rang through the church, even though Otto spoke in a hushed tone. “So please hurryup.”
Annabelle felt a spike of ice cold terror racing through her as her eyes glued to her father’s. She recognized that tone well, it had haunted her for her whole life. It was the voice which led to a telling off. She was in some very serioustrouble.
Catherine recognized it too, she had seen it happen to her friend enough times to understand what came next. “Uh oh, Annabelle, what have you done?” she hissed quietly as Otto moved outside. “What hashappened?”
“I do not know,” Annabelle replied with a sharp shake of her head. “But I guess I will soon findout.”
The festive mood zapped from the girls as they finally moved out of the church, none of them were thinking about the wedding reception now. They were all afraid for Annabelle, they knew how little she liked to be yelled at. None of them wanted the girl at the centre of their friendship group to be upset or the afternoon would not be anywhere near asfun.
If Annabelle was happy and upbeat, they all felt the same way. Edith and Harriett exchanged anxious glances as a tension circled thegroup.
“Do you want me to come and speak with your father with you?” Catherine asked, despite the fact that she really did not want to face off with Mr. Hathaway. “If he is going to shout at you for talking through the wedding, then I should take some of the blametoo.”
Yes! Please, do not leave me alone,Annabelle thought desperately, but she had no intention of saying that aloud. She did not want the humiliation of being yelled at in front of her friends...again.
“No, I shall be fine.” She squeezed Catherine’s fingers gratefully. “It will benothing.”
Annabelle felt like she was walking to her doom as she made her way towards her father. His arms were already folded across his chest and his blue eyes flashed with annoyance. Against the backdrop of the pink and red flowers decorating the church building, he somehow managed to look even more terrifying. Otto stood away from the rest of the wedding party to ensure that they could speak in private which only terrified Annabellefurther.
“Y... yes, Father?” Annabelle asked nervously. “Is everythingalright?”
“I would appreciate it if you take things a bit more seriously,” he snapped back through gritted teeth, his temper shining through. “This is a very big day for Abraham. For your sister as well, I do not think it is right for you and your silly friends to wreck it with yourchildishness.”
Silly, childish,those were the words that angered Annabelle the most. She did not see herself that way at all, she felt herself to be in control and very adult. It annoyed her that her father did not see her as she wanted to beseen.
But it was not the right time to start an argument about that. She did not want to be yelled at in front of their friends and family, she did not want to upset Beatrice, there were more important things than ensuring her point of view wasrecognized.
“Yes, Father,” Annabelle eventually replied through pursed lips. “Iunderstand.”
“So, I trust that you will behave at the celebration this afternoon and evening? There will be many people there, a lot of eyes looking at you. You are representing our family and your behaviour affects ourreputation.”
The family’s reputation was what Otto put above everything else. His concern about what others thought about the Hathaway family was astounding. Annabelle knew for certain that he put that above his children’s needs, but there was not anything she could do to change him. She had tried over time but had never beensuccessful.
“Yes, I understand. I willbehave.”
“And you will ensure that your friends dotoo.”
“Yes. I will.” Annabelle ducked her head in a sorrowful gesture. “Ipromise.”
