@Ailis
Prologue:
Emmaline considered herself to have two best friends: her twin sister, Elliot, and the little neighbor boy, James. He was a year younger than they were but their parents had shoved them together since he was born and the three of them were often found playing together, running in their mother's yards and getting yelled at for stomping on the flowers. The twins were supposed to be proper but Emmaline just wanted to run and play and be outdoors. Mama said she was like her father in that way.
When they were picked on at the school house for lacking a father in the hosue, James would punch the boy and tell everyone that their father had died a hero in the Navy. He looked after the two girls, and they after him. When a girl had teased Emmaline and Elliot over the fact that they had their mother's maiden name and not their father's, James wouldn't hit a girl. Emma, though, had no problem throwing a perfectly formed fist at the little girl. Elliot, unwilling to let her sister defend their honor, had jumped into the fray as well.
They were sent home that day and Mama sat both girls down and explained that while they were friends with James, they needed to learn how to be well behaved little girls. Hanging with James did not mean they got to fight and get dirty like boys. Emma thought Mama looked tired. "I have let this go on long enough, it's time you girls learn to behave like the ladies you are." They were grounded from seeing James for a week. Then, after that, their time was limited to the weekends and summer or supervised visits when James' mom visited Mama. They were six at the time.
Fortunately, their forced separation didn't cause a rift in their friendship, and Emma and Elliot tried to spend time with their neighbor and friend when they could.
Mama continued to look more and more tired and Emma tried to behave better so as not to wear her mother down. Four years later, Mama got sick. She slept all the time and Emma and Elliot had to see to it that they got themselves up and ready for school, they divided up the chores and James' mom came and cooked meals for them. With all the rest, though, Mama still wasn't getting better. Emma stood in the doorway to her Mama's room, listening to the way her mom would breathe strangely and then cough and cough and cough. Emma had a bad feeling in her stomach.
Prologue:
Emmaline considered herself to have two best friends: her twin sister, Elliot, and the little neighbor boy, James. He was a year younger than they were but their parents had shoved them together since he was born and the three of them were often found playing together, running in their mother's yards and getting yelled at for stomping on the flowers. The twins were supposed to be proper but Emmaline just wanted to run and play and be outdoors. Mama said she was like her father in that way.
When they were picked on at the school house for lacking a father in the hosue, James would punch the boy and tell everyone that their father had died a hero in the Navy. He looked after the two girls, and they after him. When a girl had teased Emmaline and Elliot over the fact that they had their mother's maiden name and not their father's, James wouldn't hit a girl. Emma, though, had no problem throwing a perfectly formed fist at the little girl. Elliot, unwilling to let her sister defend their honor, had jumped into the fray as well.
They were sent home that day and Mama sat both girls down and explained that while they were friends with James, they needed to learn how to be well behaved little girls. Hanging with James did not mean they got to fight and get dirty like boys. Emma thought Mama looked tired. "I have let this go on long enough, it's time you girls learn to behave like the ladies you are." They were grounded from seeing James for a week. Then, after that, their time was limited to the weekends and summer or supervised visits when James' mom visited Mama. They were six at the time.
Fortunately, their forced separation didn't cause a rift in their friendship, and Emma and Elliot tried to spend time with their neighbor and friend when they could.
Mama continued to look more and more tired and Emma tried to behave better so as not to wear her mother down. Four years later, Mama got sick. She slept all the time and Emma and Elliot had to see to it that they got themselves up and ready for school, they divided up the chores and James' mom came and cooked meals for them. With all the rest, though, Mama still wasn't getting better. Emma stood in the doorway to her Mama's room, listening to the way her mom would breathe strangely and then cough and cough and cough. Emma had a bad feeling in her stomach.
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