“Étienne, she’s a grown woman. You can’t forbid a single thing,” Serene reminds him, her tone gentle.
“The hell I can’t!” he hollers.
Serene slowly rises from her seat, ready and willing to go against my brother. “The hell you can. You forget she has been married and away from Charleston for years now. She’s very capable of making her own decisions.”
“Yes, but she lived with her husband,” Étienne points out.
“So she has to live with a husband to be able to function in this world?” Serene challenges.
“I-I,” Étienne sputters.
“Besides,” Serene continues, “We both know Oliver wasn’t the proper kind of husband to Nathalie, so find another excuse.”
The moment the words slip out of her mouth, Serene turns to me, hand covering her mouth, a look of sheer embarrassment on her face. “Oh, Nathalie. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that.”
I hold a hand up. Anxious for the sorrys to stop. “Please. All is forgiven.”
“I should have never said that,” Serene continues. “Étienne was just being a pompous douche and-”
“Hey-” Étienne interjects.
“I was angry at him for trying to tell you what to do,” Serene continues. “And I… I’m sorry.”
“You’re fine,” I quickly reassure her.
And she is. Because I don’t hate Oliver, but I don’t miss him the way a mourning widow should miss a spouse; he wasn’t a proper husband.
One could say you weren’t a proper wife to him, either. In every sense of the word.
I swallow loudly, and say again, “You’re fine.”
Serene nods and gives an embarrassed smile. “Good, good.”
The dining room becomes quiet with the three of us looking for a proper change of subject when Étienne mutters, “I’m not a pompous douche.” He looks between Serene and me. “I merely care about my sister.”
Serene shakes her head and takes a deep breath. “We know that. But care without being a barbarian.”
“It’s not barbaric!” Étienne yells.
Round two of their bickering is beginning. It’s astounding how the two of them can quarrel with one another with zero regard of their surroundings. Do they realize I’m here? Better yet, do they realize the person they’re speaking of is right beside them and can hear everything?
“You may think I’m bein’ boorish in my ways, Serene, but I’m tryin’ to protect my sister.”
“Nathalie can protect herself.”
Unexpectedly, I stand and place my napkin on the table. “Nathalie is right here and understands everythin’ the two of you are sayin’. Nathalie can also speak for herself.” I dip my head in Serene’s direction. “Although I appreciate you advocating for me.”
Serene dips her head back.
I look between my brother and his wife and take a deep breath, speaking in what I hope is an assertive and confident tone. “I will live in the Lacroix House and find a job.”
Étienne opens his mouth, without a doubt to express his disdain, but before he can say a word, a small voice comes from the dining room entry. “Why all the yellin’?”
Alex’s question makes the three of us turn in her direction. Étienne and Serene stand while Alex walks into the dining room.
“We weren’t yelling. We were having a discussion,” Serene says as she meets Alex at the opposite end of the table. She holds out her hand and just seeing Alex trustingly clasp her small hand into Serene’s makes my heart twist.
The two of them walk toward us.
I never see Étienne smile more than when his children are around. The moment Alex is within reach of her dad, she bolts away from Serene and latches onto Étienne’s leg as though it’s a lifeline.
Another tight painful twist from my heart. I remember doing that to my daddy when I was a little girl.
“Why does Aunt Nat look so sad?” Alex bluntly asks.
Before anyone has the chance to speak for me, I say, “Because I’ll be movin’ soon.”
“Movin’?”
I nod and ignore the harsh glare coming from Étienne. “To the Lacroix House.”
Alex’s brows furrow. “Why?”
“Because I want to find a job.”
This is a weighted conversation for a five-year-old to have. But Alex isn’t like every other five-year-old. If anyone has the potential to do powerful things in this world, it is this little girl. I can feel it.
Alex processes my words for several seconds before her eyes widen. “You will have a profession?” Alex asks in awe. You would think I just told her I was the Queen of England.
“I hope so.”
“But you won’t live here.”
“No, I won’t. I will live at the Lacroix House, but I will visit Belgrave frequently.”
She nods, her eyes solemn as she takes in my words. “Understandable. You should be close to your profession.”
“Yes,” I say, my eyes filling with merriment.
Alex’s eyes remain wide. Her childlike wonder is palpable and brings a smile to my face. Alex turns to Étienne and says, “Daddy, how remarkable.”
Serene and I look at him. He stares at his daughter with his heart in his eyes. He can’t say no in front of his daughter. No matter how badly he wants to protect those he loves, I think there’s a part of him that wants to see how far we can go with our dreams.
Étienne sighs. His shoulders sag ever so slightly. “It’s truly wonderful.” He briefly looks at me. “I would say it should have happened sooner.”
I smile, grateful for his words, while Serene picks up my niece. Alex manages to wrap herself around her mom as though it’s second nature.
Thank you, I mouth.
He nods and quickly looks at Alex.
“Someone’s birthday is soon,” Serene says in the softest voice, before she tickles Alex’s stomach. “How old will you be?”
Alex drapes an arm around Serene’s neck and giggles. “Momma, I’ll be six.”
Étienne and Serene smile with unabashed pride at their daughter.
My heart beats fast as I watch their interaction. Tears nearly well up in my eyes. Behind my back, my hands curl into fists, and my nails dig into my flesh.
Do not cry in front of your brother. Do not cry.
As I chant those words in my head, Étienne suddenly turns to me, his gaze serious. “You should know that we did invite Asa to attend Alex’s birthday…”
Asa is one of Étienne’s best friends. I expected nothing less. “It will be lovely to see him and Juliet again.”
Étienne glances at Serene then back at me. “Yes,” he finally says. “I suppose so. I thought you deserved to know.”
A faint smile appears across my face. “Thank you for informin’ me.”
Alex stands between her parents, scrutinizing me with eyes far too wise for someone her age. “Well, I need to speak with Livingston about me stayin’ at the Lacroix House. If all goes well, I could be settled in Charleston within a few days’ time.”
With those words, Étienne’s perpetual scowl deepens. For the sake of his daughter, he doesn’t say a word.