CHAPTER 545: I COULDN’T HELP BUT ASK

.... Or not. The issue or event that Brad had expected to happen that night never occurred later that day, but that did not mean that Geneva was not cooking something. Geneva was witty enough to outsmart her kids and get away with what she wanted.

"So, Alicia, is a week enough time to hold the ceremony?"

"A week?" Alicia’s usually composed face lost its strength. She was taken aback! She was thinking that this might have taken along the lines of half a year or something, but maybe Alicia should have thought of the baby conversation earlier.

"I thin-"

"Mum! A week is too short. What are you rushi-"

"Your mother is right," Alex interjected.

"What role would you play in this preparation? Absolutely nothing.... Are you the wedding or event planner? Remind me why it will be too much for you to present yourself in a week to finalize the marriage?"

"D-dad? You too?" Brad gawked,

"What? Did I say anything wrong?" Alex asked as if he had just not joined Geneva’s gimmicks, "I think next Friday will be a good day...." Alex added, to Brad’s dismay,

"Well, sister-in-law, I think your thoughts count most here, so what do you say?" Shelby chipped in, watching the equally flustered Alicia. She needed Alicia’s wishes to be respected as much as possible.

When the question was tossed at her, Alicia was unsure if she was ready for the response. Her usual calm demeanour, refined and practised, wavered.

Half an hour ago, she had been single, carefree, and only thinking of what to do with her Dad’s demands, and maybe what lesson for the kids. Now she was engaged to a man she barely knew, with a wedding scheduled in a week. A week! Her mind hadn’t caught up to her mouth’s earlier agreement to the engagement.

Alicia opened her lips to respond, then shut them again, fiddling with the delicate teacup in her hands.

"I suppose," she began, trying not to wince at how unsure she sounded, "I just didn’t think things would move so quickly."

The room stilled for a heartbeat.

Brad looked over, and though he said nothing, something about the way his brow lifted said he hadn’t expected this either. Brad also realized that they were in this together, and he was still thinking like the loner he had been all his life. Knowing that his family had teamed up on this, Brad knew that it was futile.

"Well," Genevanchimed in, breaking the silence with a sip of her own tea, "if we waited until people were ready, there’d be no stories worth telling. Ian is the best depiction of that!"

Everyone laughed lightly, and Ian hummed in agreement, but Alicia only smiled faintly, her thoughts a whirl. She wasn’t opposed to the match. In fact, Brad intrigued her. But wasn’t she supposed to have time to think, to prepare, to breathe? It was later that Alicia would come to know the specific details and circumstances surrounding Ian and Shelby’s marriage. Seeing how the two were, it was surprising though.

Her gaze drifted to her side, where Brad was seated.

There was no smugness in his face, showing that he was as caught in this as she was, and perhaps, he would hold his side up. That was almost reassuring, and that, oddly, helped.

Maybe... just maybe, she could breathe through this. After all, she’d faced worse surprises before, just never in white lace with a man.

"That’s settled then,"

Brad turned and gave Alicia a reassuring smile, as if to say that everything would be okay. Never once did Alicia Dad, Carmichaels, come up, as if he was well aware that his daughter was going to be married in the span of a week.

"But-"

"Is there anything else, Alicia?" Shelby stopped using the sister-in-law term and just went for her first name,

"What of the kids?"

"Don’t worry about that. They’ll resume normal school activities, and we’ll contact your agency to handle any other details needed. As for your work, you can discuss this with Brad to determine what you’d like to continue doing. That’ll be all up to you."

Geneva smiled at Shelby’s arrangements. Shelby was a natural when it came to managing the estate. With these words, Alicia just smiled and nodded. It didn’t even occur to her that Shelby was younger. The woman was swift and efficient in all her tasks.

"Suzie," Shelby said this single word and Suzie bowed,

"Miss, it will be arranged accordingly."

Shelby nodded, as did Geneva. Suzie had proved her worth repeatedly in the past few months, and everyone was amazed by her abilities. However, this would be her first wedding to prepare. Despite this, none of the adults were any less confident in her abilities. After all, this was a basic task that any mere maid under the Thornston umbrella could handle in their sleep, not to mention the chief maid and overseer.

Shelby nodded and added, "Currey and Erik, will help you with anything that is beyond you or anything like that...."

"Thank you, Miss....."

Though Suzie had not said anything else, Shelby sensed that there was an unspoken question,

"Is there anything else?"

The question had all eyes turning to Suzie. The usual calm and jovial Suzie twisted her pigtails — a gesture that she had long ceased to do.

"What of Murray? Will he-"

The clinking of cutlery paused for a breath when Suzie, standing just a little too close to Shelby’s chair, asked casually.

The question seemed harmless enough, but perhaps it was the way she said it. Slightly too breezy, with a tilt of the head and a gleam in her eye that didn’t quite match the tone.

It wasn’t the first time she’d asked, either.

This caused Ian’s spoon which was going too slow, Shelby’s lips to slow down mid-air.

Brad, being ever sensitive, forgot his issues and looked up discreetly. Alex merely raised a brow; even Samantha paused in pouring juice. The other children seemed to sense something had shifted, their chatter quieting into a murmur.

Shelby didn’t answer right away as she also felt that this was a bit unusual. Though Suzie had tried to lower her voice, the whole room had heard.

Suzie stepped back a pace, wiping her hands on her apron with feigned nonchalance.

"Why do you ask again, dear?" Shelby asked lightly, her smile still in place but her voice edged with curiosity.

Suzie tried to act nonchalant by shrugging, realizing she should have restrained herself and not asked at this moment. However, she had many questions and had yet to find the time to discuss everything with her mistress.

"I- I was just wondering where he’s off to since you’re back an-?"

Suzie’s voice trailed off at the end, and Shelby tried to swallow her smile. Suzie was too transparent, but Shelby wondered when it had started. She cast a look at Ian, who just shrugged.

Ian responded, "He has his duties. He will come when he is done."

Once again, this was unexpected because Ian typically only responded to matters involving his wife.

Though most people missed it, keen Geneva did not miss the faint flush that crept up Suzie’s neck.

The table fell into a strange silence — polite but alert — before Shelby switched the conversation and asked,

"Did you give Albert a befitting burial?"

The moment prior wasn’t forgotten but set aside in the interim.

A flicker of sadness crossed Shelby’s composed face. She had not had a chance to say goodbye. Albert was her first contact with the Thornston estate. What a sweet man he had been. It had really pained Shelby to know that he was no more. The man had served them for years — quietly, loyally — and yet, he had passed without her even knowing until it was too late. Months had passed! Life, she thought bitterly, was fleeting.

"Yes, we did," Suzie replied solemnly. Her earlier sentiments were already tucked away. "The rites were completed just as he would’ve wanted. Quiet... but dignified."

Shelby nodded once, her face unreadable.

"Ah, that reminds me," Suzie continued, almost hesitantly, "his daughter reached out. Said she’s all alone now. Asked if we could... support her with a job. Since her father considered this place his home, she also wan-"

There was a pause. Shelby didn’t look up but asked,

"Can we use her anywhere?"

"Eh, yes," Suzie said, "She, Alberta, just completed the Maid and Butler Academy crash course. Scored quite well, actually."

"Good," Shelby said, just as Ian dabbed her lips with a napkin. "Then let’s not waste her skills. How about we assign her to oversee the second branch, i.e. the West Wing?"

"The... second branch.... Master Brad’s new family?"

"Yes. Let her report directly to you. Trial period for now. We’ll see what she’s made of."

Shelby turned and finally met Suzie’s eyes,

"Understood, Miss." She said, bowing slightly.

"Very good," she said, turning to the rest,

"What do you think, Mum?"

"It’s up to you, Shelby. You are in charge now."

Shelby smiled and then turned next to Alicia.

"You need a hand, so I’ll let her help you for a trial period. You can dismiss her if you think she’s not good enough, and we’ll find another place for her."

Alicia was surprised and touched. She had never thought-

She sighed, thinking that her new family already considered her as such. That made her warm again. She loved that feeling.

"Thank you, Mrs. Thornston!"

"Please call me Shelby."

Alicia smiled and then nodded.

Then, out of the blue, Geneva asked, "So, is that woman really gone? Like forever?"

*********

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