Vivian sighed slightly in relief, joining her hands together in excitement. "Nothing! It's heaven!" There was a lot she wasn't saying, for the sake of keeping the atmosphere light. But here in the city, walking with a friend, she couldn't imagine anything better.
1800s Romance (O/O Closed)
Theodosia smiles and lightly laughs. “I hope that one day I can see where you grew up.” She wants to travel and see the world but that doesn’t seem like it’s ever going to happen, especially now that there’s a baby on the way. Reaching over, she offers her hand to Addie and receives a happy nuzzle in return. “Do you know much about caring for a litter of puppies?”
"I do actually! My mother brought home an abandoned pregnant German Shepherd once, and my siblings and I dealt with them all until they were old enough to be sold," she reminisced, watching Addie kindly.
"Richard wants to breed Addie with the Monroe's dog." She picks up the fluffy black spaniel and cuddles her close to her chest. "I haven't the faintest idea why he wants to or how we would care for a litter of puppies. Poor Addie is just so little and I worry that it'll hurt her."
"No matter how small, I'm sure she'll be able to handle it," Vivian said gently. "Although I don't know what his plans would be, because small half-breeds aren't at a high value around here."
“Pepper and Addie are the same breed.” Theodosia lightly kisses the top of her dog’s head. “Both were imported from some other country but I do not know the details. What worries me is his interest in her. Richard usually wants nothing to do with Addie. He hates her.”
Vivian pursed her lips, looking ahead. "I imagine you wouldn't want to make him understand that Addie's yours and he has no right to make such decisions without the consent of the person who actively takes care of her."
(I'm at the beach until next Saturday so I don't know how much I'll be on.)
Theodosia shakes her head at once. "You and I both know that I cannot say anything of the sort to him." Just thinking about the consequences makes her shutter. "He may change his mind or forget about this entire thing. Hopefully a work project will come up."
“We could find him something, probably, come up with a distraction,” Vivian offered.
Theodosia nods her head slightly. At the very least, it’s worth a try. She doesn’t want Addie to suffer because of him.
A slightly awkward silence fell, leaving Vivian to her own thoughts. They walked closely, Vivian holding the basket and Theodosia the dog. “Do you enjoy living the way you do?”
An indiscreet question that, had she not been friends with her employer, she’d be sent packing.
(Sorry! I'm at the beach and the wifi is all sorts of wonky!)
Theodosia runs her fingers through Addie's soft black fur, sighing quietly. This dog means the world to her. Other than Vivian, Addie is her only constant companion.
Glancing over to her friend, she raises her brows. "What do you mean?"
(OKAY! Crazy school period is calming down and I'm back!)
"I mean…" She bit down on her lip, reticent, but she couldn't go back now. "Are you happy in your life? With Richard?"
(I'm back! Sorry that I haven't gotten on sooner, things were insane for these last few days.)
Flinching, she nervously looks around. No one is close enough to have heard that. She can only imagine what would happen if Richard found out. "No." Her voice is barely above a whisper.
(That’s fine ive also been ridiculously busy)
Vivian bites her lip. “Will the pregnancy make you happier? Or on contrary?”
(Life sure can get crazy, can’t it?)
Theodosia sighs and lowers her head. “Quite on the contrary.” Saying these things out loud feels wrong.
(Yeahhhhh it really does)
Vivian senses the conversation isn’t easy, but she doesn’t stop the questions. « Why is that? »
“Please, Vivian, let’s not discuss this.” Theodosia would rather get one of her teeth pulled out than have this conversation.
« Do you really want to change the conversation? Or is it just one you’re scared to have? »
“I really want to change the conversation topic.” That is, of course, a lie. She’s terrified to talk about thing like this but refuses to admit to it out loud.
Vivian bit her lip. "Fine. Do you want a boy or a girl?" An uncomfortable subject still. Maybe then she'll give in.
Theodosia sighs quietly, pressing a kiss on the top of Addie’s head. “Richard wants a boy.” She would have to be stupid not to know that. Every man wants to have a son so they can have an heir. Her husband is no exception.
"That's not what I asked. Do you want a boy or a girl?" Vivian repeated with slightly more force.
“As long as the baby is healthy, I’ll be happy,” Theodosia mutters, biting down on her inner cheek. Why is Vivian pushing the subject?
She wasn’t sure what she was doing, except that she wanted to help Theodosia get out of her miserable life. « Is it unexpected, these news? Were you expecting it? »
"No, not at all. I……I tried to avoid this happening but there's not much I can do." She shrugs slightly. It's not like she can tell Richard no when he wants something.
« Rebel. If you’re so unhappy, do something, » Vivian told her coldly, her change of tone sudden and strange. « I’ve been stuck in a role that I hate and it is never worth it. Do something, Theodosia, anything. »
Theodosia looks at her like she’s gone off the deep end. “Are you insane?” She exclaims, her voice hushed. “I…….he is my husband!” This has alll become too much for her. This can’t be happening. “You can say such things out loud, Vivian.”
(I’m so, so sorry love, I’m literally drowning in work)
“In your world, I can’t. That’s why you’re stuck, Theo, because you can’t! Believe, just a little, and you’ll see how much it it’ll change and—“ She went silent. Theo. The nickname has just slipped out, but it was a blatant disrespect towards a woman she respected so much. She stepped back, casting her burning gaze down. What would happen?