The O'Neal Girls Chapter 3

Chapter 3

After breakfast the following morning, Belle left on Esther, the Clydesdale. Lillian and Danielle watched anxiously. 

​            “I’ll go follow her,” Cassandra said running towards the barn. 

​            “No. Don’t go; it won’t do any good,” Lillian watched Belle disappear and walked back into the house. 

​            “Let’s go help Paul,” Danielle said to Cassandra. 

​            “What is wrong with Belle?” Cassandra asked as they mounted Ruth and trotted in the woods. 

​            “She doesn’t want us to live here with the O’Neals.” 

​            “But they’re really nice and so loving! Why wouldn’t she want the younger ones to grow up remembering this instead of a childhood with no parents?” Cassandra looked confused. 

​            “I just don’t know. She feels like we’re forgetting Mama and Papa.” Danielle shrugged. 

​            “That’s silly. We’ll never forget Mama and Papa. It’s not like we’ve completely replaced them. The O’Neals are simply giving us a home. They aren’t trying to force their way into our lives.”

​            “I know,” Danielle shook her head. “That’s what I tried to tell her.” 

“I’ll have to speak with her,” Cassandra muttered. 

~~~

That evening, Lillian prepared supper with Cassandra while the others finished homework. Belle was helping the girls with their homework and Danielle was feeding the animals with Paul.

​            “Supper’s ready!” Lillian called, setting the last plate on the table. Eight girls sat down at the table and Danielle and Paul went to wash their hands.

​            “Where’s Belle?” Lillian asked sitting down at her seat.

            Elsie and Faith glanced at each other.

​            “Well…” Elsie began slowly; stretching out the word.

​            “She isn’t coming.” Faith finished quickly.

            Paul and Danielle walked in and sat down.

            Paul eyed the empty chair, “Where’s Belle?”

​            “She’s not coming,” Hannah spoke up.

​            “I’ll go find her,” Lillian said. “You can start without me.” She stood up and headed for the loft.

            “Well then, Jinger, please pray for the food,” Paul instructed, bowing his head.

            Jinger prayed for the food and began passing the plates around.

            Danielle ladled a spoonful of stew into her bowl while glancing up at the loft. She could see Lillian and Belle sitting on the bed together, conversing.

            “Danielle,” Cassandra said. “Here.” She passed a basket of bread to her sister.

            Danielle took a slice of bread from the basket and passed it on. She took a bite of the fluffy wheat bread and looked back at the loft. She saw Belle shake her head and Lillian make a sweeping gesture with her arm.

            “How was work today?” Faith asked Danielle.

            Danielle reluctantly looked away from the loft and at her sister. “It was fine...Paul chopped down two more trees and we trimmed the branches off.” Danielle ate some of her stew and looked back at the loft. Lillian was gone.

Where did she…?

Lillian suddenly appeared in the living room. In her hand was a valise and she was wearing her coat. She marched to the front door and grabbed her shawl.

            Paul looked up from his food. ​”Where are you going?”

​            “Away.” Lillian grabbed her bonnet and opened the door.

            Danielle stood up and stared at Lillian.

​            “Lillian?” Paul called. The front door slammed. Paul rubbed his chin and dipped his eyebrows. A few minutes later a loud whinny came from outside. Paul and Danielle leaped up from the table. They ran outside to see Lillian sitting astride Strawberry.

“Lillian,” Paul said in a warning tone.

​            “Paul, I need some time alone. I’ll be back tomorrow.” Lillian moved her light blue eyes down on him. Her jaw was set and her entire face showed that she was dead serious.

​            “What about Oakley?”

​            “You can take care of him for a night.”

            Paul sighed loudly but Lillian ignored him and galloped off. Danielle slipped back inside and ran up into the loft. She grabbed her own bag and began stuffing her clothing inside the bag.

            “What are you doing?” Belle called from her place on the bed.

            “Like you care,” Danielle snapped.

            “I’m your sister,” Belle snapped back. “Of course I care.”

            “What did you say to Lillian?” Danielle stood up to her full height and stared down at Belle.

            Belle gazed back at Danielle. “None of your business.”

            “You…you…you make me so mad!” Danielle let out a frustrated sigh and returned to her bag. “Lillian just wants to help.”

            “She’s meddling where she isn’t wanted.”

            “I want her,” Danielle said in a small voice. “Ever since Mama died…I’ve felt like I had no one to be there for me. Lillian is always there for me at the drop of a hat. Paul is too…they care for me…for all of us. You’re pushing her away from us! If you don’t stop it, I’ll never forgive you.” Danielle shut her bag and rushed off downstairs. Before anyone could change her mind, Danielle saddled Midnight and galloped down the road after Lillian.

~~~

            Danielle reached town and made some inquiries about Lillian’s whereabouts. A passerby claimed to see Lillian stable a horse at the livery stables then she entered the hotel. Danielle thanked the man and went to stable her own horse at the livery. She grabbed her bag and walked inside the hotel.

            The hotel was the grandest place in Fairburn. It was tastefully decorated with ornate curtains and tall art sculptures. A large oak-wood desk stood at the back of the room. The manager stood behind the desk scribbling notes in a huge black book. Danielle stepped up to the desk and tapped her finger on the silver bell.

            A resounding ding!  echoed through the high-ceiling room. The manager looked up at Danielle through wire-rimmed glasses. “Can I help you?”

            “Yes, I’m here for a room.”

            “Ah, yes, of course. Let me see what we have available.”

            “Actually,” Danielle spoke up, “I’ll be rooming with…my mother.”

            “Your mother? And who might that be?”

            “Lillian O’Neal. I think she came by here a half hour ago…”

            The manager glanced at the guest book. “Mrs. O’Neal, yes. Are you one of the orphan girls she and Paul adopted?”

            “Yes, sir.”

            “She’s in room 26.”

            “Thank-you,” Danielle picked up her bag and walked up the red-carpeted staircase. She reached the second floor and wandered down the hallway until she found the correct room. She raised her hand and rapped her knuckles against the door.

​            “Who is it?” Lillian’s soft voice came through the wooden door.

​            “It’s me; Danielle.”

            Lillian threw open the door. “Danielle!” she exclaimed, ushering Danielle inside. “What are you doing here?”

​            “I followed you. I was worried when you left.”

​            “I just needed a moment by myself,” Lillian said, sitting down on the bed.

​            “I figured that’s what you wanted. I know you had an argument with Belle, and I want to talk to you about Belle.” Danielle dropped the small valise she held. Lillian patted the bed beside her. Danielle changed into her nightgown and crawled into bed beside Lillian.

​            “So, what do you want to tell me?” Lillian asked, starting the conversation.

​            “Belle told me last night that she thought you and Paul are ‘stealing us away from Mama and Papa’.”

            Lillian arched a dark blonde eyebrow. ​“That’s what she thinks?”

​            “Yes.”

​            “I never meant for her to think that way. Do you know why she feels that way?”

​            “I think I do. She was always so close to Mama. When Mama died, she asked Belle and Albert to watch over us. I think Belle has been our ‘mother’ for too long. I think she’s afraid she can’t get used to being just a sister.”

​            “I think I understand,” Lillian replied. “Maybe I should have a talk with her.”

​            “You should.” The two fell silent for a few minutes. Danielle suddenly looked over at Lillian. “Can I ask you a question?”

            “Of course,” Lillian answered, she tentatively slipped her arm around Danielle’s shoulders. “You can ask me anything.”

            For once, Danielle didn’t resist Lillian’s touch. “Do you think of me as your daughter?”

            Lillian hesitated before answering. “Yes, I believe I’m beginning to see you as my own daughter.”

            Danielle’s chocolate brow furrowed. “I’m not sure if I think of you as my mother. I enjoy my life with you and Paul, but I’m forgetting about my old life and thinking about Mama and Papa less and less. Is that a bad thing?”

            “Well…you must move on with your life, but don’t ever completely forget your parents. They did so much for you. After my mother died…it was hard—very hard. When my father remarried I didn’t want to accept Isabella as my new mother. After some time, I learned to accept Isabella as my Mother but I never forgot my birth mother, Caroline. I treasure the memories I have of her. But I don’t want to force you to think of Paul and me as your parents. You don’t have to see us as your parents.” Lillian turned to face Danielle.

“I don’t? You don’t mind?”

“No…you don’t have to. I understand how difficult a situation you’re in. I want to be your friend but I don’t have to be your mother. Does that answer your question?”

            “Yes,” Danielle said. She smiled gratefully at Lillian.

​            “We’ll leave tomorrow morning; bright and early. Why don’t you go and get some sleep?”

            Danielle turned over and sighed.​ ​”That’s a good idea.” 

Chapter Four