Diagnostic Story 9.1.

22
EN 219
Kat Freeman

The United States Constitution, the First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an
establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of
speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the
Government for a redress of grievances. Grievances. The United States has suffered a number of
grievances the past twenty years, but nobody seems to want to change that. The freedom of
speech, peaceful assembly, and petition have been stripped from our lives yet not a single citizen
moves to address these.
The Founding Fathers had built in a buffer so the government could not uphold too much
power. The President has been limited to just eight years of office, the Constitution protects the
rights that the British did not in the late eighteenth century, and a president can be impeached for
failing to perform his or her duties. Adeline knew all of this and more from her parents extensive
library that included a copy of the Constitution. She knew all the in’s and out’s of the American
government, and had known for a long time that chaos had been thrown into the White House.
All of that, Adeline thought, had been thrown out the top story window of the now empty
Empire State Building.
She and her mother walked together through the street. San Diego during the summer
was a desert and the blistering heat stuck to Adeline’s skin. Back slick with sweat, the sun beat
down in rays of yellow fire. Her mother had made her wear a silk slip dress paired with a heavy
cardigan. Not exactly weather friendly. Surely the fabric of her outerwear was showing the lake
forming on her back.
Tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear, she looked around the city.
Nothing was out of the ordinary. People walked in swarms through the streets that now
served as sidewalks and the concrete walkways next to tar paved streets were used by bikers and
skaters. Once occupied skyscrapers stood dormant around the city. In front of those, burnt out
light posts stood in metric intervals; Adeline couldn’t remember a time when those lights had
ever turned on. As far as she knew, they’d been cold her entire nineteen years of living.
 The diversity of the crowd was split evenly in half. Those dressed in rags and street
clothes steered clear of snobby rich ladies and gentlemen dressed in finery like Adeline and her
mother. Given power over “lesser citizens,” people like Adeline’s mother were feared by the less
fortunate. Equality was also protected in the Constitution and the country was more divided than
ever.
Adeline looked away from the sad life she called every day and looked to her mother.
Cecil Goldlyn was a beautiful woman. There was no denying why Adeline’s father had fallen for
her. She bore high cheekbones flushed with the perfect amount of color. Her hair — brown like
her own — hadn’t a single curl and was tied in a knot at the base of her neck. Her chin was
pointed upward in an attempt to show off the pearls that clung to her neck. Cradled in her hands
was a brown bag filled with groceries; only the finest produce and meat for Adeline’s mother.
She loved her mother dearly, but Cecil was just like every other rich Noble.
In an attempt to be rid of the heat, Adeline slowly stripped her cardigan down to her
elbows. Her mother, however, had the eyes of a hawk. Cecil shifted the groceries into one arm
and yanked the damp fabric back up around her neck.
“Showing skin is asking for it,” Cecil scolded. “I will not have you taken advantage of.
Not by the low life criminals we call citizens.”
After that, Cecil kept her hand on Adeline's back, though she wasn’t sure if it was for
precautionary or tyrannical measures.
San Diego may have been full of crime, but Adeline didn’t think that she would refer to
every unfortunate citizen as ‘low lives.’ They were as much of a person as she and her mother.
Much to her teachers dismay, Adeline had failed to grasp the ideology of supremacism that was
taught at a young age. You are a Noble, they would say. You do not associate yourself with those
bound to the life of rags and dirt.
The life of rags and dirt didn’t seem so bad to her.
The less fortunate were called the Impoverished Class, and even that sounded derogatory
to Adeline. The Inner Class served as a medium between the Nobles and Impoverished. America
was right back to where it had been in the early eighteenth century. In twenty years, the United
States had made a complete circle, and we were in desperate need for a new revolutionary war.
Cecil shrieked loudly, forcing Adeline back to reality. She watched as her mother collided
with some poor boy with a dirt coated face. He yelped as the brown grocery bag hit the ground
and filled her ears with shattering glass. The white milk leaked out of the bag ruining the freshly
bought items.
Pity crawled into Adeline’s chest as she watched the anger grow on her mothers face. The
ideology that she had been taught would unleash itself in a fit of rage that reeked of narcissism.
A rage fit that made Adeline’s fists clench as she bit her tongue to refrain from saying anything
she would regret.
“Watch where you’re going, you insolent child.” Cecil’s words were venomous.
The boy was no older than twelve. His dark eyes shone with fear as Cecil continued to
lecture him about her status. Adeline knew what he was thinking. The amount of jewelry
hanging from Cecil’s neck was evidence enough of her status. She could derail this child’s life
faster than Adeline could spell ‘noble.’ The boy was well aware of this all as he cowered in his
shoes, milk soaking his socks.
“I-I’m so sorry ma’am,” he managed.
“These groceries are freshly bought, you worthless child,” Cecil snapped. “Be grateful I
don’t make you pay back every last penny.”
Adeline looked the boy over. He was all skin and bones and no doubt failed to get three
meals a day. The dirt coating his face, poorly patched clothes covered in stains, and duct taped
shoes told her that the boy couldn’t afford half the groceries she and Cecil had spent an hour
picking out.
“Your kindness is greatly appreciated-”
“I don’t need your appreciation,” Cecil said. “I need you to see an eye doctor. Are you
blind, boy? Can you see?”
Adeline cringed at her mother’s harshness alongside the boy. He flinched backward, his
hands trembling.
“Yes ma’am,”
“Then you have two eyes! Use them!”
The boy nodded apologetically, and much to Adeline’s surprise, bowed slightly. Cecil’s
back straightened and she smoothed out her already perfect clothes. She’d taken a liking to the
boys show of respect.
“You may be a criminal, young man, but wherever you grew up taught you manners. Go,
before I change my mind.”
 The boy hurried away in a shower of ‘thank you’s’ and before being swallowed up in the
crowd, took a bite of a large, red apple. Adeline smirked, hoping her mother hadn’t seen. The
show had been a heist, and no less. Adeline wondered if the fear in the boy's eyes had even been
real. Cecil called them low lives, but Adeline called them smart. There was knowledge that
books couldn’t teach.
Cecil placed her hand on Adeline’s back and pushed her forward through the crowd. She
walked with more bounce to her step, and more narcissistic air than ever. The boy had done good
for himself -- probably earned himself dinner -- but continued to run the awful poison through
her mothers veins. Cecil wasn’t worthy of a bow. She was stuck up and snobby just like the rest
of the Nobles in the San Diego area. Like the rest of them in all of America
The rest of the walk home, Adeline paid little attention to city life. They passed a vendor
selling newspapers who was sound asleep, a fruit stand selling slightly spoiled apples, bananas,
and oranges, and a man promoting his self owned dog walking company. These days, jobs were
limited, and people made money however they could.
Adeline’s thoughts kept returning to the boy, no matter how hard she tried. He’d been
unafraid of her mother and taken the opportunity to steal from her. It took a desperation to steal
from a Noble. Many people saw the jewelry that hung from their necks and saw weakness and
bait for a trap; a person who couldn’t put a bruise on another’s cheek. It wasn’t about what they
couldn’t do, it’s about what they could. Without any real reason, a Noble could send a child of
the Impoverished Class to jail before they had time to offer a defense. There was power the
Noble Class held that they didn’t deserve. Power that Adeline wished she could scrub off her
skin like dirt.
She and Cecil entered the gated community of the manors and estates of the Noble Class.
Large, exquisite houses were built on extensive plots of land and sturdy foundations. The grass
was greener here than in the city, and shined in the light. Trees bore fruit and beautiful flowers
that shed their petals on the street. After walking a little while longer through the undeniably
beautiful street, she and Cecil reached the Goldlyn Manor.
The house was a slight yellow color with a brown roof. White trim bordered the house in
intricate designs. A large balcony supported by Grecian style columns decorated the front of the
house. Landscaping kept in pristine condition by hired lawn care workers added vibrance to the
already beautiful house. A concrete walkway led up to the front door, and there was no driveway.
There was no need for driveways anymore.
“I will send a maid up to your room to dress you,” Cecil said, sliding the key into the
door. “We have Councilman Ambrose coming tonight as our guest, and you need to look your
absolute finest. He is bringing his son. You know what I always say-”
“First impressions are everything,” Adeline interrupted. “But I don’t understand what his
son has anything to do with me.”
Cecil didn’t take kindly to interruptions, but Adeline swore she saw a smile quirk at her
mother’s lips. It was gone before she could blink. “You will see soon enough.” The door swung
open, revealing the inside of the house.
Despite the bright day outside, the inside of the house was dim as always. The curtains
were wide, allowing some sunlight to seep in, but without the luxury of electricity, corners of the
house where the sun didn’t shine were quite dark. Candles decorated those corners in an attempt
to keep the dark out. Illuminated by candle and sun, the hardwood floors gleamed in the light.
Adeline ran up the stairs parallel to the door and went to her room, stripping the cardigan from
her shoulders before she reached the top.
The upper level mirrored the main floor, but darker. The window’s light did not reach
above the stairs and the hallway felt like twilight. Adelinne knew her way, though. She found her
door, not bothering to light a candle, and slipped into her room.
The door closed behind her, and she leaned her back against it as if it bore the weight of
the world. It was four o’clock, and Adeline was already exhausted. Now, she was expected to
suffer through a dinner with Councilman Ambrose and his family. She shivered, unable to shake
the feeling that something was going to happen tonight. Her mother rarely smiled, but her lips
had definitely turned upward, even if it had been for a fraction of a second. Cecil also knew that
Adeline could dress herself, but a maid would be coming to assist her. Another aspect of her life
that felt tyrannical.
Collapsing onto the pure white bed, Adeline let the silence seep into her pores while it
could. She doubted she would be allowed any alone time until long after the sun had set, so she
enjoyed it while she could. The green painted walls were a calming color, and relaxed Adeline
even further.
 She didn’t know how long she laid there, there was a knock at the door. A maid came in
without introduction, but Adeline recognized her as Fiona Down. Fiona often assisted Cecil, but
she’d obviously been ordered to her for the night. What could Councilman Ambrose be doing at
dinner that required Cecil to send Adeline her favorite maid? The thought didn’t settle well in her
stomach.
“You look pale, my lady,” Fiona said. “Are you not feeling well?”
“Please don’t call me that,” Adeline said, pulling herself to a sitting position. “I don’t like
it.”
“Whatever you wish, miss.”
It wasn’t better, but it was an improvement so she didn’t say anything. Fiona drew a bath
and sat quietly outside the door while Adeline bathed herself. She’d scolded every servant that
had tried to help her bathe, and word had gotten around quickly of what she liked and didn’t.
Adeline was going to keep her modesty and bathe herself.
Fiona allowed her to do no more. After covering herself in a robe, Fiona glided into the
bathroom and did everything that Adeline could do for herself. She took a towel and tried her
wet hair and brushed it through with a comb. Her makeup was done and hair curled into elegant
spirals that were pulled into an up-do. Lastly, Fiona laid out the clothes Cecil had obviously
ordered for her to wear. After everything was done and Fiona had left, Adeline stared at herself
in the mirror.
The dress was anything but simple. The first thing she noticed was the plunging neckline.
Adeline felt as exposed as if she were to waltz downstairs in her own bra. The bodice of the dress
resembled that of a corset with sheer white fabric lined with vertical bones that pushed her
breasts up. The rest of the gown was fairly nice. The skirt fell around her feet, just barely
touching the floor. The sleeves fell off her shoulder in ruffles and hung loose around her upper
arm. Fiona had put in long, silver earrings that weighed down her ear lobes. The dress was the
color white.
So much for not showing skin.
The knock at the door echoed through the house, and that was Adeline’s cue to walk
downstairs to greet their guests. Feeling overly exposed, she walked soundlessly down the stairs
and was greeted by the Ambrose family.
 Gideon Ambrose, a Councilman in the San Diego government, stood in front of his wife
and son. He had blonde hair hidden behind large chunks of discolored gray. His blue eyes raked
over Adeline as she came down the stairs, but didn’t spare her a second glance. Shoving down
her anger as she reached the last step, she put on a forced smile. Gideon wasn’t a small man. His
stomach stuck out a long way and gave Adeline no doubt that this man was not familiar with the
idea of hunger. His wife behind him introduced herself as Tabitha and shook Adeline’s hand. Her
blonde hair was much too blonde for her age and her skin much too smooth. Both Gideon and
Tabitha wore evening clothes, he in a suit and tie and she in a navy evening gown. After
introductions, a boy Adeline’s age slipped around and took her hand, raising it to his lips and
kissed it.
“Pleasure to meet you, Adeline Goldlyn. I am Samuel Ambrose, but I would prefer you
call me Sam.” He winked as the adults were ushered into the kitchen.
So this is their son, Adeline thought. He wasn’t an ugly man. Like his parents, his hair
was blonde and eyes blue. Sam’s tanned hand was a stark contrast to her own pale skin. He
didn’t have a blemish anywhere on his skin, not a pimple on his face -- though she had to crane
her neck up because Sam was so tall. He was handsome, but he also wasn’t gorgeous. At least
not to Adeline.
“The pleasure is mine.”
Sam smiled, flashing a row of perfect white teeth. He casually leaned against the banister
with perfect posture. He was relaxed and elegant at the same time, something Adeline didn’t
think was possible. She may have liked Sam, but she would bet money that he had the arrogant
air that every Noble had. That he was no better than her mother.
“You look riveting tonight,” Sam said.
Adeline looked down at her revealing dress and felt heat rise to her cheeks. “Mother
picked it out for me,” she admitted.
“Well your mother has divine tastes in clothing.”
Yes, Adeline thought. My mother knows exactly how to showcase my body. Divine tastes
indeed, Samuel Ambrose.
Crossing her arms over her chest, she led Sam through the house and into the dining
room. Candles were lit in the center of the beautifully decorated table, casting a warm glow
around the room. The fine china was spread out for six people, and the adults were already
sipping glasses of wine and talking amongst themselves. Adeline caught sight of her father, Ellis
Goldlyn, storming into the kitchen. Cecil caught sight of us and flashed a smile.
“The servants said that dinner will be late. Something went wrong with one of the dishes.
Why don’t you two go take a walk around the neighborhood?”
“Sounds wonderful, Mrs. Goldlyn,” Sam answered for her. He looped his arm through
hers and led her towards the front door again. The idea of going outside in the dress wasn’t
appealing, but she didn’t have much of a choice so she held her tongue and let Sam steer her
outside and onto the sidewalk.
He didn’t let go of her arm.
The heat had cooled down some thanks to the setting sun. Adeline was grateful for it. She
was already wearing a ridiculous dress, she didn’t want to sweat through it as well. Sam looked
comfortable in his khaki pants and light blue dress shirt. He wore no tie and his hair was
perfectly combed.
“So, Sam…” Adeline trailed off. She hadn’t a clue how to start the conversation. They
were walking with locked arms and had barely known each other for five minutes.
“Tell me, are you always this gorgeous?”
Taken aback by the question, Adeline stammared, “Um, I’m not sure.”
Sam chuckled. “I hope the answer is yes because I could get used to a view like you.”
She knew Sam meant well, but she had to force a smile to her lips. She had been right.
The same arrogant personality that plagued every Noble could be found in him. Adeline was not
keen on making friends with other Noble children. They were all the same. Spoiled brats that got
everything they wanted. She doubted Sam was an exception.
“I think we could become excellent friends,” Sam said, grabbing Adeline’s waist and
twirling her around to face him. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw how close he was to her.
“A gorgeous woman and a remarkably handsome man. What a team we would be.”
“Modest, aren’t you?”
Sam laughed again. “I speak only the truth.”
Next thing she knew, Sam was dipping her like they do in a ballroom dance and
Adeline’s hands flew around his neck to keep from falling. A smirk was plastered on Sam’s face
and she knew he’d probably planned this entire night. Adeline wouldn’t have a say in the night’s
activities. What a team we would be.
 “Well,” she said, wetting her lips. “Give yourself a couple decades and you’ll be looking
fabulous.”
He didn’t get the sarcasm. In fact, Sam took the remark as a compliment and was alive
with delight the rest of the walk. Arm in arm the two strolled down the sidewalks strewn with
flower petals. To any other girl, this may have been their dream come true. Walking through an
expensive neighborhood with a handsome man complimenting her every feature. To Adeline, it
felt like a trap. She wanted desperately to go back to the safety of her room, but knew she
couldn’t. She was stuck with Samuel till the end of the night.
“What do you like to do for fun?” Sam asked. His attempt at small talk was meager, but
Adeline decided to entertain him.
“I like to stare at walls until I fall asleep and start the day all over again.”
Sam laughed, as if what Adeline was saying was a joke. She was exaggerating, yes, but it
was often what she did. She read books with broken spines, drew even though she had no real
artistic talent, and went on walks a lot. Anything to stay away from her parents, really, but she
didn’t feel like sharing that with a man she just met.
“What about you?” Adeline found herself asking.
“I help my father in his office a lot. He works in the council, you see, and is actually
looking for a new assistant,” Sam said as they circled around the block. “My father hopes to sign
a deal with yours.”
Adeline nodded, pretending to pay attention. She wasn’t interested in the politics that
went on around San Diego. Corruption was the only way to describe it and Adeline wanted no
part of it. Sam, on the other hand, was enthralled by every document that came from the
government's pens.
“If he says yes to the proposition,” Sam continued, “Then I believe that San Diego will
start taking a turn for the better.”
That would be a nice change.
As much as she wanted it to happen, Adeline didn’t think San Diego could ‘get better.’ It
had been the same crime stricken area since the day she was born. Nothing except a war could
change San Diego.
“Well, good luck to you,” said Adeline.
“We’ll need a little more than luck, but to hear you say it sounds like hope.”
 Glancing up, Adeline noticed that he had not shed the smile he had walked in with. What
was making this boy so giddy? It was obvious that Sam liked the way she looked, but her
personality wasn’t the best. She was closed off and tried her best to sound disinterested but polite
at the same time. If Sam still liked her after the end of the night, the thing between his legs would
be the one to blame.
By the time they made it back to the house, night was beginning to fall, and the streets
were quite dark. Adeline had always guessed this was the time of night those old street lights
would have turned on, but she couldn’t be sure. They entered the house once more and took their
places at the dining room table. Adeline’s father was sipping his wine, reading a newspaper with
a peculiar headline.
Seven arrested in violent protest against President Draden, it read.
The name sent a shiver down her spine. Draden. He was the whole reason the country
was the way it was. Adeline had never adored the man, but every Noble in San Diego worshiped
him like a god. He gave them their money, their status. He gave them the life they were living.
Why wouldn’t people love him?
Because the same man tied so many people to poverty.
Adeline sat across from Sam and they sat to the side of their fathers. Both men were nose
deep into newspapers, not saying a word to each other. Tabitha and Cecil, on the other hand,
were deep in conversation. Adeline could pick out bits and pieces of Nobility gossip and rolled
her eyes. Dinner was going to be delightful.
After a long wait, the food was brought out. Steaming plates of meat, vegetables, and
bread were set out before them. Adeline’s mouth salivated but one look from her mother was all
it took to stifle her appetite. Cecil had trained Adeline to read her facial expressions, and this one
she could read loud and clear. Do not eat much, she said. You are a lady. You do not eat.
Hardly listening to the dinner conversation, Adeline toyed with the food on her plate. The
steamed vegetables were nibbled at, and she took a single bite out of the roasted pork. She spent
most of dinner nursing her wine glass. She may have only been nineteen, but Nobles saw wine as
a water. Adeline had been drinking since she was fifteen.
At one point, Sam excused himself from the table to use the restroom. He gave her a
small wink before exiting the door at Adeline’s back. Men with their small bladders. Adeline had
been dying to use the restroom since before their walk, but she's gotten good at suppressing that
bodily function thanks to her mother.
None of this made sense. Of course, the Ambrose’s knew her parents fairly well, but why
would they drag their son along? He obviously had a keen eye for her but that couldn’t be the
only reason, could it? And what was this proposition Sam had mentioned? Adeline’s father told
her most everything that went on at work whether she wanted to hear it or not. Better to know the
government than to be oblivious, he would say, and so she listened. Not one word about a
business proposition had ever come up.
Someone cleared their throat and Adeline snapped her head up to find everyone staring at
her. Sam’s chair was still empty.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “What did you say?”
It was Tabitha who spoke. “What did you think of our son?”
That he was arrogant and full of himself. That he had a very soft spot in his heart for the
face that looked back at him in the mirror. That he gave off the same egotistical personality that
every noble in San Diego did. That she, in fact, didn’t like him one bit.
“He was quite wonderful,” she replied with a smile. “Our walk was very enjoyable.
Thank you for the idea, mother.”
Adeline knew that her mother could see right through the lie, but it was better than the
truth. Cecil gave her a small nod and took another sip of her wine.
Gideon turned his focus to Adeline’s father, placing his newspaper on the table. “Well,
Ellis, I think it’s about time we talked about that proposition I mentioned earlier.”
Ellis straightened his back and nodded. His hair, unlike Adeline and her mothers, was
black with streaks of gray and thinning to the point that it showed his scalp in many places. The
suit he wore was ironed to perfection, as always.
Sam will be upset he missed this, Adeline thought. In fact, the more she thought about it,
where was Sam? Adeline knew it didn’t take this long for men to use the restroom, and Sam had
been gone for quite some time. The thought set her on edge slightly, but she tried her best to look
calm and listened in to the conversation.
“I believe it is,” Ellis said, and to her surprise, turned to Adeline. “My darling, your
mother and I love you so very much.”
 Adeline’s heart started to hammer in her chest like a drummer with their snare. If she
focused hard enough, she could almost feel it hitting her ribs. Her father offered his hand, and
she took it, trying to hide the shaking.
“I know, father.” Adeline’s voice was slightly uneven. Ellis helped her stand up and the
rest of the group took her lead as Cecil sauntered around the table and put her arms around
Adeline.
“Do as you are told,” Adeline was sure only she could hear her mother’s voice, “And you
will help change San Diego.”
Cecil forced Adeline to turn around, and her heart stopped in her chest. Behind her chair
was Sam, down on one knee and a ring in his finger. His ridiculous smile was plastered all over
his face as Adeline struggled to keep her legs from going out. Her father wouldn’t do this to her.
This couldn’t be what the proposition was.
But Gideon sealed her fate with his words.
“Ellis Goldlyn,” his voice was like echoes in a cave, “give your daughter's hand in
marriage to our Samuel for a life long job as my assistant. Together, we can change San Diego
for the better.”
All was silent for a moment. Adeline could hear the blood rushing in her ears. Her hands
shook by her side. Cecil’s grip on her arms was tight, and unforgiving. What a team we would be.
As much as she didn’t want it to be true, everything made sense now. The dress was the color of
a wedding, the walk to get to know the other, the dinner to seal the deal. It was all a big set up for
one big proposal. Adeline’s proposal to a man she met two hours ago. She was a gift to someone
as a business proposal and she hadn’t been informed of it.
“I agree to these terms,” her father said. Adeline almost sobbed, but swallowed it down.
She couldn’t do that here, not when her mother would never forgive her.
“Samuel, dear,” Tabitha said. “Go on.”
With surprise, Adeline noticed that Sam was just as nervous as her. Sam had been faking
the flirting, the pride, and maybe even the arrogance. Because of tyrannical parents, Sam was in
the same position. No wasn’t an option for them. A luxury they weren’t given. Maybe he liked
the way her body looked and would get used to her bleak personality over time, but they weren’t
meant to be. Both of them had soulmates that they would now never meet.
 “Adeline Isadora Goldlyn,” Sam said with a fake smile plastered to his face, “will you
marry me?”
Adeline felt her mother squeeze even tighter around her arm. She knew what she had to
say, but didn’t think she could. One glance at her father and she let go of any hope of escaping
this. She would never be forgiven for the two letter answer she wanted to give. She swallowed
her pride, her modesty, and her future. She let go of the fact that there was someone out there for
her and welcomed the reality that Samuel was now her future. He would be in her life till the day
either of them died. She brought a fake smile to her lips.
“Rise, Samuel Ambrose, and take me as your own,” she knew the lines by heart, and
every word hurt like a stab to the heart. “Let this ring signify our endless days.”
He slid the ring onto her finger and pulled her into an embrace. The ring felt like a
manacle as their parents applauded in excitement. Arms wrapped around his neck, she tried to
hide the shaking of her hands, but stopped when she felt his. Resting on the small of her back,
Adeline felt the tremor of his hands and knew he didn’t want this either.
When they pulled away, any sign of Sam’s fear was hidden, and that annoying smirk
decorated his lips. Adeline wished she could say she was good at hiding her emotions, but she
didn’t trust herself to even say a word at the moment, much less fake happiness. As Sam slipped
his arms around Adeline’s waist, she watched Gideon and Ellis shake hands. There was no going
back now.
Sam bent down and kissed her on the cheek, but his lips lingered at her ear for a moment.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered.
Adeline nodded to show him she heard, but it wasn’t sorrow that was crawling in her
throat. It was fear. Fear of her future and the people around her. Her mother and father had sold
her off like a piece of jewelry to be worn around Samuel’s neck. Adeline was no longer a girl,
she was a wife.
“Me too.”