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chapter eight

|the party|

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and applaud are fulfilling the party gathering as cecile chaminade finish the masterpiece in the piano.

"cole it is extremely amazing, isn't it?" millie asked.

"it is," cole said as he examines the surroundings.

the surroundings are beautiful, and the people are different in their own ways, it is unique.

they are in the corner, as cole notices the art that placed in the stand. cole reached to it as millie followed.

"well... what do we have here?" cole and millie turned around and saw a bunch of people in such unique wear.

they examine cole, "a farm boy! you must be a farm boy."

"a sad farm boy."

"dressed in brown."

"sometimes i think i'd like to pack it all in and be a farmer. the simple life. the day starts when the sun comes up and ends when it goes down," the man in the dress said.

the people turned to millie, "a classic white! an angel, i see. you look excellent in that dress and you're hair... it is very beautiful."

millie blushed at their comments, "thank you. you all look lovely in your dresses, too. it's unique. excuse me, see you later, cole."

cole just nodded at her as she finds anne in the crowd. she reached her sister.

"millie! they're very lovely people! the woman there even complimented my hair!" anne exclaimed as soon as she saw millie.

millie smiled widely, "oh, anne, because it is."

"also, the strawberry are very exquisite! you must taste it, there!" anne said as she pointed out the table where the food is placed.

millie let out a small laugh as she reached the table full of foods. she took a piece of strawberry as she took a bite on it. it was delicious.

"it was delicious, isn't it?" the woman who was eating like her asked.

"hmm?" she asked.

"the strawberry, it's delicious?" the woman asked again.

millie finally swallowed, "yes, it is."

"by the way, my name's calliope wood."

"oh, uhm, mildred cuthbert. just millie," she said.

"oh, in that case, you can call me calli."

millie saw anne, who was reading a book.

"sorry, i gotta go. nice to meet you, calli!" she said.

"it's alright. nice to meet you too, millie."

millie just nodded and wave her hand goodbye as she caught up on anne.

"anne!" she said as soon as she catches up on anne.

"millie, we gotta practice now," anne said.

the evening has arrived as aunt josephine caught the crowd's attention.

"good evening. i'm thrilled to be among your lovely faces... but we feel the absence of one. what a face it was. i still recall it, peering over my shoulder, reading over my shoulder, no care for decorum. that's how we met. a bookshop in paris. a woman introduces herself as gertrude and tells me i do not want to purchase the book i'm perusing as it's impossibly bleak and, in the end, the protagonist is murdered!" the crowd burst out in laughter.

"well... i spent my next decades hiding what i was reading as she couldn't help but spoil the ending of every novel... or night at the theatre," the crowd burst out in laughter once again, "she also attempted to bleed me dry, spending all my money on the arts and look what i'm left with. nothing but a room full of the most wonderful friends."

the crowd applauds as aunt josephine raised her glass as they did the same, "to gertrude."

"may she be reading over our shoulders for eternity."

the woman in blue said, "to the most wonderful couple. my romantic ideal. gertie and jo."

the guests did the same as aunt josephine thanked them all.

"and now, to give a recitation in gertrude's stead, i invite the always surprising, bright-eyes, big-brained sisters, anne shirley-cuthbert and mildred turner-cuthbert," aunt josephine gestured to the sister as the crowd let out an applaud.

anne and millie go to the center as aunt josephine gave them a reassuring smile.

"now i remember that the real world was wide and that a varied field of hopes and fears of sensations and excitement awaited those who had the courage to go forth... into its expanse, to seek real knowledge of life... amidst its peril," the sisters recited as the crowd rouse in applause.

millie wondered where aunt josephine could have been as she and cole exited the room. they were both going outside for fresh air.

they saw aunt josephine, who was crying.

"oh. sorry," cole and millie both said.

"no," aunt josephine interjected.

"excuse us," cole said as he and millie attempt to go back but aunt josephine stopped them.

"no, no. no. come. sit," aunt josephine said to them.

they both sit beside aunt josephine, "are you alright, aunt jo?" asked millie.

"gertrude loved my tears, "aunt josephine said as she looked at both of them and let out a sigh, "she felt so openly. hmm. put me to shame. i was raised to keep everything buttoned up inside but she had this extraordinary range of emotions. life... had so many colors through her eyes. it painted my world forever. she was the first person with whom i didn't have to hide."

"that sounds... like a miracle," cole

said, "i wish i had met your gertrude."

soft music starts playing as aunt josephine closed her eyes, "this was one of her favorites."

millie and cole looked at each other, "would you like to dance, miss..." they both said.

"josephine," aunt josephine said, "and i suspect i would."

cole and millie stood up as they both offer their hand to aunt josephine, which she accepted.

the three dance their way to the ballroom. millie let cole and aunt josephine dance as they reached the ballroom.

"calli!" she called to calli, who was listening to music all by herself.

"millie! your recite earlier was amazing!" calli said.

millie smiled widely as she offered her hand to calli, "may i have this dance, miss calliope?"

calli gladly accept her hand, "i would love to."

they both enjoy themselves as they follow the rhythm of the music. it was one of the best night millie had.