Brothers and Sisters

No one knew that at that moment the James brothers were being reunited. Brandon was still in New York doing his business before he headed to London. He walked into Caleb's office, there was no there to greet him not a secretary or office assistant at all. The office felt like a grave yard with its spooky absence of people. It was not at all what Brandon had expected from the way Caleb boasted about his success. Brandon came to the end of the hall and knocked on the slightly open door.

            "We are closed!" Caleb shouted.

            He was sitting alone in an office with only chair that he sat in sipping slowly on his scotch.

            "I see that."

           

            Caleb did not have to turn around to recognize that the voice belonged to Brandon. "Come here to check up in me?"

            "No, I hear congratulations are in order."

           

            Caleb turned in his chair "that's why you’re here?"

           

            "Of course. Mrs. James wrote me and I came here to congratulate you. After all you are my younger brother and Miss Danford is a lovely lady with a lovely inheritance to go along with it."

            "What did you say?" Caleb voice raged.

            "I was just joking old chap. Well she is a lovely girl, that other part was a joke."

            "Well you must be happy," Caleb took a swig of his scotch. "That Miss Emmy is still available."

            "What do you mean?"

           

            "Oh come on Brandon you cannot fool me. I could see from the start you cared for Miss Emmy Cromwell but for me. If she had more than two pennies to her name I would have taken her as my wife but I need a girl with more than sweet looks. Unfortunately lad I think she sees you as only as an older brother. But maybe you could go after the elder Miss Cromwell she is looking for a wealthy husband to pull her family out of poverty, it would almost be a perfect marriage minus you being in love her sister. But there are ways around that too."

            Brandon couldn't stand it anymore he threw a punch right across Caleb's jaw. Caleb was so thrown off by the impact and his drinking that he fell flat on his back.

            "You don't deserve Miss Emmy," Brandon said before leaving his brother who was still on the floor.

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            "Laurel please don't be mad at me I couldn't help but agree to Aunt Iris' wishes, your health is still not strong enough."

            "This has nothing to do with my health, I have been fine for a solid week now."

            "I know but Aunt Iris is still concerned about you. I thought it would be host to listen to her."

            "You both are silly, I can handle things on my own."

            "Oh Laurel please do not be mad."

            "Emmy make up your mind to you want to leave Boston or not?"

            "I do , you know I want to leave but Aunt Iris told me how she has made arrangements all over town to introduce us to the best society and we did promise her we would stay till the end of November. I just thought it best to do our social obligation. After all Aunt Iris has done so much for us."

            "You don’t care about social obligations. I have lived with you for sixteen years and you have never cared for what society demands."

            "Oh Laurel."

            "And I suppose most of these social obligation will put us in consistent contact with Ethan Foster, like today and that three ring circus you and Aunt Iris had today making sure we were together and making a fool out of all of us."

            "I am sorry Laurel, Aunt Iris thought it was a good idea and I thought I was doing it for your good, I promise Laurel."

            "You are so naïve Emmy."

            "I know."

            "Don't be too sad, Emmy, I am not just surprised."

            "Surprised at what?"

            "That you and Aunt Iris in all your hopeful romantic ideals seem to know better than I think."

            "What?"

            "Emmy, you are lucky in one way you at least know where you stand with Mr. Caleb James but I have no idea where I stand with Mr. Foster. When we first arrived here I went to Mr. Foster's house and I saw him leaving with a young girl then you told me you thought he was engaged, and all the time he was engaged, and all this time he hasn't said anything. Worse than that he has acted interested but something has stopped him, I could tell myself that this is his modesty and propriety but it so hard to live that way. I am stuck wondering and it hurts."

            Emmy had never seen Laurel cry, she wrapped her around her sister. "Laurel, I am so sorry."

            "It is not your fault."

            Laurel fell into Emmy's lap and began to stroke Laurel's hair just as Laurel had done just a few days ago. Emmy didn’t know what to say, Emmy was certain that Mr. Foster loved Laurel, it was clear from the way he looked at her to the way he tended to her needs. He was perfect for Laurel, they had to end up together, if this was a story book they would end up together. But this wasn't one of Emmy's story books and at this moment she wasn't sure if Laurel and Mr. Foster would end up together.