clevercottencollector

[clevercottencollector]

Elouise and the Scarlet Man 1/X

“This is ridiculous.” She heard a voice say, she kept her eyes closed listening to the clicking of shoes on marble tiles, “Where is she!” The young man hissed stomping his foot only then did the girl  realize they were probably looking for her, it was a struggle to open her eyes again the small little alcove in the church was so quiet, so different from the wedding outside.

“Elouise Welker, please your mother’s looking for you.” The young man called, his voice echoing back to him, giving into the guilt,  Miss Elouise Welker unfolded herself brushing off the skirt of the dress her mother carefully picked out for her.

“There you are.” The assistant sighed, a hand on his chest in relief. Elouise shrugged walking past the man who always managed to dress himself in scarlet no matter the occasion.

Eloise's feet carried her back to the tent that had been set up behind the church for her Brother’s summer wedding.

“Lou! There you are.” The groom grinned moving over to her with a beaming smile on his face, for Bridgette had just made him the happiest man on earth as he announced in his speech to his new wife, or at least that’s all Elouise managed to grasp before she was overwhelmed and decided to go find a corner to sit in for a while.

“Hey Eric.” She gave him the best smile she could muster he was after all her favorite sibling. His own grin wavered when he realized how much his little sister was struggling at his own wedding, and he quickly gave her a sweet smile and wrapped her up in his arms.

“Hey Bridgette wanted you to dance with her, but make sure you save me a dance heartbreaker.” He kissed her hair holding her an extra second, all she tried to ignore the stabbing pain in her chest.

He had really meant the heartbreaker comment as a joke but his own heart broke a little for her every time she wondered off to be alone but being the extroverted, charismatic businessman he knew he’d never get it, not really.

“You gonna be okay kid?” He checked again holding her at arm's length and she nodded actually smile this time,

“I’ll do alright couch.” She assured him twisting the ring on her finger.

“Okay go get em.” With that she was off to find the blushing bride who was as classy as ever, and Elouise wondered if anyone could ever love her like Eric loved Bridgette. 

“Look I really messed up kid, but I need you to testify on my behalf.” Eric whispered leaning on the balls of his feet in front of his sister, looking ridiculous in a suit. When he used to do this he was at home, wearing a t-shirt and jeans.

“Your diffrent, you used to care about people.” She spoke softly shaking her head, her brain forcing her to re-process that the only person who ever cared was a monster.

“I still care Lou, I just need to get Charlie, and I’ll fix everything I promise.” He cooed smoothing over her hair, trying to calm his only ally down, “I love you Lou, that's never gonna change.”

“That’s what you promised Bridgette, Charlie’s her son too Eric. ” She said breaking out into full sobs ripping away from him.

“That’s different Lou.” He sighed raking frustrated hands through his hair as she stood and started to pace her anxiety going to hysteria.

“No,” She muttered finding herself repeating the word until it sounded like nonsense. He stood to try and calm her down but as soon as he reached out a hand to hold her her arms flailed a palm connecting with her brother's nose.    

“Get away, Get away from me.” She shrieked, bolting out of his grasp, before she quite know what know what she was doing she was on the street and there was all these people walking and they were all so loud and it all ran together and god this was ever worse then before she started walking and she kept walking as she ended up on a park bench, god knows where.

But it was quite and she was watching traffic, somewhere along the way it had started to drizzle a very nice women shared her an yellow umbrella for awhile while waiting for the bus and Elouise introduced herself and the woman said her name was Helen, and when the bus came El knew Helen was a nurse and had a son name Tom, and when she got up to leave She turned around and said a girl named Elouise should own a yellow umbrella.

She know El sat alone again on the park bench with a yellow umbrella very pleased with herself that she had made a sort of friend.

“El.” Jason, the scarlet man, sighed settling in next to her, trying to caught his breath.

“Your mother had been looking for you.” He huffed after a minute, looking around, “You always find the strangest places to hid.”After the year they’ve had Jason had gotten really good at finding her, and it always gave him and excuse to sit for a while, the two naturally become a sort of friends.