Sigrid Laurence was getting older, and her spinster status was giving Latonia a serious case of the jitters. Worried that Sigrid might miss the boat on motherhood, Latonia was on a mission, With Cedric’s help, setting her up with different men.
But Sigrid wasn't having any of it. If she wasn't flat-out refusing, she'd politely decline during the dates themselves. After a string of such encounters, her patience wore thin, and she made a point to return to the family estate, telling Latonia to knock it off with the matchmaking.
Sigrid rarely visited home, and when she did, it was usually because her father, Quinlan Laurence, feigned illness to lure her back. Clearly, she still harbored a grudge over past grievances and wasn't about to forgive Latonia anytime soon.
Latonia, growing more regretful by the day, would shrink in Sigrid's presence, meek as a mouse, whispering, "Sigrid, you'll regret it if you end up alone and childless in your old age. Loneliness isn't a trifle, you know..."
Lounging on the couch, Sigrid scoffed, "Like parent, like child, they say. I'd rather not have kids than risk becoming a spiteful mother who can't help but tear her family apart. Better no kids than passing on that kind of legacy and cursing another generation."
The barbed words didn't escape Latonia, a seasoned socialite well-versed in reading between the lines. She knew she was at fault for past wrongs and bit her tongue, murmuring, "Sigrid, darling, I just want to see you happily married before my time comes."
Sigrid's lips curled into a sardonic smile. "Funny you should say that now. You weren't so supportive when I was with Chase McCall, were you? You schemed behind my back to split us up, and now you're pushing me to marry? How do you have the nerve?"
Stung into silence by Sigrid's accusation, Latonia was reminded that the errors of our ways often come back to haunt us. She never imagined the payback would come so swiftly and from her own flesh and blood. The emotional chokehold was tangible as she clutched at her chest, staring at the stoic figure of her niece.
After a long pause, Latonia ventured again, "I heard... you might have developed feelings for someone else. How's that going?"
Despite everything, even if Sigrid cursed her for life and never forgave her, Latonia wished for her to find someone to lean on, to give her peace, even in death.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: A Second Chance At Forever novel (Eleanor and Bernard)
Loved the story, many times caught in so much actually crying with the situation. Wish had more chapters to a better ending....
It's weird that the story went from narrative to slang use. Good story so far though...