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Amelia was finally arriving at the ball with her sister at the young age of 17. Both girls were finally bachelorettes as of tonight. Their father was sad but happy to see his two oldest twins dip into the pool of young adulthood.
"Be good, girls" said their father
"We will daddy!" answered Madeline
Amelia only giggled before she joined the dance floor. It was an exciting night for Amelia and sure her sister too but Amelia knew she was the most beautiful woman on the dance floor. After dancing with a few men for a while she stepped off the dance floor to catch her breath. She started to look for her sister. She found her dancing with a tall man with spiky blond hair. Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"I do hope I can have this next dance mademoiselle"
Amelia quickly turned around. Behind her was a tall, lanky, handsome man with silky blond hair.
"Of course" she laughed.
Stepping onto the ballroom floor she asked, "What is your name?"
"Francis, and yours?" he asked
"Amelia,"
"What a lovely name for such a lovely face,"
Amelia giggle and blushed.
"So I assume you come from France?"
"How could you tell?" he laughed "I'm from Nice, And where might such a young beauty like you come from?"
"Actually here in New York", she answered simply
"Born and bred then," he asked with a charming smile
"Why yes," Amelia blushed
"May I have this dance?" asked a sweet British voice
Amelia looked over at the man offering his hand then back at Francis
"If that's alright with you?" she asked her dancing partner
"Quite," said the french man in a tight voice
Once the strange new man started dancing with Amelia she felt compelled to ask questions.
"I hope you're not as rude to your future dates," said Amelia snarkily
"I was helping you that frog is nothing but a sleaze, so your welcome," said the British man
Amelia laughed loudly.
"Is that so?" she asked
"Arthur, what is your name, love?" he asked
"Amelia,"
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"My dear Arthur I cannot believe you out of the lot of us would marry first,"
"Maybe Amelia can just smell the frog in all of you," said Arthur sipping on his whiskey.
He truly felt like the luckiest man alive tonight.
"Well you better get back to your bride," said Gilbert, one of his best mans
"Yes, yes"
"I want to be the godfather of the first child. I did introduce you two after all," said Francis
Arthur only laughed as he walked back inside.
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"Amelia my love," said Arthur holding onto Amelia's shoulders
"We can always wait,"
It was not Arthurs first time but he was sure it was Amelia's with the way she was blushing. Not only that their marriage had been a proper one so she was probably a proper girl.
"It is a wife duty," she told him with a wobbly smile
"It's not a duty," he said "I want to do this, make love because I love you. Not because the world thinks it's your job to please me," said Arthur tucking a strand of hair behind her ear
Amelia blushed.
"I love you,"
Amelia put her lips softly against her husband. After a few timid kisses, their kisses got deeper as they truly made love for the first time.
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"Wow" Arthur breathed as he watched his son suckle from his wife's breast
She smiled sweetly up at him with a sweaty face.
"Once he's done eating, do you want to hold him?"
"Yes," Arthur breathed
Suddenly a knocking came from the door.
"Come in" called Amelia
Arthur was about to protest until Madeline and Francis walked into the room.
Madeline looked at her nephew with love holding her swollen stomach and just as excited to have her future son or daughter.
"He's quite handsome," said Madeline
"He gets his looks from Amelia," Francis laughed
Arthur playfully hit his chest.
Amelia laughed.
"No matter who he gets his looks from he is quite a handsome baby," Amelia said
"I suppose," said Arthur
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Amelia was sitting in her rocking chair reading her favorite book. Her husband had been gone for six months on a business trip in London. He was to be home in about a month. Her three children were sleeping peacefully in bed.
"Mrs. Kirkland, you have a visitor," said a maid
Amelia was hoping it was her husband. It turned out to be her husband's best friend who also went on the trip with him.
"Hello Francis, and may I ask why you are here?"
"Hello mademoiselle," he said taking a seat next to her on the couch
"So?" she asked
Francis had always been there for her and she asked him to tell her if anything happened on the trip.
Francis looked at her with hurt eyes.
"I went to a gentlemen clubs, you know as I do and Arthur decided to come with me for a few drinks,"
Francis sighed
"They have been seeing each other for around 4 months and I don't know what he will do when he comes back,"
Amelia looked at her best friend. She knew that one day this would come.
"If you need to hit something do it to me, I don't want you burning down the house or something," Francis tiredly laughed
When Francis looked up he was a little shocked to see Amelia crying.
"Amelia?"
Suddenly a soft but firm pair of lips were on his. Amelia climbed on the couch onto his lap. She was able to do it easier with her silk nightgown on. After a shot make-out session, Francis pulled back.
"A-Amelia?" he asked
Amelia lowered her head and sobbed into his chest. Francis rubbed her back. He was slightly turned on by his very attractive wife friend sitting in his lap.
"Is she prettier than me?" she sobbed
"W-Wa no!" he said holding her a little tighter
"Amelia if Arthur had not pushed me out of the way that night I would have tried to make you mine," Francis said blushing deeply "Truly I-I have always loved you,"
Amelia looked up at Francis with tear-filled eyes. She didn't know who started this kiss but it was longer and deeper. And it was comforting. So was the next hour of love Francis gave her. And the next month.
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The warm sun shone on Francis's bareback. He sighed happily with the women he loved in his arms. He fantasized that the angel in his arms was his wife. And the kids in the next room were his. He opened his eyes slowly to see the short blond hair closely on his face.
"Amelia?" he asked
"Don't talk to me when you first wake up" she giggled "your morning voice is so sexy"
Francis laughed as he kissed Amelia when she turned around.
And for a while Francis was Warm. Warm and happy with the woman he loved.
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"Have fun?" Amelia asked when her husband finally returned home
"Yes and no. I missed you though love, said Arthur holding onto his beautiful wife
"I guess the work was hard. So hard you had to sleep with a whore?" asked Amelia pulling back from her husband
Arthur looked at her with a shocked expression.
"Who told you..?"
"So it's true?"
"Was it Francis?!?"
"You cheated on me!!" yelled Amelia
The yelling went on for hours. Tommy was getting sick of his parents yelling. His two younger siblings holding onto each other crying.
"Hey do you guys wanna go on an adventure?" asked Tommy
The two younger nodded wanting anything to be away from their yelling parents.
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"I'm sorry," said Arthur as he stood next to Amelia at their sons grave
"For, for," Arthur started chocking up
"I slept with Francis for a month when I found out," said Amelia with a dead look in her eyes
Her baby had been robbed and stabbed while he there two younger while running away. From them.
All Arthur did was laugh a sad laugh. While he held the hands of his two crying kids on the right he slowly grabbed Amelia's on the left. For a second he held her motionless hand. After a minute she slowly wrapped her hand around his.
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Earlier that day he watched his nephew be buried. And he realized he lost the love of his life. He had always known he loved Amelia and he knew if she ever offered herself to him he would agree. No, he didn't lose the love of his life. He never had her. He knew she would always pick Arthur over him. But he with he could see her smile again. He would give anything, his own life, for her to have her son back.
Francis fell asleep that night at a bar table with a bottle of whiskey in his hand. Alone. And Cold.