Nonsensical Girl!

Posted on Friday, 26 October 2007

"You made a lucky guess!"

Isabella Knightley smiled widely at her husband as she finished folding the last of the laundry. "It doesn't matter; I was still right. People said that Sam Cole would never marry again, and look at what happened!"

"I wouldn't argue with her, you know," Emma said, from her corner, where she cooed over her ten-month-old niece. "Pregnant women are always right," she stated, matter-of-factly.

"Is that so?" John looked up from his novel to his visiting sister-in-law. "Then perhaps you'd like to know what brilliant ideas your sister has in store for you."

Emma turned to her sister in surprise. "Matchmaking for me behind my back? I only hope he likes Princess Delaware. You know I could never marry someone who didn't like my cat."

Isabella rolled her eyes. "Last week you said you wouldn't marry anybody who didn't love Indian food."

"As true now as it was last week."

"So now the list is…?" John asked, curious.

"Hm. Dreamy, but of course. Must be a good person (five letters of reference preferable, from multiple age and ethnic groups). Must be tolerant of, if not adept at, discussing anything related to Dad's ailments, imaginary and real. Must be all right with listening to ABBA over and over. Must be able to fix any and all issues with terrible misbehaving kitchen appliances. Must be able to ward off angry guard dogs without hurting them in any way. Must like Indian food. And must love Princess Delaware."

"Wow, from like to love in ten seconds?" John observed.

"It's not like I'm asking that he speak twenty languages, or know how to make an antenna from a chewing gum wrapper," Emma rolled her eyes. "So who have you decided is Mr. Right for Emma?" she batted her eyelashes at her sister.

"Frank Churchill."

"Frank Churchill? No."

"You just said that pregnant women were never wrong!" John observed with a bark of a laugh.

"That was me hiding from the hormones, but now that my future happiness is at stake I really must protest! Frank Churchill? He pulled my hair when I was eight and called Princess Delaware fat when we were twelve. Princess Delaware is very sensitive about her weight. It really took me weeks to coax her out of the closet after that."

Isabella rolled her eyes. "That was a long time ago."

"You know me and my implacable resentment. No, no Frank for me and Princess Delaware. You know, I wonder why I'd put ABBA and Indian food over Princess Delaware," Emma shook her head, nuzzling her giggling niece's tummy. "Nope, I think I'll put her interests back as number one. I can't believe I was so selfish and facetious about it."

"Oh, but of course," John chuckled.

Isabella laughed. "Do be serious for a second, Emma!"

"I am! I can't marry Frank Churchill! I can't even date him."

"Well that's just plain tragic," John observed.

Emma laughed. "Maybe, but I think he'll be all right."

"Oh?"

"He asked Jane Fairfax to the prom!"

"Well, that throws a spanner in the works," John observed.

Isabella frowned. "It's only the prom."

"And I'm only seventeen!" Emma laughed. "Why don't you hold off the matchmaking for a bit longer? At least until I'm through college? I'd like to get a BA before I got an MRS."

John chuckled. Isabella shook her head, and took her daughter from Emma's arms. "Nonsensical girl," she said, kissing her sister on the forehead.

Emma smiled as she watched her big sister exit the room. With a smile, she approached her brother-in-law. "You have your own guess, don't you?"

John gave a rueful chuckle. "After you've so effectively dispatched your sister's recommendation, I loathe making my own suggestion."

Emma smiled winningly. "Then I'll give you a hint: if it's your gorgeous, clever brother, don't worry. You're perfectly right. And you know I'm not lying to you; I don't have to because you're not pregnant!"

John laughed.

Emma kissed her brother-in-law on the cheek. "Night, John."

"Silly, nonsensical girl!"

The End