CountryCore Series: Her Lady of the Lake (WLW)

Habits Die Hard

Leah felt antsy and grabbed her new walking stick. She had decided to go out for an evening stroll and ducked out of the house when everyone was distracted. It wasn't that she found her family -- and her friends were her family -- annoying, but sometimes she just needed a break. They went ninety miles a minute and sometimes catching a short recess helped ever so slightly.

Leah listened to the wind whipping through the trees, the gentle chirps of the birds overhead and enjoyed the earthy scents around herself as something strange caught her full and undivided attention.

She expected the birds' songs and distant barking from her puppy Dash running around their backyard. She expected to hear Tommy and Ruth bickering behind herself from inside their cottage, or even that easy going, soft folk music that Trin always seemed to be playing from her workshop. What she hadn't expected was to hear a yelling match from the direction of her property. Still, it wasn't exactly what one would call a yelling match as it was only Trin's voice fussing. Leah hesitantly made her way along the fence line that led to her workshop and slowly walked inside the garage, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"I've t-told you before, L-Liz! I w-will not be attending the gala. I-I have absolutely no reason t-to go and--" Trin fell silent for a moment, then exhaled shakily. "Why w-would he care i-if I'm there? ...No, I jus-s-st--" She suddenly grew quiet and Leah momentarily thought she'd been discovered until she finally added, "Fine. No, it w-won't be a plus-s one and I will only sh-show up for the darn pictures. I'm leaving as s-s-soon as the photoshoot is-s over and-- Mingling...? W-Why...? No, mother, I don't... Fine. I'll s-see you then. Yeah, you too. Bye..." Leah heard the dial tone before Trin even got to say her last two sentences, followed by something clattering onto the floor. "Dammit! Why now...?"

"Trin?" Leah heard more things clang to the floor and Trin grunt, and then curse again under her breath.

"S-Sorry... I sh-sh-shouldn't have just used profanity in front of you, Miss-s Anderson."

Again with Miss Anderson... Over the last few days, Leah was able to meet Trin in the evening time to check on Buddy's progress in town and each day she addressed her like nothing short of the perfect gentleman. It was sweet and made her chuckle, but at the same time, she wanted Trin to feel more relaxed around her.

Not to mention the fact that they'd been in icy water when they spoke just after Buddy left. Trin thought they'd called the police about her and Buddy, or more to the point, she thought they'd called the police on them and behest them to get Buddy away from her. When Leah had finally somehow managed to clear the air, Trin seemed somewhat relieved by her surprisingly cheerful tone. Leah wanted to hear her speaking with confidence like that once more.

She stepped a bit closer and reached out for the workbench only for Trin to guide her toward it with a gentle hand along her wrist.

Every time she touched Leah, guiding her around the workshop, Trin's grip was so light. Sometimes Leah wasn't even sure it was there until a soft tug came at her elbow. She also never touched her anywhere else, which was rather surprising as most people would at least touch her back to usher her in the right direction. It was like Trin was afraid to touch her anymore than the slightest amount possible. Not because of repugnance at touching others. Instead, Leah surmised from the way she tenderly brushed her fingers along her arm once she was settled, it appeared as though it was more out of fear of hurting her.

Trin guided her a bit more forward and she felt goosebumps rise along her arm as she did it again, trailing her fingers down her forearm before they disappeared altogether. That gentle caress spoke volumes and from what she could tell, Leah hypothesized Trin may not even be aware of what she was doing. It also spoke to her entirely gentle nature, contrary to her previous remarks.