"Molly, you either need to do some work or find a rich husband! You are eighteen years old now!" My mother took a violent deep breath. "You are going to have more responsibilities. You're not a baby anymore. You cannot always play."

I sighed and turned to my mother. "Playing games instead of working was fine last year. You didn't seem to have a problem with it then. I didn't even have this much work to do."

"Last year was a whole twelve months ago! You're getting old now! You are not like Jack! You won't always be pretty!" My mother paused, and she looked down. "Your face will not last. Your brown hair will become white before you know it, and at that point in time, you may have lost the chance to find a husband. Those brown eyes of yours will pale before you know it."

"I don't care. The man I marry will truly love me even when those things happen. That is what I truly believe." I crossed my arms. "That means that it won't matter if he finds me when I'm fifty!"

"You also believe that the Tooth Fairy and Easter Bunny are real. That was fine when you were a child, but you're not anymore! Molly, you must find a husband or parish. That is the only way you will get through life." She frowned. "You will be too old to do work."

My brows crashed together. "Is that what happened between you and father? You just found him before you ever waiting?"

"Of course! I was told to find love, and I did! I only got luck that your father was my true love."

I paused. "I don't want to be lucky! I shouldn't have to go through this though. You shouldn't be yelling at me to find some man. That will happen in good time... And it'll be worth it when that happens. You must have faith. Time is on my side."

"You don't have time! You're whithering now." She sighed and held my hand sweetly. "Please. The love between your father and I is true, but I don't want you to have life we have. You should have a life that is secure instead of having to wait on your husband for the money of a fish merchant and do all the farm work on your own. I now you will find love. You are just being stubborn."

I looked away and pursed my lips. My shoulders fell as I shook my head. "I'm going for a walk." 

 I rushed out of the house, not listening to my mother's loud words. I couldn't absorb my mother's words anymore. They were not something I wanted or needed. I loved my mother, but sometimes she took things to a level I couldn't handle. We could have conversations, but the moment we killed a lamb for food, she began to nag me about how I was now a woman and had to find a man. She then started nagging me about my responsiblities. It never felt like I didn't have any. I sighed as I walked along the road, passing several houses.

It was the middle of fall, and I could feel the sun gently touching me. This was the best kind of weather to walk through in Burgess.

"Isn't that Molly?"

I stopped in my tracks and looked around.

"Yes, that's her." Jack laughed. "Molly!"

I turned around and spotted Jack and his sister, rushing towards me. She was wearing a flower crown that Jack must have made for her. He learned how to make it just for her. I remember the smile she had when she got her first flower crown.

Jack paused as he stood in front of me and studied my face. His shoulders fell. "What's wrong?"

"I..." I sighed. "My mom."

"Again?" Jack lowered his chin.

I nodded. "Again."

With furrowed brows, Jack's sister tilted her head as she looked up at me. Her brows unfurrowed as she took a step towards me. "Don't be sad. You don't look as pretty when you're sad. And Jack doesn't smile when you frown."

Jack looked away with a smirk.

She smiled at me. "I don't know why you're sad, but you should play with us. It'll make you happy. You're always happy when you're with us. The three of us can play tag or something all day. You don't have to be alone."

I paused and smiled. "All right."

She grinned. "We're going to the fenced trees. It's the best place to play tag or anything we want really. There's enough leaves to make a castle even though it's only September."

Jack and I looked at each other with a smile.

Jack's sister began leading the way to the fenced trees, pulling our hands. "I don't know why, but it's just so magical there. It's like someone put magic there or something."

Jack let out a small laugh. "Careful who you say that around. There's this place called Salem that's doing some weird stuff to people who say anything about magic."

"What weird things?"

I made a face at Jack and petted his sister's hair. "It's okay to talk about magic with us though. You can say anything you'd like around us." I smoothed out my brown, colonial dress as I stood up straighter.

Jack's sister went on. "Well, it's really nice there. Especially now that it's fall. I like the way the leaves look as they fall down."

Jack and I smiled at each other again.

Jack laughed. "It'll be winter in about a month though. It's even nicer then."

"Beautiful, actually," I grinned at Jack.

"Mmmm," Jack's sister looked up slightly as we walked. "I guess so, but I like to skate more in the winter."

We shortly arrived at the fenced area. Jack offered to be the person to tag everyone first. His sister and I agreed, under the condition that he gave us a hide-and-seek start to the game. He allowed us to hide as he counted. As he got closer to fourty, he counted louder and louder.

I tried not to laugh as I knew that even if he knew which tree I was behind, I was faster than him at running. But, to my luck, he found his sister first. I heard them stomp through leaves quickly. He was running slower than he actually could, and I laughed.

"I'm gonna poke you!" Jack held out a finger.

His sister laughed and screamed as he got closer and closer. "Molly, help me!"

I ran to her and grabbed her arm. I swung her away from Jack. She swung out of my grip as Jack tagged me.

He laughed. "No--"

"Tag!" I tagged him back and ran away.

"Hey! No tag backs!"

"You didn't say it yet!"

"Can we play?" A friend of Jack's sister hopped over the fence as other children began to make their way through or over the fence.

Jack's sister looked at Jack and me. "Well... we were playing tag... And I wanted to make Molly happy..."

I smiled at Jack's sister. "They can play with us."

"Yeah!" Jack gestured for her friends to come closer. "Come on."

Jack's sister played with her hands. "But..."

I kneeled in down in front of Jack's sister, placing a hand on her shoulder. "It doesn't have to be just the three of us." I smiled.

Jack laughed. "The more, the better. It'll be more fun to find all of you. Molly and I will be it this time." He grinned at his sister. "Now go hide."

I stood up and smiled at Jack. "Both of us it?"

He smiled at me. "I need someone to help me, don't I?" He held out his hand.