My mom helped tighten the corset around my waist. I breathed in sharply, forgetting that I had to momentarily stop breathing to tighten it properly.

"Why do I even have to wear this God-forsaken thing?" I complained with a sigh.

"Everyone wears it, Susanna," She simply told me as she searched my closet for a suitable dress.

"Everyone must've learned not to breathe then." I retorted as I sat at the edge of my bed.

"Oh, hush, don't be so dramatic," Mom told me dismissively as she was observing a light yellow dress.

"I'm not being dramatic,"

She ignored my statement as she held a light blue summer dress in one hand and a sage green one in the other. Her eyes darted back and forth between the two as if it were a tough decision, which for her I supposed it was.

My mom always made it her job for me to look suitable and ladylike, which to her means keeping up with every single trend and latest fashion for women. These had all become a pain in the ass for me to adjust to, especially ever since she started to make me wear a corset, that I deeply despise.

I often times had to remind myself that she was only this obsessive over irritable things such as these because she cared about me and just wanted me to fit in and most of all to be happy. After all, she had voiced these often enough when I had voiced my complaints, I came to understand, but that didn't stop me from whining about it.

"I think this sage green one would look perfect on you, what do you think?" Mom inquired as she pressed the dress up against me.

"I think my ribs are being crushed."

She gave me an annoyed stare before tossing the dress onto my bed.

"Quickly get dress and make yourself look presentable, I want you downstairs within the hour so that we won't be late."

"And what exactly do we not want to be late for?" I asked as I picked up the dress.

There was no response for a moment which caused me to raise an eyebrow in suspicion as I looked towards her, noticing her nervous stare.

"Mom, where are we going?"

"Your uncle Henri has invited us over for a dinner party at his house and your Father wants us to go, after all, it would be rude to refuse."

I stared at her incredulously, not even believing that she had truly agreed for us to go.

Uncle Henri always made me uncomfortable with his rude comments towards not only me but my Mother as well. We both felt uncomfortable in his presence as his eyes would be looking down our dresses whenever he got the chance, just because he knew he could without any consequences.

"You know how uncomfortable he makes us feel, why is Dad forcing us to go, why can't he just go, uncle Henri is his brother!" I protested.

Mom sighed as she rubbed her eyes before speaking.

"I know sweetie, but your Father always protects us."

"He's not doing a very good job protecting us if he's putting us in situations that make us uncomfortable."

The statement earned me a stern stare.

"Don't say that about your Father, you know he's doing the best he can, now I don't want another word of this."

I only took a sharp breath as she exited my room, the door clicking shut behind her.

Sometimes I had a hard time understanding my parents, especially regarding my uncle. Mom and I have both told Dad about being uncomfortable in his presence and what he does when Dad's eyes aren't looking, but it was always the same response, "I'll protect you, you have nothing to fear." Now Mom was saying the same thing, both refusing to listen to the obvious solution of not allowing Henri to be a part of our lives anymore or at least confront him about it, but no, they decided to ignore his disturbing actions towards us, forcing us to have to put up with it.

To endure the stares that we shouldn't have to endure.

-----------------------------------

I watched through the window of the carriage as it rode on, the rain pounding against it as my eyes followed the water droplets down the glass as if they were racing each other to the bottom, trying to distract my mind from wandering into my worries and anxieties about this dinner party, ignoring the dread that was creeping up in my chest as the carriage grew closer and closer to my uncle's house.

The large white house came into view and I could hear the sound of people talking loudly and the sound of upbeat music echoing as the carriage pulled up to it. Despite the sounds of joy from the house, I felt nothing but sick to my stomach about stepping inside.

"It would seem that we have arrived," Father said as he opened up the carriage door.

"It would seem so," I said with a sigh, not even forcing myself to show an ounce of happiness about this.

"Susanna, you and your mother just stay close to me, we've done this before and everything turned out all right, just trust me." He said as he helped Mom out of the cab.

"You wouldn't have to be doing this if we just...." I trailed off as I could see coming towards us was the devil himself.

"Bonjour, glad you all could make it," Uncle Henri greeted us cheerfully.

"We're glad we could as well," My Father said as he held my Mother's hand protectively.

I remained in the carriage refusing to get out feeling sick to my stomach about being there.

"I will gladly lead you all inside, as soon as your daughter gets out of the carriage," He said as he offered a hand to me with a smile that I despised seeing.

I frowned at him as I slapped his hand away and slipped out. I didn't even care that he would know of my displeasure in seeing him. My parents could do all the acting they wanted, but I, for one, have never been much of an actor.

My uncle only chuckled as he rubbed his hand from the slap.

"Feisty girl."

Fuck you.

I bit back the words that I wanted to say as my stomach turned and I could feel my hands clench into fists. Only swallowing back the words because of my Father's stern look as he took my hand into his.

"Now, before we join my other guests for dinner there are some things I would like to discuss with you and your wife," Henri told my Father as he straightened his suit that he wore.

I noticed my Mother and Father exchange glances at one another filled with nervousness, but also curiosity and I couldn't help but feel the same even though the nerves outweighed the curiosity, knowing that whatever it was it couldn't be good.

"And what might that be?" Mom asked as I could see her grip tightening on Dad's hand.

"That will just have to wait until we're in more of a private area." He told her as he began to walk ahead.

Mom and Dad took one last glance at each other and I could feel my Father's grip tighten on my hand as we followed.

We walked up the stairs towards the door, my ears beginning to ring at the loud sound of people talking that was echoing from the dining room down the hall. Ahead of us as we walked in was a light brown, wooden staircase which Uncle Henri led us up and down a hallway with rows of doors on either side.

My uncle opened the first one and motioned for us to go in, but just as I was passing he grabbed my wrist tightly, making me breathe in sharply, startled at the sudden movement.

"Your daughter will have to wait out here, this is a discussion I would much rather have with just the two of you." He told them still holding my wrist tightly in his.

"Very well, now if you would so kindly release my daughter," Dad said as he narrowed his eyes for a moment his facade slipping, but soon the calm expression on his face quickly returned once my uncle released me.

"This shouldn't take long," Henri said with a slight smile as I stood outside the doorway, my arms folded across my chest and a frown creasing my face.

"Just wait right here, we'll be out shortly," Mom told me, giving me a reassuring squeeze of my shoulder before they followed him inside.

The door closed shut and I took a deep breath, curiosity pricking at my brain about what they could be discussing.

I pressed my ear against the door my nosiness and curiosity overpouring the manners that I was raised to have, in this case about not eavesdropping on other people, but at this moment I didn't care, manners didn't apply to me when it came to my uncle.

I could hear my Uncle's voice, but he was talking in such a low tone that no matter how much I strained my ears to listen I couldn't, but that didn't stop me from trying to listen anyways.

Suddenly I heard my Father's voice rising in anger.

"How dare you even suggest such a thing, especially with my daughter!"

"Do you want your daughter to be alone for the rest of her life, time is flying by and no man seems to have shown an interest in her, none except for me!" Uncle Henri yelled furiously.

My stomach twisted as I backed away from the door, feeling bile rise in my throat about what my Uncle had been discussing with my parents, he wanted to marry me, his niece.

I couldn't even imagine spending the rest of my life with a man like him, the thought caused a shiver to go up my spine and I clutched my stomach.

The door burst open and my Father grabbed my arm, Mom taking my other arm, practically dragging me away as I could hear my Uncle yelling at us.

"You're making a mistake, she'll forever be alone, I'm her only hope of ever getting married!"

"Then that would be a much better life than one with you," My Father snapped back as we descended down the stairs.

I had never seen my Father without his calm facade in public, especially around my uncle and I couldn't help but feel a sense of happiness that he truly meant what he said about him protecting me.

"We are never coming back here, that should've happened long ago," My Father spoke furiously as we got inside the carriage.

Relief flooded through me and I couldn't help but feel like this was a grace from God that this had happened, if it weren't for my uncle's suggesting such a thing we would've had to continue to endure his gross behavior, but now we would never have to.

Little did I know all too soon this would all be taken away.....