I rest my hands on the bedpost while the maid tightens my dress. We are to attend a luncheon party, and so the young ladies of good breeding must wear new dresses. These dresses not only enhance our beautiful curves but also prevent us from looking indecorous while eating. We can hardly breathe, let alone dine with ease.

"You cannot imagine how much trouble Mr. Grey causes!"

Thena suffers the same fate as I, being tightly laced and obliged to receive other guests. However, I must commend my sister's efforts not to embarrass herself or others with her strong-willed personality. I have finished dressing, and the maid is now changing my earrings. I smile and ask:

"Orlando Grey, what about him?"

"He spoke to me about his estate, his horse named Cooper, which everyone in London is desperately asking for their horses to get bred by because of its racing success, and his exceptional horsemanship skills!"

Thena furrows her brows and continues to tell me. She has truly endured too much, and though I feel sorry for her, I cannot help but find the story amusing. I try to maintain a straight face and say:

"He wants to marry you."

Thena continues speaking as if someone owes her something:

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"But what do the horse and horsemanship have to do with it?"

"He wants to ‘ride’ you!"

Diana interjects, causing both myself and Thena to pause. Diana is not one for excessive speech, but when she does comment, it always leaves us stunned. Thena gapes at the joke she just made. She calls out to Diana as if to scold her for something, but then everyone bursts into laughter. This is one of those rare moments where us sisters become so intimate. If it is not a quarrel, then everyone just follows their own journey. I gaze at the smiles on their faces, and immediately all my anxieties about the burden on my shoulders become lighter than ever before.

I have never done this before, but today I decide to try something new. I step up to Thena's side and embrace her tightly to my chest. I stroke her long hair and smell the fragrance of roses. I take a deep breath and begin to speak from the bottom of my heart:

"Thank you, Thena...for today."

I can hear the hesitation in her breath. Perhaps she is going to rebuke me for thanking her, for not revealing her personality and for giving in. But then I feel she just wants to hug me tighter. Sometimes, scolding or reminding is unnecessary. Like Thena, the little one will know in a certain situation that she needs to do something and not do anything.

Then I also step up and place a kiss on Diana's head. Love must be spread evenly, and I want them to understand the sacrifices, endurance that they have, are and will go through are necessary. As Corinthians 5:7 says, "Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed."