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The Caller

By Lonelyrider

A well-meaning Lonely Rider stops by to aid Lady Clove & is to find she's less than welcome.

Clove opened the door to her beautiful little tudor house amid the outskirts of the rural warlock district near the dark wood; a letter in expensive stationary, sealed with red ink in a stylized LS greeted her. Sure enough, when she turned the letter around, the return address read James LightningSword in his cursive, which looked surprisingly good for a man's writing. Clove sat at the ornate kitchen table James and Hans had gifted her, along with this home with a 6-month prepaid rent, fully furnished and stocked for her. Still; her mood was excessively sour. She had returned from her hectic coach ride from Mossy City to be greeted by a shockingly firm and resolute Hans, whose servants had her bags packed and waiting outside. Hans had explained he and James had talked when she was away, terminating her pregnancy that had been caused by one of the two of them against their wishes, and evidently, Hans reiterated, they had decided to have little to nothing to do with her going forward. Hans had told her he was done after the tudor house had been provided to her, and given her a big bouquet of black roses from James, as Hans guilt-tripped her about having 'killed the baby' Clove recalled angrily. She surmised this letter must be about James' part of this disgusting little story her men had cooked up. Clove was furious with both of them; she felt betrayed and unsupported, ostracized and judged. How dare they, she thought with a cross throw of the envelope, as she unwrapped and read James' letter:

My dearest, beautiful Clove;

I hope you loved the roses I sent for you, my sweet lovely girl. No doubt Hans has reiterated our conversation he and I had whilst you were in the city. It is with sincerest hope and prayer I wish that you are feeling hale again, my darling Clove. If you can find it in your heart to forgive me, for what Hans and I do. Sweetheart...I didn't want to do any of this. I still don't. You must feel so utterly alone. How I loath this entire situation, each wretched bit of it. I am so sorry my love, but after Hans' and I's tough conversation, I've come to the terrible realization I can not argue the awful points he drew to my attention. I'm not trying to judge you my sweet girl, but your drinking hurts and worries me. I don't feel respected by you, my darling. I'm saddened to say, truthfully I feel toyed with and unappreciated. I can't even break up with you, that is, if I even had the strength to do such an awful thing, because Hans informed me you didn't consider me a boyfriend, nor he. Do you care for me, my beautiful Clove? I love you more than I can properly put to pen, and for that reason alone, for now, I must force myself to stay away. Hans and I have ensured your every need is anticipated for the next 6 months, a final courtesy to a most enchanting, stunning and vivacious young lady. My heart is shattered and begging me not to do this. How I don't want to! Clove, my precious fellow angel; I fear though your life and choices are of course your own, as they should be, until you seek a better path, I cannot let you hurt me anymore. Forgive me.

I love you.

-James

Postscript: I'm aware Hans has already made his position on the pregnancy you felt you did not wish to keep clear, but I just wish you to know, for my own selfish reasons, I'll admit; my dearest Clove, it would have been my highest honor & joy to care for & provide for you & that cherub. Take care my beautiful princess. Xox.

The stationary was stained with many water drops, and Clove realized he must have been weeping when he penned it to her. She gazed sullenly at the fire in her hearth, clutching the letter, but thought better of it, and stuffed it into her desk instead; James, as usual, had been softer, sweeter, and more polite in his refusal of her than Hans, who had all but taken her out by the hair of her head from his mansion in his uncharacteristically angry state when she'd returned from the city. Still, Clove folded her arms over her small bust and pouted, anger at both men, at her parents and family, at her life and God, seething at her. She was startled by a knock, and went to put on some tea on her big gas stove.

"What do you want?" She called in an irritated tone; she was NOT in the mood for guests.

"Miss Clove? It's Jamesey's girlfriend, Lonely, may I come in for just a moment? I've brought you a care package." Lonely's kindly voice called. Clove answered the door, looking beautiful despite her angry disheveled appearance, Lonely curtsied politely in her pink velvet peasent dress and corset, a gift from Lonely's prostitute girlfriend, Brandy.

"I'm so sorry to disturb you, I know this is a very rough time. I won't stay long. Clove, I'm so sorry for everything you're going through, it sounds so very hard. I brought you this basket, it has food I made, the magick mirror coordinates for a local women's support group for women recovering from an abortion, flowers, some pretty new lace undies and a warm scarf. Jamesey wanted you to have his favorite book, too! See honey, this green and gold volume, it's historical fiction. I never thought I'd ever see him part with it. He loves you so much." Lonely gave Clove's cheek a tender touch and pulled back, apologizing; she'd lost control of herself for a minute, emotional from the situation her beloved boyfriend and meta were going through; Lonely felt bad for Hans too, Clove's other lover.

"I see Hans has been running his big fucking mouth. Is there anyone he DIDN'T tell? Take it back, all of it, especially that book. I don't want it. I don't need anyone's pity. I did what was right for ME, it's my body, I'm not Hans' and James' property!" Clove bristled angrily at Lonely.

"Of course you're not! I'm so sorry Clove, I just wanted to support you through this awful time, woman-to-woman, and invite you to our sisterhood. I swear, my only agenda was to offer comfort." Lonely said with understanding, backing outside to make Clove more comfortable; it worked, she settled slightly.

"Like YOU understand," Clove scoffed, "If you fell pregnant by James, or probably any of your boyfriends, if you have others, you'd keep the cherub."

"Well, I....yes, but that doesn't mean I don't respect your own choices, I'm saddened by the loss, for all of us, but you are absolutely correct, it's no one's decision but your own." Lonely nodded, gently putting away her gift basket in her highland pony mare's saddlebag.

"Glad someone understands that. I got James' letter today. Say, why aren't YOU cutting me off? Or are you?" Clove asked suspiciously, her dark brown wings shifting.

"I am not, I am here for you, to offer support, the word of God if you want it, and the ear of other women. It's a dreadful thing you're going through." Lonely said with a look of caring sympathy. Clove scoffed again.

"I'm fine about the abortion, it's being excommunicated by both of my lovers and my shitty ass family I've had enough of. You're too good for me, Lonely. So is James, for that matter, but that's nothing new. He's always been too fucking good for me. Not that he thinks he is. He's humble, like you are. I guess part of me was trying to bring him down, so I didn't have to feel guilty for being with him anymore. But he's too good, and so are you. Therefore, I refuse your offer. Do as Hans and James have, and go from here, & do not return. I am poison, even onto myself. Tell James he can keep his book, and tell them all to leave me alone from now on. They've made their choices, now they'll experience the consequences."

"I will honor your wishes and leave, but Clove, James didn't want this, he's beside himself night and day. It's destroying him. If you want a healthy relationship with my boyfriend, you only need seek some help for yourself, you deserve that! I can help you find it, just ask. You have so many people that care about you, more than you know." Lonely pleaded sweetly.

"No, Lonely. If they won't take me at my worst, they don't deserve me at my best." Clove growled, and she slammed and locked the door in the mule woman's face. Lonely pressed against it, fighting tears, but not for herself; how she wished she could fix the terrible situation.

"I'll leave you be now, goodbye dear lady, if you need any aid from our women's group, or help with food or rent, my church and I are just a magic mirror call away. Farewell, cherished beloved of my darling." Lonely called weakly, and she wept quietly and wiped tears as she trotted away on her sturdy draft pony, and inside, a raging Clove threw a beautiful carved wooden swan from her bookshelf into the fire, where it flew sparks and burned, and Clove wrapped her own wings around herself as rage and self-pity took her for the night and Lonely disappeared on horseback down the dirt road and a warm cloudy sunset began.