25 May 1894 - The Painted Lady
Ida Chang

Tea was never June’s ideal situation, but being in neutral territory with Ida seemed like the best place to be right now. She’d seen Ida on her own many times before, she was one of her best friends after all, but ever since graduating Hogwarts it felt like they’d all drifted apart. Beryl had gone back to France after an unsuccessful season (and probably other reasons), and hadn’t reached out to any of them in quite some time. Poppy too had gone abroad the last few months. Ida didn’t go to as many societal events as she did, and didn’t have someone breathing down her neck to marry as soon as possible.

Being with Thaddeus was something more of a convenience than anything else, even if June did enjoy his company. She just wished Ida could see that. With a sigh, June wrapped her hands around the teacup, green eyes staring down into the liquid as if it would give her all the answers. Maybe it would if she bothered to do a tea leaf reading, but she didn’t put too much stock in that; it wasn’t like they could tell her exactly how her life would play out, anyway.

She didn’t look up until she heard Ida taking a seat across from her, and even then she could barely muster a smile. “When did we get so old?” June sighed in leu of a greeting, exasperated with the idea that there might not be much left in life for her outside of marrying and having babies.

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   Ida Chang

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It wasn’t that Ida was trying to be distant, not at all.

She just kept to herself. Especially when she didn’t know how to feel about things.

It was as though over the last few months someone had been playing a cruel trick on her. One by one, they kept replacing everything she knew and loved with shadow puppet imitation. More and more girls dropped from the advanced courses, as they found husbands. Children she’d grown up with were suddenly having children. Her closest of friends were suddenly no longer around very much, hiding away on the continent or working away at their farms. Cigarettes and whiskey began to taste like ash and headaches instead of adventures and opportunities.

Juniper asked for her company with a letter, over tea. Nothing was straightforward anymore.

The girl seemed lost in thought even as Ida approached and took a seat across. She contemplated if she ought to say something first, any number of apologies and excuses and pleasantries drifting through her mind as the tea kettle raised to serve her up a cup. But just as her mouth finally opened when she decided on something, June cut in.

Ida let out a soft sigh, and dropped back into her seat with a rather unladylike slouch. “When we turned twenty, I think,” she finally ventured. “Or about the same time Dolly Pees-Her-Bed gave birth to her firstborn. Did you know she’s pregnant again?” It was laughable to think that vapid girl from their year was now a mother of one, let alone two.

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stefanie made this beautiful set <3

Despite the weirdness between them, it was nice to see her friend. Ida wasn’t going to ask about the Season or what balls she was planning on attending (all of them if Grace had any say in the matter), or what she thought of the newest fashions. Once upon a time none of her friends would ask her any of those questions, but now it was all they could talk about. Lately too, June felt herself slipping into the role of being a proper debutante.

It didn’t stop her from snorting. “Dolly is an idiot. I feel for those poor kids, having half of her genes.” June confirmed, horrified that she was going to be a mother of two. Hopefully the babies got the brains of their father, although he clearly didn’t have any if he married Dolly. “God, I hope I’m never a mother.” June scrunched her nose up. Being a mother sounded terrible in every aspect, and even though she didn’t want kids she was well aware she’d have to produce at least one. Ew.

“I’m just ready to be away from Ophelia and not have a need for a chaperone.” She didn’t feel the need to point out that maybe soon, she’d be able to chaperone Ida places.

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For a moment, they struck a match on what brought them together in the first place, and June endeared herself instantly. Infuriatingly. It was impossible to stay cross with her friend when she scrunched her nose so adorably. Still, she wanted to be cross with Juniper. She wanted Juniper to sting the way she stung. Maybe it was meant to hurt a little, then, when she pointed out the obvious– “Well, rumor has it that your betrothed sees that matter differently.” Naturally the Flints would want an heir, why else would old men bother with girls so young? That was the trade off, if June didn’t want to deal with her sister or chaperones.

Ida flushed– she had not meant to sharpen knives so very early in their discussion. An attendant appeared at their table and she could not summon a single word to say to June as their tea was served.

Only once the woman left did Ida lean forward into her seat. “Are you really?” Ida didn’t want to ask it because they both knew what she meant, and besides, those three little words already carried plenty of judgment.

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stefanie made this beautiful set <3

Ida went for the low blow quicker than Juniper had expected, and she bristled at her friend, green eyes narrowing as she pursed her lips together to keep herself from saying something (or worse, casting something) she might regret. “I don’t know what rumors you’ve heard because I don’t have a betrothed.” June knew who Ida was referring to of course, because it was well known that she and Thad danced the line between courting and not. They enjoyed each other’s company and honestly that seemed to be more than what other girls their age seemed to say of the men they were with.

Her friend leaned forward and June just pursed her lips again. “I’m not Poppy and I don’t have suitors lining out the door for me.” Even if she could do better than Cassian, but that was a topic for another day. She was happy her friend was having such success. “Besides, outside of his age, what do you find wrong with him?” June felt like she had successfully deflected the question. Are you really? She wasn’t sure what she was or wasn’t doing, but had too much pride to admit that.

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