When Alfred wasn't looking at her, it was all Zelda could do to keep looking at him, as if she would be able to read his mind if she was looking at him long enough. Especially as he got into it - she kept her expression neutral but she felt her chest constrict when he said Thursday was different - and she wished she knew more, or could ask more, or something. She wished she knew what had been different.
She could have thought about it for ages, maybe - just kept watching him and trying to decipher the nuances of his expression - but they weren't alone, and she could not ask any of her questions when they were here with Ros. Was this why Jo had been so cantankerous in the second letter - did she have feelings for Alfred?
And - was Alfred sure, about her? He said he wouldn't do anything to hurt her and Zelda believed him, but it was one thing to believe that and another to believe that he was choosing her, when Jo was available and free to do what she wished and could flit into his apartment whenever she wanted to, and Zelda had a smattering of siblings he kept having to have loaded conversations around, and anything they did in private was desperately risky. She had to believe that Alfred was attracted to her - she had plenty of evidence that Alfred was attracted to her - but it was another thing entirely if he was choosing between her and someone else. Because - well, why would he choose Zelda?
Except her apparently had, because he kept choosing her, and things were over with Jo, and he was here instead, looking at his champagne instead of at her.
"I'm satisfied," Zelda said, glancing at Ros as she answered. She hadn't been sure that was what she wanted to say until she said it, and maybe there were other questions, too - maybe she wanted more details on what had been different Thursday, she wasn't sure - but she believed him. She tried to smile at Alfred and found it was genuine, even if it was small - it was easy to lean into her relief, because things were over, and he wasn't going to do anything to hurt her, and it no longer mattered whether or not Jo liked her. "It's over, right? I'm satisfied."
She could have thought about it for ages, maybe - just kept watching him and trying to decipher the nuances of his expression - but they weren't alone, and she could not ask any of her questions when they were here with Ros. Was this why Jo had been so cantankerous in the second letter - did she have feelings for Alfred?
And - was Alfred sure, about her? He said he wouldn't do anything to hurt her and Zelda believed him, but it was one thing to believe that and another to believe that he was choosing her, when Jo was available and free to do what she wished and could flit into his apartment whenever she wanted to, and Zelda had a smattering of siblings he kept having to have loaded conversations around, and anything they did in private was desperately risky. She had to believe that Alfred was attracted to her - she had plenty of evidence that Alfred was attracted to her - but it was another thing entirely if he was choosing between her and someone else. Because - well, why would he choose Zelda?
Except her apparently had, because he kept choosing her, and things were over with Jo, and he was here instead, looking at his champagne instead of at her.
"I'm satisfied," Zelda said, glancing at Ros as she answered. She hadn't been sure that was what she wanted to say until she said it, and maybe there were other questions, too - maybe she wanted more details on what had been different Thursday, she wasn't sure - but she believed him. She tried to smile at Alfred and found it was genuine, even if it was small - it was easy to lean into her relief, because things were over, and he wasn't going to do anything to hurt her, and it no longer mattered whether or not Jo liked her. "It's over, right? I'm satisfied."
![[Image: xXXD462.png]](https://i.imgur.com/xXXD462.png)
AMAZING set by MJ