Read Online A Modern Day Sense and Sensibility: An Adaptation of Jane Austen's Classic by Kaitlin Saunders - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kaitlin Saunders
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Even though Ellie had a healthy opinion of her worth, it was hard to imagine a guy traveling hundreds of miles to come see her, especially when he only said he’d “try” to keep in touch. Yet, in spite of her better judgment, she would still hope.
“Goodbye, Ellie,” Edward said, then hesitated. Unable to resist the urge any longer, he held out his hand for her to take.
Ellie’s heart fluttered as she placed her hand in his. But instead of merely shaking it and letting go, Edward held ontoit tightly for what seemed an eternity. Giddy, Ellie blushed and looked down, relishing this connection with him. He squeezed her hand gently, returning her smile, and then finally released her so that she could join her family in the vehicle and be on their way. She started toward the car until hearing Edward say her name again. Stopping, she turned to face him. “Ellie, I have something special I wanted to give you . . . all of you. . .” he motioned to the others inside the Volvo, “But it’s not quite finished yet. I’ll bring it when I see you next, if that’s okay.”
Her hope bolstered by this declaration of a rendezvous, Ellie smiled and nodded. Climbing into the driver’s seat, she watched Edward as he closed the door behind her before taking a step back to see them off. Sighing wistfully, Ellie turned to look at her mother and siblings, “Everyone buckled up?” she asked.
“Yes,” Margaret replied with anticipation.
Diane, in turn, nodded and laid her hand comfortingly on Ellie’s to relay her sympathy at what must be a painful separation from Edward.
Ellie smiled but kept her emotions in check as she put the car into drive and began maneuvering it down the street. She glanced in the rear-view mirror to see Edward waving at the precocious Margaret who had rolled down the window and stuck her head out to shout goodbye to him.
“Margaret! Put your head back inside right now!” Diane chided Margaret who waved one last time before settling back into her seat and closing the window.
While Marianne strained to keep an eye on her beloved home until it was out of sight, Ellie’s eyes gravitated toward Edward. He looked so forlorn as he watched the distance between them grow.
As the car turned the corner of the long driveway in pursuit of the freeway, Edward shuffled his feet and began to head slowly back toward the house. He would miss the smile of that beautiful young woman who seemed to understandhim so well. Returning to his room, he felt a gloominess descend upon him with the realization that his life would soon revert to normal; the time he’d shared with these four wonderful women would slowly become a dream he would have to force himself to forget.
“Is this where we’re going to live?” Margaret asked, opening the car door and scrunching her nose as she looked around the apartment complex which was now to be their new home.
The apartments definitely needed some work. The architecture, although popular during the ‘70s, now looked quite dated. Still, it wouldn’t have been so bad had the place been kept up. If Ellie had to guess, besides the obvious paint job, it also needed a new roof, extensive yard maintenance, and new windows before this place could even begin to look halfway decent again. Seeing the parking lot empty except for an old Astro van parked in front of the manager’s unit, she suspected the complex was riddled with vacancies. As the four of them observed their surroundings in a state of shock, Margaret leaned over and picked up some trash off the ground, asking them what it was.
“Margaret, put that down!” Marianne exclaimed with disgust, “You don’t know where that’s been!” Margaret immediately tossed it to the ground and wiped her hands on her pants.
Diane sighed and looked at her three daughters. This was a depressing sight indeed, and a far cry from the palatial Dashwood Estate. Closing the car doors, they took a step closer toward their new reality—a reality
“Goodbye, Ellie,” Edward said, then hesitated. Unable to resist the urge any longer, he held out his hand for her to take.
Ellie’s heart fluttered as she placed her hand in his. But instead of merely shaking it and letting go, Edward held ontoit tightly for what seemed an eternity. Giddy, Ellie blushed and looked down, relishing this connection with him. He squeezed her hand gently, returning her smile, and then finally released her so that she could join her family in the vehicle and be on their way. She started toward the car until hearing Edward say her name again. Stopping, she turned to face him. “Ellie, I have something special I wanted to give you . . . all of you. . .” he motioned to the others inside the Volvo, “But it’s not quite finished yet. I’ll bring it when I see you next, if that’s okay.”
Her hope bolstered by this declaration of a rendezvous, Ellie smiled and nodded. Climbing into the driver’s seat, she watched Edward as he closed the door behind her before taking a step back to see them off. Sighing wistfully, Ellie turned to look at her mother and siblings, “Everyone buckled up?” she asked.
“Yes,” Margaret replied with anticipation.
Diane, in turn, nodded and laid her hand comfortingly on Ellie’s to relay her sympathy at what must be a painful separation from Edward.
Ellie smiled but kept her emotions in check as she put the car into drive and began maneuvering it down the street. She glanced in the rear-view mirror to see Edward waving at the precocious Margaret who had rolled down the window and stuck her head out to shout goodbye to him.
“Margaret! Put your head back inside right now!” Diane chided Margaret who waved one last time before settling back into her seat and closing the window.
While Marianne strained to keep an eye on her beloved home until it was out of sight, Ellie’s eyes gravitated toward Edward. He looked so forlorn as he watched the distance between them grow.
As the car turned the corner of the long driveway in pursuit of the freeway, Edward shuffled his feet and began to head slowly back toward the house. He would miss the smile of that beautiful young woman who seemed to understandhim so well. Returning to his room, he felt a gloominess descend upon him with the realization that his life would soon revert to normal; the time he’d shared with these four wonderful women would slowly become a dream he would have to force himself to forget.
“Is this where we’re going to live?” Margaret asked, opening the car door and scrunching her nose as she looked around the apartment complex which was now to be their new home.
The apartments definitely needed some work. The architecture, although popular during the ‘70s, now looked quite dated. Still, it wouldn’t have been so bad had the place been kept up. If Ellie had to guess, besides the obvious paint job, it also needed a new roof, extensive yard maintenance, and new windows before this place could even begin to look halfway decent again. Seeing the parking lot empty except for an old Astro van parked in front of the manager’s unit, she suspected the complex was riddled with vacancies. As the four of them observed their surroundings in a state of shock, Margaret leaned over and picked up some trash off the ground, asking them what it was.
“Margaret, put that down!” Marianne exclaimed with disgust, “You don’t know where that’s been!” Margaret immediately tossed it to the ground and wiped her hands on her pants.
Diane sighed and looked at her three daughters. This was a depressing sight indeed, and a far cry from the palatial Dashwood Estate. Closing the car doors, they took a step closer toward their new reality—a reality
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