***Time Stamp: August 18, 1883***


Elena sat quietly letting her employer absorb everything she said. If she wanted to Lady Iero could send Donna away. She hoped her years of service would spare her 16 year old daughter a life of poverty and struggle. Lady Iero sighed, sipping her tea from a gilt-edged china teacup. She set it down on its saucer then looked the other woman in the eye. She could tell that Elena loved her daughter a lot, and only wanted the best for her.

"Elena...your daughter, like yourself, will always have a home on my estate as long as I am alive. Her child will also have a home and employment once he or she is old enough."

She sipped her tea again.

"Thank you, Madam. I am forever in gratitude to you and your family."

Lady Iero smiled.

"Not at all. You have always shown loyalty to my family, so I think it only fair that I do the same. Now, I think I will take a rest before supper...please reassure Donna that she has my support and that I will ensure that my family's physician is available when the time comes."

Elena took a breath.

"That is too much to expect Madame. You don't have to do that. We will be alright with the stable hand that helps the foals."

"Nonsense!...Doctor Brown will be here, and I won't hear another word about it. Now, I must rest, and you need to go reassure Donna."

"Thank you again, Madame."

Elena bowed and left for the servant quarters.

***Time Stamp: Eight Months Later***

"Mikey Mikey! Donna is having her baby!"

Frank ran to the gardener's shed. He waved at Michael’s father and mother quickly.

"Mikey!"

Michael looked up from a small flower that he was transferring out of one pot and into another, larger one. He smiled.

"Really?"

He turned to his father, who had been teaching him all morning.

"Can I go see papa, please?"

"Alright, but just like the ‘orses don’t get in the way."

"I won't papa...bye mama."

He waved before running out after his friend. Don smiled as he watched them go. They were so young and don't realise that they are different from each other.

"Don."

Don turned to see his wife almost collapse. He knew she was getting worse. Unfortunately, they were not as favored as Elena's family. They almost weren't allowed to have Michael. They certainly didn't get the family doctor. His wife almost lost the baby. Still, Don understood. It was part of his life too.

"Come dear. Let's get you to rest. "

He led her towards the hut.

*

*

*

"That was messy and disgusting and interesting. Right Mikey? "

"Right..."

Michael was an unusual shade of green.

"I think I will go back now."

"Alright. Hey after supper were gonna go skip stones right?

"Alright. I'll see y' later Frankie."

Michael turned and ran back to his little home.


***Time Stamp: Eight Years Later***


"I fucking ‘ate ‘im!"

"Quiet son! Ya can't say that."

"They killed mother! They let ‘er die!"

"She was sick a long time."

"You never told me!"

"You were a boy!"

"I would ‘ave been man enough to speak up for ‘er!"

*crack*

Don backhanded Michael.

"Don’t you ever disrespect me again."

"Papa..."

"I ‘ave to tend to the ‘edges."

Don walked away.

***Time Stamp: April 14, 1898***

Gerard was sat on the large kitchen table while his mother fussed over the long cut on his arm, and his grandma stirred a big pot of something that smelled delicious. He kept trying to pull his arm back as she dabbed at it with a wet cloth, but she had an iron grip on his wrist so he couldn't really get away.

He winced when she touched a particularly sore spot, and turned his head away...that's the moment he spotted Michael coming in the back door looking annoyed and tired.

Gerard smiled at the older boy who had become like an older brother to him.

"Hi, Mikey."

He waved with his unoccupied hand.

" ’ey Gee."

Michael watched Gerard light up when he used the childhood nickname he gave him. Donna scowled at him, though.

"Michael. It ain't proper fer ya to...."

"Donna..."

Elena looked at her daughter.

"Sorry mother."

She started again.

"Michael it isn't proper for you ta use nicknames in company. Use them when you are alone."

Donna looked at her mother again and she nodded.

"Sorry Donna. Still, we ain't in company we're family right Miss Elena?"

"Yes, Michael we are."

"Then why do I 'ave to watch me words mum?"

Elena sighed.

"Because you work in the house dear and at any moment someone could walk in."

Donna huffed. She may have been almost 30 and have a child, but in many ways she was still that rebellious 16-year-old she was before Gerard was born. Gerard tried again to pull his arm free while his mother was distracted.

"Gerard. It'll get infected if'n I don't care for it."

"But ma..."

Gerard whined.

"I was gonna go ‘elp Mikey at the pond..."

He turned to his friend, pleading for confirmation with his eyes.

"Right Mikey?"

"But you didn' finish ya..."

"Let the boy go play Donna."

Donna sighed and finished wrapping the wound in rags. Just as she was done, Robert the chimney sweep came in.

"Afternoon folks. Gerard...what did you do to your arm?"

Gerard flushed slightly, looking down out of embarrassment.

"I...I was tryin' to ‘elp Matthew wiv the chandelier in the drawin' room...I slipped an' fell off the stool."

He hid in his long brown hair.

"I don't know what ta do Robert. 'e needs to find a way to pull his own weight 'ere."

"Well, I could use an apprentice. Lost me last one."

Robert looked at the boy.

"'e's skinny enough to get up the floo."

Donna looked at her son.

"'ow bout it, Gerard?"

"I could try..."

Gerard looked up and smiled shyly, then looked down again.

"I'd prob'ly just mess it up, though."

He huffed quietly. Robert placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"You'll be fine."

"Wonderful. Now you can go with Michael."

Donna turned to the older boy.

"Make sure ‘e takes a care."

"I will Donna. Come on Gee."

Gerard grinned, jumping down off of the table and kissing his mother sloppily on the cheek before grabbing Michael's hand and dragging the older boy outside and away from earshot.

"So we're not really doin' the pond...are we?"

"Nah. Thought ya would like an ‘orse ride."

Gerard practically lit up.

"Really?...even after last time?"

He blushed, biting his lip and looking off towards the woods he'd ended up falling off his mount in, after losing control of the horse.

"I'm a ride wit ya this time."

Gerard smiled up at his friend.

"That'd be better I think."

He nodded as they headed off toward the stables.

"What a surprise. He's slacking off again."

Frank and Linda walked into the kitchen. Donna and Elena bowed.

"Have you heard from Colonial Iero lately Madame? How goes the war in Africa?"

"You aren't privy to the information. You are just a servant. "

Frank sneered at Elena. Gone was the sweet boy of his youth, replaced by a cold-hearted young man with his nose in the air.

"Frank!."

Lady Iero frowned.

"Be nice..."

She turned to Elena.

"I apologise for my son's rudeness...and to answer your question; I have not heard anything recently from Charles, though I have heard that the war is going our way, so I expect he will return to us shortly."

Elena smiled.

"That is good news indeed. Thank you for sharing it with us."

Lady Iero smiled back at her.

"Of course..."

She turned to address Donna.

"Well, we came in to ask if your son has found his new calling yet, as it seems that Matthew no longer wishes to teach him."

She raised an eyebrow at the younger woman.

"Master Robert has taken him as his apprentice Madame."

"Well, that is good news..."

Lady Iero beamed.

"Isn't it Frank?"

She turned to her son.

"I guess. Well, it means you won't be throwing him out after all."

Donna gasped.

Lady Iero took a deep, calming breath before looking back at the shocked woman.

"That won't happen, because he will work hard in his new role...won't he."

"Oh he will I promise. You will be pleased in time."

"Then all is well..."

Lady Iero smiled wide before turning with a slight scowl toward her son.

"Come Frank; let us go dress for dinner."

Then she left the kitchen, expecting Frank to follow right behind her. Frank turned and saw a bowl of fruit on top of a lace runner. He looked at the two servants and smiled. He then pulled the cloth so the fruit fell and the bowl broke.

"How careless of me."

He stepped on some of the fruit and left. Donna looked at Elena and heard her sigh.

"What ‘appened to that boy?"

"I don't know sweetie, but remember what your father said."

"He said nothing. He ran away."

"Exactly. Clean up quickly, I have supper to make."

Notes

Hi there chipmunks...how's you?

So my lovely partner in crime, momiji_neyuki and I are at it again with another in our Victorian collection.
We have big plans for this, so we hope you enjoy it.

Until next time...PLEASE COMMENT, and peace out babies!
<3