Resolution: Day 9

Word Count: 54,087

Summary of Events:

Georgiana was dropped off at home by Ches and told her mother what had happened before going to bed. Shelton was picked up from the hospital by Wesley, who then drove him to visit his middle sister, whom Shelton was appalled to learn believed Georgiana to be completely immoral and after his money and wouldn't let him tell her what Georgiana was really like; he and Wesley speculated afterwards that she'd come to her conclusions because she'd never actually spoken to Georgiana before. The following night Georgiana and Hilda were picked up by Wesley — who was being Shelton's chauffeur because Shelton's car wasn't running and, even if it were, he had a concussion — to go hang out with everyone; as they drove there Hilda was brought up to date on the accident and the discussion turned to the state of the car . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

“Oh,” Hilda said. “So the car isn’t too damaged at all then.”

“No,” Georgiana replied. “The windshield will need to be replaced and there’s some dents and scratches that’ll need to be tidied up.”

“It’s really only that bad?” Shelton asked.

“That’s what Chester said,” Georgiana replied. “You may want to ask him for more specific details.”

“I have to admit I wonder if Father will even want to fix it,” Shelton said.

“Why wouldn’t he?” Georgiana asked. “It’s not going to be that expensive is it? Even if it is a McLaughlin-Buick?”

“Well, they don’t make McLaughlin cars anymore,” Shelton said. “So it might be hard to find parts.”

“But doesn’t Buick still exist?” Georgiana said.

“If the Buick parts have been updated in the last ten years there’s the possibility they wouldn’t match,” Shelton said.

“Really your only concern is replacing the windshield, isn’t it?” Wesley asked.

“But there were trees,” Shelton said. “If I drove over any they could’ve damaged things on the underside that might be important.”

“So you might be getting a new car,” Wesley said. “What kind?”

“Probably a Chevrolet because that’d be all I could afford,” Shelton replied caustically. “As I doubt Father would contribute anything.”

“You think he’s that mad at you about Georgiana?” Wesley asked.

“We haven’t spoken in over two weeks,” Shelton replied. “And if my sisters have spoken to him at all he’ll know that I’m not intent on calling off the engagement like he wants me to, which surely won’t make him inclined to give me any financial help.”

“But you don’t have a job,” Wesley said.

“I should by the end of the month,” Shelton said. “And in the interim, seeing as we’d be working at the same place, you could just drive me with you. I mean, what’s even the point of us each taking our own cars anyways?”

“True,” Wesley agreed. “And it’s not like there’s really anything wrong with a Chevrolet, it’s a good car. My cousin has one.”

“My parents would think it’s terrible,” Shelton said.

“Then why have they been letting you drive a nearly ten-year-old car from a defunct company?” Wesley asked.

Shelton sighed. “Because it was in good working order. They’re not frivolous.”

“I guess that is true,” Wesley said.

“But if they’re concerned about your image reflecting on them surely they’d buy you a nice new car,” Georgiana said.

“They’d probably pit the car against you,” Shelton replied. “They’ll only buy the car for me if I break off the engagement with you.”

“I never thought of that,” Georgiana said quietly, tears filling her eyes.

“That’s terrible of them,” Hilda said.

Georgiana couldn’t believe his parents would be that terrible as to make him give her up if he wanted a new car with their help, if his car was beyond repair, that was; she had to admit she really hoped that it wouldn’t be beyond repair.