How Embarrassing

[Viola Jewkes]

July 10, 1886

Viola was feeling very bovine these days. She was, technically, more pregnant than she had ever been, which she hoped meant things would end better this time. It was little wonder then that she was developing into a more avid church attendant. Which was to say, she hadn't skipped a Sunday in a month.

The service was over now, and Vi only wanted to go home, but her husband had found a friend and was now merrily chatting away. For Merlin's sake. She'd sunk down into a chair near the door to wait.

The church had nearly cleared out before they were ready to leave but when Viola went to raise herself up, the chair very nearly came with her. After a few more struggles she collapsed back with a huff. Well. She was stuck.

  

[Elsa Tinker]

Elsa rather liked visiting the church with her Grandmama. She liked the pretty singing and the stained glass and the flowers at the front, and at Christmas all the pretty paper decorations. In the summer, however, she much prefered being outside, and so as soon at the service was over she had raced out to the meadow of flowers.

They had been a few minutes into their journey home when Elsa’s Grandmama had realised she had left her gloves behind, and had sent the young witch running back to fetch them. She darted in the door, and noticed the woman sat down, swollen with child and looking rather inconvenienced.

“Do you need a hand?” The young witch asked, quite out of breath, skidding to a stop and suddenly forgetting all about her glove mission.

  

[Viola Jewkes]

Viola wasn't sure if it was more or less embarrassing to have the person who came to her aid be a small child. She decided less because she assumed--rightly or wrongly--that children were less likely to judge her.

"Please," she said, sounding rather defeated even to her own ears. "I seem to be stuck."

  

[Elsa Tinker]

Elsa cocked her head to one side. The woman did indeed look a rather snug fit for the chair. ”Perhaps I can pull you free?” She suggested, holding out her hand. She might have been relatively short, but Elsa was like most country children- deceptively strong.

  

[Viola Jewkes]

Viola nodded. She held out her hands to the girl, not entirely confident that this would work--the child was quite small--but it was better to try than to stay wedged there. So she grasped the girl's hand and said, "Let's try it."