The next morning, Lola was up early, as she usually was. Although she could sleep long into the morning, her body was naturally full of energy and awoke before dawn unless there was a desperate sleep debt.
Creeping out of the room, in order to not wake Wesley, who was hiding from the dawn light, she tightened her robe. She wanted a spot of breakfast before she changed and left for the day. She had two appearances, one of them noble, and she didn't think Wesley would be in much shape to attend.
In the dining room, breakfast was already laid out. However, the only person there was Aaron, going back for what looked like his second helping.
“Hello,” she said, as she went to the buffet. “You are up early.”
“I'm not used to being asleep at this time actually,” he replied and she turned to him in half shock.
“Aaron, you are Captain of the ship. You don't have to be on the midnight watch.”
“Of course I don't have to be,” he said. “But that's my choice. I do love the dark night, it's quiet.”
“Who would have thought you'd love the quiet,” she sat down, a steaming hot plate of food in front of her. Although she was tired, she liked it when she got herself up in the mornings. At 11am, she felt as if she had wasted half the day if she didn't wake up.
“How's Wesley?”
“Well, he chose the side of the bed to vomit on just before dawn, so...” Lola grinned. “I've never seen him drunk, actually. He was full of emotions and love. It was charming...when he wasn't vomiting.”
“He doesn't do it often,” Aaron admitted. “He's usually pretty secretive about it, if I'm honest with you. He doesn't like others to see him out of control.”
“This I know,” Lola replied. “I think he was feeling pressured, to keep everyone safe. I told him that it was not all on his shoulders, that he shouldn't worry...”
“You know your husband,” Aaron said. “He would worry if everything was perfect.”
“Mm,” Lola looked down at her plate. “I wonder if I could relieve some of that worry.”
“What are you talking about?” he asked her, picking up an odd note in her voice.
“Just that...I don't know, it's silly,” she said. He reached across the table and squeezed her hand.
“Lola, may I remind you we've been the closest of friends since childhood? Whatever is on your mind, you can tell me.”
She let out a sigh.
“That was not the first time someone said something to me,” she said. “And I doubt it will be the last. I don't want him to worry about his title, about its future. He will have to, obviously, if we continue being married. And what about our children? When we are gone, and they inherit, what will they say to the child of an actress and an earl? Will they accept them?”
“Are you pregnant?” Aaron asked, confused.
“No, but I should consider that soon,” Lola replied. “Our time is running out, Aaron. I can't have children forever, and we haven't even considered these things. An actress mother who travels and a pirate lord father whose never home?”
“You are anticipating a change,” he said, as he took a sip of tea.
“One way or another, something has to change,” she replied.
“Lola, you love Wesley with all your heart,” he said. “And he loves you. I don't think he cares much about the title or continuing the line, or what people say. Focus on making each other happy, and forget the rest. If I had learned that earlier, I would have married Shauna 10 years ago.”
“A peasant married to a Lord is nowhere near as scandalous as an actress,” she pointed out.
“Well, currently I'm dead, so no one is saying anything to her face,” Aaron said. “But they may if I was alive.”
Lola sighed, covering her face.
“Never mind, Aaron. I'm just tired today.”
“You're not,” he said. “I know this is your heart. But I know Wesley is also your heart, Lola, and don't deny that. You did know from the moment you met him that it was not going to be an easy marriage.”
“I did know that,” she said. “I just ...expected it to get easier as time went on.”
“Is it not easier now?” he asked. “Then when you were two street urchins exchanging pleasantness?”
She resisted the urge to throw something at him.
“It's different,” she replied, at last. “It's a different kind of difficult.”
“That's just the process of life,” he replied. “Go on, you have a full day. I'd join you, if I could.”
“I know you would,” she replied. “Can you tell Wesley where I've gone though, if he wants to join me? I'll leave instructions.”
“Of course,” Aaron replied. “I plan to spend my day succumbing to Gwendolyn's every whim. Even if it means playing the same card game for several hours in a row.”
She smiled.
“You're a good father,” she said, giving him a kiss on the cheek and then heading back upstairs to get dressed.
It turned out that Wesley was already awake when she entered the room, hiding his face from the dawn light.
“Lola, please shut the curtains,” he managed and she smiled, complying.
“Good morning,” she said, sinking onto the end of the bed. “I'm just going out. There's the ribbon cutting ceremony at the library and then there's the cricket tournament trophy presentation at noon.”
“Ugh,” he managed to pull his face out from under the pillow. “I should accompany you. That's the whole reason, isn't it?”
“Not if you're going to vomit on their shoes,” she teased, as he hauled himself up.
“Don't be ridiculous. I'm a pirate, I'm used to this.”
“Please don't tell them that either,” she replied, as he splashed cold water on his face. “I would be delighted if you came. Do you have anything to wear?”
“Er---” that made him pause.
“I'll just go ask Aaron then,” she said, standing up. “For something that isn't pirate-y and presentable.”
“Please,” said the pirate first mate, realizing that slipping back into noble life was going to take more than he thought. He had been ready to leave it all behind, but Lola had showed him how life was worth living all those years ago, and how a title could protect them from any scandal. “My head.”
“I could also bring you a hair of the dog,” she suggested and he raised an eyebrow.
“How exactly do you know that term?”
“Do you honestly think I'm that innocent?” she teased him. “I may have learned a thing or two about life on the stage.”
“I prefer to think of you as my perfectly innocent, angel of a wife,” he answered and she giggled, heading out of the room to find Aaron once again.
The rest of the house was starting to wake up, and Lola reveled in the energy as she gathered the things Wesley needed. There were the sounds of children laughing; of the men excited for breakfast, and of the women speaking to their servants, ordering breakfasts to their room.
Lola glanced at the clock, knowing that she needed to leave shortly. She had only a few minutes to gather Wesley a proper outfit, and he would have to get dressed at lightning speed.
“Aaron, do you have....” she started, walking into the dining room. She immediately knew that something was wrong from the way he looked up at her. He had both arms on the dining room table, and was hanging his head. His eyes were glazed, the piercing blue now a lighter color. “Aaron!”
She knew right away what was going to happen, but she hadn't experienced it for nearly two years. Aaron had been prone to fits his whole life. They were dangerous, and they were the reason his death was believable. Every time she thought he wasn't going to pull back from a particularly nasty fit, he did, although sometimes it took longer than others. Fits almost seemed common place, if it wasn't for the fact that they could kill him at any moment and there was no cure.
She worried about him out on the high seas, especially now that they were pirates and didn't have a surgeon on board.
“Come, on, Aaron,” she moved forward, grabbing him around the waist. Aaron was much heavier than she was, and she tried to make a choice for the best place to brace him. His eyes rolled back and she had no other choice but to shove his body against the table, pushing the dishes off the table.
They went clattering to the floor, shattering along with the food on them as she braced herself against his seizing. She knew he wasn't in any control, but she still spoke with him, trying to protect him from hurting himself.
“It's alright, Aaron. It's alright. Ah!” she protested as his arm flew into her face. “Somebody help me!”
Luckily, Wesley had dragged himself downstairs to see for himself what Aaron had to loan him. Lola could see from Wesley's face that this was something he was more used to than before they left together.
“Lola, move,” he said, moving forward at break neck speed.
“If I move, I will drop him,” she said, through clenched teeth as she tried to hold his limbs down.
“Here, I've got him,” Wesley managed as the clattering brought Harold to the door, and the curious children, who gasped in horror.
“Let's get him on the floor,” Harold said as he entered the room, moving to assist Wesley. With both of their muscles bulging, they managed to get him onto the carpeted floor.
“Father, what's happening?” came James's scared voice at the door.
“Can you go and get your mother?” Harold said, looking up. “Quickly, James.”
He obeyed his father without question and Wesley looked up at Harold.
“Do you think that's necessary?”
“She's going to be upset that dishes are broken,” Harold answered, with a half smile. “And I want her to directly blame her brother. But more so, Annabelle has dealt with his fits her whole life. She is going to be the most comforting person to him after this is over.”
“Is he going to be alright?” Lola asked, having not lately seen them so bad.
“Yes,” Wesley said. “I don't suppose he hit his head last night?”
“No,” Harold said. “Not that I know of.”
“So he's un-triggered currently,” Wesley winced as his own head throbbed. “That's just wonderful.”
The seizures slowly went away, and Aaron lay still. It wasn't the worst they had ever seen, but it was frightening none the less.
“Lord help us if he broke the dishes that are 17th century,” Annabelle appeared in the door way then, showing compassion to her brother even through her anger. Nonetheless, she crouched beside him. “He's alright.”
“I count myself lucky that I walked in when I did,” Lola said. “He was alone in here.”
“He'll be fine now,” Annabelle said, quickly, brushing his hair back from his face as his breathing returned to normal. “Wesley, you're shaking.”
“Ah,” Wesley looked at the floor a moment. “I'm alright.”
“Just a rough night?” she asked and he nodded. “Well, you certainly didn't need any more excitement this morning. We're alright. You two have appointments to keep.”
“We can stay a moment,” Lola said, squeezing Aaron's hand. “I thought he was getting better.”
“No,” Wesley said, bluntly. “Not obviously.”
“Oh,” she answered, sadly. “Well, I'm glad you are home, then.”
“I think we are all are glad you're home,” Annabelle said to Wesley and Harold.