Heart Over the Fence part 1

Somewhere in suburban England, a handsome wealthy young man sat in his parent’s estates courtyard. Resting on the stone bench, he gazed at the white marble fountain, hardly seeing the angel, or hearing the trickling of the water pouring from her vase. He had been born into wealth and was well known in the area, whether he wanted to be or not. Most days he wanted to just disappear for a while and not be bothered with all the events that his family their friends held to prove their wealth.
Inside, arrangements were being made for Alexander and his parents to travel to Ireland to their new vacation home. Alexander would’ve had nothing to do with it, but his mother always made sure his actions wouldn’t ruin their reputation. Though she could never be a queen, her grip on her son made her feel that she had all the power of one. She loved to pretend she had control over everything in the house, and trying to keep Alexander from being himself was her favorite hobby. She refused to let him explore the rural areas, the ghettos of beggars, the alleyways of disease and filth, it was improper. Plus, it might ruin his clothes, or he might run into a bad crowd that would strip him of his silk to sell for money. Alexander didn’t even get the chance to cook for himself; she thought that that too was something only the lower class did. She loved being waited on, and didn’t understand why he couldn't enjoy it as well.
They were the typical English upper class, always going to dinners and balls to make themselves known, in their newest dresses and cufflinks, playing the political game that seemed to come with wealth. They had to be popular, and they did whatever it took to keep a high status. They wouldn’t allow themselves to be looked down on, or talked about in an unhonorable way. So if Alexander, their only child, decided not to participate, important people would begin to talk, they would think he ran off to learn a trade known only to the less fortunate majority or for “love with a barmaid. If he refused to play his role in his mother’s game, they would become a laughing stock of the town. Nothing was more important than status in their eyes and having a child helped them, but only if they played along.
Alexander of course felt there was more to life than large houses and fancy dinners. He grew tired of all attitudes around him; people acted like they were nobility, and as though anyone with less money were filthy and disgusting creatures, and so treated them like savages. Alexander felt that people were people no matter what; everyone had the same feelings and needs. The poor weren’t always poor from their own doing, sometimes they just had misfortune, and that should not be a reason to treat them like vermin. They had a hard enough time as it was, they didn’t need stuck up rich people making their lives difficult.
Alexander’s mother approached him, as he continued to sit on the bench. Her dark brown hair was in a traditional up-do, adorned with a modest green plume to match her gown. Her dark eyes complimented her square jaw that could be intimidating to some, and seemed to radiate her mentality of power.
“Alexander, darling please do come in, we need to make the final preparations before we go to Ireland. Are you feeling okay?”
“Yes of course mother, I was just thinking”
“Seems like that’s all you do. If you tried to boost the renown and status for us and yourself as much as you just sat around thinking, we’d never have to worry about what other people thought of us,” Lydia said sternly and she walked back to their mansion with Alexander by her side.

“You shouldn’t worry so much about other people’s thoughts of you anyway mother,” he said with confidence.
“Why wouldn’t you want prestige? What’s wrong with wanting to have secure popularity and wealth?”
“Wealth is one thing, but to center your life on making sure nobody thinks ill of you is so superficial. To mistreat people just because they don’t have as much money as us, because to be nice to them would be frowned upon, seems immoral”
“Alexander, I can't believe what you’re saying. The poor are none of our business, it’s not our fault they’re a bunch of drunks and layabouts, so we don’t have an obligation to help them. Now I will discuss this no further, get your things so we can go,” Lydia said with authority.
Alexander wanted to continue arguing his case, but realized she would hear no more of it, and it was best to leave it alone for now, so he went up the ebony serial staircase to the second floor of their three story home, to his room to get his dark leather luggage filled with his close and writing supplies.

Ch2:

Sophia sat in the field of wildflowers by her cottage; it was late spring so everything was in full bloom. The bell of her earth toned work-worn peasant gown flowed elegantly around her. Birds sang happily in the trees just beyond the sea of pink and yellow flowers. She gazed at the soft white clouds against the pale blue sky, lost in a daydream.
She was a young Irish woman living in the working class with her family, unable to afford to travel and make her dreams come true. She wanted to explore the country, if not the world, and find true happiness in love. When he wasn’t working, she was usually thinking about what her true love would look and act like. In the end she'd always sigh with anguish and continue the task in front of her, wondering if she'll ever find her soul mate. However, she was beautiful and would thus be noticed more often as many people paid attention to those they found attractive, so fate would soon enough bring change.
Sophia came out of her dream of dancing with her love in a new and expensive gown of red and white silk, picked up the bucket of berries beside her, and began to walk home.
“Ah, Sophia your home, how much blackers did you get?” asked her mother, Genevieve, her wavy auburn hair with stray silver tied loosely behind her, her kind dark blue eyes with faint crows feet well placed on her motherly heart-shaped face.
“A whole buckets worth, so we’ll have some afters for sure tomorrow, no time to make the pie now”
“What’s this I hear about pie?” Benjamin said happily as he entered the kitchen dining area.
“Nuthin' really, just I'll be making one tomorrow. How was work?” Sophia asked.
“Oh, the same as always. Cramped, stuffy, dirty work for a deuce hog and a sprat. It’s a wonder we still eat at all.” He said cynically. His dirty blonde hair starting to recede, bushy eyebrows above hazel eyes filled with a lifetime exhaustion, scruffy beard turning gray surrounding his teeth discolored by cigarettes, beer belly stretching his soot stained brown shirt.
“Lilly, dinner time!” Genevieve yelled out the door. Sophia’s younger sister soon appeared at the table ready for food after a long day of playing in the field and trees.
“Wash up first dear”. Lilly ran off to another room, and quickly appeared again, hands and oval-shaped face scrubbed clean of dirt, green eyes still full of youth and innocence, blonde hair freeing itself from a ponytail
“What’d-we got to eat tonight mum?”
“Mostly toke as always dear, and some soup” Genevieve
“Anything for dessert?”
“Tomorrow there will be.”
So they sat down to have a modest dinner of bread and potato soup, tomorrow Sophia would make a pie out of the wild blackberries she had picked that afternoon, a rare treat as they always had to make their own and supplies weren’t always available, especially when the seasons effected the growth of natural resources

Ch3:

Sophia rolled the dough for a shell and placed it in the pan before filling it with the mixture of berries and sugar, just an average day of cooking for her family. As she made symmetrical slots on the cover shell, Alexander was brining his luggage to his room in the vacation home, unhappy. Though they were on vacation, away from all the superficiality that came with wealth, he was still reminded of the status of his family. The vacation home was just as fancy and elaborate as their permanent residence so even when they were on their so-called vacation, he was not able to escape the curse of wealthy parents. They would still act arrogant and stick to their etiquette instead of just relaxing and forgetting about securing their good name. The crystal chandeliers and over-stuffed chairs was a constant reminder of what Lydia needed to be like. Lydia would walk around in her fancy gowns and they would dine on the finest cuisine like there was nothing wrong in the world while people like Sophia struggled to keep food in their pantries. As the pie was being taken out of the oven, Alexander and his parents were sitting down to a meal they didn’t work for.
“Alexander, you seem unhappy dear, what’s wrong?” Lydia asked
“Nothing mother, this isn’t the time to discuss it.” So nothing more was said about how Alexander was feeling. When he returned to his room after the final course, Lydia and her husband went to the parlor with a drink as always.
“Edmund, I’m worried about our son. Maybe you should talk to him”
“Well, he’s a grown man now, he can think and act as he wishes. We don’t have much of a right to interfere. Though I wonder what’s wrong as well.”
“Well you’re right about him being grown. Perhaps he’s lonely, maybe we should try to find him a nice young lady,”
“Or at least encourage him to find one on his own” Edmund said.
Meanwhile, Alexander sat at his desk, gazing out at the courtyard, smaller than the one at home, but still anything but modest with the tall green shrubberies evenly trimmed and squared off. He felt somewhat disgusted at the pompous behavior of the people around him. He wondered how they could be so oblivious to the real world, so comfortable in their lavish homes, eating food that they didn’t have to work for. How can they just do nothing and still enjoy their possessions, even take them for granted while people are battling to stay alive. All the silver spoons and gold lamps, and whatever else they can come up with to make them feel better about themselves and their living situation. Alexander enjoyed the idea of working for his room and board, but his parents found it unnecessary since they inherited enough that they would hardly have to work. Edmund worked, but it wasn’t dangerous work as an engine cleaner, or backbreaking long hours in the field. Naturally all their friends are the same. If they can even be called friends, they are all looking out for their own names. I’d like to find a true person, who cares for something other than money and power. I’d like to meet someone who can enjoy the simplicities of life, someone who appreciates every moment they breathe because they know things aren’t just handed to them. To meet someone who works hard just to get by, and so they are happy with what they have. Does Lydia even know how much hard labor it’s put into making her dresses and raising her veal...?
As Sophia and her mother were cleaning up after dinner and the baking, Alexander went to bed, since there was nothing he could do to find average people and socialize with them tonight.
Sophia had done a lot of housework the past few days, so she was able to take the day off and enjoy the early summer day as she wished. She put on a dress that wasn’t as worn as the others, put her hair up in a simple bun to keep it out of her eye, grabbed her notebook and left for the park just down the road, her favorite public place to be alone.
She found a big tree with plenty of shade, and sat on the soft grass, opening her notebook to record her thoughts, as a sort of ritual. Its not that I want to be rich, I’ve seen those that are and I don’t care for their attitude. But I’d like to know there would be food on the table, or a chance to see another part of the country. This whole, struggling to keep from starving get rough, and some security in that matter would be lovely. And I know there is more in the world than this teeny town, full of mostly drunk unfortunately. To live with my parents the rest of my life would be no fun, I love them and all but I need a life of my own. A house of my own, with a husband. Possibly one who came from a better off family, so maybe things would turn around and we can have our own family. And I wouldn't have to spend hours making scarves that no one buys... She was a romantic, often dreaming of meeting a nice caring guy that could support her and treat her with respect. Someone that had a bit more money than her family, she didn’t really want to live in a cramped cottage, sharing a bed with her little sister forever. The bed was thinning and uncomfortable, and the pillows were wearing thin, so the sleep was often disrupted from one or the others discomfort. Their closet was just big enough for their clothes, and there was only a tiny corner for their books.
As Sophia sat under her tree, Alexander was trying not to argue with his parents.
“Alexander, your father and I worry, why don’t you tell us what’s on your mind?”
“Because I know you’d disagree with it, and quickly tell me not to discuss such a matter, so I don’t bother trying to in the first place” he said, frustrated.
“This nonsense about disregarding status again? Most people would be happy to be in our position”
“I just don’t feel its right to act like the people less fortunate than us shouldn’t exist. All your so called friends go around like they are a waste of air, like they’re a disgrace to humanity”
“Well they don’t do much to get out of their situation do they? They just accept it and continue eating their stale bread and cabbage”
“You don’t know that for sure mother. Have you ever talked to one? I imagine there’s at least a minority that would fix their problems if they could. They don’t need people like you to make their lives worse. Everyone is human, money shouldn’t determine how you’re treated” Alexander said confidently, not caring how mad it made Lydia.
She held back her outrage. She was angry that her son would talk to her like that, but she spent her whole life being a proper lady, so she knew it was best just to discuss it, no matter how much she’d like to just hit him a couple times. She took a few deep breaths to compose herself before speaking again, soft and calm like his comments didn't faze her.
“Alexander, it’s evident that you’re a very caring person and that’s a good thing. The poor are none of our business, you shouldn’t get carried away and want to help them. You belong in the upper class, and that’s where you should stay and focus your energy doing gentlemanly things. Maybe even find a nice young lady to marry? We can help you with that, find someone with a good name, so both families would benefit from the union.”
“Is that what marriage is for you mother? A big bonus of prestige? Last time I checked it should be about love, and two people who are committed to each other enough to want to spend the rest of their lives together, and declare it to the entire world.” he said, his romantic passion almost leaping our to throw her off her pedestal.
“Don’t be silly, ideally I suppose that’s how marriage works, but unfortunately that sort of thing is only found in fairy tales. I wouldn't think you'd have that mentality since the nanny didn't raise you on them. Please dear, you must come to accept reality. Only the lower class can afford love. When choosing a wife you have to think about how it would affect your name, and the name of your family,” she said, trying to sound sympathetic, a lie he could see right through.
Alexander stood up in frustration, unable to sit as calmly as she was.
“What is your obsession with wealth and fame? I may have been born into this status, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. I might just leave to follow my heart and not care what you think of me, because I would finally be truly happy and living by my own standards, that don't seem to fit in your little scheme of your so-called life."
“How dare you talk to me like that,” Lydia said, unable to hold her anger back any longer. “How dare you be ungrateful for what you have been given. The finest clothes, you were able to eat the most exquisite meals, your bed is always warm. And all the shows, I couldn’t count how many shows we brought you to, trying to bring you up to appreciate all the finer things in this world that not everyone can experience.”
“Well maybe I don’t want those things. I appreciate what you’ve done, but I just don’t feel right having all these luxuries. I want to be able to truly appreciate what I have, and I can’t do that when its all handed to me freely” he said trying to be respectful, and at the same time make her understand how he really felt. There was a long silence, and Alexander decided he needed to take a walk and clear his head. “I’ll be back for dinner” he said and walked out of the room, down the hall and out the front door. Lydia began to get up before the door slammed shut.
“Let him go hun, he just needs some fresh air,” Edmund said, placing a hand on her shoulder lovingly.
Alexander didn’t really know where he wanted to go, so he just went down the sidewalk for a while before asking a local if there was a park nearby. He figured it was a good place as any to just sit, breath and free his thoughts before returning to the vacation house.
“Oh sure, just keep going straight, and take a left at the library, you’ll see it from there no problem sir,”
“Thank you good lad” he said, handing him a shilling for the help. It wasn’t necessarily worth the money, but he was still frustrated with his parent’s attitude, and wanted to begin doing nice things for the commoner. And the man looked reasonably dressed, and wouldn’t drink it all away. As he approached the library, Sophia had begun her walk home, so they would both have to wait a little longer for fate to bring them together, but at the time it didn't really matter since neither knew of the others existence. Sophia had other things to do. Alexander just needed to be alone for a while and let the clean air help him organize his thoughts and calm down, though it may prove to be little use once he was back to the house and reminded of what he had been mad about in the first place.

Ch4:

The next evening, Sophia went to earn her share of wages as usual. It was luck that Alexander and his parents had been vacationing in the area, and went to dinner at the restaurant where Sophia was selling her quilts and scarves; half off since the weather was turning warm again.
She stood on the curb with her merchandise laid out, calling to the people passing by and beseeching them to buy one. She had cleaned her v-triangle-shaped face and put up her light brown hair and put on her best work dress to look presentable so that maybe she could sell a few things that she and her mother had crocheted and knitted. Of course, the restaurant was fairly upscale so most of the people that went by took no notice, no matter how she beckoned. The quilts remained neatly folded in rows and her moneybox empty.
Lydia and Edmund approached the building, Alexander strolling behind them, hardly wanting to be there. His parents of course ignored Sophia’s calling of “hand made blankets and scarves half off”, they wondered who would buy such things in the spring and summer. Alexander however did not look through her as if she was invisible. He actually noticed that she was quite pretty; pale skin, blue eyes, and light brown hair.
“How much for a scarf miss?” he asked simply, admiring the intricate work of them, in a variety of both bold and soft colors.
“A bull for the quilt and a joey for the scarves sir,” she was barely able to mutter before Lydia carted him off, with an “Alexander, what are you doing, we don’t need those things…we have enough blankets, and all of better quality than that…what have I told you about helping the poor…” Alexander hardly heard any of her complaints, even as he was being dragged through the door by his arm; he looked upon Sophia’s mesmerizing face.
Alexander remained confounded the whole night. He had seen pretty girls before, all dressed up for the events that they were attending, but it’s as if they tried too hard to impress a potential husband. Sophia was a natural beauty, someone that worked hard for her family. She would be pretty even if she had just returned from the field, a rare find.
Lydia and Edmund prattled on throughout the evening, about the usual trivial things their kind discussed. Sometimes it was even egocentric. Edmund would sound intelligent, talking about business nonsense and trades his acquaintances attempted to make. Whereas Lydia would want to gossip or focus on herself. Neither took notice of Alexander’s bewilderment at the stranger outside.
By the time they came out of the bistro again, Sophia had packed up and gone home, slightly dazed and his handsomeness. Almost walking back to her cottage on auto-pilot, not really caring that nothing was sold. When she entered their humble bungalow, she instinctively put the stock on the table, and plopped down on a chair, still perplexed at the stranger.
“Welcome home dear, sell anything?” Genevieve said before she noticed her mystified look. “What’s wrong Sophia?”
Hearing her mother’s voice, Sophia came around but said nothing as she collected her thoughts.
“Oh, only a scarf, and nothin’ really, just I saw this queer bit of skirt of a cove tonight. He was with his parents, snobby type really, but he actually noticed me, even asked how much for a scarf. Naturally he had nice clothes and all, you know? Silk milltag and a bend. Shiny black crabshells, a billy in his jacket, his parents were the usual wealthy type, but he doesn’t seem like a skiver to me, no ma’am. My goodness was he lovely, black hair and honey eyes, diamond face.” She said, trailing off a little as she gazed into space, love sick.
“Now Sophia, you don’t want to get involved with that type. Better control your feelings deary, nothin’ good’ll come of trying to be with someone out of your class. Those people only marry their own kind. Best you forget about him.”
“Oh mum, don’t molly coddle me, I’m twenty-two now, it’s about time I start making my own decisions and I want to get out in the world. What better way than meeting a nice man? He wasn’t much older than me, and he actually noticed me, which should mean something..."
Only when Alexander and his parents returned to their vacation home did they notice his unusual silence and far off look. They stood there in between the entrance hall and lounge.
“Alexander, what’s the matter? And don’t tell me you were just thinking about our behavior, I will not hear of it anymore” Lydia said.
“Xander, son, are you okay?” Edmund said after he didn’t reply.
“Oh, sure I’m fine, I just can’t get that woman out of my head”
“What woman?” Lydia asked, confused.
“You probably didn’t really see her. She was the one in front of the restaurant selling quilts.”
“Oh, her? What are you think about her for? She’s just a tinker, not worth your time. You could do much better than a glocky villager,” Lydia said casually, as if she wasn’t being rude at all.
“Mother! You don’t know how intelligent she is. Now I will respect your wish of not hearing my opinions, but you must have some sort of respect and manners for people in general. You can at least know you shouldn’t judge someone before you know them. I actually saw her, and thought she was stunning, where as you, with all due respect, only saw a penniless beggar” Xander said, trying not to berate her but still sound confident and independent, he was twenty-six after all. Lydia looked at her husband, and he simply stayed silent and shrugged his shoulders, it was her battle. He encouraged free will and would support any decision he made.
“Well, you know how I feel about the lower-class, so I can’t really support your actions, but I must respect them since you are, as you mentioned, old enough to do what you wish, and I have to respect you as a man. I eventually will have to loosen my grip on you.”
“No offense mother, but I think you lost control over me when I turned eighteen, you continued to have an influence over me, but really, you must agree that parents in general can not actually control their children once they become adolescents. Living together gave you a longer time but your reign will have to end soon" He said with the utmost confidence before heading to his room after Lydia nodded solemnly. Inside, she hated the idea of him leaving, especially for a working-class woman. If it was up to her, he’d marry one of their friends’ daughters, but he was right. He could leave at any time whether she liked it or not.

Ch5:

For about a week, Sophia and Xander did not come across each other again. Sophia had lots of work to do around their land. Xander however got out as much as he could in hopes of running into her again. They both often thought of ‘that stranger from the restaurant’ though, and felt they were meant to meet again. Meanwhile Lydia was trying to convince Alexander that the relationship he hoped for wouldn’t happen, and Benjamin did the same to Sophia.
“Xander darling, I think you’re just infatuated. You thought she was pretty, and she’s a stranger so there’s a cool mystery about her. That doesn’t mean you should try to pursue a relationship…”
“You know Sophia, he’s just another rich boy, everything gets handed to him, he’s never had to do real work. Besides, he’s probably just here on vacation. You ought to for get about him…”
In his heart, Xander wanted to see her again, to at least know her name. But they would be returning to England before the end of the summer, so even if they met again, nothing could really happen, long distance relationships never worked especially when there was no such thing as a phone. Fortunately, fate or luck was on their side, and they were able to meet soon enough.
Sophia was out running errands in town while Genevieve was doing housework and Lilly was in the garden. Xander was out for another stroll for lack of anything better to do and he liked the country air. She stepped out of the library just as he went to cross in front of the building. They saw each other and stopped in their tracks, happily surprised at the coincidence.
“Um, hello,” Alexander managed. “We met before right?”
“Yeah, outside that restaurant, you asked about the scarves I was sellin’”
“Ah, yes, of course I remember, how could I forget? Then my parents so rudely dragged me away before I could catch your name”
“Sophia, Sophie O’Reilly” she said with a courtesy.
“Pleased to meet you Sophia. My name is Alexander, though my father sometimes calls me Xander”
“Nice to meet you Alexander. How have you been, since the first improper introduction?”
“I’ve been well, thank you, at least as well as I can be living with my parents, and being basically forced to be like them. You ought to see the home we’re staying in, it’s awful. It’s just as exuberant as our regular home, like they don’t dare stray away from their wealth”
“Not humble at all eh? Must be nice to have two houses. Our one house is quite small. Just the four of us, but its still cramped”
“Ah, no, my parents like to show off their status. I would rather have a smaller house. I was born into wealth, but I don’t much care for it. At least not the behavior that often comes with it. The way people like you are treated is just ghastly.”
“Thank you for your kind words, I can see that I was right about you not being like everyone else in upper class. Me mum didn’t believe me when I came home that night and said I thought you were nice, since you didn’t look right through me.”
“Would you like to take a walk with me? I don’t have to be home for a while longer” Xander asked.
“Oh, thanks but I however have to finish the errands and get home to help me mum with dinner before me dad gets home from work. But I’d like to meet again sometime, maybe this weekend? We can walk and talk then if you’d like.”
“I would, say Saturday around one; we can meet here again if that’s convenient for you”
“It is good sir, I look forward to it” Sophia said with a smile, which was returned by Xander. She curtsied and continued along her way, leaving Alexander standing there to his thoughts. Sophia, a name as lovely as she is, damn the luck we have in being from different parts of the world and of different walks of life. I do wish things could work out for us. Ah but what use is it to wish, that does nothing, I have to do what I can to make the reality the way I want it. She is beautiful though, I don’t want to say I’ll marry her, that’s something the upper-class say. I’m more reasonable and logical than that, I hardly know her, so I can’t tell that we will get along enough for marriage. Alexander was the logical type. Most people would want to marry the first person they see with extraordinary beauty, without knowing anything about them first. Marriage has begun to loose its intent of joining two people that really love each other, and how can you love someone you don’t really know? So though Xander was a romantic, he didn’t let that determine his wits and so he didn’t want to rush into thing.
Sophia was also naturally a romantic; though she sometimes let her feelings get away with her. So even though she was quite smart and often logical, emotions too often took over. Alexander sounds like a rich persons name but he doesn’t act like he’s better than anyone else. I hardly know anything about him, but I see a lot of potential…I wonder where he’s from…does he have a girl back home waiting? Have his parents arranged something? How long is he staying here? If we fall in love within that time will he stay or will I have to give him up…will he ever come back after he leaves? Does he even like me? Sophia continued to run random thoughts and questions in her head, often repeating herself, letting her emotional and irrational side get the best of her.
On her way through the house to her room, she casually mentioned her plans for Saturday to her parents whom were sitting around the table. Benjamin stopped her, and she turned around to face him again.
“What did I tell you about this guy? He’s got too much money, no matter how much you want it, a relationship won’t happen”
“Da, what harm is there in having a conversation. I may not be able to get involved, but that shouldn’t mean we can’t have some sort of friendship”
“You really think he wants to be your friend? He probably feels sorry for us, and will forget all about you as soon has he goes back to wherever he’s from”
“Da, please. You’re gunna keep me from making an acquaintance? He seems sincere and nice and not like the others, I think I’ve said that before,”
“I suppose I can’t keep you here when your will is so strong. So go head, get involved with someone out of your class, get your heartbroken if you want, just don’t come crying to me ‘cuz I’ll just say I told you so”
Without another word Sophia again turned around and almost stormed to her room to sleep until she’d have to get up and work around the house again.