The next few days after Edward confessed his plans to join the juice runners passed with little incident. Florence avoided her mother for the most part and tried to occupy her time out of Edward's company with various chores, she even tried to get rid of her slight bitterness toward her half-siblings by actually spending time with them. It wasn't their fault her parents moved on to a whole new life, one that Florence didn't always feel included in. She eventually had to admit both Clifford and Ruth were quite smart, especially Ruth who was progressing quickly and was actually quite cute when she was playing her little xylophone, which was her favorite thing to do.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49970970043_655e220222_c.jpgBased on what she witnessed, the little girl was learning new words every day and picking up walking pretty quickly as well. From the doorway to her half-brother's room she even watched her take her true first steps, her mother didn't even seem to notice that Florence was watching. Before too long Ruth would be a mover and a talker, perfect for the modern era.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49992414796_a34de32d2c_c.jpgBefore Florence knew it, it was Ruth's birthday and a huge party was thrown in her honor. Edward, Florence noticed, was not invited. Otherwise, the party went on without a hitch and after lunch, Ruth blew out her candles and aged into a child.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49992660062_3f707ccf1e_c.jpgSeveral more dull, uneventful days followed Ruth's birthday party. The only thing that shook up the doldrums that followed was when Florence's parents put together Ruth's "Big girl" room as her half-sister called it.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49991890288_624a57dfbe_c.jpgAll the while Florence didn't talk much with her parents, she had secret visits to make with Edward and tea and cookies with her Aunt Thelma. Her parents seemed to be fine with her silence until one morning she went to the kitchen to grab some breakfast. Her step-father was sitting at the kitchen table as if expecting her. Knots filled her stomach for she just knew the moment she sat down her step-father would lecture her, probably about Edward. However, she was hungry and the conversation was going to happen eventually, so she took some leftovers from the fridge and sat across from him.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49992660092_470029f3f1_c.jpgSure enough, as soon as she was seated her step-father put down his fork and turned his attention to her. "Florence, your mother, and I are worried about you."
"What could you possibly be worried about?" she asked with more ice in her voice than she intended.
"For whatever reason, you've be lashing out a lot lately and making poor decisions. Your mother suggested that you may have been feeling a little left out lately, and we both had to admit that we've been focusing a lot on Clifford and Ruth lately. Is there anything we can do to make it up to you? Perhaps we could go out to dinner, just you, your Mom, and me. "
It was as if her parents read her mind and when she'd remember this conversation, years later she'd wish she'd accepted her step-father's olive branch and left Edward and all her other poor decisions behind her. She could have avoided a lot of heartache that way, but when the offer was made she was seventeen-years-old and full of bitterness and rebellion.
Instead of accepting the branch, she grew defensive. "What poor decisions are you talking about out? The people I choose to associate with? The man I choose to love? I think the decisions I've made are perfectly fine!"
"Florence you don't understand, The Jones' are involved with some dangerous people, many I've personally arrested. I don't want you to be pulled into their lifestyle, you could get hurt, like many of the witnessed we've spoken to that led to the capture of those dangerous people." her stepfather said, his voice entirely level and calm.
"What so dangerous about juice running?" Florence asked.
"The juice runners and nectar makers have practically created a criminal empire of the stuff, of course they're dangerous."
"Those you call dangerous, I call rebels. Prohibition is a dumb law."
"Clearly I can't get through to you, so your mother and I will have to go to plan B. Starting in January you will be enrolled in a finishing school until you graduate. Hopefully, they can help you see reason." her stepfather said and the argument was over.
A few weeks after the argument the bus that would take Florence to Madame's Finishing School For Girls arrived early in the morning before the rest of her family woke-up. It gave her the opportunity to say goodbye to Edward. He met her on her porch and they started a conversation about the weather.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49970967123_c7f9391641_c.jpgIt felt silly and pointless with Florence's departure hanging over their heads. When she couldn't take it anymore Florence pulled Edward towards her and gave him the best goodbye kiss she could give.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49970967148_b1b6e911d7_c.jpgThey broke apart and for a moment Edward just stood on her porch, shocked.
However, just as Florence began to feel guilty about kissing him without asking he broke the silence. "I'll miss you too, Doll. Promise to write?"
"Of course," Florence said.
They kissed one more time before Florence climbed on the bus, away from Edward and life as she knew it.
Author's Note: I never actually sent Florence to boarding school in my playthrough, but there really was a large gap of Gameplay in Florence's "teenage years" where she didn't really go on a date with Edward or do anything interesting until she aged up into a Young adult. I figured sending her to finishing school would be a good way to explain that gap storywise.
