Greendale

My Light

After school, I come home to Gloria; my fathers maid of 30 long years, prepping for his annual dinner. Gloria believed it was out of tradition, my mother loved a good party. I believed it was out of loneliness. After my brother Tommy had passed from being suffocated in the mines, my father lost the first half of his family, the ones he truly loved. He ate TV dinners while watching MASH every night, a god awful show.

Sabrina helped me forget about my fathers cruel intent to ice me out. After I had discovered her real being, I had felt alone once again. Lydia had been different, she didn't help me forget, she helped me cope.

"Gloria, put Mr. Claytons tag next to my chair, he doesn't bore me as much" my father called from the other room.
"Yes, sir" Gloria politely nodded.

I helped Gloria prepare the appetizers while I waited for Lydia and her family to show. I was stabbing the Capris on a toothpick, my mother's favorite. She died when I was young, but my father and brother kept her legacy strong. She was always supportive of the Kinkle name along with the mines. Once she died, Tommy told me the mines were never the same. Men relied on my broken father to guide them through the caves, but he always left them stranded when times got tough. He had no passion, no drive. Nothing satisfies my father.

As I enslaved in thought, the first knock of the door came.

"Harvey, please come greet the guests" my father waved me over.
"Yes, sir"

The first couple was a nice young black family. Samual Jetner; 24, Natasha Jetner; 23 and little Grant Jetner; 4 all gathered at the door.

"Welcome, please come in" I motioned towards the foyer.

As I was taking the coat for Mrs. Jetner, another knock hit the door. I greeted Mr. And Mrs. Georgetown, a single couple in their early 30s and invited them to join the Jetner's in the lounge room. One more family.

They were quiet couples, having small talk as they surveyed the house. It was a slap in the face to be in this home. They struggled everyday, scraped by in unfortunate circumstances as my father stayed in his posh home. I felt for every one of the men that worked in that mine.

The last knock of the night came. I smoothed my black button up and stood at the door for a moment. I surveyed the mirror, fixed my hair and opened the door.

"Welcome Mr. And Mrs. Clayton" I smiled.

I couldn't see Lydia, her parents standing guard.

"Hello, sir. Nice to meet you." Mr. Clayton shook my hand.
"Hello dear, I'm Mrs. Clayton and my daughter, Lydia." She moved out of the way to expose her.

She was as beautiful as ever. She wore a black dress, with a pastel blue cardigan that covered her shoulders. She wore light mascara which maximized her colored eyed features. I was stunned by her, her fresh curls flowing at her side.

"Hello" she smiled.
"H...i" I smiled back. I could feel my face turning a bright red so I turned to motion them in, covering my blush.

My father gave his usual speech about hard work, it felt like a sham. The new coming guests had felt this phony attempt because they all sat with gray emotions. After the speech, he had motioned us into the grand dining room. My father wanted to be surrounded by his best men, so Mr. Clayton and Mr. Georgetown sat across from each other, and I sat next to Mrs. Georgetown. This fortunately landed me in front of Ms. Lydia Clayton. As the men spoke, the rest of us ate. Every once in a while I would look up at Lydia, we'd exchange glances and hint a smile. She had me smitten.