Wine Stained Dress

March 14th, 1861

Dear diary,
The piano arrived today. It's made of the most beautiful wood I have ever seen. It's a work of art. I wish to play the ivory keys, but Calvin won't let me anywhere near it. It's only for decoration; something to impress the locals. I do not belong in this town. I long to go back home.

Taylor shut her plain, black leather notebook. The edges were worn, and the spine was bent. There were tiny rips on a majority of the delicate pages that filled the journal. Taylor didn't mind its ragged appearance, though. It was her safe place, where all of her secrets lived. She trusted that notebook more than she trusted any living person.

Taylor put the journal back into its hidden home, behind the second drawer in her vanity. She looked at her reflection in the mirror. A fair skinned, golden haired young woman stared back at her. She had never been a fan of her reflection, although many people envied her looks. Taylor's eyes were the color of sapphires. Lately they had been especially blue, since crying had become part of her daily routine.

"Taylor! Get down here!", a slurred voice echoed up the stairs. Taylor took a deep breathe and rushed down the stairs, and into the kitchen.
"What in the hell do you think you're doin'?! Do you know what time it is!?", Calvin barked at her. He yanked out his pocket watch and shoved it in his wife's face. "It's almost 2! I have been waiting for an hour for my lunch, dammit!". His breathe reeked of alcohol, whiskey to be exact.
"I'm sorry. I was trying to straighten things up. I'll make you something right now.", Taylor turned to begin preparing the food, but Calvin grabbed her arm and pulled her close.
"Now that's my girl." He kissed Taylor roughly and stumbled onto the front porch. Taylor wiped her mouth and started on the meal. She was skilled in the kitchen, and she truly enjoyed cooking.
It wasn't long before lunch was finished. Vegetable soup. It was the easiest thing to make, since they now lived on a large farm. Taylor called for Calvin to come in, but there was no response. She let out a heavy sigh and walked towards the porch. She stopped just before the door. Calvin was screaming at someone.
Taylor couldn't quite make out what he was saying, it mostly sounded like slurred curses. She poked her head out of the door to see what all the commotion was about.
Calvin was standing over one of the field workers, his hand raised in a fist. The man under his was crying, obviously begging not to be hit. Taylor's eyes filled with tears as she watched her husband threaten the cowering man. She didn't know what to do, so she called out to her husband once again.
"Calvin your food is ready! Hurry in before it gets cold!". Calvin turned to Taylor, giving her an angry glare. He then kicked dirt into the man's face and headed towards the house. He shoved Taylor out of the way and sat down at the kitchen table. Taylor rushed out to the man on the ground.

"Are you alright?", she asked. The man was trying to get the dirt out of his eyes. Taylor bent down to make sure he was unharmed.
"Yes ma'am. I'm sorry about all of this. I should've been working harder. I apologize, Ma'am.", the young man said. He was very distressed. It broke Taylor's heart. She couldn't bare to see other people hurting.
"Do not apologize. I should be the one apologizing. Calvin has a terrible temper. You shouldn't have been treated that way." Taylor took out her handkerchief and handed it to him. He looked at her in disbelief, his eyes still fiery red from the dirt that was kicked into them.
"It's okay. I have plenty of them.", Taylor said with a kind smile.
"Thank you for your kindness ma'am.", he took the linen handkerchief and stood up. The young man wiped his eyes, trying to restore his vision.
"What's your name?", Taylor asked.
"Benjamin."
Taylor smiled at him, and extended her hand.
"My name is Taylor. Taylor Swif- I mean Harris. I'm sorry, I've been married for nearly 6 months and I still can't remember my new name!"
Benjamin shook her hand firmly and shot her a friendly smile.
"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Taylor. If there's anything you ever need, just holler. I'll be right there." Benjamin picked his hat up off the ground and walked back towards the fields.

Taylor brushed the dirt off of her dress and headed inside. Calvin had migrated to the couch in the parlor. The dishes were still on the table, waiting for Taylor to tend to them. She let out a heavy sigh. Calvin snored loudly, a bottle still in his hand.
Taylor covered her husband with a blanket and took the bottle from his hand. She set it on the end table. She knew better than to put it more than a few feet away from him.

She cleaned up the dishes and crept over to the piano. She traced her fingers over the ivory keys. Music played in her head, music that she longed to play on that beautiful piano. It broke her heart to see an instrument as magnificent as that go unplayed.
"I'll play you one day, I promise.", Taylor whispered.