Why

Chapter 9

My fingers grip the collar of the too tight dress that my grandmother made me put on this morning. "You look beautiful. Just like your mother." I study my fingers and look at the fresh coat of red nail polish that she insisted I paint my nails last night because it would match my dress. I can't help but think that my grandmother would have really like Liz. Liz would have let my grandmother dress her up with no complaint while I, on the other hand, can't stand being in a dress. My torso feels too short and my legs too long with my arms too lanky.

My grandmother's canary yellow car zooms down the highway as we approach Winchester. A fresh batch of butterflies erupt in my stomach and nervousness sets in.

I glance over at my grandmother to take in her light purple dress with golden flowers embroidered on the skirt. Her large sunglasses sit on her face making it hard for me to read her expression.

"We are lucky that a Women of Winchester meeting is right before school. This way you can make new friends with the right people." I stare at my grandmother in slight shock. I don't know if she understands how rude her words are but I do. The social order in this town is nearly ridiculous. My expectations of todays 'meeting' is staying quiet to myself so I don't have to deal with rich stuck up girls who will most likely judge me for everything I do. After all, I'm an outsider to them.

We pull up to the gated community and are buzzed in right away. The fast car zooms past the old houses and with each passing home, I feel my stomach sink a little further. Starting school in Winchester is something I have recently started to dread. Being shy and reserved already, I don't think I'll make too many friends. At least after today I'll know what to expect for when school starts in a couple of days.

The car comes to a clean stop outside of a house painted a light shade of blue that matches the sky. Ever since Jacob and I went to visit Dr. Stevens the sky has been saturnine and exceptionally gloomy. It stayed that way for almost a week. Having the blue sky back is almost a relief.

"Hurry up dear." My grandmother snaps me out of my daze and when I look up she's already out of the car and waiting for me patiently on the sidewalk. I scramble out of the car and clumsily stubble over my feet all the way to the door because of the small heels my grandmother made me put on this morning.

"How many people go to this?" I ask. I look from the long line of cars parked outside this large house and back to my grandmother who uses one skinny finger to ring the doorbell.

"I would say around thirty adults and ten young ladies." She answers just before someone wearing a black dress similar to Cecelia's opens the front door. She barely gives us a glance before opening the large door all the way for us to enter.

"Thank you Margie." Grandmother nods her head in a greeting and the maid, Margie, nods her head back. She's noticeably older than Cecelia or any other of grandmother's maids. I would say she's in her late sixties and running up close to retiring age. Her eyes stayed glued to the ground and her shoulders are hunched over slightly.

"Thank you." I awkwardly whisper. She looks up at the new voice with her tired eyes and is about to nod at me when suddenly she freezes. Her eyes widen and stay glued to me while she backs away slightly. Her reaction to me takes me by surprise and sets me on edge. She stares at me like she's scared.

"Emma. Please keep up." My grandmother says, obviously losing patience for me today. I look back at Margie who is closing the door and no longer paying attention to me. I hurry after my grandmother and together we walk down the long hall.

Slowly I start to hear sounds of talking and the closer we get to the end of the hall. We turn into what looks like a huge Livingroom only without a TV. The wallpaper is painted a lighter brown and across every wall is some kind of painting in an old fashioned frame. A large fireplace lines a good chunk of the wall to the left of where my grandmother and I stand and just like in my grandmother's mansion, the furniture looks ancient and elegant.