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Maynia -- Day Fourteen -- 1,447 words
Dinner was, for a lack of a better term, hella awkward. It made matters worst that Uncle Derek decided to have Diana over as well—the way she kept waggling her eyebrows at me from across the dinner table, while she glanced at Shiela sitting beside me—was irritating.
I gotta hand it to Shiela though, she really tried hard to get to know the other members of my family, mostly warming up to my mother. It was my father though who kept stirring Shiela in the direction of business matters. And here I thought this was supposed to be a personal event, but I do I feel like he’s turning this into his own ‘personal’ business meeting?
“I must say dear, you look absolutely lovely in that dress. It’s no wonder you’re all the rave in our small town, you seem to have captivated quite a few men.” I glanced up and caught the amused gleam in my mother’s eyes before I surreptitiously glanced at Shiela, I had to agree with my mother-- the green shade of the fabric brought out the color of her emerald eyes, and it didn’t hurt either that the lacy style of it hugged her figure well—I’d have to thank our local seamstress for that, and Ms. Chip as well for discreetly mentioning just the right sizes I needed to know.
“It’s actually Sheriff Heins here that I need to thank for coming up with this getup—” I raised my eyes then to meet Shiela’s gaze. So we’re back to Sheriff Heins then.. I smiled as I caught her teasing tone, just as she continued, “—sometimes I think your son just wants to dress me up and parade me all over town..” My smile instantly dropped at what she could possibly be implying. That was a low blow Ms. Shiela..
I couldn’t help but glower back at my plate at what she, briefly catching Diana’s look that clearly said, “Oh boy, she got you bad Sheriff!”, no matter how she tried to hide the ‘O’ shaped that her mouth formed. It was then that my father butted in again, “Speaking of parades Ms. Lancaster, how about I take this opportunity to ask for your support in the upcoming elections?”
I saw my uncle stood up from his seat beside Diana, as if it was his queue to get the paperworks my father needed for this matter. My mother also made the lame excuse of getting dessert out from the kitchen, standing up while she enlisted Diana to assist her. This was not good.
“You really want to cash in on that deal now, Mayor Heins? Why don't you let this girl freshen herself up in the loo first?” I heard Shiela say sweetly, maybe a little too sweetly, as she stood up and gently took hold of my upper shoulder to excuse herself.
Now it was just me and my dad. I didn't really need to look up from my plate to know he was staring a hole into my head, I didn't acknowledge his presence at all as I put down my fork with a loud clank before saying, “You know how I feel about this, father.”
I stared at him straight then and saw the wicked grin on his face, “I know how you feel all too well, son. And those feelings you have for Ms. Lancaster? They're gonna take this town to great heights!"
I didn't really think much about Jack's advances towards me-- aside from the fact that I know I wouldn't be permanently staying in this town-- maybe at the back of my mind, I always thought his father's influence on him would prove to be too great. Maybe I was right.. But that wasn't the real reason I was here.
I stepped away from the hallway corner that hid me from the dining area’s view as I headed towards the kitchen silently. The Mayor’s signet ring—the only reason I’d feel something off about it was because it was used to widen the rift— it was the seal that contained the summoner’s soul. It didn’t automatically mean the wearer was the summoner though, because the seal could be given and worn by anybody who desired something badly enough. This made the seal feed off the wearer’s energy, sometimes amplifying it, while also saving the summoner’s soul for last once their own agenda has been fulfilled.
Knowing this made me remember the Mayor’s words, “My wife had this made for me.”— Maybe I was going about this the wrong way.. I slowed in my steps as I neared the kitchen, hearing whispered conversations from the slightly open entryway.
“What are the chances of Ms. Lancaster supporting Mayor Heins next campaign?” I heard the Deputy ask.
“It’s not Eric’s she’ll be supporting, but Jack’s.” I may have heard the slight bitterness in Mrs. Heins’ voice.
“If that happens, wouldn’t she be staying here a bit longer?”
“Honestly Diana, I can’t say for sure. I’d like to think Ms. Lancaster has a good head on her shoulders and wouldn’t plan to spend anymore than that tower of hers.”
After hearing that last bit of what Mrs. Heins said, I spied the open doorway of a washroom a few feet away and proceeded to hastily approach it backwards, pretending I’d just come out of the loo. Unfortunately in my haste, I seemed to have knocked over an array of hand cream bottles just by the washroom’s doorway.
I didn’t reach out for it fast enough as I watched its glass container crack on the porcelain sink’s edge before it cracked just as it slipped past my hand, causing me to wince as it made a crashing sound on the tiled floor.
“Wh—Ms. Lancaster! Oh shoot, you’re bleeding!” I wouldn’t have noticed the thin strip of blood coming out of my palm had the Deputy not pointed it out, she promptly grabbed a hand towel near the washroom’s sink and applied pressure on my right hand.
“Diana what’s going on there—Oh!” Mrs. Heins could only stare in shock as she surveyed the scene.
“I’m really sorry for your hand creams, Mrs. Heins. I’ll have some deliv—” I didn’t get to finish my sentence when Jack came rushing into the hallway and promptly took hold of my uninjured hand.
“Shiela! We need to go. Now.” Jack kept tugging me along towards his car just as I heard Mrs. Heins say something about us missing dessert. But I loved desserts!
Too bad. Jack had almost hauled me into the passenger seat and closed the door on me as he rounded to the other side, I could only stare at him in bewilderment as he drove away from his parents’ house as if the devil was after him. Maybe it was.. I narrowed my eyes as I looked out the window and watched the lights from his house start to get smaller, until we were now completely on the main road.
By then, Jack seemed to have let up on the accelerator as I felt the car shift to a much slower pace. “Shit! You’re bleeding!” Well, someone finally noticed.. I rolled my eyes just as Jack slowed to a stop on the side of the road, seeing him hastily start to take off his suit coat before loosening his necktie had me widening my eyes, “Woah! Slow down there Sheriff Heins! I am not doing this on the side of the road!!”
“Wha—” Jack then stopped midway in taking off his necktie as he stared at me with wide eyes, before a slow grin formed on his face as he pulled me closer by my right hand and.. started wrapping his necktie around it..
“I’m not the type too, you know..” Jack started saying as he kept his focus on bandaging my hand, before he glanced up and stared deep into my eyes as he finished, “Do you really take me for a hooligan?”
“No, but you made me miss dessert, Sheriff.” I said as I pulled my hand away from his and leaned back on the seat with a grumble, refusing to look at him as I continued to stare out my window.
I heard him let out a short laugh as he then started the car and turned on the radio to a soft beat, “How ‘bout we stop by at Lou’s then? I heard she’s got some mean dessert specials up for the week.”
I couldn’t help my smile then as I glanced his reflection by the window. All these were only temporary, but for now, it was my hymn of sanity.
to be continued...
Image from Pixabay, by Phan Minh Cuong An: https://pixabay.com/users/minanfotos-9565064/ (edited with dreamscopeapp)