Post by Sophia Foster on Apr 16, 2022 12:26:37 GMT -5
Sophie picked at her nails as she waited for her grandmother. The woman was cold and regal, the master of the family despite the aggressive nature of Sophie’s father. Usually the woman was kind enough to Sophie. She would protect Sophie from her father’s wrath, but there was always an icy distance between her and anyone else. Tradition came before anything else in the woman’s mind, and Sophie had no idea how this interaction would go.
“Sophie,” a voice said behind her. Sophie turned and saw her grandmother. “Nana,” she greeted in response. She stood up and stepped around the table, pulling out the other seat. She waited until her grandma was settled before returning to her own seat, crossing her legs at the ankle even though they’d be hidden by the table.
Sophie kept her posture straight as she poured hot water from the tea kettle that was already waiting. She was a fan of tea, but the etiquette of high tea could get annoying at times. Even her outfit, a light pink dress with lace flats, made her feel out of place.
“So,” her grandmother began as Sophie handed her the first cup of water. She proceeded to pour one for herself. “To what do I owe this privilege? You’re hard to get ahold of these days, Sophie.”
Sophie glanced up from preparing her tea, a flash of guilt shining in her eyes. “I’m sorry about that, I’ve been studying overseas.” she explained. Putting distance between her and her father also served to distance her from her other relatives, even if that wasn’t her intention.
“And for college?” her grandmother asked.
Sophie began to shrug then froze, knowing her grandmother would disapprove of the action. “I’m not certain yet,” she replied, “I’ve been looking at schools here and ones in America.” It wasn’t technically a lie, but it wasn’t true either. She was still looking at colleges in both places, but she knew she’d be staying in America. There was no way to take Mackenzie away from New York and she wasn’t going to leave Mack.
“I see,” her grandmother said, swirling sugar into her tea. There was disapproval in her voice, and it cut Sophie like a knife. She was never sure why she always wanted her grandmother’s approval. It was something about how she carried herself and how rarely she was truly happy with anything. A kind word from her was stronger than a barrage of compliments from anyone else.
When her Grandmother took a sip of her tea, Sophie got up the nerve to speak again. “So, Nana,” she began, “I’ve been dating someone.” She was too nervous to mention it was a girl, or even that she was an American. She would have to eventually just… not yet.
“Have I met him?” her grandmother asked, the gaze fixed on her filled with an icy mix of curiosity and restrained concern. For Sophie or for the family image? It was hard to tell.
“Her.” Sophie corrected. Even a lie by omission would get her in trouble here. Her grandmother froze, and Sophie continued to speak, “She’s a girl. Her name is Mackenzie and I’ve been dating her for over a year and a half now.”
Sophie waited for her grandmother to say something, either an acceptance or a denial of her chosen path, but it didn’t come. Instead, she was given another question. “Is this an American?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Sophie replied.
“Is she from a good family, or is she interested in your money?” her grandma asked.
“She doesn’t come from money, but she doesn’t want it either. She would be happy to life a simple life.” Sophie said, trying to judge her grandmother’s reaction. A mask had slid over the woman’s face, not letting on anything.
“Does your father know about her?” her grandmother asked, freezing Sophie’s blood.
“If he did do you think we’d both be alive right now?” Sophie asked tightly. Her grandmother’s lips quirked up, but the expression was gone as quickly as it came.
“And what is it you want from me?”
Sophie felt her posture slip and she quickly corrected it. She had no idea how this was going. “I want the family ring.” she replied simply.
“Sophia, that ring is meant to go to your brother if he gets married. It has been passed down to the eldest son to give to his bride for four generations.” she said, condescension lacing with her disapproving tone. “Explain to me why it should be given to you instead.”
Sophie released a small sigh of relief. She had a chance. “Nana, I have known Mackenzie for about a year and a half, and in that time she has shaped who I am. She makes me a better person. I want to be a better person so that I can give her everything she deserves. She is the love of my life, and I want to make her mine under the eyes of God until the end of time. But it would feel wrong to just buy her a ring. I have the money, but it would be too easy. I want the family ring, but with it I want your approval.” she said, then took a sip of her tea.
“In order to gain my approval I have to meet her. And your father has to bless the union.” her grandmother said. Sophie set her jaw. Of course it would come back to her father. She had thought she could avoid him, but her grandmother wouldn’t let her.
Sophie shook her head slowly. “Nana, please.” she whispered, “Dad would never approve. You know what he’s like, especially where I’m concerned. Besides the fact that he disowned his son for homosexuality, dad doesn’t want me to be happy. The only way he’d approve of me getting married was if he thought it would make me miserable.”
“We will have dinner with your father tomorrow night, and pending his blessing I will give you the ring on two conditions.” her grandmother said, “I must meet her at least two months before the wedding, and you have to include me in the planning.”
The conditions didn’t matter to Sophie. She didn’t see any way her father would approve, even if she begged on her hands and knees. She wanted to scream at her grandmother, but instead she gripped her hand in her lap and let her nails dig into her palm. “Thank you, Nana,” she said in a tone that was a bit too even.
“Well then! Now that that’s out of the way tell me all about your school.” her grandmother said.
They stayed and talked for about half an hour before Sophie excused herself and headed back to her hotel. She needed to come up with some sort of plan for the dinner.
“Sophie,” a voice said behind her. Sophie turned and saw her grandmother. “Nana,” she greeted in response. She stood up and stepped around the table, pulling out the other seat. She waited until her grandma was settled before returning to her own seat, crossing her legs at the ankle even though they’d be hidden by the table.
Sophie kept her posture straight as she poured hot water from the tea kettle that was already waiting. She was a fan of tea, but the etiquette of high tea could get annoying at times. Even her outfit, a light pink dress with lace flats, made her feel out of place.
“So,” her grandmother began as Sophie handed her the first cup of water. She proceeded to pour one for herself. “To what do I owe this privilege? You’re hard to get ahold of these days, Sophie.”
Sophie glanced up from preparing her tea, a flash of guilt shining in her eyes. “I’m sorry about that, I’ve been studying overseas.” she explained. Putting distance between her and her father also served to distance her from her other relatives, even if that wasn’t her intention.
“And for college?” her grandmother asked.
Sophie began to shrug then froze, knowing her grandmother would disapprove of the action. “I’m not certain yet,” she replied, “I’ve been looking at schools here and ones in America.” It wasn’t technically a lie, but it wasn’t true either. She was still looking at colleges in both places, but she knew she’d be staying in America. There was no way to take Mackenzie away from New York and she wasn’t going to leave Mack.
“I see,” her grandmother said, swirling sugar into her tea. There was disapproval in her voice, and it cut Sophie like a knife. She was never sure why she always wanted her grandmother’s approval. It was something about how she carried herself and how rarely she was truly happy with anything. A kind word from her was stronger than a barrage of compliments from anyone else.
When her Grandmother took a sip of her tea, Sophie got up the nerve to speak again. “So, Nana,” she began, “I’ve been dating someone.” She was too nervous to mention it was a girl, or even that she was an American. She would have to eventually just… not yet.
“Have I met him?” her grandmother asked, the gaze fixed on her filled with an icy mix of curiosity and restrained concern. For Sophie or for the family image? It was hard to tell.
“Her.” Sophie corrected. Even a lie by omission would get her in trouble here. Her grandmother froze, and Sophie continued to speak, “She’s a girl. Her name is Mackenzie and I’ve been dating her for over a year and a half now.”
Sophie waited for her grandmother to say something, either an acceptance or a denial of her chosen path, but it didn’t come. Instead, she was given another question. “Is this an American?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Sophie replied.
“Is she from a good family, or is she interested in your money?” her grandma asked.
“She doesn’t come from money, but she doesn’t want it either. She would be happy to life a simple life.” Sophie said, trying to judge her grandmother’s reaction. A mask had slid over the woman’s face, not letting on anything.
“Does your father know about her?” her grandmother asked, freezing Sophie’s blood.
“If he did do you think we’d both be alive right now?” Sophie asked tightly. Her grandmother’s lips quirked up, but the expression was gone as quickly as it came.
“And what is it you want from me?”
Sophie felt her posture slip and she quickly corrected it. She had no idea how this was going. “I want the family ring.” she replied simply.
“Sophia, that ring is meant to go to your brother if he gets married. It has been passed down to the eldest son to give to his bride for four generations.” she said, condescension lacing with her disapproving tone. “Explain to me why it should be given to you instead.”
Sophie released a small sigh of relief. She had a chance. “Nana, I have known Mackenzie for about a year and a half, and in that time she has shaped who I am. She makes me a better person. I want to be a better person so that I can give her everything she deserves. She is the love of my life, and I want to make her mine under the eyes of God until the end of time. But it would feel wrong to just buy her a ring. I have the money, but it would be too easy. I want the family ring, but with it I want your approval.” she said, then took a sip of her tea.
“In order to gain my approval I have to meet her. And your father has to bless the union.” her grandmother said. Sophie set her jaw. Of course it would come back to her father. She had thought she could avoid him, but her grandmother wouldn’t let her.
Sophie shook her head slowly. “Nana, please.” she whispered, “Dad would never approve. You know what he’s like, especially where I’m concerned. Besides the fact that he disowned his son for homosexuality, dad doesn’t want me to be happy. The only way he’d approve of me getting married was if he thought it would make me miserable.”
“We will have dinner with your father tomorrow night, and pending his blessing I will give you the ring on two conditions.” her grandmother said, “I must meet her at least two months before the wedding, and you have to include me in the planning.”
The conditions didn’t matter to Sophie. She didn’t see any way her father would approve, even if she begged on her hands and knees. She wanted to scream at her grandmother, but instead she gripped her hand in her lap and let her nails dig into her palm. “Thank you, Nana,” she said in a tone that was a bit too even.
“Well then! Now that that’s out of the way tell me all about your school.” her grandmother said.
They stayed and talked for about half an hour before Sophie excused herself and headed back to her hotel. She needed to come up with some sort of plan for the dinner.