Chapter 1: Introduction
The door slammed shut. I didn’t need to look at the clock to know it was well past midnight, and Lily was home from work. I could imagine the exhaustion written all over her face. Let her stew in it, just for a bit. I had been stuck listening to Top 40 hits and arguing with drunken strangers about who was the better Superman—Christopher Reeve or Robocop. Bless her—she could call me out on my bullshit.
She dropped her purse and keys on the corner of the vintage jade velvet couch.
I watched the subtle shake of her shoulders—a sigh of relief, and simmering anger. The faintest scent of cleaning products and sadness trailed behind her, lingering in the air. I forced myself to maintain focus on a sci-fi novel, but it was useless—a futile effort to shield my callousness.
Lily headed straight for the kitchen, paying no mind to my presence, as if it was possible to ignore the elephant in the room. She pulled out a tall glass, filled it with water from the tap, and chugged it down.
After catching her breath, she mustered the strength to meet my unwavering gaze.
“Had another one of your little shindigs, I see.” Lily was not a religious person, but the biting way she said ‘shindigs’ definitely resembled a lapsed Catholic cursing like a sailor. I made a mental note to add fun-sized Snickers to my grocery list this week, hoping they would soften the blow.
“Oh, don’t be such a stick in the mud. What’s wrong with having a little fun every once in a while?
Besides, I didn’t ask for your judgment and didn’t need your unsolicited advice.” Emily’s hand slammed the coffee table, causing a family heirloom vase to rattle precariously. Party guests had put scotch tape on the bottom to keep it from moving. It warmed my cold, black heart when I didn’t get blamed for it, even if just this once.
Lily raised an eyebrow, presenting herself as the epitome of disappointed grace. She walked back to her room, returning with an over-sized cardboard box.
Placing it on the table, she carefully lifted the flaps and started to take out photographs and documents.
“Look, Emily. I found these in the basement. Remember our family history? It’s more precious than those pointless drunken parties you throw. Here we have pictures of Mom and Dad before they were married, and even our grandparents. And these documents trace our family history back to the 18th century.”
The nostalgia was thick in the air as she gently spread the photographs and documents across the table, a timeline of memories carefully preserved and neatly organized.
The vibrant colors in each picture were a stark contrast to Emily’s bright green eyes, and together the memories illuminated the darkness that lingered after the parties in the cozy apartment.
“Aunt Emily, do you remember the story of our great-great-great-great-grandmother, Harriet? As heir to the family business, she found herself battling to reclaim her position in a world run by men.