always full of the perfumed aroma of flowers, even in
the wintertime.
The sitting room was the first room on the right. It had the look of a showcase in a furniture store window. The oak wood floor was kept so polished, Cary and I used to pretend that we could go ice skating over it. There was a large rug between the pair of beige sofas and under the large dark maple coffee table. Beside both settees were matching maple end tables. On every table, on every shelf, there were expensive-looking crystal pieces, vases and, occasionally, pictures in silver and gold frames of Grandpa Samuel and Grandma Olivia when they were younger, and some pictures of Daddy, Mommy, as well as one group picture of me, Cary, and May taken four years ago. There were no pictures of the ostracized Uncle Chester and Aunt Haille. Bringing up their names in this house was the same as uttering
a profanity.
Everything always looked brand new to me.
Every piece of metal glittered, as did every piece of
glass. The windows were so clean, you couldn't tell if
they were open or closed unless you walked right up
to them.
Grandma Olivia was in her high-back chair
looking like a queen granting an audience when we
entered the sitting room. She wore an elegant rose silk
dress with a large cameo above her left breast, a piece we knew was an heirloom, handed down from her grandmother on her father's side. Her hair was pulled back in a severe bun with a pearl comb decorated with
small diamonds.
Grandpa Samuel sat rather casually compared
to Grandma Olivia. He had his legs crossed, a tall
glass of whiskey and soda in his hand. He wore a light
brown suit and looked his usual dapper self. His face
broke into a wide, warm smile as soon as we entered
the room.
"Here they are," he declared, "and a pretty
handsome and beautiful group of grandchildren, too,
hey Nelson?"
Judge Childs nodded. He sat across from
Grandpa Samuel on Grandma Olivia's right side. The
Judge was a distinguished-looking, elderly man with
gray hair shot through with some of his original light
brown color. It was neatly trimmed and parted on the
right side. He wore a dark blue suit and a bow tie.
Despite his age, I thought he was still a rather