CHAPTER 2
The Moon has a way of creating a mood for a memory. It can make it the most romantic memory, the most devastating memory, the most angering memory, the most longed for memory, and more. However, no matter what emotion the moon gives, it only has one power above all. Memories created by the moon are memories that are never erased. They are memories that haunt, memories that linger.
Samantha receives her present.
They had just arrived at her Nana’s house. The string of Christmas lights out on the porch were bright even with the heavy snowfall outside. The fireplace kept them warm. Presents were scattered on the floor from being opened.
“This one’s from Nana!”, Sam shouted excitedly.
She ripped up the tiniest present in the bunch that had her name on. Opening it, she saw a gold butterfly hairpin, it was lined with rhinestones, the wings had both sapphire and an emerald as its center. It was one of the shiniest things she ever saw. Nana tried to get near her and took the hairpin from her hand to place it on her hair.
“Beautiful.”, her Nana’s eyes sparkled with joy and warmth.
For Sam, the second most beautiful person she ever knew was her Nana. She was wrinkly and old now, but she was the kind of woman you’d know was beautiful in her own time. He hair has been gray all over, her lips have shrunk from getting wrinkly, her hands aren’t as soft as they were, but she was beautiful.
“This hairpin was from my mother, I gave it to your mom when she was little, and made her promise to give it to you.”, Nana smiled.
Samantha looked at the hairpin again. It was beautiful. It was a family heirloom. To Sam, it became a symbol of strength and as to how long her family has it. She knew she was born to be strong every time she wore it.
William woke up from his sleep.
He felt the brush of the wind from his open window. The sounds of shouting echoed through the halls. He got up and took his robe to follow the sound coming from the halls. The moon was full outside and lit up the dark hallway.
“You are not letting them live here!”, William heard the faint sound coming from his parents’ chambers.
“I can’t let them live off that way! That kid is my son too!”, the sound of shouting got louder as he got closer.
His parents were fighting. His mother was standing in front of his father. His father was sitting on the end of the bed gripping his hands from frustration. William knew that habit, his father would only grip his hands when he was stopping his self. He was confused. What was he preventing himself to do?
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“Come on William, I just need to borrow it.”, his brother Joshua was still on the other line.
“Why don’t you just tell her the truth?”, William was starting to make a fist.
He was frustrated to have to listen and talk to his younger brother. He was the last person William ever wanted to speak to. It has been years since their father passed but William still remembered how his mother look.
“Find a different way to impress your girl Joshua. I’m not lending you the car.”, and he dropped the call.
Joshua is cleaning the tables.
He was supposed to close down the restaurant. People are already out of the streets. The rain has stopped, but his mind is still wandering to someplace else. He didn’t get to serve her table, but he always made sure that he would steal a glance. All he can think of was regret to not knowing what her name was, where is she from, and who was the guy she was having dinner with. This was a new feeling for him. He had never felt struck by a woman before. To him, getting ladies was easy. He’d woo them, court them, take them to dinner, go see a movie, spend the night with them, and then disappear as if he never existed. But this was different, he felt confused, scared, but also, he wanted to know who she was. Suddenly, his phone buzzed.
“I’m on my way home Mom.”, he answered the phone while continuing to finish wiping the tables.
“Be home soon, I’m locking the front door.”, he finished up wiping and headed to the counter.
“Yeah okay, I have a key. Good night.”, he dropped the call and fixed his belongings.
The keys dangled from his backpack. He closed up the restaurant and started walking. His apartment was only a few blocks away. It was his father’s gift before he passed. His father wanted to make sure that no conflict would arise between his sons, so he separated them. William kept the villa, he was gifted an apartment. And he was grateful for that. He didn’t have to deal with his brother’s mother.
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Joshua and William were playing in the playroom when Margaret entered. Her hair was made into a bouffant, her dress went up to her ankles. She wasn’t a nice lady to Joshua, that’s how we could phrase it.
“Stop playing and go help your mother serve dinner!”, Margaret would always shout at him.
Whenever his Father was away, Margaret was queen of the villa. Him and his mother had no say to how she treated them. They never stood up to her level and kept a low profile. His mother said it’s better that way. He never understood why.
“But I’m still playing with William.”, a slap went straight to his face.
Joshua and William were both frozen. Margaret’s hand marks were across Joshua’s face. He felt his face heat up while tears started forming in his eyes.
“Never! Never ever talk back to me!”, Margaret’s shout was heard all over the house.
Joshua then started crying. He bawled his eyes out because of the pain in his face. Margaret lifted her hand again but got stopped. His Father had just got back home when he heard Margaret’s scream. Joshua’s red cheek was the first thing his Father saw. He rushed to him, holding his leg crying.
“Why would you hit a child?”, his Father lowered himself to match Joshua’s level. He wiped the tears in his face before turning to William. “William, would you take care of Joshua for a bit?”, his Father offered his hand to William.
William took his hand and led him out of the room. They hear shouting as they got farther from them.
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His Dad was wrong though. When he died, William and him grew distant. He couldn’t see his own brother and whenever he tried, he could feel how William didn’t want to see him. So he decided to just stay away. It’d be better that way.
Miranda enters the banquet.
The candlelight inside was what other girls like her thought as dreamy. To her, it was too dim. The music was to everyone romantic, to her it was cheesy. Miranda didn’t like banquets. She didn’t like balls or any event that would pass off as selling her off in marriage. She’d rather be stuck in her library reading or painting.
“Lorraine!”, Mrs. McCartney wore her famous pearls and a blue dress that flowed to the floor. She had her arm intertwined with her husband’s.
“Melanie! It’s nice to see you!”, Miranda’s mother was always polite. A people pleaser would be the most appropriate. Everyone in their town knew her as someone would never say no to anyone. Favors people ask from her always go through.
Beside Mr. and Mrs. McCartney was their eldest son Theodore or also known as “tall, handsome, intelligent, arrogant Theodore” according to Miranda. He was every maiden’s dream, but not Miranda’s. To her, he was trouble, and she did not want anything to do with him. He had his arrogant stance while offering his hand to Miranda’s parents.
“Good evening Sir, Ma’am!”, he kissed Lorraine’s hand. He turned to Miranda and offered his hand, “Miranda.”, he smiled.
Hearing Theodore say her name felt disgusting. His hands to her were cold, his kiss icky, and his presence just utterly disturbing. However, the arrogant piece that was in front of her didn’t matter when the doors opened.
Charles Miller entered the room. His presence took everyone by surprise. No one ever thought that the Miller’s bastard would be attending the banquet. He was never there for the past events. So seeing him tonight was a surprise to everyone.
“Seems like Miller’s boy was invited…”, her mother made a sarcastic remark, “… it seems Carolyn let her husband get away again.”.
Miranda didn’t mind her mother’s sarcasm. Her eyes were fixated on Charles. His white suit, pushed back hair, how he walked the crowd and didn’t mind the whispers of everyone who’s anyone in Albany. She admired that, and suddenly, he was in front of her.
“May I have this dance?”, he offered his hand.
“Actually, I—“, Miranda cut off Theodore even before he could speak.
She took his hand and danced with Charles. Grateful for the gloves she wore to distract her from her palms sweating. Her heart raced, and suddenly, the whole room didn’t matter, everyone in Albany didn’t matter, her mom sending her off to marry a McCartney, nothing. Nothing else mattered, and she just let the music take her away.