Dinner was served at 7 PM every night. Bill Ludlow liked his meal warm and ready for him when he arrives home. He liked it even better when his wife, Catherine, and his two daughters sat at the dining table, waiting for him to have dinner together. They greeted him with a perfect smile and the courtesy of ladies from an upper-class family.
They exchanged stories of how they go about their day with Bill usually dominated the conversation. He meticulously laid out his plans and rules so each and every member of the family know who's in charge and what they have to do. Obedient is the key to Bill Ludlow's heart, the girls had learned that if they obey their father's rules, they can ask for almost anything.
"I've invited my good friend, Lloyd Friedman to your birthday party, Charlene," her father said.
She nodded even though she didn't know who it was.
"Lloyd is coming all the way from Gastonburry?" Catherine asked.
Bill nodded, "He's coming with his son, Landon, he'll be graduating from Law school in a couple of years ... a fine young man." Catherine kept eating and glanced at Charlene who didn't have a clue what's going on. "Landon will be helping me with my campaign next year, and he'll be working for me at the Mayor's office after he graduates ... given if I'm elected," there was a glow on Bill's face when he said that.
"I think you should spend some time with him at your party, get to know him, after all ... you'll be admitted to University of Gastonburry next year and he can be your mentor, give you some insights on higher education and campus life," he said to Charlene.
She smiled and nodded, "Yes, daddy."
"I've sent a recommendation letter to UOG for your enrollment next year, the law major there is one of the best in the country ... I'm sure they'll accept you, no problem."
"Law?" Charlene asked.
"Of course, what else would it be? I have the best connection in the world for that line of work, it's one of the advantages of all my hard work all those times, and if you're any good, you get to implement laws and regulations and ultimately change the course of society one day," he explained why it was the only choice for her.
"I was thinking ... I was interested in Film Art," said Charlene and made her father laughed.
"Film? Don't waste your brains on that ... you're way too smart for a minuscule major like that, anyways they don't have Film Major at UOG."
Her mother gave her a look, she knew it was a code to keep her mouth shut. Bill Ludlow decide everything in the household, to argue with him was not an option they have the luxury of. "Don't be silly, Charlene, you can have Film Art for a hobby, but trust me, Law is where you should concentrate your future in ... Landon will help you with everything you need, I've met him a few times and that fine young man is not only going to be graduating top of his class, ... he will be suitable." Catherine touched her husband's hand to stop him from saying what he wanted to say.
"I'm sure Landon is a nice young man, and it's always good to have friends when you enter a new environment," Catherine said while signaling to her husband not to impose on Charlene more than she can handle.
"Yes, you're mother's right ... I hope everything is ready for the big day, sweet seventeen ... how time flies, you'll be a young woman in two weeks," Bill said as he wiped his mouth with the table cloth.
The soonest dinner was over, everyone went to their rooms. Charlotte liked to stay in her big sister's room before they go to sleep. She loved watching her sister brushed her hair and slipped into her nightgown.
"I think daddy wants you to marry that Landon boy, Charlene," Charlotte said.
Charlene stopped her brushing and sighed, "I'm too young to marry, Charlotte, I've never even had a boyfriend," she replied.
Charlotte laid down on the bed, "I think daddy wants Landon to be your boyfriend," she commented.
Charlene sighed, "I wish he wouldn't choose everything for me ... I wouldn't mind if I like him, but if not, no one can make me," she said.
"What if he turns out to be handsome, smart, and wonderful? And what if he asks for a kiss?" she asked naively.
Charlene laughed and threw a pillow at her sister, "I wouldn't know what to do," she giggled.
"Would you tell me, though? Tell me what you'd do?"
They laughed and hugged, "You know I tell you everything," Charlene said.
"I met a boy today," she said. Charlotte's eyes widen in anticipation, "His name is Tommy ... he has the bluest eyes I've ever seen ... I'll probably see him again tomorrow," Charlene told her, she was blushing. Charlotte shrieked in excitement. "You should never tell mom or daddy, promise?" Charlene offered her a pinky, she took it.
"Do you like him?" her sister asked.
She smiled, "I don't know ... maybe ... he said I was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen." They both giggled.
"You are, Charlene ... the most beautiful girl in the world," Charlotte said in admiration.
"Oh no I'm not ... you are the most beautiful girl in the world," they laughed.
"A Ludlow girl?? Oh man ... you're out of your mind, bro, there's no way ..." Samuel commented. Tom had been with almost every girl in town, but he never crossed to the other side of Bluebridge where the better halves were living, let alone Bill Ludlow's daughter. "You don't wanna mess with Bill Ludlow, he's got grip on this town, don't wanna know what he'll do to you if he found out you're messing with his daughter," Ryan agreed.He wasn't planning to mess around with this girl, though, not really. The moment he laid eyes on her, it was pure attraction. He'd never been attached to anything in his life after his mom left, he learned to mend for himself from such an early age. He explored his sexuality by having casual sex with many girls, but never really have a steady girlfriend before. When he saw Charlene, something inside him felt tamed, withdrawn from his usual wild ways of approaching the opposite sex, it was a feeling he didn't recognize.His family fell apart a
He was good with his words, but then again, Charlene was not allowed to go to the store again after that day. After a few days, she had accepted that she might never see him again. She walked to and from school with her friends, always looking around to see if she can find a familiar face along the way. But she never did.There are many walk paths to get from one place to another in Bluebridge, most people go by bike or motorbike, the most common was by foot. The only time people go by car was to go out of town, or if you're a Ludlow or the very few upper-class families in that very small town then you get to go around town by car with a driver.She was walking home from school that day, she and her friends Mandy and Kayla took the usual route past the lake near the woods. There were people swimming in the lake, they heard them laughing, jumping into the lake and splashes of water. They were teenagers, a bit older than them, not from their area, sure enough, her eyes w
Despite what her mother said to him, he couldn't resist the urge to see her again. She was the only thing he could think about when she's not with him. He waited behind a big tree, not far from her school, biting on a toothpick with his back and a foot up against the tree and one hand in his pocket.He has a noticeable appearance, other than his visible good looks, he has a presence that distinct him from a crowd. She was starting to get familiar with him that her eyes would easily find him. She had butterflies rushing to fly away from inside her stomach as he was approaching her. She knew when he came to her school that day, he was pursuing her. Something most boys wouldn't dare the soonest they found out she was Bill Ludlow's daughter. He had a devil-may-care attitude that was most attractive to her, yet the minute he was in her presence, he would shrink into an awkward harmless little boy that made it hard for her to believe that he was as bad as the things she heard about
The house was transformed into a party venue. Workers have been working since morning, putting up lights, flowers, setting up tables, inside and outside the house. The lawn had been mowed, tents were hoisted. The kitchen had been cooking non-stop, caterers have arrived with more variations of dishes to serve throughout the night.Her parents had invited 150 guests aside from Charlene's friends. The caterers provided 20 waiters and waitresses to make sure the food and beverages were prepared and served properly. There will be at least 250 people crowding the party. She looked stunning in a white halter neck dress that her mom had chosen for her. She put on some make-up and earrings. She brushed her hair casually because her naturally wavy hair looked gorgeous on any occasion. She finally came downstairs with Mandy and Kayla when it was almost dinner time. The guests were already gathered up under the staircase, having hors d'oeuvres and champagne. They all looked up to see her
Landon emerged from the crowd and came over to where Charlene was sitting with her friends. Inside, the music was playing, and people started to make room for a dance floor in the center of the main hall. "Hey, Charlene ... it's time for your dance, your dad asked me to look for you here and do the first dance together," said Landon, extending his hand to Charlene."Oh, my ... I'm not very good at dancing," she looked at her friends to bail her out, but they were actually encouraging her to go for it."I can help you out with that, don't worry," he assured her.She took his hand and nervously walked inside. The guests were clapping for them, Landon turned her around to face him, they touch palms, and put his other arm around her waist. He put her other arm around his waist, their faces almost touched. She had never been that close to a guy before, she turned her face to her right, and saw her parents smiling widely looking at them starting to sway on the dance f
"Okay ... it's time to get you back home," Tommy said after she finished her second beer."What? No!!" his friends shouted."Oh, come on, Tommy! It's not that late," Charlie whined.He laughed, "It is for you, Birthday Girl," he stood up, extended his hand to her. "Come on, you're not supposed to be here in the first place, you're putting me on the spot here," he said.She took his hand and stood up, "Well, okay, fair enough," she agreed. She felt a little light-headed but managed to walk straight after she said goodbye to everybody."You comin' back here, man?" Ryan asked."Yeah, I'll be back."Tommy put his hands on her waist when she wobbled, "Are you okay?"She nodded, "I'm okay, it's the beer, I guess?" and then she laughed out loud. He lets her go as soon as she managed to steady her walk. "I never drank before in my life, I didn't know it had a really funny side effect, I mean ... I knew but I never experienced it before
The dilapidated cabin looked gloomy amongst the towering elms. He ascended the front steps toward the door, already had ideas of what he was going to do with the steps and the small veranda. He put the key in the keyhole and turned it. It still smelled like old tobacco and wet wood. He entered carefully, the floor creaked, the hinges squeaked. Everything was still at its place, nobody had been in there since old man Bob's funeral.He sat on the two seated ram shacked sofa, he took a small picture frame from the side table next to it, a picture of the old man and him when he was about 15 years old. He remembered how Bob used to show him magic tricks that were obvious to him, but he kept his mouth shut, pretended that it was the cleverest trick he had ever seen.Bob asked him one day, "Do you believe in magic, Tommy?"He said, "No."Bob smiled and said, "You will ... when you see her," with a pat on his shoulder.He never really understood what it me
Every day after school, she looked around to find him lurking behind a tree somewhere, but he wasn't there. She later found out from Samuel that he was working on some cabin in the woods. "Can you tell him I'm looking for him?" there was a hint of sadness in her voice.The thing about Tommy was he sometimes disappear for days without any news, and left her wondering if he was ghosting her. "Can you ask him if he's coming to the town's gathering this weekend? Because I'll be there, with my family too," she added. Samuel assured her, everyone in town will be there, including Tommy.She was excited for the weekend, mostly because she hadn't seen Tommy for an entire week. She wasn't particularly excited to conceal her relationship with her parents if it was even a relationship. Her father was officially going to be a very important figure in town, possibly their next Mayor. He was well known for his contribution to Bluebridge and the community, but to be elected as Mayor w