Re: Foot of the stairs: Burden/Audrey
Young girls blushed and ducked their heads so often because so often the world conditioned them to. It was hard for men, even as kind and open as Burden seemed to be, to understand. Each day they were told they were not enough and questioned their own trust in themselves. Unfortunately, for Audrey, conditioning started far too young in a place that was supposed to be safest in the world--her own home.
He was told correctly. Burden's voice was soothing, and the deep southern drawl did nothing to deter its efforts. She could easily picture him speaking in front of a congregation, biblical messages flowing from his lips, people sitting eyes shut, taking it in, feeling the rise of their faith and the truth of which he spoke. There were raised hands, and he grew louder, and brighter, and their voices became hymns. Audrey could picture things so easily, part of being a reader perhaps, but as lovely and vibrant the image is--she could even see the sun behind Burden like a halo--she couldn't picture herself there. All she saw now, for one reason or another, were falling white feathers bleeding into grey then black. She blinked rapidly, he was talking again in his lilted speech taking her away from the thoughts trickling in her head. Back to the present. Back to fading pink cheeks and the lights of the party. The daydream was lost for now in the back of her mind.
"Oh, you're welcome." He had offered his hand and she took it, squeezing his grip in return. He was warm as expected. She couldn't help but glance around--it all still seemed surreal that it was happening--then return to face him fully. "I only did the food, really. Hannah put up most of the decorations with Marta. The lights, the music. I'm not very good at planning parties? Which...which is okay." She nodded firmly. It was okay. She was starting to see that. Her strengths may not lay in celebrations and social gatherings, but they were elsewhere. Where else was? She was still figuring that out. A laugh did erupt from her at his question about what gave him away to her. "The accent, where you work, and yes definitely the costume. The only other person I know who'd maybe wear something like that is Hugh, and he'd only wear it for musical reasons." Her hand slipped from his to tuck stray hair behind her ear while a smile still lingered.
Yes, there were many people and honestly? She only knew about half. Oddly enough? She didn't mind. They were behaving, enjoying company and food. That's all she could ask for. As for being kind? She some times wondered about that--but that was a story for another time, the inner complexities of morality, you know the like. The mind could be something of a drama queen that way. "I know some of them." She admitted. "The others, well. They're enjoying themselves, right?"
Audrey shifted to glance back down at her dress, her nose crinkled and her lips puckered up. "Do I have to talk about them?"