Blossom (The Blossom Trilogy Book 1) Read online

  There she was.

  As Blossom entered the dining room, Brock’s voice remained frozen. She carried two bowls and gracefully maneuvered through a maze of tables. All eyes were on her now, as if she was an optometrist’s letter chart. However, her gaze was locked on Brock just as intently as Grand Ma Maw’s focus became locked on Blossom. I know I’m staring…and I can’t help it, thought Brock. My face is on fire. Oh God, even my ears are hot and they’re ringing!

  Austin followed Brock’s eyes and discovered Blossom for himself. Uncharacteristically, he drank in the sight and held his words. Blossom’s flaming crimson silk dress shimmered as she moved. The color made her an unavoidable visual target in the room.

  Blossom brushed right by Butch at his regular table. She didn’t even see him, much less show any interest. “You’re mine,” he said quietly but with force.

  “Did you hear that?” Austin looked around. “Someone said ‘you’re mine.’”

  “Wasn’t me,” whispered Brock as he watched Blossom come near.

  “Wasn’t me either, but a deep voice in this room is staking a claim on someone.”

  “Shut up and get ready to claim whatever’s in the bowl that Blossom puts in front of you. Don’t you embarrass me. Promise?”

  “Promise,” replied Austin. “But you already know I’m not the best at keeping promises…or secrets!”

  Chapter 8

  Fortune-Telling Cookies

  Saturday, April 14, 1906, 5:31 p.m.

  Four days before the earthquake and firestorm

  Clarissa knew to be on guard at all times tonight. The well-tended young women who sat around her exquisite, well-appointed dining-room table were all icebergs. Below the surface, there was so much more to be aware of—and that’s how they wanted it.

  The polite and controlled table conversation was melting into a mixture of laughter and gossip. Not all at one time. To these emerging society women, while the energy level may elevate and the topic of discussion may become more scandalous, deeply ingrained manners and the rule about one person speaking at a time reigned supreme. The one-upmanship competition to be the speaker at the table was fierce after they finished their early supper.

  “Ladies! Ladies! May I please have your attention,” announced Clarissa from the head of the table where her father usually presided. “I’d like to take this opportunity to thank each of you for attending our gathering tonight. I’m certain this will be an evening that we’ll never forget.”

  The woman to Clarissa’s right skillfully took full control of the conversation. “Girls, as you know, Clarissa is my sister by choice—not blood. Since she and I are closer than any of you, I want you to know the joy we’re feeling right now.”

  Here she goes, Clarissa thought.

  Faye Huntington, Clarissa’s maid of honor, was by far the most demanding and outspoken of all at the table. Clarissa would agree with anyone who concluded that Faye was the undisputed champion in the sport of vying for attention. Once she had grabbed everyone’s attention, she never voluntarily loosened her grip.

  Dressed in her freshly starched evening serving outfit, Katie turned to Zelda in the hallway outside the dining room. “By the saints above, I swear that Miss Faye makes me crazy. She’s over-privileged. She’s self-obsessed. She’s got too much time on her hands. And she uses words like adore and delicious far too much if you ask me.”

  “Well, I didn’t ask you, but those are some highfalutin words you just used. Showing off your schooling, like always!” Zelda straightened her back, held her head a little higher and nodded vigorously. “And if I hear her tell the story about her rich relations, I’ll wring her boney neck myself.”

  “You better get your hands ready. You know it’s coming, don’t you?” replied Katie. “She always brings it out to play like an elephant at the circus…in the center ring, of course.”

  Faye stood up, drawing even more attention her way. “Though Clarissa isn’t from a family of fame, like me and my railroad empire-building relatives led by THE Collis P. Huntington, I’m certain that her wedding will be the absolute talk of the town.”

  Clarissa took a long look at Faye as she spoke. She was tall, slender, even statuesque. She had porcelain skin lightly powdered to perfection. Not one hair out of place, Faye was inescapably the object of appropriate glances and inappropriate stares. She wore green, and only green, nearly every day to set off her emerald-hued eyes, much to the envy of the more plain young ladies in her circle, Clarissa included. She continued to study her friend. Add her flaming red hair to the mix and Faye had a powerful, attention-getting brew at her disposal to intoxicate onlookers.

  Faye took her seat and whispered to Clarissa behind her open palm, “Ho hum, what a gathering of lost causes surround us. These girls couldn’t attract flies!”

  “What a wicked thing to say, Faye!”

  Katie turned her attention back to Zelda. “You know, she’s the bitchiest bitch I’ve ever come across.” Zelda’s eyes opened wide and she dropped her arms in mock surprise. “We should thank our lucky stars that it’s no secret or there would be more casualties on this battlefield!”

  “I know,” added Zelda. “I’ve seen her throw her words at people like stones if it suited her. And when she’s polite, folks don’t even know that she’s showering them with insults like parade confetti.”

  Fawning over Clarissa in yet another attempt to redirect the table’s conversation to herself, Faye gushed, “Oh, Clarissa, I’ve got my maid putting together the most adorably quaint thing for me to give you! I’d have kept it a delicious surprise, but I simply can’t!”

  She continued, “Once you have your wedding dress, I’ll have her sew a pouch to the petticoat. Inside you’ll find a small piece of cloth, the tiniest nibble of bread, a sliver of wood, and a single dollar coin. Each item will help ensure that you and Brock will always have clothes to wear, food to eat, a roof over your heads and money for the future. I guess it’s something that poor people do, but isn’t that the sweetest thing I could do for you?”

  “Yes, Faye, it’s the absolute sweetest thing I could hope for.”

  Faye raised her glass. “Girls!” she announced with crisp elocution as she stood up. After making a shushing sound and flapping her hands, she unfolded a sheet of paper.

  “I’ve written a poem—a toast, if you will—to express our wishes to the bride.” She cleared her throat daintily behind an open hand that covered her mouth.

  “A toast to the bride-to-be,

  Because she is about to wed, you see,

  She will help us understand,

  What it’s like to find the perfect man.”

  A synchronized “Awwww” flowed from every girl’s mouth as if it had been carefully choreographed. Faye went on.

  “Tonight, even if one tempts her fate,

  She knows her destiny awaits,

  To meet her beautiful beau,

  Because in the end, she will say, ‘I do.’

  Best wishes and regards, Clarissa,

  We love you!”

  Applause filled the room. “Faye, that was wonderful. Thank you all so much,” said Clarissa. Faye basked in the moment. “And I’d like to add a thought to that poem. It’s something I read recently,” Clarissa continued.

  “Happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have. With Brock, I know that I’ll want for nothing because I’ll have him. I can only hope that each of you will know this kind of contentment and happiness.”

  Again, a synchronized “Awwww” poured out with overlapping voices that sounded like a tuning orchestra.

  Clarissa noticed that Katie and Zelda continued to stand near the dining room doorway, listening to the conversation. She caught Zelda making a dismaying face.

  “My dear, being around you and Brock is like witnessing a happily-ever-after love story that’s come to life,” Faye said. She snapped her fingers at Katie. Faye pointed to her nearly empty water glass. “More. Now!”

  “Don�
�t be so bossy,” said Emmaline, throwing caution to the wind in defense of Katie.

  Faye turned to look at Emmaline, but it was more than a look that she gave. Clarissa recognized the intense and prolonged stare that Faye always had the ability to summon at moments of frustration like this one. She’d seen it used before with great impact, even during their childhood. It looked like Faye was trying to make Emmaline burst into flames with her mind. Poor Emmaline, with Faye’s perfect memory, this is something she’ll never outrun, Clarissa thought.

  Faye eventually broke her stare and addressed Emmaline. “I’m not bossy. I just know what other people should be doing, particularly for me.”

  Clarissa was keenly aware of Faye’s questionable social games and evil tactics, but she tolerated them because of their long-standing friendship. Clarissa wasn’t sure what Faye was up to this time, but she made a mental note to remember what just happened for future reference. She knew Faye would.

  However, tonight was Clarissa’s night, and she had a surprise to spring on everyone.

  “My dear friends, I have a special gift for each of you,” announced Clarissa.

  The word “gift” brought all eyes in one direction. She waved to Katie who was now hovering in the butler’s pantry.

  “Katie will come to each of you with a platter of cookies, more precisely, Chinese fortune cookies. My dear Brock personally went down to Chinatown just hours ago to get them for us.”

  Faye looked at Clarissa with a tilted head and squinted eyes.

  “As Katie passes, take one cookie. But choose wisely.”

  Everyone followed Clarissa’s directions and waited in a curious sort of anticipation for what would happen next. They inspected the cookies, commenting about their odd shape and texture.

  “My cookie has some paper stuck in it. May I choose another?”

  Leave it to Faye to speak out before I’m ready to finish the instructions. “No,” Clarissa replied before Faye could utter anything else. “That cookie and that paper hold your destiny.” She emphasized the word “destiny” for added drama and mystery.

  Faye set her cookie down on the table, pushed it away and then gave it an extra push.

  “Go ahead and break your cookie in half and read the prediction that appears on the paper. Tradition says that you must read the message before you eat the cookie.”

  One by one, each girl squealed as she read her fortune aloud.

  Amanda was delighted to learn that happiness was just around the corner. Crystal giggled when it was revealed to her that marriage was not far off. Maribelle already believed that wealth would be hers, especially since she stood to inherit one of the city’s largest fortunes. But her cookie’s message confirmed it. And Emmaline pretended to be stunned when it was revealed that she would discover a hidden treasure.

  It was Faye’s turn. “I don’t want to crack it open or read it aloud. I’ve never liked fortune-telling. No message in a cookie is going to guide my life,” she added, wincing slightly, as if the words were sharp in her throat. “Anyway, I get everything I want.”

  Maribelle asked, “Well, what do you want?”

  “Everything,” Faye purred.

  As hostess, it was Clarissa’s job to jump in. “Faye, don’t take this so seriously. You don’t have to open your cookie now.” She scooped it up. “I’ll set it aside for another time when you’re ready to see what’s inside. Is that a good plan?”

  Faye fired back, “I don’t know. Why don’t you ask one of the cookies!”

  Amanda came to Clarissa’s aid. “Clarissa, open your cookie. Let’s hear about what the future holds for you.”

  Clarissa cracked the cookie open and pulled out the slip of paper. “I’m truly fortunate to receive this one! Confucius say, ‘Wherever you go, go with all of your heart.’”

  The group applauded. For all to see, Clarissa folded up the slip of paper and placed it inside the silver and gold locket that hung from her neck. The letters “B” and “C” were engraved on the face of the heart. She handled it with great care.

  The girls told their hostess it was the best possible message to get before a wedding. They pondered aloud about the possibilities of the message’s words coming true for Clarissa and Brock.

  Uncharacteristically, Faye remained silent as she witnessed Clarissa’s shining moment.

  Clarissa noticed how Faye’s eyes wandered over to the sideboard, where her cookie rested on a plate with the slip of paper slightly sticking out as if to taunt her.

  Faye sat back in her chair, a smirk overtaking her face. Clarissa had seen that smirk before and considered how this was a particularly bad time to see it on Faye’s face.

  Chapter 9

  Confessing To A China 5 Phone Operator

  Saturday, April 14, 1906, 5:37 p.m.

  Four days before the earthquake and firestorm

  Blossom arrived at the table and gently, from the knees, lowered her entire body as she placed the bowls on the table. Blossom and Brock never broke eye contact, except for a brief moment when she felt Brock’s soup bowl begin to slide on her serving tray. She looked down in the submissive manner. She placed a bowl of soup in front of each brother. She turned to walk away as Brock said, “Hello, I’m back.” Now that was a brilliant thing to say. Brock, you’re an idiot!

  “Yes, I can see that,” Blossom said over her shoulder. She continued to move toward the kitchen door, not stopping to speak to anyone else.

  “Brother, she’s the one you ‘connected’ with? Hmmm. Pretty loose connection.”

  Brock stared at the kitchen door. “It’s like a bee sting.”

  “You mean it hurts?”

  “No, once you get stung, you can’t get un-stung. There’s nothing you can do about it.”

  Austin added, “I understand. I really do.”

  “You do?”

  “Yeah.”

  Since when does he feel anything other than instant gratification and pain when he doesn’t get it?

  “Well, she’s not much for conversation,” said Austin.

  “It’s like she talks to me with her eyes. Maybe it’s their custom, their way.”

  “I don’t know if it’s her custom or not, but she didn’t seem to show much interest other than staring at you. Or did I miss something?” asked Austin.

  Clearly, you did.

  ***

  Aware of every move and conversation in the dining room, Grand Ma Maw slid off of her stool and shadowed Blossom as she walked through the kitchen. “Did we not tell you to stay upstairs?” asked the elderly women of the girl who had yet to stop moving.

  “Yes, you did,” replied Blossom. “But I could hear from my room that things were getting backed up here, and I assumed that orders were not going out. I came to help, as you have taught me. It was my duty.”

  “You find time to change outfit in such a crisis?” asked Grand Ma Maw as her eyes scanned the kitchen, which was not at all busy or backed up at this early dinner hour.

  “Your Mr. St. Clair dining with us tonight, as you now know. And he bring his brother. It seem we make quite big impression on him today.”

  “Yes, it would seem so,” said Blossom. Blood rushed to her face like flames in a growing fire. Can she see me blushing? Of course she can.

  “I not like what is happening. You done now. Back to your room. Shoo!”

  Blossom could hold her words only so long. “I ask this respectfully, but why?”

  “It your place to be obedient,” said Grand Ma Maw curtly, with a clear air of authority.

  Blossom closed her eyes and composed herself before saying matter-of-factly, “If I cannot serve Mr. St. Clair and his brother their dinners tonight, then I will serve no one again in this dining room, including Butch.”

  With that, Blossom turned and headed upstairs to her room, leaving Grand Ma Maw standing with her mouth wide open with words needing to be spoken to a girl who had left the room.

  Blossom changed her clothes yet again and slipped out the bac
k of the building to the alley. She made her way through the crowded streets to a black door with a poorly printed sign: China 5 Phone Operators Only. She pushed the door open.

  Her friend Anna Mae was fast at work at one of the telephone company’s switchboards, shifting from English to Chinese and back to English with ease.

  Seeing the look on Blossom’s face, Anna Mae nonverbally signaled to the operator next to her that she needed a break. The girl waved her hand and pushed a cord into a socket—one of hundreds of sockets in front of her. Anna Mae was quickly on her way out the door to be with Blossom.

  “Oh, that Kitty is such a tattle-teller and gossip. If I’m not back on time, everyone will know. What do you need?” asked Anna Mae as she zeroed her attention on her friend.

  “I’ve really done it this time. I’ve done what’s forbidden, and to top it off, I disrespected Grand Ma Maw. But she gave me no choice because—”

  “Please hold the line, ma’am!” interrupted Anna Mae as if she was speaking to an incoming phone caller. She looked at Blossom. “What on earth did you do that made her so upset?”

  “Well, I haven’t done it yet. But I’ve threatened to do it just the same. That’s what Grand Ma Maw is probably fuming about right now.”

  “But you’ve always spoken your mind with her. And Grand Ma Maw always talks about honor and dishonor—and ancestors—and on and on. What’s so different this time?”

  Blossom looked around as she searched for the right words.

  “Just say it. I talk and I listen for a living. It’s not that hard,” said Anna Mae, encouraging Blossom.

  “This time it is. He came into the bakery—and then the restaurant—and looked at me the way every girl wants to be looked at by a man. It’s like he peels away everything and really sees me, not just my hair and eyes…because they’re a different color than all of the other girls. I tried to act as if he didn’t get to me, but my acting isn’t so good.”

  “Who is the ‘he’ that you keep talking about, Ming Yang…I mean Butch? He’s just a dumb ox from Fish Alley. He breathes through his mouth and drools—literally— every time he sees you.”