Till Death Do Us Part

If I could go back, as far in time as I would like, I would travel back to when the cars were new and lights just invented, to a time when drinking was a sport and illegal for all. The 1920’s, when crazy was too simple a word to describe the era. I can imagine myself, late at night walking the streets in a knee length dress, letting the rugged tassels fall gently. I imagine myself, holding a light cream colored shawl over my shoulders in a seductive yet innocent way letting it drap itself over my lean body and hugging it for warmth. The air around me would be filled with crowds of people and beautiful clear crisp jazz. The scent of smoke and perfume would stain my clothing and men from across the road would stare at me with the eyes of a cat. Although I never did find smoking attractive or needy I would hold a long thin cigarette between my fingers next to my mouth and let the red ember burning at its end fall in ash at my feet. I would let myself wander far into the town and let my shoes hurt my feet. I would find a place, maybe a park bench to rest effortlessly. Oh how I imagine myself. I would watch couples fall deeply in love kissing under the stars and chasing each other in a language of tease and flirtation and I , all by myself would simply sit there with my legs crossed holding that long cigarette and crave the feeling of love. I would feel heartbroken sorrow and look at the ground questioning if anyone would ever look at me the way I looked at freshly baked muffins. Then I would smile, just to myself and laugh a little. I would think about how I wanted to find someone who even in the baddest of times could find joy in small things. I imagined myself shivering with a single tear running down my cheek smearing my black eyeliner and nude colored lipstick. My hair was pressed tightly against my head in tight curls and a feathered headband that was made of imported lace and ancient beads. My pearl earrings would shimmer in the light from the moon and from behind me a man would approach. He would be tall, with a black suit and dark brown hair slicked back in a business man type of way. His watch would make a calm ticking sound and his shoes would shine as if they were new. He would sit next to me and smile.
“Good evening madam, do you care if I join you?” His voice deep and strong would send chills up my spine and make my heart flutter.
“I could use the company.” I would uncross my legs and look at him with a slight grin.
“It’s a dangerous place out here for a girl like you to be alone.” I rolled my eyes.
“I suppose.”
“I was on my way to Ravens, it’s a diner on tenth street, would you care to join? I’ll buy.” I would look at the man up and down astonished by how well he looked and nod.
“I guess it’d be better than sitting here by my lonesome.” The man would smile bigger and stand taking my hand gently and leading me down a path towards the light of the city.
“My name is Lucas.” A stunning name for a stunning man I thought.
“I am Railynn.” The look he would give me would make us both fall deeply in a love-
“Are you done fascinating over your imaginary world yet?” I jumped out of my chair and stood to my feet.
“Oh Mrs. Lilman I am so sorry I meant to be cleaning I really-” The woman waved her hand at me in disgust, my face went hot.
“It is a shame to see distracted girls like yourself, girls should simply be focused on work and feeding their poor family rather than a life they will never live.” She looked at the floor and scraped her tall black heel on its surface leaving a black streak. She laughed. “Clean something why don’t you.” I nodded ashamed of myself for letting my mind wander. I could not continue my behavior or else Mrs. Lileman would fire me. I grabbed a rag from off the table filled with cleaning supplies and dropped to my knees rubbing the black mark off the floor. Two months ago I never would have been doing this, two months ago I was sipping tea and having late night conversations with my parents in our new home on the East side of Paris. Two months ago my family was one of the wealthiest in the country and now, we were nothing but three stones I slept on every night. I bit my lip hard. Enough of this thinking I thought to myself I need to stay positive. I stood up and walked to the sink grabbing a bucket of water. What’s something happy? I asked myself as I scrubbed the tables in the kitchen clean.
“Railynn!” Mrs. Lileman’s voice screeched through the still air and my eardrums throbbed. She looked panicked as she entered the room. “I need you to be here at seven o’clock sharp tomorrow morning, if I let you go now you will have plenty of time to sleep and rest.” I glanced over at the clock which was already at midnight. I shook my head.
“I am sorry, I cannot come in tomorrow it is my birthday.” The old woman clicked her tongue.
“I wasn’t asking I was telling you. You will be here at seven sharp, I have house guest arriving at nine and I need my house sparkling from top to bottom.” I set down the bucket and nodded.
“Yes ma’am I’ll be here.”
“Now go off to your box or wherever and rest until then.” She turned herself away from me and I frowned. How could someone be so mean? I left the bucket sit in the middle of her floor and quickly lead myself out of the house. I ran through the front lawn tripping on a sprinkler head and falling to the ground. I cried out in horror. The dress my mother had worked so hard to make ripped down the front, the thread completely torn and grass stained. I stood up. My knees were showing and small drops of blood ran down. I covered my face with my hands and began to cry. The gates to the house opened automatically and I knew Mrs. Lileman was watching me. I knew she was the one who opened the gate and I knew she didn’t care the least bit.” I walked to them and listened as they clinked shut and locked behind me. I stared out into the open space across the street a small park, like what I was imagining earlier, sat empty waiting for someone to step on it’s freshly mowed grass. I had never noticed it before but then again I had never been out by myself at midnight when the streets weren’t flooded with bodies. Slowly I walked into the park, it was completely dark besides one single light standing above an old park bench. It was a beautiful sight. I sat down. My arms were cold, I had no jacket and shivered. How had I never seen this before? I looked up at the light as it buzzed and suddenly a slight ticking sound filled my ears. It was without doubt the sound of a watch. An old pocket watch in fact, one like my father carried when he was still alive. I turned around quickly and screamed. A tall man stood staring at me. I jumped to my feet quickly. He slipped off the jacket to his suit and handed it to me. I stared in horror.
“I didn't mean to startle you miss, but I seen you fall and thought you could use some help.” He pointed to where Mrs. Lileman’s house stood but now it was nothing but a grassy hill. I felt my jaw drop open and he laughed. I stood still and stiff as the stranger put his jacket around my shoulders and lead me back onto the bench he sat quietly with me before I spoke.
“What is your name sir?” He smiled and bowed his head.
“My name is Lucas, I work over at Times Press only three blocks away.” My heart stopped and heat rushed to my face. This couldn’t be true. “And what about you? What is your name?”
“I’m Railynn, I work as a maid and-” I let my voice trail off. If I told him I worked for the richest woman in Paris he would for sure think I was crazy especially since her house seemed to vanish in only minutes. “I’m a simple maid.” He shook his head.
“That is a rough job, how did a girl like you end up with a job like that?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, your beautiful and young and I’m sure you are intelligent.” I blushed.
“My father isn’t here and we have nothing left. My mother stays home with my two younger siblings and I go to work everyday.” Lucas frowned.
“That sounds terrible.” The light shone down bright on the two of us as we sat in silence, I studied the stranger sitting next to me in awe. He seemed my age, maybe a few years older. I pulled the jacket around me tight trying hard not to let my body quiver from the cold. I did not want to seem rude and leave but I also did not want to freeze. He must have noticed I was uneasy. “Let me walk you home, it’s only getting later and you must be exhausted.” I shook my head.
“I have no home.” He looked at me confused.
“What do you mean? What about your family?”
I pointed to the North Side of the park, there was a cemetery down that path, it was guarded by two giant steel doors. It locked at eleven.
“I’m afraid I’ve been locked out for the night.” He laughed.
“What do you mean? You sleep there?”
“Yes, next to my mother, brother, and sister. Every night since they lost everything.” I sighed. “Including their lives.” Tears ran down my face in a vicious terrorizing way I let my body fall to the ground and covered my head. A sharp pain in my stomach made me realize I hadn’t eaten and the numbness in my toes made me realize I was freezing. If only we would have stayed in America I thought. The stranger smiled and touched my shoulder.
“You can be happy Railynn.” His voice was calm. “You can have whatever you want. All your dreams can come true.” I looked up to meet his eyes. He grabbed my hands and pulled me to my feet but as he slipped out of my grasp, a thin rope tied with a loop at the end was placed in my hands. He winked. This beautiful stranger, he wasn’t real. This park, it was all an illusion. My family, their all dead. As I looked up from the rope Lucas was gone. I stood alone. Perhaps this was a sign that anything good I got would leave me. Leave me standing with a key to death. I stepped up on the bench and slowly slipped the loop around my neck while throwing the straight end up and over the light post only feet away. With tears running down my face and the mans jacket still on my shoulders I looked over and read the words printed on the tag. Till Death Do Us Part I thought as I took my last breath of the cold night air and jumped.