Jesse's head reeled as his nose took in the aroma of the fire cooked ribs, but he wanted to enjoy the meat of his meal for the last part and dug into the browned cob of corn first. He felt the juice from the corn drip down his lips and fall upon the wooden plate as the kernels snapped between his teeth. He looked around as he chewed on the corn, and took a moment to realize that he was actually rather happy with the scene. There was good cooked food on the plate in front of him, he didn't have to work in the fields today, and the warmth from the sun was strong but not enough to burn the skin. The temperature felt just right to him - warm, yet cool to the surface with the breeze. His adoration was quickly snapped out of his head when he heard the girl seated a few tables away yell loudly enough to silence the pleasant talking amongst the dining crowd.
"Smooth" Conrad Stanton looked to be up to his old tricks but had finally been called out on it. He had a lean physique, sly eyes, quick wit, and a velvet voice, all of which he took no shame in flaunting when he could do so amongst the ladies of the farm. He also always found a way to get a hand on a lady when he was talking to them; with one, he would take up one of her hands while speaking, for another he would rub a shoulder while standing behind his target. He didn't see the actual contact occur with this instance but it was enough to incite the wrath of Gloria Willit. Jesse didn't know much about her beyond she being roughly the same age that he was, and that she tended to keep to herself and wasn't very social. She seemed to bury herself in her work and not allow herself to be distracted. This is why her reaction surprised him and many of the other diners who watched this transpire.
Conrad held up both of his hands demurely and shied his body away, trying to play off of the offense. Gloria would have none of it. She stood by the side of her chair, pulled her arm back, and slapped Conrad with an open hand directly upon his left cheek. The contact reverberated in the air like her voice did just earlier. Rather than withdraw, Conrad righted his head and glared at Gloria. He yelled something which, to Jesse, sounded like "Bitch, what the fuck you-", and that's all he heard before Gloria took to jabbing his stomach with her fist. With as much surprise as injury received from the blow, Conrad sunk to the ground doubled over his stomach, which prompted Gloria to kick him until he laid on the ground before her feet. She pulled her fist back again, preparing for another swing, but held the hand in check and kept it at the ready over him as he groaned on the grass.
It was here, in this pose, with the August sun gleaming off of her bronze skin, with her face sharply pointed with rage, with her lips quivering in restraint of another shout, with her fist held high over the man she had just struck down, that Jesse truly noticed Gloria for the first time. It was here that he had seen something which he had never seen before - a woman who did not cower before a man. It was here that Jesse liked what he had seen.
No comments:
Post a Comment