I smile down at my plate, lookin' at him through my eyelashes. I used to make this face all day lon', but I haven't done it in years. When I was younger I was all snob-like and I'd use my looks to get whatever I wanted. I learned how to manipulate people real good. I stopped when I realized that it really ain't fair, and when I heard Mary bad mouthin' me to Miss. Lizabeth. I knew then, that some people were immune to my charm, and not everyone was gonna like me. I cried.
I vowed to never use my looks to get my way again, I even wrote it down on paper in case I'd forget. But now things have changed and it feel right to do it, to make Lloyd swoon and cater to my every word. And he fallen' in my trap real easy. I don't even gotta do no hard work.
"Lloyd, that a real handsome name," my voice is jus' above a whisper. I blink up at him, no longer hidin' behind my eyelashes. I lick my lips with my tongue, careful to not over do it. I learned the hard way, that a lady gotta be more subtle than a man. It jus' the way of life.
I can hear him breathin' hard cross the table, his left hand holdin' on to his fork real hard. He tense, I make 'em tense.
"Lloyd, if you done eaten'" I say, seein' that he ain't, "I was thinking' we could take a stroll through daddy's plantation. It real nice this time of year."
He nod, glancin' at the man next to him, to make sure it okay. He smiles at his son, well at least I think Lloyd is his son, and agrees. I turn to my daddy, given' him a kiss on the cheek.
"Can we go daddy?" I always forget how hard bein' subservient is.
"Now you wait a minute, Corinne. You ain't gonna go on a walk jus' you two, you need someone to go with you," daddy says, playin' the part of the worried dad. These men must be real important, though I don't know why. Cause daddy got more power than them- that's why Lloyd is bein' all nice to me. So I dunno why daddy even cares what they think. The whole thing is rather strange. Something' is goin' on with daddy, something' bad.
"How 'bout Miss. Lizabeth," he suggests.
"No," I shout a little too loud and a little too quickly, "I mean, she ain't feelin' too well. I think she has what the Mistress did. I'll ask Cecile."
Cecile take Miss. Lizabeth's job when she out, so I hope daddy agrees now. Cecile won't be as bothersome as Miss. Lizabeth. Not nearly.
Daddy reluctantly nods, accepting' my lie 'bout Miss. Lizabeth, with no suspicion. I smile, takin' Lloyd's offered arm, and head to the kitchen where she waits.
I vowed to never use my looks to get my way again, I even wrote it down on paper in case I'd forget. But now things have changed and it feel right to do it, to make Lloyd swoon and cater to my every word. And he fallen' in my trap real easy. I don't even gotta do no hard work.
"Lloyd, that a real handsome name," my voice is jus' above a whisper. I blink up at him, no longer hidin' behind my eyelashes. I lick my lips with my tongue, careful to not over do it. I learned the hard way, that a lady gotta be more subtle than a man. It jus' the way of life.
I can hear him breathin' hard cross the table, his left hand holdin' on to his fork real hard. He tense, I make 'em tense.
"Lloyd, if you done eaten'" I say, seein' that he ain't, "I was thinking' we could take a stroll through daddy's plantation. It real nice this time of year."
He nod, glancin' at the man next to him, to make sure it okay. He smiles at his son, well at least I think Lloyd is his son, and agrees. I turn to my daddy, given' him a kiss on the cheek.
"Can we go daddy?" I always forget how hard bein' subservient is.
"Now you wait a minute, Corinne. You ain't gonna go on a walk jus' you two, you need someone to go with you," daddy says, playin' the part of the worried dad. These men must be real important, though I don't know why. Cause daddy got more power than them- that's why Lloyd is bein' all nice to me. So I dunno why daddy even cares what they think. The whole thing is rather strange. Something' is goin' on with daddy, something' bad.
"How 'bout Miss. Lizabeth," he suggests.
"No," I shout a little too loud and a little too quickly, "I mean, she ain't feelin' too well. I think she has what the Mistress did. I'll ask Cecile."
Cecile take Miss. Lizabeth's job when she out, so I hope daddy agrees now. Cecile won't be as bothersome as Miss. Lizabeth. Not nearly.
Daddy reluctantly nods, accepting' my lie 'bout Miss. Lizabeth, with no suspicion. I smile, takin' Lloyd's offered arm, and head to the kitchen where she waits.
