Tonight we were invited for dinner at Maria's house. It was a kind gesture, but it felt awkward because we knew it was her mother's idea. I really like Anna as a person and all, but sometimes she can be a little bit busybodying, and it's like she subconsciously wants to be in control over some part of every person's life here. She knows everything about everybody, asking questions with loads of specifics like about me and Karen, and if she feels left out since I got married. But I don't let things like that bother me very much, though.
Walking into the Mayor's house was like walking into another world. Don't get me wrong, Jack's house is big and already full of luxuries I never bothered with, but it was fascinating the way Maria has lived in such an elegant home all her life. The house is neatly decorated, not to mention immaculate, and their dining table probably couldn't fit in our kitchen facing the right wall. I kept wanting so badly to look around at the rest of the place. I was already nearly in love with the lamps, the plants, drapery, bookshelves... I never once thought about what it would be like to live like that, so classy and without any thoughts whatsoever about smelling like a horse and having to go without a shower because the pump for the well water froze up.
We had soup and salad, then a lobster, which you can really only get from Zach the trader. And Anna could cook it so darn well! Needless to say, I was reaching over and grabbing two or three of everything on the table while Jack talked with Maria's parents about his big ideas for his property. And he actually said he would only eat a little there because he'd eaten my "eggplant with miso paste" at home not long before.
That was my failed attempt at something I found in the recipe book, actually. I hid it in the freezer thinking that he wouldn't find it, considering that he trusts me with dinner every night. But he ate it, and now I am worried that he'll wake up in the middle of the night feeling very sick.
After dinner Jack was still the life of the party. We sat in the drawing room and everyone else but me was deeply involved in an intellectual conversation. It was embarrassing, but I was amazed at how eager Jack was to learn new things. Stuff that neither of us knew about before we went there.
I listened, but faded in and out as my attention would shift to Maria, who would move over on the couch and show me a book she was reading on the geneology of almost everyone in Flower Bud Village. She said that there might be a picture of my mother somewhere in the deep, dark, dusty corners of the library where she'd found that book. Dad has pictures somewhere, but they're stored in boxes that are most likely moldy, and even though he'd probably like to show me what my mother looked like, we will probably never, ever find them. So I am looking forward to getting help from Maria.
Before Jack just left for a bath, I told him about this and he says I can have a break from this housewife thing (as if I haven't had enough time off already; the house is a mess again) and go to the library to see what Maria and I can find. Little by little I hope I can learn about his family from the city... and we can both learn about mine.
Ann