Chapter 3: Meeting a Stranger
The shrill, cold, mean voices brought Gloria back to reality. It was all a flashback that's all it was. Her life was and had never been the same since her dear father had been killed two years ago. She slowly made her way over to the door and prayed with all her heart that it wasn't going to be anything bad. Her feet made it down the old attic steps which made a rather eerie sound and made her way into the glamour's home she once called her own. Down the long hallway she went, it was like a long maze that you couldn't find your way out of. It was just as she remembered it. As she passed the many rooms many memories came flooding back to her. Her father's study was to the right of her as she walked swiftly down the hall. That however was no longer her daddy's study. Now it was her stepmothers practice room. Mary would go in there and practice her many lines for hours upon hours while Gloria did all the house work. More screams came as Gloria got closer and closer to the source of the scream. She came upon a double white door that had gold trim around it with a gold door knob. She knocked ever so slightly until a voice could be heard on the other side, a rather mean and evil voice at that knock.
"You may come in." the voice said moments later as the knocking stopped.
Gloria took a deep breath and opened the door. When the door opened it was as if she had stepped into a silent romance movie. The fire was lit in the corner, a king size bed…her mother's king size bed, Sat in the middle with two chests of cloths, a closet and a vanity which was gold platted. A woman sat at the vanity looking in the mirror while she brushed her short blond hair.
"What took you so long? I've been yelling for you for over ten minutes now." Mary said as her eyes looked into Gloria's through the reflection of the mirror.
"I'm sorry stepmother I didn't hear you I was…sleeping?" Gloria answered as she stood in the door way awaiting orders.
"Sleeping, you should be up when the sun is up!" Mary said as she whipped around to face Gloria. "Don't just stand there, get over here."
Gloria walked over to her stepmother and stood there just like she was supposed to. This life wasn't worth it. All she wanted was to be loved and to have someone there for her. After her father talked to her about how nice her new mother and daughters were she believed him. She knew her father wouldn't disappoint her, but he did. For the first time in her life her father had disappointed her. Gloria's eyes wondered around the room looking at the different things her stepmother had in the room. Pictures hung on the walls, books in a bookcase, a window overlooking the front lawn…
"What are you staring at?" Mary asked as she snapped her fingers in front of Gloria's face.
"Nothing stepmother. Nothing at all," Gloria answered as she looked back at her stepmother.
"Stop gaping over my room and listen to what I have to tell you." Mary snapped as she put in her silver earrings with rubs in. "Clean the dishes…EVERY PIECE, Scrub the floors, Wash the cloths, wash the windows, go into town and get the things on this list." Mary said handing Gloria a list of ten things or more. "Get me that dress sitting on the back of that chair there."
Gloria put the rather long list in her old dress pocket, and went and got the red dress that lay on the chair. Today Mary was shooting the love scene from her new movie "
"Not that one you fool the other one." Mary said pushing it away with force. The look of disuse on her lovely face told Gloria that she had done something wrong…that she had always done things wrong.
Gloria went and got the other red dress that was under the one she had handed her stepmother. "Much better," Mary said snatching the dress from her stepdaughter. "That will be all for now, you can leave now."
While she walked out the door Gloria heard her stepmother say something. "Stupid brat If I would have known how bad she was I would have never married her father."
At the sound of those hard, cold words tears began to fill Gloria's eyes. So this was how her stepmother had thought of her from the moment she met her all those years ago. In a way it seemed that Gloria knew this. Her hand lay on the 2,000 dollar knob as she lay up against the door and sobbed with her head in her shaking hands. The day had just started and it was already off to a bad start. It was like any other day.
Mary could hear the sobs of her stepdaughter from outside her room. She looked in the mirror with a rather pleased look in her eye along with a rather evil smile upon her lovely face. Her job had been done for the day…at least for now.
Gloria held the note that was inside her dress pocket as she made her way into the kitchen to get breakfast ready for her stepfamily. The kitchen was rather large three windows let the morning light in. A black stove sat against the east wall, oak cabinets sat up high with matching breakfast bar and table. The small ice box sat on the opposite side of the room, with a sink sitting in front of a double window. This wasn't the kitchen that Gloria remembered. What she remembered was the happiness and laughter that once filled the kitchen and house. On rainy days her mother and she would make cookies together.
A sweet smell filled the air fifteen minutes later. Plates, silverware, glasses of coffee, orange juice and milk along with napkins sat at the breakfast table. Plate of pancakes, syrup, bacon, biscuits and butter was laid out on the table. While Gloria sat the last plate down her stepfamily walked in.
"About time you get breakfast ready we've been starving." Virginia said as she pulled her chair out.
Virginia and Jacqueline had become vain just like their mother. Gloria could remember when the twins were nice to her…that was until the day her poor dear father died. Now they were just spoiled brats. They got whatever their hearts desired. The best cloths from all over the world, the best shoes, jewelry and many other things, no matter what the girls got they were never happy.
"Well I'm sorry that it takes a little while to make your Saturday breakfast." Gloria said as she began steering another batch of pancakes.
Mary and her daughters just stared at the so called "breakfast." It looked rather dry and in their minds rather disgusting. They lived in lap of luxury all they wanted was the best of everything and anything. Never mind on saving money that was nothing they never ever did.
"What is this?" Jacqueline asked as she began moving around the pancake with her fork. She thought she was going to be sick. Out of the two sisters Jacqueline was the worst. Didn't help that she was the oldest of the twins, After all she rarely ate such a thing.
"Breakfast what else." Gloria answered as she rolled her crystal blue eyes. She didn't think it looked back. It was what her mother always made for her and her daddy on Saturday when the cook had the day off.
"What is that in the pancake?" Mary asked poking the piece of food. She was scared it would do something if she did otherwise.
"Chocolate chips it's my mother's recipe for chocolate chip pancakes." Gloria said whipping her hands on a dish towel. Of course they wouldn't like the breakfast. Why would they? After all they never liked anything she did.
"Come here." Mary said in a rather cold voice. The tone of her voice made the skin on Gloria's back stand up. Gloria walked over to the table with fear growing in her. Within a few moments Mary took her plate of food and threw it on Gloria.
Pancake, syrup along with the other things went all over Gloria. "You very well know that chocolate is bad for me! Not just me, but for your sisters. How are they to keep their pretty figures if you're making this junk?" Mary said knocking over the chair as she stood up. She was fed up with all of this crap.
"I-this was what mother always fixed for me and father on the weekends." Gloria answered in a scared voice as she stood helplessly against the counter.
"Well your mother and father aren't here anymore now are they?" Mary said pointing her index finger at her stepdaughter. Gloria stood there speechless she didn't know what to say. In fact she was too scared to speak. "Answer me!"
Gloria finally found her voice. "No stepmother." She hung her head with sadness. She thought this would have been a good breakfast? She thought wrong.
Mary went over and got an apple and went back towards the entryway. "I guess this will have to do for now. Great, now I'm going to be late for work," While she looked at her gold watch. "I want those things done on that list by the time I get home."
"Yes mama." Gloria said as she watched her stepmother leave the room.
"What a joke." Virginia said to her sister as they left the room as well, leaving Gloria there to clean up the sticky mess.
"I know I almost feel sorry for her." Jacqueline said with a giggle. This was almost too funny.
"Really," Virginia asked with shock. She had never heard her sister say such a thing.
"Of course not, why would I? She caused this all herself." Jacqueline said with a laugh as they became out of ear shot.
Gloria began cleaning up the wasted breakfast. Why would someone waist such a thing for? Just because her stepfamily had whatever they wanted didn't give them the right to waist this. An hour later the kitchen was spotless. However, Gloria was not. She smelt of sweet syrup and was sticky all the same. She got to her feet from cleaning the floor to clean herself when Jacqueline came into the room.
"Oh look at this nice clean kitchen. You must have spent hours on it." Jacqueline said as she went over to the ice box and got out a thing of fresh milk. A small glass sat on the edge of the counter. She began pouring the milk. When all of a sudden the bottle slipped from her fingers and shattered onto the floor. "I'm so sorry Gloria I wasn't watching what I was doing. Virginia come here for a moment."
Virginia came into the room moments later. "What do you want? I was reading something about the black and white dance. It's said to be at the Roosevelt Hotel on Saturday." Virginia said as she walked into the kitchen with the latest issue of Photoplay.
"Do you think I should clean that up for dear Gloria? Should I let her clean it up herself?" Jacqueline asked with a smirk upon her lovely face.
"I think you should let her clean it up all by herself. Besides what would mother say if you helped her?" Virginia asked putting a finger to her cheek as if she were thinking. "Oh yeah she would say now girls you know not to help your stepsister, she made the mess herself she can clean it up by herself."
"You did that on purpose!" Gloria yelled as she marched her way toward her stepsisters.
"No this is on purpose." Jacqueline said with a laugh as she knocked the glass of milk off causing it also to shatter and milk going everywhere. "Have fun cleaning that up." The sisters left yet again with laughter following them.
Gloria cleaned up the spilt milk and the broken bottle and glass. It was mid afternoon when Gloria got started on the list of chores. First on the list was to clean every piece of dish wear. Gloria just sighed sadly and went to it. There were over a hundred dishes in the entire house. Dish after dish was cleaned and dried two whole hours of this. By the time Gloria was done her hands were wrinkled and smelt of dish soap. Next were the floors. Next on the list was cleaning the windows. "That shouldn't take too long." Gloria thought as she got the bucket and a sponge out of the nearby closet. What she thought was wrong. It would take her another two hours just to get the windows clean. Let alone waiting for the laundry to get done. Another half an hour later the cloths were dry and put into the right places. Just when she thought she was safe of all her chores a thought struck her…The market oh no she had forgotten to go to the market and the floors. Oh no her stepmother was going to kill her.
"What's with that look?" Virginia asked as she looked up from her book as she sat in the living room.
"What face? I'm not making a face." Gloria answered back looking at her stepsister reading while the other was painting her fingers and toes.
The stroke of six could be heard throughout the home, along with the front door opening. Mary came in with a lovely smile upon her face.
"Are my girls having fun?" Mary asked handing her coat to Gloria.
"Yes mother." Jacqueline answered her mom with a smile.
"What are you doing? Put my coat up and shouldn't you be getting dinner ready?" Mary asked Gloria who was standing there holding the coat.
"Yes stepmother." Gloria answered as she went over to the coat closet to put up the coat.
"Well have you started dinner?" Mary asked putting her arms a crossed her chest.
Gloria didn't answer all she did was stay silent. That was one thing she didn't get to was that and cleaning the floors.
"You didn't get to the store did you?" Mary asked with cockiness in her voice. Out of all the chores this was the one that her stepdaughter didn't get done.
"No I haven't." Gloria answered looking at her stepsisters. "Ask your daughters why I hadn't been to the store."
"Girls, why hasn't Gloria been to the store yet?" Mary asked as she faced her daughters.
Virginia and Jacqueline looked at each other with smiles upon their faces. Gloria's eyes got wide with fear. This wasn't good those two would say anything to get her in trouble.
"She made this terrible mess in the kitchen mother. She just left the breakfast sitting and went to her room. She didn't even bother to clean it up." Jacqueline answered her mother, who by now was looking at Gloria with a rather hatred look.
"That's not true!" Gloria yelled as she went over and stood right in front of Jacqueline. "I cleaned up the kitchen. Every inch of that kitchen is clean. Jacqueline was the one who made the mess. I was done with the kitchen when she came in and dropped a bottle of milk causing it to break with milk going everywhere. Then she knocked off the glass of milk causing it to do the same!"
"Will just see about that now won't we?" Mary said as she made her way into the kitchen. "WHAT! GLORIA, GET IN HERE!" Mary's shrill mean voice came.
Gloria ran into the kitchen to find it a mess. Food, chairs everything was everywhere. No how could have this happened? Gloria knew the answer her two snot nose stepsisters did this? "I didn't do this I swear I didn't." Gloria answered looking at a very mad Mary.
Mary was beyond words at this point. She turned rather slowly towards her stepdaughter with anger in her eyes. "Get to the store, NOW! When you get back you are cleaning this kitchen until it is spotless!"
Gloria ran from the kitchen and out the door with her jacket in hand. "To the supermarket please." She told the chauffeur as she opened the car door.
"What do you think you are doing?" Mary asked as she stood on the pouch.
"Going to the supermarket like you asked." Gloria answered truing and facing her stepmother.
"Not in that you're not. You're walking to the store." Mary said turning towards the door.
"But the store is blocks away." Gloria said back as her eyes got wide. How could her stepmother say such a thing to her?
"I don't care! Since you didn't get what I asked you to get done you can walk, is that clear?" Mary asked turning back around.
"Yes I understand" Gloria said as she shut the door. Mary turned and went back inside.
"Gloria if you need help with the bags when you're done. Call this phone and I will come help you." the chauffeur said as he put his head out the window.
"Oh Mr. McNealy I couldn't do that. If she found out she would kill me." Gloria answered looking at the old man.
"She won't even find out. She's in for the night." Charles said with a smile upon his face.
Gloria smiled and said if she had a lot to carry she would call him.
Miles away on a lake on a small boat sat the most famous young actor of the era. This young man had everything from the best cars, to the best home in all of Hollywood. His parent's where the famous and the richest couple in Hollywood.
"Rudolph the chief would like to know what you would like for lunch." The butler said as he bowed a little. The man was rather old, no hair sat upon his head. He stood 5'10 very slim. The man wore a black suit with a whit napkin lay over his left arm. Gary colored eyes looked on as he waited for the young man to answer.
"Oh yes have him cook what he normally does." Rudolph answered with a smile upon his handsome young face. His face was that of a nineteen year old. His eyes a lovely green color while his skin was rather far. His dark brown hair blew in the salty sea air. Rudolph stood a touring 5'10 tall. He wore creamed colored pants with a white long sleeve shirt on with the sleeves pushed up. Rudolph was rather well known for his good acting, but more so his good looks. People around Hollywood began calling him the young prince of Hollywood.
Rudolph Edward Alexander had everything he had ever wanted. Ever since the tinder age of six he had everything from the best, cloths all the way to the best servants. He lived in the lap of luxury as very few did in this time era.
On a lovely day like this Rudolph would go out on his boat along with a friend and go fishing for the day. "Have you caught anything?" his friend Alex Kennedy asked as he pulled in yet again another Sea Bass.
"Only three, how many have you caught?" Rudolph asked as he put his fishing rod out of the water. He really hadn't been his self lately. Ever since his parents had told him he had to find a bride by his 20th birthday.
"Eight" Alex answered holding up the newest one. "Is everything okay? You love to fish and you've only got three."
"I'm just not in the mood I guess." Rudolph answered as he put his rod away. Today really hadn't been a fun day after all.
"I know that finding a bride has been on your mind for quit sometime. Don't think about it she will come to you when the time is ready." Alex said as he put another fish in a basket.
"I guess you're right." Rudolph answered as he looked out at the open blue sea.
"Excuse me sir, but the chief doesn't seem to have what you want for dinner." Max said as he came back out to the deck. "He could go out and get it if you want."
"No need to do that. I will go and get it." Rudolph said as he began walking to the deck.
"But you've never stepped foot inside a place by yourself." Max yelled after him.
"It can't be that hard. All I'm getting are things for the meal and that's it. I will be back shortly." Rudolph said facing his butler with a smile.
"Yes but, uh very well be back shortly." Max yelled back as Alex came to stand by him. "What has gotten into that boy?"
"I've noticed it as well. He says he hasn't been his self since his parents told him he had to find a bride by his 20th birthday." Alex answered as he put his rod up.
Gloria made her way into the market 20 minutes later. She pulled out the rather wrinkled piece of paper. First on the list was white bread. Gloria went and got a small basket and off she went to get the things on the list. After fifteen minutes Gloria had everything on the list except…olive oil. Gloria made her way to aisle five and sure enough the olive oil was on the very top shelf.
"Really" Gloria asked herself as she tried reaching for it. Her finger tips could almost touch it, but to no prevail did she get the olive oil.
"Let me get that for you miss." A warm voice came from behind a now jumping Gloria.
Gloria turned around to see a very tall young man standing there. He toward over her, he had to be 6 foot maybe even taller. His lovely green eyes show into hers with helpfulness, his lovely brown hair lay just perfectly on top of his head.
The man stepped forward and got the olive oil for her. "Thank you sir," Gloria said as she put it the oil into her basket.
"Your quite welcome miss." Rudolph said with yet another one of his handsome smiles. "May I ask you what your name is?"
Gloria smiled and looked up at him. "It's Gloria Andrews."
"It's nice to meet you Gloria." Rudolph said as he kissed her hand ever so gently. "Is your father Irving Andrews?"
"Yes he was um…he was killed two years ago in a car crash." Gloria said with look of sadness upon her lovely face. That horrible day came flooding back to her as if it had happened yesterday.
"Oh I'm so sorry for your lose." Rudolph said. All of a sudden he felt awful asking such a question.
"It's alright I've gotten used to it." Gloria answered as they walked towards the check out. "I'm sorry I haven't asked you your name yet."
"Rudolph Edwards at your service Miss." Rudolph said as the man rang up the things for Gloria and next for him. "What are you doing out so late? It's almost dark?" as he held the door opened for Gloria.
"Oh it's my turn to make dinner tonight and I had to run and get something's." Gloria said with a small lie. She couldn't tell this man how she really was treated. She was the family's servant so that meant she cooked dinner every night. "What about you?"
"Same I was fishing on my boat when my butler came up to me and said that what I wanted for dinner wasn't available. So I told him I would go and get it instead of him."
"Aw that was very nice of you." Gloria said as she stood in front of the store. "I better be getting home and get dinner made it was nice meeting you."
"Would you like me to carry those for you? I would hate for you to walk home by yourself." Rudolph asked.
"That's very sweet of you. Yes you may walk me home." Gloria answered while she let him carry her bags.
"Tell me a little about yourself." Rudolph asked as they walked down Main Street.
"I live with my mother and two sisters. I pretty much work all day." Gloria answered looking at him. "What about you?"
"I live with my mother and father. I love to fish. People say I'm the best looking young man in all of Hollywood." Rudolph said as he put his hand through his light brown hair.
Gloria just looked at him and giggled. "What's wrong with that?" Rudolph asked as he looked as if his pride has just gotten crushed.
"Nothing you just seemed so sure about that." Gloria said as she covered her mouth to hide the giggle. "Well this is where I live."
"Nice home." Rudolph said with amazement.
"Thanks this used to be my father's house before he died." Gloria said with a somewhat sad sigh. How she missed her daddy so much. "I better get in and make dinner. Thank you for walking with me."
"You're welcome." Rudolph said. He kissed her hand. "Till we meet again." He walked past a street lamp and down the block until Gloria couldn't' see him anymore.
"Who was that?" A voice came with in the dark.
Gloria turned around with a gasp. "Oh hi Mr. McNealy, that was Rudolph he walked me home from the supermarket. Sorry I didn't call you."
"That's alright it seemed like you two hit it off." Charles said as Gloria walked into the home.
"No were just friends. Besides he can pick any girl in Hollywood. Why would he want me?" Gloria said. "If you will please excuse me I have dinner to make for the stepfamily."
"My god where have you been, did you get lost or something?" Mary asked as Gloria walked into the kitchen with five bags in hand.
"No I-"
"Did I say you could speak? No, now get to work. You still have the kitchen to clean and its seven o'clock." Mary said as she left the kitchen with her head held high.
Gloria sighed and got to work on cooking dinner. Her stepfamily better appreciate this. While dinner was cooking she bent over backwards to clean the kitchen. It didn't seem so bad. After all she had other things and other people on her mind. Forty five minutes later dinner was ready and the kitchen was spotless.
"Do you need me to do anything else for the night?" Gloria asked as she put the last dish away. The day was finally over she could go to sleep and hopefully get a good night's rest.
"No I don't think so." Mary answered as she braided Virginia's raven air.
"Hand me my hair brush." Jacqueline said sticking her hand out.
"Your brush is in your room." Gloria answered looking at her stepsister as if she was crazy.
"I know it is. I want to brush my hair and I don't want to go get it myself." Jacqueline answered giving Gloria a mean and nasty look.
Gloria bit her tong and went and got the brush. Gloria looked at the silver brush very closely and saw that it was her mothers. "This is my mothers."
"Yes so what?" Jacqueline answered looking at Gloria with a sickening look.
"This was my mothers. It's not yours!" Gloria answered still gripping the brush. "Where's the hand mirror that went with it?"
"Why should I tell you? After all its mine now isn't it." Jacqueline answered with a smirk upon her face.
"No its not, it was my mother's so there for it belongs to me. Now give me the mirror!" Gloria yelled as she began to lose her temper.
"No I won't its mine now and there's nothing you can do about it!" Jacqueline answered snatching the brush away from Gloria.
Gloria began to get very angry at her stepsister. She left the room and went into Jacqueline's room to find the mirror. She began looking threw things franticly before her stepfamily could catch her.
"Stop going through my things!" Jacqueline yelled as she came into the room with anger growing in her.
"Not until I have that mirror." Gloria yelled whipping around to face her stepsister and the others.
"Oh you mean this?" Jacqueline said pulling out the beautiful silver hand mirror.
"Please give that to me." Gloria begged as she reached her hand out to retrieve the mirror.
"No" Jacqueline answered with force. Gloria began to step closer and closer to her stepsister. "Come any closer and I will smash the mirror into thousands of pieces."
"Please that was my mothers and her mother's before her." Gloria said almost to the point where she was begging for it back. Without realizing what she had done she had taken a step.
With that said and done Jacqueline saw that and with her right hand threw the lovely mirror to the ground causing it to break from the impact. "No!" Gloria yelled as she dove toward the mirror, but it was too late the mirror was already broken. "You monster!" she yelled as tears of anger and sorrow fell from her eyes.
"No Gloria you're the monster you're the one that let this happened." Jacqueline answered with a laugh as she looked down at her poor defenseless stepsister.
Gloria rose from her feet and looked at her stepsister with fire burning in her eyes. "Mother!" Jacqueline yelled as she began to get scared.
Mary came over and stepped between the two of them. "Gloria go to your room."
Gloria stood there with fury and sadness I her eyes. "I said go to your room…now" Mary said once again. She wasn't going to say it again.
Gloria fled from the room in tears as her mother's mirror lay in pieces. She cried herself to sleep only letting the memories of the mirror and brush slip away.
"Where have you been? Your parents have been worried sick." Max said as Rudolph came through the double glass door.
"I'm sorry I walked a girl home from the store." Rudolph answered as he handed the bags to the servants.
"Oh well your parents would like to see you in the drawing room." Max said as he closed the front door.
Rudolph went to the drawing room. It was down the hall to the left, the room was the second on the right. There he found his parents waiting. "There you are my son." Richard Alexander said as he sat next to his wife of twenty five years. This man was rather tall 6'0, dark brown hair with dark brown eyes. He wore the best of cloths, the dark blue suit, with the black shoes completed his suit.
"Your father and I need to talk to you." Ellen Alexander said in a sweet voice. Ellen stood to be 5'2. Her lovely chestnut hair was short and straight, while her green eyes shown with happiness. Her lovely red dress went to her knees with a little gold trim around her waist.
"What do you need to speak to me about?" Rudolph asked standing in the door way, as if he didn't already know what the talk was going to be about.
"Come sit down son." Richard said.
Rudolph sat across his parents ready for them to get on to him for being late or…
"Rudolph we realize that you are almost 20 and you haven't found a bride yet." Ellen said as she began the "talk" once again. Rudolph had heard this for the tenth time in the past two week. He knew that he needed to find a bride soon.
"Mom I know what you are going to say. I've heard it many times before. I know that I need to find a bride, but can I at least find one on my own time?" Rudolph asked as he began to get up from his chair.
"Just hear what your mother has to say." Richard answered holding up his left hand.
Rudolph sat back down and looked at his loving and caring parents. "We realize that you want to find a bride that is what you want so-"
"We've made plans for there to be a black and white dance in your honor in order for you to pick a bride." Richard finished his wife's sentence.
"But I don't want to have this. I want to get married on my own time." Rudolph answered standing up yet again.
"Just go to this dance if you find a bride there then that's it and if you don't then-"Ellen began.
"If I don't then I can choose who I wish and on my own time." Rudolph answered.
"Alright." the parents said at once. With that Rudolph left the room knowing that he would find his bride.
A/N: Next chapter coming soon. Going to work on some of my other stories so it might be a few days or a week befor I update again. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Now if you woud please review:)