17 September 2013

Welcome to another TT - Glass

Welcome to
Tuesday's Tales
A place where books are born.
 
This week's prompt is 'Glass' and is a piece from my current wip, an as yet untitled short story.


Rain slammed against the windscreen, making it almost impossible to see the road, and pounded on the taxi’s roof. Unfortunately it didn’t stop Jarrod eulogising about their hosts for the evening.

And for the hundredth time Lacey wondered why had she allowed him to induce her to accompany him to this tedious dinner? Even if it was for a worthy cause.  She didn’t need to attend the high profile charity events to support her chosen charities, such as this one. She swallowed a sigh and promised herself never to let Jarrod persuade her into such an act of folly again.

“But you must,” he’d said in disbelief. “Everyone who is someone will be there.”

What was she doing here at her brother’s place? It had been ten years since they seen each other would he even recognise her? And she’d changed. She’d toughened up, fought for her own survival and won through, made a name for herself, and still managed to remain anonymous with all but a favoured few.

“Did you know Phineas Spencer won an Oscar for his performance in his latest film?” Awe tinged Jarrod’s voice now.

She knew, the same as she knew her sister, Veronica, had followed their father into law and was working her way up the family firm and looked set to become a partner in the not too distant future. And her mother, Lady Meridith Dewar, still ran her fashion boutique with her usual rod of iron. Her family were sought after in many circles, none of which Lacey cared to become involved.

Lightning flashed, and thunder over-rode the sound of the rain pounding the car. “It would be hard to miss,” she replied. “The information is referred to on almost every news channel and the billboards...”

“We’re here.” Jarrod bounced in his seat, actually bounced.

This was going to be some night if he couldn’t contain himself, Lacey swallowed another sigh and wondered how soon she could make her excuses and leave.

The receiving line was so long, and they appeared to be the last arrivals, it took more than forty minutes to gain entry to the ballroom and gave Lacey time to study her brother’s home. He’d married Sonia Davenport five years ago, and according to media comments and snippets she gathered from friends, it was a good marriage. Their boys, twins, were two, and were the apples of their grandmother’s eye, apparently.

Marble floors glittered and sparkled beneath the chandeliers in the huge hallway. Walls, probably once panelled in wood now reflected light off cream surfaces. Antique tables and chairs were artfully scattered along each side. One piece of hand blown glass, strategically lit, stood in the huge, empty fireplace.

Almost everyone in the line ahead of them stopped to stare. Some moved closer to get a better look. Some never bothered to lower their voices as they stared at the thirty-five-inch high glass sculpture.

“Awesome.” “Elegant.” “Breathtaking.” “Is that really gold in there?” “Magical.” She’d heard it all before, at the exhibition, and still it took her breath away to hear others offer unbiased praise for her work.

She knew exactly how high it was. Knew the exact width and that the opaque glass was shot through with gold particles. Like tentacles, the glass curved, twisted and flowed in breath-taking elegance. Energy radiated from the sculpture. She’d given it everything she had that day as she remembered what had sparked the creation.

It had snowed the night before and the cast of winter sunlight on the snow-laden branches outside her studio window had inspired her. She didn’t know how it would turn out when she started, but by the time she placed it in the annealing oven Lacey knew it was one of the best pieces she’d ever created, and wished, as she had dozens of times before, that one day her family would see, recognise and appreciate her work.
 
Thank you for reading this week's offering, I love hearing your thoughts.
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21 comments:

Jean Joachim Books said...

Great description!! Ran the boutique with a rod of iron! Loved that!! And I want to know why she's not seen her brother in ten years. Intriguing story!

SherryGLoag said...

:-) Thanks Jean. I like that sentence too, I saw her mother when I wrote that. The answer to your question about why is here...http://sherrygloagtheheartofromance.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/snippet-sunday.html

Iris B said...

Agree, why hasn't she seen her brother in such a long time? Why did she have to toughen up? Look forward do more!

V.L. Locey said...

Wonderful post! I too am wondering about the long span of time that she hasn`t seen her brother.

Jillian said...

Very well done! Love the description and it seems as if her family has learned to value her talents. Sounds to me like they had an issue (or at least she thought they did) with her being an artist. I like the subliminal message in the art being on display.

Lindsay said...

Wonderful description of the room and artwork. Wonder why it's taken so long for her family to recognized her work

Sarah Cass said...

What a lovely, descriptive scene! I could see the sculpture so clearly!

Karen Cino said...

I just loved the description. You painted a lovely picture. What I want to know is why she hasn't seen her brother in all those years.

Anonymous said...

Great! I can't wait to read the rest. The story was intriguing, but once you got to the glass I was hooked. I dabble with fused glass myself, and loved how you brought her glass art into the story.
Trisha

SherryGLoag said...

Thanks for coming by, Iris. I indicated the reason in my previous (snippet sunday) blog.

SherryGLoag said...

:-) Thanks Vicki, glad you liked it.

SherryGLoag said...

Jillian, glad you got that, thanks for coming by. :-)

SherryGLoag said...

Referred to the reason in my Snippet Sunday blog, Lindsay. Thanks for coming by.

SherryGLoag said...

:-) Thanks for your kind words, Sarah

SherryGLoag said...

Karen, have a read of my previous blog, the Sunday Snippet and you'll get an inkling. Thanks for coming by.

SherryGLoag said...

Oh wow, Tricia, thank you for your kind words. I'm delighted it worked for you. :-)

Cathy Greenfeder said...

Lovely setting and details on the sculpture. I, too, wondered about the family dynamics. It's sad that she wasn't recognized for her talents earlier.

SherryGLoag said...

:-) Thanks for your kind words Cathy, thanks for coming by.

Tricia said...

I love the way you describe this scene - how you describe her apprehension and his excitement. And the description of the glass was incredible!

S.E said...

Nice post.

Davee Jones said...

Very descriptive and you captured her thoughts and emotions well.