1999
The bright room glowed with enthusiasm for what would happen next. The world had veered around yet again, and it celebrated new beginnings. This year would be her year, Alicia thought, keeping her eyes closed as the crowd counted down.
"5...4...3...2...1."
"Happy new year!" The crowd shouted.
"Happy New year!" Alicia raised her hands to cheer.
Alicia looked around as everyone shared kisses with their love. It sent a slight pang to her side; she missed her boyfriend, Gary, and wished he was home to celebrate the holiday. Alicia had said yes to his proposal almost a year ago. They just hadn't found the courage to tell her family of their engagement.
She smiled at the festivities and tried to seem in good spirits; it was a holiday, after all. Her smile faltered, noticing her brother, Jeff. It was hard to resist an eye roll at his current actions. The young man was pouring a flask filled with some substance into the punch bowl.
Her face reddened, and she stormed over to him and grabbed his big forearm.
Jeff's face held a sinister expression, but it softened, noticing her, "What do you want, woman." He rolled his eyes.
"Stop being childish. Do you have to ruin everything?"
Jeff shrugged, "They need to loosen up around here."
His pants were baggy and hung off his ass, slightly annoying his prudish sister. She hated that he pranced around her home like a thug. He was always loud and obnoxious. Alicia didn't like his selection of clothing for any activity the family attended, and it was no different tonight.
"If you don't like it, go back to the hood, Eminem."
Jeff chuckled, "What? I have black hair."
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"Do you even know who Eminem is?" Jeff laughed and looked around the room, "You need to get out of the house more. Where's your little boyfriend?"
Alicia furrowed her brows and looked up toward him, "Little? He's mature, unlike you."
Gary was taller than her at 5'6, and she was pleased with his petite frame matching hers. She wouldn't consider dating a man as tall and intimidating as her brother.
"He will be your brother-in-law soon, and you will not be allowed to talk down on him anymore."
She sulked and poured herself some spiked punch. Alicia had cringed every time the two of them were together. Jeff made Gary seem weak. He was, but she knew he would be an excellent future husband.
Jeff smirked at her and lifted the flask to his lips to get the last drops.
"What did you put in here?" Alicia took a small sip.
"Gin."
She smiled and scrunched her nose, "Gary has better taste in spirits."
"Where's the cornball this evening?"
"He's working. Daddy sent him to Chicago this week."
Jeff laughed at his father's decision. He knew it was her mother's ruling to fuck up their daughter's relationship with the weasel.
"They don't want you marrying him. Carl did that shit on purpose."
Alicia sneered, "Don't disrespect our father that way, and he approves of Gary. He loves him like a son, no offense to you."
Jeff snickered, "Not what I heard, your mom said-"
"Shut up. I could care less about what my mother says. If it were up to her, I would be pregnant with four snotty nose kids running around."
Alicia had slipped up and told her mother she was thinking of weddings. Milly was furious; after convincing her to settle with the older single man at church, Alicia fell for the man's son instead.
"Mother knows best."
"No!" Alicia cried out, then caught herself and calmed her voice. "No. She doesn't know what's best for Gary or me. All she wishes to do is ruin my life, and I will not allow it."
Jeff laughed, "I wish I could get paid for this therapy session. Then maybe I would stay and listen. But I've got places to be, sweetheart."
Alicia suddenly felt let down; sure, she did not care for Jeff but looking around, he was the only other person under 30. The only person who was paying her any attention.
"Where are you going?" She asked, following him into the hallway.
"Maybe another party."
Jeff kept his long strides toward his bedroom. Decorative pillows adorned the bed, soft white walls, and a plant sat near the corner. A significant painting hung above his bed, a fisherman seated by a pond. Jeff's room was for a guest, and a foreigner was precisely what he had felt like the last ten months. Jeff had been sent to live with his father and his father's real family after his mother's passing. This guestroom near the kitchen became his new home. Sometimes he would join the family for dinner and parties. But usually, he enjoyed eating in the kitchen with the maids.
"What kind of party?"
"Damn sure ain't a party like this."
"Can I come?" Alicia asked and regretted it when Jeff gave her a frown.
"Hell no. I wouldn't take you anywhere, not dressed like that."
At 26 years old, Alicia wasn't very youthful in her manner. Even though her face was pretty and fresh, and her body was tight, her choice of clothing, mostly picked out by her 50-year-old mother, was a bit dull. She wore a long jean shirt that stopped at her ankles and a turtleneck sweater that Jeff couldn't help but notice.
Alicia shook her head, "I like this look, and I can hang. I am not that old. I've been sneaking wine since you were in diapers."
"Hmm, is that so? Is that why your shirt is on inside out?"
Alicia looked at her shirt and chuckled nervously, "Shut up. Where's the party?"
He arched a brow, "I was going to a party, but if you're down to drink. We can drink."
Alicia's eyes grew wide, and she was a bit flattered he would skip his fun to hang out with her.
"But, no, you can't drink, so I'm heading out."
Alicia smiled at him, "I'm already drinking, dude." She wiggled her glass of tainted punch.
"Well, Come on then, Dude," Jeff chuckled and grabbed her hand.
The siblings wandered hand and hand down the hallway, stopping at an elegant room where her father usually handled most of his business. It wasn't an office as much as it was his barroom. No one was allowed in the 'office' unless Carl called them inside. A massive mahogany cabinet held almost 30 liquor bottles ranging in different years and varieties. To the 18-year-old Jeff, it was like a grown-up Candy store. He opened the door and strolled inside to his father's grand desk.
Alicia stood in the hallway, "We can't go in there."
Jeff went to the desk and retrieved a minor key.
"If Daddy finds out...." Alicia shivered at the thought of getting caught. "Seriously, Jeff. There's wine in the parlor; if you take a shot of his liquor, he will be mad."
"That's why I am taking the whole bottle."
"You can't!"
"Shh."
Jeff unlocked the cabinet taking in the beautiful collection, "Carl is an alcoholic."
"Is not!" Alicia scowled.
Jeff smirked at his naive sister, "Carl drinks like a fish. Milly will probably bury him with a liquor bottle in his mouth."
Alicia rolled her eyes, not liking how he spoke about their father, especially after he had taken him in.
"Hurry," she warned, looking up and down the corridor.
"Whiskey?" Jeff asked.
She glanced his way, "No, Brandy."
"You're a lightweight."
"Just hurry up, please. Marla is coming."
Alicia shut the door and greeted the housemaid, "Hey, Miss Marla."
Marla halted her steps and raised a brow at the awkward woman. She wasn't sure if she was talking to her or not. "Hi."
"Great party," Alicia smiled.
"Yeah, they are cutting a rug in the front room. What in the world are you doing in the hallway?" Marla eyed her with suspicion.
Marla didn't wear the maid attire; instead, she donned a lovely dress that her boss Mr. Carl had picked out, especially for her. Marla wondered not only what Alicia was doing in the hallway but why the stuck-up bitch was speaking to her.
"You alright, Miss Alicia?"
"Stomach cramps," Alicia hunched over in false discomfort.
