Chapter 30
Nancy (1956)
...
A year before Nancy was on the path to attending the prestigious finishing school, her family discussed her debuting. Her mother was especially excited to tinker with the details of one of the most important days of her daughter's life. They planned for a large gathering, and discussed daughters from other wealthy families that were due to announce their formal entry into society. And of course to announce their availability for marriage.
"It will be lavish," Nancy's mother said at the dinner table one evening. "A debutant ball for the ages!" She slowly cut into her steak while rambling on. "Everyone will be dressed so finely and the girls will have their hair professionally done!"
Nancy sipped on her glass of water and stared at Tommy. He noticed her stare and he shrugged his shoulders.
"Who else is about ready to debut?" Nancy's father asked with food in his mouth. He didn't look up from his plate.
Her mother's eyes lit up. "Well there's Samantha Crane, Dana Harris, Doris Montgomery, Helen Gilbert, and I do believe Virginia Stevens. All lovely girls!"
Their father nodded in response without saying a word. The dinner cooked by Betsy, the head maid, was too good.
"Now Nancy," her mother said, "you will have to help me with the color scheme of this event. You are going to be the main attraction, dear." Her mother laughed and picked up her champagne glass. She drank fervently.
"Do I have to?" Nancy replied.
Her mother sat her glass down and shot a disapproving look at Nancy. "Of course you do, baby. You need to be involved. Next year you will debut! My beautiful girl."
"But I don't want to."
Her mother set down her fork and knife and wiped her mouth with a silk napkin. "Is this because of Lonnie?"
"Mother," Tommy said to try to stop the conversation.
"No, no, Tommy," their mother said while she held her palm up to him. "I need to know what your sister finds so interesting about this Lonnie fellow."
It was quiet for a moment while Nancy stared back at her mother. "He's just very nice," Nancy quietly replied.
"Very nice," her mother said. "Only very nice?"
"That's what she said, dear," their father replied. "Very nice."
"Well very nice is not enough!" her mother said firmly.
Nancy and Tommy stopped eating supper and waited for their mother to continue lecturing.
Tommy broke the silence in the dining room. "Mother, Lonnie is actually quite a great guy for Nan."
"He's a mill worker," their mother said with shame in her voice.
"He's not a good fit," their father added. He continued to eat but looked up once at Nancy for a brief second. "Not good enough, Nancy."
Her mother nodded. "See? Listen to your father if you won't listen to me. Not good enough."
The dining room went silent once more before Betsy came in to refill everyone's drinks.
"Lonnie is actually saving money," Tommy added, "to go to college."
Their mother scoffed.
Nancy sat there for a while before her mother urged her to finish her plate. Nancy continued to eat in silence.
"Now," her mother said, "the debutante ball will have a five course meal, will it not? Cake and wine and I would also want live music playing of course. But not jazz, it is just not classy." She gulped down the remaining champagne in her glass before Betsy topped her off.
"I like jazz," Nancy said quietly. She looked up at her mother that chose to ignore her.
"The eligible bachelors will be presented at the end so they can mingle with the girls," her mother continued to babble. "Oh, it's going to be like a dream!"
Nancy sighed and felt her heart pounding. "Mother, I'm not sure I am ready to marry." She felt her mother's glare and her heart felt like it was being crushed by her mother's grip.
"Oh, but you are, baby." Her mother smiled. "You are of age. Honestly it may have been better if your father and I had arranged a groom for you. That would have saved you from wasting your time with that boy."
"I don't feel like I'm wasting my time," Nancy said.
Her father cut in, "You are wasting your time, Nancy! We are never going to say yes to that mill rat. You must know that we are doing what is best for you."
Tommy interrupted, "Maybe you both need to give Lonnie a chance."
Their father shook his head. "Absolutely not."
"Why not?" Nancy asked.
"Because Lonnie comes from nothing," their mother replied. "He comes from nothing and we can't have a nobody joining our family. It's not a good look."
Nancy and Tommy looked at each other. Nancy was grateful that Tommy was doing his best to stand up for her. She knew that Tommy was understanding and actually liked Lonnie a lot. The two of them were friends in elementary school before Tommy was transferred to a private academy. Even though they lost touch and their friendship had faded, they were still on good terms. After Lonnie and Nancy started dating, Tommy's friendship with him began to rekindle.
"I won't hear another word of this," their father said as he slammed his palm down on the table. He caused the dishes and silverware to shake and clatter. "There is a year in between now and the debutante ball. We have plenty of time to plan the event and we have to consult the other families as well. I don't want to hear another damn word about Lonnie. Soon enough, he will be out of the picture."
Nancy stayed quiet and wanted to run from the table. Instead she stayed seated and withheld her rage. She wanted to blow up and scream at them but she knew that it wouldn't make them change their minds. She saw that Tommy was getting frustrated as well. He hated when they treated his sister like this and wished they left her alone.
"That Lonnie is ruining you, Nancy." Her mother drank more of her champagne and then left the dinner table without finishing her food.
Their father sighed. "Now you two have upset your mother." He remained at the table and instead of tending to his wife, he asked Betsy for seconds.