Virginia's Closet Cleaning Pt. 2
anonymous
November 15 2009, 02:44:03 UTC
January, 1861
If Virginia was not a lady she would have been stomping down the hall to her father’s study, cursing loud enough to make New Jersey blush. She would be slamming her fists on the door until becoming fed up to the point of kicking it down with a pair of well worn boots. Lastly she would be demanding an immediate action from her father by standing on her toes and screaming in his face.
If she was not a lady.
Instead, the young woman walked briskly down the hall to her father’s study, as fast as her skirts would allow, her body quivering with anger. Once she reached the door she gave several sharp raps that should be clearly heard by anyone on the other side. “Father?” she said loudly and waited. No reply. She knocked again.
“Father? Father are you in there?” After another moment of waiting she turned the doorknob.
No one was in the room, though apparently a tornado had just left. Documents and newspapers were all over the desk and floor. A blanket had been carelessly thrown over a chair which had not been pushed back under the desk. A candle long since melted down was also on the desk, beside a plate of whatever was left over of her father’s dinner. A collection of unread books were piled up by the window, the ones that had been read (all three of them) were shoved carelessly in various places across a bookshelf.
Virginia’s anger gave way to exasperation. Honestly, even if he did not allow slavery in his home he could at least hire a few servants to pick up after him.
His old Revolutionary War musket was resting in the corner, so was his other old one from the war with Mexico. The newest of his firearms was placed high on the wall facing the door. Polished and cleaned, it made the wall the only part of the room that seemed fresh and neat.
Unfortunately the rest of the wall had been defiled. Just above the gun, where a portrait of James Buchanan had once been, hung the smug image of her father’s repulsive looking new soon-to-be boss. Virginia glared at the painting, resisting the urge to pull it down and stomp on it.
This was all his fault. He’s the one filling Father’s head with nonsensical ideas. It’s because of him New York and the others are so unbearable to be around that the others left. We could have worked things out civilly if it wasn’t for his interference.
The slam of the front door brought Virginia’s attention back to her present situation.
“Come on Dad!” urged the voice of New York from down the hall.
“I’m not going to say no again.” Said her father tersely.
“But he shot at me!”
“Just let it go. We’ll give him some time to cool off and then we’ll try again.”
“Why are we bothering? Let’s just go down there and beat the crap out of them! That’s all the Southerners -”
The dark haired state stopped at the sight of Virginia glowering at him as he and America entered the study.
“That’s all the Southerners what?” she said quietly.
New York responded quickly, “That’s all they understand, a beating and a whipping. Hello dear sister, how you doin’ today?”
America tried to speak but Virginia beat him to it.
“It’s that kind of incredibly insulting slander that led us to this crisis in the first place!” she snapped.
“It aint slander if it’s true” New York replied evenly.
“I can assure you, it is definitely not.”
“Harriet Tubman told me differently.”
“New York…” America said warningly.
“You saw her? Where? Is she in custody?” Virginia asked eagerly.
New York pretended to think, stroking his nonexistent beard before saying, “I was going to arrest her and ship her back to Maryland’s place,” here he put on a smug grin, “But she ran to Canada when my back was turned. Funny, I told her to stay put while I got the authorities so they could haul her back to slave land and certain death, and I only took a week to get around to it.”
If Virginia was not a lady she would have said a long stream of horrible and repulsive words. Restraining herself, she still managed to turn an impressive shade of red and mouth certain phrases before finally regaining her voice and turning to her father.
Virginia's Closet Cleaning Pt. 2 (2)
anonymous
November 15 2009, 02:49:26 UTC
“Father, I demand you do something about this!” she growled.
“Why don’t you tell her how you feel, Dad.” New York said to him.
America was the one at a loss for words now. He looked from one expectant face to the other, obviously trying to find a reply to satisfy both states.
“I - I’m - well -” he finally just shook his head in exasperation. “Why don’t we just put this subject on the shelf for now?”
“But Father!”
“Come on, Dad!”
“No! That’s the end of it. New York, go wait in the dining room while I talk to your sister. We’ll get back to our discussion when I’m done here.” When it looked like the Northern state was going to protest he added, “Go before I tell New Jersey who’s been stealing his immigrants.”
That got New York out of the room, though not before he muttered, “Like he was using them anyway.”
Virginia watched him march down the hall with daggers in her eyes, wishing her father was not between them so she could go up from behind to slap New York upside his obnoxious head. America waited until his son had turn had into another room before closing the door. Virginia set herself on the chair with the blanket hanging on it. “Favoritism.” She muttered sullenly. Her father sighed again as he turned to her.
“I’m talking with you first, aren’t I?”
“That’s beside the point. How come whenever they want a law passed you get it done in a heartbeat, but when we ask that an existing law just be enforced you turn a blind eye to them breaking it every chance they get?”
“Come on Virginia, you know that’s not true.” America said as he took a seat on a stool by the window
“It was true enough for South Carolina and the others.” She said sternly. “You always paid more attention to New York and Massachusetts than you did the Carolinas or Alabama. They just wanted you to acknowledge that they had just as much rights as the rest of the family.”
“They do have the same rights as the rest of the family!” America protested. “They’re the ones with slaves, so technically they have more leeway then the rest.”
“Rights you’ve made abundantly clear you won’t allow to the younger children.” Virginia got up and took several steps to face her father. “And another thing, tell the Northerners to stop making rude and outrageous comments about me behind my back. I can’t leave my house without hearing them make some snide remark about how I’m a ‘backwards’ Southern state or I think I’m ‘Queen Virginia’ of the South.” She pointed at the door from which New York had just left, “And he is not helping the matter!”
To Virginia’s surprise, America actually laughed at the second name. “Queen Virginia? I should have thought of that.”
“Father!”
America shook his head and leaned back against the window. “I’m sorry. It’s not that funny. No, I really mean that.” He said when Virginia gave him a skeptical look. “It’s just that there’s been so much going on lately I haven’t heard something like that in awhile. I miss the times when the worst you all ever did was call each other names. Is this why you’re here?”
“This is far more serious than you take it for, Father.” Virginia said as she stared hard into his eyes. “Don’t think that I am alone in their malicious gossip. Tennessee and North Carolina came to me complaining of the same thing.”
America just looked at her in puzzlement.
“It’s just teasing.” He said slowly, “You don’t need me to deal with this.”
The Southern state groaned and reminded herself that her father did not pick up on even the most blatant of subtleties.
“Yes, I do need you to deal with this, because it’s not just teasing.” She said. “This is exactly the kind of favoritism I was talking about.”
Virginia had unintentionally confused her father.
“What?” he said in bafflement. “What does this have to do with favoritism?”
“If you were sensitive to the feelings of the Southern states you would realize that, especially now, these words make them wonder why they should not join the rest of the succession instead of staying with siblings who don’t appreciate them!” Virginia snapped. “They also feel slighted that you have yet to do anything to restrain the North!”
To his credit, America at least gave her words a few moments of thought before saying, “Oh.”
Virginia's Closet Cleaning Pt. 2 (3)
anonymous
November 15 2009, 02:50:49 UTC
Virginia’s shoulders sagged. She had said that with more temper than she had intended but everything she had spoken was true.
“Honestly, Father,” She said with a shake of her head, “Why must I always be on your case about situations like these? You are the United States of America; it’s your responsibility to represent all of us to the world.”
America chuckled. Virginia looked at him in surprise. “What’s so amusing?”
“Nothing,” he said, “You’re right, though. I need to pay more attention to all of you. Once this blows over I promise I’ll do more to let the South know I’m not ignoring them.” Virginia watched as her father looked out the window, a small smile reflected off the glass. “This was a lot easier when there was just thirteen of you.”
For a moment Virginia pictured herself in her father’s place back then in 1776. Trying to look out for and feed a miniature of herself as well as a small North Carolina and Georgia and all the others. She tried visualizing herself with a little New York and South Carolina as well but all that came up in her head was a house on fire. Virginia shivered mentally. Perhaps she did not give her father enough credit sometimes.
America suddenly leaping off his stool with an excited shout startled Virginia out of her fantasy, causing her to jump back in surprise.
“I got it!” he exclaimed, turning to her with a big grin. “I know what to do now!”
“You do?” Virginia asked warily.
“Yeah! Well, actually I know what you’re going to now.”
“Me?” Apparently it was Virginia’s turn to be baffled now.
America walked up to her and put his hand on her slim shoulder. He offered his daughter his brightest smile.
“I want you to get all your brothers and sisters together and figure out a way to keep all of you content. We need a new plan to make sure something like this doesn’t happen again. Once I get your other siblings to see reason, we’ll make sure the family is never strained like this again.”
Something about his language bothered her. “Father,” she began, “You do realize that -”
“You’ll be in charge of the meeting, okay?” America interrupted suddenly.
“Me? Why me?”
“You’re my eldest,” he said “Regardless of how they feel about the South as a whole, your Northern siblings still respect you for that, regardless of what they say. You’re the responsible one in this family, even our prodigal children know that.”
She stood a little straighter at the compliment, but again her father’s words nagged her. “Thank you, Father. But about -”
“I know I put a lot on you, Virginia.” Her father said, suddenly solemn, “And I know you always look out for the wellbeing of the family. Your brothers and sisters might not appreciate your nagging, but I depend on it. Honestly, I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
He gave Virginia’s shoulder a tight squeeze. The state said nothing, realizing she was with her father in a rare moment of seriousness. Two pairs of blue eyes stared intently into each other, daughter and father seeing into each other.
Virginia's Closet Cleaning Pt. 2 (4)
anonymous
November 15 2009, 02:52:35 UTC
Then he ruined it by lifting his hand off her shoulder and set it atop her head, ruffling her, until just then, neatly combed hair.
“But don’t over do it, okay?” he grinned, “Remember, you’re their sister, not their mother. Leave the parental lectures to me.”
He laughed as Virginia shrieked and batted his arm off her head. It had taken her an hour to get her hair just right! Her father ignored Virginia’s irritated glare and headed towards the door. “I’m going to your uncle’s for a few days.” He said as he turned the knob. “I’ll take New York so you two don’t kill each other on your way out.”
Virginia did not deign to reply to that.
“Oh, and we’re holding off Michigan’s birthday party until the rest of the South come back.”
There it was again. “Father,” she began, but America continued to talk as if he had not heard her.
“We don’t want anybody to miss the celebration. See you later!”
With that, Virginia’s father strode down the hall and out of her sight. From the other room she could hear New York jabbering off now that he had America all to himself. Within seconds they were out the front door and on their way north.
Virginia did not move from her father’s study, trying as she was to understand her father’s mind. He was not stupid, even if she wasn’t his daughter and obligated to speak highly of him, she knew that while certainly rash and abrasive, America could exercise great mental capabilities at the drop of a hat. So what was his problem? Was he in denial? Talking as if the succession was just the South blowing off some steam?
We’re holding off Michigan’s birthday party until the rest of the South come back.
“Father,” Virginia said quietly, “Don’t understand? The rest of the South is not coming back.”
I am in love with you
anonymous
November 15 2009, 19:13:06 UTC
OH ANON! I SWEAR! YOUR VIRGINIA IS THE FIRST I'VE READ THAT ACTUALLY FELL IN LOVE WITH! GAAAAAHHH! I SWEAR~ IF I COULD FIND YOU I WOULD SO-GAH! I HAVE NO IDEA! ANON! ANYTHING YOU WANT. FAN ART,BABIRES,INTERNET,A SLAVE(yes its ironic)! NAME IT I SWEAR I'LL DO IT FOR YOU!!!! -loves on-
The first flash back is so much love! Virginia still being stead fast through it all, haveing to be the leader, even if she was the last to join the seceding south. And that one heart touching momment where Alfred was just being a concerened father, where you could acutally feel it through the words. I JUST MELTED INSIDE! (btw- JUST LOVE HOW YOU USED HER MOTTO THERE! I JUST DIED! -so state patriotic- )
PLEASE ANON! UPDATE SOON! I HOLD FAST TO THOSE OFFERS I SAID AT THE TOP ;D
If Virginia was not a lady she would have been stomping down the hall to her father’s study, cursing loud enough to make New Jersey blush. She would be slamming her fists on the door until becoming fed up to the point of kicking it down with a pair of well worn boots. Lastly she would be demanding an immediate action from her father by standing on her toes and screaming in his face.
If she was not a lady.
Instead, the young woman walked briskly down the hall to her father’s study, as fast as her skirts would allow, her body quivering with anger. Once she reached the door she gave several sharp raps that should be clearly heard by anyone on the other side. “Father?” she said loudly and waited. No reply. She knocked again.
“Father? Father are you in there?” After another moment of waiting she turned the doorknob.
No one was in the room, though apparently a tornado had just left. Documents and newspapers were all over the desk and floor. A blanket had been carelessly thrown over a chair which had not been pushed back under the desk. A candle long since melted down was also on the desk, beside a plate of whatever was left over of her father’s dinner. A collection of unread books were piled up by the window, the ones that had been read (all three of them) were shoved carelessly in various places across a bookshelf.
Virginia’s anger gave way to exasperation. Honestly, even if he did not allow slavery in his home he could at least hire a few servants to pick up after him.
His old Revolutionary War musket was resting in the corner, so was his other old one from the war with Mexico. The newest of his firearms was placed high on the wall facing the door. Polished and cleaned, it made the wall the only part of the room that seemed fresh and neat.
Unfortunately the rest of the wall had been defiled. Just above the gun, where a portrait of James Buchanan had once been, hung the smug image of her father’s repulsive looking new soon-to-be boss. Virginia glared at the painting, resisting the urge to pull it down and stomp on it.
This was all his fault. He’s the one filling Father’s head with nonsensical ideas. It’s because of him New York and the others are so unbearable to be around that the others left. We could have worked things out civilly if it wasn’t for his interference.
The slam of the front door brought Virginia’s attention back to her present situation.
“Come on Dad!” urged the voice of New York from down the hall.
“I’m not going to say no again.” Said her father tersely.
“But he shot at me!”
“Just let it go. We’ll give him some time to cool off and then we’ll try again.”
“Why are we bothering? Let’s just go down there and beat the crap out of them! That’s all the Southerners -”
The dark haired state stopped at the sight of Virginia glowering at him as he and America entered the study.
“That’s all the Southerners what?” she said quietly.
New York responded quickly, “That’s all they understand, a beating and a whipping. Hello dear sister, how you doin’ today?”
America tried to speak but Virginia beat him to it.
“It’s that kind of incredibly insulting slander that led us to this crisis in the first place!” she snapped.
“It aint slander if it’s true” New York replied evenly.
“I can assure you, it is definitely not.”
“Harriet Tubman told me differently.”
“New York…” America said warningly.
“You saw her? Where? Is she in custody?” Virginia asked eagerly.
New York pretended to think, stroking his nonexistent beard before saying, “I was going to arrest her and ship her back to Maryland’s place,” here he put on a smug grin, “But she ran to Canada when my back was turned. Funny, I told her to stay put while I got the authorities so they could haul her back to slave land and certain death, and I only took a week to get around to it.”
If Virginia was not a lady she would have said a long stream of horrible and repulsive words. Restraining herself, she still managed to turn an impressive shade of red and mouth certain phrases before finally regaining her voice and turning to her father.
Reply
“Why don’t you tell her how you feel, Dad.” New York said to him.
America was the one at a loss for words now. He looked from one expectant face to the other, obviously trying to find a reply to satisfy both states.
“I - I’m - well -” he finally just shook his head in exasperation. “Why don’t we just put this subject on the shelf for now?”
“But Father!”
“Come on, Dad!”
“No! That’s the end of it. New York, go wait in the dining room while I talk to your sister. We’ll get back to our discussion when I’m done here.” When it looked like the Northern state was going to protest he added, “Go before I tell New Jersey who’s been stealing his immigrants.”
That got New York out of the room, though not before he muttered, “Like he was using them anyway.”
Virginia watched him march down the hall with daggers in her eyes, wishing her father was not between them so she could go up from behind to slap New York upside his obnoxious head. America waited until his son had turn had into another room before closing the door. Virginia set herself on the chair with the blanket hanging on it. “Favoritism.” She muttered sullenly. Her father sighed again as he turned to her.
“I’m talking with you first, aren’t I?”
“That’s beside the point. How come whenever they want a law passed you get it done in a heartbeat, but when we ask that an existing law just be enforced you turn a blind eye to them breaking it every chance they get?”
“Come on Virginia, you know that’s not true.” America said as he took a seat on a stool by the window
“It was true enough for South Carolina and the others.” She said sternly. “You always paid more attention to New York and Massachusetts than you did the Carolinas or Alabama. They just wanted you to acknowledge that they had just as much rights as the rest of the family.”
“They do have the same rights as the rest of the family!” America protested. “They’re the ones with slaves, so technically they have more leeway then the rest.”
“Rights you’ve made abundantly clear you won’t allow to the younger children.” Virginia got up and took several steps to face her father. “And another thing, tell the Northerners to stop making rude and outrageous comments about me behind my back. I can’t leave my house without hearing them make some snide remark about how I’m a ‘backwards’ Southern state or I think I’m ‘Queen Virginia’ of the South.” She pointed at the door from which New York had just left, “And he is not helping the matter!”
To Virginia’s surprise, America actually laughed at the second name. “Queen Virginia? I should have thought of that.”
“Father!”
America shook his head and leaned back against the window. “I’m sorry. It’s not that funny. No, I really mean that.” He said when Virginia gave him a skeptical look. “It’s just that there’s been so much going on lately I haven’t heard something like that in awhile. I miss the times when the worst you all ever did was call each other names. Is this why you’re here?”
“This is far more serious than you take it for, Father.” Virginia said as she stared hard into his eyes. “Don’t think that I am alone in their malicious gossip. Tennessee and North Carolina came to me complaining of the same thing.”
America just looked at her in puzzlement.
“It’s just teasing.” He said slowly, “You don’t need me to deal with this.”
The Southern state groaned and reminded herself that her father did not pick up on even the most blatant of subtleties.
“Yes, I do need you to deal with this, because it’s not just teasing.” She said. “This is exactly the kind of favoritism I was talking about.”
Virginia had unintentionally confused her father.
“What?” he said in bafflement. “What does this have to do with favoritism?”
“If you were sensitive to the feelings of the Southern states you would realize that, especially now, these words make them wonder why they should not join the rest of the succession instead of staying with siblings who don’t appreciate them!” Virginia snapped. “They also feel slighted that you have yet to do anything to restrain the North!”
To his credit, America at least gave her words a few moments of thought before saying, “Oh.”
Reply
“Honestly, Father,” She said with a shake of her head, “Why must I always be on your case about situations like these? You are the United States of America; it’s your responsibility to represent all of us to the world.”
America chuckled. Virginia looked at him in surprise. “What’s so amusing?”
“Nothing,” he said, “You’re right, though. I need to pay more attention to all of you. Once this blows over I promise I’ll do more to let the South know I’m not ignoring them.” Virginia watched as her father looked out the window, a small smile reflected off the glass. “This was a lot easier when there was just thirteen of you.”
For a moment Virginia pictured herself in her father’s place back then in 1776. Trying to look out for and feed a miniature of herself as well as a small North Carolina and Georgia and all the others. She tried visualizing herself with a little New York and South Carolina as well but all that came up in her head was a house on fire. Virginia shivered mentally. Perhaps she did not give her father enough credit sometimes.
America suddenly leaping off his stool with an excited shout startled Virginia out of her fantasy, causing her to jump back in surprise.
“I got it!” he exclaimed, turning to her with a big grin. “I know what to do now!”
“You do?” Virginia asked warily.
“Yeah! Well, actually I know what you’re going to now.”
“Me?” Apparently it was Virginia’s turn to be baffled now.
America walked up to her and put his hand on her slim shoulder. He offered his daughter his brightest smile.
“I want you to get all your brothers and sisters together and figure out a way to keep all of you content. We need a new plan to make sure something like this doesn’t happen again. Once I get your other siblings to see reason, we’ll make sure the family is never strained like this again.”
Something about his language bothered her. “Father,” she began, “You do realize that -”
“You’ll be in charge of the meeting, okay?” America interrupted suddenly.
“Me? Why me?”
“You’re my eldest,” he said “Regardless of how they feel about the South as a whole, your Northern siblings still respect you for that, regardless of what they say. You’re the responsible one in this family, even our prodigal children know that.”
She stood a little straighter at the compliment, but again her father’s words nagged her. “Thank you, Father. But about -”
“I know I put a lot on you, Virginia.” Her father said, suddenly solemn, “And I know you always look out for the wellbeing of the family. Your brothers and sisters might not appreciate your nagging, but I depend on it. Honestly, I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
He gave Virginia’s shoulder a tight squeeze. The state said nothing, realizing she was with her father in a rare moment of seriousness. Two pairs of blue eyes stared intently into each other, daughter and father seeing into each other.
Reply
“But don’t over do it, okay?” he grinned, “Remember, you’re their sister, not their mother. Leave the parental lectures to me.”
He laughed as Virginia shrieked and batted his arm off her head. It had taken her an hour to get her hair just right! Her father ignored Virginia’s irritated glare and headed towards the door. “I’m going to your uncle’s for a few days.” He said as he turned the knob. “I’ll take New York so you two don’t kill each other on your way out.”
Virginia did not deign to reply to that.
“Oh, and we’re holding off Michigan’s birthday party until the rest of the South come back.”
There it was again. “Father,” she began, but America continued to talk as if he had not heard her.
“We don’t want anybody to miss the celebration. See you later!”
With that, Virginia’s father strode down the hall and out of her sight. From the other room she could hear New York jabbering off now that he had America all to himself. Within seconds they were out the front door and on their way north.
Virginia did not move from her father’s study, trying as she was to understand her father’s mind. He was not stupid, even if she wasn’t his daughter and obligated to speak highly of him, she knew that while certainly rash and abrasive, America could exercise great mental capabilities at the drop of a hat. So what was his problem? Was he in denial? Talking as if the succession was just the South blowing off some steam?
We’re holding off Michigan’s birthday party until the rest of the South come back.
“Father,” Virginia said quietly, “Don’t understand? The rest of the South is not coming back.”
Reply
this is amazing. keep going!
Reply
The first flash back is so much love! Virginia still being stead fast through it all, haveing to be the leader, even if she was the last to join the seceding south. And that one heart touching momment where Alfred was just being a concerened father, where you could acutally feel it through the words. I JUST MELTED INSIDE! (btw- JUST LOVE HOW YOU USED HER MOTTO THERE! I JUST DIED! -so state patriotic- )
PLEASE ANON! UPDATE SOON! I HOLD FAST TO THOSE OFFERS I SAID AT THE TOP ;D
....-end capslock abuse-
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