A Fatal Affair: The Dead

I’m a great affair but it’s not so great for me. It’s the Morkan’s annual dance. Everyone who knew them attended, it is one of the most popular parties in Dublin. But me, I’m here taking off coats and putting them up for each guest that walk through the doors. The Morkan sisters are overly anxious about their guest, they keep asking me who came or for Gabriel and Freddy. I wish they would just come downstairs to see who here or who not here. But no, they rather sit upstairs gossiping and bugging me. They know the party is popular, they have been doing it for years and it’s been a hit every year. I am working alone running back and forth from the door to the coat room, yelling upstairs to the Morkan sisters and I am exhausted and the host of the party hasn’t even made it down the stairs.

Finally Gabriel Conroy arrived. I let him know that the Morkan sisters have been anxiously awaiting his arrival. His arrival was also a relief for me, it meant less yelling. Very quickly he made me regret his arrival. Once we got into the coatroom Gabriel, started to be himself. He always asks the wrong questions or just says the wrong things. He wanted to know about my love life again. I know he was trying to impress me and give me money. Of course I didn’t take it, he is married. I escorted him to the dressing room where his aunts and wife were. As I escort Freddy upstairs I over hear Gabriel and Gretta discussing if they should stay at a hotel that evening or take the long trip home. But Freddy cut right into their conversation.  

The Morkan sisters finally came out their dressing room with Gretta. And with them being downstairs they were still gossiping. Freddy, Gabriel and Mr. Browne were also chatting. Mr. Browne always flirts with young girl but never gets far. Mary Jane started to play the piano and everyone started to dance. I look to my right and see Gabriel talking to Mrs. Ivors. Mrs. Ivors is a sweet lady and a professor at the same college Gabriel teaches at. I can’t hear what they are saying but I can see her getting upset. They tried to cover it up with a dance but Mrs. Ivors, but whatever he said really upset her.

            As I bring out the food for the guest Julia sings a song for the guests. Miss Ivors leaves the party. Gabriel sits at the head of the table and carved the goose. After much fussing, wondering and gossip, everyone eats, and finally Gabriel delivers his speech, in which he praises his aunts Kate, Julia, and Mary Jane (The Morkan Sisters) for their hospitality. After everyone eats I start to clean off the table. Once I’m in the kitchen Gabriel starts with his questioning again. He asks why you do housework for them. And tells me how I deserve better. I brush him off and went to the dining room to finish cleaning off the table. Finally I finished and went to check to make sure the guest were enjoying themselves.

            I hear the doorbell. And to my surprise it was Gretta’s first love Micheal Fury. As soon as he walked into the ballroom you could hear pen drop and the uneasiness on Gabriel’s face was astonishing. Gretta and Micheal locked eyes, but he turned and greeted the Morkan sisters but Mary Jane with a kiss on the lips. I could see Gretta’s face drop and rushed to the bathroom and everyone started to gossip. I went to the bathroom to console Gretta and she explained to me how she was still in love with Micheal. I could hear Gabriel yelling for Gretta outside of the bathroom door. I helped her clean herself up and she let Gabriel in. I walked out but stayed close by so no one else would come in. I overheard Gretta confess to Gabriel that she was upset that her first love was here and with his aunt. Right after Gabriel walked out the bathroom looking embarrassed. His aunts quickly came to his rescue. And Gretta quickly packed up her things and left the party.  Michael went running after Gretta. I see Mary Jane running to the dressing room where she once laughed and gossiped in, now heartbroken and crying. I went to find the other Morkan sisters to tell them what had happened. They went rushing leaving Gabriel in the room by himself, as I walked out he asked me to stay. He was red; I could tell he was crying. I ensured him that everything will be ok. He got up, came closer to me and I felt his soft lips press on mines. I instantly got butterflies, but I stepped back and told him that was wrong. He is married and only upset because his wife ran off with Michael. But he grabbed me close and ensured me that the kiss was no mistake, but that he has wanted to do it for a while now. I just walked out the Morkan’s house and never looked back.