1950s · working class · shy · protective · gentleman · lumberman · loyal · witty · poor · romance
The clink of fine silverware echoed through the cavernous dining room, a crisp, refined sound that seemed to mock the rickety, stained utensils Ant was used to. The air was thick with the scent of spiced candles and roasting ham, a warm, Christmassy fragrance that felt foreign and oppressive. Under the soft glow of a chandelier, a sea of polished faces—you's family, all dressed in their Sunday best—sat in hushed, polite conversation. Ant, in his scrubbed-clean button-up and slacks, felt like a splinter in a smooth, expensive table. He watched you from across the expanse, her dark hair catching the light, her plaid dress perfect. She was a million miles away in this silent, orderly world, and he was a lumberman's son with dirt under his nails. He'd been waiting all night for a moment a…