Exposed to the hard spattering of raindrops, I had never been smaller than at my grandmother's graveside. Grandma Carolina Haverton MacKinley herself was small next to my great grandmother, Helen Haverton, who took "Haverton-Gibson" as her married name. Grandma Helen worked her husband, an architect, to found a construction and real estate empire. She began in Portland. Our properties now dominated areas as far south as California's Sacramento delta. My mother managed it now.
My mother wept at the graveside that year. Grandma Carolina had died a year after our congressman broke his promise to us. Despite protests, he had given rights to a defense contractor to build a factory west of Beaverton. Its disgusting fumes could be seen from our properties. My mother was so incensed that she challenged our representative's seat the following year. Though it took more than money for a politically inexperienced, single issue, candidate to beat an entrenched politician. He had the support of his good old boys allies that went back to his Ivy league. Dejected, my mother conceded, and contented herself to withdraw our donations.
I knew then, as a shivering middle school girl, that my family would call on me. The terrible weight that I would someday serve Helen Haverton's legacy confined my heart. One day too I would take over as my grandmother and mother had done. More though, I would have to exceed them. I would need a network as strong as our back stabbing congressmen. Our family and our city needed a Haverton in public service.
That had been my idea. I existed to prove myself and to carry the legacy. To begin, I began college with my long term purpose in mind. I must connect with best, and only the best. Grandma Carolina used to used to quote some old philosopher: 'Know the fortunate in order to choose them.' Therefore, the right friends would assist in my goals, but purposes had changed so fast. Pledge week had only been two weeks ago. I ignored every competing sisterhood and walked straight to the oldest one on campus, Phi Gamma Omega. There, I looked straight into the wary, regal, blue-green eyes of one sister.
"Yes?" she said to me.
"Hi," I said. "Can I ask your name?"
"I'm Morgan," she said. Her tone spoke so much more. As did her gaze. 'Why are you talking to me?' it signaled. 'Why should I be interested?' was written on her face. "Who are you?"
I had been nervous then. I fought a little battle in my mind even though there couldn't be anything to worry about. Grandma Carolina used to tell me that people only know how you act, and never how you feel on the inside. So even when you trembled around that boy you had a crush on or how scared you felt to speak in a group, if you pretended enough, no one would know. Then you'd get what you want.
"I'm the next girl you will invite to this sorority," I said standing as straight as I could, my face unwavered though my heart thumped inside me.
"Is that so?" said Morgan. "Now why would I do that?"
"My name is Jasmine Haverton Vicinda," I answered. Morgan's eyebrows raised. Her crossed arms relaxed to her side, and she prodded her chin.
"As in..." she said.
"Helen Haverton."
"Okay legacy," said Morgan. Her attitude changed towards me. Instead of coldness, she offered a sliver of respect. "I'll sponsor you myself. Though you're going through your pledging process like any other, do you understand?"
"I think I do."
"'Think you do'? There's no special treatment here," Morgan said as she glowered towards me. "You will pledge like any other freshmeat. You will do whatever any other freshmeat does. If you don't do what we want, then you don't really want to be in."
"I..." I began.
"Really, it might be best for you to walk away," said Morgan. Her judgmental facade dropped for a split second. Was she testing me?
What was it I felt in that moment? I think it had been fear. I had been right to be afraid. If I stepped away, I would've kept on existing as normal, and joined some other sorority. I'd be partying between studies and giving head to cute boys and maybe a professor. Future lawyers, business magnates, and other influential people would still be among my peers. I could have walked away right then. This sorority was more than a mere power group. I wanted this and I was going to do whatever it took to live up to my name. Everyone named Haverton had done something great. Great-Grandma Helen would be proud.
"I'll do whatever it takes, big sister," I said. "I don't want to be treated any different."
Grandma Helen had been one of the first women to attend Granitewell College, a private school on the edges of Portland, back in the early fifties. She helped found the Phi Gamma Omega sorority, and later she met my great-grandfather. My family's name preceded me. Granitewell begged me to visit by the tenth grade. Great-grandma had forbidden -with uncompromising terms- her daughter to follow in her educational path. My mother told me of the threats Great-grandma had given when she considered applying. Helen Haverton didn't think anyone could do it.
I had struggled, but I knew my path. I would become the first legacy ever to join the Phi Gamma Omega women. So I had endured high school and all its abuses and applied to only one college. Nothing would stop me. Nothing would stop me from gathering that network of the fortunate. Resolved, I prepared myself for whatever Morgan had in mind.
***
There had been two other girls pledging that week with me. The big sisters had given us a schedule so strict we had to dodge our classes. When we crossed the antique oak doors of the sorority house, we were stripped of clothes and ordered to be silent. The sisters affixed thin canine collars. Each collar had a little dog tags declaring which big sister owned us for the week. We were shown the messy kitchen, the filthy bathrooms, and cluttered bedrooms. After we scrubbed and vacuumed the house, they threw aprons at us and sent us to cook.
They never told us why we cooked so much. They gave us no notice about the party they had planned. Guests arrived in the evening. We served food to guys I'd seen on campus and girls older than me. The big sisters's boyfriends gazed at our nudity. Every second degraded us. One boyfriend reached out to Yumi, another pledge, to flick her small breast. His girlfriend slapped his hand away and clarified the no touching rule.
That's when I knew my big sisters would keep us dirty little pledges safe. They take good care of their own. I'm sure Yumi is happy now. Bristol too. I'm even more so. Safer and happier than you can imagine.
That party had lasted late, and we'd been given cots in the basement. The three of us cleaned the next morning. Yumi had been sweeping the kitchen floor while Bristol and been gathering empty cans, paper plates, and even some random clothes. Bristol looked at Yumi and noticed the bit of jewelry at her neck.
"How come you still get to wear that, there?" she asked.
Yumi touched the pendent that hung from her neck.
"Come on, let me see it," said Bristol. She stepped over to the kitchen and bugged Yumi.
"My big sister didn't make me take it off," protested Yumi.
"But you're not naked then," said Bristol teasing. "You get to cover up with whatever that little metal is."
"You don't think this is naked?" said Yumi. She stretched her arms out and whipped her black straight hair over her shoulder. Her nips pointed out against the cool air. The contours of hips and stomach shown under the light. "I feel pretty naked."
Beyond the collar, the only thing on her body was that crucifix necklace.
"I think she looks more naked with it," I said. "More naked than us."
"Yeah, that's probably why your big sister let her keep it," said Bristol. She twirled back to the cluttered living room.
"So where are you from, Yumi?" I asked.