XIX: Brunch of Disasters

THE CLOCK read 10:10. I had just enough time to make it to brunch. I was already dressed, looking as presentable as I could with the lack of sleep and amount of tears that were shed the night before. The bags underneath my eerie blue orbs were visible, and the slight puffiness of my eyelids was hard to conceal, but all around I didn't look too bad. Just because I looked fine on the outside didn't mean I wasn't hurting inside, my sub-conscience remarked.

My eyes squeezed almost painfully shut as I allowed the shameful remorse to rush through my veins and spread over my body. Just thinking about last night had my emotions rising and falling like a rollercoaster, although I wasn't sure which feeling was worse: the lust or the guilt.

My eyes flew open when I heard a knock at the door and my breath hitched. Could that be Max?

"Come in," I said and cleared my throat. I held my breath as the knob turned ever so slowly, and with the gentlest of creaks, the door crept open. 

"Hello, dear. All set to go?" I let the breath I was holding out in one big swoosh, and forced a smile on my face once the disappointment sank in. 

"Hello Grandmother," I said, and winced at my indifferent tone. She eyed me with a look of suspicion before something clicked in that old head of hers that sprung a smile upon her rose-pink lips.

"Expecting anyone else, are you darling?" I looked instinctively away and busied myself with searching for my handbag. 

"Of course not, Grandmother. Who else but you would arrive unannounced?" I teased in the most carefree voice I could muster. 

"Hmm!" she exclaimed in a self-righteous  manner. "Well...actually come to think of it, I suppose you're right; I do tend to do that quite a lot!"

I laughed lightly as I located my purse and stuck it under my armpit. "Right then, shall we go?"

Grandmother looked me up and down, her eyes taking in my simple outfit of a brown tweed pencil skirt and a white pussy bow blouse, before nodding and gracefully wrapping her scarf around her neck. "Let's." 

As we made our way past the foyer to the elevator, I couldn't resist the urge to flash my eyes around the room searching for the man who's memories haunt my dreams, but he was nowhere to be found.

Perhaps he fled the penthouse after....after last night, I wondered as we descended in the elevator where Max and I kissed not even twenty-four hours ago.  Maybe even went to Simone's.

The thought of Max with Simone arouse a horrid, gut-wrenching ache to fill my being. Although it was completely unjustifiable and incomprehensible and just plain wrong, I couldn't help how I felt. I was hurt, forgotten, and dare I say it, jealous of my sister being with her fiance.

How absurd, I thought as Grandmother and I exited the elevator cart. I'm a stupid woman, truly I am; a stupid, love-struck fool of a woman.

 THE HALL was flawlessly arranged. Flowers and warm, light colors and shiny things littered the room. Servers, dressed to make even a penguin impressed, walked around offering orange cream mimosa and Bellini. A pianist sat at the corner of the room playing soft melodic tunes as people stood around mingling as they genteelly sipped their drinks served on the finest crystal.

I, on the other hand, sat leaning my chin into my palm glaring up at the chandelier, willing it to suddenly break off and tumble down on top of me. Anything to save myself from this torture. 

"Elle!" I heard a voice call, effectively snapping me out of my trance. I looked over to see Hannah making her way towards me dressed in one of the cream-colored dresses I bought her on our last shopping spree. 

"Hey Hannah," I said with a small smile. She frowned and plopped down next to me. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," I replied with an air of ease and a nonchalant bat of my hand. 

"Really," she said unconvinced. "If you say so, Elle. Come with me."

Without waiting for a response, Hannah took hold of my hand and toed me away from the now-empty table. "Where are we going?"

"To talk in private, obviously," she said with her infamous sassy attitude. I shook my head a little but didn't protest.

Once we'd arrived in the powder room which was full of women retouching their makeup, Hannah let go of my hand and flopped down on the round couch in the center. I was perfectly content with waiting until the stray women left the powder room to talk privately with Hannah, but the teen beside me had another idea.

"Is anyone a magician here?" she asked loudly, her sickly-sweet voice echoing in the room.

The women turned around and gave Hannah a funny look. "No?" Hannah asked as she stood and crossed her arms over her chest. "Then perhaps one of you must own a time machine, because there is no way the image in the mirror is going to change no matter how long you spend reapplying your $80 lipsticks."

I brought my hand up to mouth to muffle my laughter while I watched the four women gasp and indignantly strut out of the powder room.

Hannah walked over to the door, and after locking it, spun around to face me with a smile. "Now then, where were we?"

"You are unbelievable. My mother would have strangled me if I ever spoke to anyone like that." Something I said made Hannah frown a little and look away. Her reaction was the same as yesterday night when I mentioned her family. “What is it, Hannah? You can tell me."

Hannah sighed and came over to sit next to me. "Nothing. I'm fine."

"Hey," I said placing my hand comfortingly over hers. "Talk to me. Maybe I can help." A humorless laugh escaped her lips then, startling me. The bitterness in her voice was of someone in pain, and urned to make it go away. "Hannah."

"Hmm?" she said starring down at her hands.

"Tell me," I said simply.

"Do you...do you ever feel resentment against your sister? Is that normal?"

I paused for a second. Yes, I most certainly do. But there was no way I could tell Hannah why.

"It's normal Hannah," I finally said. She nodded once and didn't add anything more. "Why do you feel that way?"

She looked up and locked her eyes with mine. "Oh, I don't know, for becoming a blood-sucking, Wall Street asshole?"

I said nothing as I watched her shoulders slump, "For banishing me to my aunt's house? For shipping my Nana off to one of those old people homes? For getting engaged to a woman that hates my guts? Take your pick, Elle. They all make me sick."

I sat stunned for a long time, letting her words sink in. Money changes people, I know this. I've seen it. But is it capable of completely dictating the actions of someone once so indifferent to wealth? Could it cause such a big gap between his once beloved family and his new life? Could Max have morphed into the type of people I've spent five years running from?

I opened my mouth to reply when there was a knock at the door. Hannah and I ignored it before a deep voice was heard behind the barrier keeping us locked in here. "Hannah?"

"What do you want?" Hannah responded angrily to her brother.

"Look, just open the door. Don't cause a scene." It was then that I stood up abruptly, and with smoke practically shooting out of my ears, I wrenched the door open.

"How dare you speak to your sister like that?" I nearly shouted. His eyes widened in surprise of seeing me, and after darting his eyes left to right, he pushed past me into the powder room and slammed the door shut in one fluid motion.

"Hannah, stop acting like a child and running to bother others with your troubles. Now get up and go out there."

Hannah glared up and him and fisted her hands at her sides. "I never even wanted to do this stupid Cotillion thing. Why is it so fucking important to you to have these people accept us? News flash, people like us will never move amongst people like them!” And with that, Hannah turned to me and said, "Come on, Elle. We're done here."

I followed silently behind her out of the banquet. I said nothing as Hannah asked the valet to fetch a cab. Instead I let a comforting muteness fall between us, sensing that what she needed was privacy.

When the taxi arrived, we climbed wordlessly inside. "Where to?" the driver asked in a friendly tone.

Hannah and I both hesitated, our eyes meeting. We couldn't exactly go to where I was staying as it was her brother's penthouse. I also didn't want to just drop her off at home. Although she would never admit it, Hannah needed someone right now. And because there was no one else, I guess the job was up to me.

Something in Hannah's gaze shifted, and before I could think of where we could go, she opened her mouth and said, "Weatherby Center Nursing Home, please."

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Hey guys! Sorry I took so long to update. My older sister just got married (no grooms were stolen in the processes) and now that all that's over and done with, I can focus again on STG! I'm currently working on the next update and it might (HUGE might) be uploaded before the weekend ends! Thanks for the support everyone but especifically to lily_cupcake! Thanks for the wattpad love, girl.