Brooke nodded, lamely.“Right, of course. I would hate to keep them waiting for their own party.” She cleared her throat and gestured towards the door.“After you, Darling."
The Wentworth Country Club looked exactly as it had the last time Brooke had stepped foot through its massive double doors. Anna was speechless. She had managed a low gasp as the valet had helped them out of the car, but she hadn’t actually said anything. As soon as the doors shut behind them Anna leaned in.“Okay, I now understand why you had me get a new wardrobe.” She let out a nervous chuckle.“Like I was appreciative, don’t get me wrong, but this…” she gestured at the grand entryway of one of the most exclusive country clubs in the whole of England.“This deserved a nice dress.”
Brooke smiled, softly, too nervous and uncomfortable for the smile to reach her eyes.“I’m just thankful you’re here with me.” Immediately she felt Anna’s arm thread through the bend in her elbow.
“Is this fancy enough? I almost feel like holding hands is beneath this place,” Anna teased.
It was just enough to get a breath of a laugh out of Brooke. They were greeted by a man in a full tux with tails and all.“Welcome to the Wentworth Country Club. Mr. Kent, esteemed guests, right this way,” the man said, complete with a low bow. Brooke suppressed the urge to roll her eyes at the fact that Nate was the only person the man had bothered to directly address.
He led them all down a hallway to their right. Brooke knew from her childhood summers spent here playing tennis and learning to swim, that they were headed towards the larger of the two banquet halls. She braced herself, wondering who all her mother and father might have invited to this event. She swallowed back the emotions that came from knowing that while she was cast completely aside for who she loved, Nate would get a probably literally a royal celebration.
They were led inside what appeared to be a rather grand ballroom turned reception hall. There were large round tables all neatly arranged with decorative place settings, each with all the extra forks that accompanied ridiculously multi-course meals. She was thankful to see that there weren’t name cards at each seat. They at least had a little bit of freedom as to who they would sit with. Unfortunately though, as Nate and Mel were critical to the event, they’d had to arrive a bit early. Brooke had reluctantly agreed to all take one car. She knew that it would be hard to sneak out early with Nate and Mel as well. But since their parents had offered to pay for Nate and Mel to have a driver for the night, Nate had insisted that they all ride together. For one, it was a bit of a fuck you. And second, Brooke and Anna would both be free to drink as much as they wanted. And finally, Brooke knew that Mel was hoping that if Brooke was genuinely miserable, it would give her the opportunity to escape.
They had learned that while Mel was attending the same law school as Nathaniel, she had not grown up like him at all. Her parents were farmers so far north in England they were almost in Scotland. Mel was incredibly uncomfortable at big well-to-do events like this. While her competitive lawyer nature made her very aware that she needed to network with these people, the truth of the matter was that she wanted to practice environmental law and would spend most of her career fighting against the very people that would fill out this room in less than an hour.
Brooke couldn’t help but admit that it was nice to be uncomfortable at this event with someone else. Nate was used to it, he could work a room like this with ease. Anna was so genuinely lovely that while this was not her crowd, she would fit in in no time. She was stunning and charming, and Brooke knew that by the end of the evening Anna would have charmed everyone in the room—except perhaps her mother and father.
Sybil and Augustus Kent were speaking animatedly with another graying couple near one of the oversized fireplaces as Brooke, Anna, Nate, and Mel filed into the room. Anna’s arm squeezed ever so slightly, pulling Brooke in tighter to her side. Brooke knew that it was the subtle question of asking if that was Brooke's father. When the man lifted his head and gazed in their direction, Brooke knew that Anna’s unspoken question would be answered. Augustus looked like the thirty years older, fully white haired version of Nate, down to the style of his beard.
This was it, the moment she had been dreading. Her father had been the one to take her to the airport. Brooke had never actually heard his opinion of the whole matter. After her mother’s extreme reaction, her father had just… done nothing. He had said nothing. And just like that, his attention turned back to the elderly couple in front of him. Brooke felt herself deflate ever so slightly. She felt her shoulders curl inwards and her face fall. She didn’t know what she had expected really, but something. Anything would have been better than nothing.
Brooke watched as Anna’s arm slid down the inside of her forearm until their palms met and their fingers laced together. Anna gave her a soft little reassuring squeeze. Nate cleared his throat and gestured over to a more secluded seating area, just away from the tables.“How about we wait over there until some of our most honored guests arrive.” He mockingly covered his heart with his hand.
“Why dearest, that would be absolutely divine,” Mel said, matching his tone.
“Vivienne taught me to curtsey, please tell me I’m going to get to use it,” Anna added to their jest, getting a laugh out of both Mel and Nate.
Brooke followed along as they weaved through the tables to the seating area that Nate had pointed out. It consisted of large, expensive furniture, all brass and dark oak, intentionally designed to be uncomfortable, Brooke decided. It had to be, if that hadn’t been the point, what had? Brooke gave up on trying to have her back touch the cushion and her feet touch the floor at the same time.
She fought back a laugh as she watched Anna scoot back and forth.“Okay, what the fuck?” Anna whispered, getting another stifled giggle from the group.“Do you have to be six feet tall for this couch or something?”
Nate flinched. He was the only one of them who was genuinely comfortable.“This club was originally gentlemen only.”
Mel rolled her eyes.“Fitting.” She was only a little taller than Brooke, and she was still uncomfortable.
Their attention was all immediately captured as they heard the sounds of approaching footsteps. Anna’s hand immediately slid to Brooke's thigh as they all turned to see who was approaching.
Nate stood abruptly when he realized it was his mother and father, along with their two guests from before. He hugged his mother and shook his father’s hand. Mel slowly got to her feet, uncomfortably greeting Mr. and Mrs. Kent with equally stiff half hugs. Brooke felt Anna’s eyes on her profile, clearly looking for guidance in the situation. Brooke let out a slow heavy sigh and got to her feet. She held her hand out to Anna to help her gracefully do the same.
She wasn’t entirely sure how to greet them in this circumstance. There was an audience who was their guest. Thankfully, they both looked just as uncomfortable. She took a deep breath and forced herself to remember her etiquette classes, long since buried and locked away in the file of unwelcome childhood memories.
“Anna, Darling, you met my mother last night. Allow me to introduce to you my father, Augustus Kent. Father, this is my girlfriend, Anna Fourchette.” Before anyone could do or say anything else, Brooke turned her attention to the other elderly couple, who was watching the whole interaction intently, clearly vultures looking for gossip.“Forgive me if we’ve met before, it would have been quite a long time ago. Would you do me the honor of reminding me of your names?”
The man looked impressed. He puffed out his chest and extended his hand.“Charles Higginbotham the Seventh,” he clasped Brooke’s hand tightly, a genuine show of respect.“This is my wife, Violet.”
“Brooke Kent,” she said as she shook Violet’s hand. She had met them before. Higginbotham was a hard name to forget. She had actually gone to school—until the incident—with their eldest son, also Charles.“I have met you before. It’s been quite some time. It’s lovely to see you again. Please, allow me to introduce you to my girlfriend, Anna Fourchette. Anna, I went to primary school with their son.”
The couple seemed all the more pleased that Brooke had remembered, so Brooke decided to rub it in her parents face even more.“How is Charles doing?”
As each new guest or couple arrived, Brooke introduced Anna in the same manner as she had with the Higginbotham’s. Apparently, she had passed some unspoken test of her parents. Either that or the Higginbotham’s carried too much weight in their social circles for her parents to snub her publicly, so Brooke and Anna had been forced to stay with Nate, Mel, Augustus and Sybil as they greeted all of the guests. The party had been in full swing for around an hour or so when Brooke saw her, Holly Clements. Brooke's ex, turned doctor. The man with her must be her husband.
Her jaw clenched, but she refused to cast a glance at her mother. Another test, Brooke could see. Another trap. Nate immediately turned to look at her. Anna and Mel were tuned enough to them to know that something was going on, but it was clear that neither of them knew what. Brooke just offered Nate a small smile and subtle shake of her head.
“Mr. and Mrs. Kent, thank you so much for the lovely invitation. This is my husband, Daniel,” Holly said it so easily, husband. Brooke was at least amused by how uncomfortable Holly looked. It was clear that no one had warned her either.
Holly moved to Nate next, her smile wide and easy as she pulled him into a tight hug. When he had been really little, Nate had asked once if Holly was his other big sister, she was over so often. That’s how close they had been… before.“It’s been too long, Nate the great.”
Nate smiled, though it was tense and not at all real or warm.“This is my fiancee, Mel. Mel, this is Holly.” The sentence fell apart there, more than apparent that Nate didn’t know how to properly introduce Holly.
