X
I didn’t know what it said about Jay that this letter had been tucked away all day, before we’d even argued about actually doing this.
“It’s the missing piece to our plan.” He watched my eyes moveacross the lines of his letter. “Buchanan’s always unpredictable. And it looks like he’s about to have another falling out with my father. We mail this and he’ll still come to the party in spite of their squabble. We’ll have the house all to ourselves. You and Zihan take the boat I built across the water, slip in while they’re busy, and by the time they realize what’s happening, it’ll be too late. No turning back.”
Jay nodded with a silent pledge to continue forward. And his readiness made me even more eager to give the corrupt man everything that had been coming to him.
23.
Daisy stood in the mirror, galactically lengthy in a shimmering purple undergarment set, a Buccellati diamond bracelet, and a Tiffany anklet.
It was the night of Jay’s fake proposal to Daisy and everything had to be just right.
Jay stood next to her and practiced lines. “I’m so excited to be marrying—” He paused to change his inflections. “I’msoexcited to be marrying beautiful Daisy Whitley!”
“Ugh,” Daisy scoffed. “That sounded sofake,Jay! You can do much better.”
Jay pulled a little ring box from his pocket and got on one knee. He popped it open to reveal a diamond ring. “And to be presenting her with a ring courtesy of Buchanan’s Jewelers! See, father, I can be friendly with our neighbors too!”
“Pretty soon we’ll be able to buy dozens of diamond rings!” I sang to the ceiling.
Daisy looked off dreamily about that. “We will, won’t we?”
I thought back to Jay’s words, in his moment of uncertainty, and then asked Daisy, “Do you ever feel a quiver of doubt about this?”
Daisy went into the closet. She was finishing her outfit, so all I could hear was her voice. “Oh, I don’t think I’ve had a doubt in years. I’ve sat through Tom’s endless stories about hisboringlife, and honestly, I couldn’t tell you what half of them even meant. He’s awful, really! He’d put everyone back where they started if he could, but somehow, he’s still got everything.”
Daisy emerged in a champagne-colored gown. She sat on the bench in front of her vanity mirror to put on two earrings, which were shaped like tassels, effortlessly dressing as she spoke. “Buchanan doesn’t want harmony—he wants control. And so, there will always be a difference of vision between us. Nothing could make me work in that house forever.”
“Shall we burn the mansion down when all is said and done too?” I asked gleefully.
“Oh, Nick, I’ve corrupted you!” Daisy turned to me with a mischievous expression as she took pins out of her hair, causing it to fall around her head in shimmering finger waves. “I should’ve never let you have that first conversation with Jordan. Now you’re wrapped up in violence.”
Daisy applied pink lipstick to her bow-shaped lips, then grabbed a white purse from her rack and posed in the mirror. “Anyone else excited for the party?” she chirped.
“Overjoyed,” Jay said monotonously. He was sitting on the bed now, all dressed and slumped over, in a pair of gold-framed octagonal glasses, just for show.
The rest of his outfit consisted of a white shirt and a pinstriped blue vest. He was the color of the ocean and the clouds. And I, the grass, dressed in the green Norfolk tux of my Uncle Beet.
“Can’t wait to betray the person I am for aperformanceof the person my father wants me to be,” Jay said.
“The American dream!” Daisy exclaimed, with a laugh. She slipped into a pair of gold Spanish heels with diamond-studded buckles that completed the look. For the finishing touch, she sprayed perfume and spun through it, her shawl forming a parachute. I reached like a salivating lion for a hit of the soft scent, the rosy vapor she spun in.
She pulled a bottle from under her vanity, poured a glass of gin, and handed it to Jay. “You’ll need this before the event.”
He took a sip and his face soured. “This is more potent than I’ve ever tasted.”
“Tom gets it imported! Calms me right down. Bottom line? I’ve had enough of Buchanan and his lot, and it’s time to get lost.”
Remember when I could not stand to be in the same room with them because I was so jealous? My cousin and friend were happy together and leaving me out of it. I wanted to be in on their lightness. Joy and tragedy were a moon cycle for them, my friends—their heartbeats were far more rapid than my quiet, dull thumping. I guess that was why I needed to love them.
They were there for me, and some of the only ones who’d never turned their back on me. They’d never let me down in this world so full of betrayal, and that counted for everything!
Gatsby’s place was lit with an array of lights, which outlined every hedge, pillar, and fountain on his property. Upon our arrival, a carriage was waiting to bring us to the front doors.
We rode up to the entryway, and before we got out, Daisy subtly slipped me a key to Buchanan’s mansion.
I stepped out first, into the noise—a Negro quartet played a song in the driveway. Music spilled out of the windows of Gatsby’s mansion too—jazz.
