Afterward I cried softly and then went to bed and pursued sleep as an escape.
.
Winston's surprise touch for the party was having spotlights. When he brought Mommy and me out to see them slicing the darkness Mommy nearly jumped out of her shoes with delight. My heart thumped with embarrassment. Who was I supposed to be? What was this supposed to be? A movie premiere?
Winston saw the worry in my face and quickly whispered, "I did it for your mother. It's nothing. Don't give it a second thought. It's not that uncommon at galas here."
The parade of Rolls-Royces, Mercedes-Benzes, Jaguars, and Lexuses followed soon afterward. I watched the first dozen or so glide up our driveway, a number of them chauffeur-driven. The Carriage sisters and their husbands had arrived earlier and
accompanied Mommy on her inspection of the tables, the food, and the decorations. At the center table was a nearly six-foot ice sculpture of a swan. The band began to play, and the party atmosphere was thrown over the property like a bright, sparkling tablecloth. Champagne bottles were popped open, and, like windup toys, the waiters and waitresses spread out over the grounds, carrying their trays of hors d'oeuvres and glasses of what Palm Beach socialites called shampoo. What champagne had to do with washing one's hair escaped me. Maybe some of these people did use it in the shower.
The girls from my school were dressed as formally as I was, if not mare. Mother and daughter ware almost as much jewelry. That was something Mommy immediately moaned about.
"I should have given you more of my jewelry to wear," she practically wailed. You look
underdressed."
"I don't feel underdressed," I said, holding my plastic smile. I did as the Carriage sisters prompted, greeted each of my guests and repeated the same inane hope that they would enjoy themselves.
Later I felt I was back at school. The girls gathered as if they had magnets in their dresses and behaved as if I wasn't even present. The music continued, but no one stepped onto the dance floor. Winston hurried over to me and asked me to dance.
"Come along," he said, taking my hand, "we'll show them a step or two."
Mommy intercepted before we reached the dance floor. "Stop it. Winston." she commanded, her tone taking me by surprise almost as much as it did Winston, "If you dance with her, none of the boys will."
"I just thought we'd get it started. I didn't mean..."
"Grace, mingle." she ordered.
I looked at Winston. He winked and moved off with Mommy. I felt as if I had been cast into the sea and told to sink or swim.
"Are all your guests here?" Marjorie
Meriweather asked as soon as I approached one of the tables where some of the girls and boys from the school were seated.
"I think so. yes," I said. "Why? Is someone missing?"
Since I didn't have all that much to do with the guest list. I really didn't know.
Maijorie looked at Sonya Wilhelm and smiled. "Maybe," she said, and the whole table laughed. What was so funny?
"I don't get it," I said.
Just at that moment. Sandy Marko, a boy in my math class, asked if I'd like to dance. He looked as if he had been threatened with being bailed in oil if he didn't. My moment of hesitation filled his eyes with hope I would say no. Was I so undesirable?
"Yes, I would," I said, and he walked toward the dance floor like someone going to his own execution.
His eyes were everywhere but on me. He looked ner ous and afraid. The other students soon joined us, however, and we were all going at it, especially after the Renners upped the tempo. I saw Mommy looking very satisfied and sighed. Just do it, and try to look like you enjoy it, Grace, I told myself. For a few minutes I actually did. Even Sandy looked more relaxed. Maybe this would be a great party. After all. like Winston said, I didn't have to fall in love with anyone tonight, but that didn't mean I couldn't at least have some fun.
People were at the food tables. Wine was pouring like water. Mommy did look very beautiful and. I could set, was attracting the interest of a number of husbands. She was getting what she wanted. I thought. She was finding acceptance. Even Winston looked happier than I had seen him at any affair we had all attended previously. I started to sigh with relief when I noticed the kids around me had stopped dancing, even though the music continued. They were all turning toward the stairway down from the rear loggia, and none of them was speaking.
Sandy stopped dancing, too, and turned. I stepped around Bronson Simmons and looked.
There was Basil Furness wearing a bright blue blazer and a pair of white pants.
"He doesn't even know what season it is," Vanessa Waterman said, and others laughed.
The pause in activity drew the attention of more and more of the adults. Slowly, like a ripple across a lake, the pregnant silence traveled to be born in an audible gasp from Mommy's throat. She turned and looked at me. I shook my head. I had no idea why he was here.