Laura Jane, a pretty blonde girl, seemed to glide towards me. Her and Nina were cut from the same cloth, and when she came to offer her congratulations, I wasn't at all surprised at the smirk that crested her lips - as if although she offered the words, she was anything but joyous for me.
Still, I smiled and bowed my head gracefully as Brenna directed her towards the gift table that seemed to groan under the pressure and volume of gifts that were already piled on top of the wooden surface.
The smiles and nodded thanks became exhausting, but I would not drop the act for a moment, understanding all too well that this appearance meant more than I liked. I could not let a hint of displeasure slip through the cracks, for it would undoubtedly be misconstrued.
Surprisingly, Maxine was on her best behaviour, as if she too understood the necessity to present a unified, happy front. And when Madame Elise arrived, Maxine simply smiled and guided her towards her seat, but by the hushed whispers and strained smiles, I was certain that Maxine had whispered her own threatening promises in Madame's ear. I was certain that Elise was only here because if she had not arrived and presented herself, it would have been seen as an affront to Dimitri and myself, which very well may result in her death. And so, she sat down gracefully, easing herself into conversation with my mother's people as if she belonged.
To be so adaptable was a skill - one that I thought Dimitri and I should utilise far more.
Emily Rand was in her element, revelling in all the attention bestowed upon her as the mother of the bride-to-be. For once I didn't find her antics insufferable - was grateful for them, even, because it kept everyone's attention off of me.
Jesse had hand written every table name, and Zoey had hauled in a series of plants to shift the ambience of the place to something more. Marie seemed to be enraptured in a conversation with one of my mother's old friends who was renowned for her baking skills, and all the while I sat and watched, absorbing the ebb and flow of people as they gossiped amongst one another.
Tonight was Dimitri's bachelors, and when I thought of Dimitri - the sheer force that he was, a bachelor party seemed like such an inconsequential thing for him - as if such a thing were beneath him. But then, perhaps that's what my heart wanted to believe because the thought of Dimitri widening his stance as he sat down to enjoy a lap dance made my stomach clench in revulsion, nausea and sweat prickling against my skin.
Even if it was tradition, I hated it.
A pair of dark eyes and gorgeous braids drew my attention away from the turn my thoughts had taken, and as I squinted at the figure across the street, I jolted at the realisation that Stacey stood on the opposite sidewalk, watching the function and the Witches within.
I dipped my head discreetly in acknowledgement, unsure what else I should do - what else I could offer.
The angry scowl cresting her brow was visible even from this distance, and I watched in silence as she turned away from Café Du Monde and stormed in the opposite direction, all the while the revellers around me remained entirely oblivious.