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Why does he ask the questions like I’m not standing right here?
“Andrea, what is he talking about?” Her eyes are wide and wild like someone just told her I took up stripping.
I let out a breath, but just as I’m scrambling to come up with an appropriate way to answer without getting into this with her, my Gem comes sauntering over like she’s just busted through saloon doors. I can almost hear the music from an old western playing in the background. The look in her eye tells me she knows exactly what’s up and is ready to draw if necessary.
“Hello.” Gem’s innocent tone makes me smile. “Donna, you really should be inside welcoming your guests.” Her attention moves to Sean, eyeing him, and then her beady, little, mischievous eyes find mine.
As my mother tries to gather herself, Jonesy walks by with my guitar case in hand, and he gives me a strange look, likely not understanding why I brought it based on what we discussed.
“Andrea, what is that?” My mother's voice rises an octave.
I’d hoped she didn’t notice, but that’s never my luck.
“A giant fiddle. I thought it would be perfect for this little hoedown.”
I hear Sean clear his throat next to me like he’s trying to stifle a laugh.
“And who are you?” Gem steps forward, not even trying to hide her blatant perusal. I know damn well she knows who he is.
“This is Sean.” I cut in, needing to get this show on the road. I look up at him. “You probably want to go get seated or something, right?” I’m past ready for him to excuse himself from this little shitshow that is my family.
“Andrea,” my mother hisses. “You will be sitting with us. Brice is waiting. Your…friend will be seated at a different table.”
I scoff. “Yeah. Not happening. I wouldn’t sit next to Brice if it was the last seat on the last bus out of hell. But hey, he’s into ignoring the whole married thing, so feel free to keep him company.”
“Andrea!” my mother spits as my Gem grins, and I roll my lips to prevent them from tugging upward and making this worse.
“Alright,” my dad says, trying to smooth things. The problem is, the man is oblivious and always has been when it comes to the horrendous relationship between my mother and me. There’s no smoothing things over here. It’s just one giant load of horse crap after another that even years of therapy haven’t helped me trudge all the way through. “Let’s go welcome our guests, and we’ll figure out seating in a bit.” He tries to be diplomatic.
I should correct the idea that Sean and I are here together, but we’ve gone this far, and he hasn’t said anything, so I keep my mouth shut for the sake of moving this along.
“I need to get ready.” I try to break this up. “You can get back to all that pomp and circumstance. Just leave the entertainment to me.”
“Andrea,” my mother says in warning. “You better not make a spectacle of this and, for heaven’s sake, try to do something with your hair.” She reaches out like she’s going to smooth down my curls.
I move out of the way, bumping into Sean, and his hands grip my hips for just a second to steady me, and then they’re gone. The feel of his hands on me is momentarily alarming, but it doesn’t prevent the roll of my eyes directed at my mother. I’m a grown woman, but my eyeballs do their own thing when it comes to that tone of voice.
“Look,” I say, trying to ignore the foreign lingering feel of the two large hands encircling my pelvis area. “I’m here to raise money for the hospital and these kids. That’s why I’m here. Whether you like it or not,Iam the entertainment for this evening. So I will put on a show. It’s what I’m good for, right?” I don’t expect an answer. “Don’t worry, the money will roll in, and your precious reputation will not be tarnished in the process.You might find your so-called friends even like it.” I just couldn’t help myself.
Finally caught speechless, my mother huffs as my dad guides her away.
“Well, just like old times,” Gem says, moving closer to loop an arm through mine as they disappear into the ballroom.
I let out a breath.
“Sean, is it?” she says, and I ignore her, seeing Jonesy talking to Natasha and Cici.
I call to him, interrupting Gem. “Jonsey.” He looks at me from across the space. “That thing I was working on, we’re putting that in.”
“You sure?”
I nod.
He grins. “You got it.”
I look back at Gem and then at Sean. “Well, this has been a blast, but I must get going.”
Gem holds my arm. “You get that little issue sorted out?”
