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We kissed again and people clapped some more. Then I heard a chair scraping on the floor and glanced to my left to see Mrs. Marshall gathering up her long dress and walking towards us.
She didn't look happy. Not at all. Her face was red and her mouth set.
Was she really that angry?
She walked behind us but before she was completely by, she leaned down and in a harsh whisper, she said something that made my jaw drop open.
"This won't stand."
Then, she left, walking towards the exit, her nose held high.
On his part, Mr. Marshall stood up to follow her. He stopped briefly on his way out and took hold of Luke's shoulders.
"I'll handle her," he said in a low voice. "Don't worry."
He laid a hand on my shoulder and I smiled, thankful that at least he was happy for us.
"Congrats, you two. I couldn't be happier."
"Thank you," I said.
Then he was gone as well. People watched him leave, and there was a murmur among the crowd. Luke saved the day, standing up and holding up his coffee cup.
"Please stay as long as you like and finish your drinks and dessert. There's an open bar in the lounge if you want to stay and celebrate. Cheers and thank you for the past year working for the foundation."
At that, people turned to each other and continued to talk. The atmosphere returned to its pre-walk-out mood of celebration.
I turned to Luke, tears in my eyes.
"Your mother is going to be a problem," I said, feeling bad that she hated me so much that she'd ruin the night.
"No, she isn't," he said and squeezed my shoulder, his arm slipping around me. He kissed me. "Father will take care of her. She's just impulsive. She'll come to her senses soon enough once she's had a few years to get used to the idea."
His eyes twinkled at the 'few years' comment and I smiled in response, thankful that at least he had a good attitude towards the chance that one day, his mother would accept the fact that she would not be able to unite two big family fortunes and would have to settle for the poor church mouse instead of the fancy city mouse with a big inheritance.
I would never be good enough for her, but at least Mr. Marshall was happy.
"I'm so glad for you two," Dana said and came over to give Luke a hug. Even Eric leaned over and gave us a smile.
I smiled, thinking these people were no better biologically than my family, but they sure thought they were better. It made me a bit sick to think they really thought money made them better. Since I got to know the Marshalls and the other families that they associated with, I realized that they had as many problems as the lesser folk with lower net incomes. Same problems -- divorces, cheating spouses, out of wedlock babies, mental illness, narcissism, you name it -- the rich were just as beset as middle class and working-class people I knew.
But money did make all the hard times somewhat easier.
"When will we leave?" I asked, feeling a damper on my desire to stay out late and party.
"I was hoping we could stay late and celebrate with Dana and Eric," Luke said. "It'll make up for my mother's very rude departure from the party."
"Okay," I said and forced a smile. "If you want. I don't want to keep you from enjoying yourself."
Luke turned to me and grabbed my shoulders in his hands. "Alexa, don't worry. Everything will be fine. My mother's approval means nothing to me anymore. There's nothing she can do about our engagement. She'll come around, and if she doesn't, it's her loss, not ours."
I sighed and nodded. "Okay. If you say so."
Then Dana started talking to me about the wedding and my mind was temporarily distracted from Mrs. Marshall's hissy fit and words.
But my mind couldn't get over her threat -- this won't stand. What the hell did she think she was going to do? Make us not love each other? Force Luke -- or me -- to call off the engagement?
Was she insane?
