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Ivy
“Hereweallare together,” Liam said in his bubbly excitable way. He stretched out his arms theatrically, which suited the opulent room we found ourselves in.
“It’s like déjà vu,” I said, looking at Sara. “It was one year ago we were here.”
Lifting the chiffon layer of my dress, she said, “This is gorgeous. It really suits you. It’s so stylish. Isn’t it, Lee?”
“It’s so Grace Kelly. Very tasteful.” He fluffed the silk chiffon layers. “Where’s your body?” He giggled.
“It’s in there somewhere. I feel very overdressed.”
“But it’s tasteful and perfect for this event,” Sara said. “Turquoise is such a pretty color, and it highlights your blue eyes. You look beautiful. One of your mom’s?”
“How did you guess?” I asked, stroking Sara’s burgundy dress with a corset-style bodice. “And this is very Gothic.”
“Isn’t it? I’ve become a committed Gothicist.”
Liam asked, “Shouldn’t that be Gothic?”
“No, it’s a movement from the nineteenth century, apparently. Edgar Allan Poe, for instance, was a Gothicist. And I’m reading him at the moment, so I thought I’d adopt it. I’m crazy about that period.”
“Careful, you might start going all steampunk on us,” Liam said.
“I could do worse, and at least it’s colorful,” Sara said.
“I think it’s time you got out more,” I said.
“I’m here, aren’t I? And it’s great to have a night out baby-free.”
“You look radiant. Motherhood suits you,” I said. “As does married life.”
“I’m happy.” Her big smile could have lit up the night sky. “And I hear you’re here with brattish Chase.”
“Brattish?” Liam laughed.
“He’s kind of changed,” I said. “He wants to introduce me to your in-laws.”
Sara nodded slowly as she thought about that, which kind of struck me as odd for some reason. “Mason, the father, is pretty chill, but Renata… well…” She grimaced. “She’s difficult. She’s trying to convince us to leave Brooklyn. She hates it over there.”
“Renata can be a bit of a monster-in-law,” Liam said.
“Maybe that’s a little too extreme,” Sara said. “But then, we haven’t really spent much time together. I’m not looking forward to the summer house. I mean, I love the beach, and Dylan hasn’t been to the ocean yet, but we’ll all be together in one house.”
“There are ten bathrooms. It’s huge,” Liam said. “Ambrose goes there every summer.”
“So back to meeting his parents,” I said, nerves churning my gut.
“You’ve got nothing to be worried about, really. At least you’re Upper East Side, and you look great. Renata fancies herself a fashionista,” Sara said.
“Then I should pass the modesty, if not the virginal, test.” I giggled.
“That’s a stretch,” Liam said.
I hit him on the arm. “Now don’t be a bitch.”
“Well, you’re dating her son. One of Manhattan’s biggest, albeit former, man whores.”
“Yeah… former,” I muttered to myself, hating Chase’s player reputation.
