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“Mom,” says Lucas, his tone warning.
“Times have changed, Dear,” says Frank before lifting his glass of what I suspect to be champagne.
I look around, wondering where I can get a glass of one of those. If Christina is going to be picking at everything I say, I may need a drink to get through this.
Christina flicks her hair over her shoulder. “Well, I’ll say. Did you hear that Samuel’s daughter, Lucy, is backpacking through Asia? Not even bothering to pursue an actual career.” Christina shakes her head. “Really, such a pity. She had so much potential.”
Lucas’s brows furrow. “Well, isn’t she paying her own way?”
Frank leans back in his chair, taking a sip from his champagne while he eyes his son. “That’s what I heard.”
“So, she can’t be doing that bad, right?”
Frank purses his lips before his gaze swivels back to me. “You’re supposed to be doing some internship here, right?”
I straighten in my chair, feeling like I’m on the spot. Why do I feel like this every time I’m around Lucas’s family? “Yes, I’m working at the Louvre.”
“Weren’t you also working with Samuel?”
I nod. “Yes, I took some photos for his Nstagram.”
“And then you just dropped him, right after that?”
I feel like the whole world has frozen over as I stare back at Frank. That’s not how that happened. I didn’t drop Samuel. “Uh-I,” I say, trying to form the words, but Frank’s gaze darkens and I lose all capacity of speaking. I turn to Lucas, wondering what I should do, but he’s also staring at me, with worry in his eyes.
“I-I,” I begin again. “That’s not quite how it-”
“I’m quite surprised you dropped Samuel,” says Christina while looking at her nails. “I thought artists needed their clients. Samuel was probably one of your best opportunities of making it in the art world.” Christina sighs and shakes her head. “But I suppose you will never know.”
“Rachel already had an internship, Mom,” Lucas rushes out. “She needed to-”
“But what are you doing at that internship?” Frank asks.
I can’t stop myself from picking at my nails. I’m too nervous to stop. “Well, I help with restoring the paintings.”
A slow, bitter smile lifts Frank’s lips. “Restoring paintings?” He shares a look with his wife. “How will that ever pay the bills?”
“That’s not all Rachel does,” says Lucas, jutting his chin out and straightening his back. “She also provides tourists with directions, leads informative tours-”
Christina scoffs. “So she will be a tour guide once she graduates.” She tosses back her head, laughing for a few minutes before grabbing the handkerchief in front of her and dabbing at her eyes. “I didn’t think you could go to college for that.”
Lucas opens his mouth, but before he can say anything several waiters swarm around us, carrying coveredplattersof food in their hands.
“Excuse me,Monsieurand Madame,” one waiter says
In unison, they lift the lids, as if choreographed, and lower the food in front of us. I stare at the small plate. A veal, coated in bread crumbs and grilled very lightly, rests in the middle with a small touch of red berry sauce. On the side is a dollop of pureed sweet potato. It looks absolutely beautiful, but I’m not hungry.
I sniff, feeling like I am going to burst into tears. As soon as the waiters leave, I quickly shove my chair backwards.
“Excuse me,” I say, my voice breathless as I try to control myself. A sob is demanding to break through, but I won’t let these people know they got to me. “I should go wash my hands before I eat,” I say, turning on my heel and not even bothering to hear their response.
Tears stream down my cheeks as I walk away, looking vaguely around for some kind of sign. As soon as I see the WC sign with an image of a person in a dress, I turn the corner, nearly running into the bathroom.
I slam my hands onto the marble sink and sob. Staring at myself in the mirror, I watch the tears leave my eyes, making them look more like a misty green. I take my bun down, throwing the tie in front of me, not caring if I lose it. My mascara is already running down my flushed face. Bending over, I splash water onto it, not caring if I ruin my makeup. It’s already ruined anyway.
I don’t know what I was thinking when I agreed to this. Of course they didn’t really want me here. Of course they were going to use this opportunity to drag me down. And why did they care anyway? It’s my life. I can do what I want.
I inhale deeply, lifting my gaze and staring back at myself. It’s not me, I tell myself. It’s them and Lucas. They are upset that Lucas is dating me, someone they think is below them.
