Page 74 of First Impressions
“Beth! Where have you been?”exclaimed Irene in a huff. “The guests will start arriving inthirty minutesandnothing is ready!”
Beth rolled her eyes as she closed her parent’s front door behind her. It was just about seven-thirty; the party was supposed to be starting at eight and the house looked gorgeous. Her mother had pulled out all the stops for Jane and Charles’ engagement party and contrary to her belief, Beth doubted that any guest arriving right now would think to question the readiness of the house; balloons and decorations were everywhere, waiters stood at attention with wine, champagne, and finger food, and that was just in the entryway. Suddenly, she heard music starting to float through the house, a soft jazz that definitely was coming from a live band.
“Seriously, mom? The house looks great! Plus, it’s just Charles’ parents and us,” Beth retorted. When she received no response, she suddenly felt that there was a lot going on for a ‘meet-the-parents’ engagement party and an inexplicable urge to verify her assumptions came over her. “Right, mom?”
“Well, yes, his parents. And a few close friends, you know. Wehadto invite certain people, especially after Lydia married and left for Chicago without a single party to celebrate,” Irene responded.
“Who else is coming?” Beth demanded.
“Oh, just some close friends of ours and close friends of the Bingleys. Bill and Charlotte are coming too.”
Beth gave up trying to get any information from her mother. No matter how willing Irene was to spread information on a regular basis, when she wanted to be evasive, not even the Pope himself could get it out of her. Beth made her way upstairs in search of Jane who would know who was going to be here tonight. Although, Beth knew her sister would have forewarned her if there was a chance that Darcy would be here.
“Beth! I thought I heard mom talking to someone; I was hoping it wasn’t to herself again,” Jane joked as Beth walked into her old room, her face alight with excitement over what the night had in store.
“Yeah, she was upset that it took me so long to get here but the house looks like it’s ready and the food is being catered, so what could she possibly have to worry about?”
Jane just gave her a knowing look and smiled in response.
“Who all is coming tonight?” Beth began, then remembered that it was Jane she had asked and went the more direct route, “What I mean is, is Mr. Darcy going to be here?”
“No,” She followed her statement with a pregnant pause, “Well, I don’t think so.”
“What do you mean?”
“Charles invited him. I’m sorry, I should have told you. Well, I was going to tell you but Charles invited him and Mr. Darcy declined. So, I thought with everything that happened and your whole emotional state, why bother upsetting you by telling you that he’s not coming.”
What is it with all these good intentions gone bad? Deep breaths, Beth. It’s fine. He’s not coming.
“Are you mad?” Jane asked hesitantly.
“No,” she responded with a sigh.
She was mad, but only at herself for the irrational elevation in her hopes at the thought of seeing him.She shook her head at herself, earning her a questioning stare from Jane.
“Sorry. See you were probably right not to tell me, my mind likes to run away with things.”
“Oh, Beth. I’m sorry; I wish he wasn’t so stubborn. If he loves you, he should be here fighting for you.”
“I’m not so sure about that, but thanks. I’m going to head back downstairs before mom freaks out.” She turned and left the room, unable to stand the look of heartfelt pity in her sister’s eyes any longer.
Back downstairs, her mother was ordering a grumbling Kat and disinterested Mary around frantically. Just as she hit the landing, her mother turned intently toward her.
“Beth! I need—”
She was cut off by the swift knocking at the front door. Beth gave her mom a shrug of her shoulders to say ‘looks like it’s time to be done’.
Beth opened the front door to see Charles with whom she could only assume were his parents and older sister. Ushering them inside, the rest of her family materialized out of the woodwork - her dad from his study, Kat and Mary from the back of the house, and Jane from upstairs.
Beth introduced herself before grabbing the nearest glass of champagne and chugging it while everyone else was distracted with introductions and congratulations.
It was going to be a long night.
Within the next forty minutes, Beth could only assume that all of the guests had arrived because she didn’t think their house could comfortably fit any more people. Char and Bill had arrived a few minutes before and Beth was shocked at how well they seemed to fit together as a couple; she hadn’t had much time to talk to them though since somehow she’d been left in charge of answering the door.
Family engagement party my ass.Unless family included all of her father’s coworkers and their families, her mother’s close friends, Phil and his family, the Lucas’, and then a whole host of friends of the Bingley’s who live in the city that they don’t get to see very often.
She’d had her ‘Welcome to the party. Thank you for coming’ smile plastered on her face for almost an hour and she didn’t think she’d ever get those muscles to relax again. Her only reprieve was the momentary relaxation while sipping from her wine glass - her third one by now, and even that had been bittersweet. She felt like every time she paused to assess the crowd, her eyes kept falling on all of the happy couples around her - Jane and Charles, Char and Bill. She took a deeper drink of her wine hoping to out-burn the ache in her heart.
