of New York and Newport: 7
Each has their own struggles as they try to figure out what is best for themselves.
Author's Note: Thank you, as always, for all of your reviews and comments, both positive and negative. I truly do appreciate them.~Clara
This version of On Becoming Miss Louisa Harper of New York and Newport: 7 has been updated with many corrections towards spelling and grammar.~Sephrena.
Image Credit: Image created through the use of ai at https://perchance.org/beautiful-people .~Sephrena.
Chapter 7
From 'The Autobiography of Miss Louisa Harper of New York and Newport'
~ "Exactly one week after Miranda and her husband sailed away from the dock at Golden Bluffs, she was back at the estate, living in the same room she'd lived in every summer her life. One might have thought that this may have raised the eyebrows of our appearance conscious neighbors, for the most part, it went unnoticed. Everyone knew that Miranda’s new husband was a man of business who rarely, if ever, indulged in leisure time. So, Miranda’s position as his wife, with no obligations to children, would have allowed her the opportunity to spend time at her family’s estate. Beyond that, though, the fact that Miranda’s was a marriage of convenience was not a secret to anyone in our social circle.
As long as I could remember, my relationship with Miranda had not been so much one of ‘sisterly affection’ as it had been one of ‘sibling intolerance.’ I knew that Miranda thought very little of me and I had grown comfortable with that. So, I was very surprised to find Miranda seeking me out one day while I breakfasted on the southern veranda. Mother was in The City for a day or two and Father had left early to meet with Mr Astor on a business matter. It was just the two of us and a breathtaking view of Narragansett Bay.
Without any preamble, Miranda took a pastry and a cup of tea from the buffet table and sat at the round breakfast table with me. I had had my morning repast at this table nearly every summer day for several years, but never once had Miranda chosen to join me, let alone engage me in conversation.
We nodded to each other and looked at the waters in silence for a minute or two before Miranda spoke in a low voice. "He has a lover."
Confused, I turned and looked at my sister, who looked frighteningly sad, suddenly. "Who? Father?"
"Don’t be daft," Miranda spat. It was nearly inconceivable that father would have a lover. He was. Of course, dedicated to Mother, but his long term relationship had always been with his business. "My husband. He has a lover."
I had no idea what the proper response to this statement should be. At fifteen years old, I lacked the social skills of an adult and was only peripherally aware of the intrigues of adult infidelities. So, I responded in the only manner I could imagine to be appropriate. "Oh, Miranda... How terrible for you."
She sipped her tea and rolled her eyes. "I don’t know if it is or it isn’t, Louisa. At least he didn’t try to touch me. I had been dreading that and I am grateful to have been spared that much at least."
Of course, I understood what Miranda meant, but I’d never engaged in a conversation surrounding such matters before. Still, if Miranda had suddenly seen me as an equal, I was not about to miss out on the opportunity to be a sister for the first time. "He didn’t flaunt his mistress at you, did he?"
Miranda sighed and shook her head. "I wish it was that simple. A mistress would be almost an acceptable complication, but if the identity of his lover were to become known, it would lead to social ruin for both he and me."
This vague statement confused me a bit. "Why?" Then the only possible reason for such consequences occurred to me. "Is she another man’s wife?"
Seeing my confusion, Miranda seemed to feel it best if she not delve into specifics. "No. It is complicated, though." She then looked at me with an unusual sense of sorority. "You have become quite a young woman, Louisa. You are more beautiful and far more intelligent than I have ever been. I am happy that you have found Langdon. He is a good man. You will do well with him."
"Thank you, Miranda," I smiled, quite pleased that my sister had found a reason to compliment me in any way. "Lanny is a wonderful man."
"And he loves you, Louisa. That is important. So, much more important than I knew. Do you love him?"
I smiled. "I do. He surprises me, you know. Not with gifts, but with himself. He is a wonder."
Miranda took my hand in hers, a gesture of intimacy far exceeding any she’d ever displayed before, and she spoke to me with an urgency that shocked me. "Never let that go, Louisa. Hold onto love through any trials that you may face. Love is so much more important than wealth, or security, or position. If you love Langdon... never... never... never let him go."
"What did he say?" Barbara asked as she pulled out onto the street.
I think he thought it was a joke, or a mistake, or something." Quinn wiped a sheet of tears from his face. "He said it couldn’t be true."
"Did he get angry?"
"Not yet, but I’m sure he will be soon, once he gets past the shock." He punched his hand into the door panel. "Arrrr! This all would have been so much easier if I’d just..." He let it hang there, afraid to say anything more.
"If you’d just what?" Barbara asked, feeling a pang of guilt. "If you’d just said no when I asked you to be Louisa, right? Oh, Quinn, I’m so sorry. I never meant for things to go this far..."
"If I’d just been born a girl" he shouted louder than he’d intended. "This all would have been so much easier if I’d just been born a girl."
Barbara drove in silence for a few moments considering what she should say. "You... don’t want to be a boy anymore?"
He sniffled and wiped his cheeks, yet again. "I never WANTED to be a boy in the first place. I just was. I never thought about it... but then I got to be a girl."
Barbara glanced at him. "And now you want to be a girl? Full time, I mean?"
He shook his head. "Now I AM a girl full time."
"And you prefer being a girl?"
He nodded.
"So... what now?"
"I don’t know." He sniffled. "I really don’t know."
Ricky was rereading the article, trying desperately to find a mistake. There’s no way that those words could be true. There’s no way that Quinn could be anything other than a girl. He’d seen her. He’d held her. He’d smelled her perfume. He’d kissed her. She just HAD to be a girl.
He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he barely noticed that someone had taken the seat opposite him.
"Tough night, buddy?" The person asked in a very low voice.
Ricky looked up and blinked. "Grandpa? What are you doing here?"
The old man’s smile was very sympathetic. "Well, pal, I’d love to tell you that it’s just a coincidence, but when you told me you were meeting Quinn here to talk... well... I suspected that you were going to have a tough evening. I’m here to take you home."
Ricky nodded. "You know, at some point you’re going to have to let me grow up, grandpa."
"Well, at some point, I will, but for now... I’m here to drive you home so that you don’t get hurt."
"Yeah, but I have my car with me and..."
"And Cathy and Fi are visiting friends down the street. I gave them your spare set of keys. They’ll drive your car home for you."
Ricky looked at his grandfather and thought. "Grandpa... were you always this concerned about us driving when we are upset or is that something that happened after you saw the Collins’ family’s car that night?"
"Hard to tell, pal," the old man shrugged. "None of you drove back then, but... when any of you go out, I sit in my Lazy Boy and wait until I hear you come home before I call it a night. Now, maybe that’s just because I love you, but maybe it’s because I saw a family destroyed one night. Who knows."
Ricky nodded and stood. "I need to pay my bill."
"I already did. Come on. Let’s go home."
As they crossed the parking lot, Ricky asked, "That was what you wanted to tell me in the kitchen, right?"
"No, Rick, that was the last thing in the world I ever WANTED to tell you... I just felt that I had to."
Ricky shook his head. "Of all the people to fall for... I have to fall for a sissy who was out pretending to be a girl."
Grandpa Bill stopped and looked at Ricky. "Dennis Francis, I have never been ashamed to be your grandfather until that moment. How dare you say something so hateful about a girl who has gone through so much."
"Oh, come on, grandpa! She’s not even a she! She’s a guy in a dress."
"Is this what they teach you at that college of yours? Huh? I thought you wanted to be a psychologist or a councilor. That you wanted to help people."
"Well, yeah, I do but..."
"Well, does that involve using hateful language? Quinn’s not a sissy, Dennis, she’s a girl who is struggling to be who she’s meant to be and you should be the first person to understand that?"
"Me? Why me?"
"Because you said you loved her."
"Yeah. I loved HER, grandpa. Not HIM."
"There is no HIM, Dennis. There is just Quinn. Quinn Collins may well have been born male, but she is a young woman now."
"You mean... she’s been... you know... altered."
His grandfather stared at Ricky. "I can’t believe I’m hearing what I’m hearing, Dennis. Get in the car before someone else hears you."
"What?" Ricky was flabbergasted. He opened the door to his grandfather’s BMW and sat, confused. "Why are you mad at me, grandpa?"
Bill pushed the ‘start’ button and shook his head. "I guess I just expected more from you, Rick."
"So, I’m working full time as a Phys Ed teacher at the middle school over in Jamestown and I am a part time cop up in Portsmouth. It keeps me busy – probably a little too busy, really, but it pays the bills! I’m finishing up my Masters Degree this summer, too, so I’ll move another column over on the pay scale and I can probably stop doing the police job in the fall." John Tomlinson smiled as he took a sip of his Sam Adams IPA.
"That’s awesome, John." Ann was really enjoying herself. John was a surprisingly funny and bright. She remembered him as a quiet kid who’s interests didn’t extend far beyond sports. Now, he seemed to be able to talk about anything. Books, television shows, politics, art, music... he had well formed opinions on all of them, but he was also open to discussion on all subjects as well. She took one last bite of her ‘crispy duck breast’ entrée and dabbed her lips with a napkin. "Oh, my God, this is delicious!" She said a bit louder than necessary. She laughed at herself. "Sorry. I haven’t really been out for a nice meal in a long, long time."
John chuckled at her happiness. "Really? I would have thought that you had a pretty active social life. You were pretty popular in college."
She raised her eyebrows. "Yeah, well, that was before the accident. I had a personal life back then."
"Oh, yeah, of course," John nodded. "Sorry. That must have been rough."
"Well, sure. Of course it was rough, but... I don’t want to sound like I’m complaining. I’m really grateful to still have Quinn. It was just... overwhelming, I guess."
"Sure," he smiled. "I’m sorry I brought it up."
"Oh, don’t be silly," Ann shook her head. "It’s part of who I am, you know? If I didn’t talk about IT, then I’d have nothing to talk about at all."
He nodded. "Hey, umm... while we’re on the subject of the accident and all, then... and please, just tell me to mind my own business if I’m out of line, but... Quinn.."
"What about Quinn?" Ann asked.
John sighed, sorry to have brought up the subject, but needing to ask. "Well, it’s just that... I remember reading about the accident when it happened. I mean... I knew you and I knew it was your family and I really felt bad about it, so I followed the story while they ran it, but... Quinn was a boy then, right?"
Ann suddenly felt uncomfortable. "Does that really matter to you?"
John let out a nervous laugh. "No, not at all. I only ask because... see... I have an older brother, Shane, and Shane used to be my sister, Sarah. So, I saw what Shane went through and I know it can be hard for everyone involved – even siblings. I’m just asking because... well... if you ever need to talk about it... I’ve been there."
Ann blinked and processed what she’d just heard. "Wow," she whispered.
"What’s the matter?" John asked.
"Nothing’s the matter, it’s just... To be honest... it never really occurred to me that anyone else ever went through this but Quinn and me. Well, see, even that sounds selfish. It’s Quinn that’s going through it, not me."
"What? Are you kidding?" John laughed. "Annie, if Quinn’s a part of your life, then you’re going through it, too. It’s a lot to deal with. Geez, I mean, with Shane... I was scared to death that he might do something wrong along the way, you know, take a wrong turn and not find his way back – or through – or whatever. You get it though, right? Quinn’s your flesh and blood, just like Shane is mine. When someone you love is in pain, then so are you. Like I said - it’s a lot to deal with."
"It sure is," Annie smiled. "When did your brother transition?"
"About twelve years ago," John said, obviously very comfortable talking about the situation. "Not that it was a huge surprise. Sarah was never comfortable as a girl, I knew that. Still, when the announcement came, it all seemed very sudden."
Ann nodded.
John asked, "So, when did Quinn start transitioning?"
Ann thought for a moment. "About ten days ago, or so."
John almost choked on a sip of IPA. "Ten days ago? That’s incredible. I saw her with no makeup and wearing a nightie. She looked like a natural born woman. I’ve never heard of someone passing so quickly."
Ann nodded, again. "Believe me, no one is more surprised about that than me, but to tell you the truth, I’m not even sure if Quinn IS transitioning. I mean... well, long story short – this all started as part of a new job, but it seems to be a lot more, now. Everything just seemed to cascade from the moment he put on a dress. And now..." she shook her head, "... he’s in love with a boy, he’s gone on shopping dates with the boy’s sisters, the boy and his grandfather have come to the house to help with yard work... It’s unbelievable how he’s blossomed as a girl, but I still have this nagging feeling that..."
"That he’s making a huge mistake," John nodded. "That’s just natural, Annie. We worry, because we love them. I remember reading about the suicide rates for transsexuals when Sarah first started going by Shane and I was sure that I would wake up some morning and not find my sister or my brother, but just a body. Oh... sorry. That was a bit much, wasn’t it?"
"No," Ann smiled. "In fact, that’s exactly what I needed to hear. This whole thing is scaring the life out of me, John, and just knowing that you and your brother survived it... well... it really helps."
"Look, Ricky," his grandfather had calmed down enough during the ride home to at least stop calling him Dennis, "I’m not trying to force Quinn on to you, I just want you to see things clearly. Now, maybe a romantic relationship is off the table, now that you know she’s not anatomically female, but there is no reason for you to shun someone you have feelings for just because you found out that she’s not quite the same as every other girl you know."
"I can’t believe you’re taking her side in this, grandpa," Ricky really just wanted to be left alone, but Grandpa Bill had been insistent that they talk. "She lied to me, grandpa. You don’t lie to your friends. End of story."
"But you’re not mad at her because she lied to you, Ricky. When you thought she was a regular girl, you were more than happy to be with her. You’re mad at her because..." Bill waited for an answer.
Ricky shook his head. "What do you want me to say? I keep telling you that I’m mad at her because she lied to me. That’s the whole story, grandpa."
Bill heaved a heavy, tired, exasperated sigh. "When – exactly when – did you get mad at her?"
"When I read the article. Tonight. At the bakery."
Bill nodded and waited a minute, but Ricky didn’t pick up on his point. "So, Rick... Did you get made when she was keeping the truth from you, or when she told you the truth?"
Ricky grunted his frustration. "Grandpa, you are over simplifying this. Quinn let me think that she was a girl..."
"For a whole ten days," Bill interrupted. "How dare a person who has suffered more pain and faced more challenges than you will ever know, have the audacity to wait ten whole days to tell a total stranger the most personal secret a person could possibly have. You’re right Rick, I was over simplifying. She should have sat you down that first night, when, incidentally, she was under the impression that YOU were gay, and said, ‘Oh, by the way, let me tell you the most private secret a person can possibly have.’ What you are not seeing, Rick, is that she DIDN’T tell you because she liked you and that she DID tell you because she loved you. And according to what you told me, you loved her, too."
Ricky stared at the table top.
"I’m not trying to force you to see things my way, Rick, but I saw what happened at the bakery tonight and I didn’t see a boy in a dress trying to hurt you. I saw a beautiful young woman who bared her innermost self to you because she loved you and wanted to be honest with you. Now, take that for what it’s worth and think about it before you write her off." Bill knew that he’d pushed the boy as far as he could. "Why don’t you go to bed now, Rick. I won’t bring this up again, but you know that I’m here if you want to talk."
Ricky nodded and stood. "Ok. Goodnight, Grandpa."
"Goodnight, pal. I’d say ‘sleep well,’ but I doubt that you will, so I’ll just say – See you in the morning."
Ricky walked out of the kitchen, through the living room and was about to start up the stairs when he saw his sister Fiona sitting on the stairs, about halfway up. She held up a key ring with one key and a remote fob on it. "Here’s your spare key."
Ricky took the key. "Thanks."
He started to walk past, but Fiona grabbed his hand and pulled him down. "Sit with me, Rick."
"Fi... I just want to go to bed."
"Please, Rick. I know you had a rough night, but I need to talk to you."
Reluctantly, Ricky sat beside her.
After a moment of silence, Fiona said, "I’m sorry, Ricky. I know you liked her a lot."
Ricky let out a small, sad laugh. "Him actually. Quinn’s really a guy."
"I know," she said quietly.
He looked at her surprised. "How did you find out?"
Fiona shrugged. "I heard about her accident... so I Googled it."
"Do the others know?"
She shook her head. "I don’t know, but I didn’t tell them."
"Thanks," Ricky said.
"I didn’t do it for you. I did it for Quinn. It’s nobody’s business but hers. Besides, I like her."
Ricky looked at her and saw she was a little ticked off at him for some reason. "Yeah. I liked her, too."
He was about to stand up, but Fiona stopped him with a question. "Were you planing on sleeping with her any time soon?"
"What!?"
"You heard me."
Ricky couldn’t believe what his younger sister had just asked him. "Fi, that’s a pretty personal question and..."
"Oh, for crying out loud, Ricky, just answer it."
He took a moment to think. "No, Fi... I did not plan on sleeping with her any time soon."
"Then what difference does it make if she doesn’t have a vagina?"
Ricky shook his head and blinked. "Fi, this is not a conversation I want to have with my kid sister, so..."
"I’m not a kid, Ricky. I’m twenty."
"Even so," Ricky waved his hands in a ‘stop it’ gesture, "I don’t feel comfortable having this conversation with you."
"Answer me a simpler question, then. If you weren’t planning on sleeping with Quinn, so that’s not the reason that you’re breaking up with her, then why are you breaking up with her at all? I mean, you love her, she loves you and she’s the nicest girl you’ve ever brought home, so... why?"
He let out a big breath. "Fi... it matters. Being a guy or a girl, I mean. It matters a lot. I thought Quinn was THE one. You know what I mean? The one that I was going to marry eventually. The one I’d have kids with, you know? Quinn’s not a woman. She can’t do that."
Now it was Fiona’s turn to let out a frustrated breath. "Ricky... remember when I was like fourteen and had an operation? Mom told you it was appendicitis?"
He nodded.
"Well, it wasn’t. I was born with something called Swyer Syndrome. Ever hear of it?"
"No," Ricky sounded concerned. Why would his mother have lied about the reason for Fiona’s surgery? "What is Swyer Syndrome?"
Fiona looked at him, looking very sad. "When I was born, my ovaries didn’t develop correctly. When I entered puberty and my period didn’t start, mom brought me to see a doctor. The doctor told me that my insides were undeveloped and they needed to remove my ovaries so they didn’t become cancerous."
Ricky was shocked. "Fi... I’m sorry. I had no idea."
"Of course you didn’t, Ricky. Do you think I wanted to tell you something that personal? To tell my brother that I’d never be a mother? That I was something less than a woman?" Fiona wiped a few tears from her cheeks. "I’m not being over dramatic, Ricky. I am not a fully developed woman. Those are the exact words that the doctor used. He didn’t think that I heard, but he told mom that I was LESS than a complete woman. I’ve been taking hormones every day since I was fourteen, Ricky, just so I could pass as a woman."
Ricky tried to put his arm around his sister, but she pushed it away and stood up, looking down at her brother.
"No, Ricky, don’t. I’m not a REAL woman, as far as you’re concerned."
"Fi, I never said that..."
"No, but... if Quinn’s not worthy of your love just because she’s not a REAL woman, than neither am I."
"Fi, please don’t be like this. You know that I love you. I love all of you guys."
Fiona sniffed back her tears. "Yeah, well... Maybe now that you know the truth about me, that might change. Think about what I just told you for a few days, Ricky, then... well... MAYBE then we can be brother and sister again, or... maybe not. We’ll see. I guess it’s all up to you." She disappeared up the stairs, leaving Ricky sad, empty and nauseated on the staircase.
"He’s out on the deck," Barbara told Ann in a whisper. "He was pretty broken up earlier, but it seems like he’s cried himself out."
Ann nodded. "Thanks, Barbie. I probably should have been there to drive him home."
"Now, stop. He did fine with me. How was your date with John?"
"Kind of amazing," Ann smiled despite her feelings that she may have let Quinn down.
"That’s great, Annie. Tell me about it tomorrow, ok? I think you might need to talk to Quinny right now. He’s feeling kind of chatty, I think." She leaned forward and kissed Ann’s cheek. "Have a good night, Annie, and remember – Quinn is an adult. Ok? He’s not just a kid. He’s put a lot of thought into his current situation."
"Ok," Ann replied, confused by Barbara’s strange warning.
She found Quinn on the back porch, a glass of lemonade and some peanut butter and crackers beside him. "Hi, Quinn," Annie smiled and sat in another chair. "How are you holding up?"
"Ok, I guess," he half smiled. "I’m kind of glad it’s over with. I just wish I didn’t have to tell what I told him at all."
Ann nodded. "I know, honey, but it’s better that he knows the truth. Did he say anything to you?"
Quinn inhaled and looked around the dark yard. "Not really. He was definitely surprised, though."
"Well, who knows. Maybe he’ll..."
"No, he won’t call," Quinn interrupted. "I’m not very bright, Annie, but I’m not stupid. It’s over. I wish it wasn’t... but it is."
Ann just nodded. Quinn was probably right. "So, Barbie tells me that you might want to talk about something."
Quinn looked at the deck floor and sipped his lemonade. "Annie... I’ve been thinking a lot since, well, since I started becoming Louisa, and..." He looked at his sister and thought about his words. "... I think I’m going to stay a woman. Full time, I mean. And I don’t mean I’m just going to wear dresses. I want to talk to some doctors and find out what it would take to... you know... fix me."
Ann shook her head. "Quinn, why do you have to say it like that? You don’t need to be ‘fixed,’ honey. You’re perfect just as you are. BUT if you want to investigate how to become a woman, then I am here to help you. I’ve already talked to your counselor and I have an appointment for you to speak to someone who specialized in sexual reassignment cases in a few weeks. Can you wait that long?"
Quinn’s jaw had dropped. "You already have an appointment? How? Why?"
Ann realized now that she may have overstepped a bit by making the appointment, but obviously, it was the right choice. "I was... scared... Quinn."
That made no sense. "Scared of me? Because I was suddenly pretending to be a girl?"
"No," Ann sighed and straightened the skirt of her dress. "I was scared FOR you, Quinn. I could see that you were headed in this direction and... honey... there’s a lot of tragic stories about sexually confused people online and, well... I could see that you were confused. I just didn’t want anything bad to happen to you. If you want to see someone else, though, Quinn, then I’ll just cancel the appointment I made. I... I just want what’s best for you, honey. I swear, that’s all I want."
Quinn nodded. "Thanks, Annie. And thanks for not hating me."
"Hating you? Quinn... why would I ever hate you?"
He shrugged. "I don’t know. I’ve put you through so much already... I’m sorry that I’m not giving you a break."
Ann stood and moved behind Quinn’s back, wrapping her arms around him and putting her cheek next to his. "Quinn. You’re not putting me through anything. Honey, I almost lost you once and I was just afraid I might lose you again. I couldn’t handle that. No matter what happens, baby, I’ll be right beside you, every step of the way."
Quinn pressed his cheek into hers. "Thanks, Annie. I don’t think I could do this without you."
"You don’t have to, honey." She kissed his cheek, again. "Come on. Let’s go in. It’s getting buggy out here."
"In fact," Quinn, dressed as Louisa, explained to a crowd of fully engaged Girl Scouts, "if you visit our neighbors over at The Breakers, you can visit a bedroom with a chair in it that has a thick steel rod running vertically up the center of the back. All of the Vanderbilt girls had to sit in that chair for several hours a day with their corsets laced around that rod so that they couldn’t slouch at all."
The girls all gasped. "That’s horrible," the chaperone grunted.
"But it’s true," Quinn assured them.
"How old were they when they started doing that?" One scout asked.
"Eight or nine years old," Quinn said. "All the Vanderbilt girls did have perfect posture, though."
"But you never had to do that, did you?" Another scout asked.
"Oh, heavens, no!" Quinn said with exaggerated shock. "My goodness, when I was eight or nine, I was running wild with the Vanderbilt boys while the Vanderbilt girls were being tortured in that chair."
"I’m afraid we need to move on, now," the maid/tour guide explained. "Thank you for your time, Miss Louisa. If everyone would please follow me."
The girls all said goodbye and followed dutifully out of the room. As the last one exited, Quinn saw that Barbara was waiting in the corner of the room. She smiled and closed the door behind the guests. "How are you doing Quinny?" She asked.
Quinn, for the first time, broke character in the public areas. "I’m ok, I guess." He forced a smile. "Just being Louisa helps. When I’m talking about Louisa stuff, I kind of forget about everything."
Barbara nodded. "Look, honey, the reason I stopped by is because I’ll probably be down in the function tents when you’re done. Remember, we have two weddings tomorrow. One at eleven and one at three."
"I know," Quinn nodded. "Monica was telling me about how everything works at lunch today. I guess I’m going to meet the elusive Mr Harper tomorrow, too."
"You will, and you’ll have to dance with him, too. Don’t worry, though, he’s an excellent dancer and a good actor. You’ll like him. A couple of warnings, though. Remember that the gowns you’ll be wearing tomorrow will make moving a bit more complicated and, also, remember that you’ll be served dinner at both weddings, so don’t eat too much at either wedding. Ok?"
"Ok," Quinn smiled, "but I hear that the baked chicken is pretty great."
"Believe me," Barbara smiled, "by the time this wedding season is over, you never want to eat baked chicken with green bean almandine ever again." There was a knock on the door. "I need to go. See you after I’m done at the tents."
She left through the exit door, just as the entrance door opened. "Good afternoon," Quinn smiled. "Welcome to my chambers at Golden Bluffs..."
Ann had just settled into a nice, hot bath with a wonderfully fragrant bath bomb dissolving between her ankles. The smell was incredibly relaxing and she sighed as her muscles unwound. "Ahh," she whispered, "this is what a vacation is supposed to be."
She closed her eyes and was just on the edge of sleep when a neighbor’s lawn mower started up. She let out a little grunt of frustration, but closed her eyes, determined to relax, in spite of the noise.
Then she noticed that the sound was getting louder and closer to her house. "What the hell?" She muttered, then pulled her wet body from the water and peeked out of the window. It took a moment or two for the lawn tractor to come into view, but when it did, she saw Ricky’s grandfather, Bill, driving past. "What the hell?" She muttered, again.
Then she realized what must have happened. Ricky hadn’t told his grandfather what happened. Bill still thought that Ricky and Quinn were still a couple. Well, so much for a bath! She’d have to get dressed and go break the bad news to him.
Five minutes later, Ann emerged from her back door, uncharacteristically poorly dressed in grey sweat pants and a tee shirt with no bra beneath, her hair pulled into a hair tie and wearing just a pair of flip flops on her feet. She called and waved to try to get Bill’s attention, but his back was to her and the motor was too loud for him to hear her.
"I don’t think he can hear you," a young woman’s voice came from Ann’s right, surprising her.
"Oh... hi," Ann tried to get a handle on the situation. "Are you... with Bill."
The girl walked up the stairs to the deck and extended her hand. "Yeah. Hi. I’m Fiona. One of Ricky’s sisters."
"Oh..." Ann was surprised, but also concerned that she’d need to explain the break up to two people, now. "Ummm... listen... Fiona... ummm... I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but..."
"No, we know," the young woman stopped Ann. "Grandpa and I came over to keep your lawn looking good, though, just to let you know that as far as we’re concerned, Ricky’s an idiot. Quinn’s the best thing that ever happened to him and he’s too stupid to know it."
Ann snickered at that. "Really? That’s nice to know and... well... a little surprising. Your grandfather knows about Quinn and isn’t freaked out by it?"
Fiona returned Ann’s snicker. "Grandpa isn’t like most older people. Well... to tell the truth, Grandpa Bill isn’t like anyone else, period."
"I guess not," Ann smiled.
"There seems to be an awful lot going on in this house today, Ricky, but I don’t seem to know what all the hubbub is about."
Ricky looked at his mother and just wished that he didn’t have to discuss this whole situation any further. "It’s not a big deal, mom. It’s just that Quinn and I broke up and everyone seems to be blaming me."
His mother raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Really. That seems odd. You’re usually the fair-haired-boy around here. How is it that the boy who can do no wrong is suddenly in the dog house."
Ricky’s head bobbed from side to side before he answered. "To tell you the truth, I think they like Quinn more than they like me."
His mother laughed. "That seems unlikely. What really happened?"
Ricky gave her a thumbnail synopsis of the previous evening.
"Wow. That beautiful girl was a boy once. That is amazing." His mother sounded impressed.
"Is still a boy, mom. Where it counts, she’s still a boy."
"Oh, please, Ricky... Where it counts, she’s a girl. Obviously, in her head and her heart, Quinn is a girl. But if you are freaked out by a little piece of skin, then I understand."
Ricky didn’t respond for a moment, but then had a different tone when he spoke. "Mom... if I were to... you know... see... Quinn again. You know what I mean... like date her again... would that make me... gay? I mean... would you think of me as... gay... if I did?"
His mother took his hands in hers. "Ricky... When you met Quinn and fell for her, your heart saw her as a girl, right?"
"Yeah."
"Then I think that, on the surface, anyway, you are just a regular, straight guy."
Ricky knew his mother’s tactics and he knew that she wasn’t done with what she had to say. "But?"
"But... you’ve never been a superficial kind of guy, Ricky. I’m thinking, and of course, I might be wrong, but I’m thinking that you didn’t just fall for a cute girl with a big smile and little breasts, did you? What I think is that you fell in love with the way she looked at you with love in her eyes, too. The way that she laughed when you told her a joke. The way she felt in your arms. The way she smelled like flowers and the way she just made you feel ‘right,’ even when she was confusing you. Am I right?"
He nodded. "Yeah. You’re right. But there’s still the matter of how we’d ever... you know... be... intimate... together."
"Well, that’s the thing about being ‘intimate,’ Ricky. It’s nobody’s business what two people do together except for those two people. I don’t think it’s any secret that your father and I had a healthy sex life before he ran off..."
"Ok, mom..."
"I mean, there’s nine rather obvious testaments to that living in this house..."
"Mom..."
"And we did things to keep things interesting that other people might find pretty weird, but it kept us going..."
"MOM! COME ON!"
His mother laughed at Ricky’s discomfort, which was her plan all along – get him to think of something else. "My point is, Ricky... I know lots of women who have problems having tradition sex. Women with vaginal pain, or back problems... whatever, but they have happy, satisfying sex lives none the less. Now, you have no way of knowing what Quinn’s plans for the future are. It’s possible that she plans to stay just as she is and it’s equally possible that she plans on having surgery, which would make regular, old, vanilla sex possible."
Ricky had no idea how to respond to his mother.
"Regardless, Ricky," she continued, "sex isn’t love. It’s part of a marriage, or even a long term relationship, sure, but even after it’s a part of your shared life, it’s a very small part. A few minutes here and there. It’s not the whole relationship."
He nodded and she stood.
"I guess the question is," she smiled, "would you rather be in a relationship that is loving and exciting and happy all the time with just a few minutes of complications every now and then, or... would you rather have a less than happy relationship with simple, vanilla sex every now and then?"
She waited a moment before finishing, "Think about that, Ricky. I made one decision and Grandpa Bill made the other. I wonder which one of us had the better marriage?"
Having said everything she needed to say, she left Ricky alone.
"Vanilla sex?" Ricky muttered. "Definitely not something I ever wanted to hear my mother say."
From "The Autobiography of Miss Louisa Harper of New York and Newport’
~ "There were ongoing battles between Mother and Father and Miranda for the remainder of the summer. Much of it involving Father’s restricting of his will. Until now, Father had willed his entire estate to his brother, my Uncle Archibald, with the proviso that Mother, Miranda and I be allowed to live in our homes and be taken care of for as long as Father’s money lasted. When a daughter married, however, it was the norm to change the terms of the paternal will to leave the estate to the eldest son-in-law. The problem was, however, that Father had very little respect for Miranda’s husband prior to their marriage. Now that they had been wed and Miranda had made her husband’s infidelity known to father, he was adamantly opposed to having a penny left to him.
Instead, Father had spoken to his attorneys to have his estate left to Langdon, even if father should pass before our wedding. He said that he trusted Langdon and was sure that Langdon, not Miranda’s husband, would be attentive to the needs of not just his wife, me, but the needs of Mother and Miranda as well. "If I leave my money to that son-of-a-bitch you married," Father exploded one morning, in uncharacteristic anger, particularly odd because it was done in front of the servants, "then you and your mother will live in poverty. Is that what you want?"
"Of course not," Miranda snapped back, "but I have no desire to spend the rest of my life begging for money from my younger sister, either!"
I, of course, was horrified to be trapped in the middle of a situation like this. "Father, can’t you just leave the money to Mother or Miranda so that they could manage their own lives?" It seemed like an innocent question when I asked it.
"And how, exactly, would a woman manage her own money, Louisa? What bank would give a woman a checking account? What investment firm would allow a woman to do business with them? Think before you speak, Louisa."
"But Aunt Ada..." I began to protest, using my independent aunt as an example, but Father corrected me before I could even finish.
"Your Aunt Ada is on a strictly regulated allowance which is overseen by Archibald. When Archie passes on, that allowance will be overseen by me, unless Ada settles down before then. Don’t get me wrong, Louisa, your aunt is a fine woman and has an wonderful, independent spirit, but that independence is subsidized by the money my father set aside for her and she is able to speak and act the way she does through Archie’s good nature. Don’t think for a moment that freedom at her level of living is free."
I stood, angrier than I’d ever been, and I did something I never suspect I was capable of doing. I challenged my father. "This is absurd! Why should a woman be treated as something less deserving than a man. If Miranda is the eldest, then Miranda should be the beneficiary of your estate."
"Oh, don’t be foolish," Father retorted. "A man has a job... a career. A man takes care of a woman. A woman should be a... a... a thing of beauty. A wife. A mother."
"Well, I for one shall never be a mother," Miranda spouted as she stood and took her place beside me. "The man to whom I have been shackled has no interest in being a father. Frankly, he has no interest in my or any other woman. I am merely a prop to hide his true life, Father, and I cannot be expected to just be a costume for him."
"Oh, stop, please," Father was very dismissive.
"No, Father," I continued to snap. "Being a woman does not mean that I shall be consigned to being just a bauble for a man. A woman and a man are equally deserving of happiness and success and I intend to be both happy and successful – AND – I intend to see to it that my sister is as well."
With that, I took my sister’s arm and we strode, straight backed and side by side, into the main house.
I heard Father grumble and then heard Mother say, "Congratulations. You have just made your daughters suffragettes. Soon, we shall be hosting Lucy Stone and Elizabeth Cady Stanton at Golden Bluffs. They may even hold a convention here." She sipped her tea and smirked at Father as she watched us depart.
"Are we all set for tomorrow?" Carolyn Jenkins asked her daughter.
"Yes, we are," Barbara replied, looking over the check lists on her clipboard and the tables, chairs and platforms that were set up on the lawn of Golden Bluffs for the next days’ festivities. "We’ll only have about forty five minutes to set up the second wedding after the first one ends, but we can do that. God knows we’ve done it plenty of times before."
Carolyn nodded. "And what about Miss Louisa? Is she ready to play junior hostess?"
Barbara laughed. "Mom, Quinny is the best Louisa we’ve ever had. He adores playing the part. He’ll be great."
"Well, let’s hope so. This is the first time he’ll need to be Louisa in such close proximity to the public. A slip up in that kind of situation could be quite embarrassing, both for Quinn and Golden Bluffs. Please just be sure that everything goes well. Oh, and tell the rest of the Harper Family to keep their eyes on Louisa, just to be on the safe side."
"Yes, mother, I already have. Everything will be perfect."
"That’s all I ask of you, dear," Carolyn said with a playful smile. "I’ll see you at home."
"It’s no problem at all," Bill told Ann. "I told you that we’d help you get your yard in order, and that’s what I intend to do. I’m not inconvenienced at all."
"No, it’s just a forty five minute ride up here, plus loading and unloading your mower a few times," Ann smiled, but tried to look stern. "Honestly, Bill... I really appreciate everything that you’ve done for us, but with the kids not dating anymore... this seems like a huge imposition."
"Annie," he chuckled, "I’m retired and I don’t like hanging around with other old men. What else am I going to do with my time. Let an old man feel useful, ok?"
Ann shook her head. "You’re a very generous guy, Bill. I just don’t want to take advantage of you."
"Fi," Bill looked at his sixth oldest grandchild. "What did you and Annie discuss while I mowed the lawn?"
"Grad school, grandpa. She gave me some advice about what I should consider when choosing a school for my master’s degree."
Bill smiled. "Seems to me that guidance like that would cost more than a little physical labor, Annie." He winked at her. "I’d say we’re even."
"Ok, ok," Annie gave up, "but come on in and have some iced tea, at least. I could use a little company."
They sat around the kitchen table and Ann poured some tea into each glass. Bill took a long sip and let out an appreciative, ‘ahh.’
"So," Ann asked after a few minutes, "how is Ricky doing?"
Bill looked at Fiona. "Perhaps you should answer that?"
Fiona thought for a moment. "Ricky’s being a stupid asshole."
"Hey!" Bill interrupted abruptly. "You know better than than, young lady. Answer the question and be polite."
Fiona sighed and started over. "Ricky is... confused. He knows he’s nuts about Quinn, but he’s pretending that he has a problem with her not being a traditional ‘female.’ Like I said, he’s being a stupid..."
"Fi!" Bill snapped.
"... jerk," she finished the sentence. "A stupid jerk."
Bill shook his head. "I apologize for my granddaughter. I thought that she was capable of expressing herself more eloquently. We shall discuss that on the way home. More importantly, though, how is Quinn."
Ann shrugged and thought for a moment. "Quinn’s... well, crushed, I expect, but she suspected that telling Ricky the truth would end everything, so... huh... I thought I might be able to clarify that a bit, but... I’m at a loss. Quinn is crushed, but not unexpectedly so."
Bill nodded. "That is a shame. Ricky is crushed, too, but... there is no reason for it. There’s no reason for any of this."
"I agree," Ann nodded. "If Quinn had been honest from the start, none of this would have happened."
Bill seemed surprised by that. "Annie, I’m afraid I have to disagree with you on this. Quinn shouldn’t have to start each conversation with a stranger by saying, ‘Oh, by the way, I’m really a boy under all this beauty.’ As deeply as these two kids seemed to love each other, they only knew each other a little more than a week before Quinn told Ricky the truth. That seems pretty forthcoming to me. I just wish that Ricky could understand that."
"I hadn’t thought of it that way," Ann said as she considered his point of view. "Quinn is... how do I put this... emotionally immature, I guess, even though that sounds a little harsh. He..."
"She," Bill interrupted. "If you’ll pardon me, Annie... I think it’s time that you start thinking of Quinn as a woman."
"You’re right," Ann agreed. "SHE hasn’t had the time to develop her emotions the way that most twenty one year olds do. She’s still trying to figure things out. Ricky is her first crush. Even if she’d been born a girl, with everything that she’s been through, it was bound to be very complicated."
"How about you?" Fiona asked.
"Me?" Ann asked. "What about me?"
"You’ve been through everything that Quinn’s been through, too. Are things complicated for you, too?"
Ann smiled at the young woman’s empathy. "You’re going to make a great teacher, Fiona. I didn’t have all the physical pain that Quinn had, but... yeah.. I’ve been through a lot, too." She thought for a moment. "And it’s always going to be complicated. No doubt about it. But I still have hope."
Fiona looked at her grandfather, then back to Ann. "You’re not alone, Annie." She held up her glass of tea. "Here’s to a complicated life."
"And to hope," Bill said as he tapped his glass against the glasses of the two exceptional woman.
"Oh, this isn’t good. This is NOT good," Carolyn groaned as she preened in her lavatory.
"What’s the matter, mom?" Barbara called the hallway.
"I’m listening to the weather on the radio and they are talking about showers this afternoon. We want to kick off the season with two beautiful weddings."
Barbara looked at her wrist and pressed the face of her Apple Watch. "According to the app on my phone and watch, there’s only a twenty percent chance of rain. We’ll be fine, I’m sure."
"I certainly hope so, and I hope to God that Quinn pulls this off. All of his drama lately has been a distraction for you. I hope it all pays off today."
Carolyn was always overly stressed before a wedding at Golden Bluffs, and, of course, everything Barbara had done to help Quinn had already paid off and Quinn had done more than prove that he made a great Louisa. This was just her mother doing what she always did – Placing blame before anything could go wrong – just in case she needed to place blame for real, later. Barbara just shook her head and said, "Quinny will do great and you know it. Now, just get ready and I’ll see you at the estate. I have to pick up Quinny. Bye."
"So, what about the people who come to do the tour of the mansion?" Quinn asked, quite concerned. "I mean, if they show up expecting to be able to meet with Louisa and Winnifred, won’t they be disappointed if we’re not there?"
Monica laughed. "We’ll do a little meet and greet at the exit when we’re not in the tent. All and all there’s only a couple of hours during the day when we’re not available to the tours and those times will be well marked at the entrance."
"Oh," Quinn nodded. "I just didn’t want them disappointed."
Monica shook her head. "You’re something, Quinn. A couple of weeks ago, you were just learning how to move in your dresses. Now, you’re worried about your fans being disappointed."
"You make me sound like an egomaniac," Quinn smiled, as he buttoned the sleeves of his blouse and prepared to put his short jacket on.
Monica kissed her ‘daughter’s’ cheek. "Just a responsible little star."
"So, where’s my youngest daughter?" A man’s voice boomed into the dressing room.
"Hi, Evan," Monica greeted the man with a hug. "Long time, no see. How have you been?"
"I’m good, Mony. How are you doing?"
"Doing well, honey. Come here. Let me introduce you to the new Louisa. Evan, this is Quinn. Quinn, Evan."
Quinn shook hands with the man, who stopped the hand shake and kissed the back of Quinn’s hand. "Welcome to the team, my dear. I hope you enjoy your time at Golden Bluffs."
Quinn looked closely at the man. "You’re... you’re... that guy. The car guy – on TV."
Evan smiled. "Well, yes, I WAS the Speed-E-Lube spokesman about five years ago. You have a good memory."
"I’ve watched a lot of TV over the past few years," Quinn explained. "I thought you were very funny on those ads, though."
"Well, thank you." He kissed Quinn’s hand once more. "That was my little brush with fame."
"Are we all set?" Barbara interrupted. "Big day, everyone. Oh, hi Evan."
"I’ll be ready in ten minutes," Evan said, then he kissed Barbara’s cheek in greeting as well.
"Where’s our Miranda?" Monica asked, pinning her hat to her hair.
"We’re using one of the tour guides as Miranda, today. She won’t be speaking, just smiling and nodding."
"What happened to that girl we used last year?" Monica asked. "I liked her."
Barbara shrugged. "I couldn’t reach her. Don’t worry, though. This girl looks good in the dress and no one really wants to interact with Monica, anyway. She’ll be fine."
"And how well do you dance, Louisa?" Evan asked Quinn.
"I dance fine," Quinn shrugged. Monica was fussing with Quinn’s hat, now. Pinning it on, just so, just as she had done for herself.
"Then I look forward to our first waltz." Evan winked and retreated into the racks to get dressed.
The meet and greets at the exit were actually lots of fun. Quinn enjoyed interacting with the girls on a different level than he had before. He answered the same questions and smiled the same way, but being out in the early summer sunshine made everything feel so much more natural.
As eleven o’clock approached, Evan joined them and so did a young women dressed as Miranda. "Shall we go, ladies?" Evan asked in a more theatrical voice than he’d used before.
"Yes, of course," Monica joined the act. "Come, Louisa. It’s time to attend the wedding."
"Yes, Mother," Quinn replied, but then he bent a bit low and spoke in a conspiratorial voice to the girls at the meet and greet. "To tell you the truth, I’d rather stay here and talk to all of you, but Mother and Father are hosting a wedding and I must attend. So, please forgive me, but I must go."
That seemed to make all of the girls feel like they were part of a game, so they happily said goodbye to Louisa and moved along with no disappointment.
‘The Harper Family’ took their seats at what was referred to as ‘The Second Head Table’ to distinguish it from the actual ‘Head Table,’ where the bridal party would be seated. The guests were all in the tent when Evan stood and clinked his spoon against a wine glass.
"Ladies and Gentlemen!" He announced in a clear, loud voice. "Please join me as we welcome the bridal party. First, may I introduce the grandmother and grandfather of the groom. Mrs Ronda and Mr William Bowman." There was applause and he continued to announce the party until just the bride and groom were still waiting for admission. Evan’s voice became even bigger and more present as he announced. "And now, Ladies and Gentlemen, please stand and join me, my wife, Winnifred, my daughters Miranda and Louisa, in welcoming our guests of honor for today’s festivities. The newly married and gloriously happy couple – Mrs Kylie and Mr Kevin Bowman!"
Evan was a brilliant master of ceremony, keeping everything moving along smoothly throughout the reception. He guided the couple through the cutting of the cake, led the crowd in clinking their glasses so that the newlyweds would kiss, and even encouraged dancing after dinner had been served. The orchestra, and it was an actual orchestra, played music from the Gilded Age and Quinn was very surprised to see that, with Evan’s encouragement, nearly everyone joined in the dancing.
Of course, the Harpers danced, too. First, Evan danced with Monica, then with the girl playing Miranda, and finally with Quinn.
"You dance extremely well, Louisa," he said quietly. "You will dance well at Miranda’s wedding, I am sure."
Of course, he spoke this way for the benefit of the people nearby who could hear them.
"Thank you, Father," Quinn smiled. "I have been studying with my dance instructor. I am pleased that you are happy with my progress."
As they approached the bride and groom on the dance floor, Evan tapped the groom on the shoulder. "May I cut in, young man?"
The confused groom looked at his new wife and back to Evan before stopping their dance and stepping aside so that Evan could take the bride into his arms. "I trust," he said to the groom, "that you will entertain my youngest, Louisa, whilst I dance with your good lady wife."
"Oh, of course," the slightly flummoxed young man of about twenty eight or nine took Quinn into his arms and began to guide him, a bit clumsily around the dance floor.
From then on, most of the men wanted to dance with Quinn. It was flattering, but, of course, he did realize that the men only really wanted to dance with Louisa Harper because Louisa was the biggest celebrity at Golden Bluffs.
Before Quinn knew it, the first wedding was over. Quinn joined the rest of ‘The Harper Family’ to say goodbye to everyone and wish them all well before Barbara appeared and took over. "Ok, clean up staff, you have twenty five minutes to get this place immaculate! Set up crew, get the supply carts ready so you can jump in as soon as clean up is down. Harpers, you can take a break. Oh, and by the way, great job everyone!"
Bill and Fiona had barely left the house before there was a knock on Ann’s door. "Oh, my God!" She grunted quietly. She’d hoped to be able to warm up her bath and climb back in, but the universe seemed determined to make sure that Ann Collins didn’t enjoy her vacation.
Whoever it was knocked again.
"I’ll be right there!" Ann screamed, hopefully loud enough that the person could hear. She pulled her sweat pants and tee shirt back on and headed towards the stairs.
Apparently, Ann had not been loud enough, because whoever it was at the door knocked again.
"Oh, come on," she grunted, very frustrated with whoever it was. "I’m coming!" She shouted again. When she reached the front door, she pulled it open and stopped short, surprised to see the face looking back at her.
"I’m sorry. I... I really need to talk to you... in person." Ricky looked exhausted.
Well, that was it. She’s wasted a thirty dollar bath bomb. "Come on, in."
From ‘The Autobiography of Miss Louisa Harper of New York and Newport’
~ "There was an odd calm around Golden Bluffs after Miranda and I had confronted Father. Langdon had thrown in his oar on our behalf as well. He said that he knew of a bank in New York City who would be willing to allow Miranda to run her finances through their offices.
"I will not become an object of ridicule amongst my peers because I allowed a woman to behave like a man," Father railed. "A proper woman just DOES NOT sully her days with financial concerns."
Mother remained calm. "Well, it seems to me that a proper woman doesn’t survive at the whim of a husband or brother-in-law, either. Honestly, wouldn’t you feel better knowing that your daughters were well taken care of then to be on your deathbed wondering if they will survive?"
"On my deathbed? Honest to Heaven, Winifred, you have an extraordinary flair for the macabre."
It was only a week or so after that conversation, though, when Father called both Miranda and me into his private offices – a place where neither of us had been with any frequency. When we entered, we found Father behind his desk with Langdon standing to the right side of Father’s desk.
"What is all of this about?" Miriam asked.
Father huffed uncomfortably and spoke in a clipped manner. "Against my better judgement, Langdon has persuaded me to speak to his colleague at a bank in New York City. It seems that this man has several female clients who are running their financial interests through his company. I am loath to allow you two to do the same, but it seems that, due to Miranda’s poor choice in husbands and Langdon’s insistence that no money pass directly from me to him, I have no choice but to allow you both to learn how to manage your own money."
Both Miranda and I were stunned and just stared at Father in disbelief. Finally, Miranda spoke. "Thank you, Father," she said, sounding very formal at first, but a tear crept into her voice very quickly. "I... I..." Suddenly, she ran to Father and knelt beside his chair to hug him. "Thank you," she said once more before running out of the office.
As for me, I stood with my mouth hanging open as if I was a halibut. Father looked at me, obviously frustrated, but not angry. He pursed his lips and sucked his teeth for a moment before he said in a voice that was a mix of reluctant respect and irritation, "You should know, Louisa, that your husband to be has proved himself to be a very interesting fellow. You and I are both aware that his family has had some financial set backs recently and that it was the intention of his parents that his marriage to you would bolster the family fortune. Now, due to his recent decision to have you learn to manage your own money, that may not happen. Although I do find his decision vexing, I also find it quite admirable. He is a good man, Louisa."
I looked from Father to Langdon and back to Father, unable to fully comprehend what was being said, but understanding quite clearly that my life with Langdon would be a life full of wonderful surprises."
"Ladies and Gentlemen!" Evan announced in a clear, loud voice. "Please join me as we welcome the bridal party. First, may I introduce the grandmother and grandfather of the groom. Mrs Margarette Cooper and Mr William Cooper." There was applause and he continued to announce the party until just the bride and groom were still waiting for admission. Evan’s voice became even bigger and more present as he announced. "And now, Ladies and Gentlemen, please stand and join me, my wife, Winnifred, my daughters Miranda and Louisa, in welcoming our guests of honor for today’s festivities. The newly married and gloriously happy couple – Mrs Sarah and Mr William Cooper!"
The second wedding began exactly the same as the first had. The guests were even more enthusiastic than the guests at the first wedding had been. People were coming up to the ‘Harper Family’ and discussing the beauty of the estate and the beautiful clothing the family wore as if it all had actually belonged to the people portraying the characters at The Second Head Table.
Quinn smiled prettily and focused on the festivities. This would be easy. Just a replay of the first wedding with new faces and names.
Barbara was just walking out of the mansion with Carolyn. So far, everything had gone very well.
"Quinn seems to be acclimating quite well," Carolyn said as they walked. "Nothing but rave reviews from this morning’s family."
Barbara raised her eyebrows. Her mother had spent the morning inventing scenarios that would divert blame away from her should things go badly, but now she was practically taking bows. Barbara chose not to point out her behavior, though, and instead focused on the matters at hand. "That’s good news. We know from experience that, if they weren’t happy, they would have made their displeasure known."
Carolyn chuckled at that. "That is true. We’ve gotten pretty good at these things over the years, though. We’ve learned that the best way to do these things is never to deviate from our outline."
"Very true." Just then, Barbara’s phone rang. She looked at the screen, surprised at the name. She stopped walking, turned and accepted the call. "Hello?"
She listened.
"Are you insane? I’m in the middle of a wedding right now."
She listened some more.
"Geez, this is not a good time. Where are you, now?"
Listened once more.
"Alright. I’ll be right there." She turned to her mother who had been waiting. "I’ll be right along. You go on ahead."
"What?" Carolyn seemed shocked that Barbara was going to allow anything to distract her during an event like this. "Barbara, we’re in the middle of a wedding. Where on earth could you possibly be going right now?"
"I’ll only be a moment. Trust me, I just need a minute." Barbara turned and ran back towards the mansion.
The baked chicken dinner as exactly as it had been at the earlier wedding. Nicely cooked and beautifully plated. Quinn picked at it and made it look as if all of the food on his plate had been touched.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," Evan spoke loudly and clearly. "Since we have finished our repast, I invite you all to join my beautiful wife, Winnifred, and me on the dance floor."
Just as before, people stood from their meals and joined Evan and Monica on the dance floor and the orchestra changed from chamber music to Gilded Age dance music. At the end of the first dance, Evan passed Monica off to an unescorted man and he asked ‘Miranda’ to join him for the next song.
Quinn sat and smiled at the guests, still a bit surprised that things could possibly be as similar from one wedding to another. He did notice, however that Barbara had suddenly appeared near the edge of the dance floor. Dressed in modern business clothes, she did stand out rather drastically from either the guests or the staff. Quinn watched as Barbara subtly waved for Evan to meet her. When the dance ended, Evan passed ‘Miranda’ off to another guest and he went to where Barbara waited, bowed his head and listened as she whispered in his ear. Whatever Barbara said seemed to confuse him for a moment. He asked a question, nodded and walked back to the Second Head Table, presumably to ask Quinn to dance.
Instead, though, he grabbed a wine glass and a spoon and tapped it, requesting that the bride and groom kiss, again. They happily obliged, but before the orchestra could begin the next song, Evan’s strong clear voice rang out once again. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I must make a quick announcement. I would like you all to welcome to our festivities, the fiancé of my youngest daughter, Louisa. I give you - Mr. Langdon BeechThorndyke. Please help me welcome him with a big, welcoming round of applause."
Quinn was surprised. No one had said a word about a Langdon character at the weddings and there had been no Langdon at the earlier wedding, either. He looked around the room, trying to locate a new actor entering. He could see a bit of a commotion coming from the other side of the room, and eventually he caught sight of someone in a very handsome tuxedo crossing the dance floor, but he couldn’t see anything beyond a fit man with jet black hair combed straight back, just like...
A shiver of apprehension shot down Quinn’s spine, then a feeling of lightheadedness slammed into him as the room began to swim. He was sure he was going to pass out when Evan’s strong hands were suddenly holding Quinn’s shoulders.
"Come on, my dear," Evan said, softly. "Langdon is here to dance with you."
Without the capacity to think, Quinn allowed himself to be helped from the chair and guided to the dance floor.
"Enjoy the dance, you two love birds," Evan said loudly, causing the guests to let out a little laughter.
‘Langdon’ turned and smiled at Quinn. It was the first time that Quinn had ever seen him without his black rimmed glasses. His eyes were even more beautiful without the appliances.
"Hi," Ricky said, quietly and nervously. "May I have this dance?"
To Be Continued...
