Wedding Planning

“Who has Ben asked to fill the extra groomsman spot?”  Avalon’s mother asked, then took a small bite of her field green salad.

It was Monday afternoon and they’d had plans to get together to start planning the invitations and the menu and all manner of other things for the wedding.  However.  Avalon had spent the last half an hour listening to her mother rattle on and on about Maggie and Grey.  Avalon was so damned tired of hearing about, thinking about, pretending to care at all about Maggie and Grey that she thought her head might explode from the effort it was taking not to flip out at her frustratingly clueless mother.

And now?  The first wedding-related question she asks all afternoon and it has to do entirely with Maggie?  Avalon thought she might just lose it.  She calmly lifted her ice water to her lips, wishing it were a soda but soda has too many calories, and she held her features perfectly still while she sipped. 

Ben wouldn’t need to go fishing for an extra groomsman if her mother hadn’t absolutely insisted Avalon include Maggie in the bridal party.  ‘But Ava, darling, she’s your sister now!  She’s family!  You wouldn’t want to exclude family!’

Ugh.  She’d have looked like the world’s biggest bitch if she’d refused.  Even though asking a complete stranger to be in one’s wedding seemed to Avalon to be absolute lunacy.  Apparently if the complete stranger elopes with your stupid bastard of a brother they just have to be a bridesmaid!

“Ethan.”  Avalon replied after swallowing and setting her cool glass back onto the table.

Velvet chewed thoughtfully for a moment, then swallowed, took a drink of her own ice water and smiled that dazzling Velvet Delaney smile.  “Ethan Harcourt?” 

“Mmmhmm.”  Avalon replied dispassionately.

Velvet looked sly.  “But didn’t you and he—“

“Mum.”  Avalon’s brows drew together sharply.

A flash of something mischievous flashed in Velvet’s big pale green eyes and she set her fork down. 

“Does Ben know?”

Avalon licked the inside of her teeth and looked at her mother as sternly as possible.

Her mother giggled in response. 

“This isn’t funny.”  Avalon snapped.

Velvet covered her irrepressible smile with perfectly manicured fingers, but the twinkle in her eyes gave her guilty mirth away.  “I’m so sorry—it’s just—you look so much like your father when you make that face.”  She giggled again before clearing her throat and composing her features into some semblance of calm and appropriate concern.

Avalon picked up her own fork and stabbed ruthlessly at her salad.  She wanted something awful, like pizza or cookies.  She’d kill for a big ole bowl of mashed potatoes with tons of melty butter.  Grimly she opened her mouth to accept the baby spinach, radicchio, and kale with just the barest tease of raspberry vinaigrette.

“I’m sorry.”  Velvet repeated, really trying for an expression of compassion or at least sympathy.  “But, does he?  Does Ben know about you and-“

“Yes.”  Avalon answered.  It was half true.  Ben knew she’d dated his good friend Ethan a few times before they’d become a pair.  He even knew that she’d slept with Ethan.  But he really didn’t know the half of it.  And she would prefer it to remain that way.

Her mother knew more than she was strictly comfortable with.  She’d found the pictures on Avalon’s computer one day when she was trying to put together a damned photo album as a surprise present for Jonah’s birthday a few years back.  Stumbling upon those pictures must have been a real eye-opener.  She’d certainly expressed her concerns at the time. 

Now Velvet looked quite astonished.  “He does?”  She was incredulous.

“Mum, drop it.”

Velvet pressed her lips together and Avalon recognized, from a lifetime of seeing her do it, that her mother was struggling very, very hard to control her tongue. 

Just as she always did, Avalon began a silent count in her head, a silent count to see how many Mississippis it would take before Velvet inevitably lost the private little battle and succumbed to her inability to govern her mouth.

One Mississippi.  Two Mississippi.  Three Mississippi.  Four Mississippi.  Five Mississi—

“Has he seen the pictures?!” 

Mother and daughter both paused to sigh out in unison.  Velvet looked apologetic and Avalon tried to feel forgiving.  Afterall, it wasn’t her fault.  The woman was like a giddy child.  All heart and very little self-control.

“I am not discussing this one minute more.”  Avalon replied as civilly as she could manage.  “And you promised you would never mention those pictures again.”

Again Velvet looked apologetic.  She even blushed just a little.  “Sorry.”

Avalon nodded her acceptance of the apology and took another bite of her salad while her mother sipped some more water.  Then Avalon’s eyes flew open wide.  “Oh my god, you didn’t tell Dad, did you?  Oh my god, tell me you never told Dad.  Tell me he doesn’t know—oh jesus, you didn’t show him right?”  Avalon’s mouth was dry and she felt panicky.

Velvet looked stunned.  “No, of course not, no, honey—no, absolutely he has no idea, Av—I wouldn’t do that to you.”  She soothed and assured quickly and with enough conviction that Avalon allowed herself to calm down, to relax.  “No, honey.”  Her mother repeated solemnly.  “I love your father and want him around a while longer.  I have no desire to give him a heart attack.”

Avalon’s eyes widened and she gaped at her mother.  The tiniest hint of a smile flitted across Velvet’s oh-so-innocent expression and her pale green eyes danced with merriment.

Avalon burst into laughter.  What else could she do?  Cry about it?  She laughed deeply and fully.  Her mother joined in readily and they laughed for several full minutes before managing to settle back down.

“Have you ever done any of that stuff with Ben?”  Her mother asked suddenly, her voice low and giddy and hungry for juicy gossip.

Avalon was still tingling and merry from the cathartic bout of laughter so instead of getting sour at the probing invasion of privacy, she grinned.  “Wouldn’t you just love to know.”  She teased.

Her mother grinned back.  Avalon waited until her mother had lifted her water glass once more to get her payback.  As her mother sipped Avalon asked casually:  “Have you ever done that stuff with Dad?”

The spit-take was perfect.  Paragon Velvet Delaney expelled a spray of water out over the table with the full force of her surprise and, judging by the smile, her delighted amusement.

Avalon laughed, satisfied with her little victory, and set her salad fork down on the plate now that her meal was covered in a mist of her mother’s spittle.  It was a necessary sacrifice.

“Avalon Grace!”  Her mother responded when she’d stopped giggling.  Then she tisked.  “That’ll teach me, I guess.”

Avalon leaned back in her seat and sighed, knowing that Velvet Delaney would never learn.  She knew her mother would always probe too deeply; ask questions that were far too personal and private.  She was unstoppable and she was tenacious. 

“And I’m not answering one way or the other,”  She said with a coy little smile as she dabbed her face with a napkin.  “But when you’re looking for something old and borrowed, if I were you I’d avoid the trunk in my bedroom closet unless you want to see things you can’t un-see.”

“Ugh!”  Avalon groaned.  “Gross, Mum!”  Velvet was giggling hysterically as she stood and collected their salad plates and shuttled them off to the counter near the sink.  “I wish I could un-hear what you just said!”  She shivered and tried desperately to stop picturing her Mum and Dad doing some of the things she’d been into with Ethan.  Bleck.

“Oh Avalon relax.  There’s nothing that hasn’t been done before.  The ancient Greeks—“

“Mum, please, for God’s sake!”  She was half-laughing but she was very firm in her tone.

“But it’s natural to want to experiment—“

“Holy God, shut your trap, for five minutes, just zip your lips, can you?”  She half-laughed and half wished she were just having a terrible dream.  “I don’t care what you and dad do, I just really really really do not need to know about it.”  She rushed desperately.  “Or think about it.  Or imagine it in any way.”  It was bad enough she’d grown up listening to it from two bedrooms away. 

Her mother giggled again but she relented.  “I hope your children are more accepting of your lovelife then you are of mine.”  She teased pleasantly.

“Let’s talk wedding, please, can we?”

Velvet grinned as she filled the kettle for tea.  “So Ethan Harcourt, hmm?”  She chuckled merrily and moved the kettle over to the stove.  “I wonder what other delightful little surprises we’ll get as this wedding draws nearer!”

Avalon rolled her eyes as she pulled a legal pad and pen from her wedding-planning-canvas-ecofriendly-bag.  No more surprises.  Please?  Pretty please with a cherry on top?

She slapped the pad down on the table and began scribbling down the names of her bridesmaids, junior bridesmaids and flower girls on one side, and on the other she listed the groomsmen, junior usher, and ringbearer.

She frowned at the list.  She’d slept with more of the listed parties than she was strictly comfortable with.  And the other ones were her blood relatives.  Or children.

She rolled her eyes to the heavens.  No more surprises, ok?  No more little speed bumps or screw-ups, or anything like that.  K?  You got that?  Are you hearing this? 

“Hey—“  Her mother said, slipping back into her seat and dabbing at the rest of the sprayed water droplets with a dishtowel.  “Does Ben know about you and his cousin?”

Avalon grimaced.  Maybe she should just elope.

“Or, actually, I should say cousins—both of them, right?“

She almost wished they were still talking about goddamn Grey and Maggie.

Family Dinner; Part Eleven

“I have some gifts for the newlyweds.”  Velvet breathed, giddy and tremulous.  Around her in the living room her family seemed to be enjoying the out-of-season strawberry shortcake and desert wine.  It had been a lovely evening. 

She’d thought her heart would positively melt when Grey’d kissed his bride for them all.  She hadn’t seen the couple behave very demonstratively, Velvet thought maybe Catholics forbade public displays of affection, and to see the tenderness and warmth he’d put into the kiss, and to see the clear adoration in Maggie’s face when she’d gazed up at him, oh, Velvet just couldn’t take how happy she was feeling tonight!

“Gifts?”  Grey asked around a mouthful of strawberries.

“This evening has been gift enough—“  Maggie hurried.  “Really, you’ve been so generous already—“

Velvet tittered and waved a hand dismissively.  “We love you both so much!”

Maggie and Grey met eyes and seemed to be communicating silently.  Velvet took the time to seek out her own husband’s eyes.  He was frowning across the room at Viola, at something the girl had done or said.

“Jonah?”  Velvet called lightly.

He looked over sharply.  “Yes Dear?”

Velvet smiled.  “The gifts.”

He took a second or two before understanding dawned.  “Ah, yes.”  He said, placing his bowl of shortcake on a side table and standing to join her by the hearth.

“Mum, Dad, really—“ Grey began, but Velvet cut him off.

“The first one is for Maggie.”  She said warmly, lifting a carefully wrapped rectangular box from the wide surface of the mantle and crossing to where Grey and Maggie were seated on the loveseat. 

She wanted to give the girl space to open the gift but didn’t want to take her eyes off her for a second, so she walked backwards all the way back to Jonah.

With the gift in her lap Maggie handed her bowl to Grey, who took it dutifully and deposited both their desserts onto the coffee table. 

Velvet watched Maggie carefully peel the tape from the wrapping paper and ease the parcel open to reveal the handsomely bound photo album.  The girl’s face was serious and maybe faintly puzzled.

“Open it up.”  Encouraged Velvet excitedly.  “I put it together for you while you two were upstate.”

Maggie’s eyes lifted to Velvet’s and she gave a shy smile before returning her gaze to the non-descript leather volume in her lap.  Gently, carefully, as if it were made of gossamer, the girl lifted the front cover open and became very still.

“There’s an inscription—“  Velvet pressed, her enthusiasm making her bounce on the balls of her feet just a little.  She felt a hand on her waist and turned to see Jonah’s kind smile.  With an answering smile she allowed him to pull her close. 

The room was quiet as Maggie read the inscription silently, and Grey craned his neck to read over her shoulder.  “Mum.”  He said softly.

“Mrs. Delaney—“ Maggie added, finishing just after Grey.  Maggie looked up and Velvet was sure the girl’s eyes were filling with tears, which in turn caused her own eyes to well.

“What is it?”  Viola demanded, a little flippant.

“A photo album.”  Jonah responded, when Velvet wasn’t able to.

“Of what?”  Genny asked, trying to peer over the coffee table.

“Me.”  Said Grey in a peculiar voice.  Then he laughed.  “Best present anyone could ask for.” He joked.

Even Velvet laughed.  Maggie was the only one who hadn’t so much as cracked a smile.  The girl was engrossed, turning pages slowly, reverently, devouring each picture with her eyes, her expression shuttered and somber.

“Do you think she likes it?”  Velvet whispered to Jonah.  Her husband’s eyes softened as he watched Maggie and Grey on the loveseat for a moment.  Grey was quietly adding narrative to some of the pictures, explaining  ‘That’s my first day of kindergarten’ or ‘That’s when I got my first bike—“  and “That’s Granny Calder—you’ll meet her soon enough.”

“I think that album means more to her than you know sweetheart.”  He said cryptically and then kissed her forehead with a tiny sigh.

“Oh there’s one in here of you and me Ben.”  Grey said with a laugh.  “On that goddamn boyscout camping trip where you fell into the river.”

“I believe I was pushed, if I recall correctly.”  Ben said with a short laugh.

Avalon got up from where she’d been perched on the arm of Ben’s seat and crossed around behind the loveseat to see the picture.  “I hope Grace does one of these for me.”  She said wistfully.

“Maybe you could drop a hint, Mrs. Delaney?” Ben smiled at her.

Velvet grinned back.  “Velvet.”  She gently reminded the boy.  “I’ll tell her all about it at lunch on Saturday.” She promised.  “And maybe I can persuade Hector to find some of your childhood photos too Maggie.”

Maggie dragged her eyes off the album and smiled wistfully.  “This is beautiful, and so very thoughtful.  Thank you.”

“And there’s something else.”  Jonah said, reaching into his pocket and withdrawing an envelope.  “When you were all young, your mother and I set aside money for you, for the occasion of your wedding or your college graduations.”  He cleared his throat.  “And, well, here we are.”  He smiled.

“It’s for a house.”  Velvet announced, unable to keep her tongue in check.

Maggie’s eyes were so wide it looked as if she’d seen a cartoon ghost.  Grey’s eyes, however, were narrowed and sharp.  Velvet watched her son rise from the loveseat, careful not to disturb the photo album on Maggie’s lap, and cross wordlessly to Jonah. 

When Jonah had handed the envelope to Grey and Grey’d opened it to read the amount on the check, Velvet witnessed a puzzling exchange of glances between the two men. 

“This is a large sum of money, Dad.”  Grey said in a tight voice.

“I suppose it is.” Jonah responded casually.

“And this has been there the whole time?  Just sitting somewhere?  With my name on it?”

Velvet blinked.  What was going on?

“Your mother and I wanted to set something aside for all of you, to help you start your adult lives when the time came.”  Jonah explained slowly, and Velvet got the sense that something was going on beneath the surface.

“Sorry to ruin the surprise, Ava and Ben!”  Velvet laughed sweetly, glancing briefly at her daughter and her fiancé before letting her eyes go to where they felt drawn as if by magnets: to the strangely tense exchange between her husband and son.

“Well this is fantastic.”  Grey said in an expressionless tone.

“We hope it helps.”  Jonah said softly.

Velvet thought Grey’s face twisted into something angry and spiteful, and she shivered a little at how much he looked like Vaughan.  But then he was smiling pleasantly, and Velvet was able to push the image of the boy’s father from her mind.  “You’re far too generous.”

“We hope you’ll buy or build around here!”  She told him, wrapping him in a hug.  “I need to see you privately.”  She whispered in his ear as he returned the hug.

He nodded as he pulled out of the hug and then shook Jonah’s hand firmly.  “I really wasn’t expecting anything like this.”  He told his father, a hard edge to his otherwise charming cadence.

“And this week we’ll see about freeing up your trust, if possible.  Now you’re a family man.”  He smiled across the room at Maggie, who wore an almost pained expression.

“Maggie, I’m sure everyone will want to peek at that photo album with you—they’re all in it too!”  Velvet said brightly.

The room buzzed with conversation and stories and Velvet pulled Jonah aside.  “What was that all about?”

Jonah blinked.  “You know Grey—“  He pressed his lips into a line.  “He’s always on me about freeing up more money from his trust.”

He wasn’t telling her the truth.  Not all of it, or not exactly.  Velvet quite literally didn’t know how to respond.  She’d never known Jonah to be evasive like this.   Should she confront him?  Because it was very clear to her that he was dodging.  “Jonah?”

He swallowed and forced a smile.  “Let’s just celebrate this perfect evening you’ve put together for us all.”

Velvet studied him for a long moment before deciding to drop it.  She’d think about it later.  Right now she had something very important to do. “I’m going to do it now.”  She told him and he took both her hands in his and squeezed gently.

“Want me to come?”  He asked softly, lifting her left hand to his lips and placing a soft kiss on the delicate skin there.

“Maybe come rescue us if we’re gone too long?”  She giggled half-heartedly.

He kissed her ring finger where her wedding band rested against her knuckle.  “Good luck, then.”  He said heavily, and let her go.

She made a little hand motion to Grey, who’d seemed to be waiting for her, and headed toward Jonah’s study, feeling tense and excited, and nervous and bittersweet.  She couldn’t believe this day had finally come.

Family Dinner; Part Nine

Well she was certainly beautiful, Avalon admitted sourly as she allowed Ben to hold out her chair for her.  They’d just been introduced to Maggie Delaney, nee Ramirez, and the girl was perfectly adorable.  She was too young for Grey.  And too short, too.  And probably too nice.  But they were certainly well matched in the looks department.

Avalon smiled her thanks at Ben as he moved around the table to sit across from her.  She watched Grey hold a chair for Maggie and studied how tense her brother appeared.  Tight.  Nervous?  Hmm.  It was a very rare thing to see Grey Delaney anything but at ease; arrogant, and charmingly confident.

The girl looked uptight too.  Skittish as a bunny underneath her pretty smile and self-assured carriage. 

Genny sat down on Avalon’s left and Grey on her right, and across the table Viola planted herself between her Dad’s seat at the head of the table and Ben.  Avalon grimaced.  Something funny was going on with Viola and whatever it was, whatever phase the girl was going through, it was really getting under Avalon’s skin. 

Ben shot her a look.  She chuckled.  He was stuck between Viola and the new bride.  Awkward conversations on both sides.  At least he wasn’t sitting next to goddamn Grey, she thought miserably.  She didn’t have a single nice thing to say to him and she’d always made a concerted effort to avoid sitting anywhere near him since as a child she’d been pinched and flicked and teased mercilessly by her older brother.

In her rational, adult mind she knew she would not be pinched or prodded or punished for sitting next to him this evening, but the proximity to her childhood torturer still made her tense and irritable.

“So sorry about the uneven table—“  her mother was fretting.  “I asked Grey’s grandmother to attend but she was unable to make it back from her spa trip in time.”

Avalon rolled her eyes.  That was a lie.  Granny Calder may have been at the spa but if she hadn’t ‘made it back’ it was because she didn’t want to come.  Likely she’d heard the rumors around town and decided to stay well clear of this ridiculous charade celebrating a hasty sham of a marriage.   Besides, thought Avalon smugly, Granny Calder had never liked Grey.

Before the meal started Genny got up and moved her plate to the other end of the table so that she was sitting across from Vienna.  Avalon rolled her eyes and then became aware that there was no buffer between herself and her father.  Goddammit. 

She wasn’t sure how to act around him after the outburst she’d had when she’d arrived this evening.  And he wasn’t helping.  He was acting aloof with her and the muscles around his eyes and mouth were tight.  Part of her had the ridiculous urge to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss his cheek and say ‘Sorry Daddy!’ like she used to do when she was little and it made everything ok because he couldn’t resist a hug and a kiss; But the other part of her, the adult part, knew she just had to suck it up and deal with it until he forgave her for her behavior and chose to behave normally around her again.

“Everything looks delicious!”  Genny enthused, placing some asparagus on her plate and passing the dish to Grey.

Her comment sparked a chorus of various agreeable statements and Velvet glowed at the praise.

“I wish I’d known your favorites Maggie, I would have made some of those along with all Grey’s favorites!”

Maggie smiled and looked around at the banquet of food.  Avalon could almost read her mind as she looked from one dish to the next, studiously observing them.  She was cataloguing them, taking note.  Maggie Ramirez had had no idea that Grey favored any of these dishes.

Interesting.

Avalon could name more than a dozen of Ben’s favorite foods.  And she had no doubt Ben could rattle off even more of her faves.  But, of course, they’d actually dated for a suitable length of time before he’d proposed marriage.

“What are some of Maggie’s favorites, Grey?” Avalon asked loudly as her brother handed the asparagus dish to her.  She decided maybe she’d turn the tables on her arrogant ass of a brother for once in their lives.

His green eyes narrowed slightly at her and then he smiled.  “She’s wild about Ethiopian cuisine.”  Grey answered, his tone baited.

There was a quiet at the table until Maggie laughed.  “He’s teasing you.”  Maggie said warmly.  “Obviously I was raised on traditional Mexican food, so my favorites have a pretty specific flavor profile.”

Avalon tuned her flawless smile on Grey’s bride.  “Oh?  And is it difficult planning meals for Grey?  Because the only Mexican food he really eats are margaritas and nachos?”

Maggie laughed readily.  “He’s learning.”  She said amicably.  “He’s developing a taste for Mexican, I think.”  Avalon watched the girl’s chocolaty eyes flick beside her to her brother and she thought she saw a ghost of a wink.

“Grey ate Mexican all the time when I was pregnant with him!”  Velvet exclaimed with one of her signature giggles.  “Jonah had to run out and get me take-out all the time, and this was at this little dive of a place, before Mr. Ramirez moved here and opened Los Tres.”  She chatted blithely.  “Everyone said I’d get terrible heartburn from all the spices, but, I couldn’t get enough!”

The table broke out into various side conversations about take-out and favorite Mexican dishes for a while.  The twins told an amusing story about one time they’d been to Los Tres and confused the waiter by sitting at separate tables but ordering very similar meals—

“Hey, how about you stop acting like a total fucking cunt?”  Grey murmured in an undertone to her with an amiable smile in place.

She squared her shoulders and lengthened her neck.  “How about you stop expecting us all to clap and smile everytime you pull a ridiculous stunt like this.”  She responded coldly and passed the platter of Steak au Poivre.

“Grey?”  Avalon and Grey tuned as one to Maggie.

“I’m sorry?”  He asked smoothly.

“Your mother was asking about our plans?  For real estate?”  The girl’s smile was fragile, Avalon noted with narrowed eyes.  “And I thought you’d better field that one—“

Grey nodded, but Jonah cut him off.  “There’s no need to rush them, sweetheart.”  Jonah said with a light laugh.  “They both need to finish school, after-all, and what else is the guest house doing most of the time but sitting there?”

Avalon bristled and she felt Ben’s foot slide next to hers under the table—a warning and a reassurance.

Velvet gasped.  “Oh, no, I didn’t mean, Oh, no, I want you to stay there forever!”

Everyone around the table but Avalon laughed indulgently.

“Well, not forever.”  Grey said gently.  “I thought maybe we’d start looking in the spring, when the weather is more conducive.”

That sounded perfectly reasonable.  And it sounded like total bullshit.

“Were you thinking an apartment or a condo or a town house or a house-house?”  Avalon asked brightly, scooping some potatoes onto her plate with great zeal. 

“We’re keeping an open mind.”  Her brother responded deftly.

“Depends on whether or not you want to start a family right away I suppose.”  Avalon commented, lifting a glazed carrot to her lips.

“Ohhh!”  Velvet exclaimed with a giddy little clap.

“There’ll be plenty of time to worry about all that.”  Jonah quelled firmly.  “May I suggest the old factory district?”  He added, which got Velvet reminiscing about her first home with Jonah and off the subject of Grey&Maggie babies. 

“Or the new Cedar Gardens development—“  Ventured Ben helpfully, and he and Grey exchanged comments on the newer development, about the architecture, and about the degree that the homes had been built ‘green’ and ‘eco-friendly’.

Avalon grumbled into her wine at being de-railed again.

“Maggie, did you go to St. Agnes?”  Vienna quizzed from the girl’s left. 

Maggie nodded, peeling her eyes away from Grey.  “For junior high and high school.”  She answered

“But your sister goes to C.F.H.S., right?  With us?  Essie? She’s related to you right? You look a lot alike.”  Geneva interjected.

Again Maggie nodded and various conversations sprouted up again around the table.  Viola was bending Ben’s ear about something and Avalon was left with trying to either engage her dad in conversation or her brother.  One look at Jonah made her stomach twist.  He was watching Viola and Ben and he didn’t look pleased.  She thought about what Ben had told her about the last poker night and then scowled at Viola’s too-low cut top.

“So where’d you two lovebirds meet?”  Avalon said, overly loudly, to interrupt all the side conversations.

“The wine store.”  Grey answered promptly.  That’s what her mother had told her, so at least they were keeping their stories straight.

“Maggie works part time for your uncle.”  Jonah said with a smile. 

“What were you doing at the wine shop?”  Avalon asked with a laugh.  “You never drink wine except on dates—“

Grey stared at her and the cold fury behind his eyes made her tongue freeze.

“He’d actually just stopped in to see Mr. Delaney about something—a bottle of scotch?”  Maggie was smiling fondly, but Avalon saw her fingers nervously twisting the plain little pendant at her neck.  “I didn’t know he was related, so I admit I turned my sales charm on him.”

“Yeah.”  Agreed Grey, blinking slowly before releasing Avalon from that icy stare.  “I went in to see if I could get my best scotch back from Uncle Nolan and walked out smitten instead.”  He said, to which Velvet sighed adoringly.  “And with a nice bottle of Chianti I didn’t need.” He said, eliciting laughter from much of the table.

“Where was your first date?”  Viola piped up, finally giving Ben a much needed reprieve from her attention.

“The park.”  Avalon answered before either of the newlyweds had the chance to respond.  “With a picnic and a movie, right?”  Grey had a few standard moves that he like to use with virgins.  And Avalon had had too many good friends destroyed by his all-too-effective system of seduction, not to know his M.O.

Maggie blushed to her scalp.

“How romantic!”  Velvet gushed.

“How’d you know that?”  Viola asked suspiciously.

“I asked her advice.”  Grey answered for her.  The table stared.  Everyone knew Grey and Avalon barely tolerated eachother and the notion that he’d go to her for romantic advice seemed more than far-fetched.

“It sounds perfect.”  Jonah said gracefully.  “Good thinking, asking for a young woman’s perspective.”  His eyes found hers and she felt ashamed.  She wanted to screw with Grey but she realized it wasn’t exactly fair to torment the poor girl he’d dragged into all this.

Maggie reached for her water goblet and somehow misjudged the distance because she knocked it over forcefully. “Oh!”  She leapt up and began sopping it up as hastily as she could.  Beside her Ben stood and added his napkin to the effort and soon Jonah and Grey were over there too.  “I’m so sorry!”  She was mumbling over and over.

“Nonsense!”  Jonah soothed in that effortlessly comforting way of his.  “It’s only water, don’t give it another thought!” 

Ben was making small, friendly jokes, trying to get her to laugh, but he only managed to coax a smile.  Avalon couldn’t quite hear over the hubbub of the table, everyone telling Maggie that it wasn’t a big deal, not to worry, don’t be silly, but it sounded as if he was telling her about the first family dinner he’d attended, which had been one minor catastrophe after another.  God dammit but he was a nice guy.  Sometimes he made her sick, he was so goddamn sweet all the time. 

When Grey’d poured Maggie another glass from the water pitcher and resumed his seat, the table split off into separate conversations again.

“Avalon, honey?”  Her mother called down the table to her after a few moments of chatter. 

“Yes?”

“Wouldn’t now be a good time?”

Dammit.  Avalon’s smile tightened and her eyed went cold.  “Never better.”  She replied flatly, and, with a half a glance at Grey’s glaring scowl she looked across the table at Maggie.

The girl laughed, at last, at something Ben had told her and he looked pleased as punch about it.  “Maggie?”  Avalon called across the table.

The girl’s newly found smile dimmed a little and she seemed to sit up a bit straighter.  “Yes Avalon?—Do you like to be called Avalon, or do you have a nickname?”  She said in a mildly apologetic sort of tone.

“Ava,”  Ben answered “Or sometimes just Av.”

“Anything is fine.”  Avalon said impatiently.  “Maggie, Ben and I are getting married in the spring—“

“Congratulations, yes I heard!”  The girl interrupted sweetly.

Avalon huffed softly but kept he pleasant smile in place.  “Thank you—We’re getting married and of course, now that you’re family, we’d love for you to be part of the wedding party.”  She finished, thinking she’d have rather chewed on glass.  She didn’t even want goddamn Grey in the wedding, but she HAD to, how could she not?

Maggie’s already large eyes grew larger.  “Oh—“

“Oh Maggie!  A new daughter in the family!”  Her mother exclaimed emotionally.  The twins added their enthusiasm about the idea and Viola made some very angst-y comment about Maggie taking her place for her, and Grey cleared his throat.

“Thank you, Avalon.”  He said soberly.  “Now I won’t have to suffer through every picture with Ellery on my arm.”  He smiled snidely.  Across the table Ben set his jaw, trying not to bristle at the comment directed at his sister and Avalon’s best friend in the world, who was to be her maid of honor.

Maggie nodded and mumbled something about what an honor it would be, and how touched she was, and Avalon forced herself to mostly reign-in her inner bitch for the remainder of the dinner.  She didn’t trust Maggie, and she knew Grey was hiding something, something pretty big, but she decided, as she munched on asparagus, which she’d always hated and had always had to endure because it was one of Grey’s favorites, she decided that whatever the secret was it was making Grey’s life fairly uncomfortable and maybe even a little miserable, and while it needled her that she didn’t know what it was, the idea of her brother having to finally endure a life that wasn’t catered to his every whim and desire?  She could get used to that.