With that, Arianne spun on her heels, palpably sulking.
Suddenly, Mark reached out and hurriedly tugged on her wrist. “Granny was kidding. Please, don’t pay her words any mind,” he explained. “Listen, how about you come home to the Tremont Estate with me after this party’s over? It’s been a while since you’ve come back to the Capital — spending time with your grandmother is something that’s long overdue between you two. Besides, Mary and Henry both expressed wishes to see you home.”
Arianne swung her hand away from his grip in a fit of discomfort. “We’ll see, okay?” she fumbled an answer, her eyes avoiding him. “I’m going to accompany Tiffie. She’s nervous.”
Mark let her go in silence. He knew how much Tiffany meant to his wife.
Summer and Atticus had both left by the time she returned to the lounge. Tanya, upon seeing her return, suddenly piped up, “Um, Ari? I get this feeling that we’re very different from everyone else out there… Everyone’s wearing suits and tux and gowns and stuff, and here we look so, um, homely? Are we a little embarrassing?”
Tiffany swung her arms in dismissal. “Oh, who the hell cares? Clothes are just glorified second-skins, man. Had this not been about my engagement, you bet I wouldn’t wear this annoyingly complicated gown I’m stuck in right now. Do you know that I have to lift so much of my skirt just to walk a few inches, or else risk slamming my face onto the floor? Ri-di-cu-lous. Besides,” she added. “It’s not like any of you would ever have any business with those people in the future, so who gives a damn about what they think? We live only once, people! We eat, we drink, and we play to our heart content! Then when this party is over, I’ll get changed before we have our very own girls’ hangout!”
Arianne was not the least surprised that such a thought would creep into Tanya and Naya’s minds. “Tiffie’s right, it’s no big deal. See? I’m not wearing any gown or dress either, just like the two of you! Lemme tell you, those people out there aren’t here to celebrate Jackson and Tiffany’s engagement so much as to look for profits and whatnot. You know, typical shticks of a typical upper-class party. All they talk about is business, which has got nothing to do with us, so we don’t need to care.
“C’mon,” Arianne beckoned. “Let’s not coop ourselves in here and enjoy some good food out there.”
As the group joined the crowd outside, Tanya and Naya became noticeably queasy about the world around them since one had an old man in tow while the other was bringing her daughter along. Tried as they might, their appearances quickly became oddities garnering everyone’s questioning gazes, which furthered their discomfort.
Tiffany, however, felt not a modicum of unease. She carefreely hooked her hand with Lulu’s before asking, “So, Lulu, wanna have that cake over there?”
The little girl cast her dewy eyes to a delicate piece of cake in the distance and nodded with a longing look. “Yes!”
Tiffany took a piece and handed it to Lulu. “Here you go, I’m repaying you for the cake you gave me back in the lounge. If you like it, don’t be shy and have some more!”
The little girl grinned sweetly, showing off beads of pearly whites. “Thank you, Auntie Tiffany!”
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