Music in the Key of Love

Chapter 24: Katherine Has A Party

"A what?"

"A party."

Cressida eyed Graham suspiciously.

"Katherine's having a party."

"Yes."

"And she wants us to be there."

"Yes."

"And our friends."

"Yes."

Cressida stopped walking so she look Graham in the eye.

"Please tell me how the conversation actually went," she demanded.

Graham laughed. "Sweetiecee, okay. She told me she was having a party, and since I lived there, would I attend. I said I didn't really feel like it, that I'd just stay in my room. Then she said she really wanted me to be there, and if it made me more comfortable, I could invite some of my friends as well. I said no thanks, I'd be more comfortable in my room. Then she said I could invite you, and your friends too. 'The more the merrier' were her exact words."

"Wouldn't you rather just come to my place for the evening? Spend the night?"

Graham shook his head. "No, I really thought this might be fun, you know? You could invite Josh and Andrea and whoever else you wanted to invite, and I could invite a few of my school friends, and we'd all have a really good time at a party with unlimited booze in a really swanky apartment."

"Unlimited booze? Like an open bar?" Cressida was starting to sound interested.

"No bartender, just a whole bunch of liquor sitting out. I've been to Katherine's parties before, she doesn't go all catered and stuff like her mother does. I think she likes to feel like she's an ordinary person, you know, just bags of chips sitting out with dip and all that? And she usually likes to keep it small, like twenty people."

"And you really want to go."

Graham nodded. "The prof is in Connecticut that day, so she won't be underfoot. It might be fun. What do you say?"

"I guess I say okay," Cressida replied reluctantly. "When is it?"

"Saturday."

"Okay, I'll rally the troops."

*

"Wow, this place is amazing," Andrea said as she entered.

Next to her, Josh could only nod, looking around.

"I know. Apparently they have a place just as nice in London," Cressida told her. "Family money or something, I don't think she affords all this on a professor's salary, no matter how exclusive the school is."

Most of Katherine's friends were already there, standing around in small groups, chatting. "So the drinks are over there, the food is on the counter in the kitchen, and I'll take your coats."

"Anyone else we know coming?" Josh asked. "Or are we it for the downtown contingency?"

"Well, I asked Daniel, Eli and Rosemary, and they all said they'd be here—" Cressida shrugged. "We'll see."

"So let's mingle, and I'll introduce you to the people whose names I know."

"Where's Graham?" Andrea asked while pouring herself a drink and adding mixer.

"He's still in the shower, he'll be out in a little while."

She led her friends over to a group. "Okay, let's see how I do," she said with a laugh. "Um, Mitchell, Harry, Liz and Rowan, right?"