Under Chateau Lights | Complete

4 | She Likes to Meddle

Dinner has been going on for forty-two minutes and we haven't even finished the main course. I gave up on pretending to eat several minutes ago and am now staring across the table at my mother making conversation with her guest, Benjamin. Judy bounces on her heels near the edge of the room, clearly hoping dinner will end sometime this century so she can go home.

Same, Judy.

"Mom, could we--" Elodie tries to cut in, but Mom is settled on asking Benjamin hundreds of questions about his company, shooting me a look every so often and raising her eyebrow as if to accentuate the excellence of her choice.

I turn away from Mother's interrogation of Ben and look to Meabh, who is spinning her beans around her plate and watching her ring catch the light from the chandelier.

"How was the symphony last night, Meabh?"

She looks to Pierre and her eyes glisten with delight. "It was amazing. We had a box and there was a soloist I actually went to school with and she was just beautiful." She sighs. "I want to be up there one day."

"And you will be." Pierre picks up her hand and kisses the back of it. Those two would fit right in in an Austen movie.

I wrack my brain for things I know about Meabh but they are scarce. "Are you ready for your rehearsals to start? I mean, that's happening soon, right?"

"Yeah, it is. I'm so glad you remembered. Yes. I start up again once we get back from Quebec. I'm going to be understudying the alto role and I'm very excited." Her cheeks grow red, perhaps due to excitement or embarrassment, and she speaks with her hand, sending sparkles of light into my eyes.

I can't concentrate, blinking furiously as I try to listen to her. Eventually, Pierre grabs her hand and kisses it again. He places it down on the table and rests his hand on top, giving me a wink as he does. I mouth the word 'thanks' and listen to Meabh continue to discuss the exciting themes they're using for her opera. I'm not a huge fan of operas, but for Meabh I try to make an effort.

Mother, of course, is thrilled I'm suddenly showing interest in 'proper' activities.

"Are you discussing the opera?" Benjamin interjects, probably trying to avoid another interrogation from Dad.

"Yes, Meabh is understudying a lead and we're all very excited for her," Elodie answers for me while leaning over to peek into the next room and check on a sleeping Amelia.

"Just go check on her," Dad says. "Your mother won't mind, right dear?"

Mother nods, eyes calculating something I'm not excited to hear about. Something's working in there.

Benjamin is still talking to me. "I love to attend the opera. We have a box. I'm sure my parents wouldn't mind you coming along to watch Meabh." I have no idea what to think about him, but I know I want out of this adventure. Judy is also starting to wring her hands in the corner as she waits for mother to ask for the next course. For both our sakes, I might as well get this over with. If my mother doesn't kill me first.

"You know, Benjamin, just because we knew each other when we were five doesn't mean anything. We don't know anything about each other."

"Julie!" Mother tries to interject, but Dad holds his hand on her arm and Benjamin continues as though she never spoke.

"You still hang out with Christian?"

"A bit, why?"

"Then we know a little about each other."

Clearly he is trying to be suave and gentlemanly or whatever a person calls excessive politeness. But I just can't. "It means you know a little about me, actually. But 'still speaking to Christian' isn't exactly in depth information. Do you even know what he does for work?"