After The Dinner Party

The Woman In the Pink Dress

I ended up falling asleep for about two hours, I woke up to hear people talking downstairs. It's nearly 1 am, I was so confused why anybody was awake right now. The window was still open, and I looked outside, as the wind pushed the curtains out of the way.

I looked out by the corner where Robert was standing before with the two generals. But I didn't see them. I decided to go downstairs, my hair was sort of messy and I was still in my nightgown. I  walked down about half of the steps and glanced over at the couch. The fireplace was on, and Robert's mother was sitting there across from him on the other couch.

 He looked tired, I wondered why she was here so late. I made sure they couldn't see me standing there. But then suddenly I saw another girl. My heart dropped for a second. Robert's mother sat next to the girl in a peach-pink dress with her hair in a perfect bun with pin curls, all tied with a pink ribbon. 

The worst scenarios played through my head, was he cheating on me? Or with me? Was he married? I don't think I ever asked. I mean all of this happened today and everything was so sudden. But he brought me to the dinner party with him, why would he have done that if I wasn't the one he wanted.

"Her father's very successful Robie and her mother has pottery classes with me on Sundays after church, and we got to chit chatting and I think you two would be very good for each other."

My heart sank into my stomach. This cannot be happening. 

"Mother, why are you trying to discuss this with me so late."

"Well I was at the dinner party and I ran into her mother and then I saw her all dressed up and figured it would be a good time to introduce you two. But you randomly disappeared."

"Yeah I was a bit busy."

"With what?" Robert's mother asked. 

He hesitated for a minute and blurted out, "uhm something personal." he said quickly.

The girl in the pink dress, I recognised her, I think I saw her at the party. 

She must have saw me with him, why would she want to be introduced to him when he was at the dinner party with me??

"Robert's a Colonel you know." Robert's mother said to the girl in the pink dress.

"yes I know." The girl laughed. 

Ew, her laugh was so high pitched, she's probably like seventeen. 

I just stared down at the top of the steps, as Roberts mother chatted with the girl. 

Then the worst possible scenario happened. 

"Well Robie what do you say?" His mother asked. 

His focus quickly focused back onto the conversation. "What do I say to what?"

"Taking me to the ball this Sunday silly."  The girl in the pink dress laughed. 

"Of course he will." Robert's mother interrupted.

"I never agreed to that." He said quickly 

I was so relieved. 

"Uhm..Robie can I speak to you by the stairs?" His mother asked. 

He sighed and stood up, nobody knew I had been watching. 

I stood along side the wall, I wasn't visible to them. 

"Why won't you take her to the ball? I don't understand, her family is lovely, she's pretty, she has proper manners, she goes to church with her mother every Sunday, and then I have pottery lessons with her mother and she tells me all about how good you two would be together."

"I'm not interested Mother."

"Is there something you're not telling me Robie?"

He glanced up at the stairs and saw me, I tried to move out of the way but it was too late. Luckily his mother didn't see me but he did. There was no hiding this situation now. 

I officially have competition.