Selected

Twenty-eighth

I stood by the wall of the Bly living room, trying to avoid my duties of entertaining the guests. Mrs. Bly had told me that it was my responsibility as Vox's fiancé to mingle and make small talk. I tried with a few older couples and found that I had nothing of consequence to say. I would end the sad excuse of a conversation with me awkwardly smiling and walking away. I decided to save face and just be a wallflower for the evening. I didn't really have the heart to pretend to be happy anyways.

"Mother told me to come find you." Hal appeared at my side.

"Well, you've found me, what now?"

Hal shrugged and grabbed a handful of hors d'oeuvres as a trey passed by. "I don't know, she just told me to find you. She didn't say what to do after that." She smiled and handed me a stuffed mushroom.

I took it from her, "Thanks."

"That's what sisters are for." We shared the appetizers she had snagged in silence for a few minutes. She frowned when she looked at the crowd. "Vox alert, 12 o'clock." She took my arm and we weaved through the crowd, leaving Vox behind. I had a sense of déjà vu, except this time Vox was chasing after us instead of the other way around.

We stopped when we reached the bay windows and sat down on the bench behind some politicians debating if they should raise taxes and those consequences.

"Thanks."

She smiled, "And that's what friends are for."

I grinned at her, "I'm glad that I have both in you."

She chewed on her lip, "You do know that you have to talk to him eventually though, right?"

I nodded, "Yeah." I paused. I had been looking for a time to bring this up all night. "Hal, I just have a few questions." I wanted to bring up the letter, I wanted to bring up Addeck's suspicious behavior and if they all tied into the family secrets she had mentioned before.

She tilted her head a little bit and some curls spilled to one side. "What is it?"

"It's about Addeck, and -"

"Emmary." Vox's voice cut me off before I got to ask my questions to Hal.

I took a deep breath and exhaled. I couldn't avoid him all night. "Hi, Vox."

Hal stood, "I think Mother is calling me. I'll see you two later." She turned and gave me a thumbs up behind Vox's back. It wasn't that reassuring.

Vox sat down next to me, "Look, I am really and truly sorry about what happened earlier. I know that I said I would stay anytime you asked and then I broke that promise at the first opportunity. I'm sorry. Please forgive me."

I bit my lip. Of course I was going to forgive him. I realized it wasn't his fault. I realized that he had already rearranged his whole schedule so we could have the day together. I couldn't expect him to drop everything every time I asked. It was give and take. Sometimes I would just have to give and learn how to deal with it. "I'm sorry too. I was being selfish and I threw the promise in your face."

He took my hand in both of his, "I love you."

Hal reappeared just then, "So, I really did end up running into Mother. She's upset that you two are hiding out. She wants you to mingle."

Vox sighed and stood, "Fine, fine." A waiter passed by with a trey of glasses. Vox waved him down, and handed a glass of wine to Hal. "Here you go, Hallie."

She stared at the glass before shaking her head, "No thanks. I don't feel like drinking tonight."

Vox continued to hold the drink out, "Well, just hold it then. You always have wine at parties."