Masquerade

Chapter 2

“Dear Mr, Mrs, and Miss King,

We would like to wish Miss Lacey King a Happy Eighteenth Birthday. To assist with the celebrations we would like to cordially invite Miss Lacey King to our home in Beverly Hills for her introduction into society as a debutante. 

Should she choose to accept our generous offer, Miss King will have the sublime opportunity to mix with some of the most sophisticated individuals in California. She may even have the opportunity to further her career opportunities and extend her circle of acquaintances.

Before her introduction into society, Lacey will be carefully guided by her new Aunt through the difficult transition from unkempt girl to elegant young lady. When she is ready for her introduction, Lacey will understand the importance of presentation, and will accordingly know how to dress, accessorise and dress her face. She will understand how to behave in upper class society in all matters.

Lacey will undergo this transformation during her summer holidays before she embarks on her new phase of life.

Please contact us before the end of the winter break.

Sincerely,

Mr and Mrs Harold Hampton”

“What the hell?” They were the only words I could muster after my mother handed me the letter from ‘Mr and Mrs Harold Hampton.’ I read and reread the letter several times over.

“Um…” I mutter.

“What do you think?” My mother asked me.

“Uh… I think this was done without Uncle Harold’s knowledge. And if it was, he was forced to agree to this. What, the stupid bitch was too busy shopping to bother calling me on my birthday to say all of this, that she had to write it down and send it as a letter? Or perhaps she just felt that I wouldn’t fully understand the tremendous privilege she would be granting me if she bothered to dial my phone number and have an actual conversation with me.”

“That’s not what I meant sweetie.”

“Oh, well then what? I have no other thoughts on this… Load of - I can’t even…” I let out of breath.

“Do you want to go?” she asked.

“No. I love Uncle Harold, but I couldn’t handle Patricia. I’d kill her with her eyelash curler if I had the chance.”

“You don’t think you could go, not even to be with your uncle? Sweetie, you haven’t spoken to him in months. Neither have I. It’s not good. He’s my brother, your uncle. We love him. You don’t think you could go for us?”

“Mum…” I whine.

“Sweetie, I don’t think this letter was an optional invitation. Besides, maybe you’ll get to go to his birthday parties if you do this… whatever she wants…”

“If he doesn’t have the guts to tell the stripper that he wants all of his family there, regardless of the ‘ruined aesthetics’ I don’t have much respect left for him. If he won’t fight for me, I’m not going to torture myself. I’ll move on.”

“Honey, your dad and I talked. We’re going to make you go. I’m really sorry, but I can’t lose Harold. He needs us, and we need him.”

I was going to say something very rude. I could have sworn, and yelled, and kicked, and screamed, but it was pointless. I was going. End of story. I was going to be stuck with Beverly Barbie until I went off to College in the fall. I would be subjected to various forms of torture during the summer, and I had to hope that I wouldn’t shatter under the pressure to change by her. I couldn’t possibly change. Not for her. “Fine.” I sighed in defeat.

“I’m so sorry honey. We’ll only ever be a phone call away. If you want to come home, we’ll see what we can do.”

“What, you mean I’m under some house-arrest Patricia style? Does that mean I’m going to be strapped down in some makeup chair, and locked in a small pink cage until I’m needed?”

I just had to hope my parents would change their mind before I actually arrived at their Beverly Hellhole.