Roaring Through Life

Three

Unedited.

My least favorite part of having a party is being the hostess and having to greet the guests that walk in through the front door. Since my mother is the woman of the house she is graced with this duty, leaving me to stand on the side next to my parents to mingle with the guest as they further enter the house. It is a tedious and time-consuming job, one that I cannot wait to be rid of soon. Angelica has left my side to greet her parents that have arrived leaving me alone until my brother takes his place next to me. The line of guest starts to lengthen as I watch which guests are arriving. I know almost all of the expected names, having placed many of the name cards at the proper seating for each of them. Three families have gone passed when Julian finally approaches us and stands beside me. I glare at him, jealous that he had 10 extra minutes away from this boring and droning part of parties. He simply smirks at me, until I elbow him in his ribcage which in turn earns me a wink. I shake my head at him. He is simply incorrigible!

"Are we having fun yet dear baby sister?"

"Oh yes, I have thought of four different possible escape scenarios and five different ways to prank the people who I detest."

"Am I one of them?"

"You could be, you are working your way onto the list."

"Oh, goody I cannot wait to see what you have in store for me. The last time you pranked me was when you were 8."

"12 actually, but you would hardly remember that since you were unconscious for three days."

"Five days if memory serves me right, you almost caused me to meet my maker early."

"It was three; you just slept the extra two days because you had an excuse to. I was sitting on the bed next to you when you woke and made that declaration."

I glance up at Julian to see him nodding to certain people and scanning the room quickly, his eyes settle upon a person before he quickly looks away. I try to follow his gaze but there were too many people crowded together to figure out who it was. "True, true. Well, I best be off. One of us has to start to mingle with the guests. Good luck finishing up sis!" He slaps me on the back and stalks away making my mouth drop open in shock.

That rascal! Leave it to him to get away with stuff like this. I didn't have ample time to react because the next of my parent's guest walk up to me next. I bid my greetings quickly make my excuses to my parents before the next couple approaches. Looking at my options for possible people to go to or places to escape to, I decide on the shortest route to the garden which is through the Library. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Angelica talking lightly to an older gentleman called Mr. Billings, trying to contain her laughter at whatever he has been discussing with her.

My mother addresses the crowd that is filling the main part of the house. "Shall we all start to the garden?" Everyone in a loud parade started to make their way to the garden. As people began to walk in that direction two more guests walk in through the front door. Unfortunately, it was the guardians of my least favorite person, my mother's best friend, my Aunt Paulette and Uncle Allen Campbell and their only son Aaron, who I adored, was accompanying them.

"Cecelia dear you look lovely tonight." Aunt Paulette says as she walks over to my mother. Her husband, my Uncle Allen was handing their coats over to Mr. Ross.

"Oh thank you, you look stunning yourself. Where's Michael, did he come with you."

"No, he will be coming a little later he had some business to see to." Business indeed, I would put my money on it that scoundrel was seeing one of his little friends before the party. I say my greetings to the Campbells and quickly make my escape to the library.