The Parent Trap (Snowbarry)

12. The jig is up...kind of

The Stafford Hotel was brimming with guests going to and fro with smiles on their faces and cold drinks in their hands – it is summertime after all. A grandfather clock on a nearby wall chimed twelve times announcing that it was noon already. Iris paced back and forth in front of two elevators looking for someone. She frowned and went back to where her father, also waiting, stood.

Joe West looked like the epitome of all father figures. He wasn't as dressed up as his daughter and he became fussy when Iris came over with a pouty face. His daughter brushed his hands away and told him that he wasn't here yet. That put a sock to the fatherly persona. Joe scowled and told his daughter he didn't like standing up so long.

"He'll be here any minute Daddy...remember, he's all you've ever wanted for your little girl." Iris whispered into her father's ear.

"He's going to provide you with a check containing six figures a month," his daughter whispered and Joe suddenly softened up.

"Now you know, I'll behave," he smirked, his dark eyes twinkling as if with dollar signs. Iris laughed and playfully tapped her father's arm when she caught sight of Barry walking towards them. Her fiancé chose to look completely dashing, at her request, wearing a nice pair of dark jeans, and a white button up with the sleeves rolled up halfway.

"Okay, there he is," she said and straightened her new bright orange Prada dress. The colour didn't suit her at all and that was the first thing Barry noticed when he approached her with his family, namely Jocelyn, Felicity, Oliver and Sammy, following behind him.

"With the whole motley crew." Iris muttered under her breath and tried to maintain the smile that was rapidly falling from her face.

"Hi darling." She exclaimed sweetly and held hands with Barry and smacked his lips, "Nora, Felicity, Oliver and...Sammy." She greeted the other three people and dog, "What in the world are you doing here?" she asked the dog and then leaned closer to Barry, "Honey, a dog at the Stafford?" she muttered.

"Nora begged me to bring him." Barry explained with a smile and a shrug of his shoulders.

"Aww, you're such a softie." Iris cooed and bent down to pat the dog's head. Sammy growled and tried to bite Iris' hand, making her jump and yelp in surprise.

"Good doggy." Felicity muttered quietly to the dog, causing Oliver to snort in laughter and pat the dogs head, "So, Iris, this your dad?" Felicity asked, faking a big sweet smile.

"Yes. Dad...you all finally meet. This is Barry Allen." Iris gushed linking her arm through her fiancé's. Joe politely shook the hand Barry held out for him.

"Pleasure." He said with a smile.

"This is his adorable daughter, Nora. The entire gathering was her idea, I'll have you know." Iris gushed proudly, much to the disgust of Jocelyn – could she be any more fake? Joe leaned closer to the girl with a wide toad-like grin.

"Hello pet." Joe greeted Jocelyn with the most fake smile the fourteen-year-old had ever seen. "You can call me Papa Joe." Jocelyn gave him a weird look and just raised her eyebrows at the two and pulled a face.

Meanwhile...

A black town car pulled up in front of the Stafford hotel. Cisco came out of the passenger seat and straightened his jacket. After that, he opened to door of the backseat and held out his hand. Instead of his friend's dainty hand, he received her foot, her ankle to be exact, and he looked up in surprise.

"Other end, Cait," he said and Caitlin giggled madly as she retracted her foot and replaced it with her hand.

"Whoops." She exclaimed and went unsteadily out of the car. Cisco watched her down a small bottle of vodka. Caitlin took the liberty of gathering the flight liquor she ordered and downing bottle after bottle during the ride to the Stafford. After draining the bottle, she carelessly flung it behind her. Luckily it was caught by Nora who came out of the car after her mother and clutched the empty bottle.