Hidden Wolf

11 How Bad Can They Be?

The ride home is quick, thankfully, leaving barely enough time to stop to drop off his luggage and change quickly. Dinner is at six sharp at the exclusive Hillsborough Golf Club restaurant. 

Think snoody, want-to-be golfers with more money than manners and you're on the right track.

Aunt Karen and uncle Tim have been members for years, it might be the pinnacle of their adult lives. Their kids may be in the top ten, maybe, but the apples didn't fall far from the tree.

Me: Dinner's at six at Hillsborough, still time to duck out? Save yourself.

Chris: I'll see you at six, don't be late.

Me: Text me when you're there, it's a bit um, stuck up... I'll come get you. I swear the requirement for membership is more money than brains.

Chris: That kind of place eh? Don't worry I'll be fine, looking forward to meeting everyone.

Me: Godspeed

'Well you tried.' 'He thinks it's funny, I almost want them to chew him up.'

I change into the nicest clothes I own, which isn't saying much. Maybe shopping with Sara and Claire isn't such a bad idea. Dark skinny jeans and a scoop neck forest green print top will have to do. I do my hair in a simple twisted updo, lord knows aunt Terra always calls my hair unruly. A little light makeup and I'm good to go.

The moment of truth is here as we pull up to the golf club, parking on the outskirts, away from the members' parking area. The feeling of not belonging makes my skin crawl as we make our way in.

The hostess eyes us up, clearly not approving of my attire. She, on the other hand, looks to be straight out of a magazine, but I couldn't help but wonder what her face looks like under all that caked-on makeup.

"Reservation?" she drawls, not bothering to look at us anymore.

"Sanson party," my dad replies with his best smile. Her gaze flickers up to us, not impressed and rolls her eyes then leads us to a semi-secluded alcove to the left of the bar.

More than half of my family are already there and drinking. I normally don't drink around them but tonight I may have to make an exception.

Everyone squeals and fawns over my dad, forgetting I'm there which suits me just fine. I slip my sweater over the back of a chair as my aunt Karen saunters over. As always she's dressed to impress with a designer black power pantsuit.

"Jess sweetie, where's your date?" She asks, sickly sweet. The way she cranes her neck is almost comical except it's at my expense.

"Oh, he's not-"

"Don't worry about it Jess. No one really expected him to come tonight. Trish just had us curious is all," she cuts in with a tone that sets my teeth on edge.

"He's coming, we're just a bit early, I told him six," I reply as politely as I can.

"Jess dear, so good to see you," aunt Caroline squeezes past Karen giving me a genuine hug. "The girls are over near the bar, why don't you go say hi."

To the rescue! Aunt Caroline has always had a knack to get my other aunts away before they pick too much. The only non-trophy wife of the lot, she has a different outlook.

"Hey." I wave, greeting my cousins standing in a group at the edge of our area. They murmer hi but don't turn around. "What's so interesting?" I ask, unable to see past them.

"Oh, Alisyn is trying to pick up the hot guy at the bar and crashing and burning badly. I think the vein on the side of her head may pop," Heather explains quite amused.