Excelsior

Chapter 12: Country club afternoon

Sabrina had scheduled to have tea with her friends, Garrett, and some friends of him at the Bristol Club, which was me most famous of all in the city. The place used to be una of the biggest homes until the owners had to sell it in the early 1940s.

The building flaunted French influence and had seen everything: inappropriate affairs, the most exciting galas, the most important gatherings, society debuts, catwalks and even a fire, and since then, it was almost obligatory for everyone who rose to social prominence to be a member of it, which was had been recently losing its exclusivity that was in the air. Some mean-spirited comments were on the gossip from those who felt that the club had lost its essence by letting anyone in as long as they had the money, things that bothered the most respectable families; yet, the club was still a symbol of prestige in the city.

Anyone would expect to see people like Sabrina and Angelica, whom didn't look happy for waiting so long. They were sitting in the main hall, with folding arms, listening to Monica, who didn't stop chattering about Luke since they got there:

"Please, Monica," said Angelica rolling her eyes, "be considerate of our hearing; could you stop talking about him?"

"She is right," Sabrina replied, "dear. There are plenty of men who would be honored of making acquaintances with you."

"You don't understand," Monica cried, "it's offensive the fact that he's rejecting me!"

"You knew that it was not anything serious. And in any case, Luke is not a good match for you."

"At least he wouldn't have stood me up like Gary is doing with you."

Angelica couldn't help but laugh. The shame on Sabrina's face became evident. She checked out the time on her phone and then turned to Angelica, who had her cold eyes on a tall man, who was wearing sunglasses and a fine leather hat and entering the building. Her Friends also turned their sight on him, as well as most of the people in the hall.

The man, with a long and white hair, seemed to be used to the stares. His confident smile faded as he exchanged glances with the young Cornell girl. Her green eyes disgusted him, and he continued on his way.

"Calm down," said Monica, "Angie."

Angelica's heart was pounding.

"Yes," Sabrina added, "that man is the apex of vulgarity; do not let his presence disturb you."

"That man," replied their friend with a slow and low-toned voice, "represents the decadence of this city and the west."

She stood up.

"We should find another place. Garrett will not come."

Sabrina's face turned pale. She tried to convince her friends to keep waiting, while the watchmen in the club's gates grappled with their own affairs:

"What do you mean by that?" Mrs. Lowell asked hysterically from her vehicle, "do you not know who she is?" she pointed to Catherine, who in the back seats with her windows down, "She is a Du Pont! You cannot kick a member of one of the most prominent families!"

She hit the Wheel.

"I am sorry, Mrs. Lowell. You are not on the list."

"I paid my membership! We were here last week and we have a spa appointment."

"I Will have to ask you to leave, ma'am. You are preventing other members from coming in."

"This is robbery, and you will not get away with this," she pointed to the guard with her thin and long fingers, "I want to speak to your boss!"

And as much as she insisted, they weren't able to step on the marble of the club. She finally gave up and parked in front of those high ivy-covered walls.

"Don't worry, my girls —mom will solve it," she told them while dialing on her phone, "as she always does."

"Didn't you mean almost always?" Catherine asked looking at her in the rearview mirror.

Selma looked up as Sarah was laughing.

"We must talk —bot nothing! I'll meet you tonight. I know what you did, and this won't stay like this."

She hung up.

"Whom did you call?" asked Sarah.

"Mr. Wilson."

"Why are you so sure he's behind this?"

"Darling," she replied before accelerating the sedan, "I know everything."

That night, Angelica told Mr. and Mrs. Cornell about her unusual meeting with that man, and they rebuked her the fact that she left the club, an act of cowardice for their eyes.