Their Paid Girl

Their Paid Girl - Part 4

          I was actually excited by the time that Scott pulled up. His uncle’s estate was as big as I imagined it, and I could already see various expensive models of cars parked on the large lawn. The drivers and chauffeurs stood off at a distance, sharing a smoke, and they all waved at Scott and me. We knew them well, because we had often snuck out at parties when it just got too much.

          Scott swallowed, hooking one finger in his collar and trying to button it again where Esther had left it undone.

          “Here,” I said, and did them up for him. He gave me a grateful look.

          “Shall we?” he asked, offering me his arm, and we began to walk up the grass to the enormous double-doors where light was streaming out.

          Before we even got to the front steps, we were assaulted by Scott’s aunt, who launched herself at her favourite nephew, squeezing the life out of the poor guy.

          “Scottie! Oh how I’ve missed you!” she was squealing, clearly already tipsy. I looked around worriedly. Neither Scott nor I would be able to support her if she fell, and she was already swaying woozily on the stairs.

          Both of us were too slim for her voluptuous body.

          “Glad to see you too, Auntie Helda,” Scott muttered, red already. It would only get worse from here.

          “Well come on down from there,” she tutted, and we exchanged looks. We were below her, but we decided not to comment and began climbing the stairs, Scott’s hand getting sweaty in mine. I gave him a reassuring squeeze.

          We made it to the large front foyer where dozens of relatives were already mingling, but the rest were still out of sight.

          The cry was pretty much unanimous.

          “SCOTTIE!”

          “What?”

          “Scott’s here!”

          “Is that his girlfriend?”

          “That’s her! Isn’t she lovely?”

          “Ugh, he brought his girlfriend,” a disgruntled thrice-removed cousin said to another one.

          “YES, he brought his girlfriend!” one of Scott’s brothers grinned.

          “Scott has a girlfriend?” his elderly grandfather wheezed in shock. It surprised him every time I showed up. He had a faulty memory, so each time he was as amazed as they all had been the first time Scott had brought me to his family.

          “Scottie, I’ve missed you!” somebody was sobbing onto his shoulder, and I recognized his mother by her copper curls. I’d forgotten what an emotional family he had.

          “Hello, mother,” Scott said patiently, patting the woman on the back.

          She turned to me with a radiant beam. “And Shawna! Welcome back, dear!”

          “Thank you, Mrs. Weston,” I smiled, accepting her enthusiastic hug.

          Scott’s mother suddenly gave a shuddering gasp and I had a moment of panic. Great, she’s having a heart attack in my arms. It will be all my fault if she dies and I can’t save her.