The Game of Love and Losers

TWO

Perhaps because she never stood up to her father, Graham had seen that as a sign of weakness in her, and was now was taking advantage of it, thinking he could get off with it too, that was until tonight.  She also had the impression that his impeccable high-class background made him feel  a little superior to her father, who had been raised in a more working-class background, and had risen to become wealthy man, opening popular  successful Nightclubs,  and casinos through the UK, over his forty years, that the rich and famous now flocked too.

 Amanda pondered if Graham resented that her father was wealthier than his family despite their aristocrat background, so he thought if he couldn't take it out on John, there was always his daughter. 

She had been the hostess who had had arranged the charity ball tonight, at her father's nightclub. But  as the night went on, she just couldn't take any more, watching Graham flirting with other women right in front of her, making little snarky remarks, in the guise he was just ribbing her, in front of other people. Then there was all those sympathetic looks she had been getting from her father's friends and colleagues, and others who were in attendance.

She had decided she was not putting up with it anymore and had just walked away from Graham, informing him she was going home.

The hostess leaving the party, before everyone else was not the thing to do, but she didn't care. She cared even less that Graham found himself on the humiliating end of it, because everyone knew his behaviour had caused her to leave, turning the negative attention on him. Which was why he had gone after her, trying to force her to go back with him, and put up the pretence that all was fine with them. But she was done with pretending and letting him walk all over her. Maybe he would realise that now.

He could be as angry with her as he liked, because she was starting to realise the power play went both ways. Graham needed her father for the money and to secure his future, just as much. So, he would not want to upset the applecart, so to speak, and get into their father's bad books by alienating her, as he had been doing lately.

It was about time she made him realise that. But it had taken all her effort, because she was not one who liked causing confrontation, which was why he had been able to get off with his obnoxious behaviour around her these last few months

She might have even given into his bullying, and went back with him, if the doorman, Dave seemed to come out of nowhere then intervened she realised. As much as she didn't approve, and was a little horrified that he actually hit her future fiancé, she supposed he had little other choice, after all Graham had took a swing at him first,  she admitted honestly, she had just been relieved she could get away in the end.

None if it would have happened if her father had been there  at the nightclub of course, Graham would have behaved more discreetly, and she would have never made a scene. But John Harrington had been away across the other side of England on a business trip. She wasn't sure how he would react, when he learned what had happened, she imagined he would not be a happy man.

Now she sat in her room, kicking of her high heel shoes, and undoing the pins that held her copper brown hair in place, so it tumbled loosely down to her shoulders.

Going into the en suite bathroom, she stared at her reflection in the mirror, before she scrubbed her make up off for the night, still not quite believing that the reflection staring back at her was the same girl who had actually stood up for herself tonight, her outer appearance hadn't changed, the same hazel eyes and narrow nose, her lips looked more fuller with the lipstick on them of course. But inside she felt different

How long it would last? she wasn't sure. She knew she was still going to have to face Graham sometime soon, and her father. Then, perhaps, her new found bravado would vanish as quick as it had appeared, only time would tell. 

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Amanda got very little sleep that night. She had turned off her phone, in case Graham tried to ring or message her. She still wasn't in the mood to deal with him just yet, knowing he was more than likely going to give her hell, and her nerves were not up for it.

She finally got out of bed, not wanting to face the day ahead, and forced herself to shower and get dressed before coming downstairs to the kitchen, deciding she couldn't swallow any more than a bowl of cereal,

Her mother was up already and sitting at the kitchen table drinking her usual cup of tea.

"You are up late this morning; I take it the charity event went well last night?" Agnes Harrington remarked.

"More or less, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves" Amanda replied, not meeting her mother in the eye, as she poured some cereal into a bowl

"Have you heard from Father?" she then queried, trying not to sound anxious

"No, not since yesterday morning, why, are you expecting a call from him?"

"No," Amanda shook her head, whilst adding milk to the cereal before coming over and sitting across the table from her mother. "I was just wondering if he called to say how his trip is going" she forced herself to smile

"You know your father when he goes on his business trips, he rarely has the time to ring me" Her mother reminded her wryly taking another sip from her tea. "Anyway, he will be pleased that the charity night was a success, there were a lot of important people there, I hope Graham was able to keep them on side, your father has every faith in him, bringing him into his business as a future partner he's a smart young man, I can't wait until your engagement becomes official" she rattled on,

Whilst listening to her, Amanda felt like the cereal was turning to cardboard in her mouth as she tried to swallow it, and put down her spoon not sure how much more she could take, of her parents starting singing Graham McKenzie's praises, always reiterating how lucky she was to have met him. Which was a bit of a joke because both of their fathers had contrived the meeting in the first place.

The only important people Graham had been interested in, last night at the charity ball, was other women. But Amanda decided to keep her mouth shut and not saying anything. 

Instead, she found herself studying her mother, wondering was she destined to end up like her?

Agnes was still a good-looking woman, in her late-forties, who had started of working in the office, in John Harrington's first successful nightclub. She  had fallen under his spell, becoming romantically involved with him, even though he was with another woman at the time But then Agnes found out she was pregnant, and John Harrington unusually decided to do the right thing and marry her, giving her his name for Agnes and their future offspring.

For this alone, Agnes always felt overwhelmingly grateful that he chose her, plucking her out of her out of obscurity, so became the dutiful wife, happy staying in the background, enjoying the comforts and luxuries that being Mrs Harrington afforded her. It never mattered her husband was rarely around to spend time with her, or that there was a string of mistresses to compete with.

The fact that she fell pregnant twice after she gave birth to their first child Amanda, but on both cases miscarried, had left her feeling a sense of guilt, that she could not give John Harrington the son he had wanted. So, she excused his wanderings with other women on her failure. Always feeling she had to make up to him, by being the perfect wife, while instilling into Amanda's young mind from she was no age, that she had to be the perfect daughter, and that her father always knew best. She must not do anything to upset him, he was a very busy important man,  who provided them with a good life and the best of everything. They were his family, and they were there to support him, no matter what.

It was only recently at the age of twenty-three, that  Amanda was starting to question this. Why must they always keep their father happy? And why did they have please him, and do things his way all the time?

It made her feel slightly torn in her own decision making, she was not sure if she was doing things for the best in her life, or her father's life. But having been brought up in her mother's mindset, she often felt guilty for having these defiant thoughts, and hurriedly pushed them aside.

But sitting at the table with her now, they were coming to the fore once again especially when Amanda thought about Graham, and their forthcoming engagement, as she realised, she didn't want to be like her mother, as much as she loved her, not now; not ever.