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R.HAMILTON
Excitement flooded the open garden as guests enjoyed the Michelin star rated catering, the bubbles that swam in the long flutes, golden as always.
River busied herself with Violet Hamilton, the newest addition to the Hamilton family. The little girl was born on the day of the Adelaide Aid Gala to brighten the lives of River's cousin, Harvey, and his fiancée, Eloise. Violet just turned one-month old but she was already a character.
Of course, as a first-born Hamilton for Harvey's family, the little girl was given Adelaide as her middle name. The fact that Violet was born on the day of the gala, and therefore River's third great grandmother's birthday, it would've been wrong not to give her that second name.
Violet had blue eyes for now which, River thought, matched her perfectly. She was tiny, and slept peacefully in River's arms in the shade. Wind blew around them, rustled the green leaves of the trees, and freshened the otherwise stagnant July air.
The first week of July came around much quicker than River anticipated. With it, her birthday neared. Even though it was always a pleasant occasion, for some reason, River shivered at the thought like something was bound to go wrong this time.
"You're a natural," she heard the faint comment before she noted the presence of her brother next to her. Dorian wore a pair of ribbed, navy trousers with a white shirt, also ribbed. His muscled arms tanned, one wrist wrapped in a black leather clasped watch.
River smiled at him, and gently patted the soft cushion of the swinging chair she sat on.
"She is incredibly sweet. It's hard not to be a natural," she chuckled and ran her forefinger down the baby's cheek. Violet didn't even stir, but continued her comfortable nap in River's arms. "Besides, babies love me."
Dorian chuckled softly and leaned back so he fell out of River's line of vision. It didn't matter for long as she joined her brother but unlike him—he stared at the guests as he no doubt took apart their appearances—she focused her attention back on Violet.
It calmed River down. Violet's paced breaths and small face brought unending joy to River. Even though the little girl was her cousin once removed, it didn't matter to her. It felt like she just gained a little sister—and River never had one. Instead, her parents gave her three brothers.
"Is that Genevieve Carlton?" Dorian asked. River glanced at him before she followed where his eyes travelled, and soon enough, she spotted a woman in white trousers and a blood-red, satin shirt with its top two buttons undone. Even from afar, River noticed the diamonds that curled around her neck and nestled between her breasts.
Once River visually confirmed, she hummed. "That is, brother."
"Huh," he reacted which made River glance back to him. Dorian's head cocked to the side as he watched, as he measured the woman. "Did you know that her husband gave her an STD when he came back from Brazil, and that's how she found out he was cheating?"
"No way!" she faked a soft gasp, aware of the baby in her arms. Of course, River knew of this. She'd known for a good month. The gossip died down a while ago, and it may or may not have been River who passed it along to people.
Then again, could she be blamed for other people eavesdropping on her conversation? Hamilton had no idea so many ears were perked and ready to retain information at Alden's home race, which was the day River told Kaia about the news. No doubt Dorian learnt it from his wife.
Dorian looked at his sister the same way he measured up Genevieve, sighed, and said, "You knew this already."
"I—"
"Don't lie."
River exhaled, and her grin grew gradually. "I did know. But you get excited when you learn something new so I thought I'd let you have it."
Whatever he mumbled under his breath made no sense to River. Perhaps she shouldn't have babied her eldest brother but who was going to stop her? Their relationship had always been set in stone with Dorian the protector, and River the sister who needed their hand held when walking up the stairs just in case she lands face first.
"Sometimes," Dorian sighed. "Sometimes I wonder if I'm doing the right thing."
"What do you mean?"
"General doubts about life, I suppose," he said.
"Such as?"
"I did everything by the book," he stated, and River nodded because she agreed. Dorian was the perfect son—the perfect Hamilton. Education: complete to the highest of degrees. Romantic life: married off to one of the most perfect people to walk this planet. "I talked to Kaia last night, and I kept asking if I should've done what you did," he admitted as he ran his finger around the rim of his glass. The bubbles floated to the surface of the champagne and attracted River's attention for a moment.
"You've lost me," River chuckled, and noticed the way her brother's lips curled, suddenly shy as he averted his gaze and shook his head. To make him feel at ease, and give him some privacy, River looked away, and adjusted the soft material of Violet's coat.
In the end, as silence swayed its way between the words left unsaid, the conversation flickered out. There was a level of comfort in the fact that Dorian could start a conversation and end it when he felt he reached a personal barrier. River could provide that for him, and she knew it because not only did he tell her, River's friends also echoed how much they appreciated her understanding and ability to create an environment where they felt comfortable enough to be open—or in other cases, choose to not be so open.
"When are you giving me a niece?" River asked randomly. If Dorian was drinking—which, from the sounds of it, he was—he choked on the beverage.
"Pardon?"
River shrugged. "You know... or a nephew. I'm not picky."
The eldest Hamilton laughed, and he managed to be so loud that Violet's eyes flew wide open. It took all but a second for her to start weeping after.
"Nevermind—you cannot have children," River scolded her brother without looking at him. She stood up with the baby in her arms and tried to calm her down by moving around. Harvey nor Eloise seemed to be around which surprised River. If she had a month-old baby, she'd be unable to leave her alone.
River rocked Violet until she quieted down, her cheeks reddened and wet from tears.
"Like I said—natural," Dorian appeared at her shoulder, his hand pressed to her arm in a supportive gesture. "I'm going to find my wife before I get baby fever," he laughed and gently placed his hand on the back of River's head, pulled her closer, and kissed her forehead. The gesture reminded her of their father, then again, Dorian had always been a much more affectionate father figure in her life than Dexter.
"See you later," she called after him, and he put his hand in the air as a way of saying bye but not turning back around.
With Violet calm again, River decided to walk around a little bit. Honestly, she lost track of time. No longer sure of when she was given the baby, or when she chose this corner of the garden to find some peace and quiet. The soft creases in her beige dress were the only giveaway of how long she'd sat there.
The wind continued to caress the exposed skin of her chest, across her collarbones, as the dress River wore had an elegant neckline. Long-sleeved, it reached just above her ankles. Somewhere along the way, she lost her hat, the same shade of soft cream. As the sun dipped from behind the clouds, she missed the cover it would've provided so she made her way through the crowd to see if she could find the hat.
Mila's voice carried the closer River got to the entrance of the building. From the sounds of it, River's best friend was in the middle of an argument where she most likely fell upon deaf ears. Mila's eyes landed on the Hamilton, and she rolled her eyes which communicated enough of just how over the conversation Mila was already. River chuckled and rocked Violet in her arms gently.
Whilst River's best friend fought her fight over the phone, River turned around to look for her hat. Instead, she stood right opposite to the doors through which Harry appeared in a champagne silk shirt and dark trousers, Juliette on his arm in a red dress that made River's eyes go funny because of its vibrancy.
"Jesus," she muttered as she blinked repeatedly, and tried to focus on anywhere else to make the sensation go away.
Mila pressed her phone against her shoulder as she gave River a one over, then asked, "What?" with her eyebrows furrowed.
"Nothing," River replied and Mila turned away to continue her chat on the phone.
River took this opportunity and walked away to look for her hat. Where the hell did she leave it?
It was Natasha, River's mother, who approached her with a glass of champagne in her hand. No doubt the first and only glass that she was going to hold for the entirety of the event because if River knew one thing, it was her mother's particularity when it came to drinking in public. Never one to nurse more than one glass, from start to finish, only to never actually drink it as the beverage ends up being warm from her hands.
"Is everything alright, Mother?" she asked, worried for a second that something had gone awry. The annual cocktail party had been a success so far, River prayed that wouldn't change this year.
Mother and daughter walked along the tiled floor, heels knocked against the floor in satisfying clicks. Violet continued to have the greatest nap of her life in River's arms, and the sight of her calm facial expression made River smile softly.
"Leave Violet with her parents, and start getting to know the guests, please," Natasha instructed without any warning, voice gentle yet held plenty of authority. "You've been nursing the child for over an hour, and as a host, you should not be secluding yourself from the guests."
"I know who is in attendance," River countered. These parties usually saw the same faces. An event where everyone got the chance to catch up, given how busy schedules could get.
"Dear," Natasha said swiftly, and stopped to face River. "Have I taught you nothing?" she asked, scolded, River. "You can never know enough about your guests. As a host, it is your duty to have the same conversations over and over again. As a host, it is your duty to create an image that sells, and attracts. So, please, take Violet back to her parents, and do as you should."
"Mila has everything in hand and—"
"Mila is not a Hamilton, and you'd do well to remember that," Natasha pointed out, like she'd done many times before, and several times prior to that. No matter who it was, as long as they were not Hamilton by law or blood, they were not good enough. "Besides, whatever happened to the dress I had sent for you?"
It was better to ignore what Natasha had said about Mila because they were in public, and River didn't want to cause a scene. Not that she ever spoke back to her mother in any way. Instead, she sighed, and said, "It did not fit."
"It did not fit?"
River swallowed to ease the dryness of her throat. Natasha raked her eyes over River as she took in her form, the way her dress hugged her body.
"When was the last time you went to a PT class?"
"I don't kno—"
"Ensure that you do sign up, and attend one soon."
A pang of guilt flooded River's chest for the lack of sessions she should've arranged but didn't because her time didn't allow it. Ashamed, her cheeks heated but she nodded and replied, "Of course."
"The Radcliffes are here. I expect to see you and Charlie getting to know each other more."
"Of course," River repeated herself. Nothing in the world made her want to curl into a ball and cease to exist like the commands her mother threw around. When those commands included other people, they sounded even worse. "Anything else?"
Once more, Natasha appeared displeased by River's response. "Just get the child back to her parents, and welcome your guests properly," she ordered in a monotone voice, face hard and sharp as a rock, then walked away from River as though she'd done all the necessary parenting.
Where River usually let comments slide, and bottled up the disappointment that reeled off of her mother in every situation, for some reason, it hit her differently. The words cut deeper, stretched the wound wider. Violet weighed more in her arms than before. Eyes she did not feel until this moment, now looked through her like she was transparent.
Harvey, River's cousin from her father's side, was in a middle of a conversation with Dorian, who clearly failed to find his wife. It didn't matter to River too much as she politely interrupted their conversation, mumbled a sorry excuse, then left Violet with her father. If her brother gave her a look of question or concern, River didn't catch it because she turned around and practically evaporated from the crowd.
Certainly not in the mood to entertain guests, she headed inside the building only to find she couldn't be alone or find any peace and quiet.
Harry stood inside, with his phone in hand, arm without the lady in red from before. It was good for River's eyes because they didn't start swirling and putting spots in front of her eyes like it happened at her arrival. At the same time, she couldn't help but wonder why they were already separated.
When their eyes met across the distance that separated them, a bridge that started at her end and finished at his, River couldn't look away. Not because of how handsome he was—though she did have to admit, and already had previously, that he was arguably attractive—but because he started talking.
The only issue was, River's overwhelmed mind couldn't process his question.
"Repeat that for me, please," she asked and balanced her weight on both of her feet. Even the subconscious movement triggered the conversation she just had with her mother, a threat to blank what Harry would say.
Until, of course, she felt a warm touch on her shoulders like she needed to be steadied by someone else. Someone with a heavily sweet scent, a touch of musk in there that River only felt appropriate to describe as darkness.
"Do you need to sit down?" he asked.
Harry asked.
River barely glanced up before she noted how close he stood. Eyes now practically a breath away from her nose. Alert and somewhat concerned—prepared to catch River if she fell. Which made no sense. She hadn't had a drop of alcohol since she arrived.
"No," she said eventually, voice weak and broke at the end. "No," she repeated as she cleared her throat and stepped back from Harry. The loss of his touch burned. Where River's arm felt comforted and warm, it now felt abandoned and chilled. "I'm fine."
It was Harry who took a moment to measure her up like he didn't believe it. Before River could've prompted him to say something, he beat her to it with: "Do you know the address to this place?"
Speechless, River didn't know how to answer him. Was this some kind of test? Did Harry expect her to not know? Was there something wrong with the place?
Then she took a second and asked herself: why was she questioning her own party? What did it matter if Harry didn't like the place? Why—
"The address, River," he spoke again with more pressure behind his words. Urgency, almost.
Between his reaction, and the conversation River had with her mother five minutes ago, frustration curled through system with such intensity that she couldn't help it when she gave him the address in a snappy tone. That wasn't River.
For whatever it was worth, Harry didn't beg for an apology. Instead, he stood there, his back toward River, a phone pressed to his ear as he—what was he doing? It wasn't obvious until River remembered he asked for the address.
"Alright, how long do you think until the next driver becomes available?" silence. Then Harry said, "Alright, thanks, bye."
For reasons unbeknownst to River—it was her curiosity, really—she asked, "Is something the matter?"
In response, Harry scoffed softly and turned around to face her. While River expected to hear him spit venom in her face, he reacted otherwise. Soft, almost like he pleaded for a hand. "I'm trying to get to the hospital but there are no taxis available because they are on a goddamn strike," he sighed, defeated. "I'm going to find Juliette, and—"
"I'll drive you."
Shock etched into his features as he considered what River said. Truthfully, she didn't give herself the five seconds to talk herself out of the offer. It was on the tip of her tongue, balanced for only a blink of an eye before it tipped and fell, the perfect dive into the endless pool of reality.
"You'll—drive me?"
"I said I will, didn't I?"
Harry's shock came in wide, enormous waves.
"It's just... you know how to drive?" he asked, blunt, and it made River laugh. "I'm sorry but it's—"
"Wow," she continued to chuckle, her hand held before her face. Just what sort of impression did she give to people if Harry's first reaction to her offering help was to question her ability?
"Listen, you're always driven around by a chauffeur, and—"
"I do know how to drive," she stated, a little more defensively than she anticipated. Harry seemed to be taken aback by her response and he nodded, his tail tucked between his legs as he looked away and down. "Let Juliette know you're leaving, and I'll meet you outside."
River didn't wait for Harry to respond as she walked past him, and through the entrance doors. What she did do was call Anthony, her driver, and told him to come and pick her up. Only when he arrived in her Rolls Royce did she mention that Harry would tag along because he was needed at the hospital.
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Happy Friday!
What a week. What a chapter. Character overload for sure - meeting Violet for the first time, Dorian being a little more open, Natasha making a grand appearance, and Harry having a meltdown in the lobby because of the taxi strikes.
I'm having the best time with River and Harry. There is so much to unpack between them, and I absolutely love how they're growing. I have some pre-planned things written which makes me even more excited to continue sharing their story!
I've also been on the hunt for some new songs for their playlist, though I have to be honest - most of them are extremely depressing. I'm already thinking ahead, and I must find some lovey-dovey songs to truly bring their romance alive. So far, it's proving difficult with how much I'm enjoying exploring their downfall.
Anyway - if you can think of any songs at all that you think are riverry coded, let me know. I'm dying to create the perfect playlist for them because they are everything.
Until then, have the most amazing weekend :)
See you next week!
Love, B xx