Six months after moving in with Calleach's uncle Cal was a dinner planned. It was a big affair with well over a hundred people coming. It seemed that all of the O'Brien's were coming. Ella was in heaven. She loved to plan parties and she had even managed to rangle the Sinclair boys as well as their cousins into helping. Sorcha had stayed as far away from all of the planning as she could. Zefora did as well much to Sorcha's relief.
"I never realized how much Ella loved to do this shit," Zefora complained as they were hiding out in Sorcha's room.
"She's always been this way Z. You always thought I was kidding when I complained to you."
"I've learned my lesson."
Calleach looked up from the desk where he was reading papers. He smiled at the two before he shuffled the pages and went back to reading.
Sorcha smiled at Calleach as she lounged on the bed watching Zefora primp in the full length antique mirror that stood in one corner by the fireplace. Zefora twisted and turned checking out her bootie in the mirror.
"Your bootie is fine Zefora."
Zefora's gaze met her cousin's in the mirror. Her eyes crinkled as she smiled. "I know, but I think I'll do a few more exercises to make it irritable."
Sorcha threw a pillow at Zefora. Zefora picked it up and threw it back at Sorcha. Sorcha laughingly caught the pillow and tucked it underneath her arm. Zefora took one last look in the mirror before she sauntered to the bed and sat down on the side with one leg swinging free.
"Do you think I'm shallow Sorcha?"
"No way Z." Sorcha sat up and hugged the pillow to her as she crossed her legs underneath her. "Why would you think that?"
"Just some comments I've been hearing lately."
"On your blog again."
"Yeah." Zefora fiddled with the fringe on the blanket that covered the foot of the bed. "I know that I shouldn't pay any attention to them, but it's hard. You know how hard I work out to keep physically fit and yet people critique me for having too big a butt and flat abs."
"Don't pay any attention to the Zefora." Sorcha reached forward and touched her cousin on the arm compassionately. "They are just jealous of you."
"I'd listen to Sorcha." Calleach spoke up from where he was sitting. He gave Zefora a charming smile. "Sorcha's right. They are just jealous."
"You think so."
Calleach nodded. "I'll introduce you to some of my cousins and family friends. You'll have plenty of attention once the party starts."
Zefora perked up. "I expect no less than five introductions."
Calleach laughed as he returned to his papers. "I can give you ten."
"Deal." Zefora popped up off the bed like a bouncy ball. "I have to go and ask Ella for some hair and makeup advice." Zefora left the room like a tornado.
"She's interesting." Calleach commented once the door slammed shut.
Sorcha laughed as she climbed from the bed. "You have no idea." Sorcha moved so that she could stand behind Calleach. She placed her hands on his shoulders and began a light massage. Calleach glanced at Sorcha over his shoulder as she leaned against him so that her breasts pressed against his back. "What are you reading?"
"Just some financial reports." Calleach showed her the numbers at the bottom of the page. "It's a big number, but a lot smaller than usual."
Sorcha leaned closer and reread the number. "I wouldn't be complaining against making six figures."
Calleach snorted softly as he pulled a different paper off the desk and showed Sorcha the number at the bottom. "This shows that we lost $50,000 since last quarter."
"Is that unusual?"
"We've lost money before, but not this much and not all at one time."
Calleach laid the papers aside. He reached up and captured Sorcha's left hand and pulled on it. Sorcha moved around Calleach letting the fingers of her right hand trail across his broad shoulders. Sorcha sat down on Calleach's lap and wrapped her left arm around his neck as she smoothed the wrinkles from his forehead with her other hand.
"What's worrying you then?"
"My family has enemies Sorcha."
"Wealthy families always do."
"True, but there's one family that has been after the O'Brien fortune for the past five hundred years."
Sorcha let out a whistle. "That's a long time to be greedy."
Calleach nodded as he leaned forward to run his nose along Sorcha's jaw bone. "It is, but they just keep getting greedier. I believe that they are stealing money from us, but I'm not sure how."
"Can you have one of those forensic accountant's look through your family's fortune?"
Calleach pulled back from Sorcha. "I haven't thought of that before. I know someone who does that. I'll call him sometime tomorrow."
"I'm glad I could help."
"You always help me."
Sorcha laughed before she regretfully slid off of Calleach's lap. "I promised Ella that I would help her pick out an outfit for the party."
Calleach waved Sorcha away. "Go and do your girlie stuff with your sister."
Sorcha stuck her tongue out at Calleach. "I'm only helping her because she wouldn't quit badgering me."
Laughter followed Sorcha out of her room. She couldn't help but smile. Ella might be getting on her nerves, but she'd take this Ella over the one from last year any day. The trip to Ella's room took a few minutes. Sorcha took a deep breath and girded herself. Ella's room was always a confection of high fashion. It made Sorcha's head hurt whenever she had to venture into Ella's rooms.
The door was flung open before Sorcha finished knocking. Ella's hair was falling out of her messy bun. Zefora sat in front of the dressing table in Ella's room curling her hair. Ella pulled her into the room before she slammed the door.
"I'm so glad you decided to stop by Sorcha. We have so much to do."
Sorcha let Ella chatter into her ear as she sat down on a chair overflowing with clothes. Sorcha gave a sigh. This was going to take forever. Good thing Calleach had promised her a massage later tonight. That perked Sorcha up as Ella demanded if she was listening.
"I'm listening Ella."
Ella frowned at her before she went right back to talking. Sorcha relaxed back into the chair and began the hard job and telling Ella what looked good on her.