"Where have you guys been? 15 minutes I've had to listen to non stop, 'Where's your brother Honor?' Dad does not look happy." Honor started ranting the second she saw us.
"Sorry sis, there was traffic." Logan just shrugged and smirked.
"Fine, but what matters is that you're here now. Come inside, I feel bad leaving Josh alone with them for too long."
We walked into the ornately designed entrance hall. "Holy shit, you might as well have a billboard in here saying 'Hi, we're the Huntzberger's and we're so much better than you!' Cue awkward fake laugh. I mean seriously, is the solid gold statue at the cleaner's?" I remarked quietly to Logan as we walked in.
"Yeah well, Mitchum and Shira have always had a flair for..."
"Flamboyance, extravagance, opulence?" I interrupted.
"Something like that." We walked into the living room where Josh, a blonde woman and two men were sat drinking. "Look what the cat dragged in."
"Logan!" The woman got up and went to hug Logan. "It's good to see you again. We don't see nearly enough of you now you're in college. How was your Christmas in London? Fine place isn't it?"
"Sorry we're late everyone. Grandpa, good to see you. Mom, dad."
"You know Logan, when you're told to come for dinner at 6.30pm, it doesn't mean you can waltz in at 6.45 instead." The younger man, who had to be his father, snidely remarked.
"Yes sir. There was traffic I'm sorry." He walked over to me. "Everyone I'd like you to meet Sierra Gilmore."
I smiled. "Hi, it's good to meet you all. Logan speaks of you a lot. You have a lovely home. I'd say it even rivals Buckingham Palace."
"Well thank you Sierra. You've been to London?"
"Yes. It was amazing, best time of my life."
"You know Sierra's grandparents, Mom. Richard and Emily."
"Oh yes. How are Richard and Emily?"
"They're very good thank you. Grandpa's business is going well."
"Oh, that's wonderful."
"Fine man, your grandfather is Sierra." Logan's dad, Mitchum spoke.
"That he is Sir, that he is."
He shook my hand. "Mitchum Huntzberger."
"It's good to meet you. My sister is actually a very big fan of yours."
He nodded and had some of his scotch. There was an awkward silence. The only sound was of Elias' ice rattling. "Can I freshen your drink Grandpa?" Logan got up and took the glass.
"Oh, I'm sorry, can we get you something Sierra?" Shira put on what I could tell was a fake smile.
"Club soda, if you have it please."
"I got it, Mom!" Logan called over from the drinks cart. He came back over handing me a club soda and his Grandpa a whiskey.
Thankfully, a maid came in at that moment. "Dinner is served." Shira smiled tightly. "Ah, shall we?"
We sat down for dinner, and the awkward silence continued. "So, Sierra, do you go to Yale?"
"Um, no actually. I don't. I hope to attend there in the fall though."
"What's your major?"
"Drama."
"And your minor?"
"Women's studies and History. I'm also leaning slightly towards law."
"So, a feminist, historian, law abiding and debating actress?"
"Spot on, Mr Huntzberger." Just then, Shira got up and left. I looked at Logan in confusion.
"Mom's a stress smoker."
"Now now Logan, don't talk about your mother that way in front of our guests."
"Sorry sir."
"Shira!" Logan's grandfather called out and his mom came back in. "Come sit down, there are serious matters to be discussed here. This is an important family. Marrying into it is important business."
"Dad." Mitchum warned.
"I'm sorry, who said anything about getting married? Honor are you two getting married?" She shook her head, confused.
"This isn't about Honor. This is about our very important discussion about the future of this family." Elias said definitively.
"Which discussion?" Honor replied. Great, at least I'm not the only one confused here.
"The discussion about unsuitable people marrying into this family."
"Dad! Not the time." Mitchum also looked confused, thank god.
"You should know better than this Logan."
"I'm sorry this is about me dating your grandson?"
"Hush girl, the adults are talking."
"Excuse me? I have a name." Logan put his hand on my leg to calm me down. "I'll handle this, Queenie."
"I know you like to joke around and tease us, Logan. But I always thought at the end of the day you understood what you're responsibilities to this family were."
"Now, dad, this is not the kind of discussion to have over dinner."
I felt utterly humiliated and very angry. Then Shira piped up.
"Now Logan, you just haven't thought about this. I'm sure Sierra understands, she wants to work. Isn't that right, Sierra? Emily's always talking about you want to be a reporter."
"I'm sorry, have you not listened to a single word I've said all evening? I don't want to be a reporter. You're probably getting me confused with my twin sister, Rory. She wants to be a reporter. I want to be an actress, and yes that involves working, funnily enough. And another thing, just because Logan and I are dating, does not mean he's going to pull out a ring any second. And if he did, I would say no, because we have been dating for less than 6 months."
Shira, however, completely ignored me. "A girl like Sierra has no idea what it's like to be in this family, Logan. She wasn't raised for it, she wasn't bred for it."
"Oh my god." I was so ready to scissor kick this bitch.
"And this isn't at all about her mother. You come from two different worlds.
"Ok, I really need to interrupt here. I love your son, and I might not be the kind of girl you want him to marry, but that's your prerogative. Yes, I want to work. I am not going to be some housewife who sits around at home barely even looking after her kids and handing them off to different nannie while she goes to the spa. In fact, I don't even want kids! I don't really know what I want. Right now though, I want to finish High School and get into Yale. Then I want to graduate from Yale, and be an actress. How can you not think I'm worthy of your son? I'm plenty more worthy than those leggy blonde bimbos he was with before we met, you're welcome for stopping that by the way. I go to Chilton Private School, I will attend an Ivy League School, and what's more, my family are very well known. My Grandfather is extremely popular in the insurance business, and my Grandmother is President of the Daughters of the American Revolution. I had a coming out party, I was a debutante. If that's not worthy enough for your son, I don't know what is. Oh, but I haven't even mentioned the rest of my family. In fact, why don't we talk about my other Grandparents, you may know them, Straub and Francine Hayden?"
I saw the look of shock and, 'Shit what have I done?' on their faces before continuing. "That's what I thought, and I'm very close with all of my grandparents, so I just have to say the word and get all of you blacklisted from society. Anyhow, I'm leaving. Logan if you want to come, I'll be out front for the next 3 minutes, if I don't see you I'll call a cab."
I then turned to the shocked occupants of the table and said goodbye. "Honor, Josh, it was lovely to see you and I wish you all the best in your relationship. You're probably going to need it. Mr Huntzberger, it was good to finally meet you, take care." I walked out the room, grabbed my coat and sat on the porch, laughing hysterically.
"Well, you sure know how to make an impression."
"I'm sorry, they just made me so angry. It was Straub and Francine all over again. Your family's horrible." I looked up at him and pouted. He laughed.
"Come on, Queenie, let's take you home."
Wed been driving for 10 minutes in silence when he turned to me. "You'd turn down my proposal?"
"Seriously? That is what you take from this evening? Yes. I would. When I've graduated college, then we'll talk."
"Yes Ma'am."
"Can we go back to yours?"
"Sure." He put his arm around me and kept driving.