Somehow Mrs.Hastings got everyone at the kitchen table quietly waiting for Mr.Hastings. As we sat silently no one dared to utter a word besides Mrs.Hastings who was going on about the time she went to France with Mr.Hastings. "I bet $20,000 he doesn't show." Christian says.
"I'd be a fool if I took you up on that offer." Andrew says.
"Hush up, he made a promise to me that he'd show." Mrs.Hastings says.
"Yes, our father's sacred promises." Jared says. From my viewpoint he was the most positive of the Hastings' siblings, but I guess even he doubts his father. "Madam, the phone." A worker says.
"I bet that's him canceling."
"I was about to call that." Serena wines. Dana and I sit quietly while Mrs.Hastings exits the room to retrieve the phone. "If he's canceling then I'm leaving." Christian says.
"Chris." Jared says.
"Don't Chris me Jared, I didn't even want to be here tonight, but I'm here and he doesn't have the decency to show." Christan says.
"Maybe he's just running late." I suggest. Everyone even Dana stares at me as if I had lost my mind. "It's nice that your optimistic and all, but Conrad Hastings was and will never be reliable." Andrew says.
"Why so little faith in your father?" I ask.
"Conrad Hastings is no father of mine." Christian says, his jaw clenched and his grey eyes storming with rage. I place a hand over his own and he looks at me. "I won't say give him the benefit of the doubt, but your mother worked hard for this dinner. You, we should stay for her." I say. I remove my hand from his and everyone at the table is staring at me all wide eyed. I shrink into my seat when I see Mrs.Hastings smiling at me. "I did work hard for this dinner. I did the shopping and the cooking, I had too when I discovered both you and Christian were coming, plus Jared and Dana graced us with their appearance." She says.
"It's the least we could do." I say.
"Call me Clarine from now on. I've taking a fortunate liking to you Miss Maxfield." Mrs. Hastings, Clarine says.
"If I remember correctly wasn't Lancelot's mother named Clarine."
"Indeed it was, you're a smart one aren't you."
"I did a paper on it in high school, I'm actually surprised I remembered that."
"It's common to remember events from past experiences." Dana spoke.
"Long live the hot dork." Andrew jokes.
"Dork jokes are 50% aimed at the person saying it than the actual person it's directed to."
"That's my smart girlfriend, talk nerdy to me." Jared jokes and everyone laughs. The Hastings were no different from an ordinary family, drama is always a pleaser, but everyone was just at peace with one another. "So when are two getting married?" Clarine asks. I nearly choked on my baked salmon. "Christian and I hardly just met, I mean we're not even together together." I try to explain.
"Relax dear, I know you two aren't getting married yet, I mean when is Dana and Jared getting married."
"Oh, that makes more sense."
"Dana and Jared have been together forever." Christian explains.
"How romantic, how did you meet?"
"I was tending to her sister." Jared says.
"Let's just say my father didn't make smart choices when given power." Dana says.
"Father, who is your father?" I ask never realizing that I knew nothing of her family. "Kensington."
"Your father is the Calvin Kensington. Mister top of the world 2000."
"More like worst father of the year." Jared says.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to bring up such a sour subject."
"It's alright, you didn't mean to. Let's talk about happy things." Dana says.
"Like your marriage." Clarine suggest. The two looked awkwardly at each other as if both wishing to avoid the topic. "Am I the best man or am I the best man." Andrew says.
"There won't be a wedding." Dana says refusing to look up from her salmon. "What, why not." Clarine says outraged.
"We've decided not to have one, plus it's like we're married already." Jared says.
"We didn't decide anything, you aren't ready for marriage." Dana says.
"So the truth is revealed, you're upset that I won't marry you."
"Upset, heavens no. I like spending my life following a man half way around the world and back for the hell of it."
"I'm not begging you to stay."
"That's obvious. Want to know something else obvious."
"Please share."
"We're over. I'll be packed by time you get there." Dana stands from her chair and exits the room. "Lina, do you mind leaving us for a bit?" Clarine asks.
"I'll meet you in the main room." Christian says as I stand. I nod and leave the room, the two men closing the doors behind me. I spot Dana standing at the door on the phone. "Please don't say I told you so, just pick me up." Dana says.
"Christian and I could drive you." I say. She smiles sadly and ends the call. "That was just my sister, I needed a place to stay and a ride."
"You could stay at the loft with me. It gets pretty lonely by myself there."
"You'd do that for me."
"I just watched you and your sweetheart breakup, I'll cook you breakfast if you wanted."
"You're a really good friend."
"Your a really good friend too and someday you'll make an amazing wife. Maybe Jared just can't see that yet."
"The thing is, I desperately wanted him to."
"Doesn't everyone." She pulls me into a hug and I hug her back. Just like when I needed my girls, Dana needed hee girls or in this case, me. The doors open and Christian exits with our jackets in his hand. "I figured you'd offer Dana a place with you at the loft." Christian says.
"Yeah." I managed to answer. He helped me and Dana with our coats before we headed to his car which hadn't thought much about. "Sorry, I didn't plan on driving anyone besides me and Lina." Christian explains.
"It's okay, I can't really be picky when your doing so much for me." Dana says. Dana ans I squeeze into the car as Christian drives us back to the club. We enter and I let Dana go inside while I stay to talk with Christian. "Your family seems lovely." I say.
"You just watched a relationship end and my father disappoint my mother again, and you say that my family is lovely." He mocks.
"At least you're sane, you balance each other out."
"About what Serena told you."
"It scares me because if it causes you to freak it has to bad."
"I got angry and I hurt her. She didn't die, but I wish she had."
"Why would you do that, wish that upon anyone?"
"She's in a mental institution pleading mute. She refuses to speak because of me. I visit her often, but I still can't get rid of the guilt."
"I knew there was something about you, something about the way your eyes tell a story."
"You were fascinated by me, now you wish to run for the hills."
"Quite the opposite."
"What-"
"Thanks for tonight, I'll see you when I see you." I kissed his cheek before entering the loft and shutting the sole behind me. The automatic lock took effect and I turned to see Dana. "You two are so right that you think it's wrong." She says.
"Me and Christian, no way we're so different." I say.
"Not as much as you think." Sure Christian was a modern day Romeo with more flaws then Shakespeare had created, but was he fit to be my Romeo and more importantly was I ready to be his Juliet.