Webs of Revenge

Chapter 3: The DAR

My midterms went surprisingly well, even though I didn’t study. Back at the apartment, I was packing my suitcases and I had to call Vincent to confirm at what time he was picking me up. We were heading to the same destination, and we were engaged in the eyes of the government. The last thing I needed to pack was my dress, it looked exactly like a wedding dress. Stop, thinking about this Klara! Throwing the dress, fan, gloves and the jewelry I finished packing. I checked the time he was coming in fifteen minutes. I looked into the mirror and sighed,my hair was done in a bun, I did my makeup, and I covered my scar. The gifts for parents, where laying on my bed, and I couldn’t find my purse. I searched the full entire apartment, I even checked Caroline's room, but I seriously couldn’t find it. Ding-Dong! “It's always open!”

“Isn’t that a safety hazard?”

“It is, but what fun is being safe!”

“Where are you? Because all I can see is boxes!”

“Turn right, left, and again left and my room is on the right!”

Vincent came into the room, “What are all the suitcases for?”

“I’m going to visit my parents, eight DAR meetings, six invites for tea, two  galas and my debutante.”

“That is one busy schedule. Oh and by the way, someone forgot their purse at my apartment.”

“You have it! Thank goodness!”

“ The contents were very strange.”

“Why did you look through my purse?!”

“Don’t worry, I also have a list, and I would also write a politician, but it's your list.”

I smiled. At least he didn’t find me mentally insane.

“So, I’ll help you carry my suitcases to the car and could you please take the gifts I have wrapped for my folks?”

“Why would you give them a gift, aren’t they abusive?”

“Its proper edicate Vincent, It's an obligation.”

“ Lady’s don’t carry their suitcases to the car, it’s not proper.” He smirked and took my suitcases outside.  I snatched my purse, put on my gloves, and went outside. My yellow sundress became brighter in the sunlight.

“Next time, leave some stuff at home! I think you can wear the same outfit to a tea party twice!”

“Well you're wrong! Because I have to be an approachable lady, and I am the President of the DAR!”

“Sorry! I didn’t know that it was such a big deal!”

He opened the car door, and I got in. I put the gifts for my parents in the back seat, and took off my hat, and gloves.  My phone started ringing, it highlighted Carolines number:

“He broke up with me!”

“Who broke up with you?”

“Nick! I don’t have an escort!”

“I thought that you meant Carson, and I’m not surprised!”

“How the heck do you know about Carson?!”

“Ask the wasted Caroline on the couch yesterday, and also you could ask Carson to escort you.”

“Carson is escorting his sister, and how am I going to tell my parents, I’ll be named as a cheater for all of eternity!”

“Well that's your problem not mine.”

“Klara wai-”

I hung up.

“What was that about?”

“You know how Carolien cheated on Nick, and he broke up with her, leaving her with no escort for the ball.”

“That's too bad.”

“It really is.”

After talking for about two hours we reached our final destination. The Milliton-Cortex main villa. It was castle sized, and had heavy iron gates. My mother has them polished twice a week, and made sure that the gardeners kept the front garden as tidy as possible. 

“You grew up here?”

“ As a matter of fact I did, I also lived in the secondary house for a while, and then the third estate.”

“I have never seen anything like it, my family possessions are a lot smaller than this.”

“Also, do not park your car in the driveway, tell the driver to park it in the side lot.”

“Why?”

“Just trust me.”

The car stopped, and Vincent went out and opened the door for me. Wearing my gloves and hat, putting my head up high, I took the gifts and greeted my parents at the door. Smiling I proceeded to say,

“Mother and Father, It’s so wonderful to see you and to be home! How is the DAR proceeding Mother?”

My mother began talking about all the parties organized and things that needed to be done and approved by me. Then Vincent did his spiel about how wonderful it is that they are having him and so forth. We went inside, and our maid Ida took our coats.

“It’s wonderful for you to be back home Ms.Klara.”

“Thank you Ida, could you please hang my tea hat, thank you.”

“Who knew different hats had different purposes.”

“Oh shut up Vincent.”

My mother and father escorted us to the common area, where we sat down for some refreshments. Knowing what I needed to do after years of training, I went up to the drink cart, and started making the usals. A martini for my mother with a twist, my father a scotch and Vincent told me in the car that he had gin. After serving the drinks, I prepared a club soda for myself.

“So my boy, would you join me for a cigar in the pool house to discuss our future business investments?”

“I would love Sir.”

Vincent and my father walked out of the common area, which left my mother and I all alone.

“Good job remembering to create the drinks for the guests.”

“I always do it and I enjoy it.”

“I think the government matched you two up well.”

I stopped dead in my tracks. She approved a match made by the government, and she praised my actions? What is going on?

“I think I should freshen up before dinner in my sweat.”

I walked up the marble staircase that led to the main sweats. I saw blood at the end of these stairs before, mine especially. Past servants would lie at the bottom, the police always claimed it was either a suicde or an accident. But I’ve seen what happened and it wasn’t pleasant. My father would stand behind them and would stick out his cane, or as punishment they would have to run up and down the stairs multiple times until they fell. I walked up the stairs into the main corridor. I smiled when I saw the old bookcases at the end of the hallway. I am the only one who knows the combination to unlock the passageway, and it was my escape from my parents. Room three is my sweet. I opened the door, I haven't been in it for so long. The floral wallpaper, the hard wood floors, and the portraits that hide my bloodstains from being hit against the wall. Taking my suitcases I started to unpack. I hung my debutante dress on my closet door. I took out my suit that I will wear to my afternoon tea with the DAR, along with the gloves and hat. Taking my hair out of its bun, I styled it into a simple braid with some loose strands sticking out. My suit had a black blazer, black skirt, white dress dress shirt, and lastly a yellow hair ribbon. My stockings are also yellow from my uniform. Walking down the steps I saw my mother was smiling and remarked:

“Ever since we sent you to the Academy you have become a real lady!”

“Why yes, the Academy has a high standard for edicate and manners.”

“So we should get going to the meeting, because as the President you don't want to be late to the meeting!”

Something was extremely off, my mother never paid attention to me. The only time she did was at large events when I earned praise for my involvement in the community, or about what a pretty girl I am. I walked into the family car with my mother and sat down. After tea with the DAR, I had to go to the Country Club to go golfing with my father and Vincent to close a business deal. As the heiress I was taught to golf, even though my mother opposed it, I actually found it quite enjoyable.I was very good, and my father always took me because it wasn’t typical for a woman to golf, and it usually closed the deal. After that, my parents threw a party for my arrival, which they do every year. It wasn't that they wanted to, but they had to.

“Today we have a future member joining the group, I heard a rumor that it was Mathew Hendersons third wife!”

“Third wife? Is it another trophy wife? Because if so, I think she probably won't get in…”

“I heard she is! Well we have to wait and see.”

I hated doing this, but it was what was expected of me. I am a Milliton-Cortex and with that comes responsibilities like planning tea parties, and rejecting Mathew’s Hendersons trophy wives. Everything comes with a price. So if planning tea parties is the price, I might as well pay it, because it doesn’t cost that much. It filled up my time, and earned me praise so I got more than what I paid for. I put on my tea gloves and my hat, while I was still in the car. Because when I came to my parents house, it took me too long to put them on, which left them standing too long, which is a mortal edicate mistake. I was meeting a “future” member of the DAR, and as the President I had to be as formal as possible. I am the youngest President of the DAR in the charity's history, and I don’t want to lose that title. The car stopped, we arrived. The driver opened the door, and I stepped outside to greet the members and Mathew Hendersons new Wife.

“Oh you darling thing! How is the Academy Treating you?”

“Very well Mrs.Dolly, and how is your daughter Suzan?”

Mrs.Dolly went on about how her daughter Suzan was graduating, and was going to get married.

“Well that's wonderful Mrs.Dolly! But I have to greet the other members, maybe we could catch up at the after meeting tea?”

“Yes I would Like that very much.”

I greeted all the members, and I saw a tall blonde.

“That's her,” my mother whispered.

“Hello, you must be Liza Henderson! As the President of the DAR, I would love you to be a part of our wonderful organization!”

She stared at me and didn’t even answer or greet me. How disrespectful!

“Well ladies! I think it's time we start the acceptance trail for a wonderful candidate Liza Henderson, and we invite you all to stay for afternoon tea after the trail.”

The trial went normally, and I was starting to think that maybe if she were to be respectful earlier I would have her accepted .

“Well ladies, this was a wonderful trial and I really insist on everyone staying for some tea.”

Turning my direction toward Liza, with my fake smile I perfected, I said:

“I’m sorry Mrs.Henderson, but the council has decided that we will wait on our decision because you are one of so many amazing candidates, we will tell our decision in a couple of days.”

Liza got up and walked straight up to the council and pointed at us and said,

“You won't let me in because I didn’t answer you earlier, but you know why I didn’t answer you? Because you haven't earned my respect.”

She locked her stare into mine.

“Mrs.Henderson, out of pure respect, I believe that you should have earned my respect, and despite your lack of manners today, I said that I will take your application into consideration because we only take a couple of members a year. After all, do you really want to hold a grudge against me? I did not lose any respect for you, even though you made yourself clear that you have none for me. As we where ladies, let's go out to the courtyard for some afternoon tea.”

As I walked down the hall to get to the courtyard, my mother caught up to me.

“You did a wonderful job handling Liza Henderson! So professional too!”

“Why thank you mother, would you mind helping me set the tea cups, the servants never do it correctly.”

Something was really wrong, my mother never complimented me or said anything about my handlings. The only thing she ever meant that was sincere was, “Ladies shouldn’t play golf.”

My phone started to ring.

“You should go answer it Klara, I’ll entertain the ladies for a while.”

“Thank you mother.”

I ran into the hallway, and picked up the phone:

“Hey Klari, your father expects me to golf!”

“Yeah… Why is it such a big deal?”

“I suck at it!”

“Why, Vincent Lockridge sounds defeated!”

“What am I supposed to do?!”

“I’ll be coming to the Club later, and you could practice with my father.”

“I don’t believe you know how to golf! Your fibbing!”

“We will find out on the course.”

I hung up, that was one sexist thing for Vincent to say. 

“Oh hello doll! Come and sit with us, we have another event to plan!”

“Why yes Mrs.Kaylock as a matter of fact we do! So for  our next party I fought, we could do a 1950’s theme or we could go with a  war theme.”

The other members started chit chatting about  what other themes could be used.

“I’m sorry ladies, but Vice President Alice will conduct the rest of the tea, I have to attend a business meeting.”