Beth can't help but notice the way that Gotham City feels. There's something almost alluring about knowing the streets are dangerous and spending the night locked away in another charity ball. It's as if there are two worlds: the one she's currently trapped in that involves dresses, suits, and making yourself out to be a big shot and the underground that's covered in shadows and territories and thugs of all shapes, sizes, and colors. She sits on the border. Her arms rest on the railing of the balcony where just below she can see the flicker of movement in the black night. She could so easily be swept away by the night. And yet the doors behind her open up to a world of riches and arrogance, it's all an illusion. What makes these people in their expensive clothes any better than the ones below struggling to survive?
She's snapped awake when the door opens and a rush of warm air reaches her arms. "You shouldn't be out here. You'll get sick" her uncle scolds lightly.
"I know" she says and takes one last look down below. Then she turns and smiles at Uncle Tom. "I was just getting some air. It gets a little stuffy in there."
He nods, knowing the feeling exactly. He may be the one who has risen to fame and fortune, but even he finds the unnecessary amount of balls and events tiresome. "There does seem to be a lot of hot air in there" he laughs.
Beth laughs as well. "Almost ironic seeing as this is a charity event."
He nods and holds the door open for her. She takes one last breath of fresh air before stepping inside. Not surprisingly, no one has missed her or even noticed her absence. Her uncle, however, who's only been missing for a minute, is immediately swept up and taken out of sight to schmooze some businessman or other. The immediate Carter family is that that is under scrutiny. Her aunt Lina is crowded by the wives of dignitaries. Only Beth escapes the limelight as the niece and therefore not a direct heir to any fortune.
Over the years she has developed a system for handling these sorts of things. When she was a child, she used to escape easily and explore the grounds or else was doted upon by any couple that did not yet have a child and was looking for a little girl to spoil with compliments. As a teen she escaped the few that she did attend by making friends with anyone close to her age for the night. Now however, as a 28 year old, the only friends she makes are bartenders and the occasional bored-out-of-his-mind waiter.
She's already learned the name of this bartender even though she's only had one drink. Beth pulls up a seat close enough that she and Mike can have an actual conversation. "Welcome back Miss Carter."
Beth can't help but laugh. "Shh Mike! You're going to blow my cover and I'm going to have to go dance with some guy trying to make a deal with my uncle."
"What do you want me to call you then?" he asks and starts to mix a drink.
"Just Beth" she says. "If anyone asks I'm your cousin or something."
He smiles and nods. "Alright. So how long you think you'll have to stay at this thing?"
She groans and rests her chin in her hands. "Until it ends. We can never duck out early. Uncle Tom's always trapped by a bunch of guys trying to make business deals, mergers, or get him to invest in something pointless."
"You could leave on your own" he points out.
"If I had an excuse, which I don't" she notes.
"Well aren't there other people your age around?" He smiles hopefully and for a moment Beth thinks he's already tired of her company.
"Are you trying to get rid of me, Mike?" she asks in a teasing tone.
He shakes his head and when he does she realizes that his hair is pretty long and held back by a ponytail at the nape of his neck. "Nah, just trying to find a way for you to actually enjoy this thing. A lot of people in Gotham could never even imagine attending something like this."
"They don't know how awful it really is. I'd rather be at home with friends and family than be at something like this."
Mike smiles at her sadly. He may have only known her for a few hours, but it's obvious this isn't the life she would choose. "Doesn't exactly have the fairy tale ring, does it?"
Beth shakes her head sadly. Then, in the spur of the moment, she leans forward on the bar. "You know what my dad used to do whenever Uncle Tom invited us to one of these things? He would take me and my mom and on the way over we would make up aliases and pretend we were royalty or something stupid like that. Uncle Tom would just laugh when I would introduce myself as Princess Paraplop of London and my dad would say he was the Duke of China. You can't imagine how many people would turn and Google our names and see if we were real or not. We got security called on us more than once" she laughs and smiles with a far off look in her eyes.
Mike doesn't say anything as he watches her remember. Her eyes are cloudy and far off. He's heard of Tom Carter but never any brother of his. He must have died a long time ago.
A man down the bar motions Mike over. He buys two drinks but only takes a sip of one. He's dressed in an expensive suit that Mike can't identify and his hair is a bit longer than that of the majority of the other businessmen. He is younger as well. For a second, the man's eyes dart down the bar. He nods to Mike and then disappears with his drink to the edge of the crowd of people, not far enough away so that she can still see him.
Mike hands a rather fancy looking drink to Beth and stops her when she starts to protest. "Courtesy of the gentleman over there." Beth follows his nod to the man who's leaning against a marble pillar and trying to look casual.
Beth shakes her head but takes a sip anyway.
"How often does that happen?" Mike asks out of curiosity and only when he's sure that no one else is around to hear. If Mr. Harper, the host, walked by he'd be fired on the spot. He was told to serve and not make any kind of casual conversation with the guests.
Beth shrugs. "It depends on the stock market. If Carter Research International is doing well then maybe twice. If not, then it doesn't happen at all and I'm ignored."
"You're awful cynical" he notes with a smile to try and lighten the tone.
She smiles surprisingly. "Not cynical, real. I know when men are just puffing out their chests to make more money. It's all about money in this world" she says and waves her arms around casually.
Mike wipes a glass clean and drops ice into the bottom delicately. "Yes, but world isn't?"