Chapter nine
Bloomingdale's
"Come on people! The party's at nine. Let's get this over with." Fox said pacing in the area outside the fitting room in Bloomingdale's.
"We're done."
"Great, what size is she?"
"One and a half."
"What? Are you saying she's smaller than me?" Fox asked.
"No, of course not, Mrs. Xanatos."
"Here's an extra hundred. Jesse let's go!"
Jesse stormed out of the fitting room back in her jeans and T-shirt. Brianna came to her side.
"I've just been violated." Jesse said angrily. "They're gonna make me wear a dress."
Brianna cradled Jesse head on her shoulder. "We all have to make some sacrifices."
"Sure. You don't have to go through any of this. You can go pick a dress get one in your size and you're done."
"Can we quit our griping and get this finished?" Fox asked hurrying along.
Jesse and Brianna ran to catch up. When they reached her, Fox was talking with a sales clerk.
Jesse crossed her arms, and stood obediently beside Fox.
"Is this the young heiress?"
"This is her." Fox said putting a hand on Jesse's shoulder.
"Well. I'll see what I can find."
* * *
Jesse walked out of the dressing room sulking.
"It's perfect." Fox said. "What do you think Owen?"
Owen who was standing behind Fox gave Jesse a once over. His cool blue eyes gave Jesse the chills and made her want to crawl in a hole.
"Very stunning." He said, without great interest.
"Wonderful. Brianna, you're next."
Brianna had to go through the same ordeal Jesse did, and Jesse just stood there snickering at her.
"I fail to see what's so funny." Brianna said putting her hands on her hips.
Even Owen seemed to have a glimmer in his eyes, almost like he enjoyed watching other people suffer.
* * *
The guests began arriving at eight fifty-five. Jesse watched from her balcony as the cars pulled up, people got out, and valets got in, to park the vehicles.
Fox knocked on the door. "Jesse! Hurry up. You don't want to keep the guests in suspense, do you?"
Jesse sighed and went to open the door.
Fox was wearing a long green velvet dress, and her hair sparkled with rhinestones. Jesse could see the small bulge at her middle that was to be her first born child.
"You're not even dressed yet! Jessondra the party's in five minutes!"
"Yeah, so?"
"Put your dress on and get downstairs. Ten minutes and no longer."
Jesse reluctantly went into her private bathroom to put on the dress.
* * *
Jesse stood at the top of the steps where no one could see her, but she could see the entire proceedings below. She was decked in a blue satin gown with a diamond necklace and earrings. She sighed and began her descent of the stairs.
* * *
"And as I was saying, those news vultures are just buzzing trying to get info on--" The guest paused as Jesse descended down the stairs.
As she passed one of the servants Jesse swore that she was humming Tale as Old as Time.
"Who's the beauty?" The guest asked. "and where's the beast?"
"You, sir, are looking at the heiress to Xanatos Enterprises." Xanatos said smiling proudly as if she were his own daughter.
"She is quite lovely."
"Of course she is. Jesse come over here."
Jesse did as she was told, sighing in the process.
"Jesse, I want you to meet Mr. Bill Gates."
"How do you do?" he asked kissing her hand.
Xanatos swore that she would be impertinent, but she surprised him
"I'm just fine. Tis a pleasure to meet ye, Mr. Gates." She said not bothering to hide her accent.
"The pleasure's all mine." Bill said, and as she walked off, he turned to Xanatos. "Quite a lovely child. Definitely a find among the juveniles of today."
* * *
Jesse sighed loudly and wandered out onto the balcony. As she sat on one of the stone bench, she heard someone follow after her. She spun around ready to tackle whoever was disturbing her. Brianna stood there equally beautiful in a shimmery purple gown.
"Oh, it's just you."
"Gee, thanks for making me feel welcome." Brianna said taking a seat beside Jesse. "So, are we having fun yet?" Jesse glared at her. "I saw you getting friendly with Bill Gates. You didn't even bother to hide your accent."
"Yeah, so?"
"Jesse, do you know who he is?"
"No. Who?"
"Only one of the richest men in the entire world. Jesse, he created the first PC."
"Oh really? Remind me to thank him for that confusing bit of machinery." Jesse said sarcastically.
"Lighten up. Geez, you're acting like they're sending you to the guillotine."
"What makes you so sure they aren't?" Jesse asked. "You don't know them the way I do."
"They seem nice enough."
"Don't be deceived."
"Miss Xanatos?" Owen stood there stiffly on at the door.
"What? And don't call me that."
"Very well, Miss Xanatos. Mr. Xanatos requests your presence. Now."
Jesse huffed and stood to be escorted back in by the walking fencepost.
As soon as Owen touched her, the being inside him jumped. There was something about this girl that wasn't human, and Puck could sense the magic emanating from her body. Owen shoved the nagging voice to the back of his mind, and continued to take her to the front of the room.
"Ah, here she is now." Xanatos said directing the crowds attention to Jesse as she walked up the aisle beside Owen. "I propose a toast. To Jessondra, heiress to Xanatos Enterprises and my daughter, may you enjoy your life here with us."
Everyone lifted their glasses to the ceiling then drank.
"Great. Now get back to your socializing." Xanatos said setting his glass on the table. He motioned Jesse and Brianna to him. "Hello girls, having fun?"
"No." Jesse said crossing her arms.
"I am Mr. Xanatos. Wow, the people at school won't believe me when I say I met Bill Gates."
"I'm sure they won't." Xanatos said smiling. "Dinner is about to be served. Jesse, would you like to call everybody to order?"
"Really?" Xanatos nodded. "Okay, what do I say?"
"Try. . ."
* * *
"Can I have everyone's attention?" Jesse asked loudly, standing at the head table. A hush settled over the room. "Dinner, is served."
As she spoke, the servants pulled the covers off of the silver platters and the room was soon filled with delicious smells. The head table was served first then the various other tables that were scattered throughout the Great Hall.
Jesse stared at the plate of food in front of her and swallowed hard. Fox, who was sitting next to her gave her a worried look.
"Jesse, darling, what ever is the matter?"
"Nothing, I'm just not very hungry." The room began to spin. She could hear Brianna's voice, but it sounded like it was under water.
She got a falling sensation, then felt the impact of the cold stone floor.
Bloomingdale's
"Come on people! The party's at nine. Let's get this over with." Fox said pacing in the area outside the fitting room in Bloomingdale's.
"We're done."
"Great, what size is she?"
"One and a half."
"What? Are you saying she's smaller than me?" Fox asked.
"No, of course not, Mrs. Xanatos."
"Here's an extra hundred. Jesse let's go!"
Jesse stormed out of the fitting room back in her jeans and T-shirt. Brianna came to her side.
"I've just been violated." Jesse said angrily. "They're gonna make me wear a dress."
Brianna cradled Jesse head on her shoulder. "We all have to make some sacrifices."
"Sure. You don't have to go through any of this. You can go pick a dress get one in your size and you're done."
"Can we quit our griping and get this finished?" Fox asked hurrying along.
Jesse and Brianna ran to catch up. When they reached her, Fox was talking with a sales clerk.
Jesse crossed her arms, and stood obediently beside Fox.
"Is this the young heiress?"
"This is her." Fox said putting a hand on Jesse's shoulder.
"Well. I'll see what I can find."
* * *
Jesse walked out of the dressing room sulking.
"It's perfect." Fox said. "What do you think Owen?"
Owen who was standing behind Fox gave Jesse a once over. His cool blue eyes gave Jesse the chills and made her want to crawl in a hole.
"Very stunning." He said, without great interest.
"Wonderful. Brianna, you're next."
Brianna had to go through the same ordeal Jesse did, and Jesse just stood there snickering at her.
"I fail to see what's so funny." Brianna said putting her hands on her hips.
Even Owen seemed to have a glimmer in his eyes, almost like he enjoyed watching other people suffer.
* * *
The guests began arriving at eight fifty-five. Jesse watched from her balcony as the cars pulled up, people got out, and valets got in, to park the vehicles.
Fox knocked on the door. "Jesse! Hurry up. You don't want to keep the guests in suspense, do you?"
Jesse sighed and went to open the door.
Fox was wearing a long green velvet dress, and her hair sparkled with rhinestones. Jesse could see the small bulge at her middle that was to be her first born child.
"You're not even dressed yet! Jessondra the party's in five minutes!"
"Yeah, so?"
"Put your dress on and get downstairs. Ten minutes and no longer."
Jesse reluctantly went into her private bathroom to put on the dress.
* * *
Jesse stood at the top of the steps where no one could see her, but she could see the entire proceedings below. She was decked in a blue satin gown with a diamond necklace and earrings. She sighed and began her descent of the stairs.
* * *
"And as I was saying, those news vultures are just buzzing trying to get info on--" The guest paused as Jesse descended down the stairs.
As she passed one of the servants Jesse swore that she was humming Tale as Old as Time.
"Who's the beauty?" The guest asked. "and where's the beast?"
"You, sir, are looking at the heiress to Xanatos Enterprises." Xanatos said smiling proudly as if she were his own daughter.
"She is quite lovely."
"Of course she is. Jesse come over here."
Jesse did as she was told, sighing in the process.
"Jesse, I want you to meet Mr. Bill Gates."
"How do you do?" he asked kissing her hand.
Xanatos swore that she would be impertinent, but she surprised him
"I'm just fine. Tis a pleasure to meet ye, Mr. Gates." She said not bothering to hide her accent.
"The pleasure's all mine." Bill said, and as she walked off, he turned to Xanatos. "Quite a lovely child. Definitely a find among the juveniles of today."
* * *
Jesse sighed loudly and wandered out onto the balcony. As she sat on one of the stone bench, she heard someone follow after her. She spun around ready to tackle whoever was disturbing her. Brianna stood there equally beautiful in a shimmery purple gown.
"Oh, it's just you."
"Gee, thanks for making me feel welcome." Brianna said taking a seat beside Jesse. "So, are we having fun yet?" Jesse glared at her. "I saw you getting friendly with Bill Gates. You didn't even bother to hide your accent."
"Yeah, so?"
"Jesse, do you know who he is?"
"No. Who?"
"Only one of the richest men in the entire world. Jesse, he created the first PC."
"Oh really? Remind me to thank him for that confusing bit of machinery." Jesse said sarcastically.
"Lighten up. Geez, you're acting like they're sending you to the guillotine."
"What makes you so sure they aren't?" Jesse asked. "You don't know them the way I do."
"They seem nice enough."
"Don't be deceived."
"Miss Xanatos?" Owen stood there stiffly on at the door.
"What? And don't call me that."
"Very well, Miss Xanatos. Mr. Xanatos requests your presence. Now."
Jesse huffed and stood to be escorted back in by the walking fencepost.
As soon as Owen touched her, the being inside him jumped. There was something about this girl that wasn't human, and Puck could sense the magic emanating from her body. Owen shoved the nagging voice to the back of his mind, and continued to take her to the front of the room.
"Ah, here she is now." Xanatos said directing the crowds attention to Jesse as she walked up the aisle beside Owen. "I propose a toast. To Jessondra, heiress to Xanatos Enterprises and my daughter, may you enjoy your life here with us."
Everyone lifted their glasses to the ceiling then drank.
"Great. Now get back to your socializing." Xanatos said setting his glass on the table. He motioned Jesse and Brianna to him. "Hello girls, having fun?"
"No." Jesse said crossing her arms.
"I am Mr. Xanatos. Wow, the people at school won't believe me when I say I met Bill Gates."
"I'm sure they won't." Xanatos said smiling. "Dinner is about to be served. Jesse, would you like to call everybody to order?"
"Really?" Xanatos nodded. "Okay, what do I say?"
"Try. . ."
* * *
"Can I have everyone's attention?" Jesse asked loudly, standing at the head table. A hush settled over the room. "Dinner, is served."
As she spoke, the servants pulled the covers off of the silver platters and the room was soon filled with delicious smells. The head table was served first then the various other tables that were scattered throughout the Great Hall.
Jesse stared at the plate of food in front of her and swallowed hard. Fox, who was sitting next to her gave her a worried look.
"Jesse, darling, what ever is the matter?"
"Nothing, I'm just not very hungry." The room began to spin. She could hear Brianna's voice, but it sounded like it was under water.
She got a falling sensation, then felt the impact of the cold stone floor.