Jake watched the crowd as they danced around the ballroom floor at the Embassy. He'd gotten many looks from some of the women there as he walked through the crowd, but he just felt like hiding in a corner. To make matters worse, Sasche and Frank hadn't shown up yet. He felt rotten and wanted to be anywhere but here. If and when Sasche showed up with Frank, he might beg off the rest of the night with the complaint of an upset stomach and go home.
He leaned up against the wall, hands held lightly in his pockets. Alex and Monica were also walking through the crowd. It was easy to spot them, one only had to follow the wake of male heads turning. Alex looked absolutely fabulous in her firey scarlet gown and Monica was sharp in her silver satin gown. Both of them were all smiles to Jake when they saw him in his tuxedo, but they were hollow compliments on his ears without Sasche giving them.
Both Alex and Monica had come to him yesterday after Father Micheal had pulled him aside. They'd explained that they themselves didn't know until they went shopping with Sasche that she was Frank's sister. They also explained that Sasche didn't know that they worked for her brother until that day also. Everything was a misunderstanding, a monumental one at that.
"That doesn't explain why she didn't tell me her name was Donovan, or why you two didn't tell me sooner."
Alex and Monica looked at each other. Finally, Alex spoke up. "It wasn't our place to.."
"Yes it was!" Several of the guests around them turned and looked. Jake smiled an apology and lowered his voice. "It was, Alex. I felt like a fool when she slapped me. By the way, why DID she slap me? It still stings!" He rubbed his cheek where she'd hit him two days ago.
"I'd guess she felt a bit betrayed." Monica whispered with a sigh. "There we were, Alex and me, who had gone shopping with her and hadn't told her yet that we knew who you were. If it makes you feel any better, she hasn't spoken with us since. Her last words were 'You knew, and you didn't tell me'. Of course, I don't think she expected Frank to find out, or worse, call her to the carpet on it. Jake, she cares for you. Talk to her."
"And get decked again? I don't think so." Jake had left them after that to walk through the people there. As he did, he kept watch for Sasche and Frank.
He looked at his watch again, they were over an hour late and hadn't called anyone
Sasche and Frank were knee deep in an argument of their own about the same time that Jake, Alex and Monica were arguing over the revelation two days ago.
"I'm not going!" The yell was punctuated by the slamming of the door to her bedroom.
"Yes, you are! Even if I have to drag you out and dress you myself! Sasche Renwicke you're acting like a spoiled child!"
The door flew open and she glared at him. "So forgive me if I don't feel like facing down that liar!"
Frank sighed. For the last two days, she hadn't called Jake by his name, instead calling him 'the liar'. "He didn't lie to you Sasche, how many times do I have to tell you that??"
"Oh yes he did!! He had every opportunity to tell me that he worked for you and he never did!" She threw a black silk slipper at him and picked up her stockings.
Each time she threw the door to the bedroom open, she was in a different state of dress. The first slamming was her in her bathrobe with no makeup on and her hair wrapped in a towel. The second time she had makeup on and her hair dried, but still in a bathrobe. The third time she had her undergarments on and her hair twisted up and soft ropes of curls framing her face. This time she grabbed up her stockings and slammed the door again.
"Sasche, he didn't lie to you. He didn't know who you were." Frank had caught the slipper and sighed. Damned if she wasn't a foul tempered hellion when her dander was up. Still silence was his answer on the other side of the door. "Did you hear me, Renny? He didn't know that you were my sister. No one knew until a few days ago when I told them. I'd kept your existence a secret from them because I was trying to protect you. What I do is dangerous work and if they knew, the chances of that information slipping out could endanger your life. I'm sorry, Ren, I truly am. I never thought that you and Jake would ever meet on your own."
The sound of a click brought his attention around to the bedroom door behind him. Sasche walked out, completely dressed and one show in hand. His eyes widened at the sight of her dress, but he didn't say anything as he handed her the one shoe she'd thrown at him. She didn't say anything at all as she sat down and put her shoes on. As she leaned over, Frank had to bite down on his tongue to keep from asking where the rest of her clothing was.
"I'm sorry, Frank. For being a royal bitch yesterday and today." Her voice was quiet as she toyed with her hands. She had one ring on, the ring their mother had given her when she graduated from the Royal Dance Academy in London. "I just... "
"I know, Ren. I know. Let's go. I'm sure if you talked to Jake, then you two can get things straightened out between you."
He stood up and put her wrap over her shoulders as she headed towards the door.
****
He leaned up against the wall, hands held lightly in his pockets. Alex and Monica were also walking through the crowd. It was easy to spot them, one only had to follow the wake of male heads turning. Alex looked absolutely fabulous in her firey scarlet gown and Monica was sharp in her silver satin gown. Both of them were all smiles to Jake when they saw him in his tuxedo, but they were hollow compliments on his ears without Sasche giving them.
Both Alex and Monica had come to him yesterday after Father Micheal had pulled him aside. They'd explained that they themselves didn't know until they went shopping with Sasche that she was Frank's sister. They also explained that Sasche didn't know that they worked for her brother until that day also. Everything was a misunderstanding, a monumental one at that.
"That doesn't explain why she didn't tell me her name was Donovan, or why you two didn't tell me sooner."
Alex and Monica looked at each other. Finally, Alex spoke up. "It wasn't our place to.."
"Yes it was!" Several of the guests around them turned and looked. Jake smiled an apology and lowered his voice. "It was, Alex. I felt like a fool when she slapped me. By the way, why DID she slap me? It still stings!" He rubbed his cheek where she'd hit him two days ago.
"I'd guess she felt a bit betrayed." Monica whispered with a sigh. "There we were, Alex and me, who had gone shopping with her and hadn't told her yet that we knew who you were. If it makes you feel any better, she hasn't spoken with us since. Her last words were 'You knew, and you didn't tell me'. Of course, I don't think she expected Frank to find out, or worse, call her to the carpet on it. Jake, she cares for you. Talk to her."
"And get decked again? I don't think so." Jake had left them after that to walk through the people there. As he did, he kept watch for Sasche and Frank.
He looked at his watch again, they were over an hour late and hadn't called anyone
Sasche and Frank were knee deep in an argument of their own about the same time that Jake, Alex and Monica were arguing over the revelation two days ago.
"I'm not going!" The yell was punctuated by the slamming of the door to her bedroom.
"Yes, you are! Even if I have to drag you out and dress you myself! Sasche Renwicke you're acting like a spoiled child!"
The door flew open and she glared at him. "So forgive me if I don't feel like facing down that liar!"
Frank sighed. For the last two days, she hadn't called Jake by his name, instead calling him 'the liar'. "He didn't lie to you Sasche, how many times do I have to tell you that??"
"Oh yes he did!! He had every opportunity to tell me that he worked for you and he never did!" She threw a black silk slipper at him and picked up her stockings.
Each time she threw the door to the bedroom open, she was in a different state of dress. The first slamming was her in her bathrobe with no makeup on and her hair wrapped in a towel. The second time she had makeup on and her hair dried, but still in a bathrobe. The third time she had her undergarments on and her hair twisted up and soft ropes of curls framing her face. This time she grabbed up her stockings and slammed the door again.
"Sasche, he didn't lie to you. He didn't know who you were." Frank had caught the slipper and sighed. Damned if she wasn't a foul tempered hellion when her dander was up. Still silence was his answer on the other side of the door. "Did you hear me, Renny? He didn't know that you were my sister. No one knew until a few days ago when I told them. I'd kept your existence a secret from them because I was trying to protect you. What I do is dangerous work and if they knew, the chances of that information slipping out could endanger your life. I'm sorry, Ren, I truly am. I never thought that you and Jake would ever meet on your own."
The sound of a click brought his attention around to the bedroom door behind him. Sasche walked out, completely dressed and one show in hand. His eyes widened at the sight of her dress, but he didn't say anything as he handed her the one shoe she'd thrown at him. She didn't say anything at all as she sat down and put her shoes on. As she leaned over, Frank had to bite down on his tongue to keep from asking where the rest of her clothing was.
"I'm sorry, Frank. For being a royal bitch yesterday and today." Her voice was quiet as she toyed with her hands. She had one ring on, the ring their mother had given her when she graduated from the Royal Dance Academy in London. "I just... "
"I know, Ren. I know. Let's go. I'm sure if you talked to Jake, then you two can get things straightened out between you."
He stood up and put her wrap over her shoulders as she headed towards the door.
****