Chapter 9:
"Gwen!" Rebecca called from downstairs of their mansion. "Gwen!"
"What is it, Mother?" Gwen grumbled. She didn't want to deal with her parents right
now. And she could feel that whatever it was that her mother was so excited about was
something that wouldn't reciprocate with her.
She went downstairs. Rebecca followed her to the dining room where Jonathan
already was having lunch.
Once they were seated, Rebecca began to talk. "I just received an invitation
yesterday to a dance party. It's for tonight."
Gwen narrowed her eyes in suspicion. The only other family that could host such a
dance party in this town were the Cranes.....
"It's at the Crane Mansion," Rebecca added quickly. She gave a hopeful look
Gwen's way. "Now, Gwenie," she began before her daughter could begin to protest, "I know
that you are upset that Ethan has hurt you. But now it's his turn to be hurt. You my dear
should bring a DATE to this Crane gala party so he'll become JEALOUS." It was said in such
a way to make it seem like it was the most simple and obvious plan in the world - like a natural
reflex on how to deal with the circumstances Ethan had inflicted on Gwen's life.
Gwen threw the napkin that was on her lap onto the table. "No, Mother!" she cried
out. "I will not do that. I don't need to do that. I am getting over Ethan. I don't care. I will not
belittle myself just so the two of you," she said, pointing to both of her parents, "can be
relieved not to have to deal with the gossip that little miss Gwen Hotchkiss has moved on over
Ethan Crane with someone else." She stood up and walked back upstairs and into her room.
She was fuming with anger. How DARE they?! But she wasn't the least bit
surprised. She didn't mind going to the Crane party, but there was no way she would bring a
date. At least not for the purpose of making Ethan jealous. She was too good of a person to do
that!
Gwen sighed. Going to dinner parties like the one tonight had been one of her
favorite things to do. But that was back when she had Ethan on her arm and at her beck and
call. She didn't enjoy that now. Losing Ethan had changed so much in her life. She no longer
was as secure as she used to be. But she was definitely wiser. Sadder but wiser.
Gwen took out the credit cards from her purse and put it in her other purse. She
would go do what she she always did when she was down - shop.
Even if people were going to gossip about her tonight, she wouldn't give them the
ability to gossip about what she was wearing. She wanted to buy the prettiest dress for tonight.
And she would.
______________________________________________________________________________
Seven hours later, Gwen and her parents were making their way inside the Crane
Mansion. Gwen had bought a simple but very eloquent white dress that hugged her curves. It
looked so heavenly with her straight blond hair, which was loose around her shoulders.
"Rebecca! Jonathan! Gwen!" came a voice. The Hotchkisses turned around to see
Ivy Crane wheeling towards them in her wheelchair.
"Why hello Ivy," Rebecca answered, using fake saccharine sweetness.
"Gwen, dear," Ivy spoke up, turning to her. "May I talk to you alone for a minute,
please?"
Gwen knew she wasn't going to like whatever it was Mrs. Crane had to tell her.
After all, she was just like her mother Rebecca.
She followed Ivy to a corner of the room where they could talk alone.
"Honey, you look wonderful. As always. That's a good thing. I want Ethan to notice
you. I'm going to try to get him to talk to you and sit next to you during this dinner party. I
really don't like how he has dumped you for the head housekeeper's daughter. Gwen, the
press had a field day! I, along with Alastair and Julian, need for Ethan to be yours again."
Gwen smirked. "I'm sure you do. I can imagine how you must feel knowing that the
media loved reporting about Ethan Crane breaking up with Gwen Hotchkiss."
Ivy didn't like where this conversation was going, but she didn't know what to say.
Gwen continued to talk. "Can you imagine how I felt, though? The man I had been in
love with for ten years decided to dump me for the girl he met one day. Do you know how that
FEELS, Ivy?!"
Gwen looked at Ivy, waiting for her reaction. Ivy's attention had been diverted by
the new guests that had just arrived to the party. Sam Bennett and his family. Ivy's eyes took
on a look of longing, and for a second, Gwen felt like Ivy DID know how it felt to lose the man
you love. All too well.
"I know perfectly well, my dear," Ivy absent-mindedly said to Gwen, her gaze never
leaving Sam's. "Perfectly well." She sauntered away from her best friend's daughter, their
conversation seemingly closed, and went to greet the Bennett's.
Gwen did the same. She had never really known the Bennett's that well before,
other than Hank that is. She introduced herself to Jessica, Kay and Noah Bennett. She looked
over at Ivy who was saying hello to Sam. Gwen couldn't miss the angry look Mrs. Bennett
sent Ivy's way. It almost made her laugh.
"Hey, there beautiful," came a voice. Gwen felt someone tap her on the shoulder,
which broke her away from her reverie of watching Ivy with Sam.
She turned around to see who that person was. "Hank!" she exclaimed happily.
{a/n: gonna get better. trust me and keep reading. thnx for the reviews!}
"Gwen!" Rebecca called from downstairs of their mansion. "Gwen!"
"What is it, Mother?" Gwen grumbled. She didn't want to deal with her parents right
now. And she could feel that whatever it was that her mother was so excited about was
something that wouldn't reciprocate with her.
She went downstairs. Rebecca followed her to the dining room where Jonathan
already was having lunch.
Once they were seated, Rebecca began to talk. "I just received an invitation
yesterday to a dance party. It's for tonight."
Gwen narrowed her eyes in suspicion. The only other family that could host such a
dance party in this town were the Cranes.....
"It's at the Crane Mansion," Rebecca added quickly. She gave a hopeful look
Gwen's way. "Now, Gwenie," she began before her daughter could begin to protest, "I know
that you are upset that Ethan has hurt you. But now it's his turn to be hurt. You my dear
should bring a DATE to this Crane gala party so he'll become JEALOUS." It was said in such
a way to make it seem like it was the most simple and obvious plan in the world - like a natural
reflex on how to deal with the circumstances Ethan had inflicted on Gwen's life.
Gwen threw the napkin that was on her lap onto the table. "No, Mother!" she cried
out. "I will not do that. I don't need to do that. I am getting over Ethan. I don't care. I will not
belittle myself just so the two of you," she said, pointing to both of her parents, "can be
relieved not to have to deal with the gossip that little miss Gwen Hotchkiss has moved on over
Ethan Crane with someone else." She stood up and walked back upstairs and into her room.
She was fuming with anger. How DARE they?! But she wasn't the least bit
surprised. She didn't mind going to the Crane party, but there was no way she would bring a
date. At least not for the purpose of making Ethan jealous. She was too good of a person to do
that!
Gwen sighed. Going to dinner parties like the one tonight had been one of her
favorite things to do. But that was back when she had Ethan on her arm and at her beck and
call. She didn't enjoy that now. Losing Ethan had changed so much in her life. She no longer
was as secure as she used to be. But she was definitely wiser. Sadder but wiser.
Gwen took out the credit cards from her purse and put it in her other purse. She
would go do what she she always did when she was down - shop.
Even if people were going to gossip about her tonight, she wouldn't give them the
ability to gossip about what she was wearing. She wanted to buy the prettiest dress for tonight.
And she would.
______________________________________________________________________________
Seven hours later, Gwen and her parents were making their way inside the Crane
Mansion. Gwen had bought a simple but very eloquent white dress that hugged her curves. It
looked so heavenly with her straight blond hair, which was loose around her shoulders.
"Rebecca! Jonathan! Gwen!" came a voice. The Hotchkisses turned around to see
Ivy Crane wheeling towards them in her wheelchair.
"Why hello Ivy," Rebecca answered, using fake saccharine sweetness.
"Gwen, dear," Ivy spoke up, turning to her. "May I talk to you alone for a minute,
please?"
Gwen knew she wasn't going to like whatever it was Mrs. Crane had to tell her.
After all, she was just like her mother Rebecca.
She followed Ivy to a corner of the room where they could talk alone.
"Honey, you look wonderful. As always. That's a good thing. I want Ethan to notice
you. I'm going to try to get him to talk to you and sit next to you during this dinner party. I
really don't like how he has dumped you for the head housekeeper's daughter. Gwen, the
press had a field day! I, along with Alastair and Julian, need for Ethan to be yours again."
Gwen smirked. "I'm sure you do. I can imagine how you must feel knowing that the
media loved reporting about Ethan Crane breaking up with Gwen Hotchkiss."
Ivy didn't like where this conversation was going, but she didn't know what to say.
Gwen continued to talk. "Can you imagine how I felt, though? The man I had been in
love with for ten years decided to dump me for the girl he met one day. Do you know how that
FEELS, Ivy?!"
Gwen looked at Ivy, waiting for her reaction. Ivy's attention had been diverted by
the new guests that had just arrived to the party. Sam Bennett and his family. Ivy's eyes took
on a look of longing, and for a second, Gwen felt like Ivy DID know how it felt to lose the man
you love. All too well.
"I know perfectly well, my dear," Ivy absent-mindedly said to Gwen, her gaze never
leaving Sam's. "Perfectly well." She sauntered away from her best friend's daughter, their
conversation seemingly closed, and went to greet the Bennett's.
Gwen did the same. She had never really known the Bennett's that well before,
other than Hank that is. She introduced herself to Jessica, Kay and Noah Bennett. She looked
over at Ivy who was saying hello to Sam. Gwen couldn't miss the angry look Mrs. Bennett
sent Ivy's way. It almost made her laugh.
"Hey, there beautiful," came a voice. Gwen felt someone tap her on the shoulder,
which broke her away from her reverie of watching Ivy with Sam.
She turned around to see who that person was. "Hank!" she exclaimed happily.
{a/n: gonna get better. trust me and keep reading. thnx for the reviews!}