Chapter 273: Club TRIC

Saturday, January 28th, Evening

Walking into one of the parlors, Izzy looked over to see Kay and Ivy sitting on one of the sofas. Kay looked up at her sister-in-law and slowly leaned forward. Izzy canted her head.

"What'cha two doing?" Izzy asked.

"Sitting here," Kay said.

Izzy looked at Ivy, "Is this boring?" she asked.

Ivy shrugged, "We do this at home; it's not really exciting," she said.

Izzy smiled, "Good, I got an UBER coming, we're going out," she said.

"Just us three?" Ivy asked.

"You've not gotten to know Izzy yet, have you?" Kay asked.

Ivy shook her head, "No," she said.

"Izzy, hell, all her sisters do stuff like this," Kay said.

"Nice to know, c'mon, let's go," Izzy said.

"This is a very Chase thing to do," Kay said.

"Chase isn't here, so it falls to me," Izzy said.

"Who's Chase?" Ivy asked.

"Her sister," Kay said.

"Do we need to change for this?" Ivy asked.

"You don't have to change who you are; we're just having a few drinks," Izzy said.

"She means our clothes," Kay said.

"I know that," Izzy said.

"Where are we going?" Kay asked.

"Where do you think we're going?" Izzy asked.

"Would we not be let in with how we're dressed?" Ivy asked.

"Don't worry about it," Izzy said.

"We'll get in," Kay said.

Izzy nodded, "Good, let's collect the other wayward souls," she said.

"Wayward souls?" Ivy asked.

"The other ladies," Kay said.

"Oh!" Ivy said.

"Follow me," Izzy said.

Kay shrugged and tilted her head, and followed Izzy out of the parlor. Ivy just stared at the walls and artwork of the various galleries.

"This place is…" Ivy said.

"Over the top?" Kay asked.

"Yeah, that's one way to put it," Ivy said.

"This is meant to show status, and this is the muted side," Kay said, "and you've said it before."

"Oh!" Ivy said.

Izzy led them to another room. Ivy looked over the billiard's room and the three full-size pool tables. Kay stood in the door and watched as she talked to Candi and her two friends. After they finished speaking, they headed out to the foyer by the East Range's Parking Area. Soon after arriving at the entrance, where Fallon and Trin joined them.

Kay took it all in as they stood there in their small groups, not conversing. Of course, Fallon talked to Candi, and Ellie eventually joined the party. Ellie is mixing her conversation with Izzy, Trin, and Fallon. Izzy listened but tended to stay focused on her smartphone.

Finally, the UBER arrived, and they piled into the large SUV. Kay and Ivy found themselves in the back of the SUV. Izzy sat upfront as they headed out for the evening; the banter continued among the smaller groups as they arrived at Club TRIC. They unloaded from the vehicle, and Izzy settled up.

As on cue, Izzy led the group to the door of the club. The doorman waved them right in, and they kept going. The group followed Izzy to a series of couches that had a reserved sign on the table. The club light was the usual nighttime dim.

Izzy stopped and looked at Fawn, and smiled, "I'm being incredibly rude, but getting this group together is like herding cats. How are you doing, Fawn? It's good to see you again under better circumstances," she said.

Fawn smiled and hugged Izzy, "It's good to see you again as well. How's Keith?" she asked.

"He's been out of contact, so I'm assuming the best," Izzy said.

"It's all we could do; no news is good news," Fawn said.

"So, true," Izzy replied and looked at Candi, "I didn't expect to see you here, Candi."

"Long story, but well, I'm here; where's Angela?" Candi said.

"Where do you think?" Izzy asked.

Candi laughed, "Of course," she said, "Mads, this is my sister-in-law, Izzy."

Madyson walked to Izzy and was taller than her. "Madyson," she said.

"Izzy," Izzy replied.

"Izzy? That's short for?" Madyson asked.

"Izzy," Izzy said.

Candi pointed to Trin and Fallon, "That's Fallon, and Trin, there also my sisters-in-law," Candi said.

Madyson looked at Trin and Candi, "Sisters-in-law?" she asked.

"We're sisters," Trin said and pointed to Fallon and Izzy.

"My sister," Izzy said.

Madyson nodded, "Okay," she said.

Candi pointed to Ellie and Kay, "Those two are my sisters Kay and Ellie; Kay's the taller one," she said.

"Madyson," she said and shook each hand.

"Kay," Kay said.

"Ellie," Ellie said.

Kay stepped forward, "This is my girlfriend, Ivy," she said.

"Nice to meet you," Madyson said.

They took a seat around the couches, and a waitress finally came over.

"What can I get y'all?" The waitress asked.

"Beer good for everyone?" Izzy asked.

The woman nodded. "A pitcher of your best beer, and could you have Mrs. Burke come out, Meadow," Izzy said.

"Yes, Mrs. Scott," Meadow, the waitress, said and walked away.

"So, you're all related?" Madyson asked and gestured to a few of the women.

"Yeah," Ellie said, "we are."

"In one way or another," Izzy said.

"It's complicated," Candi said.

"How so?" Madyson asked.

"I find this interesting," Ivy said.

"It will make your ears bleed," Fawn said.

"I'll second that motion," Ivy said.

"Izzy and I are sisters, and Fallon is our step-sister. Fallon's dad married our mom," Trin said.

"Candi is my older half-sister," Ellie said.

"Half-sister?" Madyson asked.

"It's complicated," Candi said.

"Is everything complicated or a long-story here?" Madyson asked.

"Pretty much," Izzy said.

"I'll agree with that," Fawn said.

"I'll like to hear the bullet points," Madyson said.

"Where to start?" Izzy said.

"The beginning," Madyson said.

Candi sighed, "There were to Scott brothers, Keith and Dan. In high school got Karen pregnant but left her for college, where he got Deb pregnant. Dan married Deb, and they had a son named Nathan. Three months before Nathan was born, Karen gave birth to a son named Lucas. Dan wasn't involved in Lucas' life, but Keith, the older brother of Dan, helped raise Lucas. The two half-brothers, Lucas and Nathan, had little to do with each other until their junior year of high school when Lucas joined the basketball team. That's where it gets weird," Candi said.

"Weird? How?" Madyson asked.

"Every read an Unkindness of Ravens?" Trin asked.

"Yeah, I did," Ivy said, "Kay loaned me her copy."

"I borrowed Candi's copy," Madyson said.

"It's all true," Izzy said.

"It is?" Ivy asked.

Candi nodded, "Yeah, it is," she said.

"The names aren't the same," Madyson said.

"They were changed," Candi said.

"You've already met Landon and Becca," Izzy said.

"We have?" Madyson said.

"My Dad is Landon," Ellie said, to which Kay nodded.

"Who are you in the book?" Ivy asked Kay.

"Katy," Kay said, to which Ivy looked at Ellie.

"That makes you Emma," Ivy said.

Ellie nodded, "Yeah," she said.

"So, Izzy, that makes your mother Becca Davidson," Ivy said.

Izzy nodded, "Yes, it does," she said.

"I really liked Becca," Madyson said.

"Don't take this the wrong way; after reading the book, I thought it could appear on Jerry Springer," Ivy said.

Candi laughed, "Try living it," she said.

The waitress returned with a pitcher and multiple plastic cups. Meadow passed out everything, and Izzy started to pour out the beer.

Chase came over at this time and sat down. She looked around the crowd and nodded.

"Why do the newbies looked worried?" Chase asked.

"They found out the back story," Fallon said.

"Oh, well, it's a small town," Chase said and laughed.

"Chase, this is Madyson, Candi's friend and roommate, and that's Ivy, Kay's girlfriend," Izzy said and gestured to Madyson and Ivy.

"Hi, I'm Chase Burke, and welcome to Club TRIC," Chase said.

"I noticed one thing," Madyson said.

"What's that?" Candi asked.

"Most of you have nicknames; why's that?" Madyson asked.

"I was named for my grandma Karen, and Kay came about to tell us apart," Kay said.

"Ellie came about, so I didn't feel left out, and it wasn't Beatty or Liz," Ellie said.

Chase shrugged, "Izzy, Trin, and I don't like being called by our full names. We grew up with Candi, and she got included," she said.

"I never had one," Fallon said.

"Why don't you change your name to your nickname?" Ivy asked.

"Professionally, Trinity sounds better than Trin," Trin said.

"Representative Izzy Scott doesn't sound good," Izzy said.

"I don't want to be officially Chase Burke because I get confused for a guy a lot," Chase said.

"You're not drinking, Chase," Madyson said.

"I don't drink, and I'm working," Chase said.

"But you run a bar," Ivy said.

Chase shrugged, "Yeah, and I run it for my godmother's family because they trust me too," she said.

"Whose family is that?" Madyson asked.

"My Mom," Ellie said, "Chase is my mom's goddaughter."

"Your families are pretty tight," Madyson said.

Chase leaned forward, "You don't get it," she said, "Izzy is married to their brother; we are family."

Madyson nodded, and they went back to drinking and idle chatter.