Getting surgery today! Wish me luck. - Rae
Chapter Three:
"Holy shit, Alex, this place is huge," Olivia said, staring wide-eyed at the high ceiling of the entranceway. She was tempted to shout something at the chandelier and see if the echo bounced back down to her.
Alex sighed. "Now you see why I love my apartment and didn't want to move back in with my father after WITSEC. Can you imagine keeping up with a place like this?"
"I thought it was because he was an overbearing Senator who tries to tell you what to do with your life?"
"Mmm, don't open dinner conversation with that line, will you?" Alex reached down and took her girlfriend's hand. "Into the fray?"
"Bravely onward," Olivia intoned, not convinced that she was going to survive this encounter. However, the object of her horror, perhaps smelling her fear, had already been informed of their arrival and emerged from the next room.
Gripping Olivia's hand tightly enough to squeeze some of the blood from her arms, Alex offered her father a smile while Olivia regarded the older, mustached gentleman suspiciously. "Hello, Daddy."
The detective was good at her job for many reasons, and her powers of observation were pretty keen. She could see immediately where Alex got her steely blue gaze from, and the progenitor of that gaze was now casting it upon their joined hands.
"Alexandra," he replied, his tone completely unreadable.
Apparently, he was also where Alex got her amazing ability to unnerve and stymie as well. "Hello, Mr. Cabot," Olivia said, trying to reclaim her hand and offer it for a shake. Her fingers were not quite the right color, but she was too concerned to notice. Truthfully, she felt a little like a nervous teenager calling her girlfriend's father 'Mr. Cabot', but at the same time, she couldn't imagine using his first name.
"Aaah, Detective Benson," Alex's father said, his tone still completely incomprehensible to the normally very astute detective.
"It's a pleasure to see you again, Sir." She had some better idea of his attitude when he chose to ignore that remark.
She watched him turn away, walking towards the dining room.
"Sorry he's so rude," Alex said in a low tone. "He's so used to getting what he wants."
"What does he want?" Olivia hissed in return.
Alex sighed. "A perfect, obedient daughter with a rich husband and 2.5 grandchildren. He could do without the golden retriever though, he isn't fond of dogs."
Olivia's eyes narrowed. "Is he really that misogynistic?"
"Not misogynistic, mostly classist," said Alex. "He always encouraged me to pursue my education and career. He just has... certain ideas-"
"-Unreasonable expectations," Olivia corrected.
"-Expectations about how people of a particular, um, background should live their lives."
"Hmm... well, at the moment I think he expects us to go into lunch. It's not just us, is it?"
Alex shook her head. "No, my grandparents should be there." Blue eyes widened slightly. "Oh god... this is going to be one hell of a meal."
"Into the fray, as you just said... into the fray."
As Alex led her from the room, Olivia could not help noticing the lavish Christmas decorations that covered the house. There were fir branches and holly, but no mistletoe. Perhaps Alex's father had thought ahead and removed it on purpose. There were also expensive looking ornaments, some hand-carved wood, some bright and shiny new. The place smelled a little like gingerbread, and Olivia wondered whether or not the scent had come in a can. It looked like Martha Stewart had spent the past couple of weeks dressing the house up for some kind of Christmas magazine shoot.
"Alexandra!" A loud, irritated voice came from the smaller of the two dining rooms (two dining rooms? Olivia thought, Who the hell needed two dining rooms for anything?)
Alex sighed. "Do you think you can survive meeting my grandfather?"
"Is he anything like your father?"
"Nooo, I think my father might be considered child's play in comparison."
"Alexandra? Where are you?"
"Emerson, I'm sure she's coming in. Stop being so obstreperous." The voice was particularly female, and sounded fairly amused for such an austere tone.
"Grandma," Alex said, a small smile flitting across her face. "Okay you, it's time to meet your doom." Taking Olivia by the hand, she walked into the dining room.
Pleased with the lighter grip that Alex was using, Olivia allowed herself to be led by the hand. Sitting at the end of the table across from each other were Alex's grandparents, an older man that seemed to have lost most of his neck as he aged and looked particularly disgruntled behind the lenses of his glasses, and an older, well-dressed woman. Despite her age, she looked strangely majestic, perhaps in the way she carried herself. Unlike many of her peers, she had chosen not to dye her hair an unnatural color. Olivia could tell that, at one time, she had probably looked as beautiful as Alex. She offered Alex's grandmother a smile. If this is what she had to look forward to in her old age, she wasn't complaining.
Unlike her rather stilted greeting towards her father, Alex was more than eager to give her grandfather a hug, although it took him a little longer to stand up out of his chair. "Hello, Grandpa. Merry Christmas!"
Alex leaned down and kissed the old man on the cheek with affection.
"Merry Christmas, my girl." Sitting back down in his chair, he motioned to the one next to him. "Have a seat, have a seat."
"Emerson, I'm fairly sure they're supposed to be sitting over there." Alex's grandmother indicated two chairs set on the other side of the table. Olivia tried not to goggle at the sheer amount of cutlery on the table, or the fact that she really didn't know what to do with the bizarre shaped knife thing that was sitting just to the left of the rest of the knives. She also knew she'd never popped a Christmas Cracker that was as expensive as the ones laying across the plates.
"Oh, I'm sure that Alex won't mind sitting apart from her friend for a little while," he said, the dismissive quality of his voice making Olivia's eyes narrow.
"Um, Grandpa, this is Olivia," Alex said, gesturing to the detective and trying to explain herself.
When Alex's grandfather did not respond, his wife took it upon herself to clasp Olivia's hand warmly. "Hello, dear. Alex has told us all about you. We're so glad that you've decided to join us."
Taken aback by her welcoming attitude, Olivia offered a hesitant smile in return. "Thank you," she said sincerely. Sitting down in the chair closest to Alex's grandmother, Olivia gently pulled her chair into the table. "Mrs. Cabot-"
"Oh dear, it's Edna."
Olivia smiled. "Edna." She looked across the table to where Alex was sitting next to her grandfather, chair pulled close, laughing gently at something he was saying. "It's nice to meet you, Alex has told me about you, too."
"Oh dear, no wonder you looked so scared when you walked through the door."
The detective smiled. "It's a little intimidating."
"Oh, don't let the men folk get to you, darlin'. They're just a bunch of old fuddy duddies."
"What was that, mother?" Alex's father took his place at the head of the table and smiled at Mrs. Cabot.
"I was just saying how wonderful it is that Olivia was able to join us," she said, communicating her silent approval with her gaze.
Alex's father, however, ignored the remark. "Alex, dear, did you like your Christmas present?"
Olivia, who had not known about any Christmas present from Alex's father, looked between the two curiously. Her lover, on the other hand, seemed vaguely uncomfortable.
"It was very generous, father."
"It should come in handy with the DA's department. Political connections are everything in this game and most influential people are members."
Alex smiled, but Olivia could see that it hadn't gone to her eyes.
"I managed to wrangle Alexandra a membership to the Club mother, it took some words in ears but it will be very worth it in the end."
Olivia didn't know if she was supposed to say anything, especially when Alex was looking at her rather pleadingly. She opened her mouth to reply and then closed it again when a waiter came in to speak to Mr. Cabot. A Waiter? Who the hell had a waiter at their Christmas lunch? The Cabots, apparently.
Still trying to get over the surprise of the waiter, Olivia noticed that Alex seemed genuinely upset. Of course, Alex was always the model of politeness and decorum, and Olivia was probably the only one who could truly read her emotions beneath the calm mask, but it was there all the same.
Since she couldn't soothe Alex verbally, she settled for reaching across the table with one foot and pressing against Alex's toes in a silent message. At least, she hoped they were Alex's toes, because otherwise that meant that the stiff Mr. Cabot or the ruffled looking Emerson were wearing heels, and that would be more than she could handle. She was already frazzled enough.
Even though she suspected that Alex was only joking, she felt extremely uncomfortable in this setting. 'This is ridiculous,' she thought, trying to build up her confidence. She was a respected police detective. She had been through much more frightening experiences than a family dinner. In fact, she had spent more time than she was comfortable with flattering, cajoling, and cozying up to people in order to get information. Of course, many of her suspects thought she was a bitch, but most people considered her a charming, nice person. Alex certainly did. Now, she just had to get that impression across to Alex's family.
There was just a flicker of one raised eyebrow in response before Alex got up and moved around the table to sit next to Olivia.
"So, I hope we're in for the usual feast, Papa."
"Well, of course, Mrs, Beaton has been hard at work."
They had a chef? One called Mrs. Beaton, apparently. Olivia tried to take it all in, while simultaneously praying that she didn't use the wrong cutlery. A subtle squeeze under the table on her knee made her relax ever so slightly.
"So, seventeen courses of heavenly goodness?" Alex's voice was teasing and joyful, but Olivia felt her stomach lurch. Seventeen courses?
"That sounds wonderful," she said, putting on a winning smile. She could do this. She had been at formal social functions before as part of her job. This was no different – and yet it was completely alien to her. She was dealing with Alex's family, and their opinions mattered to her. "Thank you so much for having me today."
"Honey," Alex leaned over. "It'll be five courses, maximum. Seventeen courses would just be ridiculous."
Even though Olivia was happy that she and Alex at least could read each other's minds, she was still not sure she could manage five courses.
"Besides, once Emerson and Alexander have had a few wines, they'll be much more entertaining," Edna confided. "They're far too stiff when sober."
"Mother!" "Edna!" Both men exclaimed at once.
"You were named after your father? You never told me that," Liv said to the woman sitting to her left.
"Why would you know?" Emerson asked grumpily, adjusting his necktie.
"Because Olivia is my girlfriend," Alex explained tiredly, sounding like a mother reminding a child to look both ways before crossing the street.
Olivia swallowed nervously. "Of course," said Emerson, just as dismissively as before. "But I'm still not sure why you wanted to bring a friend to Christmas dinner."
"It's lunch," Alex corrected, a little coldly.
"Early dinner, then. Doesn't she have family of her own to celebrate with?"
"Olivia is my family, Grandpa."
"Well, perhaps we should be getting on with the first course!" Alexander Cabot lifted his glass to the waiter who offered a small amount of red wine, which he sniffed pretentiously. "This is a charming vintage father, one I put down a few years ago."
Olivia could have sworn that Alex rolled her eyes. She was absolutely sure that Edna did.
"Oh, stop your waffling, Alexander, what's for starters?"
"Prawn, Fennel, and Orange salad, ma'am," the waiter responded.
Well, at least that sounded edible.
"That's a lovely bracelet, my dear. Was it a Christmas present?" Edna leaned over, tracing her finger over the delicate silver band that circled Olivia's wrist.
"Yes, Alex gave it to me."
"Humph, in my day we didn't get so generous with friends."
Trying not to let the hurt show on her face, Olivia absently caressed the cool metal of the bracelet with her other hand. Working with violent criminals, she had suffered insults that were far worse, but the references to her family stung.
Across the table, Alexander Cabot spoke up. "Did you know that Raymond is back in the city, Alexandra?"
Feeling another squeeze of her hand, Olivia watched as Alex steeled herself and then replied. "Raymond and I aren't friends, father."
"Why not?" Alex's father asked, frowning at his daughter from the head of the table as the waiter set the first course in front of them. For some reason, Olivia did not feel much of an appetite even though the food looked delicious. "He's from an excellent family."
"Father, what family you're from doesn't have much bearing on how nice you are. Raymond, frankly, is a Neanderthal."
Olivia's eyes widened slightly as she scooped some fennel into her mouth.
"So many men are," Edna agreed cheerfully.
The detective had to hold back a snort at the sheer irony of Emerson Cabot's response to the conversation merely being a grunt.
"Case in point," added his wife.
Carefully observing Alex, Olivia set about picking through the first course of the meal. She felt a little like a trained monkey trying to copy the other people at the table.
"So, how did you meet this Raymond," she asked softly in Alex's ear, trying to ascertain whether or not he was a threat. She knew that Alex was hers, body, mind, and soul, but if her lover had any unwelcome admirers, she wanted to know about it.
"Son of someone my father knows," Alex replied in a low tone. "Thought he was a shoe in for me losing my pants after taking me to coffee. Needless to say, not my type."
"Mmm... do I need to get the boys involved?"
"I don't think so. Raymond knows where he stands, it's -" Alex nodded ever so subtly towards her father, "- who won't get the message."
"Ok."
The blonde grinned, baring white teeth. "Don't worry darlin', you're safe."
"What?" Emerson, gruffly and quite rudely interrupted. "What are you young snigger whappers talking about?"
"It's whipper-snappers dear, and you really should wear your hearing aids to family dinners," said his wife.
Feeling much more secure in Alex's affections even though she knew that she really not needed to worry in the first place, some of Olivia's confidence returned. "So, Mr. Cabot, what is it that you do? I'm afraid Alex has never told me. I know that you have your own exclusive law firm, but she never told me what kind."
"We generally work with corporations," Alexander Cabot said dismissively, not bothering to go into specifics that he assumed (incorrectly) Olivia would not understand. "I still can't believe that my Alexandra is a prosecutor of all things. She's much too high class to work with dangerous felons."
"You should be very proud of her," Olivia said, "she's wonderful at what she does." Even though a tiny part of her agreed with him, she knew the people of New York City could have no better attorney putting the bad guys away. Alex, who was unused to having anyone else come to her defense when it came to her father, gave Olivia a dazzling smile.
"Thank you, love."
"It's true. You're amazing."
"Where's the second course?" Emerson said. "And weren't we talking about this Raymond fella? Who is he? Is he your boyfriend, Alex?"
"Emerson, for God's sake, either drink less or more wine," Edna cut in frustratedly.
"Grandma, it's okay."
"Well, I see we have our usual Christmas decorum," Alexander Cabot intoned while dabbing his lips gently with his napkin.
Olivia, so stunned amongst the strange bipolar Cabot Christmas, which she admittedly had expected to be a little more restrained, hadn't quite finished her starter when the waiter came to take it from her with a slightly pointed look. She jumped when he appeared at her shoulder, and then jumped a little again when she felt a well manicured hand squeeze her thigh just a little bit higher than it had been resting before. It was still in a safe zone, but knowing Alex, wouldn't stay there for long.
As she had anticipated, Alex's slender hand began to slide teasingly up along her thigh as the waiter left them to finish their second course. "So, why is this Lisa person here instead of your young man?" Emerson asked, unwilling to drop the subject.
Olivia was content to let the comment slide, but Alex had no such restraint. "Because Olivia is the one I'm with, Grandpa," she said pointedly.
"I know that, she's right next to you," he muttered.
"That's not what I-"
"This is really delicious," Olivia interrupted, trying to smooth over the rough patch in the conversation. "My compliments to Mrs. Beaton." The name ended with a slight hitch of her breath as Alex's fingertips dipped beneath the hem of her dress, exploring garter straps and the soft tan skin just above. Olivia tried to reach under the table and stop her discreetly, but Alex batted her hand away.
When fingernails scratched over her skin, Olivia had to make a choice: Alex's hand had to go, or she had to get up and leave.
Firmly grasping the blonde's hand she moved it off her thigh and returned to her dinner, trying to pretend nothing had changed.
"Alexandra, have you thought about moving into the Fraud Investigation squad like I suggested?" Alexander Cabot smiled at his daughter. "I'm fairly sure Senator Green could give you a helpful hand up the line. Fast promotion track and all that."
"I'm not sure prosecuting your friends is what Alex has in mind for her career dear," Edna said in the most offhand manner that Olivia had ever heard. The way the Cabots spoke to each other was almost unbelievable, but the detective was fast becoming very attached to the doyenne of the family.
"Oh dear lord," Alex muttered under her breath.
"Alex's name is definitely getting out there," Olivia added, trying to appease Alexander Cabot. "She was on the news the other day..."
"For the gang rape down in Chelsea?" Alex asked. Sometimes, it was hard to keep track. Work kept her very busy.
"Alexandra! Please don't discuss such things at the dinner table. This is exactly why I think you would be much more suited to a more streamlined, respectable career in the law."
Olivia was extremely grateful that Alex's hand disappeared when the waiter came to remove the second course plates. She took the opportunity to slide her chair out from the table, preventing the hand from returning, and to stand gently.
"Please excuse me," she said. "I think I might need to..."
Edna smiled. "Use the facilities?"
Olivia, more grateful than she could say because she couldn't think of a polite way to ask for the bathroom, nodded.
"Down the corridor to the left."
And the brunette fled.
Sez and I would like to thank you for all of the kind reviews. You've been so awesome and we really appreciate you fans for writing to us. I read every review and put it in a file to save forever. Know what would be a cool goal? 100 reviews before this story is over! Think we can do it, Clom?