I haven't updated this story since December. My school semester has kept me very busy but I find small pockets of time to work on my fanfiction stories.
Here's the next chapter to Living Life In The Fast Lane! This is another long chapter that focuses primarily on Nate and Vanessa in present day. If you need a slight reminder regarding the Nate/Vanessa reunion check out the previous chapter New Beginnings to Past Mistakes!
I'd greatly appreciate your constructive feedback! R&R!
Part 4: No Rest for the Naughty or Nice
To say Vanessa was stressed out, this was a huge understatement! Her new art gallery exhibit was scheduled in only one week. The featured artist, Sydney Moore, was still doing finishing touches on the last few art pieces. She didn't appreciate how Sydney hadn't completed all her artwork for this exhibit. Planning an Upper East Side holiday dinner party, her anxiety was increasingly heightened. The event planner, Natalie Parlere, working with her was anything but soothing her nerves. Natalie was supposedly one of the best Upper East Side event planners. Her inner Brooklyn girl was freaking out the entire time she had been planning this dinner party for the past month. She truly understood the pressure of planning and hosting an UES event. Nate hadn't interfered in the dinner party planning thankfully. Vanessa was at wits end with life in general. Christmas festivities were drawing to an end soon.
The NY Spectator opening in Chicago was successful. It went off without a hitch! Despite all the hardships encountered over the years, his company had exponentially grown within ten years. It was truly a dream come true. Nathaniel Fitzwilliam Archibald had escaped his predestinated fate to enter the complex world of politics. Van Der Bilt men legacies included their careers as politicians and being a good family man. Nate learned to stand up against his grandfather, William van der Bilt. One did not simply fight their destiny. He had absolutely no interest in politics. Eventually, William gave up pushing his agendas on his favorite grandson. Nate was able to forge his own destiny independent of his family's influence. His mother and father were wholly supportive of her son striving to make his company thrive.
The opening ceremonies for the unveiling of new NY Spectator office in Chicago had finished earlier than expected. This meant he could fly back to New York a day early. The past couple months Nate had been very cautious not to step on any land mines that would potentially set off his girlfriend since Vanessa was emotionally volatile. It was not a simple task for her to embrace into Upper East Side society and customs. He decided to rent out his apartment on the Upper East Side and move in with Vanessa. Every day had its challenges, but it was definitely worth it. All these years, Nathaniel had been waiting for the right person to come into his life except it turns out that not how it worked. The right girl needed to return back into his life. Vanessa Abrahams.
The flight arrived into JFK Airport on time luckily. Aimlessly staring out the cab window, the neon lights on the buildings blurred past him. He refused to read any work-related e-mails on the way back to their apartment. Vanessa had been extremely busy lately since their Christmas dinner party was in three days. Only their close friends and family would be attending. Unfortunately, there was still going to lots of guests at their Christmas party. Nate was meeting Vanessa's parents and older sister for the first time. It was a bit nerve wrecking. He never met them even when they dated many years ago. It was important both families approved of their relationship. Otherwise, it was would never work out in the long run despite all their best efforts.
Opening to the door, he quietly rolled his travel suitcase inside the SoHo apartment. Vanessa lounged on the couch fast asleep while the TV was still on. Lately, she would unwind after a hectic day of party planning by watching TV. He moved his suitcase into the bedroom and changed out of his business attire into comfortable clothing. Scooping Vanessa into his arms, Nate sauntered back to the bedroom. Sleep would do them a world of good considering how crazy stressful their lives were nowadays.
He hardly saw his girlfriend the next day. Being a film connoisseur, Vanessa had so much inspiration for the concept of the Christmas dinner party. Nate had no doubt she had planned a spectacular party. It would be great to finally be able to spend quality time with Vanessa after this dinner party. The holiday festivities were meant for family and friends to be together, but that wasn't necessarily true about the Upper East Side residents. It had been almost three and half months since they had gone out on a date. Their work schedules kept them extremely busy. Nate and Vanessa only found time in the late evenings to spend time together if their schedules allowed some downtime. Life was so damn hectic for both of them. Holiday parties only created additional unnecessary stress. Everybody was required to fulfill their various duties.
The next two days flew by as they resumed their normal activities. The day of the Christmas party had finally arrived. It was difficult to tell whether Vanessa or Nate was more anxious about tonight's event. Each of them was nervous for their own reasons.
Nate decided to wear his favorite charcoal grey suit with a festive Christmas tie tonight. Vanessa stood in front of the tall oval mirror all dolled up in a Tadashi Shoji smoked pearl cocktail dress and sparkly silver stiletto heels. As the hostess of tonight's party, she aimed to find a tastefully gorgeous cocktail dress embracing the celebratory Christmas spirit. Nate and Vanessa decided to invite only close friends and family since this was Vanessa's first time planning and hosting an UES Christmas party. Nate's grandfather was kind enough to let them host their party tonight at his house in the Hamptons. It provided a more intimate setting away from the city. She took a series of deep breathes to calm her nerves. Her older sister, Ruby, and parents were coming tonight. This only added to her anxiety about this Christmas party going off without a hitch.
While he waited for Vanessa, Nate stretched out on the couch watching ESPN. The bedroom door finally opened and she stepped out. No matter what happens Vanessa knew she planned a kick-ass Christmas party that paid homage both the Upper East Side and Brooklyn.
"I'm ready. Let's go if we want to beat the city traffic," Vanessa stated while nervously tucking a few strands of stray hair behind her ears.
Rising from the couch, he picked up their coats and moved closer towards Vanessa. "You look absolutely stunning. The Hamptons are surely in for a whirlwind surprise. I'm so proud of everything you've done for tonight's party," he said giving her hand a comforting squeeze. In the lobby area, they bundled up in their coat, scarf, and gloves. Nate's grandfather graciously lent them his spare town car for the evening's merriments. The chauffer opened the door for Vanessa and Nate as they slid into the spacious back seat. There was conveniently a mini-bar. Nate poured two glasses of scotch handing one glass to his girlfriend. She happily accepted the drink.
"Here's to a fun evening with all our close friends and families," she toasted holding her glass in the air.
Nate clinked his glass with hers and replied with a huge grin, "I'll toast to that!"
Two and a half hours later, the town car pulled up in the circular driveway of the huge Hampton estate. It never ceased to amaze Vanessa how big some of the Hampton houses were. Nate had often come here when he was younger for Christmas dinners with his mom side of the family. Small decorative wreaths hung on each of the windows facing the front of the house. The staff was scattered around the house running last-minute tasks. Gold and silver tinsel were entwined around the winding stairway railings and bannisters. Much of the interior was still the same except for some jovial Christmas decorations. Vanessa knew there was no way her party could top the other Upper East Side Christmas parties. She decided to keep things the simple, instead of making their festivity too elaborate.
Within thirty minutes, their guests started to arrive. Dan and Serena were first to show up. Dan shook the snow off his coat before stepping into the foyer. He helped his six-month pregnant wife up the stairs and into the foyer. Serena had ditched wearing any kind of heels after 16 weeks into her pregnancy. Flat shoes were her best friend and most comfortable. The four of them headed to the sunroom. The couches were angled around the Christmas tree located in the middle of the room. A small train set continuously ran under the tree. Vanessa added her own person touch to the Christmas tree. The bronze angel topper on top of the tree had been part of her family's tradition since she was a young child. A collection of pictures of their close friends and family cut out in the different shape handmade ornaments attached to red and green ribbons sat amongst the other traditional ornaments. Vanessa wanted to keep the traditional aspects of Christmas while still adding meaningful sentiment.
Nate and Dan chatting about work related things. "Did you feel a sense of relief when you woke up this morning knowing it was the day of your Christmas party? All those months of intense preparing and planning, the day has finally arrived," Serena remarked.
"Honestly, I woke up feeling mixed emotions. The stress of pulling this off without a hitch is still there, but I'm happy with what I've planned. I'm not going to let my perfectionism ruin tonight's festivities," Vanessa replied. She anxiously played the hem of her dress.
Soothingly placing her hand over Vanessa's, Serena said, "Don't be anxious. I'm sure everything will fall into place well. I love how you added your own personal touch to your party. You never forgot where you came from. That's what makes Dan and you so down-to-earth even after becoming more involved the world of the Upper East Side."
"Thanks, Serena. It means a lot for you to say that. It hasn't been easy to adjust to the Upper East Side since I returned back to New York ten years ago. I don't know how I'd cope if it weren't for wonderful people in my life like Nate and you. I'd be so lost." Vanessa genuinely didn't know how she'd blend back into the realm of the Upper East Side without Serena van der Woodsen and especially her devoted boyfriend, Nathaniel Archibald.
Serena took a sip of her sparkling apple cider. Only two more months and she could have normal coffee and tea! She'd been drinking non-caffeinated coffee and tea for the past six months. "Nonsense. You adjusted very well into the Upper East Side without our help. You're a strong independent woman who knows exactly what she wants in life. Your success doesn't depend on a guy which not all Upper East Side women can say."
"I'm glad my art gallery is successfully blossoming since it opened up a few months ago. All of the support from everyone has kept me going even at times I wanted to give up. I'm scared to move back to Upper East Side, but I do want to meet Nate halfway. It isn't fair to keep him away from his friends and family. It's been five years since he moved into my SoHo loft apartment. All of the planning and preparations for this Christmas party has been a good distraction from thinking about moving out of SoHo." Vanessa had been contemplated of moving back to Nate's former Upper East Side penthouse for his 34th birthday. There was no fun in being stagnant in life. Change wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
Within twenty minutes, the rest of their party guests arrived. Rufus, Allison, Jenny, and Jenny's daughter piled out of their Mercedes Benz. Rufus handed the car keys to the valet waiting at the entrance of the circular driveway. The Humphreys let Vanessa in on their secret about Rosalyn being Jenny's daughter since she was practically part of their family. Dropping off their winter outerwear in the cloakroom, they walked through the foyer into the sunroom. Dan greeted his parents, sister, and niece with a bear hug. Rosalyn, who preferred to be called Natasha or Tasha, opted to sit by herself in the family room area. She listened to her music with noise-cancelling headphones as she escaped to her own little world. Clearly, she would rather be anywhere but there. Jenny hoped her daughter would ditch her angst phase soon. Vanessa took no offense to this since it wasn't easy being the only teenager at an Upper East Side Christmas party. The other guest was either way younger or older than her, so there were no teenager children to hang out with.
Vanessa chatted with Rufus as they exchanged interesting stories about managing their own art gallery. Allison caught up with her son. She had been so busy travelling around Europe with some of her artsy friends for the past two months. Rufus didn't mind his wife being in Europe for two months. While their Hudson apartment was very quiet, this was a good opportunity for him to work on some new music for his band, Lincoln Hawk. Lincoln Hawk was scheduled for an upcoming summer tour for their new album coming out in June. He made more than enough income between the Lincoln Hawk gigs and his art gallery in Brooklyn. While Rufus and Allison reconciled their differences and changed their separated status back to married, Rufus never truly forgave his "wife" for leaving him and the children for another man fifteen years ago. Allison and Rufus lived in the same apartment, but went on with their own separate lives. Despite the dysfunctional dynamics within the Humphrey household, they remained a close knit family unit and always came together for the major holidays.
Blair, Chuck, and their two young children entered the foyer area. Blair's mother and stepfather, Eleanor and Cyrus, followed closely behind them. Jack Bass and his girlfriend, Georgina, along with her son, Milo, were thankfully spending Christmas this year in Aspen. Vanessa and Nate were glad to not have to deal with Georgina Sparks this Christmas especially since it was their first year they were hosting a Christmas dinner party. It felt great to be surrounded by their close friends. Neither Nate's nor Vanessa's family had arrived yet. Anxiety began to manifest within them. Vanessa had a complicated history with Nathaniel's extended family especially his grandfather and cousin, Tripp van der Bilt. Vanessa's mother didn't entirely approve of her association with Upper East Side society. Yet, she always wanted her daughter to be happy whatever choice she made for her life. It would be interesting to see how the Abrams and Archibald family interacted together considering the vastly different dynamics and lifestyles of their families. The Abram family embraced a down-to-earth, hippy lifestyle in Brooklyn, while the Archibald family embraced an elite, upper class lifestyle in Manhattan.
Nathaniel was deep in conversation with Blair and Chuck when his mother and father, Anne and Howard Archibald, strolled into the family room. "Nathaniel," his mother jubilantly exclaimed as she wrapped her son in a warm embrace. He hugged his mother back. "You look well, son. I'm sorry your father and I arrived a bit late. There was a crazy traffic jam on the way over here." Nate was closer to his mom than his father. There was way too much tumultuous history between his dad, "The Captain", and him. The Captain had a long complicated history with the law including spending a few years in prison for embezzlement and possession of drugs.
"No worries, mom. Travelling out of the city on Christmas Eve it isn't uncommon to run into many traffic jams on the road especially coming to the Hamptons. Grandfather told me to send his regards since was unable to come tonight," Nate said. As much as he loved his grandfather, it was better to not have him there at their Christmas party. Nathaniel had a massive falling out with his cousin, Tripp, almost ten years ago. Tripp was always jealous of the affection their grandfather showed him. No one said family was easy to deal with.
Giving a pat of approval on his son's shoulder, he commented as his tone of voice changed from affectionate to irritated, "Everyone looks fantastic. I have no doubt you and your girlfriend have planned a spectacular Christmas party. We would have arrived on time if your mother hadn't taken a century to get ready." Anne shot her ex-husband an angry glare in response to his snide remark.
Nate knew when his parents were about to start a full-blown argument. This is not how he wanted the evening to start out at their Christmas dinner party. Before the Captain could reply to his ex-wife, Nate immediately interjected, "Let's not start blaming one another. We're all here to celebrate Christmas with the people we care about. Let us all try to get along with each other tonight."
"That all depends on your father's behavior," Anne firmly stated then turning her glower towards the Captain. "I will not tolerate any of your nonsense tonight, Howard." His father merely rolled his eyes at her comment.
While Nate was dealing with his parents, Vanessa's face broke out in a wide grin as her parents, Arlo and Gabriella, and older sister, Ruby, sauntered toward the sunroom. She ran towards them hugging each of them. They hadn't seen Vanessa since Thanksgiving. Her busy schedule of running an independent art gallery and intensely planning an Upper East Side Christmas party with the event planner from hell gave her very limited opportunities to visit her family in Brooklyn. They approved of Vanessa's passion for pursuing an artistic career path more than her relationship with Nate Archibald. The family environment she grew up in formed her deep cynicism for the upper class elite New York society. There were only a few people in her life who were the exceptions to her opinion of the Upper East Side.
The Christmas festivities could finally start since all 17 party guests were present! Things were definitely going to be interesting tonight. Nate found his way over to Vanessa. "It looks like everyone is here. The catering staff is ready to serve dinner to the guests. Let's make the announcement for dinner together," Nate suggested holding out his hand to her. Vanessa nodded her head in acknowledgement and grabbed a hold of his hand. Tonight's holiday dinner party was their official introduction into Upper East Side society as a couple.
Vanessa whistled loudly to garner the attention of their party guests busily chattering away with one another. All heads turned away from their conversation towards Vanessa and Nate. "Hello everyone! Vanessa and I are so glad you decided to join us this evening on Christmas Eve. Let's head to the dining room for a Christmas feast. Let the festivities begin!" Nate enthusiastically proclaimed to their guests.
An hour and a half, their party guest gobbled down almost all of the food on the table even saving room for the many options of dessert items. Never-ending servings of wine and champagne helped to loosen up their friends and family making them more amicable. Vanessa was genuinely shocked to see her parents and older sister making effort to make conversation with her boyfriend's parents without any eye rolls or snarky remarks thrown at Anne and Howard Archibald. This was definitely progress considering her family's strong distain for the "shameless and corrupt" Upper East Side residents. The Captain had invited Vanessa to join them for their monthly family dinner gatherings a few months ago in an attempt to get to know his son's girlfriend. Yet, Vanessa was hesitant because of the rocky history she had with Nate's maternal side of the family. Nathaniel emphasized to his family he refused to break up with Vanessa. There was no one else he would rather be with. This wasn't a meaningless relationship despite his family's insistence of understanding the big picture. She had always been supportive of his independence to pursue ambitious future goals. Nate wouldn't have his family push or intimidate Vanessa out of his life. There were definitely lines even his screwed-up and complex family couldn't cross without facing Nathaniel's wrath. He was fiercely protective of his loved ones. His parents were surprisingly very supportive of their son's decision to pursue a serious relationship with Vanessa Abrams. Nate reduced his association with his maternal side of the family by maintaining a healthy distance away from their conniving schemes to sway his career more towards the world of politics. Even his mother has slowly severed ties with her family especially after being cut off from her family when Howard Archibald was arrested by the FBI eleven years ago. Anne's father, William van der Bilt I, wouldn't let their son-in-law's reckless actions tarnish the glorious reputation of the van der Bilt name.
Being an Upper East Side socialite and philanthropist, Anne Archibald enjoyed pursuing her hobby of interior design which included a passion for art. Vanessa had found a common ground with Nate's mother since planning luxurious grand Upper East Side events didn't interest her at all. If she spent more time with his parents, they would see Vanessa was the best person to be with their son. Vanessa Abrams would have to get used to Anne and Howard Archibald being in her life if Nate ever asked her to marry him someday. Nate and Vanessa were career-driven people who respected the heavy emphasis placed on advancing their individual careers through ambitious life goals. Yet, their serious relationship had never entirely ruled out the possibility of marriage. Marriage would be the next step in their relationship. Nate and Vanessa would take this plunge only when they were both emotionally ready.
Having a wonderful time with their close friends and family members, this reminded Vanessa that she could no longer stall on the decision of whether or not to move to the Upper East Side with her boyfriend. While Nate freely chose to move in with Vanessa in SoHo five years ago, he very much missed Upper East Side. It was where he was born and bred. Nathaniel could never forget where he came. Almost all of Nate's friends and family members resided in the Upper East Side with the exception of Jenny Humphrey who lived in a Brooklyn loft. He loved his girlfriend and was very committed to their relationship, but he felt cut off from his other support systems. Everyone had their own busy lives and hectic work schedules making it increasingly difficult to meet up frequently. Vanessa had resided in her SoHo apartment ever since she left São Paulo to return back to New York a decade ago. The SoHo apartment had been one steady constant in her life she knew that would never unexpectedly change. It wasn't good to live life constantly fearful of drastic change. Sometimes you had to leave your secure comfort zone to move forward in life. Many wonderful opportunities can escape when you're too frightened to abandon your comfort zone. Her fear wouldn't hold her back in life anymore. Vanessa Marigold Abrams was going to write a new chapter in her life.
Laughter and joy manifested within the dining room among all the party guests who put their arguments and personal differences aside for one night of the year. Even Blair Waldorf's two children, Adeline and Henry, were getting along with each other as their eyes light up joyfully. No matter how complicated Upper East Side society was, there were at least a few people you could call your support system outside of your immediate family.
The cater waiters efficiently removed the plates and cutlery from everyone at the long oval table. Everyone decided to continue the jubilant festivities in the spacious family room. The fireplace in the center of the room enveloped the room in toasty warmth.
Vanessa had made her decision and didn't want to wait until Nate's 34th birthday in April to tell him. There was no better way to announce her shocking news than in front of all their close friends and families. No would expect Vanessa Abrams, an outsider from Brooklyn, to leave her cocoon of comfortable sameness and move to the Upper East Side with her boyfriend, Nathaniel Archibald. A relationship was about two people making compromises even if it meant leaving your comfort zone.
Jenny was bouncing off some ideas for her Spring 2022 Collection for her clothing line, J for Waldorf. Vanessa wasn't entirely paying attention as she was deeply lost in her own thoughts. Placing her hand on Jenny's shoulder, she said abruptly, "I'm so sorry to cut you off, but I need to go check on the catering waiters. The post-dinner snacks should have been out by now." This was the only excuse to give her a few moments to calm down before making her big announcement to all her friends and family including Nate. Serena would be only person who wouldn't be too surprised by her announcement. Taking a huge deep breath, she nervously ran her fingers through her hair and proceeded back to the living room. Everyone was engrossed in their own conversations they didn't notice Vanessa in the center of the room. Loudly whistling, people's head turned in her direction.
"Hope all of you are having a good time. I've been trying to figure out when to announce my big news. There's no better place or time like right now surrounded by my friends and family," Vanessa began. Her heart was violently beating against her rib cage. She wasn't sure how everyone would react to her announcement. Should she ease into her big news or just say it already? There was no point in stalling any longer. "There will be a new arrival to the Upper East Side," she declared confidently grinning ear to ear.
Her parents and sister stared at her with mixed curiosity. Vanessa couldn't quite read their facial expressions.
"Oh my god! Are you pregnant?" Jenny exclaimed enthusiastically.
Surprised gasps and low whispers echoed around the room along. Many smiling faces gazing back at her. Her family was not too amused by this news. Nate's blue eyes intensely stared her. Oh shit. This is not how Vanessa imagined this would go. She had to quickly remedy this before her announcement got blown out of proportion unnecessarily.
"Are you opening up a new art gallery on the Upper East Side?" Daniel mused aloud. While this sounded more logical than being pregnant, Vanessa needed to kill all speculation of what her big news meant.
To regain control of this situation before it spiraled out of control, "I'm not pregnant or opening up another art gallery!" Vanessa retorted in a neutral tone. "I realize my announcement was very vague. I am going to clarify what I meant exactly. All relationships require people to sometimes make compromises to make the other person happy. Ever since I moved back to New York almost ten years ago, I've been so afraid to venture out of SoHo. Nothing wrong with being comfortable in life, but it isn't good to shun out change. It is time for some change in my life. Nate and I will be moving to the Upper East Side. Happy early 34th birthday gift, Nate!"
Her boyfriend sprang off the couch towards Vanessa. Nate enveloped his girlfriend in a hearty bear hug and firmly kissed her lips. "I wasn't sure you'd agree to move back to the Upper East Side with me. This is really fantastic news!" Nathaniel replied with a wide grin. His piercing blue eyes light up with pure bliss.
Arlo, Gabrielle, and Ruby Abrams remained seated staring at her in sheer shock. Neither of them truly knew how to react to this surprising announcement. Everyone else got up from their seats to congratulate the happy couple.
"The Upper East Side hasn't been without you, Archibald," Chuck stated giving a friendly pat on Nate's shoulder. "I'm sure Vanessa will get adjusted somehow even it is drastically different from Brooklyn and SoHo. She's resilient."
"Not that I was too SoHo was too far away. I'll be closer to all my friends and parents. Also the daily commute to the Spectator will be much shorter," Nate responded.
Blair sauntered over to them. "I agree with my husband," she said while simultaneously maintaining sight on her two children out of the corner of her eyes. "It's nice that I don't have to venture to SoHo to see my friend. Way too many artsy hipsters with tortured souls in SoHo for my personal liking. Upper East Side will always be your home."
Jenny, Dan, and their father flocked towards Vanessa. "Welcome to the dark side, Abrams," Dan jokingly teased. "It won't be too difficult to adapt in the Upper East Side society. You've been a part of it for many years. I'm so proud of you for making this bold decision."
"We're all so proud of you. Vanessa Abrams is going up the social ladder," Jenny commented. "You'll adjust just fine. You're pretty familiar with Upper East Side customs and traditions.
"Thanks so much guys," Vanessa replied with a smile. The Humphreys were practically her second family. No matter the complicated dynamics amongst them they were a functional family unit. Ironically, the Humphrey family was more function than the Abrams household.
Easing her way past people, Serena hugged Vanessa. "I understand how it must have been very difficult to make such a bold decision. You won't regret it, Vanessa. We will be by your side the entire step of the way. You are never alone."
Her parents and older sister hadn't moved from their seats. She wasn't sure if this was a good or bad reaction to her announcement. Their facial expressions were still unreadable. Her father and mother exchanged glanced with each other. Ruby's facial expression gave slight undertones of disgust. She never fully approved of her sister's association with the world of the superficial and grandeur Upper East Side. Vanessa moved through the crowd towards her family.
"Are you all having a good evening?" she inquired to ease the heavy tension.
Ruby flashed an annoyed glance at her. "Why the hell would you choose to move out of your SoHo loft?" she demanded. "You've officially gone to the dark side. I'm disappointed in you, baby sister."
Her mother immediately interjected, "What your sister meant is she doesn't understand why you'd move to place where those rich people pretend to be nice to your face but then behind your back will have no problem backstabbing you. They won't hesitant to scheme against you and ruin your integrity."
"Not everyone in the Upper East Side is like that," Vanessa said defensively. "There are few good people. Nate Archibald and Serena van der Woodsen are two of the exceptions to the rule. To my surprise, Serena is a decently good person. Ever since I moved back to New York, she has gone out of her way to help me out as much as she can."
"This is a very reckless decision, honey," her father bluntly stated with heavy undercurrents of disapproval in his voice. "You will regret moving to Upper East Side. There is no need to make this compromise just to appease your boyfriend."
Running her hand through her hair in frustration, Vanessa frowned at her family. "Despite your intense disdain for the Upper East Side, I thought just once my family wouldn't harshly criticize me. Nate made a huge sacrifice moving to SoHo to be with me. My boyfriend left all his friends and chose to seriously commit to our relationship. Now it's my turn to leave my comfort zone and move to Upper East Side. I'm not looking for your approval. Nate is one of the best things that happened to me since returning back to New York ten years ago. You clearly don't respect my happiness."
Vanessa briskly walked away from her parents and sister back to her friends, who were genuinely happy for her surprise announcement. It was obviously too difficult for them to take their daughter's happiness into account. They were so damn stuck in their hippy philosophy to see what is happening around them. Vanessa's family didn't take her big news too well. They just needed some time to process it. Despite all his efforts, her parents and older sister refused to get to know him better. Even his own parents made an effort to spend time with his girlfriend. Sometimes things just need time to work out.
Vanessa enjoyed the rest of the Christmas party but purposely stayed away from her family. Within the next hour, her family stealthily slipped out the front door and left their daughter's Christmas party without saying their formal goodbyes. No one said family was easy to deal with. Merriment never faded from their Christmas party. The cater waiters brought out some light snacks for the party guests as the end of the party drew near.
Two hours later, all of their party guests had left leaving the palatial Hampton house very quiet. Even the catering company packed up their stuff and left soon after the last party guests. Their UES Christmas party was a huge success. It was good that only their close friends and family were invited. Their party wouldn't have been as special or meaningful. Nathaniel Archibald and Vanessa Abrams were now recognized as an official couple in Upper East Side society.
The Hampton house looked exactly as it was before it was decorated for their Christmas party. Everything was back in its usual place. Vanessa kicked off her stiletto heels. Nate removed his suit jacket and removed his tie placing it in the pocket of the suit jacket. Nate and Vanessa plopped down on the leather couch. The roaring fire kept the huge family room toasty warm. Vanessa snuggled closer to her boyfriend as he lovingly wrapped his arm around her. The position Vanessa was sitting caused her knee-length dress to hike up leaving her upper thigh exposed. Nate casually rested his hand on her bare upper thigh.
"I don't have enough words to express what a phenomenal job you did planning and hosting your first Upper East Side Christmas party. You managed to tolerate working with Natalie Parlere despite how much she plucked your nerves and tested what was left of your sanity. You did a fantastic job pulling this whole thing together!" Nate complimented his girlfriend.
"If I had to put up with Natalie for another day, I would have thrown some punches. She's glad I kept some of my comments to myself. Self-righteous bitch who thinks she is the greatest thing that happened to the planet. If I survived months of working with her, I sure as hell can survive living on the Upper East Side. You will be my side the entire time. That's all that I need." She entwined her fingers with his and gave his hand a confident squeeze flashing a vibrant smile.
Affectionately kissing the top of her head, he responded, "That's the Vanessa Abrams I fell in love with. You're feisty and resilient in whatever environment you're thrown into. A real force to reckon with is coming to the Upper East Side. I'm so proud of everything you do."
"These past few months have been insane," she admitted. "I feel we've hardly had any opportunity to spend time together. Our careers already keep us very busy and the stress of the holiday season doesn't make it any better. Anyone who said the holidays were about spending quality time with your friends and family doesn't know how the Upper East Side works."
"Thank god the holiday season of finally over for us," he said with a sigh of relief. "It's been way too long since I've taken you out on a romantic date." Dipping his head lower, Nate squarely planted a kiss on his girlfriend.
Vanessa ardently kissed back while repositioning herself to now be sitting on his lap. Nate deepened the kiss thoroughly exploring the concaves of her mouth and pulled her closer until there was no space between their bodies. A soft moan escaped from her as she impatiently unbuttoned his shirt and ran her hands along his bare chest. Then, she unbuckled his belt and tossed it haphazardly on the floor. While caressing her inner thigh, he used his free hand to slowly unzip her dress. She eased the sleeves of the dress down her slender arms exposing her from the waist up. Her sexy red lacy strapless bra was the only clothing remaining on her upper body. His blue eyes lit up seeping with seduction. Nate broke the kiss and slowly trailed kisses down her neck to her collarbone. A scorching sensation spread wherever his lips came in contact with her bare skin. Euphoria washed over her causing her to moan a little louder.
Nate and Vanessa were too lost in their intensely romantic moment to notice not all of the catering staff had left. A man and woman in cater waiter attire walked past the kitchen into the dining room carrying some items in their arms. They walked down the hallway leading into the huge family room to quietly sneak out of the front door without the hosts noticing them. Neither of the catering staff expected anyone would still be in the family room. They assumed the palatial Hampton house was empty. The two catering staff people were in for a huge surprise when they entered the family room.
Dropping a metal serving platter onto the wood floors, the female cater waiter exclaimed in complete surprise, "Holy shit!"
The male cater waiter came to sudden halt a few feet behind her so they couldn't collide dropping everything in their arms. "Stop dropping things, Naomi! If there is the slightest dent on these platters, our manager is going to fire our asses!" the man irately reprimanded. "It's bad enough we had to fricken drive back to retrieve these platters all because Danny is extremely forgetful! He only realized we left the platters behind halfway back to the city! The faster we leave the Hamptons the sooner we can go home. I'm feeling so exhausted. What's the hell is the reason for the delay?" He carefully walked towards Naomi to see what had startled her causing her to drop some platters on the ground. Understanding immediately dawned on him when he found the hosts of the party having an intimate moment in the family room. Both of them were half naked sprawled on the leather couch.
Something crashing loudly on the floor snapped Vanessa and Nate back to reality.
"What the hell?" Nate glanced over Vanessa's shoulder to see where the loud sound came from. With his hands firmly grasping her hips, her body instantly tensed up. No one but them was still supposed to be in the house.
Standing ten feet away from them, two cater waiters stared at them both with many metal platter stacked up high in their arms. A light blush formed along the woman's cheeks as she tried to hide her face behind the stack of platters. They stood motionless with shell-shocked expressions plastered on their faces.
"What are you guys still doing here?" Nate demanded with undertones of annoyance in his voice. This better not kill their intimately romantic mood.
Naomi was too embarrassed to respond let alone look directly at Nate who was glaring at them. "I'm so sorry Mr. Archibald. Our manager ordered us to drive back to retrieve some platters we left in the guest kitchen. Naomi and I had no idea anyone would still be here," the male cater waiter politely replied looking directly at Nathaniel.
A deep blush spread across Vanessa's face. Instead of making eye contact with the cater waiters, she chose to bury her face in her boyfriend's chest. This had never happened to her before. Strangers had never walked on in when she and her boyfriend were having an intimately romantic moment. Family members were an entirely different story.
"It looks like you've gotten what you left behind. You should check if anyone else is around before making assumptions this house was empty after the Christmas party ended. My girlfriend and I are staying here tonight instead of travelling back to the city," Nate clarified to the two cater waiters. "Please leave now before I press charges for trespassing on private property." His livid facial expression was enough to convey he was serious about pressing charges if they stayed a minute longer in the house without his permission.
The male and female cater waiter cautiously scurried out of the family room while delicately balancing the platters in their arms. A minute later the front door slammed shut. "Finally we have privacy," he stated. His hands tenderly cradled Vanessa's face. The deep blush still lingered on her cheeks.
"You didn't need to threaten to press charges if they didn't leave," Vanessa commented. Nate was clearly pissed off they'd interrupted their intimate moment.
"They probably went through the side fence to go to the guest kitchen. That's the only other way there without coming through the front door," Nate explained. "I wouldn't have minded letting them in if they'd come through the front door. I thought they were burglars. It isn't uncommon for burglars to break into wealthy family homes particularly in this area of the Hamptons during the holidays to steal their personal possessions."
"It makes sense that holidays are when burglars decide to rob the rich," she said as the understanding of his logic slowly dawned on her. "Not that there will be any more interruptions but we can continue what we were doing upstairs. You know for more privacy." Each word dripped with seduction. She climbed off of his lap and pulled the dress past her hips. The Tadashi Shoji knee-length cocktail dress fell to the floor leaving her completely exposed except for her red lacy strapless bra and matching panty.
Vanessa suggestively winked at Nate. She ran out of the family room area and raced up the semi-spiral staircase. He removed his pants tossing it haphazardly with his suit jacket on the couch. Vanessa knew Nate could easily catch up with her since he was an avid runner. Nathaniel started his day with an brisk early morning run through Central Park.
He sprinted up the staircase and chased after his girlfriend. Nate purposely let her run ahead of him so he could appreciate her smoking hot body from afar. Despite her trim figure, Vanessa Abrams had a surprising amount of upper and lower body strength from working in art galleries for many years giving her lean, toned muscular arms and legs. Not to mention she was incredibly flexible and agile. This came in handy in many situations.
Her red lacy strapless bra was discarded on the last step of the semi-spiral staircase. As she jogged down the long hallway, Nate rapidly closed the distance between them until she was within arm's length. She frequently glanced out of the corners of her eye to see how close he was behind her. He firmly gripped her waist and spun her around pinning her against the wall. "I was wandering when you'd catch up with me," she flirtatiously remarked. "We're almost to our room. Just five doors down then you're all mine." There were heavy sensual undercurrents interwoven into every word.
Nate removed his shirt letting it fall to the ground. Vanessa grounded her body up against his. There was practically very little clothing left on them. She snaked her slender arms around his neck. Only a couple inches separated their faces. "Any bedroom will do," Nate murmured suggestively in her ear.
"I don't want to incur the wrath of your grandfather. We promised to keep everything as it was when we arrived," Vanessa emphasized.
"I'll deal with my grandfather. Don't worry about that," he explained confidently with his signature boyish grin. His blue eyes lustfully drank her in from head to toe. Before she could express any objections, he planted a steamy kiss on her soft lips. Nathaniel somehow managed to open to the nearest bedroom door propelling them into the room without breaking the kiss. Many months of insane work schedules and holiday planning duties meant there were no opportunities for romantic dates let alone sexy time with each other. Their lack of intimacy the past few months only heightened the intensity of their lust. Desire burned in their eyes. Nathanial Archibald and Vanessa Abrams made a dynamically functional couple with undeniable chemistry and compatible personalities. They continually encouraged their counterpart to live up to their full potential.
Their discarded clothes randomly scattered between the family room and the upstairs hallway revealed the story of their sensuous escapades in the Hampton house that night. Whoever came to clean the palatial home the next morning, they would not be spared of any details of their intimate passions. The evidence literally spoke for itself.
The morning sun shone brightly through the windows onto Nate and Vanessa. Vanessa was still sound asleep with her face buried in the fluffy pillow. Unfortunately, the sunlight blasted right in Nate's eye unpleasantly awaking him from his deep sleep. As his hand shielded the blinding morning sun from his eyes, Nate slowly woke up no longer able to fall back to sleep. Vanessa looked stunningly gorgeous yet serene sound sleep sprawled across her side of the bed. She well deserved extra hours of sleep after working her ass off planning last night's Christmas party with their close friends and family for the past couple months. He quietly slipped out of bed and slipped on a robe. Nate wanted to surprise Vanessa when she woke up with breakfast in bed. Christmas festivities were far from over. They would be eating brunch with his parents in a few hours followed by Blair's
Thirty minutes later, Vanessa stirred awake sluggishly. She outstretched her arm expecting to find her boyfriend lying next to her. His side of the bed was empty. The bedroom door creaked open as Nate walked through carrying a tray of delicious breakfast. Two scrambled egg, two pieces of toast, and crispy bacon strips with a glass of orange juice. Her mouth salivated at the savory smell of breakfast. She sat upright loosely clasping the cotton bed sheets to her naked body. Vanessa didn't even care about the potentially messy state of her wavy hair.
"Good morning. Merry Christmas, Vanessa. I didn't want to disturb you from your sleep. We have a long day ahead of us, so I thought you could use some breakfast to get energy. My parents wanted us to join them for brunch at The Plaza today. Then, we will be going to Blair's party in the evening," Nate said with huge grin. Nathaniel was one of the few guys she knew who could pull off the sexy bedhead look. He placed the tray on her lap and without hesitation she grabbed a slice of bacon and shoved it her mouth. Vanessa hungrily devoured down all the food on the tray.
He plopped down next to her on the bed watching his girlfriend enjoy her well-balanced breakfast. Pulling something from the pocket of his robe, Nate added, "I found this when I was going down the stairwell. I hate for you to accidently leave it behind when we left here." Her red lacey strapless bra.
"I would have been devastated if I lost my favorite bra," she commented with seductive undertones. Nate handed it to her. Letting the bed sheets fall down to her waist, Vanessa placed the empty tray at the foot of the bed. She slipped out of the bed and proceeded to put on her bra and panty. "We'd better get dressed and ready to avoid late morning rush hour traffic into the city. Give me twenty minutes and I'll be ready to go." She lightly kissed him on the lips before dashing out of the bedroom and down the hallway. Their suitcases had been moved to another bedroom four doors down.
Within forty-five minutes, Nathaniel and Vanessa were all packed and ready to leave the Hamptons to head back to New York City. They were meeting their parents for brunch at The Plaza around noon. Nate didn't want to keep his parents waiting. A black town car pulled up the front of the Hampton house. The chauffer put their suitcases in the trunk. Vanessa and Nate shuffled into the back seat. Even though it was Christmas Day, there was no such thing as nice long break especially with their demanding careers. The two hour car ride back to the city was mostly silent as their attentions were primarily focused on their iPhones responding to work-related e-mails. Time was of the essence in their lines of work.
The black town car halted to a somewhat sudden stop jolting Vanessa from her light nap and startling Nathaniel who was furiously typing out an e-mail to the editor-in-chief at The New York Times. "We've arrived at The Plaza, Mr. Archibald," the chauffer announced. "I'll drop off your suitcases at your mother's residence. Mr. Van Der Bilt is expecting me to pick him up from New York City Hall within an hour. I best start heading there soon so I'm not late. He doesn't like it when I don't pick him up on time."
"Please tell my grandfather that I appreciate him for so kindly lending you to us for the past two days. We wouldn't want to make you late to your next appointment. Actually you can drop off the suitcases at my friends' penthouse apartment," Nate replied while quickly jotting down the address of the residence of Chuck and Blair on a scrap piece of paper. "Merry Christmas, James. Have a good rest of the day"
He handed the piece of paper through the divider. James took the paper from Nathaniel and safely put it in the outer pocket of his suit jacket. The chauffer nodded his head in acknowledgement of the slight change of plan. Vanessa grabbed her Coach purse and cautiously exited the town car. A fresh layer of snow covered the sidewalks. Her boyfriend followed closely behind her. The doorman politely greeted them while holding door open for them. Warmth enveloped them in bear hug as they sauntered into the spacious lobby of The Plaza.
Vanessa and Nate had a jam-packed schedule of Christmas festivities and parties to attend that day. Upper East Siders typically saw more of their friends and family during the major holidays than they did during most of the year. That's just how it worked out. Things were different in the Upper East Side.
The next chapter will focus on Serena and Dan!
I'll do my best to update the next chapter of Living Life In The Fast Lane as soon as possible!
Thanks for you patience! Stay tuned for more wonderful awesomeness! I'm having a blast writing this Gossip Girl fanfiction story! :)