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Chapter 11: A Lifetime Ago

Julie walked down the stairs the next day, seeing that a few people had already arrived. It was odd. She recognized Chrissy Fitzsimmons from Eden Hall, and some people who she assumed were either Yale or Harvard friends of Kelly's, but other than that the women in the room were complete strangers. There were carefully chosen girly appetizers being passed on silver trays by cater waiters. One thing was for sure, this party had every element of Kelly's superior organization skills put to work. From the small bar where there were memosas and bloody marys sitting, to the gentle soft jazz playing through the sound system, every detail fit "new money debutante joins old money family." Julie was impressed.

"Julie!" Kelly squealed and hugged her, walking over. "If you want something harder just ask the bar tender," she whispered in her ear after kissing her on the cheek. "I know this weekend must suck for you."

"Thanks Kel," Julie laughed. "I'm OK though, really. I mean, I freaked out a little yesterday, but I'm good."

"Well, if you ask me, my brother's an idiot for not taking you back," Kelly shrugged. "I mean, I know he claims to love her and everything, but," she stopped, "Bonnie! Hi!" Julie turned around and saw Bonnie walking over. Julie tried not to laugh, Kelly was wearing her student council president smile, not unlike the one that Julie herself used to plaster on her face during rush week at USC.

"Hi," Bonnie smiled cordially. "Hi Julie." Julie smiled swallowing, her throat was really dry all of a sudden. What was that?

"Hi," she managed to croak. Was she destined to look like some kind of idiot every time she saw this woman? Was it the universe's way of getting back at her? "How was your flight?"

"Good," Bonnie said, "how was LA?"

"Good," Julie nodded. Kelly looked between the two girls. "I should um, find Tammy, I guess." She wandered off.

"I think I need a drink," Bonnie said also running in the other direction.

"I'm going to kill Jimmy if this ruins my wedding," Kelly mumbled, stuffing a crab puff in her mouth as a cater waiter walked past.

Diane groaned as Tommy's hands ran up and down her thigh. The simple flowered sundress she was wearing pushed up and her panties on the floor of his bedroom. She'd come up to say hi quickly before the party and somehow that had turned into hard kissing and now they were having sex. They didn't even bother to get naked, just took of her panties and pushed his pants down a little and went to town. Tommy ran his hand up to her breast and groped over the fabric a little. She groaned again and kissed him.

"Mm, yeah," she moaned as he shifted just slighty. "Oh God, I should really get back."

"Now?" He said in disbelief. She threw her head back and moaned again. "I'm almost done I swear." She nodded and panted, indicating that he should keep going.

"Hurry up though," she ran her hands through his hair and kissed him again. He finished and after a moment she started moving, getting out of the straddle and pulling her underwear back on. She leaned down and kissed him. "Thanks," she whispered, "that was so hot."

"Anytime," he nodded, still catching his breath. "Di, listen," she turned to look at him. "We really do have to talk, and soon." She nodded.

"I know," she said, "but things are good right now, maybe we just shouldn't mess with it." She walked outside of the bedroom and stopped seeing Elena coming up the stairs. This was bad, if Elena caught wind of what just happened she was a dead woman. "Hey Lena." She smiled brightly.

"Hi," Elena said. "What are you doing up here?"

"Same as you I guess," Diane shrugged, "just saying hi to Tommy."

"Right," Elena said. Diane smiled and walked down stairs. "My hellos to Tommy don't usually involve humping but sure." She walked into Tommy's room. "Hey there Stud."

"Hey," he said glumly. She wandered over lay down next to him, curled her arms around his waist and squeezed him once. "You saw her didn't you?"

"Of course I did," she sighed, "you really have to stop doing this to yourself."

"I can't help it," he sighed, "I love her." Elena rolled her eyes. "Besides like I'm going to say no when she takes off her panties and climbs on top of me. Thanks, but I'm not stupid."

"If you keep letting her use you as her sex puppet," Elena said, "you're never going to get a commitment out of her." He looked at her. "You know, the way I use you emotionally so you'll never get me in sack, it's like the same, but opposite."

"You really still think after all this time I want to get you in the sack?" He teased and tickled her. She laughed. "I know, it's messed up, I know that what she and I are doing is codependent and weird and completely contrary to the guy I want to be."

"But you love her," Elena sighed. He nodded. "I think she loves you too, Tommy, I really do, she's just scared." She kissed him. "I have to get down there and drink heavily and make really sarcastic comments about Bonnie."

"Is this just for the shower or is this something you do every Saturday?" Tommy asked. She laughed.

"Oh right," she looked at him. "February 15."

"What's February 15?" He asked.

"That's the day that Brad and I are getting married." She smiled. "Exactly five years since we got together!"

"You set a date," he said. She nodded. "Whoa, that's big news."

"I know," she said. "Also you're going to be my maid of honor." She bounced out. That sank in and then he walked over to the door and shouted after her.

"I'm not wearing ruffles Lena, I don't care how funny you think it would be!" She giggled and got to the bottom of the stairs and saw Julie sitting in the living room with a freshly popped bottle of champagne.

"It's a little early isn't it?" Elena said, sashaying effortlessly in and sitting down next to her. Sure, she and Julie were kind of in the same boat here, except that she had a wonderful fiancé who loved her and Julie had, well, a flourishing career, and an Italian lover who by all accounts she wasn't in love with.

"Fuck off Ellie," Julie said, pouring herself another glass. Being drunk at the Rileys with Ellie Cole making her feel bad about herself was enough to make Julie feel like it was a fifteenth birthday all over again, when Ellie had told her that she wished she wasn't pretty and that she'd never deserve Jimmy.

"Eloquent," Ellie nodded. "So how's work?"

"When's your wedding?" Julie said. This was their standard bitch banter. Ellie sighed, Julie looked so awful she didn't have it in her to tell her that she and Brad had set a date.

"How awful is Bonnie?" Ellie asked. Julie looked at her. "I mean look at her, all kissing up to Ana. Like anyone is every going to get that woman's mind off the thought that Jimmy should be with you."

"Did you just say that Jimmy should be with me?" Julie said shocked.

"No," Ellie sniffed, "I said Ana thought that." Julie nodded. "But I'd rather you than her," Ellie mumbled. "At least you weren't openly hostile towards my friendship with Jimmy. Just towards me. I can handle that."

"Scooter said she called you a whore to your face," Julie said.

"Yup," Elena nodded, pouring herself a glass of that champagne. "You did too."

"Yeah, but I was seventeen," Julie said, "and you were sleeping with my boyfriend."

"Ex boyfriend," Elena said, "you'd broken up with him." Julie shrugged. "And you slept with him when he was my ex boyfriend, so we were evening things out."

"You went out with him in eighth grade," Julie rolled her eyes, "that doesn't count." They both looked at each other and laughed. Somehow going over the frivolous arguments of high school seemed wholly appropriate and just a little ridiculous.

"Brad and I set the date," Elena whispered. Julie looked at her. "February 15, he really wants you to come."

"He really wants me to come?" Julie raised her eyebrows.

"Don't think that because we have a common enemy this means I like you or anything Gaffney." She rolled her eyes and stood up. "Don't throw up on this carpet, it was Evelyn's favorite."

"Thanks for the warning," Julie sniffed as Elena turned on her heel and walked out.

Eva sat quietly in the corner with her arms crossed over her chest. She very badly did not want to be here. She used to love being brought to her grandparent's house, and being paraded in front of her aunt's friends. But that was back when she was the center of attention. No one cared about nine year old Eva when five year old Connie Vanderbilt was flitting around with her chestnut curls and adorable dimples, or when they could coo at and tickle perfect baby Bella.

"Hi Eva," Tammy walked over and sat next to her. Eva looked at her petulantly. "This sucks for you doesn't it?"

"Aunt Tammy, Mommy says you shouldn't say 'suck,'" Eva said. Tammy smiled.

"Are you going to tattle on me Eva?" Tammy said. Eva's green eyes got very big. She'd sooner die than tattle on her favorite Aunt. Aunt Tammy was so, well, for lack of a better word, cool. She wasn't like everyone else in the family, plus Eva had been to her house in New York and it was so big and bright and exciting with all of her paintings and the people working for the company wandering in and out.

"Course not!" Eva said. "Why didn't Uncle Steve come with you?"

"Eva, you know your daddy doesn't like it when you call Steve your uncle," Tammy said.

"But it's stupid!" Eva insisted. "He's my uncle as much as Scooter is, more than Uncle Biff."

"Biff's your godfather," Tammy reminded her. Eva nodded. "I hear baby Eddie's been living with you guys."

"He cries more than Bella," Eva frowned. "And more than TJ did."

"You used to cry like that too," Tammy said. Eva looked at her skeptically. "I'm serious, Uncle Tommy and I almost moved in with our dad to avoid it."

"Oh," Eva said quietly. "Back when we lived here?"

"Mm hm," Tammy said. "Back when Grandma and Grandpa first got married." Eva put her head on her shoulder. "You were the best thing to ever happen to our family Eva, don't you ever forget it."

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