(SPOV)

We'd barely made it into the building when Valarie and Albert disappeared, leaving me alone with Dickie. I was irritated with her disappearing act, but it wasn't until I spotted my parents that I realized why she'd made a quick escape. The fact that they appeared as if they'd been waiting for us also wasn't lost on me. It was becoming increasingly clear that my sister's offer for a place to stay and get ready had come with secret conditions. I wasn't sure what her motivation was for trying to trick me. Maybe she was doing my mother's bidding, despite swearing to the contrary when I questioned her motives before I agreed to stay at her house.

Either way, I guess I'd fallen right into their trap. Time to face my first hurdle of the night. I tried to let go of Dickie's arm, only to have him place his other hand on top of mine. "Where are you going?" he asked. The tone in his voice sounded like genuine concern and for a second I almost believed he had changed. Then I remembered how Val had suckered me into coming with Dickie. Whatever they were up to, I was sure he was part of it. Which meant this was all an act.

"Not that it's any of your business since we didn't come together, but I'm going to speak to my parents. I don't need or want you around when I do. The last thing I need is them getting the wrong idea."

"Would that be so bad if they did?" he asked, still refusing to let go of my hand. "I mean I know we've had some bad blood between us in the past, but that doesn't mean we couldn't start fresh."

Eww! Revulsion flashed through my system at breakneck speed, and I swear I may have thrown up in my mouth just a little. I leaned in close, to hopefully make my point clear without drawing unwanted attention to us. "I'm sure you remember the scene I made when I found you fucking Joyce on our dining room table."

Even behind the giant beak mask, I could tell he paled at my question. He gave a slow nod.

"Well, if you don't let go of my hand and walk away, I promise that will look like a walk in the park compared to what I will do to you now."

"Steph-" He started to protest only for me to cut him off.

"Don't forget who I work for now," I warned. "I have friends in high places."

"I haven't done anything that would warrant an FBI investigation," he said.

"Are you sure about that?" I challenged. "And you should know that my friends aren't limited to the FBI, Richard. I'm very close with a few people at the Internal Revenue Service, who I'm sure would be very interested in checking out your books and those offshore accounts you keep." I had no way of knowing for sure if he still held those offshore accounts, but I didn't see him changing his ways either.

He released his grip so fast you would have thought that touching me had burned him. "You wouldn't dare."

"Try me," I replied. "I don't know what little charade you cooked up with my sister and mother, but it's not going to work. The best thing you could do right now is, just to turn around and walk away. We're done with all the fake pleasantries."

His lips pursed in a way that told me that I'd not only caught onto his bullshit, but he was pissed about it. "You're still a bitch," he grumbled as he turned and walked away.

"Coming from you I'll take that as a compliment," I said then turned and narrowed my gaze on my mother. Whatever little ploy she had worked out, I would end it too.

"Stephanie," my mother cooed as I approached. "I'm glad to see you could make time to come to your Godfather's party. Even though you couldn't be bothered to visit for any of your real family's birthdays."

"So nice to see you too, mother," I replied with enough sarcasm there was no way she could miss it. "Who exactly are you supposed to be?"

I barely hid my grin at her sigh of exasperation. "I'm Lady Tremaine," she replied as she motioned to her dress. "Isn't it obvious?"

"How apropos," I murmured then turned to my dad. "So, does that mean you prince charming?"

Dad rolled his eyes as he smirked. "I suppose. Honestly, these costumes don't make sense together, but they were your nieces' idea."

I'd have to remember to send Angie and Mary Alice extra gifts at Christmas this year because mom's costume was perfect. When I was little, I was convinced that she hadn't really given birth to me and that she must be my evil-step mom. Sadly, as I grew, I realized that wasn't the case.

"What are you supposed to be in that…that…dress," mom asked.

"I'm supposed to be a butterfly," I replied.

"My goodness, Stephanie. Of all things. Don't you think it's a bit ostentatious?"

"I do," I said. "But Uncle Joe sent it to me with a request that I wear it and if that's what he wants from me for his birthday then that's what he'll get."

"Joe sent you the dress?" Mom asked as she looked from me to dad. By the expression dad was wearing, he already knew about the dress. "Honestly, Stephanie, I would have thought that you'd at least wear something to match Richard's costume."

And there it was…

"Why would I need to match Dickie's costume?"

"Well, if you came as a couple?"

"We did NOT come as a couple," I gritted through my teeth.

Her attention darted over my shoulder as if she were looking for someone. "But I saw you come in arm in arm."

"Only because you roped Valarie and Albert into forcing me to ride here with him. I was trying not to make a scene about it, but I will tell you the same thing I just told him. If you think you were embarrassed by what I did when I found him screwing Joyce, keep trying to meddle in my life and see what kind of scene I make."

She let out a gasp. "How dare you talk to me like that?"

Dad's look turned hard, and he took a step away from her. "Helen, you promised me that you were going to stop interfering in Stephanie's life."

"I." She shook her head. "I didn't…I wasn't…" Then she stopped and angled her hands on her hips. "I can't believe you're taking her side without knowing all the facts."

"I know that I've heard you on the phone with several of the burg shrews talking about ways to get Stephanie to return to Trenton and marry a burg man like you want her to do." He motioned in the direction of the entrance. "I know that when you found out Stephanie was coming to this shindig, you spend an awful lot of time whispering with Valarie." He moved to point that same finger at her. "It's because you meddled that she finally got fed up and moved away. I won't let you get involved anymore and run her off completely."

Wow. I guess dad had finally grown tired of mom's nonsense. Though, I didn't have the heart to tell him that my leaving was only half mom's fault. The other half landed square on Ranger's shoulders.

Mom was creating a great impression of a fish out of the water as she opened and closed her mouth. I could only imagine what was running through her head after being reprimanded by dad in public.

"Whatever you're going to say, Helen, just don't," dad said. "I don't want to hear it." He turned to face me. "You look beautiful, pumpkin. I'm sorry about your mother and your sister. If I'd known what they were up to, I would have tried to stop it."

"That's okay," I replied as I leaned in to kiss him on the cheek and then whispered. "How about you and Grandma come down to visit? I'd be happy to give you a tour of DC."

Dad grinned and whispered back. "Sounds good."

"I'll call your cell in a few days."

"I'll make sure I have it on me."

Without a backward glance at my mother, I turned and headed off to find Uncle Joe. I wanted to make sure he knew I was here. That way, if my evening continued to go South, I could escape without hurting his feelings.

Before I'd made my way through the main ballroom, I ran into Morelli. Funny how my conversation with him ended up being more civil than the one with my own family. After he introduced me to his wife Sarah and we exchanged pleasantries, I congratulated them on their pregnancy and told them to look me up if they were ever in DC. We parted ways and for the first time tonight, I had some hope that maybe my evening wouldn't be completely shot to hell.

I found Uncle Joe standing with his wife, Jill in the back of the ballroom. His first wife had passed from cancer when I was just a teenager. So, when he fell in love with Jill, I was happy for him. Unfortunately, because Jill was ten years younger than Uncle Joe and not from the burg, mom took an instant dislike to her. It didn't take long for Jill to get fed up with my mother's attitude and she stopped trying to foster a friendship.

I liked Jill. She was good for Uncle Joe, and it was obvious by the way she doted over him that she loved him.

He spotted me and his face broke into a huge smile. "There's my goddaughter. My God, you are stunning in that dress."

"Thank you," I replied as I leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.

"Just like I knew she would be," Jill said as she tried to pull me into a hug. Unfortunately, the wings combined with the size of the dress made an actual hug impossible.

My eyes widened at her statement as I pulled back. "The dress was your idea?"

She nodded. "I knew it would be perfect for you."

My attention shifted between them as I took in their costumes. Jill was wearing an off-white Grecian-style dress that flowed perfectly over her curves. Her long blonde hair was curled into loose ringlets and held back from her face by a headband covered in gold leaves. She wore similar bands of gold around her biceps. The mask covering her eyes was also trimmed in the same gold leaf pattern. "Jill, your outfit is gorgeous."

She preened at my compliment. "Thank you. I'm Aphrodite, goddess of love."

I turned my attention to Uncle Joe and then noted the helmet sitting on the table behind him. He was dressed like a Greek warrior. Which sort of made sense yet didn't. "And you are who?" I asked.

"Ares," he replied as he puffed out his chest. "God of war."

I didn't bother to hide my grin. "If I'm remembering my Greek mythology correctly, Aphrodite was married to Hephaistos, not Ares."

"Ah, but Ares was her lover," a voice said from behind me.

I turned and came face to face with Lester and Bobby. Well shit. I guess there was at least one more conversation in my future before I would be able to escape this madness and head back to my life in DC.