Oh FUCK.
Emily had just opened a letter that had been delivered to her at work. Apparently not even the sanctity of an official government building would stop her mother from sending a reception invite directly to her. She had made a deal with her mother nearly ten years ago that she would attend one holiday gala and one other political function a year, that was it. Her mother got to prove she still had a daughter and brag about how skilled and beautiful she was, and Emily got to fulfil all daughterly duties in two nights a year. They never saw each other or spoke in the months that would stretch between the small talk at events. Emily would simply get invitations in the mail a couple of times a month and she would choose one to attend based around her work schedule and emotional stability at any given time.
This year she had already attended a New Years Ball, using the logic that it would get things out of the way quickly, but she had not yet attended her second. This particular invitation had bought the realisation that given the date creeping into late November she probably had to go to this "Celebration at the manor of the French Ambassador" It was unfortunate that the pickings were so slim, as the man hosting this soiree was a pompous ass who would leer with a predatory gaze anytime Emily had the displeasure of being near him. Elizabeth would take the opportunity to comment on her lack of a partner, and joke - with a heavy drip of innuendo, that the two would make a powerful and handsome couple. Apparently despite Emily's insistence for the last 30 years, the elder Prentiss could not comprehend that her daughter was a lesbian and would never "settle down" to be a house wife to a politician.
Resigning herself to another evening of obligatory ass kissing and endless societal torture, Emily refolded the envelope and threw it into her bag with an exaggerated sigh. Spencer glanced up sharply at the disruption to the quite atmosphere, a quick glance at the embossed paper poking out of the bag and Emily's forlorn face, led the doctor to his conclusion.
"Let me guess, you have to attend this one." He said with a sympathetic smile. He was the only one of her co-workers that knew of her little arrangement with her mother. Sitting at the desk across from her he had witnessed the pattern of invites that each afflicted the brunette with a bad mood and a propensity for eye rolls. His own parental struggles led him to be the perfect candidate for a confidante,
"Yeah, it's just that this one is hosted by a total sleaze who my mother would love to have me marry. I just don't know whether I can endure another evening rejecting the advances." She replied, the eye roll serving its purpose whenever she imagined his face.
"So tell your mother you're dating someone." Spencer countered like it would fix the problem.
"Oh Dr Reid, if only it were that simple. My mother -" doesn't accept that I'm gay. "Would need proof of life, she knows me too well." She had stopped herself just shy of outing herself. None of the boys on the team knew she was gay. Garcia and JJ had only found out after one particularly drunken game of 'truth or dare' played during Girls night.
"Okay, then take a date." His small shrug yet again betraying the way his brain could simplify such emotionally complex situations.
"I couldn't just -" She had actually never considered just bringing someone in order to appease her mothers lectures. Even better she could bring a woman, That was sure to get Elizabeth's panties in a knot. Emily found herself smirking at the thought of her mothers reaction. "You know what Spencer, I might just do that!"
They both returned to their paperwork, although Emily's mind was trying to determine who best to bring to such a gathering. A random stranger would be risky if they behaved poorly, or she ever had to reproduce evidence of their relationship. A friend would make things easier, however she only really had the team, in this country at least. Would she feel comfortable exposing this side of her life to Garcia or JJ? Would she be okay subjecting them to the scrutiny?
With the work day drawing to a close, and the Gala date in only one week Emily decided that she would ask the girls today and see what they wanted to do.