"No, I'm not trying to make a big deal out of it... but you're certainly more hung up about that kind of thing than I am." Adam said to his Indian wife of 6 years.
"And what is that supposed to mean? So you won't get upset if some guy begins feeling me up tonight? I doubt it very seriously, Adam. You want it both ways—'Mili, don't worry... people will be drinking, maybe some people will get carried away... you don't want to make a scene at this party... all the right people will be there.'" Mili replied.
Earlier in the night Adam had tried to lay the groundwork for what he expected to be a challenging evening. His boss Eric threw a major harvest party at the winery he co-owned with a group of other investors, and every year everyone had way too much to drink. It was like the theme of the party, to the point that no one was allowed to bring their own cars to the party—it was drivers for all attendees. Mili had not gone the last three years because she was usually back in India to visit her parents this time of year but since her mother now lived with them, there was no need to go back this year and she could attend.
The problem was that for the last two years, the party had taken a turn Adam knew Mili would not be prepared for. It hadn't turned into a swingers party or anything like that, but there were definitely some "hook ups" that occurred, and there was always plenty of bad behavior / occasional nudity / heavy petting to go around.
Adam _had_ to go, but didn't know how Mili would react to the debauchery—and instead of telling Mili to watch out, he tried using himself as an example so that she wouldn't feel put on the spot, which backfired.
"You think you're so good looking and I'm a piece of chopped liver?" Mili said indignantly, starting in on her husband again. "I'm sure you won't be the only person being hit on at the party!"
Adam knew she was right. In fact, it was Mili he was worried about... Mili was not classically beautiful by Indian cultural standards... her face was rather average to men back home and her boobs were actually too big for many men there. They made her look matronly, not young and spry—but in America, big boobs command attention, and Adam knew that in the dress Mili was wearing, she would have plenty attention.
"You're right, honey, and all I'm saying is I won't be offended if I see you making out with some young buck in the hallway or if some guy tries to cop a feel on the dancefloor. And neither should you." He replied.
When he said, "and neither should you" he was actually trying to say that she shouldn't be upset if HE ended up kissing someone, but it kindof sounded like he was saying she shouldn't be offended if someone groped her. Regardless, she seemed to acknowledge his point and they moved past their tiff and finished getting ready for the party.
At half past 7, the doorbell rang and they were greeted by their limo drive for the evening. Ralph, their driver, complimented them on their attire and explained how he would wait for them all evening if necessary in a lot at the south end of the vineyard and gave them his card. He also told them that if anyone wanted to leave early, it would be no problem for any of the drivers to take one party home, as there would be a "pool" of limos waiting for party guests as they departed.
When they arrived at the party at 830, Eric welcomed them inside and explained about the three bars on the two levels of the winery and the two bars outside. She couldn't get over how many people were in attendance, numbering almost 200, as she had never been to a private party so large.
"This is really impressive." Mili told her husband as she surveyed the scene.
"See? There are several people here you need to meet but try to remember to be sociable. Just for one night, step outside your shell—they need to know we're worth having as friends...and as future business partners." Adam replied.
Mili understood her husband's request... tonight, she had to be more social butterfly, less clingy arm decoration. This was a party to make connections... it was how Eric had been brought into the group of investors in the winery.
"Is that Grace Lee at the downstairs bar?" Mili asked.
Adam looked down the stairwell and saw his administrative assistant picking up a couple glasses of chardonnay and nodded.
"Then I'll go say hello!" Mili said with a smile.
"Thank you honey!" Adam said as Eric pulled him into a conversation with a group of other men.
I'm not sure if there's some kind of unwritten rule or if it's just nature, but it seems like two hours is the amount of time alcohol can continuously flow at something like this before people and their better judgement get lost in the crowd... and that's about how much time had passed before Mili found herself in unfamiliar territory.
She had not been pacing herself well at all—the wine was so delicious, the company and chat fresh and engaging, that she always found herself with a full glass. A few of the guests had asked her to dance already this evening, but a younger gentleman named Steve came in for his second dance as the lights in the downstairs area were turned down to make it more "clubby."
Mili accepted his request and began dancing with him to the slower tune that was playing over the sound system.
"I was waiting to dance with you again!" Steven said to her as he took her hand in his and placed his other hand in the small of her back, pulling her in closely.
"Why is that?" Mili asked with a smile, flattered that the man had taken interest in her so obviously.
And here's where the alcohol kicks in... it happens to us all. That wall that holds back the stupid things we'd say or which traps the truth from coming straight out when a more circuitous path is needed? That wall crumbles...
"Because you've got the best boobs at the entire party!" Drunk Steven said to her.
Mili would have immediately pulled away if she wasn't on glass who-knows of chardonnay for the evening. Instead she just sort of giggled and denied it causing him to double down more.
"No, seriously... they're amazing." Drunk Steven said, obviously looking down at them while guiding Mili around the dance floor.
Mili traced his eyes down to her heaving brown bosoms and said, "I... I think it's the dress you like."