"Hello, Miss Ana? This is Henry Williamson. Your father gave me your number. I'd like to get in touch with you soon. Thanks."
What an unexpected text message!
And why in the world was her father giving out her phone number like that?!
Ana groaned and gave the man a call.
It turned out that the madman wanted her to join the motherfucking Fair Orchard Country Club! God damn it! Ana didn't think she was anywhere near enough of a snob to consider doing such a thing. But she tried to be polite. She told him that while the offer was delightful, she didn't think she could afford the membership fee.
"Oh, don't worry about that! We're always happy to provide discounts to members with certain skills and talents."
"Mr. Williamson, I make comics for a living."
"That's a skill, isn't it? Just come to the Spring Charity Dinner, alright? You'll be a guest."
Ana wanted to throw her cell phone out her bedroom window. She took a gritty, slow breath, and she said, "Isn't the point of a charity to donate? I don't plan on donating anything."
"You don't have to, but if you wanted, you could sign a copy of your graphic novel and give it to us. You have fans, don't you? That could be sold off for the cause."
"What's the cause?"
"Oh, it's for an organization that puts more women into universities."
Oh fuck. Really? Ana gripped one of her bed's posts. "What women? What country?"
"Well, this one, of course. America."
Ana stomped onto her bedroom's carpeted floor. Her words were rapid and angry.
"That's not exactly a worthy cause! Women in America have been attending universities with little to no sexual discrimination for at least several decades! I'm pretty sure that female students outnumber the male ones at this point! I'm not donating anything to a virtue signaling organization like that! I'd donate to help starving children get better access to food, or something along those lines, but ... agghhh ... come on!" She even shook her head. "No, Sir. I'm not interested. Thank you for the opportunity, but I just won't do it."
"Oh, please think it over! You're an upstanding member of the community. Some members are already asking about you."
Ana snorted. She didn't really believe the man. She was starting to think that he wanted something from her, something she wasn't going to give up.
"And you know, Miss Ana, your parents have wanted to become members for a long time now."
She groaned because that was painfully true.
"If you become a member, or at least attend the dinner, then I'd be more willing to put in a good word for them."
Damn it. He got her where she was weak, right in her heart, right where her family cozily slept.
"Well, alright Mr. Williamson. I'll come to the dinner, but that's all, okay?" Frankly, she was surprised that he didn't give up after her cringy rant, but he won in the end. She gave in.
"Wonderful!"
***
Just enough foundation to brighten her complexion and a clear lip gloss, that's all she put on her face this evening. She combed her hair, bangs included, and put it in a simple knot at her nape. Then she made sure her ankle-length, black dress was modest yet flattering. Ana had nothing against skin exposure. She just didn't feel like showing off for country club people, especially not Henry Williamson.
Kitten heels tapping the stoop's steps of the townhouse she lived in, Ana patted her little purse with straight fingers. She got into her car and sighed, knowing this was mostly a waste of time, but her parents would be happy, so there was that to think of.
The Fair Orchard Country Club was kept away from the towns and cities. There was a massive building that looked like a mansion, a few smaller buildings, a golf course, a tennis court, a swimming pool, a spa, a gym, a game room, a restaurant, a bar, a ballroom/dining room, a shooting range, a set of horse stables with adorable horses, a polo arena, and just large chunks of land in general.
Luxurious and fun, it wasn't a bad place. Ana just didn't like the sort of people she was bound to meet. She didn't think all rich people were bad. She just didn't expect an average rich person to be someone she could relate to.
When she tried to park her car, a parking valet waved at her, trying to get her to stop and give him her keys. Ana rolled her window down and cried out, "No thanks!" Then she put her vehicle into the first open space she could see, or at least the first open space that didn't have a "members only" sign.
Ana wandered around until an employee directed her to the dining area. It was a place with white walls, pale chairs, and fragrant spring flowers. People were either eating or signing their names at booths. The booths had lists of items for sale, and the profits were meant to go towards the charity. However, there was also a booth where you could just give money without expecting a single thing in return. Ana would've sat down by herself, but she happened to see her dad and stepmom. So, she sat at their table.
Kennedy Davis' red lips formed a warm smile as she gave her stepdaughter a hug. Her curly, chocolate colored hair put a minty cucumber scent into Ana's nose. "Hi there, Sweetie. How's life?"
"Fine. Nothing to report." Ana noticed a waiter approaching. "So were you guys waiting on me?"
"Of course," her dad said as he too seemed to notice the waiter.
The trio told the waiter what they wanted to eat.
And then, to Ana's surprise, her dad pointed his head towards another table and said, "Those two men over there are being considered for membership here."
Ana discreetly looked at the table.
Her throat seemed to swell and her toes nearly cramped. She recognized one of those men.
"They're from Romania," her father continued with his typical cheerful voice. "Isn't that neat? Maybe you should go and say hi? They might like hearing Romanian from a friendly girl."
Vlad Dalca was ... just sitting there ... and he looked at her ... his eyebrows rose and he waved at her with closed fingers. Ana nodded, and she weakly said to her dad, "Oh, I've already met the older guy."
"You did?! What a coincidence! Where did you meet?"
Ana gulped down a thick lump of who knows what as she put her eyes to the younger man. He must be the son. He was almost his father's opposite. While he wasn't a thin, delicate little thing, he wasn't as thick as Vlad. He had a leaner sort of build, a thinner and prettier face, and the happiest grin in the world.
"I saw him at a bookstore," Ana said. "Then we had a bite at a cafe. He mentioned his son."
Mason Davis innocently said, "Well that's just cute. He probably wanted to play matchmaker."
She heard her stepmother say with a low tone, "The son's pretty good looking."
Ana didn't care about that.
Maybe she should go?
But why? Nobody was doing anything wrong. Why not just stay and eat? She didn't have to go over there and talk to them.
Ana lightly bit at the inside of her cheek. Then she turned to Kennedy. "I'm not really interested."
