The Christmas Party was a grand affair with what looked to be hundreds of guests, twenty to thirty waiters, four separate bars and two bands. It stretched throughout the country club spilling out over the pool and golf pro shop. Cars filled the parking lot and both sides of the long entrance drive to the country club. Valet's were running all over the place getting the cars parked for the late arrivers as well as returning cars for the very few who were leaving early.
Mark had made arrangements to help park the cars until the initial rush was over, then he was to slip into the locker room and change into the appropriate party attire and join his family at the party. None of the other staff members at the club were afforded such privileges, but Mark's parents were Legacy Members with over twenty years of club membership so Mark was not just any employee. As busy as the valet's were, Mark was finally able to pull away around eight-thirty, much later than everyone expected so he quickly hurried into the locker room, took a shower and then changed into his formal clothing.
When he finally made it into the party, he hurried over to the bar and ordered two Whiskey Sours and then headed to his parent's table located up at the front of the main dining room. By the time he made it to the table, he had finished one of the drinks and was nearly half finished with the second. Arriving at the table, he noticed that he was well behind everyone else, so he gulped the last of his second drink just before shaking his father's hand. His mom was really wasted and when he moved over to kiss her, she stood up and faced him, standing so close her breasts brushed against his chest.
"You made it finally, I'm so glad my love," she said kissing him on the cheek, but then turning her head as they pulled apart, brushing her lips across his. "I was getting worried about you."
"There were a lot of cars, so I couldn't get away as early as I wanted," he replied, moving around his mother to head to his chair, noticing her hand running down across his chest as he passed her. His father had waved down a waiter who brought Mark his dinner and took a drink order for two more Whiskey Sours. Mark had only recently turned twenty-one and enthusiastically embraced his family's enjoyment of social as well as some unsocial drinking.
He quickly began eating the crab legs and shrimp featured on the top level menu for the party. Partygoers had a choice between several different menu choices for the evening, with a price ranging from a modest thirty dollars a person up to two hundred per person, which included an unlimited bar tab, crab legs, shrimp and lobster. Of course Mark's parents opted for the most expensive and planned to get their money's worth from just the bar tab alone.
"Isn't this just a wonderful party?" his mother asked.
"Yeah, I only wish Erica could have made it," Mark replied.
"She's here somewhere working I'm sure," his father said, remembering the strings he pulled to get the club to hire a Hispanic girl for anything more than a maid or dishwasher's position at the club. It was something that caused quite a fight in their house.
"I don't know why you worry about that slut," his mother chimed in, ready to fight the fight all over again.
"Mom, she's a nice girl," Mark said, a bit agitated.
"All she's after is your money, our money and I know just what she's doing to get it."
