Connexion

Part 94

Jena closed her eyes, for a micro second, and she hoped the hurt would vanish. She opened her eyes when Nicola picked up the reins of the conversation, as the silence became uncomfortable. "You made my friend's wedding cake." Nicola smiled.

"Oh." Automatic replies from those around. Looked at Jena, some with plain curiosity and others with other agendas. In particular, Chloe. Like a limpet was latched to Caleb, and she knew, from watching Caleb earlier, that he and Jena had a conversation. And from their body language, it was more than the average conversation! Having prised Caleb away from Jena, Chloe was not keen on releasing him to this unwanted intruder!

"You made that astonishing cake. Harry, do you remember, it defied gravity." Nicola said firmly.

Harry nodded. "Yes, of course, I remember we talked about it. Because it looked amazing." He smiled at Jena. But that compliment barely registered with the audience. 

Jena hesitated briefly before saying, "Yes." 

Jena glanced at Caleb, and was praying that he had moved away from Chloe. It felt like time was standing at still. And still hurt. And that hurt escalated when Jena acknowledged her feelings for him was close to love. And watching him and Chloe, was flaying her alive, just because his arm was still around Chloe. Chloe placed her head on Caleb's shoulder, and her palm was on his chest, just above his heart, while Jena' heart was at her feet. Chloe was pleased to see her actions were registered by Jena. 

Jena caught the corner of her lips between her teeth. With a desperate need to cloak herself from the pain, she folded her arms and looked away. Obviously her instinct for self-preservation was good, given that seeing Caleb with his arm around Chloe was squeezing the life out of her. She needed time to get her brain and heart back into synch. And she needed to work out how to leave this group without leaving with her tail between her legs. 

It took someone to repeat his question, before Jena snapped out of that hiatus.

"Sorry?" She murmured. Her eyes reflected her desolation, anguish raced through her blood destroying any attempt to resurrect her composure when she noticed that Chloe was now practically plastered to Caleb.

"I was hoping you would explain it?" Harry asked.

"State secrets." Jena mumbled, not sure she would have the words to explain it, not because she did not know how to explain it, but because she was barely holding on her composure. Despondency was an unwanted blanket. This party was supposed to be different. She was here as a guest, not a contractor. She can mingled without seeking permission. For this party she had dressed as a guest. But she had hoped it would be a happy occasion, instead, she was close to tears.

"Well it was stunning." Nicola thought Jena was about to cry so she said with a smile, "Well it was stunning." 

"Thank you." Jena pasted a smile on her lips and fought back the tears. This could not happen here. Not now. Not with this company for an audience. What was wrong with her, she had deliberated ignored her feelings for him and they surfaced without warning.

Caleb frowned at the tone in her words, and said, "The engagement cake here, was made by her company."

"So you are here because you are the caterer here?" Chloe was not happy to see that Jena still looked serene, as if all that she had said to her was of no consequence. "I just assumed you were a friend of the Garrisons' family." Chloe said and her eyes conveyed her view. Nicola frowned at Chloe, surely she would have noted that Jena was close to tears.

Jena licked her lips, took a moment, to gather her composure, "Yes, not a friend of the family." She kept her eyes on Chloe, and said bluntly. "Just the caterer." She needed to be calm, to be serene, before she moved on. And show that she was happy with her profession and it did not matter her why she was invited to this party. She just needed to leave this group. At the moment she was sure her brain would not issue a command to move, given her brain was fighting fires in her mind. If only she could just scream and vent to show how she felt, she would feel better. But she needed to find a way out, so her eyes sparkled with temper. Temper was better than despondency, because temper dragged her from inaction.

Caleb's eyes widened at her tone and her statement. Buried deep behind the flash of confrontation he saw in her eyes, he saw, albeit briefly, the pain Chloe's words had caused. 

"Oh? Not a friend." Chloe's eyes went wide with spite and added, "You crashed the party because you made the cake?"

Jena swallowed a painful lump in her throat and said, "No." She squared her shoulders, she knew she had to stay strong to stop her from decking Chloe! But it was a close call! Temper unfortunately has side effects, it removes rationality and intention and is replaced with foolishness and folly. She wondered if Caleb would support her. Caleb quirked a brow at her as he recognised her plea for support. She maintained her composure. He was about to lend his support to her, when Jena said quietly, "The Garrison family invited me, and my team to this party." For someone who rarely loose their rag, she was close to shouting, not helped by Caleb's friends' antics.

Chloe smirked, and took the opportunity to add more coals to the fire. "You catered for this event. It is not normal for the host to invite their caterer!" 

Jena clenched her hands.  And used the pain of her nails digging into the fleshy parts of her palms to maintain her control. 

Chloe was not done, she jeered," You must be very happy that the Garrison family invited you, so I guess you are a guest here. "

Yes."

"They always throw a wonderful party." Chloe eyes  met Jena's gaze.

Jena ignored the venom in Chloe's tone, "Yes, a wonderful party." She again looked at Caleb, while she addressed Chloe's statement, "And very kind of the Garrison family to invite me and my team." Caleb poked his tongue in his cheek and Jena quirked a brow at him. Caleb's focus remained on Jena, but his eyes did not give away his thoughts. He was a good poker, Jena thought, as she said quietly, "And you are right, it is not normal for us. We just cater, deliver the cake and leave." Her eyes flashed at Caleb. "Just a service. But at this party, we are guests, like you."

Chloe's smirk grew.

"Anyway, I just wanted to stop by to say goodnight to Caleb." Jena pinned a smile on her lip and again looked at Caleb. Just in case he missed her resentment, her eyes conveyed her displeasure, "I spoke to your family, which just left you. I didn't mean to barge my way into your conversation with your friends. " Jena took another breath, told herself to get a grip, and ordered her feet to take a step away.

"Oh? You are leaving?" Chloe feigned concern.

Three glanced at their watches. Nine pm.

"Yes." She did her best not to shout at Chloe.

"Quite early to leave a party." Caleb said and drew Chloe closer and to make things worse, his palm trapped Chloe's palm against his chest. "Chloe and I were talking about the last party, and the time we left."

"I think it was close to 1 am!" Chloe said with a giggle. "Well at least we got a taxi, I think, around 1 am."

Nicola chuckled. "You were sloshed, Chloe!"

And Caleb did not reveal that he asked the taxi to drop them at her flat and asked the driver to wait for him. Caleb accompanied Chloe to the front of her flat, waited for her to open the door, checked she was ok, and he did not stay. 

Chloe shrugged and wiggled her eyebrows, "A sign of a good party!" Chloe lifted her head and said, "And this party has promise!"