Loaded

channel suit and pearls

"don't say a word" I warn. Jason holds up his hands  in defeats.

"Nice suit is it channel" he runs his hand down the sleeve of my pink jacket.

"Fuck off" I hiss, I smile tightly as people give me dirty looks. I guess I hadn't been as quiet as I had thought.

"Are those pearls" he adds.

I shake my head, I try to look anywhere but at him.

"Almost there" he says with a smirk as my mother arrives I feel my body stiffen it's like all the joy has been sucked out of the air.

"Jason, what a wonderful surprise. What are you doing here" mother kisses his cheeks before turning to me, I can feel her judging my outfit.

"That jacket is dry clean only, please dont ruin it by laundering it yourself"

"I know mother I got the note and the four voicemails" I reply through gritted teeth.

"Don't you think something's missing Kathleen" Jason asks her as he taps on his chin. I glare at him, I will kill him.

Mom steps back and looks me over once again.

"Pearls, a suit as nice as this needs pearls"

Mom smiles "your right, you can wear mine"

I kick Jason's shin making him cry out in pain.

"I'm allergic to pearls" I blurt out without any throught.

Jason laughs as my mother narrows her eyes.

"I wouldn't want to rip them from my throat and break them when my throat starts to swell, they are grandma's after all"

"I suppose it's not worth the risk, we don't want you looking blotchy not when your photo will be in the country club newsletter" mom starts to pull at my collar and fuss with my hair.

"Why" I ask. I had tried to get out of the family portrait, I had used every excuse but when mom arranged for the photo shoot to take place just a block from my studio I had no more excuses.

"You didn't think I would go to all this trouble and not put a copy in the clubs newsletter for my friends to see."

"Why is he here, why are you here" I ask pointing to Jason.

"Savannah don't be rude" mother chastises me.

"Actually why are you here" mom asks.

I stick my tongue out as mom's attention is nod soleu focused on Jason. He shifts uncomfortably.

"I came to ask Savannah out on a date"

"Sorry I'm busy" I reply quickly

"He didn't give you a date" mom says, she sounds annoyed.

"Oh sorry, when were you thinking" I ask , my voice is sickly sweet.

"Saturday"

"Busy sorry"

Jason laughs, hes enjoying this. It's clear that he likes the chase.

"Doing what exactly" mom asks.

"I have a current engagement" I answer truthfully.

"Which is"

"I'm attending a ball"

Mom looks unimpressed "at least make it believable"

"No seriously I'm going to a ball with a friend"

"Which friend"

"An old one"

"Savannah, please tell me it's not the drummer'

"It's not him, if you must know it's Tom"

"Tom your ex" mum's eyes light up tom is from a good family so I know internally she's jumping for joy.

"It's not a date, I'm going as his friend it's for his work. He didn't want to attend alone so I'm tagging along" why do I feel like I owe her an explanation.

"How about Sunday" Jason just won't give up.

"Oh look grace is here, let's get on with the shoot. I need to get back to work"

"I'm sure the bar can spare you for a couple of hours" 

"I'm working at a gallery" I inform her, I regret it almost immediately.

"Since when exactly, which gallery. Are you a cleaner"

"No the curator Its only a week's trial but it's going well so far" 

Mum's eyes light up, she finally doesn't have to lie to everyone about my job.

"Which gallery" dad asks as he joins us ,he's beaming with pride.

"I don't want to say"

Dad shakes his head, mom looks furious.

"Is it a real gallery or a collection of postcards in your friends garage"

Jason is finding the whole situation amusing, I wish he would take the hint and leave.

"Velvet" I whisper, it's clear that Jason had heard of it by the shit eating grin on his face.

"We will have to stop by, what the current collection" dad asks, I grimace at him. He looks confused and starts to play on his phone.

"Porn" he says aloud.

"Your doing Porn , oh god I'm going to have a heart attack" mom is clutching her heart dramatically.

"It's not porn, I am not doing Porn. The collections are a little risqué but it's real art" I argue. Dad turns his cell and shows mom the screen.

"I suppose it could be worse, I'll just tell people you work in an alternative gallery"

"I've been meaning to visit the current collection, maybe I'll swing by tonight" Jason announces.

"Don't bother, it's not your thing. Believe me" I push his arm.

"How do you know my thing" he asks.

I mouth "I'm going to kill you " at him making him laugh.

"I had better get back to work, I'll see you tonight" Jason calls over his shoulder as he leaves.

"He's a nice man Savannah" mom comments

"He's a good man Savannah a good man" Howie quotes the popular tik tok but mom just assumes that he's agreeing with her.

I use this time to escape and head over to my sister and brother in law.

"Please tell me you have your flask in there" I ask Howard as I gesture to his inside jacket pocket.

Hes like a spy, he discreetly hands me his small flask , "I've been part of this family long enough to know I can't deal with your mother for two hours sober"