Out Of Nothing At All

Part Sixteen

What should have been a four hour drive took nearly seven hours. You hit major traffic on the freewaydue to a huge accident, and you had to make Spencer stop six times for bathroom breaks. He'd insisted on driving, which as you always flatly refused to let anyone drive Elliot, meant seven hours in his Beetle.

"Why on earth have you named your car Elliot?" He'd asked you.

"Because she looks like an Elliot."

"She? You're so strange sometimes."

"Oh hush..... At least I don't dream about badgers."

"What?"

"Nothing.... Just drive."

You'd fallen asleep just after your last rest stop after calling and telling your Mother than you were running late.

"Always have to make an entrance don't you Y/N. Luckily it's only Amelia and George joining us for dinner this evening, so you won't be holding the whole family up this time." She'd huffed down the phone, her haughty voice dripping with disdain.

You'd had her on speaker phone and as you'd disconnected the call, you caught the look of Reids face.

"That's your Mother?"

"Yep."

"Wow.....who are Amelia and George?"

"Sister and her husband. He's the only one that's remotely normal out of them all. It might not be so bad if he's there too."

You fell asleep, Reid waking up you when his was just inside the city limits, not sure where to go. You directed him through the streets and into the gated community you'd grown up in, watching his eyes grow wider and wider as he took in the huge mansions that were set back from the streets.

Frantically smoothing your hair down and reapplying your make up, you could feel familiar sense of dread setting it. You'd changed at the last rest stop, into a smart black dress you'd bought especially for today, your bump protruding from it like a small beach ball.

"It's just coming up on the left." You pointed the turning out to him, blotting your lip stick as he drove up to the long drive. "Just pull up in front of the house. She'll get Martin to move it no doubt."

"Martin?"

You almost felt ashamed admitting that Martin was her butler. She also employed a middle aged woman, Mags, who acted as her cook and maid. Mags had worked for her since she was in her twenties and had been there for a large part of your childhood. Secretly you couldn't help but wonder how the woman had made it twenty years into the job without slipping arsenic into your Mother's meals.

He parked the car, and you zipped up the huge Parker jacket you'd bought with you. It hid your bump nicely, you wanting to at least get through the door before it was spotted.

"Ready?" Reid turned to you.

"Nope. But let's go anyway."

You climbed out of the car, making your way to the front door slowly, dragging your feet. You rang the bell and waited nervously, hearing the door unlocking a few moments later.

"Ah, Ms Y/N. And a guest. Your mother's been waiting for you. Do come in. How are you?"

"Hi Martin, we're fine thanks. Terrible traffic. " You entered the foyer, pulling Reid in behind you and hearing the clickety clack of high heels from the other room.

"Finally! The youngest daughter arrives." Ugh.... Your Mother, Amelia and George following behind her, George giving you a wide grin.

"Do give Martin your coats dear so we can go through for our dinner, we've been waiting long enough for you. Although how you can wear that monstrosity is beyond me. What happened to the cashmere I sent you at Christmas?" she asked in her cool tones, eyes raking over your companion.