A Charitable Scandal

The Ticket Holder

Emily was true to her word. After speed dressing and hopping on a cab to downtown, I slipped in with ease, my ticket readily accepted by the smiling attendant just inside the tall glass doors of the expansive gallery. The venue was the city's own Gallery of the Arts, which is housed inside a building bordered by limestone pillars, decorated with elaborate friezes, and buffered by lush, elegant gardens. Inside we found ourselves walking down a long corridor which branched off into the various exhibition halls. The walls — an art piece all on their own with their ornate trim and flawless white color — were adorned with paintings by well known masters and one hit wonders from various time periods in history. Polished statues of nymphs, warriors, and mythical creatures lined the walkway of inlaid marble, which led down the atrium and towards the majestic ballroom at the end.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" asked Emily as she circled her arm around my own and hugged me close to her side.

"It's great Emi," I said with honest awe. "You did good in picking out the venue."

"Wait until you see the ballroom," she said with a giddy smile. "I was here earlier in the day helping with the decorations. You'll love it."

She pulled me down the hall, pointing out some of the more exciting pieces they had set out for the silent auction. We eventually reached the ballroom, a large open space free of any priceless relics so that it may be used for weddings and events without fear of a drunken guest knocking over a million dollar vase. A few statues did hug the walls, but they were likely just replicas considering just how close they let guests stand by them. As for the ceiling, it towered above us, the roof a pyramid of glass that revealed the night sky. Chandeliers and strings of twinkling lights, flooded the room with a golden glow that set a sort of dark mysteriousness over the scene.

Still, they provided just enough light for guests to find their way around without tripping over a chair or running into a table. Small plates and glasses of wine circulated through the crowd, the tables generally untouched since it was still some time before the meal would be served. The band had yet to make an entrance and, instead, a string quartet played low, relaxing music appropriate for conversation.

"What shall we do then?" asked Emily with excitement rattling her voice. "Mingle, check out the auction, peek into one of the exhibits?"

"I think you should go find Theo and enjoy your night together," I said, pulling my arm from hers and looking her square in the eye.

"What and leave you to make your escape?"

"I'm not going to run. You've sacrificed enough of your time with Theo to get me here and I won't let that be in vain."

"Look," she said with a contented sigh, "he knows that I'm not ditching him without reason. He's as concerned about you as I am. He understands."

She gave me a warm smile, but then her expression shifted to something somber and serious.

"Look, I also can't just leave you alone. I may have gotten you in, but there's still reason to be a bit concerned that Tamara will spot you and have you thrown out. With both our eyes on the look out..."

"No Emi, enough!"

Emily nearly fell into a passing waiter due to the ferocity of my words. I felt a blush reach up to my ears and I cleared my throat a few times before continuing.

"I appreciate your concern, but this is not something I want to drag you into. You've worked so hard for this night. Go and be with Theo. I'm not going to run and I won't be alone, at least not for long I hope."

"Are you going to look for Alec?"

I gave her a nod.

"If you promise you are going to search for Alec the second I leave you then I will agree to your terms."