Under the Surface

Chapter 7: Stella

"Margaret, where's your hairnet?" sighed Stella to her employee. She was sick of always asking this woman where her damn hairnet was and what are the odd's that Margaret has the biggest, curliest mess of black hair that goes down nearly to her elbows. She shivered at the thought about what she would do if she found one of those hairs in a dessert! "Okay, everyone looks good! Everything is set up perfectly, so everyone knows the drill? Starters are served at 12:30, followed by a speech by Mr.Hewitt, then mains will be delivered at around 12:45 to 12:50, then desserts at about 1:20, ok?" she smiled, looking around at the tables filled with appetiser for the guests to help themselves to when they arrive, finger bites such as crab cakes, blue cheese and pear tartlets filled the tables, which were neatly displayed on the lush, green grass of the Hewitt's backyard. It was a beautiful, warm and sunny day. Their garden had a long stretch of grass, mowed to perfection, and a beautiful water fountain in the middle of where the separate circular tables and chairs were arranged for the guests. A live string quartet was set up to the side. "Stella!" she heard a voice cry from behind her, it was Julie Hewitt, walking over to her, her arms wide open for an embrace, she was wearing a beautiful, crisp white gown. "Julie! You look absolutely stunning, how are you? How do you like the set up? If you feel it's too overcrowded we can adjust the tables of appetisers back a bit?" questioned Stella as she went in for a hug. She wanted Julie to be one hundred and ten percent happy with everything before the guests started arriving. "No, honey it's perfect! The food smells devine! You're okay working from the kitchen, yes?" she smiled back. Stella was more than ok working in that kitchen. She thought her own kitchen was big and spacious, but this, this was something else. "It's perfect!" she replied.

It was 12 pm and the guests had started to arrive. At this stage Stella was able to relax, take her apron off and have a glass of champagne with her friends. She looked at her watch, agitated she wondered where her husband and kids were. It was 12:05 now. They promised they'd be there on the dot of 12:00, it's rude to be late. Martin and the kids were arriving separately because Stella had to arrive earlier with her catering team to get everything set up. She hoped Danielle showed up looking pretty and sophisticated and didn't decide to piss her mother off last minute and wear a different outfit to the cream, lace dress she had picked out for her last night. "Stella, I just had one of those crab cakes and may I say, that's one of the best goddamn crab cakes I've ever had in my life!" laughed Aubrey Curtis, passing by Stella to make her way to the other end of the appetiser table. Stella swirled around the champagne in her glass before a feeling of relief ran through her body when she finally saw her husband and children enter the garden through the house. Her husband stopped to say hello and shake the hands of many people on the way to her. "Wow, you both look great!" smiled Stella, grateful over the fact that her daughter showed up exactly how she wanted her to look, and JJ looked adorable in his little teenager suit, making him look like a little young business man. "Thanks. Have you seen Ava?" questioned Danielle, looking around. "Isn't that her over there?" pointed Stella to the tall blonde over in the corner, standing bored on her phone, chewing gum beside her parents whilst they talk to another group of grownups. Before Stella could look back at her daughter, she had turned to walk away to talk to Ava. "Mom, I'm gonna go see if Zach's around" said JJ, before also turning around and walking away, leaving Stella all alone once again, with just her glass of champagne as company. She decided to walk around introducing herself to guests she hadn't met before, although there was only a tiny percentage who she didn't know because in this town everyone knows everyone. Stella was in a fascinating conversation with an architect before her husband pulled her aside. "I was wondering where you had got to!" said Stella to her husband. "Sorry, I was talking to the Murrays. It looks really good here, the food tastes amazing, you did a good job." he said, with a slight smile. Wow, this is new, my husband is actually complimenting me on something... she thought to herself. "Thank you Martin, I appreciate that" she smiled back, an internal feeling of warmth and admiration flowing through her, it's not everyday her husband compliments her. Their marriage was hanging on a cliff, she tried to ignore it, but it was obvious they were in trouble. She didn't want a divorce however, they made their vows to each other seventeen years ago, for better or for worse, for rich or for poor, in sickness and in health, she thought. No. Whatever they went through they had to work out and come out stronger in the end. I'm not going to run away just because we drifted apart, we can find our way back to a reconciliation, she thought. We can't destroy the beautiful image of our family that we have created together, the perfect family, that's how we were referred to. The perfect family does not contain divorced parents, with their children spending every second night at each of their parent's houses. We will be fine. It's just a temporary thing. Maybe Martin is going through a mid life crisis? I should google the tell tale signs of how to distinguish whether your husband is going through a mid life crisis. I must remind myself to do that later, she thought.