1

Beethoven's Ruins of Athens No.4 played in the background. Idle chatter going on all around. Waiters passing around champagne from one person to the other like a plague. Such elegant evening gowns round the hall. The music seemed to move through her, she'd never been one for such music and yet she was enjoying it, more than she thought she would. It was possible she only liked it because it was better than trying to make small talk with the wealthy men and women in the room. Granted there were a few people her age or a little older. But she didn't want to move. She looked at her silver slim chain wrist watch. It won't be long now. Her first and only champagne flute still in her hand. Standing close enough to her parents for them to notice her and far enough for her to be alone, she watched as four couples moved the the middle of the hall and swayed their pair of tangled hands to the music.

Noticing the man and his wife approach her parents, she looked away. Seeing her friend's parents talking to some people not too far from her, she smiled. "Bryan." Her mother's warm voice caught her attention. "Renee." Her mother smiled. "It's nice to see you." Hand shakes, hugs and cheek kisses ensued from both pairs.

"This is our daughter, Lucille." Her father introduced. Lucille smiled, stepping closer to her parents. "Lucille, this is Mister Atkins and his wife."

The pair smiled at her. She smiled back. "We have heard a lot about you."

"Not a lot, but enough." Renee added to her husband's words.

Bryan stretched out his hand towards Lucille. "Dance with me." Lucille smiled, nodded and followed him. Dropping her glass on the nearest tray.

"She is beautiful." Renee said to her parents. "Such elegance." Her mother chuckled, her father smiled. "And that dress."

"Her sister has a girl. Very good at her job." Her mother said, proudly.

"Clearly. Oh! You must be so proud of them."

"You're very good at this." Mr. Atkins commented on the way she moved with ease, following his lead as they danced.

"Thank you." She kept her eyes away from his face.

"You're welcome. You are a vision Lucille." She looked at her friend's parents. They smiled at her. "Certainly the highlight of the evening. I've heard about your beauty but-"

"I have a sister too." She felt the need to mention.

"Ah. Yes. The actress. she's not here unfortunately. I choose to pay compliments to who I can see. But I hear there's no comparing you two. Such rivaling beauties. And seeing you I can only say it's true."

"Thank you. Mister Atkins."

He smiled. "Tell me. Do you work for your father?" Fourth job offer of the evening on its way. "I'm sure you would make a great addition to my company."

"You're sure?"

"I do know it would be a good learning experience. It's clearly up to you. You did go to college didn't you?"

"I did." She and her sister also spent a little over six months learning about her father's company. Not that it was his business.

"Good. I say that's reason enough to hire you."

"Thank you for the offer Mister Atkins."

He chuckled. "Call me Bryan." Lucille nodded. "Thank you. Mister Atkins." The song stopped. She stepped away from him.

He smiled. Having expected her to call him Bryan and lost. "Think about it."

"I will." She said. Turning around and walking over to her parents. "Hi." She smiled at them.

"That was nice." Her mother said, taking Lucille's hand.

"Yes of course. I have to go." She blurted.

"Already?"

"Yes mom. I need to check on Nina." She pulled away without waiting for a response. She went to meet her friend's parents. "Hi."

"Beautiful as always Lucille." She hugged the woman who spoke."

"Thank you." She smiled. "I'm leaving now. I'll check on Geegee on my way home."

"Oh good. Thank you darling."

Lucille nodded and left them. Walking and smiling sharply at anyone who looked her way. Shoulder brushing the arm of a person in a black suit as she walked out the building.

The young man turned around. Only seeing red hair before whoever hit him vanished. He turned back around, getting the attention of his parents seconds later. "Nick." His mother called out in a loud whisper, making her way to him, a scowl on her face. "You're late." He smirked.

Once out of her car, Lucille pinched the side of her gown. Lifting it up slightly, she opened the door to her house. The party music playing made her smile. The living room clean. Full glass windows made it possible for her to see the two girls and three guys relaxing in her out door jacuzzi. Too bad the sliding door like window didn't open. Eager to be in the midst of her five talking guests. She turned right, walking past the dinning room, glancing into the kitchen to her right before making a left turn down a long corridor, shielded by glass on the left side. Giving her a clear sight of her sister interlocking her fingers behind a guys neck, her friend Geegee, laughing sweetly at something Wes and the other guy were talking about. It only made her want to get there faster. Once at the end of the corridor, she pushed the french glass doors. Getting everyone ones attention as she stepped out. "Hey! There she is." Nina, her sister, announced, releasing her hands from the guy's neck.

Lucille slowly walked past the swimming pool. Her beige glittering gown shimmering with the help of the light from the small lamp post in the corner. "Late to my own house warming party." She smiled.

"We're still here. How was it?" Geegee asked.

"It was okay. Hi guys. Hi Wes."

"Hey." Wes replied with a sharp nod.

"Any job offers?" Nina asked.

"Four." She stopped in front of the jacuzzi, slipping out of her heeled shoes.

"That's just as much as I got last time."

"Mom and dad asked about you two. So did your parents Geegee. I can't believe I missed my own party."

"Someone had to go to the gala." Geegee chuckled.

"And it had to be me?"

"Who better than little miss suck up." Nina flashed a wide smile.

Wes changed the subject. "Nina showed us around. You did a great job."

"She wouldn't let us in your room though. Apparently it's password protected." The guy with Nina spoke up.

"It's to keep pervs away." Geegee stated.

"But we aren't pervs." The other guy grabbed Geegee under the water. Geegee giggled.

"Good to know." Lucille said. Her right hand reaching up her back and pulling down the zip of her dress. Then she slipped her hands out of the short sleeve.

Geegee and Nina shared a look then turned their eyes to Wes. Who was completely hypnotised by Lucille as she undressed. Not blinking for a second. Geegee bit her lower lip to keep from smiling, Nina laughed silently. Very well aware of Wes' supposed subtle feelings for Lucille. "So. Anything interesting happen?" Nina asked. Breaking the silence that had taken over and snapping Wes from his trance.

"Not really." Her dress pooled at her feet. Revealing her matching underwear. She stepped into the tub feeling the soothing heat of the bubbling water and reached for the nearest empty glass and the bottle of wine beside it. "I couldn't even finish one glass of wine. I did dance with Bryan Atkins."

"The Bryan Atkins?" Geegee gasped. "He's like- did you see his son?"

"He has a son?" She asked. Not particularly interested.

"Yeah he does. Are you joking? He's on the list of top ten filthy handsome, filthy rich bachelors."

"Yeah? What magazine?" Nina chimed in.

"Whatever he is. The only bachelors I want are actors. Like George Clooney. And Nina, you are my ticket in to that world." Lucille smiled slyly.

"Of course." Nina laughed.

"I'm thinking of taking Mister Atkins up on his offer."

"Of course you are. Such a suck up." Nina shook her head.

Lucille took a sip of white wine. "Stop that. You log. I just want to do something different. Working in dad's company wouldn't be as fulfilling as working in a place where we're not practically royalty. The employees there at dad's those are suck ups." Nina and Geegee nodded in agreement. "And Mister Atkins did ask if I went to college."

"So that's what makes his offer better than the others? For all you know you'll still be treated like royalty." Wes stated.

"I just want to try something different."

"Madison would love that." Geegee mentioned.

"She knows they will. That's why she's doing it. Such a suck up. Sucking up to our parents." Nina shook her head.

"That's not what I'm doing idiot. I'm interested in this. Mom and dad don't have to know. This is my thing. Just like acting is yours."

"Okay. Is this a family meeting or a party?" The guy with Nina asked.

"Good question." The other one said.

"Ah!" Geegee snapped her finger. "Speaking of parties. Nancy was here with her boyfriend."

"Yeaahh..." Nina agreed, suddenly remembering.

"And like an hour later, she locks herself in the bathroom. And her boyfriend's slowly losing his mind. So I go looking for her. She's balling her eyes out. Saying he was going to hit her and she didn't want to go home with him."

"That guy. Why would he do that?" Lucille asked with concern.

"She didn't know what she did wrong, but apparently he gave her a look earlier which is like code for 'I'm angry with you and I'm going to hurt you for it.' And yet she wouldn't leave him. And he just keeps getting away with it and she let's him."

"There's no talking sense into her." Nina added. "Believe it or not, she left with him."

"I believe it." Lucille took another sip. "I don't know how she can do it. I'll kill him."

Nina chuckled. "Or she could just leave him." Amused by her sister's words.

"Clearly that's not enough. And she doesn't want to. It's just sad."

"No Geegee, it's stupid and annoying." Lucille held her glass tight.

"Whoa! Careful Luce. You don't need to be so upset." Wes placed his hand on her shoulder for a second.

"Too late." Lucille shook her head.

"On a lighter note." Nina started. Raising her eyebrows as she reached for her glass of wine. "I heard about these four sisters right. Christina, Christiana-"

"Are you for real?" The guy beside Geegee asked.

"Let me finish." Nina glanced at the chuckling guy. "Christine and Chrissy."

"Wow. That's really something." The one beside her commented.

"I know right. So their nicknames are; Tina, Tiana, Christie and Chris."

"It really is something." Lucille smiled. Feeling her anger vanishing.

"How is this different from me calling my baby girl Toni?"

The sisters laughed. "When you have a daughter, she wouldn't want to be called Toni. Even if it's short for Antonia."

"Nia. Maybe. Like Neeyah." Lucille added. Geegee shook her head. "Okay. If she does call herself Toni, I'll pay for her first car."

"No. We'll pay for it. And she better say it with pride. She has to really own the nickname."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes Geegee, we are." Lucille answered. Feeling Wes staring at her.

"Fine." Geegee squared her shoulders. "No problem."

After the guys had finally left, the girls moved to the kitchen. Cleaning up. "You're cruel Luce. You know that?" Nina had to say. Having been choking on the words since Lucille got into the hot tub. The three girls wearing Lucille's house coats, hairs soaking wet.

"What? Why?" Lucille turned away from the kitchen sink.

"You know what you do to Wes."

"Don't you mean what she did to Wes?"

"What are you both talking about?" Lucille smiled uncontrollably.

"She wants to play dumb." Nina pointed out to Geegee.

Geegee giggled. "Did you not see the look on his face when you stripped?"

"Lucille scrapped her bottom lip with her teeth. "I saw the look on his face when I walked in."

"And then you teased him with-"

"I didn't do it for him. What are you talking about? I just wanted to get in the tub." She said between laughs.

"Sure. Of course. What were we thinking?" Geegee asked.

"Don't listen to her. She's cruel. You're cruel Luce." Nina pointed at her. Lucille laughed.

"You know, it's great," Geegee started. "How you guys still insult each other in front of guests."

Lucille licked her lips. Walking past Nina, to a top cabinet with bags of chips well arranged in it. Taking one out from the row. Nina smirked. "You sound like Madison."

"I know I do. And she's a good mother."

"If she could hear you, she'd kiss you."

"Yeah. And call us ungrateful little redies." Lucille added. "So don't you dare say that near her." Lucille pointed at Geegee with a glare.

Nina laughed. "But you know you insult each other like boys right?" Geegee pointed out.

"But you know we're well aware we know right?" Nina stuffed her hands in her house coat pockets, smirking with one eyebrow arched.

"Did you not notice for like ever or are you just that blind." Lucille passed the bag to her sister. Chewing loudly, both girls staring at Geegee.

Geegee widened her eyes, raising her hands up in surrender. "Go nuts insulting each other. I can't take the glare down. I'm sorry I brought it up." The girls chuckled. Passing the bag to Geegee. "For the record. I just thought you'd stopped. Or grown up."

Nina cleared her throat. "Speaking of something else."

"We weren't." Lucille said. Patting her wet hair.

"I'm changing the subject so shush chipmunk." Geegee rolled her eyes. Lucille shook her head. "So anyway." Nina continued. "You keep saying I'm your ticket Luce. You know you've had that ticket for a real long time right? You've refused to use it."

"You know I've been busy. As have you. Movie star. When I get to your state I'll use it."

"When are you coming?"

"When you're done shooting this movie." They follow Geegee and the bag of chips into the living room.

"That's in two months."

"And I'll be there. And it's an excuse to miss the two week family Sunday lunch."

Geegee laughed. "Madison will lose it."

"Mom will be fine. Or you could have lunch with them." Nina said. Geegee kept laughing. Lucille stood up from her seat. Heading back to the kitchen to get glasses and a bottle of wine.

Sunday afternoon, the girls joined their parents for lunch like they do after every two weeks. At least Lucille did, since Nina lived elsewhere. Avoiding the large dinning hall and it's extensively long antique dinning table that created a lot of distance between them during meals. They had lunch in the dinning room across from their father's office on the second floor. A convenient room when their father couldn't move too far from his work. "Have you seen Lucille's place?" Madison Lawes, their mother asked.

"Of course I have." Nina said, passing a bowl of mashed potatoes to her father.

"She did such a great job didn't she?"

"Geegee kept saying only Luce is better at organising than her." Nina said.

Quincy Lawes smirked. "Organiser." Lucille shrugged with a smile.

"You know, when you were a little girl, you were such a mess always scattering the place. And little by little you stopped." Madison gently touched Lucille's cheek.

"Wow. Little girl stories about Lucille." Nina said.

"Oh! Do you want yours?" Nina scoffed. "Always acting tough. Look how green you're getting. Pouty baby." Lucille puckered her lips.

"Shut up. Parents' pet. Suck up."

"Baby."

"Actual baby."

"Whiner."

"Crazed-"

"Nina!" Madison yelled. "Enough you two." She looked at her husband. He was enjoying their display. Eating his chicken. "Say something." She said to her husband. He shrugged.

"Nina's just jealous."

"Lucille, no. I said enough. I can't believe you're both doing this again."

"You can ignore us."

Nina giggled. Madison eyed her daughters. "Something is wrong with you two. And you." She looked at her husband.

"He just knows better than to get in the middle mom." Nina pointed out.

"Smart girl. Organiser girl." He pointed at Lucille. "Smart girl." He pointed at Nina.

Lucille gasped, creasing her forehead as she said, "so I'm dumb?"

Quincy dropped his fork. "This is why. I don't like to get involved. No you're not."

Nina widened her eyes faking hurt. "What does that mean for me? I can be organised too."

He turned to his wife with raised eyebrows. "Are you happy now?"

She rubbed her forehead. "Just, everyone be quiet. Especially you too." The girls giggled. Madison hissed. "I can't believe this."

An hour and a half after lunch, the girls left their father in his office. Joining their mother in the kitchen with Mattie. Mattie the cook, and one of the many workers in the house that they grew up with. Mattie taught the girls how to make all sorts of snacks and foods. Most Sundays, Lucille made a little something before she left them. And Madison, who never cooked, loved to watch. "What are you making today Cherrylu?"

"Mmm.." Lucille tied her apron behind. "I don't know yet. Let's see what happens as I go."

"You better know. It better not turn out to be something disgusting." Nina leaned against the kitchen island with her hip.

"Are you going to help with her disgusting food Ninaberry?"

"Oh no. I'm just watching. I'm not in the cooking mood."

"As always. Hey. Smart and lazy."

"Hey!" Nina pointed at Lucille glaring. Lucille pursed her lips. "I know your secret." She mouthed. Lucille widened her eyes. Sharply turning towards the cooker. Nina chuckled wickedly. Basking in her victory.

"What are you making Lucille?" Mattie asked.

"I really don't know. Maybe pie. Strawberry pie for Ninaberry." She looked at Nina. Nina shook her head. "Mom you decide."

"Organised and indecisive." Nina murmured.

"I don't know Cherrylu."

"Mattie." Nina stood up straight. "Where are the cook books?"

"The cook book?" Madison and Mattie laughed. "Lucille. Should I get the cook books?"

Lucille rolled her eyes. Annoyed with her sister. But then again, she really doesn't know what to make. "Fine, find the cook books. But you guys decide. I'm not looking at it."

"As long as it's not disgusti-"

"Damn it Nina!" Her eyes popped with anger.

"What? Crazy girl."

"Go get the books Nina. Before I throw something at you. I'll do it. I swear."

"And I wouldn't throw something back?" Nina tilted her head, hands on hips

"Enough you two." Mattie spoke up.

Madison closed her eyes. Feeling a headache brewing. "Could you bring me back an aspirin Mattie."

"Alright. Both of you. Apologise to your mother. And stop arguing. And Nina, let's go. Don't annoy the chef. You're twenty one." She looked at Lucille.

"Twenty two in less than a month." Lucille pointed out.

"And you're twenty four. Don't behave like children."

Nina rolled her eyes. Thinking exactly what her sister was. First Geegee and now Mattie. Not that either of the sisters cared. "I know what she's doing. It's because it's the little stuff." She said as she walked away with Mattie in front of her. "And if she doesn't know what to make then she shouldn't make anything at all."