Teresa was ready. Ready and waiting. She wore a very low-cut top with extremely short skirt, both red. Grace's eyes opened and she exhaled. "My God, you're not going to the dance in that, are you?"
Teresa nodded. "Sure I am."
"You look like a streetwalker," said Grace.
"What's the difference? You look like a hundred-dollar-a-night call girl," she answered.
"That's no way to talk to your mother!" snapped Grace. "Why are you dressed like that?"
That's what Teresa wanted her to ask. "Because I don't have a date for the dance, that's why. I want to attract some attention so I might get a boyfriend of the proper social class and culture."
"What do you mean by that?"
"I mean just this! I'm dressed like a bar-girl 'cause that's what I'm going to be. If I can fuck the bartender I might as well play the part!"
"What?"
"You heard me," hissed Teresa. "Today I fucked Johnny, your old boyfriend, just like you've been fucking my old boyfriend! The only difference is I waited until you were done with yours before moving in!"
Grace looked around with panic and closed the bedroom door behind her. "No! No! Tell me that's not true!"
Teresa grinned into her mother's red face and said, "I will not! Because it is true. I knew you and Johnny Carvel were having an affair, that you were screwing an uncultured bartender! And then you have the gall to break me up with Alan because he's not good enough for me! You hypocrite!"
"Shut up! You don't know what's good for you! I'm just watching out for your best interests!"
"Don't bother, Mother! I'll take care of my own interests now! I'm a big girl, big enough to keep Johnny happier than he ever was with you!"
She thought her mother was going to faint. But Grace only reeled back to swing. Teresa ducked and the slap missed. Then Grace threw open the door and stomped down the stairs. Teresa waited a moment before following.
Her father was waiting by the door, smiling. "Everybody ready?" he asked.
"Yes, dear," said Grace. In front of Mr. Cunningham both ladies were calm, collected, acting as if nothing were going on at all between them.
Mr. Cunningham opened the front door and ushered the ladies out to the waiting limousine. "Then let's go to the New Membership Dance and have ourselves the usual great time," he said.
Alan had to work that night. His job was to keep an eye on the pool area and discourage any of the revelers from taking an unwanted plunge. He felt foolish standing at the shallow end of the pool in his suit like some kind of security guard. At the deep end stood Bill, the weekend lifeguard.
Johnny Carvel was bar manager tonight. Whenever there was a big function at the club, four extra bartenders were brought in to mix drinks. He just coordinated and made sure the liquor was available.
A dance band was blaring away in the large hall off the bar area with more than two hundred people dancing away. The party was just starting to go strong when the Cunningham's made the grand entrance. Grace was immediately swamped by the other ladies in the club's power structure. Walter was greeted by two of his male neighbors. Teresa was met by Eileen.
"God, he looks so groovy tonight," said Eileen while staring at Mr. Cunningham.
"He sure does," said Teresa. "Are you going to do what I asked?"
Eileen's eyes flickered with hesitation. "I don't know, I don't think I have the nerve."
"Sure you do," said Teresa. "All you have to do is ask him, that's all."
"Come on, Walter, let me buy you a drink before these women try to get us to dance," slurred one of the neighbors.
"I'm with you," said Walter. They slipped away.
"I just love your gown," said Mrs. Peabody to Grace. "I think it does so much for you."
Grace smiled. Bitch, she thought. "Excuse me, dear, but I have a few things to check on immediately."
"Oh, of course, of course. A few of the details for the party?"
"Yes, that's it." Grace headed straight for the bar.
Johnny Carvel was opening a case of scotch to make sure the bartenders had plenty on hand when Grace caught his eye. She was across the bar, well out of her husband's sight. All he saw was her frown, then the finger jabbing at her office. She stomped across the pool area.
Johnny swallowed. This was it. She was furious; he was unemployed. He wondered how the hell she found out about him and Teresa so fast. Impossible, it must be something else. But he lost no time reporting to the office.
Alan watched Grace stomp past without as much as a smile. Then he watched Johnny Carvel casually stroll to the office door and meekly knock. He didn't like it. Grace had claimed that he was her only affair but he had heard about her and Johnny. He believed it was over between them but it sure didn't look like it.
"Come in!" snapped Grace.
Johnny stepped into the office and closed the door behind him. "You wanted to see me, Grace?"
"You bet your sweet ass I do! You filthy bastard! Just who the fuck do you think you are?"
Johnny enjoyed the filth flowing from her mouth but didn't dare show it. "Uh… uh… What's the matter?" he stammered.
"As if you didn't know! Now admit it!"
"Admit what?" asked Johnny as he stepped back.
"That you screwed Teresa! That's what!"
"Huh? Me and Teresa? That young kid? Me? You think I would have anything to do with… "
"Admit it!" blared Grace as she stepped from around her desk with glaring eyes.
Johnny shrugged. "So? So, we might have gotten carried away… but just once! Just once! I swear!"
She swung and missed again. "You son of a bitch! You filthy bastard! Just once! I don't give a damn how many times! I want it stopped right now!"
Johnny ducked and slumped onto the sofa. He had never seen her in a state like this before. Her eyes were burning with fury, her mouth was literally snarling. But Johnny wasn't shaken anymore. He saw suddenly how strong his position was.
"And if I don't stop it?" he asked.
"I'll fire you!"
"Do you think that'll he enough to keep her from meeting me? Sneaking over to my apartment like you used to do? Coming over to taste the fruit you forbid her? Huh?"
Grace clenched her fists. He was right and she knew it. She inhaled and went back to her desk. "Okay, what do you want? How much?" she coldly asked.
"Money? Are you talking about money?" Johnny asked incredulously.
"You know I am."
He feigned hurt. "You misunderstand me, Grace. What I want is things like they were. Me with my job and… and you."
"Me?" she asked.
"You. You and me. No young lifeguard either."
Grace sat down. "I'll do anything to keep my daughter from the likes of you, you creep. Even give up my lifeguard. The only reason I started with him was to keep him away from Teresa. Now I'll do anything to give him back to her. I'd much rather she waste herself on him than you."
"You're very kind, Grace. Sacrificing your honor to keep your daughter safe," mocked Johnny.
"Okay. Ill dump Alan and you and I are back at it. Okay?"
Johnny thought a moment. "That's too easy on you. After all, she's really a wild piece of… "
"All right! What else do you want?"
"A few thousand dollars would be… "
"A few thousand dollars!"
"Fifteen hundred?"
"A thousand and that's it! A deal?"
"Strip down naked and show me you mean it, baby," said the grinning Johnny.
"Now?" Grace asked.
"Now or I'll go get Teresa." He was loving it. He had her by the tits and enjoyed every last twist.
Grace stood up. Her hands worked fast, one on the zipper of her gown, the other removing a shoe. "Okay, goddamnit, but it has to be fast. My husband's out there waiting for me."
"Horseshit, he's getting drunk as usual," said Johnny as he removed his jacket and shirt.
Grace stripped quickly as Johnny stood before her in only his pants and waited. When she was totally nude he gazed at the full ripeness of her body and sneered. "Say it, baby. Say what I like to hear," he whispered.