Our Love To Admire: Chapter 7
Chapter 7: Gun or Lock the Parents Out
The first Saturday in August was reserved on every calendar in the Hamptons. Everyone who was anyone knew that the first week in August was filled with a series of celebrations in honor of the Bass twins, culminating in blowout gala at the historic Rhodes mansion. One year there were fire-eaters and characters on stilts; another year there were acrobats performing on the backs of elephants. The fantasy and whimsy had become part of Hampton’s culture, as much as Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on Saturday afternoons or Dune on Memorial Day weekend.
The Bass twins never attended their own birthday gala, the best part of the birthday festivities for Grace and Audrey was the midnight barbecue for their friends, which celebrated their actual birth, between the third and fourth of the month.
“I hate that these parents always send their nannies,” Blair announced before placing herself, and her Cosmo, into her husband’s lap. “I mean do they think I order all this Kobe beef for the hired help?”
“Maybe next year you should put the menu on the invitation?” Jenny suggested before turning her attention back to her Scrabble tiles. “Bingo! DESIGNER, on a triple word score, eighty six points, beat that Dan!”
Dan groaned half in frustration at the game and half at his hosts who were currently devouring each other’s faces. “Guys, there are kids around; I don’t want to have the sex talk with my seven and eight year old just yet.”
Chuck tugged Blair’s bottom lip with his teeth, eliciting a soft purr from his wife, as he pulled away from their kiss. “My wife, my house, my rules, Humphrey,” although he was looking directly at Dan, his hand crept up the front of Blair’s pink blouse. “Come to think of it, my Scrabble too. I declare little J the winner.”
“What, you can’t do that! The game isn’t even over,” Dan protested.
“It is now!” Serena shouted from the edge of the patio before turning a massive water gun on her friends.
Nate, who had also stolen one of the guns from the kids they were playing with moments ago, assisted Serena in assaulting the other adults.
The sudden battering of water caused them to jump from their seats spilling beers, scotch, and Cosmos in the process. Jenny was laughing and running, Dan was trying to reason with Serena, and the Bass’ started to scheme.
“You get Serena’s attention, don’t worry about Nate, he’s too focused on Jenny, just give me enough time to get to the other side of the house.” Blair commanded her husband while tying back her wet curls.
“You look very hot all wet Mrs. Bass,” Chuck tugged at the hem of Blair’s now see-through blouse, moments before they were pelted with water again. “How do I know you won’t abandon me?” he yelled to her as she ran across the lawn.
A wide smile graced her lips as she placed a finger in front of them to quiet her husband, for fear that her plan would be ruined. Trust me, she mouthed wordlessly before disappearing.
Serena couldn’t control her laughter when she attacked Chuck causing him to squirm and scream a series of expletives.
“Drop the guns now!” Blair yelled from behind Nate and Serena, prompting them both to turn in her direction.
Serena shook with laughter as her accomplice cowered in fear at the sight of a soaked Blair pointing a garden hose directly at them. Her makeup was ruined, tracks of mascara slid down her cheeks, her clothes were translucent and sticking to her skin, but revenge glinted in her brown eyes.
“B, you wouldn’t!” Serena managed to choke out through her laughter, but the pure cold water that assailed her skin quickly jolted her. “No fair!” she yelled, trying to escape the water, as the other adults broke into laughter.
“Hmm you’re right,” Blair began, cutting off the water flow from the hose, “You had help!” she yelled before turning the spray on Nate. When he ran, she chased him, keeping the hose directly at his back. A strong arm wrapped around her waist and when she faltered, the two bodies tumbled to the grass cutting off the hose’s flow. “Hey!” she yelled at her husband who was forcing back laughter. Once Blair was accosted, the other adults went inside the house to dry off with the towels Dorota had put out for the children.
Chuck smiled genuinely down at his wife who was struggling to continue her act of revenge. “Come on Gertrude Jekyll; let’s get you some dry clothes.”
“Fine,” she resigned, finally releasing the plastic hose she had been grasping. Blair allowed her husband to help her back to her feet, but grimaced at the squishing feeling in her shoes when she stood. “They ruined my shoes,” she added with an adorable pout.
Chuck easily lifted her into his arms, attempting to ignore the wet feeling on his own feet, “Yeah, mine too.”
Blair gasped and stared wide eyed at Chuck. “The new Dolce and Gabbanas?!” she exclaimed. Chuck’s sigh and resigned nod was all she needed to know she was correct. “Oh, Serena is so going down,” She announced with narrowed eyes, causing Chuck to burst into laughter once again.
*xoxo*
Grace slowly snuck out from behind the bushes that had concealed her for the past five minutes. She looked carefully at the shiny plastic water gun that lay abandoned at her feet. Drew Baizen, the boy who secretly made her little heart flutter, had deserted the toy in favor of chasing her sister Audrey. Although the twins were only turning seven that very evening, Audrey always got the attention of boys with her confidence and infectious laughter. When Grace lifted the gun into her hand, the cool plastic against her palm caused a mischievous smirk to tug at her lips.
“What are you doing?” Flip asked innocently from behind her, causing Grace to gasp and spin around quickly, knocking the boy over with the oversized toy. “Ouch Gracie,” he whined, rubbing his elbow where it had hit the ground.
“Sorry Flip, you scared me!” Grace began, sticking out a hand to help her blond friend up. “I thought you were Drew.”
Flip looked at her questioningly. “Why would it matter if I was Drew?” even though he was almost two years older, Phillip Archibald wasn’t the brightest crayon in the Crayola box.
“Because,” she whispered sternly, “this is his water gun, Flip!”
The blond boy’s eyes grew wide in fear of the older, much more violent Drew Baizen. “Gracie, you better leave that alone,” he told her candidly before running in search of his cousin Lorence.
Grace considered Flip’s suggestion as she held the water gun in her hand, but a tug behind her ribs wanted him to catch her, wanted his attention on her instead of Audrey. However, the more rational Grace was winning the battle, and the young girl decided to discard the toy once again.
“Hey, that’s mine, give it back, Gracie!” Drew shouted as he ran back to the spot where he had left his water gun.
She turned around when she heard him yell in her direction, and clutched the plastic against her Burberry bathing suit. “Finders keepers, Drew!” she called out teasingly.
His breathing was erratic with anger and something else in his belly that his ten-year-old brain didn’t recognize. “Gracie, I said give it back!” he struggled with the small girl until he finally had the plastic toy back in his control. He almost didn’t realize that Grace was sprawled on the grass attempting to hold back tears.
Jeremy ran up to the two children when he heard a scuffle and spoke up when he saw his young friend fall to the ground. “Hey, that wasn’t nice Drew!” he admonished, before turning his attention to the fallen girl. “Gracie, are you okay?” he questioned, his voice laced with innocence and sincerity.
Grace was trying to be strong so that Drew wouldn’t laugh at her or call her a baby, but Jeremy’s soft voice made her feel safe. She slowly shook her head no and felt fat silent tears spilling down her cheeks from the pain in her ankle.
“You better say you’re sorry Drew!” Jeremy began, boring holes through the other boy’s skull with his eyes. “You hurt Grace, and it’s her birthday.”
“What are you going to do about it Jeremy?” Drew spat in the blonde’s direction. Honestly, he was going to apologize, kneel on the ground, check that she was okay, and maybe wipe the dirty tear stains from the apples of her cheek.
“I’ll do this,” Jeremy felt his tiny fist connect with Drew’s nose. Then he felt a gush of warmth flow down his arm when his knuckles hit the other boy’s chin.
When Drew ran away from the scene calling for his nanny, Margareta, Jeremy looped an arm behind Grace’s tiny back and helped her hobble to Dorota.
On the night of her seventh birthday, Grace Lillian Bass fell in love with Jeremy Clayton Fisk.