The Tide of Fortune

Chapter 10 Rock 'n' Roll at a Conservative Party

Laura and Eduardo enter the ballroom and are flooded by flashes. Laura tries to pull away, but Eduardo entangles his arm around her waist like octopus tentacles.

"Where do you think you're going, honey?" He asks whispering menacingly in her ear.

Laura doesn't answer, she just reacts agonized at the photographers thinking the beautiful couple is posing romantically for them.

Marianne sees the commotion at the entrance and smiles as she sees her daughter. She walks over to her.

"Daughter? Who is this handsome young man?"

Laura responds in distress, "Mom, this is Eduardo Casemiro, the famous author from Marçal Publishing."

"How is he famous if I don't have one of his books in our library?" Still, she smiles gently, "Nice to meet you, young man."

Eduardo replies in admiration, "Likewise, madam."

Marianne replies suggestively, "If what I hope is happening, you will be calling me Marianne shortly."

"Mother!" Laura shrieks in shock.

But Marianne only laughs, "Calm down, child! We're at a party, didn't you come to have fun?"

Edward replies mockingly, "She said that categorically when I picked her up from her house."

Laura looks like dying. That sentence says it all to Marianne who walks away with a nod of approval.

Eduardo continues in a jocular manner, "See, the mother-in-law approved of me."

"She never approved of Reggie, so she's like that with any boy I show up with." Laura tries to quell her lover's hope.

"But after all, WHO approves of Reggie Fabray? The guy is a loser! I still don't buy the idea that your father ordered him to come, after three years of hiding him from the sight of high society."

Antonio approaches the couple, "Daughter, who is this dullard and where is your husband?"

Laura becomes more terrified! How will she have fun at this party? "Schi! Dad, do you want to speak up for the tabloids?"

Antonio doesn't care one bit, "Just when I think it's time for everyone to know that my daughter is married, she actually wants to show the world that she is an adulteress?"

Eduardo tries to win over the hotel owner, "Sir, I am Eduardo Casemiro and I am in love with your daughter. I don't want to spoil the party, but we'll talk later."

But Antonio reacts with disgust, "But only under my dead body!"

Antonio walks away furiously. Laura trembles and drinks the glass of champagne in one go.

******

In the hallway leading to the ballroom, a burly security guard is pestering Reginaldo with his invitation.

"Sir, without an invitation you will never be able to get in."

Reginaldo tries to be gentle, "You can check the list. Reginaldo Fabray. From the family—"

"I am a security guard, but I am informed of the famous people. I know very well who is the Fabray family, and for that very reason, I suspect that you aren’t one of them. Any member of the Fabray family would be on the list and I would find you easily."

The security guard points a pen at the clipboard he was holding.

Reginaldo heaves a sigh, "Then look for the owner of the Hotel, Mr. Antonio Ferreira. He invited me."

The security guard laughs, "Oh, you're making a big deal out of it, buddy! Get out of here! It's obvious that this tuxedo is from one of those costume stores, it's not Halloween.

Reginaldo wiggles, "Did that old fool want me to come here on purpose so I could go through yet another humiliation?"

Determined, Reginaldo takes his cell phone out of his pocket and makes a call...

******

Eduardo approaches Aline Mendonça, the birthday girl, surrounded by old, pot-bellied businessmen who can't stop staring at the lack of fabric on her dress.

"Excuse me, gentlemen, may I offer my congratulations to the birthday girl?"

The gentlemen leave, dissatisfied with the interruption, but politeness speaks louder.

Aline smiles maudlinly, "I thought you weren't going to save me! Thank you!"

"What? Weren't you enjoying a mature, centered conversation?" Eduardo is jocular.

Aline frowns, "Put 'mature' in it! Those old slobs got me pregnant just by looking at me."

Eduardo does exactly what Aline has just complained about, staring lustfully and depravedly at her ostentatiously exposed body.

He asks in a sexist tone, "If you didn't want them to look, why did you come with half a dress?"

"That is a WHOLE dress, so said the store girl."

Eduardo raises his eyebrows, "And your parents approved it?"

Aline smiles like a naughty girl, "My parents are in Europe and have given me carte blanche for the birthday to occur as I want it to. For example..."

Suddenly the DJ, as if he had read Aline's mind, starts to play a very inappropriate rock 'n' roll.

Aline's friends form pairs and go into the middle of the hall to shake to the rhythm of rock music, while the older and more conservative guests are shocked by the sudden change of atmosphere.

Aline pulled Eduardo to dance, but none of them had noticed, a hidden camera had been pointed at them...