Cameron Calvert (forapureworld) wrote in light_of_may, @ 2010-11-08 00:36:00 |
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Entry tags: | 2009-08-01, amanda, cameron |
Pulling triggers back on myself
Who: Amanda and Cameron; and their parents (NPCs)
Where: The Calvert home
When: Early evening
The debate hadn’t gone as well as planned. Actually that was an understatement. Nothing had gone like he wanted it too and while sure, there were multiple people congratulating him almost everyone was chalking it up as a victory more for supernatural rights than against them. Which meant Liliya had won and he’d lost. And he didn’t like that one single bit. And what made it worse was that attack that had left two babies dead in their cribs. What sort of monster did that? Rumors flew about weresnakes but Cameron didn’t really care what had done it. Just that it’d clearly been some sort of a supernatural and yet more proof he didn’t (but apparently did actually) need about how they were dangerous to everyone. Even babies fast asleep in their beds when their parents were sleeping not that far away. What sort of world was this? Sighing, he shook his head and glanced over at Amanda as they walked up the path to his parents home. He had caught sight of the Blake’s car so he knew they were already there. What a lovely time to have a family get-together, so soon after what his father was sure to label as his latest failure.
Frowning to himself, Cameron smoothed out his shirt and knocked on the door. Hardly a moment passed before the door flew open to reveal his mother. Smiling, he accepted her hug before waiting for her to move aside so that they could come in. “Hello mom,” he said, glancing around the entry. “I’m guessing Mr. and Mrs. Blake are already here? Sorry if we’re a little late, you know how work is...” He stepped closer to Amanda on instinct when he noticed how his mother was looking over her, as though to try and find some reason why she shouldn’t be about yet. His arm went around her waist. “Where is everyone?”
“Oh, the sitting room,” Marion said absently. “Are you feeling alright, Amanda? We’ve all been so worried about you. It’s good to see you’re out.”
There was no such thing as spending too much time in front of the mirror. Ignoring the fact Amanda needed her reflection to meet her standards, it was distracting her from a multitude of things. The debate was only one of them. Why had she been sat next to that vampire’s husband? If husband was even the word. What the hell happened to ‘til death us do part’? She should have seen that as a bad sign from the start. Someone’s idea of a sick joke, intended to add insult to what they must have known would be seen as a future injury. It had not occurred to her to place any kind of blame on Cam. Strings had clearly been pulled. Something had been fixed. That man -- the one Cameron worried was as bad as the rest he them -- he was clearly some kind of device. Sent there to read his mind so that bitch could change her angle at the last minute. Was it really so much to ask for a little honesty from these people? It was a goddamn debate, not the presidential elections. Those monsters had no shame. They talked openly about how little of a threat they really were when the murder of children was spread across the news. Amanda fully believed that Liliya Kennedy pumped her husband full of valium and fed from him just to get to sleep.
Mirror snapping shut, she eyed her parents’ car, stowing the visible evidence of her vanity away in her purse. She should have called their mothers beforehand and just put up with any backlash. Instead, she had managed to convince herself that any necessary argument would be far more effective in person. Of course, so could their collective tempers. One hand going to her hair to make sure it still covered what a decent layer of make-up had rendered practically invisible, she didn’t have time to assure Cameron he looked fine before the door opened. Her face automatically lit up in a smile. They’re going to have me hung, drawn and quartered. The arm about her waist was comforting, but it did not stave off wedding talk.
“I’m fine, thank you.” Amanda continued to smile, avoiding looking to Cameron lest it be read as some kind of uncertainty. “Better now that I’m home.” God, she sounded like such a victim.
“Of course you are.” Marion reached out to pat Amanda on the cheek. “Now do come along, dear, there is so much that we need to discuss. The wedding has been put off for so long that we’re going to have to rehire half of the people.” She shook her head and sighed, though she wiped the expression away as they joined the others. Almost instantly she seated herself beside Tiffany. It was practically like the two were attached at the hip sometimes and Cameron didn’t doubt for a moment that they spent more time with each other than their husbands. Business could be brutal like that. But it didn’t mean that everyone was like that. Like my father but not all at the same time.
Cameron rubbed at the back of his neck as they went into the next room, flicking his eyes at Amanda at the mention of the wedding. Hadn’t she told them...? Either she hadn’t and their mothers were about to have respective fits or she had and Marion had just chosen to ignore it. He wouldn’t be too terribly surprised by that second option. “Hello everyone,” Cameron said with a smile as he seated himself on the empty loveseat. He’d released Amanda when they entered just in case she felt the need to go and hug her mother or something. “It’s good to see you.” He did avoid his father’s gaze, feeling the disapproval radiating out from him. But of course he wouldn’t say anything with everyone else around. He’d wait until later. At the very least until Amanda was out of the room. “You’re all well, I take it?”
Had anyone else touched her like that, Amanda would have thrown a fit. But this was Marion Calvert, and, well, she was used to it. She had almost naively hoped that the wedding would not be mentioned for at least another ten or fifteen minutes. When they were all together and both mothers could descend on the subject with the enthusiasm that she was worried would no longer have an outlet once said wedding had taken place. Grandchildren. She suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. It was almost a pity Cameron didn’t have a sister who conveniently happened to be Trenton’s age. Then their mothers could hassle them instead. Not that Trenton hadn’t already suffered enough torment from Tiffany alone. She could, on occasion, make up for Marion in her absence.
She tried to ignore the look from Cameron. They were going to have a tantrum regardless, so it was better that Amanda have the chance to stamp out any opposing arguments before they just did what they pleased anyway. Etiquette should have dictated that since they were all in Mr and Mrs Calvert’s company, her own mother would hold back on any melodrama. But that really rather depended on Marion. Flashing her father a dazzling smile -- she did have a favourite parent -- she moved to hug her mother, gently batting away the hand that was threatening to push her hair aside.
“Darling, sit down -- You’ve lost weight...” Amanda tried not to flinch while Tiffany eyed her waistline and then turned an almost welcoming smile on Cameron. “We’re excellent, thank you, dear. I hope you’re looking after her,” she added idly, “We may need to get the dress refitted.” As though it really needed confirming that there was only one thing on Mrs Blake’s mind. Michael just extended a hand to Cameron, managing somehow to compensate for his wife’s preoccupation.
Cameron accepted Michael’s hand and shook it firmly because that was what one did. Even if it was just the slightest odd when that someone was your future father-in-law. Really though, he’d known Mr. Blake since he was a child and the man was practically the same as his father. Perhaps better. Amanda liked him more than her mother so Cameron figured that he was likely the least likely to make trouble. Most likely when there was company? Marion and Tiffany. His own father would just wait until they were alone. Maybe that wouldn’t have to happen today since Amanda was going to break news that would end their mother’s happy little parade and that was going to color everything. He was just glad he wasn’t the one doing it.
“I think she’ll need a refitting, yes,” Marion agreed, pursing her lips as she watched Amanda. “When do you have time for that, Amanda? Cameron’s fine with his tux but of course, he can’t see the dress. Tradition, you know.” Cameron just nodded and looked back at Amanda. She was going to do it, not him. “Unless you intend on putting what you’ve lost back on in the time.” The sweetest smile on her face. Cameron knew that smile far too well and he looked over at the pictures above the mantle at the sight of it. “And when was that going to be, my dears?”
Amanda was not sitting down. She wasn’t an invalid, she did not need more time to recover and she wasn’t giving up the psychological advantage of both matriarchs having to literally look up to her. Stretching a ‘yes, I am listening’ smile across her face, she had to stop herself from opening her mouth several times to respond to the remarks from both women. There was no chance of getting a word in edge-ways until that last question had been asked. A glance at Cameron confirmed he was looking in a different direction entirely. Her eyebrows rose at that, though she had said she would handle it, so handle it she would. Glossing over the subject matter that came beforehand -- no, she wasn’t putting the weight back on, she liked her figure and it was only a few pounds anyway -- she gave a bright but apologetic smile.
“We haven’t set another date yet.” And she wasn’t going to give either of them a chance to interrupt her. “There are a few things that require adjusting that we -- I,” Cameron was not getting in the neck. “--and a number of other people, would be far more comfortable with in the long run in light of recent events. Events that, by their very nature, do not bear repeating.” She ignored her father’s arching eyebrow, fully aware that she was turning her occupation against them. There was no crime in it. Not considering who she was up against. “I believe, given the circumstances, that an event that could arguably be perceived as ostentatious--” One hand flew out, pre-emptively silencing the objection she knew she was about to get from her mother. “I’m not saying it is ostentatious, we can hardly help our backgrounds, but it could and would be viewed as a vulgar display of wealth by those who can’t be expected to know any better.” Where was she again? Damnit, mom. “A massive wedding should be a joyous occasion, but it would also be a slap in the face to everyone who lost someone dear to them recently.” Her eyes flickered to Cameron, both for support and as an attempt at some kind of empathy vote. “So we need to downsize. Including the dress, because I’m not putting the weight back on.” Maybe that last part was uncalled for. And she had talked far too much already, but she hadn’t even finished yet. That was just the bullshit argument.
For a moment, Tiffany looked at her husband as if to tell him to do something about his daughter. Michael didn’t react. Glancing at Marion and then Cameron, Mrs Blake shifted in her seat and pinned Amanda with a disgruntled look that was still trying to think around what had just been said. “Amanda, don’t you think you’re being a little melodramatic? And what if you put the weight on accidentally? We can’t have people being called out the night before because you weren’t watching your weight. No date set. Honestly.”
Cameron didn’t want to take part in this discussion because he already had enough things for his father to tear into him for. More than once he’d heard remarks from his mother about he needed to just go ahead with things already but his father. He wouldn’t say them, he’d give him that look and - sure enough as Amanda started talking Cameron could feel that look affixing itself to the side of his head. This isn’t my idea, father, it’s completely hers. Thankfully he knew that his thoughts were going nowhere but in his own head. Also thankfully his mother was busy staring, her mouth a little agape, at Amanda. It almost looked like she, probably for once in her life, didn’t know what to say. Things like this didn’t happen to Marian Calvert, she didn’t get denied what she wanted, and yet she was currently being told that just that was going to happen. Cameron stole a glance at her and then looked over at Amanda. If she had come and sit down then he’d have taken her hand but since she chose to stand he just nodded.
“Leftover nerves from what happened,” Marion dismissed it as with a little wave of her hand. “Amanda, dear, please be reasonable. This is what people expect from us. Big parties and celebrations while we make up for it by donating equal amounts to charities. It’s not as though we’re completely heartless. We just have bigger parties and weddings because that’s what we’re entitled to.” She had one child. At least the Blake’s had two and if Amanda got away with her little tantrum then they would be able to lavish whatever they wanted on Trenton. Marion had no one past Cameron. “And isn’t that sort of like admitting defeat?” Her eyes went to Tiffany and then back to Amanda, an almost patronizing smile on her face. “I didn’t think Blakes admitted defeat and I know Calvert’s don’t.”
Nerves. Defeat. The last remark nearly shattered Amanda’s composure entirely. Her mother’s comments she could ignore, because she was being ridiculous, but that had been intended to sting and it had hit the mark. “In that case, Mrs Calvert,” she moved to sit by Cameron, pointedly reaching for his hand. If he didn’t comply, he was going to get the sharp end of her elbow, “I really can’t withdraw my request, since I’m already overdue to carry both names.” And she wasn’t backing down because a future in-law was making snide comments. See the ring? It actually meant something and she would gladly swap the bouquet for a silver chainsaw if she needed to. “The changes won’t need to be massive, a trimming of the guest list with a few amendments to the catering and staffing should probably do the trick. And Grace, Evelyn and Amber can’t be bridesmaids any more, but I’ll handle that.” And make it up to them somehow. Even if she didn’t really want to. It was her wedding, not theirs. “Oh -- Please don’t think I’m not grateful for everything you’ve already done. You both really are lifesavers.” A saccharine sweet smile was tacked onto the last sentiment. Please, god, don’t let me kill Cam’s mother before the wedding. Smoothing her dress over her knees as though the subject was done with, she tried to return to being herself. Calm, determined and not arguing with her fiance’s mother.
The expression on Tiffany’s face hadn’t changed at all, with the exception of the raised eyebrow that her daughter had inherited. “Darling, I have to agree with Marion -- this is just nerves. You will be over it, no doubt, by the time you set the date.” She turned her gaze on Cameron for a moment, clearly trying to work out his stance on the matter before glancing back at Amanda, exasperated. Her mouth opened once to add something then closed. Her argument was apparently failing her. “You are setting a date.” She looked between them, then at Mrs Calvert, with a touch of concern. Michael fixed his cuffs.
He was not going to wince and head for the bar because of what his mother said. He wasn’t. He did mirror Amanda’s narrowed eyes for a brief moment though. She wasn’t a coward and it wasn’t right of his mother to go and say things like that. Sure Marion would be disappointed but she’d get over it eventually and she would be happy so long as she had granchildren to bounce on her knee and spoil. She’d spoil them, Cameron knew she would, terribly. But it didn’t matter because currently there were no grandchildren and they didn’t even know when they were getting married. Which doesn’t bother me, remember. He smiled reassuringly and squeezed her hand after it slipped into his. “I agree with Amanda,” Cameron put in, for what it was with. Oh it earned him looks but those were likely deserved. He’d expected them. As for the matter of the date. “Well... I was leaving that up to Amanda.” She’ll set it. She just said that she’s overdue to have my name.
Marion looked like she was fit to be tied. “You’re cutting out things,” she said slowly. When had this gotten out of their hands and into those of Amanda and Cameron? “Please do explain these things in detail for us, dear, since you seem to have it all figured out so neatly. Except for the date - because really, invitations. Those are a necessity for whichever guests you will - wait, no bridesmaids?”
“We can decide on a date the moment the guest list is amended,” Amanda added, linking her fingers with Cameron’s just in case she attempted to lunge for Marion anyway. “Yes,” was the simple and perfectly matter-of-fact answer to Mrs Calvert’s first observation, shrewd though it wasn’t. How she expected to downsize something by keeping it the same size or even adding to it was completely beyond Amanda. “Mm, no, you’re right. Grace should stay as maid of honour, or the imbalance will look strange.” Unlike the other girls, Grace looked stunning in her dress and it wouldn’t look right if Cam had a best man but she had no bridesmaid. “Really, we only need our nearest and dearest there. There are only a few other people who we would absolutely have to invite.” Not that she could actually think of any off the top of her head. The mayor, maybe, to deter against any kind of attack. Treat Lorimer, but he was counted under ‘dearest’. Really, so much of that guest list was made up of courtesy invitations alone. And, as with all courtesy invites, they were not expected to actually show up. So in this case, Amanda believed it best not to risk them turning up at all. “The menu doesn’t need to be changed, the servings just need to be more appropriate for the headcount, as does any seating arrangements. Seating plans will need to be done again. Waiting staff, etcetera can be reduced a little.” These were all things she had said already and were not all that hard to comprehend. They had already sorted out that much of the event that she knew there was nothing the two of them would not be able to tone down. She was half-tempted to demand they hand the plans over to her and she would finish it -- but that might actually make their heads spin a full 360 degrees and she wasn’t willing to put any of the men in the room through that kind of backlash.
Amanda remained unmoved by her mother’s stony silence. Tiffany Blake was not impressed in the slightest, but she no doubt remembered the threat of resorting to hired wedding planners from their heated discussion over the bridesmaids’ dresses. Of which they now only needed one. Marion was harder to move, but now so was Amanda. If taking back her life involved a power struggle with Mrs Calvert, then fine.
One did not hyperventilate over their son’s wedding. One did not entertain notions of throttling their future daughter-in-law even if she was certainly asking for it. Cutting down on the guest list and everything. Refusing to set a list until her ridiculous demands had been seen to. Just who did she think that she was? Marion gave a Look to her oldest friend and one of those sighs that made Cameron’s hand twitch. His mother could be so stubborn and Amanda really, really wasn’t any better when she’d sunk her teeth into something. Like this whole matter. Cameron would’ve gone with whatever was easier and the fact that the moment his mother turned her Look away from Tiffany it affixed itself to him didn’t make things better. I should’ve taken father and Mr. Blake into the other room. “Perhaps tomorrow we can see to amending the plans, though of course, there are certain people who need to be sent invites just so that they don’t feel snubbed. Hurt feelings won’t get you anywhere, dear. And then you can set the date so we can get everything out before too long since everyone already dealt with one setback.”
Cameron had nothing to say, he really didn’t. So after nodding at his mother he leaned in closer to Amanda, murmuring against her ear so that no one else would hear. “If she attempts to draw and quarter you then I won’t be held responsible. I’ll save you, of course, but I expect a reward for my efforts. See that look in her eyes? Jordan and I used to get that after we’d broken something. The exact opposite of impressed is what you have made my mother, love.”
Under no illusions, Amanda realised that Marion was now probably going to resent her until managed to get knocked up -- planned or otherwise. “Of course; whenever is most convenient for you,” she answered, aware that her voice was gathering a definite edge. Of course, she had clearly gotten herself attacked and hospitalised just to put everybody else at an inconvenience. If she were a lesser woman, she would have slapped her with her original reasoning and hoped she choked on it. The consumer friendly version didn’t have enough weight behind it. Except she was Cameron’s mother and Amanda knew better than to behave like that as a guest in someone else’s home. Even if that someone else was asking for a huge reality check and then some. It wasn’t that much of a leap to believe that Mrs Calvert would have preferred she’d died rather than altered any wedding arrangements -- something Amanda was very close to voicing, but that really was pushing her luck. She tweaked her expression into a ‘thank you for understanding’ smile that she wasn’t feeling in the slightest and bit her tongue before she said anything she’d regret. Amanda didn’t do regrets. Regardless of what Cameron was telling her. She still flashed him a rather more genuine smile. He could have whatever he wanted if he could save her from that.
Pre-dinner bickering could only last so long when everyone was hungry and there was food to be served. If she could have done so without anyone noticing, Amanda would have crossed her fingers and prayed that it didn’t just fall into an awkward, bride-to-be-induced silence. Her mother, at least, seemed determined to wipe that slate clean and pretend the previous conversation hadn’t happened, because even if it was a little forced she was smiling again. It was replaced by something more serious when she chose to fill her end of the silence. “I heard the Crawfords have been concerned about their youngest -- what’s her name? Anastasia -- but apparently the child just knows things.” She gave everyone a very pointed look, “Before they happen.”
“I think that would be tomorrow,” Marion repeated before rising to head into the dining room. Cameron just squeezed his eyes shut and took the moment as they moved to rub at his forehead. He hated listening to this sort of thing and it was why he’d been more than happy to be left out of the plans. Just let him know the date and he was set to go since he already had a tuxedo ready. Other than that he couldn’t have cared less about who showed up so long as Amanda was there. It was their wedding and they were the important ones, couldn’t that be enough? His eyes did go down the table to Tiffany when she presented her statement. His stomach turned a little because he knew Anastasia in a vague sort of way. In fact her older sister was one of the girls that he’d seen during an off again moment with Amanda during university. Hopefully she didn’t remember that. “Some sort of a psychic then,” Cameron muttered with a shake of his head. “It’s terrible how that sort of thing is creeping in to effect even the best of families.” A quick glance over at Amanda ended with a shake of his head. It wouldn’t happen to them.
When during the actual day, you-- No, she wasn’t going to start hurling mental insults at Cameron’s mother. Amanda tried her best not to glare at the back of Marion’s head, but her eyes were still positively glacial. The brief look of encouragement from her father almost went unnoticed. Really, there was no way either of them were ever going to take that piece of news well. All that she needed to do now to make one or both of them hate her was refuse to have children. Or have it turn out that she was infertile. Suddenly aware she was grinding her teeth, she preoccupied herself with her engagement ring, turning it round her finger. It was a comfortable, familiar weight and combined with Cameron’s presence was stopping her from derailing. This dinner was reminding her just why she loved her job so much. The people who worked under her had to do as she said and the people above her voiced words she had fed to them. Much like Mrs Calvert, apparently, she didn’t know how to function when control was taken from her. Luckily the elder Miss Crawford, like the rest of Cameron’s ‘off again’ girls had been swept under the rug along with everything else that Amanda never wanted to see, hear or think of again. Deliberately forgotten because they had ceased to mean anything. The alleged psychic, however, was now receiving an expression that almost mirrored those she had been subjected to by both her own mother and Marion. It was just so deeply unnatural. “I can’t believe it can just spring up like that. Her poor parents.” Not that she could remember who the Crawfords were past vague social attachments to her mother. There really needed to be some kind of screening for that sort of thing, though.
“It does make you wonder.” The first words Mr Blake had said since Cameron and Amanda’s arrival. “In a world where we can’t be sure if we’re safe from our own children.” Present company excluded, naturally. Tiffany rolled her eyes. “Must you make that sound so foreboding? It hardly applies here.” She turned what Amanda supposed was intended to be a reassuring smile on herself and Cameron. Of course, it wouldn’t apply to them either.
“Maybe there was a fault in the bloodline,” Marion Calvert suggested after a moment. It was beyond her to just think of how it was possible for anyone. There had to be some flaw, some mixing of the blood somewhere that had led itself into the wrongness that was now affecting their child. It didn’t make sense for her to believe that anything else was true because then it might be possible that it could happen to Amanda and Cameron and she simply couldn’t bear the idea of having an abnormal grandchild. But if it did happen then the flaw would naturally lie with the Blake’s. No offense to Tiffany but the Calvert’s were pure. (She had no idea whatsoever that there was fae blood in her son and would have been repulsed at the idea.) Dismissing the conversation she turned towards Amanda again. “How does noon work for you, dear? Tomorrow. For the changes.”
Cameron just nodded. He didn’t think that there would be any flaws with any children that he and Amanda had. He wasn’t exactly thinking about the prospect of having children as something that was happening soon so much as a fact of a thing that was going to happen someday. But they’d be normal. Why shouldn’t they be with parents and grandparents as pure as their own? No fault lay within the Blake’s or Calvert’s that he had ever been made aware of. “Of course it doesn’t apply here, Mrs. Blake, our children would never be anything other than as perfect as we are.” He wasn’t even trying to boast, just stating what he viewed as a fact.
“There must be.” Amanda was not ignorant of the fact this was the first time she had agreed with Mrs Calvert, but she had a point. “Even if it skipped two or three generations, there has to be something there.” It wasn’t just a genetic mutation or something, these creatures were not X Men. The most mundane of family traits could skip generations, so she didn’t see why that couldn’t as well. And just like that the subject was switched back to something wedding related. Part of Amanda was glad to be talking about something that didn’t make her want to pop a pill and pretend the rest of the world outside this room did not exist. The rest of her was now just adamant she would have everything fixed as it should be, have a date set and have a wedding. She had survived a fucking vampire attack; she could survive their mothers. “Noon is perfect,” she nodded, flashing a smile. She’d be damned if she ended up being the completely unreasonable one in this equation, despite her suspicions that she would be regardless. Either way, she was never going to give Cameron grounds to label her unreasonable. Which was what mattered.
Perfectly normal children. Amanda beamed at Cameron, keeping any thoughts of ever having to watch who said children associated themselves with to herself. It was too early to start thinking like that. Well, it was never too early to start thinking like that, but she would rather not stress herself out over something that was irrelevant at present. “And then, of course, when you’re done fiddling you can set the date,” Tiffany tacked on to the end with a smile that left no room for negotiation.
Finally, Amanda and his mother were agreeing on something. It wasn’t that Cameron thought either of them were unreasonable, exactly, just that they had far too strong of wills to be allowed to clash. Someone’s pride would get hurt, that someone would sulk over it in her own way and no matter who it was he’d end up hearing about it like it was his fault. Though really, he preferred to think about that instead of how a family that he’d known his entire life could produce a supernatural. I wonder if anyone kept records about oddities like that before this. Perhaps it was time to take a look into the family histories. “Of course you’ll be coming tomorrow as well,” Marion added in with a smile that mirrored Tiffany’s own. As though she would want to handle Amanda on her own. Cameron was certain a thought rather similar to that one was going through her head but he didn’t feel like saying anything about it. At least everyone finally seemed to be more content than not and that was what he had been hoping for all along.
Even if he had failed at the debate and was just waiting for his father to say something. Later. It was very nearly a promise etched across his face. “You can’t keep her all day, of course,” Cameron informed their mothers. “She does have work to get back to and we wouldn’t want to deprive the mayor of her for too much longer, would we?” Oh, wait, tomorrow was Sunday so it didn’t matter. Ah well, he didn’t want her out all day with their mother’s then because he did want to have some wine left in the cabinet after she returned.
With quite a pleasant smile, considering previous feelings on the subject, Tiffany just nodded her agreement. Even Amanda knew that her mother would not leave her alone with Cameron’s mother -- it would not be healthy for anybody and Tiffany Montgomery-Blake would never be left out of any part of this wedding. For that, Amanda was actually quite grateful. She would never go so far as to hide from Marion, but she was not above using her own mother as a human shield, either. Then a date could be set and everyone -- well, she and Cameron, at least -- could breathe again. Everything was going to be fine and... Just how much weight had she lost if it was that obvious? Cam hadn’t said anything. It clearly couldn’t be as bad as her mother was making out, even if she had noticed the difference in the way her clothes fitted herself. No -- she wasn’t going to start worrying about that. The dress would just be refitted and that was that.
“I’m sure the mayor can wait a few more days if the occasion truly calls for it,” Tiffany chimed. As far she was concerned, the whole world could wait if the occasion called for it. Even if it was the weekend. “Speaking of work,” she turned her eyes to Cameron, “How have you been faring, dear?”
Personally, Cameron had not really noticed that much of a difference in Amanda’s weight. Sure he caught that she’d lost some but he hadn’t thought that it was a big enough deal to remark on. Mostly because his mother had told him countless times that weight wasn’t one of those things he was supposed to mention around women. They could be very touchy about it and he’d seen said theory, as he’d once viewed it, proven true only once and that had been more than enough to convince him to not say anything. Unless he was asked. And then he should probably lie. Wasn’t fair that they got to talk about it all they wanted without so much as a glare, though. “Wonderful then,” Marion had a self-satisfied smile on her face as she sipped at her wine. Like she’d gotten what she wanted even though Cameron knew she hadn’t.
Work? And here I thought that was going to come from my father if anywhere, not you. “Work itself has been perfectly fine, thank you for asking,” Cameron replied at first. “Plenty of cases with all of the attacks that have been happening and people wondering if they can petition for this or that, you know how it is.” Or her husband did. He wasn’t going to say anything about the debate - that’d be too much like putting the noose around his own neck and waiting for someone else to kick the barrel out from under his feet. “Business will be business and whatever cases get passed down to me I take care of, basically.” Because he wasn’t even a partner, he was a junior associate and his father would see him stay there until he’d satisfied him.
Amanda recognised the smile on her future mother in-law’s face, answering it with a a perfectly genuine one of her own. They both knew who had just won that round, but if behaving as though the opposite had happened made Marion feel better, then she could deal with that. She was even willing to take a marginal step back and continue the charade of either or both mothers having won the battle over the wedding if it would make them easier to handle. Just as long as the end result was the wedding she altered and not one that they went and put back together the moment she wasn’t looking. But she wasn’t think about that possibility either. It wasn’t going to happen. Flashing a smile at Cameron, she took a rather large mouthful of her own wine while no one else was looking.
And had to pause before she swallowed as her mother decided to open her mouth and ask that. Could the conversation not have gone in a different direction? “I see,” Tiffany answered a touch absently. No, she didn’t. “No rest for the wicked,” was Michael’s only input, raising his glass and dodging both the subject of the debate and the fact his wife didn’t really know much about law at all. Or anything outside of social engagements. “Though if that is anything to go by, our moral alignment is getting worse by the day.”
To call the dinner painful would’ve been a bit of an understatement. Cameron spent most of it glancing between his plate, Amanda and their respective mothers because looking at his father just wasn’t happening. He could feel the daggers coming his way and knew that if he’d looked up he’d have been motioned off and the Talk would’ve happened. The Talk he didn’t want anymore than Amanda wanted to go on about the wedding with their mothers. Thankfully dinner was done, manners had been shown and even the Blake’s were leaving so that meant it was okay for them to as well. “Thanks for the dinner,” Cameron said, hugging his mom and leaning in to kiss her cheek. “We’ll have to do lunch soon again.”
“Of course dear.” Marion turned her gaze towards Amanda. “So tomorrow around noon, I’ll be seeing you. And you too of course, Tiffany.”
“Tomorrow,” Amanda agreed, the wine she had consumed lending a touch of warmth to a smile that might have otherwise seemed a little too relieved. After hugging her own parents and bestowing yet another smile on one of the women who would have made it onto her hit-list had she drunk any more, she pointed herself in the direction of the car and just prayed that Cameron was following. Because really, she didn’t care if he wasn’t done talking to them, she was going to hit her head against the dashboard. “Yes, Marion. No, Marion. Three-fucking-bags-full, Marion,” she muttered through clenched teeth, one hand raising to pull the comb from her hair. Yes, she was letting her hair down before she was even out of sight of the house. No, she couldn’t wait to be well away from them. The inside of her cheeks were actually sore from the number of times she had started chewing on them out of sheer nerves. The fangers could fuck right off -- no one was scarier than their mothers when they were together.
The moment that Amanda started away, Cameron was following because he’d seen how much she’d drank and really just didn’t want her to wander around alone. Even if the car was right there. Catching up to her he had to bite back a laugh at what he heard her say. “That is my mother for you, sorry you had to put up with it.” He slipped an arm around Amanda’s waist just to keep her steady in case she chose to stumble. “Look at it this way, now we don’t have to put up with that for quite awhile.” Their get togethers were not as common as they’d once been and he was nothing but grateful for it. Some things just didn’t need to happen all of the time. Them and their parents were that. Opening her door he made sure that she got in before going to his own. All he wanted to do was go home and not hear the natterings that he didn’t care for. He’d taken himself out of the wedding planning before the date had even been set and liked staying that way. “And I don’t think you’ve lost that much weight.”
“No, you won’t have to do it again for a while,” Amanda corrected, “I am seeing them tomorrow.” She fumbled with the seatbelt for a moment before giving up, stuffing the comb in her clutch and doing precisely what she had returned to the car to do. Well, almost. Forehead resting against the dashboard, her shoulders slumped in a sulk. “I could have done all of that over the phone. They would have hit back with a conference call, but your mother has nowhere near as much impact when she’s just a voice and something I can hang up on.” She paused, frowning against the surface. “But my mother is worse over the phone. Oh, fuck it. They’d give me hell regardless.” Sitting up properly, Amanda gave what was probably the first genuine smile of the evening and leaned over to press a kiss to his cheek, “Thank you. And please kill me if I ever turn into my mother.” The only trait of Tiffany’s that Amanda wanted to inherit was the fact she looked good for her age. And that was it. Okay, and maybe the element of tyranny.
“Oh, right.” Cameron frowned a little at having forgotten that detail. But Amanda was capable of handling their mothers all on her own. He wasn’t any help in that regard for the simple reason that they didn’t listen to him anymore than they did to her. And really, he didn’t want to stand up against them. Not his forte nor his thing. “You did fine though, Mandy, really proud of you for sticking to your ground against them. Not everyone can claim that they’re able to do that.” Very few people could, actually. “And you’re welcome. But I won’t kill you, just have you committed. Deal?” He was even partially serious because the idea of dealing with someone like Tiffany for his entire life made his head ache.
Turning half of her attention back to her seatbelt, Amanda tried to reason with it again. It was in that annoying state where it just jammed every time she pulled it. Oh, for God’s sake. Although she had to acknowledge that she did actually feel better for having not budged over the matter of the wedding. Except for that one bridesmaid, but really that was necessary. “Your mother. If etiquette could kill...” They would probably all be six feet under, but whatever. It wasn’t the looks, it wasn’t what she said. It wasn’t even the way she said it. It was all of the above and then some. “I’d rather you had me shot. I don’t know how Daddy copes with her. But deal.” She didn’t really want to spend the end of her life in an institution.
Seeing the trouble that Amanda was having, Cameron reached over to help her with the seatbelt without saying a word about it. She didn’t need to hear it since clearly she was aware of the trouble she was having. “If etiquette could kill then I think everyone would be dead by now.” He hid his amusement easier thanks to the dark. “He probably deals with it the way that most people do... wine, some sort of medication.” Cameron wasn’t encouraging said methods or even indicating that he was going to do something along the same line when they were older. Because he didn’t think that Amanda would turn out like either or their mothers. Thank everything that was holy. Yes, he loved his mother, but he’d lived with her enough and wasn’t going to marry someone just like her. “Enough thinking about that, you can relax now.”
Amanda looked down as Cameron fastened her seatbelt, not particularly understanding why he could make the godforsaken thing work as it should when she had done nothing different whatsoever. Except drink a fair amount more, but not enough to render her quite that useless. “They’re the claymore mine of psychological warfare,” she muttered, tilting her head back against the seat. And yes, the had just compared their mothers to an explosive device, but she didn’t much care. Snorting a laugh, she tried not to think of just how true that was. “For her.” The idea of a sedated mother was preferable to that of her father on... whatever the medication was supposed to be. “Okay, I’m done.” She commandeered the rear view mirror to check her hair and sat back again. “We still need a date, Cam.” Just in case he forgot.
All too true. People who didn’t have mothers like theirs probably couldn’t understand what it was like to deal with them. Yeah sure they had plenty of money and didn’t have to work for it but that didn’t mean they didn’t pay for it every single day of their mother’s lives. Cameron was certain that he’d be paying for all that’d he had until Marion Calvert took her last breath. And no, he wasn’t looking forward to that, he did happen to love her. She was just a touch unbearable and... oh. Cameron blinked out the window. For whatever reason he hadn’t expected her to bring that up with him. Seemed like something she’d argue out with their moms. “I know we do, but I thought you were wanting to delay.” He didn’t want to delay, really, but he’d settle in for what Amanda wanted and so he wasn’t going to try and press her too hard on it. That’d be just wrong and counter-productive. “We can maybe discuss this when you haven’t had a night like that.” He was used to nights like that, hell his days could go that way. But his didn’t usually end with him fighting with the seatbelt.
“Tell them no to the massive wedding and tell them they have to wait,” Amanda gave Cameron a look that questioned whether he had somehow hit his head on the way out. Maybe while getting into the car. “Are you trying to get me killed? A chance to breathe would be nice, but--” She waved the ended of that sentence away. “If they can settle for a smaller wedding that isn’t even theirs, I think I can get over the timing.” Though she didn’t see why she should have to. It wasn’t their wedding. It was hers. And Cam’s obviously, but weren’t weddings supposed to be about the bride? Oh, but wait. This bride clearly hadn’t gotten over her nerves yet and was giving into defeat by downsizing -- something she nearly voiced, but he had heard it once already tonight. From his mother. So Amanda didn’t really feel she needed to make that point. “Anyway, take me home before we look like we’re having a domestic.” Which was the last thing they needed.