Re: Ball: Clementine, Irene & Declan
The Murphys were always real complicated, but Clementine, she understood that this was more complicated than most days. Thing was, she couldn't do a damn thing to stop it. Was a time she could be machinating as anyone living, but these days her feelings were too close to the surface for engineering things. Her momma and daddy, they were both best as could be at machinating, always getting precisely what they wanted out of every damn person they encountered. But Clementine, she'd gone soft as fruit rotted through, and it wasn't anything that looked good on her.
She watched Declan excuse himself, and she didn't linger thinking 'bout the feeling in the pit of her belly. Instead, she glanced back at Irene's face. The other woman was taking 'bout being possessive, and Clementine scoffed. Took a few seconds to grab that casual air and wrap it all 'round herself like a stole again, but she managed. "Declan never could stand me any. Chased him 'round like my life depended on catching him, way on back when we were small, and he didn't care for me a lick. Like a bug under his shoe." She stepoped back. "He was fussed at me just now for talking 'bout kin. You never talk bad 'bout kin."
She smoothed sage green, and she smiled pretty as a picture. "You're right 'bout dancing. I'm sure he's off finding his pleasure, and no reason we can't do the same."
With that, and after a brush of lips to Irene's jaw, Clementine excused herself, planning on getting herself plenty lost in that crowd of glittering folks and heavy fabric. She hadn't tangled herself on up with anyone since Shane, and she had a notion it was just the thing needed to make her feel a whole sight better 'bout a whole lot of things.