Chapter 77: Your Posse, Your Team.

“So. I’ve got it now. I absolutely must be at the wrong table,” Judith laughed.

“Oh, hardly, Judith. Hardly.” It was MM’s turn. She continued her walk around our table, resting her hands gently on  Judith’s lightly sunburned shoulders. “You see, when you’re wealthy and your family’s wealthy it’s easy to be cynical when boys start to pay attention to you. You constantly doubt yourself: the way you look, where you’re from, how you sit and talk and chew. And the biggest doubt of all, do they like me? For me? Or is it the money? The goddam money.”

She looked around the table. “So, what’s a girl to do?”

She gestured to Troy and Sydney. “You find your posse. Your team. The people who will stick with you. And,” she added with a chuckle, “It doesn’t hurt if you know they’re not interested in getting in your pants. Or anywhere near them.”

“Love you, MM, but wrong dog, wrong tree.” Sydney chuckled.

Where had I heard that before?

MM continued. “As I said, it was hard being a nineteen-year-old girl who’s reasonably good looking and saddled with 20 million dollars in shoes. I mean, it gets exhausting doubting everyone. And lonely.”

Judith spoke up. “Is this going where I think it is? You know, you don’t have to, MM. Really, I’m ok.”

“Oh, go on. Everybody knows by now,” Avery said.

“Not everybody. This is getting good. Go on,” added Jeff, his ebullience restored.

“Did you find the guy?” Mallory asked.

“Not the guy. But I did find the girl.” MM send a knowing look at Judith.

“So you two?” Jeff nodded and looked back at MM.

“It was the briefest love affair in recorded history,” MM laughed. “But, seriously, Judith, you made it safe, for me, for us. You weren’t even out yet.”

“I didn’t know what I wanted. In? Out? I was just glad to have friends.”

“You made me feel cared for. For me. And, no, while it turned out I wasn’t going to be marching in the Lady Parade, I certainly felt a respect for the members of the band.”

“Please, let that metaphor die.” Judith laughed out loud.

“Done. My dear, sweet Judith. You showed me a completely unselfish version of ‘nice.’ So yes, despite the damage it might do to your gruff reputation, you’re at the right fucking table. Thank you.”       

“So where does that leave us? We’ve covered Judith, Dr. Jeff, Mallory, MM and the boys, Troy and Sydney and even my story. Thank you, Drew.” Jim paused. “But, what about Drew? I mean, we can all concede Drew is one of the nicest people in the entire universe.” MM looked pleased.

“Oh, my god.” I looked for a chair to hide under.

“He’s a really good kisser,” said Judith.

“We kissed exactly four times.” I protested.

“In one night?” asked Jim.

“In four months.” I corrected him. “Is this giving you all a great laugh? I mean, maybe if you add this luncheon levity to the roses I brought Mallory, that’ll satisfy my ‘nice’ quotient for all eternity. The end. How ‘bout it.?”

            “I want you to hold that thought.” MM attended to buzzing text on her phone. Our server brought more chardonnay. I looked at Mallory and mouthed, “You ok?” She nodded, smiling.

            “Ok. Our last guest is on his way. I’m asking you all to stay just a little longer. In the meantime,” MM stood. “Boys, can you get the folders please?”

            Troy pulled a box out from under the table and lifted a handful of tastefully printed folders out and set them on the linen-clad surface.

            “Ok. Thanks for hanging in there and for tolerating my little drama. At my age—which, I guess is basically our age—I try to manufacture a little glee whenever I can.” MM was on the verge of giddy. “This is the part I actually rehearsed.”

            “Five times. Really,” Troy added.

            “Five times,” MM continued, “Until I didn’t cry.”

            “First, why all the secrecy? Well that’s an easy one. I was afraid if you knew I was your host, you wouldn’t show. I mean it. I haven’t seen some of you since I shed my ‘MM Queen of the Monied People’ identity. Drew, you remember. My self-absorption, the coming out stories—and I mean debut parties, not the gay kind. The pretentious ski trip? Oh, god. All I can say is I’m sorry. No, wait a minute. I can do better than that. You’ll see.

            “But back to today’s lunch. Why codes instead of names on the place cards? Let’s face it. Some of you—all of you-- are pretty damn smart. Names could have given you away, inciting, yes, flight. Also, I wanted you to sit next to people who had purpose in your lives. At least as far as I could tell. So much for secrecy. Everybody still with me?”

            “Get on with it, MM. Either that, or give us a break. I gotta pee.” Judith spoke for several of us.

            “And with that, ladies and gentlemen, we’ll have a 10-minute intermission. So Judith can pee.”