Chapter 7

The invitation to the Sportwood’s party was for 7:00 PM and we arrived about 15 minutes after that. Tom and Sally gushed over Emily, giving many compliments. Emily was extremely gracious in the face of all the attention, but couldn’t avoid a noticeable blush when Jeremy told her that she was prettier than he had even imagined and how fortunate that he had the opportunity to be her companion for the evening.

Lydia and I chatted with Tom and Sally for a couple of minutes as Jeremy was escorting Emily into the great room where most of the guests were gathered, but we rushed to follow them when we heard a commotion. We entered the great room just in time to hear a blonde teenage girl say to Emily, “ ... and then throw your cat at every guy you meet.”

Emily, in a very level, and seemingly unperturbed voice, said, “I’m sorry, Valerie is it? In the first place, aside from John, my mother’s new friend and Jeremy here, I haven’t met any guys. Jeremy, have I thrown my cat at you?”

“Cat?” he said with a confused look.

“Think of another word for cat...”

“ ... um, ‘kitty’?”

“Try again...”

“Um, puss ... OH! No, Emily, you haven’t thrown your ‘cat’ at me.”

“There, you see, Valerie, your accusation is false on its face.”

“I’m gonna kick your fuckin’ ass, bitch,” Valerie screamed.

“No you are not, Valerie,” Emily said with confidence.

Valerie rushed at Emily with her fists doubled, but Emily took a half-step to the right, raised her left arm deflecting Valerie’s swing, and the girl’s momentum carried her past Emily whereupon she caught her toe on the edge of the Persian carpet and went sprawling on the floor. When she got up she was holding her hand over a bloody nose.

Valerie’s mother came rushing over, screaming that “that girl hit my daughter.”

Her father, the only person in that family with a reasonably cool head, said, “No, she didn’t Melanie. The girl only deflected Valerie’s assault. I think we had better take her home before these nice people decide to call the police and press charges.”

“Press charges? I’ll be the one pressing charges. Look what they have done to our little girl!”

“Melanie, Valerie’s current situation is a consequence of her own actions. Now SHUT THE FUCK UP and take her to the car. NOW! I’ll be out in a couple of minutes.”

The woman helped her daughter up and escorted her out.

“Tom, Sally, I am so very sorry about my daughter’s behavior. And you, Miss Emily, I cannot apologize enough on behalf of my child. Her mother has done a poor job of teaching her how to act in polite society and I should have taken action long ago. I take full responsibility for this, and I sincerely hope you can forgive me.”

“I don’t think there is anything to forgive, Sir, although I do appreciate your concern for my feelings. Please tell Valerie that I bear her no ill-will at all, and that I sincerely hope that we can be friends in the future.”

“Your parents must be so proud of having raised such a gracious and beautiful young lady. It is an honor to have met you, Emily, and I hope to have the pleasure of your company again in the near future. Please excuse me, I have some domestic issues that require my immediate attention.”

Sally Sportwood saw Ryan Tumesce to the door, and invited him to call the next day.

Lydia and I had not spoken or moved during the entire altercation, and I finally said, “Wow, that was something, Emily. I didn’t realize that you had martial arts skills.”

“I started doing Tai Chi a couple of years ago. Deflecting an attack is the best defense there is, I think. I sorta really made her mad though, ‘cause I was being a little snarky. I guess I’ll have to apologize to her the next time I see her. I guess your break-up wasn’t as clean as you had thought, was it Jeremy?”

“No it wasn’t, but I had no idea until just now. I’m so sorry, Emily.”

“Not your fault, Jeremy. Sometimes girls get, well, possessive. But I’m gonna forget all about it starting right now, because I want to have a good time tonight, and I want to have it with you. Ok?”