"That’s really not funny," I retorted.
"Oh, please!" She rolled her eyes. "So, how you going to convince Lilli to sleep with you?" she giggled.
"What? Maggie…who…how—?"
She wrinkled up her face.
"Like I don’t overhear things going on around here," she snorted.
"I think that you should stop eavesdropping. Besides, you don’t know what you are talking about." I huffed and went back to my laptop.
"Mmmhmm…" she said trying not to laugh."You’re so uptight, it’s crazy. You used to be so playful." Maggie pouted and left the room. I sighed and put my head in my hands.
~
Lilli returned before New Year’s Eve, mainly because Viola had planned a charity event for the family foundation she ran. ‘Isobel’s Heart’ foundation was started by my grandmother before she died. Grandma Olivia had taken over but soon my mother and Viola were handling things. Now, it was just Viola.
Viola had taken Lilli with her to visit some of the local places that the foundation supports; mostly orphanages for children, including mentally and physically disabled children. There was also the abused women and children’s center that Viola had brought into the foundation years ago.
The New Year’s event was held to raise money for each charity. There was going to be a ‘date’ auction, where men would bid on single women to spend the evening with; a silent auction for items that were donated, and then there was the ticket prices where a portion would go to the foundation.
When Lilli met me downstairs in the apartment for the New Year’s event I had to say that I was thankful that she was no longer considered ‘single’ and therefore would not be a part of the ‘date’ auction. I may have sunk the entire Iverson fortune to keep her away from another man, especially with the way she was dressed. In that floor length midnight blue dress with a low v-neck that hugged her body until it reached her mid thigh, there would have been a serious battle for her. She was stunning, once again.
The event went as perfectly as Viola had planned it and she had raised a great deal of money. What surprised me was the extent of knowledge Lilli had about the foundation and the event. Viola saw my perplexed expression when Lilli was pulled away by an organizer to discuss something about the silent auction.
"Didn’t she tell you?" Viola tilted her head slightly as she furrowed her brow.
"Tell me what?"
"Lilli has been working with me on the event. She is quite quick that one." Viola smiled in Lilli’s direction, "Ever since she visited the homes with me she has been eagerly volunteering to help with things. She has been a lifesaver in some areas." Viola was still smiling.
"Really? No, she hadn’t mentioned anything besides spending some time with you." I rubbed the back of my head realizing that I really didn’t know much about her day at all.
"Hmm…" Viola eyed me.
"What?" I blurted at the tone she had.
"I just figured that you would know what your future wife does during her day," she eyed me skeptically.
"She doesn’t have to report back to me about her every second." I took a drink of my champagne.
Viola laughed.
"Oh, Aidan, that is not what I meant." She continued to giggle. "I mean that you are coming off, right now, as knowing nothing about her. That’s not good, especially if you are going to be together for four years…or longer, perhaps." She smiled slyly.
"Longer, perhaps?" I smiled at her and shook my head. "Don’t get any ideas just yet Aunt Viola. We aren’t even married yet."
She smiled wide again.
"Sometimes a woman can see things that a man cannot." She said with a wink as she walked towards Lilli.
The next week went by quickly and Lilli was swamped with Viola, going through all of the final wedding details. I could tell that she had just about had enough. I would watch her eyes light up when Viola would call but then her face would fall and contort into disgust when she would realize she was calling about the wedding plans. I found it humorous, her, not so much.
Saturday arrived and James was being all ‘hush hush’ about the plans for the evening. I had made him swear that there wouldn’t be any hookers, mainly because I found them disgusting, but also because I didn’t know if I could control myself with all the pent up sexual frustration I harbored.
When I got up Saturday morning Viola was already clearing out the apartment and rearranging for the brunch. Phoebe was also flitting around helping Vi. I grabbed some coffee and Phoebe shooed me back upstairs to get dressed and ‘get the hell out’, as she put it.
Once dressed, I worked on my laptop for awhile before James called me. Around ten James informed me to be ready in thirty minutes still keeping our plans a secret. At ten-twenty I headed downstairs.