Post by Veronica Armin on Mar 2, 2020 23:35:05 GMT -5
The guests were pouring in, filling Veronica Armin with both pride and desire to see the reactions to her lavish home--lavish, even, by old world standards. Each door was guarded by two men, each a personal employee of the Armins and not the undisciplined, dirty city guards. It was amazing, truly, how quickly money began to talk once a semblance of society returned. A warmth overtook Veronica--she was beaming--staring down from her balcony, holding a champagne flute, as the first wave of guests filed inside the foyer. Veronica waved to some of her friends--other members of the city she and Ryan decided to invite. None were as wealthy as they were, of course, but they were still refined people and members of what Veronica saw as the other half of the Free City of San Francisco. She scanned the crowd for any members of the council or Minerva. Veronica never wanted to invite the government workers, but as she even had the thought she remembered her husbands words...the goal, the purpose, of these parties. She shrugged off the intrusive thought.
As Veronica observed that the foyer was sufficiently full, she signaled to one of the servers to tap an empty glass three times, thus requesting silence from those below. As the dozens of people looked up, Veronica smiled and raised her champagne flute.
"Hello, hello everyone. And welcome to our home. For some of you, this is your firs time. For others, well, you found your drinks rather easily." Laughter, whether it was authentic didn't matter much to Veronica. Whether it was flattery or fear did not matter. They didn't fear Veronica, of course...
"Ryan will be down in a short while, I know he's the person you want to see, I know..." More laughter--some of it nervous laughter. Veronica beamed. She controlled these people, most of whom wanted something from the Armins. A favor, some money, backing in the next election. Something. And Veronica, even for this brief moment, held power over them.
"Help yourself to as many drinks as you'd like--we have plenty to go around," Veronica promised. "Enjoy the party, and cheers--to us!" She raise her glass, most of the guests doing the same, and took a sip of the champagne as musicians began to play what sounded to Veronica like You Belong to Me. (click Song Title to hear)
Veronica descended from the left staircase, being greeted by many party-goers as she moved about the congregation, shaking hands, smiling.
"Mrs. Armin, it is so good to see you."
"Looking lovely as always, Veronica."
"Veronica, did you own that dress before the outbreak? If not, you must tell me where you got it!"
Veronica was then approached by her friend, Patricia and her husband, Tim. "Patti! Timmy! It's so good to see you!" Veronica thickly declared, hugging both, kissing both on the cheeks as she did so.
"And you!" Patricia responded. Tim smiled, and nodded. "Say," Patricia began. "I saw Tom near Al's shop earlier today. Can you believe that?"
"Ridiculous. Priests," Tim spat.
"Now, Tim," Veronica began. "Thomas is a friend of mine, he married me and Ryan. But, I will admit, those posters Al has in his shop are...displeasing." Veronica conceded.
"Displeasing?" Tim balked. "They're ghastly, Veronica! I--I--he's calling your husband--"
"She knows, Timmy..." Patricia grabbed Tim's arm. Her eyes betrayed her cheerful tone, she was nervous. Attempting to change the subject: "Where is Father Tom, anyways?"
"I always invite him to these!" Veronica was happy to no longer be discussing Al. "But, you know--decadence, or something." Veronica shrugged. She always liked Father Thomas, and would even schedule meetings with him as a kind of therapy--Thomas would always incorporate faith, and Veronica would occasionally listen. Still, though, she liked the man.
"Really a shame--he's so handsome, too." Patricia smirked. "A shame he's a priest."
Tim snorted. "Patti! That's so bad!" Veronica feigned shock, but was smiling all the same.
Realizing she'd dedicated too much time to the conversation, Veronica waved to the couple before turning, but Patti grabbed her arm once more. "By the way, Veronica...Thomas was with two of those girls--the ones who live outside the city. What's that all about?"
"I'll have to ask him," Veronica's brow furrowed, confused why Thomas would be taking those outsiders to Al's--but she quickly regained composure and continued to mingle.
As Veronica observed that the foyer was sufficiently full, she signaled to one of the servers to tap an empty glass three times, thus requesting silence from those below. As the dozens of people looked up, Veronica smiled and raised her champagne flute.
"Hello, hello everyone. And welcome to our home. For some of you, this is your firs time. For others, well, you found your drinks rather easily." Laughter, whether it was authentic didn't matter much to Veronica. Whether it was flattery or fear did not matter. They didn't fear Veronica, of course...
"Ryan will be down in a short while, I know he's the person you want to see, I know..." More laughter--some of it nervous laughter. Veronica beamed. She controlled these people, most of whom wanted something from the Armins. A favor, some money, backing in the next election. Something. And Veronica, even for this brief moment, held power over them.
"Help yourself to as many drinks as you'd like--we have plenty to go around," Veronica promised. "Enjoy the party, and cheers--to us!" She raise her glass, most of the guests doing the same, and took a sip of the champagne as musicians began to play what sounded to Veronica like You Belong to Me. (click Song Title to hear)
Veronica descended from the left staircase, being greeted by many party-goers as she moved about the congregation, shaking hands, smiling.
"Mrs. Armin, it is so good to see you."
"Looking lovely as always, Veronica."
"Veronica, did you own that dress before the outbreak? If not, you must tell me where you got it!"
Veronica was then approached by her friend, Patricia and her husband, Tim. "Patti! Timmy! It's so good to see you!" Veronica thickly declared, hugging both, kissing both on the cheeks as she did so.
"And you!" Patricia responded. Tim smiled, and nodded. "Say," Patricia began. "I saw Tom near Al's shop earlier today. Can you believe that?"
"Ridiculous. Priests," Tim spat.
"Now, Tim," Veronica began. "Thomas is a friend of mine, he married me and Ryan. But, I will admit, those posters Al has in his shop are...displeasing." Veronica conceded.
"Displeasing?" Tim balked. "They're ghastly, Veronica! I--I--he's calling your husband--"
"She knows, Timmy..." Patricia grabbed Tim's arm. Her eyes betrayed her cheerful tone, she was nervous. Attempting to change the subject: "Where is Father Tom, anyways?"
"I always invite him to these!" Veronica was happy to no longer be discussing Al. "But, you know--decadence, or something." Veronica shrugged. She always liked Father Thomas, and would even schedule meetings with him as a kind of therapy--Thomas would always incorporate faith, and Veronica would occasionally listen. Still, though, she liked the man.
"Really a shame--he's so handsome, too." Patricia smirked. "A shame he's a priest."
Tim snorted. "Patti! That's so bad!" Veronica feigned shock, but was smiling all the same.
Realizing she'd dedicated too much time to the conversation, Veronica waved to the couple before turning, but Patti grabbed her arm once more. "By the way, Veronica...Thomas was with two of those girls--the ones who live outside the city. What's that all about?"
"I'll have to ask him," Veronica's brow furrowed, confused why Thomas would be taking those outsiders to Al's--but she quickly regained composure and continued to mingle.