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“Not yet, boy. Actually, the expansion work for Bryant hospital was completed last week, and since my company ended up overseeing the project, Mr. Winfrey invited us to the hospital’s Thanksgiving dinner.”

A wave of nervousness washed over me.

“I'm sorry, what?” I questioned, as if I needed more confirmation of what I was hearing.

Aunt Isabel was direct in declaring: “I didn't want to go, but it would be rude to deny the invitation. And that's important to your uncle.” She stretched her hand over his, placing the ring one over the other.

Derek stretched, uncomfortable, and I wanted to die.

“What?” Aunt Isabel asked. “What is it, is something wrong?”

“No, it's nothing,tía…” My brother began. “I just think… well, you guys should know something then.”

They both looked a little worried now, even more so with Derek's dramatic pause.

“Speak, boy!” My uncle asked.

“Colleen... Colleen Bryant and I are dating…” My brother confessed.

I wanted to smile proudly and I wanted to laugh out of embarrassment and also, if possible, I wanted to be buried alive. If they all knew that not only Derek was involved with someone from that family, perhaps the shock would be even greater.

“You are dating Conrad's daughter?” My aunt asked, just trying to be sure of what she had heard. The attention they both offered Derek was too much at that moment.

“Yes I am.”

My uncle blinked a few times, and my aunt tried to hold back a grimace. I had no idea what exactly was going through their minds, but I could tell neither of them was too thrilled about the news.

“D…” Uncle Hendrix began. “I don't know this girl, but I know her parents. They are not good people. Especially Conrad.”

A few weeks ago, when Colleen fell, I remember that neither he nor the blonde's mother went to Texas to see her. Instead, the one who went was Kendra's mother, Mackenzie Winfrey. Mackenzie was always known around town for having the perfect marriage, marrying her college sweetheart, who currently managed Bryant Hospital. Nicholas Winfrey came from a good family, but he wasn't from Chamberlain, I had no idea where he actually came from, but everyone knew his parents had businesses on the east coast.

“She's not like them.” Derek assured our auntie and uncle. And from what I knew of Colleen, I could confirm that too.

Colleen was sweet, kind, hardworking and a good friend. I couldn't say I knew Conrad and the girl's mother, but the daughter was definitely a good person.

“Oh, young love…” Auntie commented and smiled softly. “If you say she's not like them, we believe you, D. And we're looking forward to seeing her tomorrow night at dinner.”

Derek and I exchanged almost complicit looks, because even though my brother didn't know that Kendra and I were more than friends, he knew that we were close and that my uncle, despite working with and for the benefit of the Bryant business, he didn't trust anything that would come from there. The Bryants have always been the city's elite. They were in charge ofeverything and it was a troubled relationship for ordinary people like my uncles who always fought to have what they had.

Working for them was one thing, allowing us to mingle with those folks was another.

The reasoning behind it wasn’t bad, and I understood that they had the best of intentions, but I knew my brother, I knew myself, and I knew Colleen and Kendra. And if there was one thing we all shared, it was the determination to get what we wanted.

“It will be quite a dinner…” I commented mockingly. Derek partially understood me, but only I had any idea of what bringing everyone together in the same room could do and most likely we wouldn't be able to get through a whole night without scandals.

Kendra hadn't said anything about dinner. In fact, we had barely exchanged texts. She seemed busy with her parents and I also couldn't deny that I was enjoying my time at my aunt and uncle's house. In fact, in the morning, I had helped Aunt Isabel pack some things from my room. She said she would turn it into a guest room and assured me it would look amazing when we came for the holidays.

Now, I was finishing applying my lip gloss before looking at my complete reflection in the mirror behind the bedroom door.

The blue dress reminded me of Kendra's eyes, although the outfit was darker, the velvet material was to blame. On my feetI was wearing short, thick-heeled boots. I even took a beige coat and put it on.

Soft knocks echoed through the door before Aunt Isabel opened it a crack.

“Ready, darling?” She soon found me and smiled. “Wow, how beautiful my niece is!”

I laughed.

“Thank you, aunt.”