A New Look Should Have A New Attitude
Amber Ann had spent the day with her sister, Virginia. They went shopping, to the salon, and Virginia gave numerous pep talks, the whole nine – and now she stood before her eldest sister - Jessica. Her expensive dress, make-up, and hair all perfect and still she was crushed by Jessica.
She wanted to yell, to scream, 'How could you!?'. But she was different now. Even though she still missed the baby she had lost – her little Tiffany – even though she had pined for another and waited because Dan asked her too, even though her heart was breaking and the pain was unbearable.
She smiled at Jessica. She smiled and she cocked her head. Her mind was clear, even in the midst of a broken heart, she knew she did not want Jessica to see a speck of weakness within her.
So her smile was broad and sincere, and her voice was calm, as she spoke.
"Congratulations Jessica. I am so happy for you. Will you be telling Christopher Patrick's wife the good news?"
Jessica's eyes went wide and Virginia burst into laughter. Amber Ann didn't wait for a reply. She walked to the bar and Amanda handed her a glass of spiced dark rum. She took a sip – although she wanted to down the entire glass – turned, walked passed Jessica without looking at her, and kissed her mother on the cheek. She stood, smiled to her eldest sister and went to sit next to Virginia.
The room was in shocked silence for several minutes. Their mother – Angelica - finally cleared her throat.
"Christopher Patrick?"
Jessica couldn't speak for a long moment. 'When had Amber gotten a backbone?' She had looked at Amber, as she walked to Virginia, and felt the jealousy well up in her even more.
Her silk dress was a beautiful soft blue that seemed delicate and unique. It seemed to hug her body – as if it were her skin - like it was made just for her. She had walked with a confidence that Jessica had never seen in Amber Ann before.
Her hair hung in soft ringlets to her shoulders and they seemed to sparkle with vibrancy. Again jealousy rose within Jessica – her hand tightening around her glass.
It took her a long time to regain herself, and by the time she did Amber was already seated and smiling calmly at her.
Damon Sr. stood to his full imposing height and with a long sigh looked to each of his children.
"Let's not talk about this for now. We will eat and behave like a family. We don't need to like each other but we will love each other."
No one spoke but he looked to his family and immediately knew they would respect his words and behave – for now.
Jessica was livid, but her pride was stronger than her rage. She would not let Amber Ann or the rest of the family see her flee in defeat. She settled back into her chair, her back ramrod straight, and her eyes fixed on Amber Ann's composed profile.
Dinner service began, and the conversation moved stiffly to business dealings and golf. Jessica barely touched her food. Her mother, sensing the tension radiating off her eldest daughter, leaned close.
"Honey, you look pale. Maybe you should go upstairs to rest? You shouldn't stress yourself in your condition."
Jessica smiled tightly. "I'm fine, Mommy. I'm quite hungry, actually." She hated taking the easy out.
As Amber Ann answered a question about the resort's layout, Jessica stared at her, an undisguised, venomous look twisting her features.
One of the older Lance brothers, Damon Lance Jr., cleared his throat loudly. "Dad said to be civil, Jess. That look isn't very civil."
Another brother, Samuel, nodded. "Maybe look at your own plate instead of Amber Ann's face, Jessica."
Jessica took a slow, deep breath, refusing to respond. She picked up her fork, but her mind was racing. She needed to strike now, while Amber Ann was calm and Dan was unaware. She subtly reached for her phone under the table.
Meanwhile, Dan was back at his house, reviewing the figures Marsha had sent for the six-villa residential property investment into Blue Serene. He was so focused on the financial strategy, he barely noticed the first buzz of his phone. He was planning his next anonymous move: a YouTube video series to promote the resort.
The phone buzzed rapidly a second time, demanding his attention. He picked it up, annoyed, it was from Jessica. He pursed his lips and sighed. Then the expression froze on his dace when he saw the one word text.
"Pregnant."
Dan's concentration was broken, shattered into the most minute pieces. He felt a spike of immediate, cold dread. His brain went numb and she instantly began to debate the situation. Decision made he typed a quick, desperate denial based on hope.
"Liar."
The reply took a moment, Jessica sat nervously at the dining table, wishing for a harder drink than the apple juice beside her.
When the reply finally came she allowed a small, sinister smile to creep onto her lips as she glanced up to meet Amber Ann's eyes across the table. They stared at each other knowingly.
Jessica almost laughed at his reply. She felt his doubt and denial, and that small thread of panic - all in the one word.
"Why would I lie, love? It's yours. We need to talk."
At the dinner table, Amber Ann watched the slow, terrifying smile spread across Jessica's face, a smile filled with triumph and malice. She knew, instantly, that Jessica had just done something incomprensible.
Her stomach dropped as she thought about her sister's pregnancy and the idea that it could be Dan's. On the outside she calm, fully engaged in conversation, and smiling from ear to ear. On the inside her nerves pricked - how long would Jessica continue to jab at her.
Miles away, the phone dropped from Dan's suddenly numb fingers, clattering onto the glass coffee table. He stared blankly at the screen, the entire world shrinking down to that single, devastating sentence.
"It's over," Dan whispered, his voice hoarse. "It was all for nothing."