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Kate adjusts the pendant resting on her neck as her mother pins up her hair. She cringes slightly when her mother pulls to hard on a strand, but doesn’t say anything. Her mother finishes her hair, stepping back to admire her work.
“There.” She says, changing her focus to Kate’s reflection. She’s wearing an uncomfortable dress, she supposed it looks nice but she can’t focus on how she looks with the way it’s rubbing against her shoulders. She tugs at the small sleeves, only to have her mother pull them back up into place.
“They’ll be here any moment.” Her mother says, referring to the Chavez family. They just moved into the estate across from them, and her mother has been dead set on setting her up with their son. Kate’s only caught a glimpse of him a few times, and only attempted to talked to him once. The one time she did manage to talk to him, he had barely said a word. Kate had gracefully walked away, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.
Kate hears a knock from the door downstairs and her mother rushes out of the room. Kate feels like she’s finally able to breathe, but then her mother pokes her head back in the door.
“Don’t come down until I call you.” She says, smiling at Kate. Kate doesn’t say anything, just nods.
She can just barely make out the chatter from downstairs, her mother’s voice is loud and bright but indistinguishable.
“Kate, our guests our here!” Her mom yells (obviously in a very lady like fashion) up the stairs.
Kate makes her way down the stairs, extremely uncomfortable with all the eyes on her. She keeps her eyes on the ground, watching her steps because she’s terrified of tripping over her shoes. Her mother had had to use makeup to cover up a bruise on her arm that she got from running into the doorway while playing with the maid’s children. She chided Kate for being so childish, and said that was not how ladies should be acting. Kate had groaned internally, but just promised her mother she would be more careful.
When Kate eventually does look up, her eyes skim right past Mr. Chavez, and straight to the girl standing behind him. She’s wearing a dark red dress, her hair pulled back with curls left to frame her face. Kate feels her cheeks heat up as their eyes meet, the girl (or as her mother would say, young woman) smiles at Kate. Her mother mistakes the reason for her blush, and gives what she thinks is a sly smile.
“Kate, have you been introduced to Mr. Chavez yet?” Her mother asks, placing a hand on her arm.
“Not formally, no.” Kate answers extending her hand towards him for her least favorite part of meeting people. He takes her gloved hand in his own bare own and places a kiss on it, Kate does her best not to cringe and instead smiles at him.
“Pleasure to finally meet you.” He says, letting go of her hand.
Kate crosses her hands behind her back, “Likewise.”
“This is my sister, America.” He says, stepping aside to introduce her.
Kate nods at her, giving a generic greeting. America replies with an equally as boring generic greeting.
They make it to the dinner table where Kate’s father joins them. If it were just Kate and Mr. Chavez there would no doubt be awkward silences. Fortunately, her mother is masterful at small talk and is able to keep a constant flow of conversation - even if it gets slightly awkward.
“Mr. Chavez I have to say, you’re quite a handsome man.” Her mother says, smiling as she looks between Kate and him.
“You’re the first woman to have said that to him.” America says dryly. Kate laughs and tries to muffle it by taking a sip from her glass of water. Her mother still gives her a look at the same time Mr. Chavez glares at America.
Kate’s father, another, slightly less skilled, master of small talk, interrupts the silence by asking Mr. Chavez about his business. Kate tunes it out, focusing on her food but still looking interested. She catches bits of his story, and decides she wouldn’t mind marrying him. He sounds like a mediocre man.
Once dinner is being cleared, Kate notices her parents share glances at each other.
“Kate, why don’t you go show America the gardens?” Her father asks her, Kate doesn’t hesitate to push away from the table. She knows what this is about, knows that after they leave her mother will offer to go help clean up in the kitchen (something she would otherwise never offer to do). Then her father will be able to have a few words with Mr. Chavez. Kate has no idea what her father talks about when he gets her suitors alone, but quite frankly she doesn’t give a shit.
She takes America outback to their gardens, leading her along the path that weaves through bushes and trellises.
“I hope you had a nice time tonight.” Kate says, fidgeting with her fingers where they’re interlocked behind her back.
“I’m not one for small talk.” America says, somehow managing to not sound rude but genuine.
“Well then what talk do you like?” Kate asks, her heart starts pounding without her permission. Although she doesn’t let herself get hopeful. The last time she tried to kiss another woman, she ended up having to bribe her into not telling anyone. But Kate’s getting something from America - or at least she thinks she is.
America stops walking, Kate stops as well and turns towards her. Kate looks her lips, then moves back up to America’s eyes; a gorgeous brown that Kate doesn’t think she’ll ever be able to look away from. America stares right back at Kate, increasing the tension between them.
“Any kind that’s not small.” America says, knowing that she’s giving a terrible answer. Kate laughs at it, agreeing with her.
“Small talk can be extremely awkward.” She says, recounting her experience with Mr. Chavez.
“It doesn’t have to be though.” America says, letting the corner of her lips curl up.
“I thought you said you didn’t like small talk?” Kate says. She feels like she flirting more now than she’s ever been able to with a man. She briefly wonders if that’s a metaphor for something.
“Not with most people.” America answers, “but I think you’re different Kate.” She says, Kate’s name rolling off her tongue in a way that sends a shiver down Kate’s spine.
Kate smiles at her, sending a quiet invitation. America reaches her hand up to cup Kate’s cheek, pressing a light kiss against Kate’s lips and then pulling away.
“I’m worried someone will see us.” America says, by way of explanation for the brevity of the kiss,
“I guess we’ll have to make plans to meet again then.” Kate says, already envisioning the different places they could meet.
America moves her hand from Kate’s cheek to her waist, giving a small squeeze, “I guess we will.”