ing perfect, we’d have to hate you, too, Danielle,” Adan told her, and she beamed again.
“I want to be sure you ask me to dance later.” She nodded at me and looked down at my ankle. “It looks like your date can’t dance tonight. I’m so sorry, Delia.”
Her girlfriends drew closer.
“We all heard about your accident, Delia,” Katelynn said. “How did it really happen?” she asked, with the tone of someone who already knew the answer.
“Oh, not now, girls,” Adan said, stepping between us. “We don’t want to dwell on sad things tonight. It’s Danielle’s birthday party.” He winked at her. “I’ll dance with you later. That’s a promise,” he said. “Right now, I’m dying of thirst.”
She looked at her disappointed girlfriends, who had all been hoping for news bulletins for their gossip. She smiled and stepped aside.
“Of course, you can have something hard to drink, Adan. Just don’t you feed anything alcoholic to the underage girls,” she added, smiling at me. She was clearly implying that he might just get me something.
Adam laughed. “Looking at you girls, it’s getting harder and harder to tell who’s underage,” he said, and her friends practically exploded with glee. “Later,” he added, and pulled me away gently. “Save me,” he whispered. “Get rid of the crutches.”
“I’m not sure that would be enough. They were like hens clucking at a rooster.”
He laughed and plucked a soft drink off one of the trays for me. At one of the bars, he ordered himself a vodka martini. We ate some of the hors d’oeuvres before making our way across the room to join Fani, who immediately introduced us to Danielle’s mother.
“Welcome, Delia. I’m so happy to finally meet Isabela’s niece. I’ve heard so much about you from Danielle and now Fani that I feel I’ve met you already.”
“Merci, Madame Johnson. Je suis honore etre ici.”
Her eyes widened, and she laughed. “Are all you girls so bright and worldly?”
I shook my head, leaned toward her, and confessed that I had memorized the line. She roared with laughter, her face brightening with delight. I thought she was far more beautiful than Danielle. Fani looked at me with the approval of a mother or guardian.
“What happened to your ankle?” Mrs. Johnson asked.
“A little accident. Ce n’est rien.”
“It’s nothing? Bon. Well, you kids have a great time. I’m happy Danielle has made such nice friends.”
She patted my hand and joined some of the other adults nearby.
“That’s a pretty expensive dress,” Fani said immediately. “Your aunt bought it for you?”
“No. It’s a present from my cousin Edward.”
“Really? How generous.”
Generous? If she thought this was generous, what would she say when she heard about my car?
“Where’s your darling other cousin?” Fani asked, looking toward the entrance. “I thought she was definitely coming.” I was surprised at how disappointed she sounded.
“She’ll be here any moment, I’m sure. Christian Taylor was picking her up.”
“Christian Taylor? She got him to do that? Well, this gets more and more interesting. I wonder what outrage the two of them are planning. Don’t worry. I’ve planted the seeds so everyone knows she’s responsible for your little accident.”
So, Danielle and her friends did know, I thought, and looked at Adan. He surely had told Fani what I had told him on the phone. I was afraid they were all now determined to dig out the nitty-gritty details.
“It is better forgotten,” I said, “especially at such a party.”
“Didn’t you tell me your father told you that if you act like sheep, they’ll act like wolves?”
“Yes, but…”
“Don’t be a hypocrite, Delia. Either be brave and proud, or pick up your cousin’s toilet paper,” she snapped, her eyes blazing.