Hope and Sue: Gala Fever

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"Hope, I swear, if you don't get out of that bathroom right now I'm going to turn on the fire sprinklers, and trust me, you don't want to try to salvage the mess that's left after the first system's done with you. Trust me on that," Sue smirked as she leant on the wall opposite the bathroom door and smirked at it. While hope hadn't taken as long as some people Sue knew, thank you, Warren Worthington, for teaching her the true meaning of hogging the bathroom, the young woman was taking longer than Sue had expected and she'd already been rung twice by the driver downstairs just to check that everything was OK. Luckily Sue had taken the afternoon off work so she'd had plenty of time to get ready for the event, but that advantage wasn't going to stop her teasing Hope.

"What? You were the one who did not plug in the hot rollers as you promised you would do." Hope poked her head around the door, carefully pinning a ringlet into place. "So it not my fault. Just let me finish my hair and I will be out."

"This is why you should have sneaked out of work with me, we could have had your hair done professionally at a proper salon," Sue pointed out, "I didn't even know if those rollers would work properly, I can't tell you the last time I had to use them."

"And I would have gotten Lorna chasing me around. No thank you. She called me four times this afternoon for that information. And they still do work fine. Just wish my own had not given up the ghost." She stepped out of the bathroom, still fixing her new moonstone earrings she had gotten on her little adventure with Doug in place.

"You realise that they managed to survive before you. I'm sure they can survive an afternoon without you too. Besides," Sue grinned at the door, "Free tip, let them scramble to do things by themselves once in a while, it'll make them appreciate you a lot more in the future."

"I will keep that in mind." Hope stepped into her heels, then grabbed her clutch and wrap from the counter. "There, I am ready to go. It did not take that long. Only..." She glanced at the clock. "... 45 minutes. That is hardly any time, especially when you are styling your own hair and doing your own makeup."

"You know I could have done the makeup for you, I wouldn't even have tried turning you into a tiger or a clown," Sue promised, "although it would look kinda funny walking into a gala with a clown. Maybe I can get Warren to dress up as one next time." Sue gave Hope a once over as she spoke, "Do you have everything? Phone, purse, keys, emergency camping kit?"

"All I need is in here," Hope replied, hefting her clutch. "So tell me again about tonight's good cause. Your family has been supporting it for a long time, haven't they?" She asked as she stepped into the elevator.

Sue tapped a finger to her lips for a moment, "This one's for infrastructure in Africa, wells roads, those kinda things. It's not a big money earner so we give the rich a chance to dress up nicely and spend exorbitant amounts of money buying plates to show off they can afford to show up at a gala like this."

"I like to dress up, but I do not have a huge amount of money spent. So why did you ask me?" Hope asked casually. If she was there tonight for specific goals, she'd prefer to know on time.

"We get two plates as a matter of course and my father hates these things, with a vengeance. Last time I took him he spent the entire night seeing how far he could get subtly insulting people, so he's safely off ensconced in his poker game tonight. Figured I might as well take someone I know I can talk to who isn't boring." Sue gave Hope a shrug and a small smile, "No big ulterior motive."

"That I can do." Hope nodded. "Do you have any idea who our fellow table guests are or are that going to be a surprise? Anyone I need to look for... in a positive or a negative sense?" Even without an ulterior motive, she preferred to have the lay of the land beforehand, even if only to make a favourable impression.

"Well now Miss Abbott," Sue grinned enchantingly, "I wouldn't want to make this too easy for you now would you? Where's the fun in that," the blonde laughed and stepped into the elevator after the younger woman, "There won't be anything too bad, but you don't always get all the information you'd like in a situation like this."

Hope rolled her eyes. "You have known all these people for years. I am still learning the lay of the land. I already know some people and I know of even more, but I am a novice compared to you." She pointed out while the elevator doors opened and Hope headed towards the black car that was waiting at the curb.

"Don't undersell yourself," Sue cautioned, "I've seen you working for Julian, you'll do just fine. Besides it's not like you have to worry about anything here, we're not trying to make people get on or get something from them. We're guests, we're meant to go be served and enjoy ourselves. That's all."

"For you perhaps." Hope smiled shyly. "But I am still getting to know people. I wish to make a good impression. That is all."

"Relax, and just listen to what they have to say and look interested," Sue advised, "that's all anyone here really wants someone to do. I mean I like you so you must be doing something right, just keep it up and you'll do awesome," she assured Hope with a smile.

_____

Gold. That was the first impression anyone would have walking into the gala. The servers were dressing in gold waistcoats, the plates were made of gold, even the cutlery was gold plated. It all looked fancy and decadent as if they wanted to show off. This is who we are, this is what we can afford. Like any event, the gala wasn't about the cause so much as showing off to the rest of society, and society turned out to watch in droves. The rich the famous, their hanger on and posses, the reporters and paparazzi. They all turned out, the manipulators and the socialites and the wannabes, anyone who was anyone was out to be seen, and in the crowd of butterflies flitting from group to group a simple black car pulled up. Not ostentatious or pretentious, a simple black town car, but the Storm family rarely had to show off these days, opting for comfort over showmanship. Let new money try to show off, they had already made their bones and satisfied societies demands.

Within the car, Sue smiled at Hope, "Nervous? Looks like a pack of lions circling out there tonight."

"Not too worried, but I am still more used to already having been there before the craziness out side started." Hope pulled out a small mirror from her clutch, gave herself on the last look over and turned to Sue: "Let's do this?"

Sue quirked an eyebrow at the girl and glanced at the crowd gathering. "Give it another minute or two," she decided, "You're on this side of the tray now, so we might as well be fashionably late. It's so much nicer when everyone has to turn to look at you."

Hope smiled and raised an eyebrow at her. "Trying to make an entrance, Sue? Not wanting to get lost inside all of this?" Hope gestured at the window through which varying people entering the venue could be seen, accompanied by camera flashes.

"Get lost inside all of that?" Sue smirked at Hope, "Oh please darling, I couldn't get lost in that if I tried. After all, I'm Susan Storm, lets are honest half of them are probably here just to bask in my radiance. Besides," she smiled, "It wouldn't do to ever be on time for one of these, my father might end up thinking that I should show up for work on time too, and then where would that lead?"

"Nothing good. And since when have you turned into Alison Blaire? She is the one who can create her own spotlight." She volleyed back. "But lacking the spotlight... if you do want to make an entrance... now might be the time. A lull in people arriving..."

"Turned into Alison Blaire?" Sue shook her head in disappointment, "Oh Hope, poor sweet innocent Hope, Alison is turning into me. I'm the original, and still the best," she assured her friend, "tilting her head to observe the crowd, "Well, if you really want to start mixing with them..." the blonde gestured towards the door. "After you."

"Alright." Hope carefully smoothed down her skirt and when the door was opened by their driver she swivelled and rose in a fluent movement. There were a few photographers, but very few flashes as she made her way to the entrance.

A situation which soon changed as Sue stepped out of the car, the photographers lining up to do their jobs as they snapped pictures of the socialite as she linked her arm through Hope's as the valets pulled open the door to the hotel. "I'm afraid that's your photo plastered all over the tabloids now, not going to be able to hide away in the shadows now."

"They are all focused on you." Hope commented as she smiled and made her way past the press of press. "Nothing more then a byline for me, if even that... Wow..." She looked around as she took in the opulently decorated hall in front of her. "That is very... very... shiny..."

Sue shook her head, "Don't undersell yourself, everyone expects to see me here, but you... You Hope are a mystery, no-one knows who you are, but here you are with us, that's much better for selling headlines. Who knows," she winked at the girl a teasing smile playing across her face, "you might get labelled as my latest toy." Stepping into the hallway she felt an eyebrow arch, "I see that it's a gold day here today."

"Weren't they speculating about a triangle between you, Tandy and Mr Keller the last time I read?" Hope raised her eyebrow at her as she volleyed back easily. "I am sure that rumour is far more interesting then a poor, unknown college student." Even if she had been meeting a lot more people at HFC parties lately...

"Exactly," Sue agreed triumphantly, "the press will seize on anything to float a story and who better than the mysterious girl gracing what can only be described as the hottest and most important event of this year's social calendar." the blonde waved her hand dismissively, "The press know all about Julian and my past, every time one of us is seen in town with someone new it always leads to new headlines, even when we're seen alone without our partners."

"We shall see, Sue. We shall see." Hope snagged two glasses of wine of a passing waiter and handed one of them to her friend. "So... time to make the rounds?"

"Well, I was thinking about sitting in the corner drowning my sorrows with expensive drinks I don't need to pay for and flirting with all the guys, but if you insist, I guess we can go and see who else is around."

"Feel free to go sit in the corner if you want too, but... hey, is that not Mellisa Angleman?" Hope nodded in her direction. "I have wondered occasionally how she is doing."

The blonde half turned, following the direction of Hope's nod, "Yes," Sue let a smile pull at her lips as she raised a hand in greeting to her friend, "This is the charity event of...well at least the month, a show has to be put on, but it's nice to see her out and about."

"I always wanted to check up on the situation, but life just got away from me. Have you heard anything more about how she was doing? And what happened with her so-called fiancé... what was his name again?" Hope frowned for a moment. "...Kevin Freedman. He was poised to take over the company after their marriage."

"Not too much, she's been keeping kind of quiet these days, very much to herself," the blonde grimaced, a note of sympathy flashing across her face, "not that I can blame her really. This is the first social event that I've actually seen her at, but then it's the event of the year. Anyone who is anyone is going to be here."

"Hopefully it means she is starting to feel slightly better and not that she is 'forced' to be here." Hope sympathised. "Wait... I think I remember reading about the Angleman company. Wasn't there something about things possible being sold? What was it what they did again... some kind of technology development?"

"Yeah, they're not a big player but they have some interesting things coming out of their research department," Sue allowed giving Hope an impressed look, "A few communications breakthrough that would have let them get a big leg up on the competition," she allowed. "But Melissa doesn't want anything to do with the company, so the board are looking to sell out now that the heir apparent has been...ousted."

"And I bet the vultures are circling," Hope remarked wryly as she sipped her wine. "A lot of the rumours I have been hearing make sense now. I swear some of the places where I come know are worse the high school queen bee circles. Something else I have been wondering about though... was there never any rumours about Kevin and his mistress? Such a juicy bit of gossip should have gone around like crazy."

"Kevin," the look on Sue's face was a little sad and wistful as she plucked a drink from a passing waiter, staring at the amber liquid, swirling it around slowly as she measures her next words. "There were rumours...it was one of the worst kept secrets in society," she admitted slowly, "I went to school with Melissa, I actually like her which isn't something I can say about most of my schoolmates," she admitted, "but she wouldn't see it, she couldn't face the idea I guess. She had to see it for herself before it finally sunk in."

"You know what I cannot seem to understand. Why in the world Kevin would bring his mistress or whatever she is to that gala. He knew his fiancee was going to be there... he would have known that he was risking his whole future that way." Hope shook her head. "It just does not make any sense."

"Oh, that? Melissa wasn't even supposed to be there, she had an appointment with the dressmaker that night that was supposed to go all night long while she picked out the right pink dress for her bridesmaids," the blonde noted off-handedly as she pulled a slight face at the thought of being dressed up in one of those dresses.

"... and he thought people would keep it quiet he was here with his other woman? I thought he had at least some smarts, but I take that back now. He has none." Hope shook her head.

"They always had before," Sue pointed out, "For him, for everyone else, why should this be any different?" The young woman let an amused smirk pull at her lips as she tilted her head to look at Hope, "You think everyone here showed up with their wives or girlfriends? Sometimes you just don't speak up or kick up a fuss so that no-one makes a fuss for you, or tells someone who you don't want to know about your extracurricular activities."

"Not telling me any new there, Sue, but it shows he does not value discretion. Which I think would be kind of paramount when you do something like that." She has seen enough men and their mistresses there, but many of them would never take her to a public gala. "If you excuse me for a moment, I see someone I need to talk to. Be right back." With those words, she slipped of.

Sue took a sip of her drink as she watched the brunette girl disappear into the crowd a small smile touching her lips, she liked the girl but she was still a little idealistic, discretion...was something many of her peers had never learned, with their parent's money backing them they'd never had to. Her eyes travelled over the room, settled on the bar as she set her half-finished drink down on the table. The blonde was an old hand at navigating the room, a smile a nod and a path opened up for her leading her towards the bar, and the older man she'd spotted leaning against it, his face falling as he saw her approach.

Her blue eyes sparkled like bright diamonds as she observed him, the unhappy twinge in his eyes not escaping her, "Buy a girl a drink?" she asked as she settled against the bar, but it wasn't really a question and they both knew it as he indicated to the bartender to pour her a..."Whisky, on the rocks."

Drink in hand Sue turned, resting her hip against the bar, a finger trailing across the rim of her glass, "I was so disappointed that I hadn't heard back from you yet, I thought our offer deserved just that much." She paused to take a sip of her drink as she observed the flow of people around the room, "Oh, perhaps you can help me? How is Katarina, I haven't seen her at an event in months and was starting to get worried? I have to say, I was very surprised to see her with Kevin last year, she'd told me that she was 'dating' the CFO of Angleman Industries."

The blonde's voice was dripping disdain, her eyes cold as she turned to regard him, "You two made such a cute couple in the Bahamas in October, a friend saw you and sent me a photo," she flicked on her phone showing the man the screen. "I guess she and Kevin must be great friends, given how closely you two used to work together." Sue's voice was cold, her smile lacking any warmth, "When you see her later tonight, please tell her I say hi. I'll be expecting you to accept my offer tomorrow morning. Shall we say a meeting at that little cafe just around the corner from your apartment at 9:30?" She took another sip of her drink and pushed away from the bar, "Thank you for the drink, tomorrow's on me." she offered as she slipped away back into the crowd.

Hope had been making her way back to her friend but paused as she heard her voice and recognised the tone in it. Standing halfway hidden behind a pillar, she frowned. Seemed like she was trying to get something done... but she did not know what... She would keep an eye out and hear later.

Putting a smile on her face, she made her way back...