Series: Scenes From an Italian Restaurant - The Dinner Party

Author: Carla

Email: cmfloresfd@yahoo.com

Pairing: Nicole / Carmen

Rating: PG

Disclaimers: Not mine don't own them...own nothing in fact. Just playing no profit made except in good clean fun.

Archiving: Those who have asked know who they are.

Summary: Sometimes the words "Hostess" and "Cupcake" do not go together.

Feedback: Welcomed. Needed. Heeded. All of it the good the bad the ugly to cmfloresfd@yahoo.com

A/N: For those who wondered about what happened at Nicole's house when the Carmen met the in-laws so to speak.

The Dinner Party

"Good evening Henry"

"Good evening Miss Nicole" Henry stepped aside to allow the girls to enter.

"Henry do you remember my friend, Carmen"

"Certainly Miss"

"Hi Henry nice to see you again"

"Thank you Miss"

"How was your Christmas Henry? Did you spend it with you family?"

"I went to my daughter's we had a lovely time. Natalie sends her thanks for the children's gift"

"It was my pleasure Henry"

"Will you be staying in this evening"

"Yes" there was a hint of confusion in Nicole's voice.

"I'll tell cook then to add two more to this evenings dinner"

"Nikki?"

"I don't know sweetie, hold on a minute okay? Where is she Henry?"

"The study Miss Nicole"

"Who else is expected this evening"

"Mr. and Mrs. Anderton and their son, Timothy. They are expected to arrive shortly"

"Thank you Henry"

"Your welcome Miss. How was your holiday?"

Nicole looked at Carmen and smiled. "It was the best one ever Henry."

"If you are going to speak with you mother then you should do it now. The Andertons should be here within the half hour."

"Drinks and appetizers first?"

"Yes in the music room"

"Would you show Carmen the way please?"

"Certainly Miss" turning towards the brunette Henry gestured for her to follow him "If you'll follow me this way Miss"

"Nicole what's going on?"

"I'm going to have a little chat with mother"

"I can come with"

"No, you don't have to. It's all right" the look on the blonde's face betrayed her true feeling of relief at Carmen's offer.

"I want to" Carmen reached out to push a stray lock of hair behind Nicole's ear, stepping closer to her shorter lover she murmured "I will always stand by you." With her other hand Carmen touched the small locket that lay in the vee of exposed skin where Nicole's shirt was unbuttoned.

Henry coughed discreetly and the girls parted. "We'll be speaking with mother Henry. Please show the Andertons to the music room when they arrive"

"Certainly Miss"

"Hello Mother"

"Mmmm" Gail put down the glass she was drinking from "Hello dear."

"Henry tells me we are being joined for dinner"

"Henry is mistaken. The Andertons are joining us for cocktails then they have another engagement to attend."

"I see…it would have been nice if you had told me"

"If you hadn't turned off your cell phone I would have. This was quite sudden; Mr. Anderton called last night. You were no where to be found"

"Oh please you know perfectly well where I was. Don't tell me your lackey forgot to give you Carmen's number…I would have thought that would be standard info."

"She has a file on me…how creepy is that?"

"Didn't Nicole tell you?"

"Yes she did I had hoped she was exaggerating."

"Any way Nicole I was respecting your privacy"

"There's a concept" Carmen muttered.

"Young lady this conversation is between myself and my daughter"

"I asked her to be here with me"

"Fair enough"

"Look I'm sorry I jumped down your throat about the Andertons. I thought…well when Henry said they were coming I thought you had forgotten your promise to have dinner with us. You said you wanted to get to know Carmen. I want that too."

"You're quite right and I am afraid I have not made a good impression at all. Forgive me. Shall we start over"

The older woman stood up. "Nicole why don't you introduce me to your friend?"

"Mother you remember Carmen you met in San Francisco, we went to the opera…"

"Ah yes La Boheme if I recall. A stunning performance wasn't it? It was your first time at the opera…"

"Yes"

"What did you think?"

"It was stunning that's for sure. Nikki got tickets for the season."

"Did she" Gail Julian gave her daughter a tight smile.

"I told you I was going to buy them."

"Why do that when the foundation has a box?"

"This way we don't have to worry about being on stage…I thought you worried about appearances mother. I for one would like to enjoy the opera and my date without worrying about who is watching me and where the cameras are."

"I see…a well thought out plan…" Gail peered at her daughter closely "The locket, is that new?"

"It was a gift"

"It's quite beautiful. Your gift was it, Carmen?"

"Yes Mrs. Julian"

"Gail. Please call me Gail"

"Yes Mrs. Juli…Gail"

"Good that's settled then. I do believe the Andertons should be here. Nicole why don't you go see if they've arrived yet."

"Sure. C'mon Carmen"

"Why don't you go alone. I'd like a moment alone with Carmen."

Nicole hesitated, waiting for some clue from Carmen as to what she should do.

"It's okay sweetie. You go on ahead."

"You sure"

"I'm fine really"

Nicole left the room and Gail motioned for Carmen to sit down.

"Would you like a drink? Some soda or juice"

"Some water would be lovely thank you"

"Ice?"

"Please"

"Here you are"

"Thank you" Gail sat in the chair opposite Carmen's "So Carmen I wanted to talk to you…this is awkward. I wasn't expecting to have this conversation for some time and certainly not with a young lady."

"I would imagine so"

"Do you can you?" the older woman sipped from her drink "Tell me Carmen what has Nicole told you about her grandmother, her trust."

"She's told me stories about her grandmother. It's obvious she loved her and still misses her very much."

"And the trust"

"Nothing really…I know she'll get a stipend from it when she turns 18 but other than that nothing. It really isn't any of my business and I don't ask."

"Really"

"Really…Mrs. Julian…"

"Gail"

"Mrs. Julian I love Nicole. Yeah I work and I take care of myself and sometimes money is an issue for me but I manage. I don't need or want Nicole's money. I want and need Nicole."

"Still you benefit from it and so you will have to pardon my suspicious nature for a while."

"I can understand that, really."

"You work as a waitress right?"

"Yes. You could say it's how I met Nicole"

"According to my sources you go to school together"

"That's true but the Nicole I know and love and the Nicole I knew at school are vastly different...were vastly different. She's…she's mellowing out I guess you would say."

"I'm sorry to say that I don't spend so much time with her that I would notice. I'm not proud of some of the things I have encouraged her to do…asked her to do. I chose to be blind to what pain I might be causing her…but you make her happy. My daughter has never really stood up for herself with me, she did for you though and that must mean something. Something significant…the ring you're wearing…"

Carmen looked at the ring on her finger, Nicole had given it to her last night when they had finally gotten together to exchange Christmas gifts. Carmen nodded "What about it?"

"Did she give you that?"

"Yes" Carmen felt her face flush.

"The locket did you have it engraved?"

"Yes, inside `My heart, always'. She had my ring engraved with the same thing."

"By coincidence or design?"

"Coincidence"

"How odd" Gail reached out to pat Carmen's knee "We should join Nicole and the Andertons I am being a terrible host…shall we?"

"Of course"

"Have you met Timothy?"

"No but I have spoken with him on the phone. Nicole is very fond of him"

"Yes, she's said so."

They walked from the study to the music room talking quietly as they did so. "Here we are…Hello Heath Judith it's so good to see you. I see our children are getting along well."

"Gail how are you?"

"Gail, thank you for seeing us on such short notice"

"Of course Heath. Allow me to introduce you to Nicole's friend, Carmen…I seem to have forgotten your last name dear"

Carmen held out her hand to the elder Anderton "Carmen Ferrara, a pleasure sir…Mrs. Anderton a pleasure"

"A pleasure"

"Nice to meet you"

"I'll just go talk with Nicole and Timothy" she walked away from the three adults.

"Hey"

"Hey"

"Tim this is Carmen…Carmen Tim"

"So I finally get to meet the woman who's got Nicole wrapped around her little finger"

"Really where is she, I'd love to meet her too"

"Funny you two"

"Do I Nikki, do I have you wrapped around my little finger"

"I can admit it"

"Good. It's nice to finally meet the man of Nicole's dreams."

"Funny you should put it that way"

"Huh"

"That's why Tim and his parents are hear tonight. It seems genius here got caught yet again in `compromising position' as it were."

" `Daddy' is furious and determined to make sure it stays quiet"

"What does this have to do with Nicole?"

"Tim and I will be doing the whole out in public, looking pretty and getting photographed thing for a while."

"And if that doesn't work?"

"Well then I'd like to introduce you to my fiancée Timothy Heath Anderton IV"

"Are you out of your mind?"

"Carmen I understand your position. Believe me I wouldn't ask it of Nicole if there were any other way"

"What ever happened to `Just say NO'

"It didn't work for Reagan in the 80's why should it work for me?"

"Nikki you can't possibly be considering this"

"What's the harm in being seen with Tim?"

"Nothing…I'm talking about the rest of it" Nicole hung her head and Carmen felt her stomach lurch. "You would"

"Not if it meant losing you"

"My heart, always"

"My heart, always"

"All right you two lovebirds, it would seem we are being asked to join the adults"

"Oh fun"

Carmen held Nicole back with a hand on her elbow "Nikki?"

"I promise"

"We'll talk about this some more later right?"

"Yes love"

The End