Southern Belles, a Novel About Love, Purpose & Second Chances (9781310340970) Read Online Free Page B

at CeCe, I thanked the crowd
once again as cheers rose up from my classmates and audience,
before taking my seat.
    As I sat back down, CeCe squeezed my hand
and nodded her head “you did great lady.”
    After the ceremony was over and we posed for
an endless array of photographs with our parents and friends, CeCe
and I hugged my family goodbye and walked towards her car to get
ready for her graduation party. Jersey, watching us from the corner
of the gym, waited for the right time to come over and catch us
before we left.
    Without stopping to hear Jersey’s pathetic
excuse of an apology I jumped into CeCe’s car. I just enjoyed an
end to an important chapter in my life and did not want to screw it
up listening to Jersey’s excuses. As we began to drive off I could
hear Jersey calling my name.
    “I’m sure he’ll turn up at your
parents.”
    “That’s okay, I’ll have Harley welcome him
in,” CeCe said laughing. “That might liven things up a bit—you know
a little entertainment to break up the stuffiness from all the
people my mom invited.”
    I laughed as I imagined Harley, CeCe’s
Doberman Pincher, chasing Jersey down the block.
    “Thanks Ce, but I will probably have to talk
with him sooner or later anyway. Besides, it should be interesting
to see who all your mom invited.” I said, wanting to change the
subject.
    We pulled up to CeCe’s house a few minutes
later. Her house was beautifully lit with white Christmas lights
adorning the weeping willows situated on either side of her long
driveway. CeCe’s house, a beautiful old plantation home, complete
with a grand front porch and four white pillars divided by
oversized hanging fern baskets, was one of the most beautiful homes
in the south. A server with drinks and hors d’oeuvres immediately
greeted us followed by CeCe’s mother asking what took us so long.
She then began to straighten CeCe’s hair as CeCe tried to weave
around the hands poking at her. Looking around, everything appeared
perfect. The house looked like it belonged in a magazine and
everywhere you looked there was a server standing with a platter
ready to present the finest finger foods one could find at a grand
ball. There were large bouquets of tastefully designed floral
arrangements overflowing throughout the 1830’s era home. There was
live music coming from a small orchestra on the back lawn. I spied
CeCe’s dad talking with several gentlemen, drinks in hand and deep
in conversation. Even at family events, CeCe’s parents were always
working out deals to be on retainer for fortune 500 companies
although they were best known for their victories with high-profile
divorces. They knew the value that networking for their law firm
gave and CeCe’s graduation party was another venue to schmooze
potential clientele. CeCe had complained on the way home about all
the people her mother had invited to her graduation party, half of
whom she had never met before. It was a gorgeous summer night in
the south, despite my boyfriend being stupid or CeCe’s parents
capitalizing on her successes.
    “Mom, stop pulling my dress down. It was
made this way.” CeCe snapped at her mom while Bev tried her best to
make CeCe fit into her image of a perfect family and not embarrass
her in front of all the associates and clients they’d invited.
    “CeCe, why don’t you go put on the dress I
bought you? I laid it on your bed. Wear it tonight please. And then
hurry back downstairs; you need to stand here with me, greeting all
the guests as they arrive.”
    CeCe was happy to get away from her mother’s
poking and prodding at her, even though eventually she knew that
her mother would come find her if she didn’t hurry back quickly. I
followed CeCe up the white, winding marbled stairway. A large
crystal chandelier hung from the 20-foot ceiling right above the
entryway. I never tired of seeing the aged elegance sprawling
throughout the Crawford’s grand estate. To CeCe though, I think
it’s always been a