Categories > Cartoons > Daria > Daria's Party Addition
Daria's Party Addition – 08 – Dances
By Dr T
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The first two Saturday mornings in March were busy ones for Daria. That second Saturday, she, along with the rest of her class, took the PSAT. This, of course, her parents paid for. The first Saturday, however, Daria took the regular SAT with most of the Lawndale High Juniors. That she paid for out of her own pocket, as her parents had ignored her when she had mentioned her desire to take the exam early. Ms Manson did not like the fact that Daria was there, taking the tests ahead of time, but she had little choice but to allow her to do so. The two regular faculty members who were proctoring the exams – Mrs. Bennet and especially Mr. DeMartino – merely gave her an encouraging smile.
Daria wouldn't receive the results for a few weeks, but in the end she had a perfect score on the PSAT and a 1560 on her SATs—800 verbal and 760 math. While a bit disappointed in the math score, Daria believed that these scores would be sufficient to gain her consideration at any university. Over the next year, she believed she would merely have to figure out ways to make her competitive with other high scoring students. Her meeting with President Clinton (well-documented in one news account – the other accounts unfortunately concentrated on the two 'special' idiots who had disrupted Clinton's visit) and her having been on the school newspaper covered her Freshman year in Highland well enough. Selling chocolates here in Lawndale of course would not count much. However, Daria received word in late March that her application for the Archeological dig in Utah was accepted. She knew that should give her a major leg up for consideration.
Daria of course knew she would have to do more in the future. If she had only wanted to go to any decent university in a general region, she would not have been too stressed about such things. However, now that Jack was going to MIT, Daria felt she NEEDED to attend at least a very good university in the general Boston area. Fortunately, there was a concentration of very good or better universities there.
Even Helen and Jake noticed that spring that Daria had real focus, something which had been very spotty at best before this. She still spent time with Jane and Jack (the latter mostly on Friday nights and Saturday afternoon and evenings). During the week when she was either not at Jane's or tutoring Jane, however, when they looked into her room, Daria was not playing computer games any longer. She was either writing or doing research on-line. Helen, who was keeping close watch of both her daughters' AOL use, was assured that Daria was working on archeology, especially the Clovis culture. She did not realize that most of Daria's on-line work, even on those subjects, was mostly done off her private internet connection.
Over the next three months, Daria would find three short story and three poetry competitions for students which were, as best she could tell, legitimate. (They were, as were two additional poetry competitions she was unable to fully verify at legitimate.) She entered all six competitions with different entries. She would not receive any feedback or results from any of them until the end of the summer or even early September. In the end, however, she was pleased. She only won the first prize in one of the short story competitions, which also carried the only monetary prize (granted only $100). More importantly, the story was published in the sponsoring literary society's journal. While her other five works did not win any grand prize, all of them placed well enough to be mentioned (the other two short stories each won second place in their competitions, while one poem won a third place and the other two honorable mentions). While none of the other five came to print, the other two short stories and the third-place poem were permanently up on the respective websites – something new for all those groups. All would help her in the future as she could count them as on-line publications. As all received recognition, she was able to deal with most not placing first.
All these results were in the intermediate future, while all the work lay in the next few months. Overall, Helen was pleased – Daria had been very disconnected from everyone around her throughout elementary school, but had slowly integrated into a group of her peers in middle school. While still somewhat isolated, she did participate with that small group of girls – all in the upper fifth of their grade, most fairly personable and popular; only one or two as flighty and superficial as Quinn's friends, then and now.
That group had fallen apart before Daria's Freshman year, as the leaders had moved away. In reality, Daria had spent fairly little time with the town's oddest characters that Freshman year, who despite being older were in her classes. However, as far as Helen had been concerned, any time spent with those two (even when it had been for mandated school projects) was too much.
As the closing up of the Highland house had proceeded through the actual move and the week of settling in before the girls were sent back to school, Daria had completely withdrawn, with only some very disturbing poetry and short stories being left around for Helen to find showing that Daria was bottling up her emotions for the most part. The writing had been disturbing, but was likely a better outlet than Daria letting it loose in other ways. Helen was glad Daria had stopped leaving that writing around to be found after a week or so in Lawndale. In fact, Helen realized when she thought about it, after Daria had become assured friends with Jane.
Helen had been so glad that Daria had met Jane – Jane was a bit on the quirky side to be sure, but Helen had known a few similar enough to Jane while in college and at the commune that she wasn't disturbed by Jane's more unique traits. Daria's getting acquainted with Jack a few weeks later had been much more surprising. Daria had shown no interest in boys (or girls) until then. Still, while she had her suspicions about how physical their relationship might have already become, Helen thought the older boy was good for Daria.
As March headed towards April, Helen decided that on the whole she was satisfied that Daria was slowly progressing in what she considered the right directions—she only hoped she could get Daria to go to at least one more dance that year. The Freshman/Sophomore classes sponsored a semi-formal they were still calling a 'Hop' (despite classes over the previous decade and longer trying to come up with a 'cooler' name for it). The Junior/Senior classes of course sponsored a Prom. Considering that Jack seemed a trifle old-fashioned and certainly had revealed himself as a romantic to some degree, the Prom was almost a certainty—that left the Hop.
Quinn of course had been making plans for both dances since January. As things stood, she could handle the Prom as she had been planning – gaining the best possible date to improve her social status. The problem was the Hop. She could really only go the Hop with Jeffy, and only if Daria and Jack were going – the other conditions would make it harder to score a better date. Well, she knew she could score a better date to the dance, but why bother without also being able to show off at dinner someplace really nice?
Problem: Daria had little to no interest in going to the Prom other than to please Jack, and even less in going to the Hop – she would much prefer going to dinner with Jack and either seeing a movie or dancing at the country club. It would take Quinn several weeks to persuade Daria, roping in Jack (via Jeffy) and even Jane (harder for Quinn to talk to than Daria usually was). In the end, however, Quinn managed to get her way, although that would include her taking over Daria's household chores for a week and two weekends.
All that would be spread out over the rest of March, April, and to a degree into early May. Instead, it would be a different dance which intruded into Daria's life towards mid-March. Daria had skipped a date that second Friday night, just as she had the previous Friday, so she could get enough sleep before the Saturday standard tests. She was therefore more than ready to have an evening of dinner and dancing with Jack that Saturday evening. As they entered the club house, rather than going straight into the dining room as usual, Jack steered Daria into a side corridor.
"What's up?" Daria enquired.
"Well, the simple answer might be 'my mother'," Jack replied. "At least it's her idea."
"I'm confused," Daria admitted.
Jack gently turned Daria to face the wall, where she could see a large poster. "'The One hundred and Thirty-third Clinton County Charity Easter Cotillion,'" she read. "What's this all about?"
"It's a combination charity dinner and dance, put on by some heritage groups like the D.A.R. and these days also by the four fanciest country clubs in the county and such. It's the biggest spring bash in the area, only somewhat matched by the Starry Night Ball in September that sponsors the museum."
Daria was puzzled. "And you want to go?" It seemed a little out of character, but still within the realm of possibility.
"To tell you the truth, I'm sort of ambivalent at best. I've never been, and I bet in some ways it's stuffy as well as boring for the most part."
"But your mother would like us to go," Daria stated.
"Exactly," Jack agreed. "She 'suggested' it last night at dinner, and Dad agreed to pay."
"Why, how much is this shindig?" Daria demanded.
"Twenty-five hundred a couple."
Daria was stunned, to say the least. Finally, she said, in a slightly strangled voice, "You aren't kidding, are you?"
"Nope."
"Are they crazy? Why would they want to spend twenty-five hundred dollars for a pair of teens to go to a, well, a gala where I bet everyone else is what? In their forties and older?"
"You know, I asked that very thing," Jack agreed. "Mom claims there'll be at least a dozen to twenty other 'young people' – by which she means between a bit under your age to maybe my sister's age or a bit older."
"So a max of twenty out of how many?"
"It's limited to two-hundred and forty couples. Invites are hard to get, but there was a cancellation, and Mom is on the screening committee and snapped it up."
Daria grimaced, and knew this would be difficult to get out of. "I wouldn't know what to wear, or how to act, even if I wanted to go!"
"You know perfectly well how to act," Jack told her sternly.
Frowning, Daria had to admit that she probably did. She had resented the elocution and deportment lessons, but her maternal grandmother had gladly paid for those and for a portion of the dance lessons. "And what does one wear?" she enquired in a pseudo-snobbish voice.
"Unattached young ladies wear pastel pink-and-white three quarter-length gowns with full sleeves. Attached but unmarried young ladies may wear pink-and-white or pastel green-and-white, with full sleeves. Engaged and recently married young ladies wear pastel green full-length gowns with half sleeves, and so on up the lines of seniority."
"Weird. Can you give me any additional reasons why we should go, since it doesn't seem to be high on your list?"
"It will please my parents, especially my mother. It must be important, because they've never shelled out this kind of money on my sister, never mind Jeff or me. Second…Mom slipped me a check for ten thousand dollars, explicitly to help cover our expenses this summer, and yes, she specified OUR expenses, and she said that she will pay for your dress."
"Shit," Daria muttered. She knew they were going to the Cotillion. She did have to ask, however, "Why would she do that…and for that matter, how does she have that much to give you?" She knew Jack's paternal family was very wealthy, but this made it seem like his mother’s was as well.
"To give us," he corrected gently. "Your mother's paternal family are FFVs, and her maternal family were original settlers in Georgia," Jack replied. "They all did very well, even if we prefer not to think of how they did it. The Frasiers were involved in finance, first in Scotland and then here well before the Revolution – and I mean the Glorious Revolution." Daria knew that had been in 1688. "They were involved in the attempt at a Scottish colonial settlement in New Jersey and made money in trade in New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. Mom's family were involved with the settling of Nova Scotia in the 1630s, but a branch migrated to Baltimore in the Seventeen-teens to run a shipping company. So yes, old money all around." He took Daria's hand. "Aren't we both luckier than ninety-nine percent of our peers in that way, at least?"
Daria had to agree on that. She also had to acknowledge that with that privilege came some obligations.
Like attending charity galas.
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Jake took the news without concern or interest the next morning as the Morgendorffers gathered for a rare Sunday brunch together. Helen and Quinn, however, were speechless.
"I take it you two know it's a big deal in snobby circles," Daria commented.
"Daria, governors and senators attend this gala!" Helen stated. "Last year a Supreme Court Judge was the guest of honor! JFK attended back in Nineteen-sixty! This is the biggest deal in central Maryland outside of Washington, Annapolis, and Baltimore, and nothing in any of those places are really more than a half-step above! At least nothing held annually!"
Daria made a face but looked at first Quinn and then her mother. "Where does one obtain a pastel green-and-white, full-sleeved, three-quarter length ball gown?" She made a face again. "Or will we have to ask Aunt Rita or Grandmother?"
"I've heard of two possible places, one downtown and one in Cranberry Commons," Quinn said. "Or you could ask Missus Frasier – if this was her idea, she might have an in."
"Well, she did say she would pay for the gown, so she likely knows where I should go." Daria looked at her mother. "I really don't have a lot of choice, considering they already have that ticket, but do you think it'll be really worth going to, other than as a favor to Missus Frasier?"
Helen smirked. "Mother and Dad went to this thing once when he was a congressman – she mentioned it at least a dozen times when she found out we were moving here. You call Missus Frasier for a recommendation this afternoon, then I'll shock Mother."
Quinn had been more than inclined to be jealous. However, when she learned of the price of admission, she realized that her best bet would be Jeffy in a few years.
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It turned out that Jack forgot to tell Daria that she should call his mother. Mrs. Frasier had already arranged for Daria to go to her dress-maker, should she agree to attend the Cotillion. She even had Jack send Daria images of the three most common gown-styles worn by the under-30s attending. Daria disliked dresses and gowns in general, and was not thrilled by any of the styles, especially by the fact that each would need a small petticoat under the gown. Still, she felt obligated to Jack's mother, and carried on.
Helen therefore was prepared when she called her mother that evening. "I'm glad you're all doing well," Helen said as the pair's greetings concluded. "I thought I would share some wonderful news about Daria…. No, she didn't get a haircut, although she has let it grow longer, and it looks lovely. Amy, never mind Rita or myself, would have loved to have had such lovely thick hair back then…. Well yes, she may get new glasses, but she hasn't decided on a style yet…. Well, I thought you should know she'll be attending this year's Clinton County Charity Easter Cotillion…. Yes, Daria, and yes, that Cotillion, the one that you and Dad attended…once."
Helen smirked as her mother made some confused comments. Finally, Helen broke in, "Well, her steady beau's mother arranged it. She also is arranging for Daria to go to her dress maker to get the correct style of gown." After a few moments of listening, she looked at the scowling Daria. "Your grandmother would like to talk with you."
Daria's scowl deepened as she took the phone, but she managed to keep that out of her voice. "Hello, Grandmother….Thank you, and yes, I remember all those lessons quite well…. Well, while I don't particularly care for the actual music, since Jack and I do enjoy ballroom dancing, all those lessons have paid off…. Yes, thank you. So anyways, about once a weekend since October we go to Winged Tree Country Club for dinner and dancing. His mother enjoys the same, and we joined them there for New Year's Eve. Still, I was quite surprised that she wants us to attend this gala…. Well, no, we're a bit too young for that…. No, I will be wearing the pastel green-and-white, we are a couple after all, this isn't anything casual…. No, because I still don't have pierced ears; they never did anything to me I've wanted to punish them for…. Sorry, and while I'll to be sure and ask Missus Frasier, I think a tiara might be a bit much…. Yes, if you'd like, I would love to wear the necklace. I'll make certain to get the gown with the appropriate neckline…. Yes, I will let you know about the tiara…and earrings. Thank you, Grandmother…. No, but if you want to, I wouldn't object and if I have to, I'll talk to Mom about it…. Alright, we'll call and let you know when I have the details…. Yes, of course…. Goodbye." Daria hung up and smirked.
"And what was that last part about?" Helen demanded.
"Grandmother wants me to talk you into letting her reimburse you for the cost of the gown. Shall I twist your arm and we can split the difference?"
Helen returned the smirk. "I'll consider it twisted and you can keep the money, assuming Mother doesn't want a copy of the receipt. Is she really considering loaning you her diamond and sapphire necklace?"
"Apparently," Daria agreed. "I'll ask, but I think the tiara would be rather over the top."
"You have the thick hair to pull it off," Quinn put in. "It would go well with your coloring, too. You know, if you got your ears pierced tomorrow, you could wear the full outfit."
Daria was about to explode when Helen said, "Two hundred, three pairs of nice earrings, and three pairs of everyday earrings, you keep the holes open at least until you attend college."
"Think of that formal photo of Grandmother in her full ornamented outfit, then think of you in that jewelry, standing next to Jack," Quinn added.
Daria deflated, and said, "Six pairs of everyday earrings for me, and three pairs of equally inexpensive earrings for Quinn so she doesn't complain, and while you can both express your opinions when I'm looking for the dress earrings, neither of you complain about any of my choices afterwards."
"Deal," said Helen, with Quinn echoing.
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To Daria's unsurprised annoyance, Jane joined Helen and Quinn Monday afternoon to see Daria get her ears pierced. Daria had actually toyed with the idea several times over the years, but had rejected it each time for a variety of reasons, usually just not wanting to act like her sister or other girls her age. Quinn and Helen chattered meaninglessly, mostly about earring styles, throughout the procedure – only Jane noticed how nervous Daria was about the whole thing. She unobtrusively held Daria's hands alternatively as the studs went into Daria's overly-sensitive ears.
All three were surprised by Daria's choices – except for the gold studs, Daria refused to buy any purely yellow gold earrings. She did get one dress pair that had regular gold with red gold and green gold highlights on a white gold background. One of the other dress pairs was blue sapphire chips on white gold and the other had garnet chips, also on white gold. The six pairs of 'everyday' earrings were a wide variety, but all nine pairs were on the small size, none with any dangles or hoops despite Jane's ideas on what should be worn.
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Tuesday morning, Daria's earrings were immediately spotted by, and then commented on (in turn) by Stacy, Jodie, Brittany, and Tori, and then a few others nearby jumped in to comment as well. All the comments were positive, although Daria wondered if the majority weren't either just to congratulate her on 'being normal' or social nicety. The only slightly negative comment had come from Jack, who whispered in her ear (something that always turned Daria on), "They look nice, but I prefer them bare – the better to nibble on."
Daria agreed with Jack's sentiment, but she then shivered in anticipation when he added, "I guess I'll just have to aim for your lovely neck instead."
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As far as Daria was concerned, posing for the seamstress was even more annoying, not to mention that it took much longer, then the earring session. She managed to get through the fittings only by reminding herself that it meant a lot to Mrs. Frasier – and by a new thought, or at least hope: that there was at least a chance that she could be Daria's mother-in-law at some point in the future.
When it came to Jack, Daria's romantic and sensual dreams were overcoming her usual automatic cynicism.
Posing in front of the triptych mirror when trying on the fitted gown, Daria frowned. It was not that she thought her reflection looked bad. The white dress with pastel-green highlights fitted her well, and she certainly had the calves to pull off the well-below-the-knee gown, even in flats. (Despite pleas and some major bribes offered, Daria refused to wear even low heels.) She had a large enough and more than firm-and-perky enough bosom to support the slightly low but still modest scooped neckline. But, she knew, as nice as she looked (once she stopped frowning at least), this was not her – or at least not the image of her she wanted people to take away from knowing her. The bookish intellectual, still usually in her green field jacket at school, yes; even the semi-formal Daria of the country club? Yes. The (hopefully) skilled field worker of the up-coming summer? Time would tell. The pseudo-debutante she was seeing in the mirrors? Hell no!
"Not your preferred look, I take it?" the seamstress commented.
"Nope," Daria answered. "Still, I guess sometimes sacrifices have to be made for family." 'Wow!' Daria thought, 'I just called the Frasiers family! Was THAT a Freudian slip?' Unknowingly, that made her smile at herself.
"Well, if you smile like that, you'll fool everyone," the seamstress told her.
"I had to endure years of summer deportment classes, not to mention over four years of dance class," Daria told her. "I might not like all this, but yes, I can fake it."
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Grandmother Barksdale's jewelry came by special messenger – the necklace, earrings, a bracelet, and the small tiara. When Daria had asked about that last item, Mrs. Frasier had insisted Daria wear it – mostly because it would give her a reason her to wear her own tiara.
The weekends before the Cotillion, Daria would only go to the country club one Friday – "There'll be enough stuffiness on Easter," was her comment. The other three evenings were spent at McGrundy's on the Friday and the Zon the two Saturdays, when Mystic Spiral was playing the clubs. The band had been getting enough gigs to make them finally play a little tighter, which in turn led to more engagements.
The Cotillion itself went from 2:00 until 8:00, with a 'light supper' served from 6:00 to 7:00. After an early lunch, Daria went upstairs to take a shower and begin the process of getting ready. Jane and Quinn each demanded that they supervise, Jane mostly out of mere curiosity. To Quinn's slight surprise, Daria really only needed help with the very thin eyeliner she used – by that final point in the process, Daria's hands were starting to shake a bit from nerves. Quinn and Jane did help Daria fix her long hair and then affix the tiara.
Daria posed on the stairs for Jake and Jane (who had borrowed one of her father's cameras – her photos came out the best). At 1:15, Jack rang the doorbell, and after he had affixed an orchid between Daria's left side of the neckline and her shoulder, had his photo taken with her. Then he escorted Daria out to the stretch limousine, where his parents were waiting.
On the way to the civic center where the Cotillion was being held, Mrs. Frasier explained some of the etiquette. The various group officers (45 couples, which included the Frasiers) would enter the ballroom at 1:50, and promptly at 2:00 the other couples would be announced from two entrances, at the rate of about 4 a minute from each. Then the guests of honor and their significant other would be introduced; this year the special guests were three ambassadors, a southern governor, three senators, and five US representatives.
For the 183 'regular' couples to be introduced, each would enter, come forward to the long dais where the officers were, bow/curtsey to any they were related to and to the presiding officer of the day, and then stand by their seats. Once they had arrived, Daria demonstrated she knew how to curtsey and could do so well (if with strong mental reservations about the silliness of it all), and the pair was shown where they would be sitting for dinner. (After the introductions and welcoming speeches, all could leave the dining area for the ballroom until dinner.)
Daria was surprised. There were nine young women, between 14 and 20 in white-and-pink, and fourteen other women between 19 and 25 in white-and-green. She and Jack were placed about in the middle of the latter group. They therefore had a fairly long wait before their introduction – fortunately, there were chairs they could wait on.
When they were signaled that their turn was coming, Daria took off her glasses and handed them to Jack, who placed them carefully in the breast pocket of his tuxedo. They entered to, "Mister Jackson Frasier, escorting Miss Daria Morgendorffer, both of Lawndale, Maryland." Daria, drawing on every tween lesson, walked like a pre-Great War debutante being presented at the Court of St James, made a perfect curtsey to first the presiding officer and, as they passed by, to Jack's parents, before taking their places. Daria was glad to be able to sit and put her glasses back on as the procession went on until, "Mister Thomas Sloane, escorting Miss Elsie Sloane, of Lawndale, Maryland" ended the procession. Everyone then stood for the introductions of the guests of honor. Finally, from a few minutes past 3:00 until 5:45, it was time for the ballroom dancing. Daria could finally relax (at least until the formal dinner), as this was now familiar territory.
She knew Jack loved showing her off, even if she still didn't really understand why, other than how he felt about her – she now understood she was attractive, she just didn't understand how attractive she could be. She did believe she knew how much she felt for Jack, however, and could believe he felt the same for her. As he was always willing to consider her whims and wishes (and almost always went along with fulfilling them), Daria was willing to please him as well.
About halfway through the dancing, that year's presiding officer, Kay Sloane, approached. Mrs. Frasier. "Dolly, I've seen your son at the country club with that young woman. I have always been impressed with her poise, not to mention her dancing…."
"Yes, she does seem to make Jack look graceful," Mrs. Frasier acknowledged. "They're young, of course, but we have great hopes for them."
Kay Sloane nodded. "Still, from those jewels, I'm surprised we haven't heard of her before."
"Oh, the family just moved to our area last year, and those jewels are her maternal grandmother's – Tess Barksdale, if you ever heard of her. Her husband was quite the prominent FFV, and she's from old families from Georgia and Alabama as well."
"Ah, that makes sense. I wish Tom and Elsie made half the effort of your son and his…partner?"
"At this point, they are, in the old-fashioned term, 'going steady'." She smiled. "Knowing her usual preferences, I don't think we could have gotten her into a white-and-pink outfit – I understand it took a great deal of persuasion to get her to attend as it was."
"They do make a lovely couple," Kay stated, wishing, hoping, that Tom and Elsie would do as well when they finally dated.
By Dr T
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The first two Saturday mornings in March were busy ones for Daria. That second Saturday, she, along with the rest of her class, took the PSAT. This, of course, her parents paid for. The first Saturday, however, Daria took the regular SAT with most of the Lawndale High Juniors. That she paid for out of her own pocket, as her parents had ignored her when she had mentioned her desire to take the exam early. Ms Manson did not like the fact that Daria was there, taking the tests ahead of time, but she had little choice but to allow her to do so. The two regular faculty members who were proctoring the exams – Mrs. Bennet and especially Mr. DeMartino – merely gave her an encouraging smile.
Daria wouldn't receive the results for a few weeks, but in the end she had a perfect score on the PSAT and a 1560 on her SATs—800 verbal and 760 math. While a bit disappointed in the math score, Daria believed that these scores would be sufficient to gain her consideration at any university. Over the next year, she believed she would merely have to figure out ways to make her competitive with other high scoring students. Her meeting with President Clinton (well-documented in one news account – the other accounts unfortunately concentrated on the two 'special' idiots who had disrupted Clinton's visit) and her having been on the school newspaper covered her Freshman year in Highland well enough. Selling chocolates here in Lawndale of course would not count much. However, Daria received word in late March that her application for the Archeological dig in Utah was accepted. She knew that should give her a major leg up for consideration.
Daria of course knew she would have to do more in the future. If she had only wanted to go to any decent university in a general region, she would not have been too stressed about such things. However, now that Jack was going to MIT, Daria felt she NEEDED to attend at least a very good university in the general Boston area. Fortunately, there was a concentration of very good or better universities there.
Even Helen and Jake noticed that spring that Daria had real focus, something which had been very spotty at best before this. She still spent time with Jane and Jack (the latter mostly on Friday nights and Saturday afternoon and evenings). During the week when she was either not at Jane's or tutoring Jane, however, when they looked into her room, Daria was not playing computer games any longer. She was either writing or doing research on-line. Helen, who was keeping close watch of both her daughters' AOL use, was assured that Daria was working on archeology, especially the Clovis culture. She did not realize that most of Daria's on-line work, even on those subjects, was mostly done off her private internet connection.
Over the next three months, Daria would find three short story and three poetry competitions for students which were, as best she could tell, legitimate. (They were, as were two additional poetry competitions she was unable to fully verify at legitimate.) She entered all six competitions with different entries. She would not receive any feedback or results from any of them until the end of the summer or even early September. In the end, however, she was pleased. She only won the first prize in one of the short story competitions, which also carried the only monetary prize (granted only $100). More importantly, the story was published in the sponsoring literary society's journal. While her other five works did not win any grand prize, all of them placed well enough to be mentioned (the other two short stories each won second place in their competitions, while one poem won a third place and the other two honorable mentions). While none of the other five came to print, the other two short stories and the third-place poem were permanently up on the respective websites – something new for all those groups. All would help her in the future as she could count them as on-line publications. As all received recognition, she was able to deal with most not placing first.
All these results were in the intermediate future, while all the work lay in the next few months. Overall, Helen was pleased – Daria had been very disconnected from everyone around her throughout elementary school, but had slowly integrated into a group of her peers in middle school. While still somewhat isolated, she did participate with that small group of girls – all in the upper fifth of their grade, most fairly personable and popular; only one or two as flighty and superficial as Quinn's friends, then and now.
That group had fallen apart before Daria's Freshman year, as the leaders had moved away. In reality, Daria had spent fairly little time with the town's oddest characters that Freshman year, who despite being older were in her classes. However, as far as Helen had been concerned, any time spent with those two (even when it had been for mandated school projects) was too much.
As the closing up of the Highland house had proceeded through the actual move and the week of settling in before the girls were sent back to school, Daria had completely withdrawn, with only some very disturbing poetry and short stories being left around for Helen to find showing that Daria was bottling up her emotions for the most part. The writing had been disturbing, but was likely a better outlet than Daria letting it loose in other ways. Helen was glad Daria had stopped leaving that writing around to be found after a week or so in Lawndale. In fact, Helen realized when she thought about it, after Daria had become assured friends with Jane.
Helen had been so glad that Daria had met Jane – Jane was a bit on the quirky side to be sure, but Helen had known a few similar enough to Jane while in college and at the commune that she wasn't disturbed by Jane's more unique traits. Daria's getting acquainted with Jack a few weeks later had been much more surprising. Daria had shown no interest in boys (or girls) until then. Still, while she had her suspicions about how physical their relationship might have already become, Helen thought the older boy was good for Daria.
As March headed towards April, Helen decided that on the whole she was satisfied that Daria was slowly progressing in what she considered the right directions—she only hoped she could get Daria to go to at least one more dance that year. The Freshman/Sophomore classes sponsored a semi-formal they were still calling a 'Hop' (despite classes over the previous decade and longer trying to come up with a 'cooler' name for it). The Junior/Senior classes of course sponsored a Prom. Considering that Jack seemed a trifle old-fashioned and certainly had revealed himself as a romantic to some degree, the Prom was almost a certainty—that left the Hop.
Quinn of course had been making plans for both dances since January. As things stood, she could handle the Prom as she had been planning – gaining the best possible date to improve her social status. The problem was the Hop. She could really only go the Hop with Jeffy, and only if Daria and Jack were going – the other conditions would make it harder to score a better date. Well, she knew she could score a better date to the dance, but why bother without also being able to show off at dinner someplace really nice?
Problem: Daria had little to no interest in going to the Prom other than to please Jack, and even less in going to the Hop – she would much prefer going to dinner with Jack and either seeing a movie or dancing at the country club. It would take Quinn several weeks to persuade Daria, roping in Jack (via Jeffy) and even Jane (harder for Quinn to talk to than Daria usually was). In the end, however, Quinn managed to get her way, although that would include her taking over Daria's household chores for a week and two weekends.
All that would be spread out over the rest of March, April, and to a degree into early May. Instead, it would be a different dance which intruded into Daria's life towards mid-March. Daria had skipped a date that second Friday night, just as she had the previous Friday, so she could get enough sleep before the Saturday standard tests. She was therefore more than ready to have an evening of dinner and dancing with Jack that Saturday evening. As they entered the club house, rather than going straight into the dining room as usual, Jack steered Daria into a side corridor.
"What's up?" Daria enquired.
"Well, the simple answer might be 'my mother'," Jack replied. "At least it's her idea."
"I'm confused," Daria admitted.
Jack gently turned Daria to face the wall, where she could see a large poster. "'The One hundred and Thirty-third Clinton County Charity Easter Cotillion,'" she read. "What's this all about?"
"It's a combination charity dinner and dance, put on by some heritage groups like the D.A.R. and these days also by the four fanciest country clubs in the county and such. It's the biggest spring bash in the area, only somewhat matched by the Starry Night Ball in September that sponsors the museum."
Daria was puzzled. "And you want to go?" It seemed a little out of character, but still within the realm of possibility.
"To tell you the truth, I'm sort of ambivalent at best. I've never been, and I bet in some ways it's stuffy as well as boring for the most part."
"But your mother would like us to go," Daria stated.
"Exactly," Jack agreed. "She 'suggested' it last night at dinner, and Dad agreed to pay."
"Why, how much is this shindig?" Daria demanded.
"Twenty-five hundred a couple."
Daria was stunned, to say the least. Finally, she said, in a slightly strangled voice, "You aren't kidding, are you?"
"Nope."
"Are they crazy? Why would they want to spend twenty-five hundred dollars for a pair of teens to go to a, well, a gala where I bet everyone else is what? In their forties and older?"
"You know, I asked that very thing," Jack agreed. "Mom claims there'll be at least a dozen to twenty other 'young people' – by which she means between a bit under your age to maybe my sister's age or a bit older."
"So a max of twenty out of how many?"
"It's limited to two-hundred and forty couples. Invites are hard to get, but there was a cancellation, and Mom is on the screening committee and snapped it up."
Daria grimaced, and knew this would be difficult to get out of. "I wouldn't know what to wear, or how to act, even if I wanted to go!"
"You know perfectly well how to act," Jack told her sternly.
Frowning, Daria had to admit that she probably did. She had resented the elocution and deportment lessons, but her maternal grandmother had gladly paid for those and for a portion of the dance lessons. "And what does one wear?" she enquired in a pseudo-snobbish voice.
"Unattached young ladies wear pastel pink-and-white three quarter-length gowns with full sleeves. Attached but unmarried young ladies may wear pink-and-white or pastel green-and-white, with full sleeves. Engaged and recently married young ladies wear pastel green full-length gowns with half sleeves, and so on up the lines of seniority."
"Weird. Can you give me any additional reasons why we should go, since it doesn't seem to be high on your list?"
"It will please my parents, especially my mother. It must be important, because they've never shelled out this kind of money on my sister, never mind Jeff or me. Second…Mom slipped me a check for ten thousand dollars, explicitly to help cover our expenses this summer, and yes, she specified OUR expenses, and she said that she will pay for your dress."
"Shit," Daria muttered. She knew they were going to the Cotillion. She did have to ask, however, "Why would she do that…and for that matter, how does she have that much to give you?" She knew Jack's paternal family was very wealthy, but this made it seem like his mother’s was as well.
"To give us," he corrected gently. "Your mother's paternal family are FFVs, and her maternal family were original settlers in Georgia," Jack replied. "They all did very well, even if we prefer not to think of how they did it. The Frasiers were involved in finance, first in Scotland and then here well before the Revolution – and I mean the Glorious Revolution." Daria knew that had been in 1688. "They were involved in the attempt at a Scottish colonial settlement in New Jersey and made money in trade in New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. Mom's family were involved with the settling of Nova Scotia in the 1630s, but a branch migrated to Baltimore in the Seventeen-teens to run a shipping company. So yes, old money all around." He took Daria's hand. "Aren't we both luckier than ninety-nine percent of our peers in that way, at least?"
Daria had to agree on that. She also had to acknowledge that with that privilege came some obligations.
Like attending charity galas.
dp
Jake took the news without concern or interest the next morning as the Morgendorffers gathered for a rare Sunday brunch together. Helen and Quinn, however, were speechless.
"I take it you two know it's a big deal in snobby circles," Daria commented.
"Daria, governors and senators attend this gala!" Helen stated. "Last year a Supreme Court Judge was the guest of honor! JFK attended back in Nineteen-sixty! This is the biggest deal in central Maryland outside of Washington, Annapolis, and Baltimore, and nothing in any of those places are really more than a half-step above! At least nothing held annually!"
Daria made a face but looked at first Quinn and then her mother. "Where does one obtain a pastel green-and-white, full-sleeved, three-quarter length ball gown?" She made a face again. "Or will we have to ask Aunt Rita or Grandmother?"
"I've heard of two possible places, one downtown and one in Cranberry Commons," Quinn said. "Or you could ask Missus Frasier – if this was her idea, she might have an in."
"Well, she did say she would pay for the gown, so she likely knows where I should go." Daria looked at her mother. "I really don't have a lot of choice, considering they already have that ticket, but do you think it'll be really worth going to, other than as a favor to Missus Frasier?"
Helen smirked. "Mother and Dad went to this thing once when he was a congressman – she mentioned it at least a dozen times when she found out we were moving here. You call Missus Frasier for a recommendation this afternoon, then I'll shock Mother."
Quinn had been more than inclined to be jealous. However, when she learned of the price of admission, she realized that her best bet would be Jeffy in a few years.
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It turned out that Jack forgot to tell Daria that she should call his mother. Mrs. Frasier had already arranged for Daria to go to her dress-maker, should she agree to attend the Cotillion. She even had Jack send Daria images of the three most common gown-styles worn by the under-30s attending. Daria disliked dresses and gowns in general, and was not thrilled by any of the styles, especially by the fact that each would need a small petticoat under the gown. Still, she felt obligated to Jack's mother, and carried on.
Helen therefore was prepared when she called her mother that evening. "I'm glad you're all doing well," Helen said as the pair's greetings concluded. "I thought I would share some wonderful news about Daria…. No, she didn't get a haircut, although she has let it grow longer, and it looks lovely. Amy, never mind Rita or myself, would have loved to have had such lovely thick hair back then…. Well yes, she may get new glasses, but she hasn't decided on a style yet…. Well, I thought you should know she'll be attending this year's Clinton County Charity Easter Cotillion…. Yes, Daria, and yes, that Cotillion, the one that you and Dad attended…once."
Helen smirked as her mother made some confused comments. Finally, Helen broke in, "Well, her steady beau's mother arranged it. She also is arranging for Daria to go to her dress maker to get the correct style of gown." After a few moments of listening, she looked at the scowling Daria. "Your grandmother would like to talk with you."
Daria's scowl deepened as she took the phone, but she managed to keep that out of her voice. "Hello, Grandmother….Thank you, and yes, I remember all those lessons quite well…. Well, while I don't particularly care for the actual music, since Jack and I do enjoy ballroom dancing, all those lessons have paid off…. Yes, thank you. So anyways, about once a weekend since October we go to Winged Tree Country Club for dinner and dancing. His mother enjoys the same, and we joined them there for New Year's Eve. Still, I was quite surprised that she wants us to attend this gala…. Well, no, we're a bit too young for that…. No, I will be wearing the pastel green-and-white, we are a couple after all, this isn't anything casual…. No, because I still don't have pierced ears; they never did anything to me I've wanted to punish them for…. Sorry, and while I'll to be sure and ask Missus Frasier, I think a tiara might be a bit much…. Yes, if you'd like, I would love to wear the necklace. I'll make certain to get the gown with the appropriate neckline…. Yes, I will let you know about the tiara…and earrings. Thank you, Grandmother…. No, but if you want to, I wouldn't object and if I have to, I'll talk to Mom about it…. Alright, we'll call and let you know when I have the details…. Yes, of course…. Goodbye." Daria hung up and smirked.
"And what was that last part about?" Helen demanded.
"Grandmother wants me to talk you into letting her reimburse you for the cost of the gown. Shall I twist your arm and we can split the difference?"
Helen returned the smirk. "I'll consider it twisted and you can keep the money, assuming Mother doesn't want a copy of the receipt. Is she really considering loaning you her diamond and sapphire necklace?"
"Apparently," Daria agreed. "I'll ask, but I think the tiara would be rather over the top."
"You have the thick hair to pull it off," Quinn put in. "It would go well with your coloring, too. You know, if you got your ears pierced tomorrow, you could wear the full outfit."
Daria was about to explode when Helen said, "Two hundred, three pairs of nice earrings, and three pairs of everyday earrings, you keep the holes open at least until you attend college."
"Think of that formal photo of Grandmother in her full ornamented outfit, then think of you in that jewelry, standing next to Jack," Quinn added.
Daria deflated, and said, "Six pairs of everyday earrings for me, and three pairs of equally inexpensive earrings for Quinn so she doesn't complain, and while you can both express your opinions when I'm looking for the dress earrings, neither of you complain about any of my choices afterwards."
"Deal," said Helen, with Quinn echoing.
dp
To Daria's unsurprised annoyance, Jane joined Helen and Quinn Monday afternoon to see Daria get her ears pierced. Daria had actually toyed with the idea several times over the years, but had rejected it each time for a variety of reasons, usually just not wanting to act like her sister or other girls her age. Quinn and Helen chattered meaninglessly, mostly about earring styles, throughout the procedure – only Jane noticed how nervous Daria was about the whole thing. She unobtrusively held Daria's hands alternatively as the studs went into Daria's overly-sensitive ears.
All three were surprised by Daria's choices – except for the gold studs, Daria refused to buy any purely yellow gold earrings. She did get one dress pair that had regular gold with red gold and green gold highlights on a white gold background. One of the other dress pairs was blue sapphire chips on white gold and the other had garnet chips, also on white gold. The six pairs of 'everyday' earrings were a wide variety, but all nine pairs were on the small size, none with any dangles or hoops despite Jane's ideas on what should be worn.
dp
Tuesday morning, Daria's earrings were immediately spotted by, and then commented on (in turn) by Stacy, Jodie, Brittany, and Tori, and then a few others nearby jumped in to comment as well. All the comments were positive, although Daria wondered if the majority weren't either just to congratulate her on 'being normal' or social nicety. The only slightly negative comment had come from Jack, who whispered in her ear (something that always turned Daria on), "They look nice, but I prefer them bare – the better to nibble on."
Daria agreed with Jack's sentiment, but she then shivered in anticipation when he added, "I guess I'll just have to aim for your lovely neck instead."
dp
As far as Daria was concerned, posing for the seamstress was even more annoying, not to mention that it took much longer, then the earring session. She managed to get through the fittings only by reminding herself that it meant a lot to Mrs. Frasier – and by a new thought, or at least hope: that there was at least a chance that she could be Daria's mother-in-law at some point in the future.
When it came to Jack, Daria's romantic and sensual dreams were overcoming her usual automatic cynicism.
Posing in front of the triptych mirror when trying on the fitted gown, Daria frowned. It was not that she thought her reflection looked bad. The white dress with pastel-green highlights fitted her well, and she certainly had the calves to pull off the well-below-the-knee gown, even in flats. (Despite pleas and some major bribes offered, Daria refused to wear even low heels.) She had a large enough and more than firm-and-perky enough bosom to support the slightly low but still modest scooped neckline. But, she knew, as nice as she looked (once she stopped frowning at least), this was not her – or at least not the image of her she wanted people to take away from knowing her. The bookish intellectual, still usually in her green field jacket at school, yes; even the semi-formal Daria of the country club? Yes. The (hopefully) skilled field worker of the up-coming summer? Time would tell. The pseudo-debutante she was seeing in the mirrors? Hell no!
"Not your preferred look, I take it?" the seamstress commented.
"Nope," Daria answered. "Still, I guess sometimes sacrifices have to be made for family." 'Wow!' Daria thought, 'I just called the Frasiers family! Was THAT a Freudian slip?' Unknowingly, that made her smile at herself.
"Well, if you smile like that, you'll fool everyone," the seamstress told her.
"I had to endure years of summer deportment classes, not to mention over four years of dance class," Daria told her. "I might not like all this, but yes, I can fake it."
dp
Grandmother Barksdale's jewelry came by special messenger – the necklace, earrings, a bracelet, and the small tiara. When Daria had asked about that last item, Mrs. Frasier had insisted Daria wear it – mostly because it would give her a reason her to wear her own tiara.
The weekends before the Cotillion, Daria would only go to the country club one Friday – "There'll be enough stuffiness on Easter," was her comment. The other three evenings were spent at McGrundy's on the Friday and the Zon the two Saturdays, when Mystic Spiral was playing the clubs. The band had been getting enough gigs to make them finally play a little tighter, which in turn led to more engagements.
The Cotillion itself went from 2:00 until 8:00, with a 'light supper' served from 6:00 to 7:00. After an early lunch, Daria went upstairs to take a shower and begin the process of getting ready. Jane and Quinn each demanded that they supervise, Jane mostly out of mere curiosity. To Quinn's slight surprise, Daria really only needed help with the very thin eyeliner she used – by that final point in the process, Daria's hands were starting to shake a bit from nerves. Quinn and Jane did help Daria fix her long hair and then affix the tiara.
Daria posed on the stairs for Jake and Jane (who had borrowed one of her father's cameras – her photos came out the best). At 1:15, Jack rang the doorbell, and after he had affixed an orchid between Daria's left side of the neckline and her shoulder, had his photo taken with her. Then he escorted Daria out to the stretch limousine, where his parents were waiting.
On the way to the civic center where the Cotillion was being held, Mrs. Frasier explained some of the etiquette. The various group officers (45 couples, which included the Frasiers) would enter the ballroom at 1:50, and promptly at 2:00 the other couples would be announced from two entrances, at the rate of about 4 a minute from each. Then the guests of honor and their significant other would be introduced; this year the special guests were three ambassadors, a southern governor, three senators, and five US representatives.
For the 183 'regular' couples to be introduced, each would enter, come forward to the long dais where the officers were, bow/curtsey to any they were related to and to the presiding officer of the day, and then stand by their seats. Once they had arrived, Daria demonstrated she knew how to curtsey and could do so well (if with strong mental reservations about the silliness of it all), and the pair was shown where they would be sitting for dinner. (After the introductions and welcoming speeches, all could leave the dining area for the ballroom until dinner.)
Daria was surprised. There were nine young women, between 14 and 20 in white-and-pink, and fourteen other women between 19 and 25 in white-and-green. She and Jack were placed about in the middle of the latter group. They therefore had a fairly long wait before their introduction – fortunately, there were chairs they could wait on.
When they were signaled that their turn was coming, Daria took off her glasses and handed them to Jack, who placed them carefully in the breast pocket of his tuxedo. They entered to, "Mister Jackson Frasier, escorting Miss Daria Morgendorffer, both of Lawndale, Maryland." Daria, drawing on every tween lesson, walked like a pre-Great War debutante being presented at the Court of St James, made a perfect curtsey to first the presiding officer and, as they passed by, to Jack's parents, before taking their places. Daria was glad to be able to sit and put her glasses back on as the procession went on until, "Mister Thomas Sloane, escorting Miss Elsie Sloane, of Lawndale, Maryland" ended the procession. Everyone then stood for the introductions of the guests of honor. Finally, from a few minutes past 3:00 until 5:45, it was time for the ballroom dancing. Daria could finally relax (at least until the formal dinner), as this was now familiar territory.
She knew Jack loved showing her off, even if she still didn't really understand why, other than how he felt about her – she now understood she was attractive, she just didn't understand how attractive she could be. She did believe she knew how much she felt for Jack, however, and could believe he felt the same for her. As he was always willing to consider her whims and wishes (and almost always went along with fulfilling them), Daria was willing to please him as well.
About halfway through the dancing, that year's presiding officer, Kay Sloane, approached. Mrs. Frasier. "Dolly, I've seen your son at the country club with that young woman. I have always been impressed with her poise, not to mention her dancing…."
"Yes, she does seem to make Jack look graceful," Mrs. Frasier acknowledged. "They're young, of course, but we have great hopes for them."
Kay Sloane nodded. "Still, from those jewels, I'm surprised we haven't heard of her before."
"Oh, the family just moved to our area last year, and those jewels are her maternal grandmother's – Tess Barksdale, if you ever heard of her. Her husband was quite the prominent FFV, and she's from old families from Georgia and Alabama as well."
"Ah, that makes sense. I wish Tom and Elsie made half the effort of your son and his…partner?"
"At this point, they are, in the old-fashioned term, 'going steady'." She smiled. "Knowing her usual preferences, I don't think we could have gotten her into a white-and-pink outfit – I understand it took a great deal of persuasion to get her to attend as it was."
"They do make a lovely couple," Kay stated, wishing, hoping, that Tom and Elsie would do as well when they finally dated.
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