Disaster

"What are you planning, mon amour?" Giselle asked cautiously.

"Nothing for you to worry about. Just what we're gonna do to the backyard to make it look presentable," Louis lied.

"Okay," Giselle was still wary. "I'll go and have a word with the gardener."

She headed out back to the office shed that they had for the gardener. The door was shut. While she stood there, not knowing if she should knock or not, the door opened. The gardener looked up, shocked.

"Miss Marchant! Umm, what can I do for you?"

"Mr. Montpierre and I will be having guests over in the afternoon. He has requested that the garden look classy and nicely decorated for guests."

"Of course, Miss. When will they be over?"

"Around 2:30-ish today. It's noon now. I know that two hours isn't long to prepare, so I've come to offer you my help in setting up."

"You're too kind, Miss. That's very thoughtful of you."

"I don't mind a little bit of hard labour. What would you like me to do?"

"Umm, there's some floral decorations in those boxes over there," he pointed to them in the back of the shed. "You could hang them up on the roof of the veranda and twine them down the pillars in the back. They will need to be fastened in order to remain in place. I can take care of the plants and lawn."

"Alright."

Giselle went and grabbed the boxes, along with the ladder. She headed back to the house and got to work. Using her vampiric speed, she quickly got her portion done. She returned the boxes to the shed and went to go check on the gardener.

She offered to water the plants while he mowed the lawn. He thanked her and handed the hose over to her. She gently watered all of the flowers and the small garden. Then she turned the water off and returned the hose to its spot. The gardener finished mowing and thanked her profusely for her help. She smiled and went inside to change.

Giselle switched out of her khaki shorts and light pink chiffon shirt into a summery, dark green cocktail dress. Then she headed downstairs to find Louis.

He was sitting in his office, smoking a Vogue cigarette. Giselle walked over to him and sat down on the sofa along the left wall.

"Everything good?" he asked.

"Yes."

"I see you changed."

"Well, a hostess must dress to impress."

He laughed kindly, "Indeed."

Then the doorbell rang. Giselle got up to get, with Louis right behind her. She pulled open the door to see the LeBries.

"Hello. Welcome, come on in."

Giselle stepped to the side to let the LeBries in. Their eyes took in the lavishly decorated foyer and the modernity of the house.

"You have a wonderful home," Maisy commented. "It's very well decorated. You see, I'm an interior design architect and I couldn't have done this better myself."

"Thank you," Giselle said. "But I did have some help from staff."

"Of course."

"Right this way," Louis cut in. "We've got the backyard all set up."

The four headed out back where Aaron and Maisy exclaimed in the decorations.

"It's so summery! I love it!" Maisy cried.

"It's very magical," Aaron said.

"Thank you," Giselle said. "I helped the gardener set up."

The LeBries sat in black cushioned, white deck chairs on the veranda whilst Louis settled on the white, Victorian style lounge chaise with a black cushion and black pillows. Giselle nestled into Louis's arm as she sat on the chaise and leaned into him.

Drinks were served and appetisers brought out. They all chatted at bit, getting comfortable with each other. Louis and Giselle said what they did for a living and Aaron and Maisy did too.

"I'm a partner at the law firm just down the street from your hospital, Giselle," Aaron said.

"Nice. I bet you've won a lot of your cases then?"

Aaron nodded. Then, three scantily dressed women in their late twenties came out onto the veranda.

"Louis?" Giselle hissed in his ear. "What the hell is this?"

He smirked back at her. "Making sure the neighbours quit being so nosy."

The exotic dancers began to move and sway their hips around. Aaron and Maisy looked shocked; Giselle became mortified as the dancers got closer.

"Louis, can't we just live normally? Without isolating ourselves from eveyone else?"

"This is for your protection, mon amour. I won't let anyone harm you."

"Nor near me," she muttered, but he still heard her. Hurt crossed his features. She couldn't bear to look at him.

"Excuse us," Aaron said hastily.

He grabbed his wife's hand and fled through the house. They heard Louis's laugh as they barged out the front house. Once they were gone, Louis paid and dismissed the exotic dancers.

"That was nothing but a disaster," Giselle said sullenly. "They'll never want to talk to us again."

"That's safest, mon amour. You never know who could hurt us."

"Then why did we leave Paris?!" Giselle cried. "At least we knew René and Adelene were genuine!"

Tears formed in her eyes as she ran into the house. She had always been faster than Louis, so she made for her solar room, slammed the door shut, and locked it behind her. Giselle plopped down on the settee and put her head in her hands, quietly sobbing.

Then there was a gentle knock on the door.

"Giselle, mon amour, please don't be upset."

"Go away, Louis!"