The Banquet. (A random post)

This is attemptedly written in third person, I may screw up in some places but hey its a first try!

"I feel over dressed.. Do I look alright?" Caitlin asked staring down at her dress and back up at Matthew. It took him a moment to respond, he was over taken by her beauty. At first he didn't know what to say, he could leave it at fine, or perfect, but she was more than that to him. He got closer to her leaning over the table and with a soft chuckle said. "You look better than anyone else here or in the world, I mean look at Tabitha!"

 Caitlin giggled and stared him in the eyes. She too was lost at words of what to say. He was her all, it was that simple. "So what is this for?" Caitlin asks. "It's for all of the cops who have been promoted in the last month, Tabitha and Reginold put it together. It's a "Family" Banquet but they specifically said not to bring your kids." Matt says. "That is hilarious!" Caitlin says starting to laugh.

 "Reginold! You should start your speech! You mustn't keep everyone waiting!" Tabitha exclaimed with a worry look. Reginold rolled his eyes. "Tabitha, you worry too much. Just wait a few minutes let everyone get settled. Fruder and his wife just walked in five minutes ago." He said in the same boring monotone voice he had used with his wife for over twenty years. "Well alright then.." Tabitha replied, trying to seem like she thought it was okay, but for the next five minutes she anxiously tapped her foot and checked her invisible watch.

 "Fruder! You told me there would be food and everything!" Fruders wife Linda exclaimed. "There will be. Food come momentarily my dear." Fruder replied with his strong French accent. "It better be! I'm missing The Days Of Our Lives for this!" Linda said puffing out her chest, revealing a small tissue. She quickly stuffed it back into its correct location, leaving it looking a bit lumpy then went to twirling her hair around her long manacured finger.

 "Look at all of the other women, am I wearing something to flashy?" A jittery Trina asked her husband. "I dunno." He responded. "Maybe I should go to the bathroom and switch, I brought another dress along.. What do you think?" She asked tapping her fingers on her bare thigh. "I dunno." Her husband replied again.

 Once everyone was sitting down and settled Tabitha silently kicked her husband from under the table. "Get up there!" She whispered angrily. Reginold stepped up to the microphone and looked at the "crowd."

 "Uh, hm. hm. My wife Tabitha and I would like to thank all of you for coming to this wonderful banquet. We usually put one on around the holidays, this time it was a bit late, and its more for respecting those who have been promoted in the last month."

 "I personally would like to recognize Matthew Humphrey, he came from a little nothing person to a Lieutenant in about two weeks. I would also like to personally recognize Fruder Calzone, nobody ever thought you'd become a patrol officer! We thought you'd be piled under reports for the rest of your career! Good job fellows! Anyway, my wife's sister made two very large turkeys for this event, and It'd be my pleasure to let you eat!" Reginold finished his speech and everyone clapped.

 Once everyone got their food a soft murmur filled the room. Talking about fish, and friends, and various other things. Matthew took a bite of his food and just about exploded. "This tastes like as-" "Matt..." Caitlin corrected him. She took a diligent bite, as Tabithas eyes wandered to their table where the loud disturbance was about to take place. Matthew took a bite and smiled at Tabitha. Once she looked away Matt took the mouthful and spit it in his napkin. "Matthew, you amuse me." Caitlin said laughing pushing her plate away.

 After the rather chewy, rather uncooked meal Reginold called all of the men up to give their speeches about how honored they were about being promoted. Matthew and Caitlin had practiced this a few times, Matthew had a bad case of stage fright, that needed to be solved before he went up, but when he did he seemed perfectly at ease. Matthew gave a wide smile to everyone. "I am quite honored that I have gotten so far in such a short time. I would like to thank my boss." He points over to Reginold, and Tabitha lets out a gasp because pointing is not the polite thing to do. "But, I believe the one who needs the most thanking is her over there." He says pointing right at Caitlin. "I couldn't do it without you sweety!" And with that Matthew returns to his seat. The look on Tabithas face is a mix between disgust and disbelief, and it makes Matthew and Caitlin burst into bubbles of laughter.

 When all of the speeches were done Tabitha cued for the music to be turned on. It played a classic piece and everybody got up to share a dance. "Oh Kent." Martha sighs as her husband sways her back and forth.

 "I can't believe that rookie Matt has a career like you. He is too young. It took you ten years to become a lieutenant, and he waltz' in and gets to it in two weeks?" Tabitha complains to her husband. He smiles and takes her hand. "Baby, why don't you ever take a deep breath?" He asks and he spins her slowly around.

 "I don't think Tabitha likes us." Caitlin whispers to Matt. "That's okay, she doesn't have to like us." He replies with a smile. He takes her hand and pulls her close to him. "She's got her panties halfway up her ass anyway, I don't think she likes anyone, I bet she freaks kittens out too." He adds. Caitlin laughs, and turns everyones heads. After that, there was no more classical music by Tabithas request.

 When everybody tired of dancing they moved onto the alcohol session. Caitlin sat down with the other women at the bubble station. She sucked in a lot of air and blew into the machine. "You've never done this. Have you?" Tabitha asks blowing out an assortment of fruit flavored bubbles. "Well, I, um, no." Caitlin answered truthfully. "All you gotta do is put this in your mouth, take a breath in, pull it out, and blow." She said, then she followed her exact instructions and bubbles flew from her mouth. "Your turn kid." She said motioning to Caitlin.

 Caitlin did as she was instructed and cotton candy flavored bubbles flew from her mouth. She did it a few more times.

 "That's so fun!" She exclaimed. The other women laughed. "How old are you?" Trina asked. "Well, twenty three." Caitlin replied shyly.

 Tabitha laughed. "You are just a little one. I told Reginold." Tabitha said blowing more bubbles. "After a while being old, gets old. I tell you once your forty four your not going to want to age anymore. It gets boring after that." All of the women laughed at Tabitha's remark.

 "I'm forty seven and I feel just fine!"  Trina pipes up, the others laugh again. "I have four kids, I'm just fine. You got any kids?" She asks staring at Caitlin. Caitlin was prepared for this question, she took a deep breath and began to laugh. "I've got 48 kids!" The other women laughed except for Tabitha. "You one of them challenge mothers?" She asked. "Actually I am indeed." Caitlin replied proudly. "Hmph." was all that Tabitha replied with.

 "I have a friend who did that. She has 100 of the cutest kids anybody could ask for. I admire all the women who put themselves through that. I never could." A silent Martha speaks up. She looks at all of the other women, hiccups, and lets four tiny bubbles escape her mouth. The other women laugh and continue with their bubble blowing.

 "A fruit drink Matthew. Really?" Reginold asks as Matt asks for a random drink. "They taste good, even if they are girly." Matt replied spinning the little stirer. "I'll have a shot of tequilla." Reginold asks the bartender and she gets to work. "See this is like fruit punch, and what your drinking is like a slap in the face and a bee sting." Matt says with a smile.

 He takes a sip of his drink and sits down.

 "I admire you kid. You're pretty good." Bob said talking to Matt. "Thanks." Matt replied stirring his drink. Reginold got up to go find his wife. "Don't let him get to you, him and that wife of his are the definition of ghetto snobs. They live in a one bedroom house, they can barely afford their water bill, and yet they pretend they have all this money. Its pitiful actually." Bob says, then he takes a swig of his drink and its gone. "You've got something good goin for ya. Don't lose it." Bob adds then he gets up and walks away, leaving Matt both stunned, and surprised, thats the most Bob's ever said to anyone. Ever.

 The banquet ends pretty quickly, Bob and his wife were the first to go, everybody else practically followed as Tabitha got more and more jittery towards midnight. Caitlin and Matt were the last ones there with them. "Finish this dance then leave?" Matt asked swaying to the beat. "Deal." Caitlin said smiling. When the song ended Caitlin enclosed herself around Matt, suffocating him with a large hug. "I love you." She whispered burrying her face in his tux. Matthew hugged her back and rand his hand through her hair. "I love you too." He whispered.