The months passed by quicker than you would have expected, Irene and Eve had their good days and their bad days, but it was mostly okay. Irene was really putting her blood, sweat and tears into her projects - the dress and the performance. Eve showed up most of the time and did her part, but did not put in more effort than absolutely necessary. Eve spent a lot of time on her phone or with her friends, which didn’t sit quite right with Irene, but there wasn’t anything she felt she could do about it without starting a fight. Irene concluded that her frustration and concern about Eve’s new friends and her jealousy when Eve texted people she didn’t know, stemmed from her own insecurity and that she didn’t really have any proof that those new friends were bad people, she just got the feeling that they were. So, she put all her energy into hoping that somehow Mrs. Montfort’s birthday gala would solve everything and that everything would miraculously be fine then. 

.

After months of hard work, it was finally time for the gala. Irene was dressed to the nines as she helped Eve into the magnificent gown she had created, she had had to make some last minute alterations to get the fit right the day before, so it fit perfectly on Eve today. The gown was her most ambitious and ethereal creation to date, it was a light color and Irene had sewn every small pearl by hand - in fact the whole dress was sewn by hand. She had thought of every small detail and settled for nothing short of perfection. She had sewn until she couldn’t feel her fingers and she felt like her hands would fall off, but she hadn’t given up. The result was stunning as the hair and makeup team finished and Eve turned around to face Irene with a soft smile. Eve looked like a goddess in Irene’s eyes and she was ready to worship, to fall to her knees, to sacrifice her life - she was ready to give everything for the woman she loved. 

“I think you dropped your jaw, should I pick it up for you?”, Eve joked as she gently caressed Irene’s face as she saw the awe and admiration on her girlfriend’s face. She felt so beautiful and she could tell how much effort Irene had put into making the gown for her, it was quite overwhelming to realize how much she had done just for her. Eve felt so grateful and loved, it almost made her tear up, but she held back as she didn’t want to ruin her makeup. Irene also looked wonderful, but it was clear that she had put her all into making the dress for Eve, still Irene was better dressed than most others. Eve made sure to compliment both the dress Irene had made her and Irene’s own look. They were for sure the best dressed couple at this gala. 

“Poor mom, she was supposed to be the star of this event, but look at us!”, Eve whispered jokingly to Irene as they stood among the other guests - and there were many guests, the place was packed full of important and rich people. 

Eve and Irene mingled among the guests, some they were acquainted with and some were new faces (and some they knew, but they had bought new faces). Eve was on her second glass of champagne and chatted cheerfully with some of her parent’s friends and Irene was getting asked about her design by a prestigious fashion designer and a fashion magazine editor. The champagne was flowing and everyone was having a grand time. Mrs. Montfort held a welcome speech, and all the guests raised their glasses. Smiles from ear to ear, laughter and cheerful chatter, the clink of glasses, exquisite gowns and suits - everything was just right. 

The night was still young, but it was soon time for Irene and Eve’s performance. 

“We’re on in like ten minutes.”, Irene reminded Eve as she passed by in the crowd, they had ended up talking to different people as one person or another had pulled them away - they were in popular demand. “Okay!”, Eve said in acknowledgement and flashed a smile and then raised her champagne flute to finish it off in one go. She then headed for the bathroom, Irene assumed it was to freshen up, but when they met again after ten minutes by the stage, Irene could tell she had taken something in the bathroom and she had somehow found a glass of red wine along the way as well. 

“What did you take?”, Irene hissed discreetly as she tried to keep an unbothered face so that the other guests wouldn’t notice, but she was pissed. 

“Chill, baby, I just took something to help me relax. You know I have stage fright.”, Eve tried to dismiss her concerns, but she had already taken quite a bit of liquid courage before whatever it was she had taken to help her “relax”, so she was looking quite out of it, not to mention unsteady on her feet. Irene feared the worst as she now in the harsh light saw how her goddess of a girlfriend was very much human after all. The rose colored glasses that had saturated her view were quickly fading back to normal. Irene’s mouth was a tight line as she clenched her jaw. 

“And now, let’s welcome to the stage our darling daughter, Evelyn, accompanied by her lovely girlfriend, Ms. Irene Ellison - here to perform a song for my beloved wife in celebration of her turning fifty!”, Mr. Montfort announced with a grin and the guests applauded excitedly, rumors of Eve’s beautiful singing voice had spread and everyone was thrilled to be among those who got to hear it live. 

Irene basically had to physically support Eve up to the stage as her high heels made her feel like she was walking on stilts or balancing on a tightrope - a circus either way, and Irene felt like a clown, a fool, for trusting Eve. Irene felt sick to her stomach as she left Eve standing, or rather swaying, at the microphone as she walked over to the grand piano and sat down. “Hiii, everyone! Sso nice to be here,”, Eve giggled and tapped the microphone to test if it was on, “1, 2, 1, 2, testing, tesssting”. She then continued, “I’m Eve, the aforementioned darling daughter, haha.”, the crowd chuckled goodnaturedly along. “I’m a bit nervous to perform in front of so many people so I’m just gonna picture you all naked! Isn’t that what they say to do? Ha ha, not that I want to see anyone except my girlfriend naked!”, Eve laughed too hard at her own joke and was oblivious to the uncomfortable atmosphere settling over the audience. Awkward and uncertain glances were exchanged in the crowd. Irene felt mortified and kept her head down. “Anyway, cheers to my mother, this one’s for you! Happy birthday!”, Eve lifted her wine glass, but her movement was a bit too rushed and her feet a bit too uncoordinated and so she ended up splashing her red wine all over the front of her gown. Horrified looks from everyone and a few shocked gasps, and then “Oopsy-daisy!” from Eve and a giggle. Eve then started singing, but she was slurring every other word, forgetting the melody and didn’t even seem to notice that Irene wasn’t accompanying her on the piano. Irene had her head turned away, silent tears ran down her face, her jaw was clenched and her knuckles were turning white as she squeezed them tight, her nails biting into the palm of her hands, leaving deep marks. Mr. Montfort escorted a nearly fainted Mrs. Montfort away from the onlookers and had the staff escort his daughter off the stage.