prompt
The Charity Benefit (1) - A number of the local businesses in the area have come together to organize a charity benefit. In addition to a silent auction, there is also an evening charity ball. The community has been wanting to raise funds to fix up a few public areas for some time now and in the spirit of the Star Festival, these businesses have donated several prizes to the event to encourage people to attend. As one of the local residents you have been kindly invited to attend! Formal attire is encouraged but only required if you plan to attend the Ball.
Nataniel wasn't entirely sure what the point of attending this gala was. The charity benefit was a nice way for the city to accrue funds for its projects, and he was sure there were plenty who were interested in attending and donating and volunteering their time to the cause. Nataniel was not one such party. He didn't have a great excess of funds he could give away, and as he'd previously stated to a certain chipper girl, his time was his most valuable asset. He didn't offer it freely.
But sometimes he didn't have a choice in the matter.
His mata owned her own business in the concrete industry, a field useful for any building projects the city wanted to accomplish. Of course she would attend an event such as this. Of course her company would participate in the funding. It was good PR for them. It would help the business flourish. Perhaps if she was very lucky, it would pave roads to future deals, so to speak.
And as a family business they should rightly present themselves at these occasions as a family. One day one of her stupid sons would surely take over for her, and Nataniel was an adult already. It would do them good to meet with useful members of the community and learn of her current business partners.
And she'd already sent outfits to her children.
So they were both going. She wouldn't hear any argument about it.
There was not a person on this earth who frustrated Nataniel more than his own mother. He didn't want her business. He didn't want to attend this unnecessary event. He certainly didn't want to be there with his abhorrent, awful younger brother... Nataniel scowled into his full-length mirror hung at the back of his closet door. He had other things he could be doing. He didn't have time for this basic nonsense.
With an obvious grimace, he flattened down the fabric of his deep emerald sherwani over his chest. The point of a golden star charm poked out of his breast pocket. The thin gold chains clinked together lightly as he ran his fingers over them. His Gran had picked it out. She'd ordered it from tailors in Chennai and had it sent to Mikali to offer to her children. Of course, it would've been better if Nat had been there in person to have it fitted, and it was such a shame that she saw so little of her sweet grand babies...
Nataniel sighed stiffly. At least it was no wonder where his mother got this passive-aggressive whining about "not seeing her children" from. It must run in the family. He hoped he'd never be that bad...
Though, admittedly, he couldn't imagine a world where he would want to see children.
He slipped into some dark pants that hung loose around his thighs and cinched around his ankle. The outfit was traditional in his mata's homeland. And though Nataniel would be lying if he said he hated the ostentatious gold patterns and gaudy baubles, it was just that: ostentatious and gaudy. He'd stick out at a western event like this, and that was far from an appealing thought.
But he was dressed. Nataniel had found something suitable for December to wear to accompany him so that he wouldn't have to go alone, and it was getting to be that time where they ought to head out.
Nataniel just wasn't pleased about it.
(WC: 576)
