Resequencing DNA

The ladies continued on with their evening, chatting away in their small groups as Pippa floated between each of them. As for Ashleigh, she had hung around quietly, sitting alone by the fireplace, sipping her wine as she stared off into the flames, quietly thinking over the crazy events of the past forty-eight hours.

“Is everything alright, dear?” asked a female voice, breaking Ashleigh’s deep thought.

“I can tell who that is without even looking up,” thought Ashleigh, There is not even a handful of women in this house at the moment that’s as well spoken as that…”

Looking up from the fire, Ashleigh confirmed her suspicions. There, looking down at her was Vivian with a smile on her face and still clasping a large glass of wine in her hand.

“Yes…erm…everything is…is fine…honestly,” answered Ashleigh with a smile, to which Vivian sat on the sofa beside her.

“So…come, Ashleigh….tell me about yourself…I am eager to learn more about the young girl who appears to have finally captured the attention of my youngest son,” stated Vivian with a laugh, placing her hand on top of Ashleigh’s hand.

“Well…” replied Ashleigh, taking a sip of her wine, “What…erm…what do you want to know…I’m not that interesting really,” she added with a nervous giggle.

“Well my dear, all Wesley told me was your name, you are 22 and that you’re a friend of Pippa,” giggled Vivian, “Surely there is more to you than that…what about your parents?” she added.

“Oh, my parents…well…they separated around 18 years ago…I don’t really see either of them since they live on the opposite side of the country. I lived with my mum after they split and left home almost as soon as I could,” replied Ashleigh.

“Oh you poor thing,” answered Vivian, “What type of parents allow their young daughter to move that far away.”

“I…I just needed to get away from it all…you know,” stated Ashleigh.

“Oh I understand…it must have been awful for you my dear…them separating when you were so young…But at least they will have set you up financially before letting their daughter travel across the country…right?” asked Vivian.

“Ha…not exactly…” retorted Ashleigh.

“What do you mean…not exactly?” asked Vivian.

“Everything I’ve had since moving out here…I had to provide myself. No disrespect but my parents weren’t in a position like you and Mr Ashton-Burns…Wesley is so lucky,” said Ashleigh.

“Aw, bless your heart,” stated Vivian, “So tell me…what do you do for a living, my dear?”

“Oh shit! Here we go,” thought Ashleigh.

“I…I erm…work in a bar...” replied Ashleigh nervously, downing the last of her wine before glancing at Vivian who now had a rather shocked look on her face.

“Oh…so…so do you…own this bar?” Asked Vivian.

“Erm…no…I…just work there…with a manager and everything…” answered Ashleigh with a nervous giggle.

“Oh…okay…and this bar…it’s on Regent Boulevard I presume?” stated Vivian, the tone in her voice now sounding far from impressed.

“I’m afraid not...I won’t say where it’s located exactly…but what I will say is it’s far from that upmarket,” said Ashleigh with a nervous laugh as she looked down towards the floor.

“Oh…okay,” said Vivian as she took a sip of wine and got back to her feet, “Well…you are welcome here,” she added before walking back to where Bridget was standing.

“Well, that went well….NOT,” thought Ashleigh, “She seems a little off towards me…since she realised I don’t have an upper-class background like they all do.”

Just then a rather tall, thin woman entered the sitting room and whispered something to Gerard.

“Ladies if you would like to make your way into the dining hall, dinner is served,” announced Gerard before making his way to the door and holding it open as the tall lady once again disappeared.

As instructed, the group of ladies began to make their way out of the sitting room, with Vivian at the front of the group along with Pippa. Ashleigh was the last to leave the room and make her way to the dining room where she and Pippa had been earlier that evening. This time, however, as she entered the dining room, she noticed that the table had been set out in preparation for their meal. A silver dome covered the food that was positioned at each seat, along with more cutlery than Ashleigh even knew existed. In the centre of the table were 3 sets of candlesticks, all lit up and giving the room a rather cosy glow.

Gerard quickly entered the room and rushed ahead of the ladies and pulled out the chair at the far end of the table.

“Miss Ashton-Burns,” stated Gerard as he gestured for Pippa to be seated before he pushed in her chair and moved on to the next which naturally was for Vivian.

 Gerard continued to pull out each and every seat, seating the ladies in turn and tucking them back in at the table. Ashleigh was the last to be seated, closest to the door and with Tiffany seated to her left.

The tall, thin lady then reappeared pushing a silver trolly and along with Gerard, the pair began to remove the silver domes, revealing a small bowl of soup beneath each one.

“Shall we begin,” stated Vivian with a smile, picking up the soup spoon and beginning to eat her soup, with each of the ladies following suit.

Gerard promptly returned with another trolly, this time containing bottles of champagne along with glasses. He began in the order he had seated the ladies, pouring a glass for Pippa first and moving on to Vivian. However, as he filled Vivian’s glass, she quickly looked up and directly at Ashleigh.

“Oh…Ashleigh dear, why don’t you assist Gerard in pouring the drinks?” stated Vivian with a smile on her face.

“SERIOUSLY!” thought Ashleigh.

“MOTHER! Ashleigh is a guest,” snapped Pippa with a scowl on her face.

“I just thought Gerard may appreciate a hand, that’s all,” scoffed Vivian.

The rest of the women fell completely silent as they ate their soup.

“I assure you Mrs Ashton-Burns, I am quite capable of doing my job,” said Gerard who also had a puzzled look on his face.

“Why Ashleigh…she is a guest Mother, why not Aunt Bridget…or Eloise…or Elle…or better yet…shall I do it…will that please you Mother if I or another of our guests were to serve the drinks,” hissed Pippa, her face now becoming rather flushed in anger.

“It’s fine…honestly Pip…it’s fine,” stated Ashleigh as she got up from her seat, “I know exactly what this is about…”

“Ashleigh, sit back in your seat this very instant…no guest of mine will be treated this way and as for you Mother…how very dare you…how dare you to behave like this toward my friend,” snapped Pippa.

“I was joking my dear, Ashleigh, darling sit yourself back down, I meant no disrespect, I was simply joking with you,” stated Vivian with a giggle.

Ashleigh sat back down as instructed by Vivian and she continued to eat her soup along with the rest of the ladies almost in complete silence,  whilst Gerard continued to fill each glass with champagne.

The group continued their meal, moving on from a soup starter to chicken and vegetable main and finishing up with a chocolate brownie dessert. All the while they moved on from the events of earlier and were chatting about how it was Pippa’s last night of being a free and single woman, making jokes about how her life was about to change and that Vivian and Alistair were what she and Edward would become in the next 40 years.

“They always say a girl ends up with a man who is just like their father,” joked Bridget.

“Oh my…I am in such trouble in the future,” giggled Eloise, getting a laugh from those gathered around the table.

“Pippa my darling, if Edward turns out to be anything like your father then trust me you have found the best,” stated Vivian.

“I guess so…” answered Pippa, appearing to be deep in thought although it was beginning to become apparent that she’d had a few to drink, although she wasn’t too drunk, she needed to stop soon on account of her big day.

“I mean…even at his age now…Alistair can still go a few rounds…if you know what I mean,” stated Vivian, much to the amusement of Bridget.

“MOTHER!” shrieked Pippa, “I don’t need to hear details like that about you and father,” she added with a giggle.

“And on that note, I need a cigarette,” stated Ashleigh, grabbing her bag and getting to her feet.

“Yes you may be excused Ashleigh,” laughed Vivian, to which Ashleigh looked at her rather confused.

“You always ask to be excused Ash,” stated Pippa with a giggle, “It’s just polite.”

“Oh…sorry,” replied Ashleigh, “Can I be excused?” she asked.

“Yes you may,” answered Vivian with a smile.

As she picked turned to leave, Gerard stood in front of her with a small, silver plate that was covered in small white balls.

“After dinner mint Miss Ashleigh?” asked Gerard.

“Erm…sure…can I take a couple?” asked Ashleigh.

“You may take two Miss Ashleigh,” replied Gerard.

Ashleigh picked up two of the mints from the plate,

“Thank you…and no need to be so formal…just Ashleigh is fine,” stated Ashleigh before she made her way out of the dining room and back to the sitting room that was currently empty.

Ashleigh sat down in the chair beside the fireplace, next to the ashtray and opened up her bag. She proceeded to reach inside for her cigarettes, placing one to her lips before grabbing her lighter and placing the pack back inside her bag.

“This is gonna be such a long weekend,” thought Ashleigh, “Was Vivian really joking…it didn’t seem that way…does she see me as below her now…just because I work in a bar…”

Ashleigh took a long drag of her cigarette and placed her head back in the chair she was sitting in. just then, the door to the sitting room opened and in walked Pippa who headed straight to where Ashleigh was sitting with a rather anxious look on her face.

“Hey…Ashleigh…I just wanted to apologise…you know…for my mother… she has had a few drinks and she always seems to think she’s hilarious when she has…” started Pippa.

“Don’t worry about it Pip…honestly…I’m fine,” replied Ashleigh.

Without saying another word, Pippa reached down and picked up Ashleigh’s handbag, opened it up and began to root around inside.

“What the hell are you doing Pip?” asked Ashleigh, looking somewhat confused as she giggled.

Pippa pulled out a cigarette and placed it rather awkwardly between her lips before she began to fumble around with the lighter.

“Pippa…what are you doing?” asked Ashleigh once more as she giggled, “You don’t smoke,” she added, reaching up and grabbing the lighter from Pippa’s grasp.

“Oh don’t you start,” said Pippa with a laugh, “ you sound just like my mother… can’t a girl just enjoy her last night as a single woman, trying things she never has before?”

“I…I guess…” replied Ashleigh.

“Very good…now…light me up…or whatever it is you say,” giggled Pippa as she held the cigarette between her lips and bent over towards Ashleigh.

Ashleigh sparked the lighter and held it out for Pippa as she leaned forward. As the cigarette touched the flame, Pippa took a deep inhale, clasping the cigarette between her fingers as she started to cough with smoke now coming from her nose and mouth.

“See…I told you not to try it,” said Ashleigh with a giggle as tears began to stream from Pippa’s eyes.

“Oh, my gosh…how do you and father do this?” asked Pippa as she looked down at the cigarette that was perched between her slender, dainty fingers.

“Years of practice…I guess,” replied Ashleigh took a drag of her own cigarette, letting out a huge sigh as she exhaled.

“What’s troubling you Ashleigh?” asked Pippa, placing the cigarette to her lips once more yet this time barely even taking a full drag, yet still enough to make her let out a light cough.

“It’s nothing…honestly,” answered Ashleigh, yet her face gave off a whole different answer completely.

“There is and I know it…I know you Ashleigh…just like I know Aaron…now spill…it’s that whole thing with mother isn’t it,” stated Pippa as she glared knowingly at Ashleigh.

Ashleigh gave a gentle nod, agreeing with what Pippa was saying, however, just before she had the chance to speak the room to the sitting room door opened. Pippa almost instinctively hid her hand that was holding her cigarette behind the seat in which Ashleigh was sitting. Eloise entered the room and approached the pair.

“Oh it’s only Eloise,” sighed Pippa in relief as her cousin got closer, taking her hand back from behind cover.

“Oh my! Pippa Ashton-Burns…are you smoking?” asked Eloise in a hushed tone yet letting out a giggle.

 “Yes…and what of it cousin?” stated Pippa, also letting out a giggle before taking a small drag of her cigarette, coughing ever so slightly.

“Nothing at all…I just never thought I would see the day miss goody two shoes would do something so…unruly,” laughed Eloise.

“I’m not always as straight-laced as you think, dear cousin, I do have a slightly rebellious streak…” laughed Pippa.

“Listening to these two is like listening to a couple of teenage school kids…And not the rebellious kind…more like the nerdy kids who are trying to act cool,” Ashleigh thought as she laughed to herself.

“Oh…really?” asked Eloise,

“Of course…have you ever done something like this?” laughed Pippa.

“Have I ever smoked a cigarette?” asked Eloise, “I used to pinch the odd few from my mother when I was a teen…she was none the wiser, still to this day she has no idea…the woman smokes so heavily she never even realised any were missing.”

The girls continued to laugh together for a few more moments before Pippa took one last small drag of her cigarette and handed it to Eloise.

“Now…I must ask that neither of you mentions any of this to my mother… even at the age of 23, she would absolutely murder me,” giggled Pippa. “You know my mother…so old-fashioned, it’s not befitting of a lady to have such a habit you know,” she added whilst mimicking Vivian’s voice.

“Oh of course I won’t say anything, my dear cousin…you are right, aunt Vivian would positively kill you…the absolute renegade you are” laughed Eloise as she took a drag of the cigarette that was handed to her by Pippa.

Both girls turned and looked at Ashleigh who was stubbing out her cigarette in the ashtray.

“You know me Pip…my lips are sealed,” stated Ashleigh with a smile.

“Thank you…I love and trust you both dearly,” stated Pippa.

“Can I make a suggestion though Pip?” said Ashleigh, holding out the two after-dinner mints she had received from Gerard.

“Oh…of course…thank you,” replied Pippa taking the two mints from Ashleigh’s hand and handing one to Eloise. “Now…where were we n our conversation Ashleigh?” asked Pippa.

“It…it’s fine…I don’t feel…you know…confident talking about it right now…” answered Ashleigh.

“Oh…you mean Eloise?” said Pippa, “It’s fine…trust me you can trust Eloise,” she added with a smile.

“OH…and trust me with what exactly…of course Ashleigh…you can tell me anything…I promise I won’t say a word to anyone,”  said Eloise.

“Honestly Ashleigh…I would trust Eloise with my life,” Pippa reiterated.

Ashleigh looked up at Pippa and then across to Eloise,

“I suppose…she is just like Pippa…and I trust Pippa 100%...” thought Ashleigh before giving a gentle nod.

Pippa then began to whisper to Eloise, subtly gesturing towards Ashleigh.

“NO WAY! I never would have even guessed that…that you were…are…and Wesley…he did this to you,” stated Eloise to which Ashleigh simply nodded.

“So…I guess the cat’s out of the bag,” Ashleigh said to herself.

“That is soooo bizarre…yet amazing,” stated Eloise, to which she received a glare from Ashleigh.

“So…moving on…I told your mum about where I work and pretty much I’m from a working-class background…after that…she seems to look down on me and obviously…what happened…at dinner….” Explained Ashleigh.

“Hmmm….I see,” said Pippa, “See… as I explained…my mother is very old-fashioned…I don’t think it’s a case of her disliking you either…” said Pippa.

“Oh no, she definitely doesn’t dislike you Ashleigh…look at how eager she was to introduce you to everyone as Wesley’s girlfriend,” added Eloise as she stubbed out her cigarette in the ashtray before popping the mint in her mouth.

“See…it’s hard…yes you work in a bar and she probably isn’t 100% about that…but she will respect that…what I personally think it is…is the way you portray yourself…” explained Pippa.

“What do you mean by that?” asked Ashleigh.

“Well...I know this will sound slightly rude….but I don’t know how to put this…” stated Pippa, placing her finger on her lips as she paused for a brief moment. “If you look at my mother...she is somewhat…old fashioned, she is rather stuck in a time when men were gentlemen and women were ladies. Look at myself and Eloise for example…We were brought up that way due to my mother and aunt Bridget…my mother more so…the way we speak, the way we walk and sit…it’s all because f our upbringing.”

“Oh…I see…so it’s not so much what I do…rather the way I am?” asked Ashleigh, sounding a little downbeat. 

“You will be fine Ashleigh,” said Eloise, “You just weren’t raised that way for obvious reasons…Just mimic me and Pippa and you will pick it up as you go,” answered a somewhat enthusiastic Eloise.

“Lesson number one…when you are sitting…look at the way you are sitting now…it is all wrong,” stated Pippa, gesturing to the way Ashleigh’s legs were slightly parted, “A lady should sit with her legs together…crossed at the ankles…and her legs slightly to the side…like this,” stated Pippa as she repositioned Ashleigh’s legs.”And make sure to stay sat upright and maintain good posture…no slouching,” she added.

“And as for the way you speak…make sure you speak clearly and pronounce your words correctly,” said Eloise with a smile on her face.

“These two are loving this…far too much,” thought Ashleigh, trying to become accustomed to her new sitting position.

“I have so many questions, Ashleigh,” stated Eloise as enthusiastic as ever.

“Not right now Eloise,” stated Pippa, “You know…Ashleigh, for someone who cannot wait to change back…you’re sure going through an awful amount of effort Ashleigh…why so?” she proceeded to ask.

Ashleigh stopped and thought about it for a moment,

“I…I guess she’s right…why am I doing this…how do I answer this question…why am I not content with waiting for Monday…it’s not like any of this will matter after then,” Ashleigh pondered.