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Prescott
Prescott wondered if this was to be his life going forward. Couples dances at ostentatious charity parties. The couple to his left was a wizened and elderly duo that looked more like they were helping to hold the other up than actually dancing. They seemed to be shuffling in place, their tired and dusty bones too weak to actually move them more than an inch at a time. The elderly man's hair, or what remained of it, was as white as the fake snow that littered the outer perimeter of the expansive covered porch and Prescott could have sworn that when they made eye contact the other man had mouthed the words kill me now. Or maybe that had been him?
The freak fire was still a sore subject with Prescott. He didn't start that stupid fire. He'd said that to Elizabeth, but still she somehow managed to blame him. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that in his boredom he had been curious to see just how quick an accelerant Frank Gallagher whiskey could be by tipping small amounts into the flame. Whatever, like he cared what that old wrinkled crone thought of him anyway. "Wonderfully stuffy, sure," was all he said when his naive girlfriend tried to defend her family to him. His gaze happened to fall upon Adrienne, Ford and Lynette off to the side in what was in all likelihood a stimulating conversation about drying paint. Perhaps it was the fact that her family had all judged him guilty by association that Prescott was so sour where they were concerned. Adrienne he could understand, his brother having so spectacularly humiliated her in their divorce settlement. But the rest of them? Even Liz Delongpre managed to turn her nose up on him and her kettle was far blacker than his pot had ever been.
He didn't want to think about them though, finding calm at the bottom of the glass of whiskey he still held in his free hand. Cadence bade him to spin her around and for once Prescott was happy to oblige. He spun her around wildly, nearly stumbling when she twirled back into his arms. Prescott grinned widely at her, unable to help himself and dipped her deep at the next beat. It was fortunate for all parties involved that his arm proved steadier than his feet for the last thing either of them needed was for Prescott to drop her right then and there in front of everyone. He held her like that for a prolonged beat before pulling Cadence back to her full height in a dramatic flourish resulting in a couple of neighboring delighted gasps.
"Seems to me this boat could use a little rockin', baby." He whispered gruffly at her ear, taking advantage of their close proximity to playfully chew on her lower earlobe before pulling away, a glint of mischief dancing wickedly in his eye.
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Woman? Is that meant to insult me? I would return the slap, if I took you for a man.
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