The Bridesmaid

Leah's eyes lit up wide as the Luber driver dropped her off at the Davenport Estate. In all her life, she had never seen such an opulent display of money and power. From the first day Leah had met her roommate Charlotte, she was aware that the girl came from immense wealth. The Davenports were one of the richest families on the entire East Coast. Charlotte's attendance at the elite private university that both girls attended, was all over the news as everyone tried to pry into her life. The paparazzi could not get enough of her.

To say that Leah was heartbroken the day she found out the two of them were going to be roommates would be an understatement. All her life, Leah had worked hard and pushed herself to be the best. Countless hours of study and dozens of extracurricular activities had resulted in a full academic scholarship. It had all paid off, but with the circus that was sure to follow Charlotte, Leah was deeply concerned that everything would go off the rails.

Much to her surprise, the hubbub around Charlotte quickly dropped off and both girls settled into college life. The rich heiress turned out to be every bit Leah's academic equal. Her focus was driven by a desire to prove that nothing had been given to her. She earned a degree in Biology and Business, and was determined to prove herself in the world of Genetics. Leah meanwhile excelled in her passion, pre-law with a focus on environmental matters. Over the years, both girls became fast friends as they pursued advanced degrees in Law and Genetics.

Those early days seemed so long ago as Leah exited the car still taking in the stately manor. The Davenport estate sat on just over 1,000 acres of pristine gardens just 15 miles outside of one of the world's financial hubs. An immaculate brick walkway led from where the car dropped her off up to the house. It was lined with perfectly manicured shrubbery. Leah had heard the estate was breathtaking, but it looked like a home fit for royalty.

Despite their friendship that had spanned more than 10 years, Leah was still a bit taken aback when Charlotte asked her to be a bridesmaid. In all the years they had been friends, she had never met the Davenports. It was simply beneath them to associate with a commoner like Leah, even if she had graduated with high honors and worked at a prestigious law firm. At best, Leah could only hope to be "new money" and those fortunate enough to become "new money" were still typically too crass to be included in such elite social circles. Thankfully, Charlotte was not her parents. She displayed remarkably progressive views on all manner of social issues such as a living wage, the repeal of the national slave act and clemency for those with excessive life debts. Charlotte's considerable social standing brought attention and resources to numerous causes. In public, the Davenports were indifferent to their daughter's work but in private the activity was viewed as a temporary phase that would pass with age and maturity.

Although excited about today's bridal shower, Leah was terrified to meet Vivian Davenport. For months she had been nervously thinking about what to wear for this event. Lady Davenport had very specific tastes and expectations for what she expected from her guests. If Leah dressed too casually she would surely be looked down upon as low class, but if she was too elegant in her appearance and overshadowed the future bride or mother, this too would also be frowned upon. At one point, Leah had considered wearing one of her work suits, but this simply did not seem appropriate for a bridal shower. The anguish around this decision had kept her up several nights as she did not want to disappoint her friend's mother and ruin her day. Eventually she settled on a simple black dress with short sleeves and a crew neck that provided ample modesty. It hit just above her knee and had a cute yet elegant tie in the back by her neck. She paired the dress with a pair of simple 2 inch black pumps with rounded toes and nude pantyhose. Finally to finish the look she accessorized the outfit with simple white pearl stud earrings and a white gold bracelet. After getting dressed in the morning, Leah had her makeup professionally done in a very muted manner and finished the look with a light pink polish for her hands and feet. Hopefully this would be the look that balanced everything.

As Leah approached the house she was stopped by a man in sunglasses who appeared to be security. Towering over her even in her heels in his black suit and tie, the man looked like he would be quite comfortable on a football field. "I am here for the Davenport bridal shower."

He stared at her for what felt like minutes but in reality was probably only a few seconds before speaking. "You're a little late."

"Late," Leah thought to herself. She was certain her invitation mentioned the event started at 3:00 and it was only 2:45. The thought quickly passed as the security guard motioned for her to follow the left fork in the path. The brickwork split with the right walkway leading to the front of the house and the left heading along the side. The various flowers along the path were replaced with a beautiful hedge row that rose up just above her head as she walked. Like everything else at the estate it was perfectly manicured. It seemed that even the insects that occasionally buzzed around realized that they were part of the elegant estate. Still completely enthralled, she did not notice the activity up ahead nor the scorn of the woman approaching her.

The woman's words quickly got her attention, "What are you doing just lazing around here." While the words may have startled Leah, it was the tight grip of her wrist and the feeling of being dragged into the home that really brought her back from her daydream. The jerk was so powerful that Leah lost her balance and turned her ankle as she was pulled into the house. Before she could acknowledge the pain of what had just happened the pudgy middle aged attacker was roughly placing a tray in her hands. "Get your ass out there," she growled. "If I catch you lounging around again you will regret it."

Before she even realized what had happened Leah found herself thrust into a very large ballroom holding a tray of hors d'oeuvres. Wanting to get farther away from her attacker she moved deeper into the crowd with the occasional guest stopping her to take one. This pause gave her a second to take in her surroundings. There were upwards of 200 guests mingling in the crowd surrounded by dozens of servers dressed quite similarly to her. If one looked closely they could see the difference, but it was not apparent from just a casual glance. Her dress closely resembled the uniform that all of the women wore. A grin appeared on her face as she realized what had happened.

Amusing as all of this appeared to Leah, she did not want to cause a scene or do anything to draw the ire of Lady Davenport. As she continued to serve guests, her mind began to formulate a strategy to casually stop what she was doing and integrate back into the crowd. A plan began quickly formulating in her mind. It was actually quite simple. Continue to serve guests until the tray is empty while working toward the side of the room farthest from the kitchen. Once the tray was empty she could put it down and begin looking for Charlotte.

Gliding almost effortlessly through the room took Leah back to her days working as a server while in High School. She even occasionally made small talk with guests who asked her preference on the immaculate display that had been placed on her tray. With relative ease she found herself at the end of the room. Seeing a small table against the wall she placed the tray down, brushed herself off and composed herself before turning to head back into the party. This would certainly make a funny story when she finally caught up with Charlotte.

Again a hand stopped her from entering the crowd. "Girl, I think you forgot your tray."

Leah half expected to see her nemesis from the kitchen, but instead turned to see a woman who was likely similar to her in age. Dressed in a maroon skirt suit, she noticed that the woman was wearing a gold name tag with the name Annie written in a simple font. It quickly dawned on Leah that the woman must work for the catering company.

"Look Annie, I was just trying..."

Leah was interrupted by the indignant woman before she could finish her thought, "How dare you, Girl. I have seen laziness, even some level of disrespect but I have never had a Girl show such a level of insubordination." Her grip tightened around Leah's wrist as her sharp nails dug deeply into her flesh. "Do you have any sense for whose home you are in? This is the biggest event our company has supported in its history and you choose now to act out. Now you're coming with me."

Without giving Leah a chance to respond the conservatively dressed manager turned and dragged her along the side of the room. Not wanting to make a scene, Leah followed along although she tried without success to talk to the woman. Annie would have none of it.

While it was clear to Leah that she was being drug across the room, it did not appear that way to any of the other guests. Leah was growing more and more uncomfortable with the situation. Although she did realize that this time, she may actually get a moment to talk some reason into the staff. However, that was not meant to be. Before they had made it halfway back, they were stopped by an older woman. Annie looked nervous. "Ms. Kensington, what can I do for you?"

"I need your girl to attend to my future daughter-in-law. She has barely had a minute to breathe with all the guests." Leah had not recognized the older woman, but she realized who she was after hearing her name. Ms. Kensington was Charlotte's future mother-in-law. Although her family was not as powerful as the Davenports, they did come from extreme wealth.

Annie did not even hesitate. She knew better than to question the older woman. "Of course, Ma'am. I will bring her over."

This was fantastic news. Leah felt relief as Annie changed directions and began leading her to the front of the room with Ms. Kensington by her side. As they worked their way through the crowd, Leah finally saw her friend for the first time. Despite being able to see signs of stress on her friend's face, she still looked beautiful in an off the shoulder lavender gown. Finally all of this nonsense was going to come to an end. Charlotte was engaged in conversation with three other women when they arrived, but that did not stop Ms. Kensington from interrupting. It was clear where she stood in the social pecking order. "My dear Charlotte, I brought someone over to wait on you should you need anything at all."

Charlotte looked up at her future mother-in-law and smiled. "Oh thank you. I don't think I have left this spot since the guests started to arrive."

"Well she can get you anything that you need." She left Leah and Annie standing there and went back into the crowd. Both were nervous and neither of them spoke. Leah was looking for a moment alone to catch her friend's attention but the crowd of well wishers showed no sign of abating.

Finally Charlotte spoke to them as she sat down in a chair. "Girl I have been on my feet all afternoon. Can you please rub them?"

Having no interest in doing this, Leah hesitated. She was also worried that being in such a position could only make things worse. Annie, however, did not give her time to protest. She pushed Leah down onto the floor causing her to nearly fall over. Charlotte had already kicked off her shoes. She was wearing nude stockings. Back in college, Charlotte had once told Leah that in high society it was inappropriate for a woman to go bare legged even in the middle of Summer. That was something the commoners did, not the upper crust.

Leah stared down at her friend's feet. She did not want to do this, but Annie was not about to give her a choice in the matter. She placed her hand on the back of Leah's head and pushed her down. It was clear the woman had done this before because she was so subtle in her approach. Anyone who was watching would not have detected that anything was amiss. Realizing that any further resistance was only likely to cause a scene, Leah reluctantly began rubbing her friend's feet.

The first thing that Leah noticed was that her friend's feet were warm with just a hint of dampness. Charlotte's toes were perfectly manicured with French tips. They were also incredibly soft, a combination of the silk hosiery and frequent care. It took about a minute for the smell to reach Leah's nose. It was not wholly unpleasant, but she could detect three distinct scents, sweat, leather and some sort of perfume. While the whole experience was grossing her out, it certainly could have been much worse. Above her Charlotte seemed to be enjoying the attention. She let out a contented sigh and said, "Oh can you get me a mimosa?"

Sensing this was her opportunity to make her escape, Leah attempted to get up. However, she was held down by Annie's hand. "Of course, Miss. I will be right back with that."

Leah sighed with frustration as Annie walked away. She was still stuck giving the massage. On the bright side her overseer was gone. All Leah needed was an opportunity to catch Charlotte alone. However, tt just never seemed to present itself. Guest after guest walked over to talk to the bride to be, and before long Annie had returned with her drink. After handing it to Charlotte, she glanced down at Leah seemingly satisfied with her work. Although that did not translate into her completely walking away. Annie still hovered nearby in case Charlotte should need anything else.

The party continued with ever more guests walking over. Leah's only interaction with her friend was the occasional switching of feet. Despite many of her progressive views, Leah remembered that her friend loved to go to the spa and be pampered. It was one of her vices where she could blissfully lose track of time. Now it was Leah who had begun to lose track of time. She had tuned out most of the room as she focused on the task before her. The only thing that had kept her somewhat aware of her surroundings was the growing pain in her hands.

How long this lasted, Leah could only guess, but something did finally break her out of the fog. Charlotte's mother walked over. "Charlotte dear you seem ever so relaxed."

"Oh mummy this girl has simply been divine. She has magical fingers."

In an instant, Leah popped back to reality. If something happened now it would be terrible. She kept her head looking down. From her vantage point she could only see Vivian Davenport's shoes. They were nude in color and made of fine leather. Leah could only assume they cost a small fortune.

Vivian Davenport appeared to be genuinely pleased. Her rebellious daughter actually seemed to be accepting her place in society. She usually had to drag her willful daughter around these functions. "Well the girl seems perfectly happy to be at your feet Charlotte. Perhaps now you can finally see that some people are just happier serving others."

"Perhaps you are right Mummy." Leah was shocked to hear these words leave her friends mouth. Charlotte had been one of the most vocal advocates for equality. To hear her friend saying such things was truly crushing although Leah thought that perhaps it was all an act. She knew Charlotte often attempted to humor her mother rather than directly confront her. Charlotte had long given up any hope of changing her mother's view of the world.

Leah suddenly felt her friend pull her feet away and begin to stand up. "Now if all of you will excuse me. I need to use the Lady's room." Leah was unsure of what to do. She stayed down on the floor hoping to go unnoticed.

"Girl, go with her." Vivian commanded. As Leah stood up, Charlotte had already started to walk away. After sitting on the floor for so long, she struggled a bit to stand. Her feet were asleep as she stumbled after her friend. Annie followed close behind.

The three women walked down a long hallway away from the party. It took Leah a moment to realize that they were entering the residential part of the house. Apparently Charlotte wanted to use her private bathroom. They passed room after luxurious room as they walked until finally they reached the end of the wing and entered Charlotte's room. It was enormous, at least double the size of Leah's apartment in the city. As they walked toward the bathroom, Leah caught a glimpse of her friend's walk in closet. It was filled with more clothes than most department stores. The entire room just dripped wealth and privilege.

Upon entering the bathroom, Annie remained outside closing the door after the two friends entered. Leah realized that she finally had her chance. She faced Charlotte's back who stood in front of her with her arms in the air. "Well Girl, what are you waiting for? I really have to pee."

Leah paused momentarily before speaking. "Charlotte, it's me."

The silence that followed felt like an eternity. Finally Charlotte turned her head and looked into the mirror. She could see both of their reflections in the glass. "Leah? What the Hell is going on?"

It took a minute for Leah to find her voice. She was blushing with embarrassment as she spoke. "Umm... It's a bit of a long story. Let's just say I was mistaken for the help and did not want to make a scene before I found you."

"The help..." Charlotte paused as the words hung in the air. "Why did you decide to dress like one of the servants?" Charlotte turned and looked at her friend. The similarities between Leah's dress and the servant uniforms were remarkable. Looking closer she could see the differences but to someone barely paying attention it was easy to miss."

"I didn't mean to do it. I was so nervous about my outfit. I didn't want to embarrass you in front of your mother. Clearly I didn't want this to happen. I mean I just spent two hours rubbing your feet just to avoid making a scene."

The wealthy socialite could see the embarrassment and frustration on her friend's face. The realization of what had transpired over the last couple of hours began to sink in. "Oh Leah," she said. "I'm so sorry. If I had known it was you, I never would have had you do that. My God, do you realize that if someone else had come in here with us the expectation would have been that you wipe me as well."

Leah looked like she was going to be sick as she leaned up against the wall. She was filled with a mixture of emotions that were on the verge of bubbling to the surface. Her body was shaking as Charlotte came over to give her a hug. For the first time today, she felt herself begin to relax. The day's nightmare was over. She could finally let her guard down and be herself.

A knock on the door brought both girls back to reality. "Is everything alright Miss?" Annie's voice could be heard through the door.

Charlotte did not immediately respond but finally said, "There's been a bit of an accident. I need you to fetch another uniform."

"Another uniform?"

"Yes, another uniform. Now hurry up." Charlotte sounded annoyed.

"Of course MIss. I will be right back."

Both girls heard the woman's heels on the hardwood floor as she walked away. "Charlotte what was all that about?"

Charlotte turned and looked at her friend. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes... why are you asking that?"

"Look, I know things have been Hell all afternoon but I need you to pretend a little longer."

"What... you can't be serious? I can't go back out there."

"Leah you have to go out there. You have been serving me all afternoon. If you don't go out there my mother will start asking questions. If my mother starts asking questions, she may find out what happened. If my mother finds out what happened she may think you did this intentionally."