As soon as he arrived in the dining room, his father and Maxwell stood up like gentlemen. All of them, with looks of admiration. Nanny and Beth remained seated, but they were also in awe. Anna felt triumphant at that moment and walked confidently to her seat next to Maxwell.
"You look beautiful, my child." Her father said, but he didn't seem satisfied with her choice of clothes, so he sat down and Maxwell followed him. "I almost didn't recognize you... That's not really your style..." He said and Anna noticed a slight tone of reproach in her father's voice, which revealed that the impression she had gotten of his displeasure was real.
"I thought you'd be pleased to see me looking more... Sophisticated."
"Sophisticated? That's not quite how I define your choice... You're still very young." His father replied and watched the food being placed on the table with a frown. "You seem to have prepared yourself like these dishes. To be devoured. You're not old enough to wear that heavy make-up, and that dress that leaves you half-naked... Honestly, you look like a whore."
Everyone was silent at the table, and no one touched their food. Anna's father faced her hurt, but at the same time defiant gaze.
"I'm surprised. I didn't expect you to spoil my evening, before I knew why I had prepared everything so carefully... That food in front of you I spent the afternoon cooking. You're a miserable old man!" She said with tears now dripping down her face, and tried to get up, but Maxwell stopped her, holding her by the arm.
"Then say it Anna!" Dad said angrily. "What reason do you have for... Justify this? He asked, covering her dress with his hands and then crossing his arms.
Anna tried to pull herself together, but all her security was gone. She hadn't expected her father to react like that. She didn't even stop to think about his reaction. He was always so understanding... Now she was afraid to continue what she had started, because she felt that Maxwell had the same opinion as her father. But she couldn't stop now. Her inner determination wouldn't allow it. Even if it meant being further humiliated, she would say what she had come there to do. She picked up the glass of wine in front of her and said softly;
"I wanted to toast my happiness with all of you, as Maxwell and I consummated our marriage last night." She said and raised her glass. But no one else accompanied her. The nanny was surprised, and with her eyes watering, Beth looked at the door with the obvious intention of getting up and running out. Anna was sure she felt like running out of there. Her father was staring at Maxwell in disbelief, and Maxwell was amazed at her audacity and kept looking at her with a disapproving eye. Only Ian, sitting in his armchair, didn't seem to mind. But he was bothered by the atmosphere there.
"How could you do such a thing, Maxwell? Have you gone mad? Did you remember... did you think about Adam? Did you think about all the things that might have involved you getting involved with that girl? Fuck! Maxwell! She's not a toy that your little brother has cast aside, and that you can feel entitled to take for yourself, just because you looked after him! What were you thinking?" His father asked, looking even angrier at Maxwell.
"I was going to explain..." He said nervously. "I didn't plan it, I was also taken by surprise. I ask you to forgive me... You weren't supposed to know about this, not like this, and not... With an audience..."
Anna's father stood up.
"This apartment has suddenly become very small." He said interjectedly, and turned to Anna. "Pack your bags and leave that slutty dress as a souvenir for Maxwell! We're leaving now!" He said and left the table.
To everyone's surprise, Maxwell immediately went after him.
Anna couldn't stop the tears from washing down her face. She had been humiliated and now didn't know how to get up without tripping over herself. She turned to Helen and Beth.
"Aren't you going to leave too?" Anna asked sadly, but trying to put a debauched tone in her voice. She felt terribly humiliated.
"I came for dinner. I didn't know there would be such a heavy atmosphere here." Beth said thoughtfully. "I thought you had already consummated this marriage a long time ago. Ian is almost five months old... They felt as if you had exposed your intimacy in public and these two men are very reserved and discreet. And I don't think you thought it could go wrong. You tried to be romantic, and they didn't understand. I understand. But know that you can fix this, both with your husband and with your father. Don't leave it like that. Hurts are like poorly healed wounds. They always open up..." Beth said and stood up. "I have no doubt that this feast you've set before us is worthy of the gods, but... I'm going to leave so you can sort it out with them. We'll celebrate later. I'm sure of it. And I'm on your side, don't ever doubt it." She said and left.
Anna took a deep breath, not knowing how she could turn the situation around with her father and Maxwell. She didn't even know if she wanted to. They could have left it to humiliate her later, in privacy. She looked at the nanny, who was still staring at her in surprise.
"And you Helen?"
She stared at her for a long time before answering.
"What's going on here?"
"What part of humiliation don't you understand?" Anna asked sarcastically, taking a single sip of all the wine in her glass and refilling it. It seemed that she was going to become an alcoholic, like her father had been, because she was willing to get drunk one more night. And she realized that drinking made things temporarily easier.
"What do you mean, you hadn't consummated the marriage yet? And Ian?"