Mrs. Wong's Finishing School, Part 3

MRS. WONG'S FINISHING SCHOOL
by uciboy

BEGIN PART III

As May walked into the kitchen, she took out the phone number for Mrs. Wong
that Caroline had given her and dialed the phone.

"Hello, Mrs. Geraldine Wong?  My name is May Tsai, I'm a friend of Elizabeth
Chiu.  Her daughter, Caroline, was one of your pupils."

"Oh, yes Mrs. Tsai.  Mrs. Chiu told me I should probably expect a call from
you."

May nervously took a puff on her Virginia Slim, feeling more than a little
guilty that she was even making the call.  "I must say that I'm very
impressed with your work.  Caroline is a completely different person now."

"Well," Mrs. Wong replied modestly, "I like to think that I just point the
way for these young women who have gone off the path.  In the end, they make
the choice to return."

May was feeling more at ease now.  "I would be grateful if you could do the
same for my Lilly.  I want so desperately for her to come home to where she
belongs."

"Mrs. Tsai," replied the kind voice on the phone, "I'm here to help.  I'll
just need a little information about Lilly's upbringing.  And please - tell
me what cigarette brand you smoke...."

*****************************************************************

When May broke the news to Lilly that she would also be attending Mrs. Wong's
Finishing School when Jenny returned, sparks flew.  Lilly protested that she
just wanted to lead a normal life, but May was adamant.  Lilly finally gave
in when she convinced her mother to donate $2,000 to the fundraiser she and
Jenny were planning.  May acceded to the request, hoping, of course, that
when Lilly returned there would be no need to pay up.


For her part, Lilly was still confused about Caroline's behavior since she
had returned home.  Not only was she eager to see her friend, but she wanted
to talk to Caroline about what to expect at the finishing school.  For nearly
two weeks, Caroline either was not answering the phone or was busy doing
things with her mom in preparation for her ball the following month.  On the
day that Jenny was to return home and Lilly was to depart for San Marino, she
finally decided to just show up at Caroline's doorstep early that afternoon.

"Lilly," Elizabeth said with surprise when she opened the door on her way out
and found Lilly ready to knock.  "Shouldn't you be getting ready to go to San
Marino?"

"Why is everyone so eager for me to go to finishing school," Lilly thought to
herself.  As she walked into the foyer of Elizabeth's mansion, she replied,
"I'll be leaving in a few hours.  Is Caroline home?"

Elizabeth hesitated.  She didn't think it was a good idea that the girls
converse before Lilly left, but before she could make up an excuse, she saw
Caroline gracefully walking down the stairs, a freshly lit 120 between her
fingers.  "It's okay, Mom," Caroline said, "I'll see her."  Elizabeth looked
up at Caroline with some concern.  "You can go now," the debutante said, as
if she were addressing a servant.

Lilly stood aghast at the scene of her friend standing half-way down the
staircase and bringing the long white cigarette up to her lips for a puff.

"What are you doing?" Lilly asked in shock.

"It's my new look," Caroline said after blowing a stream of smoke from the
stairs.  "Do you like it?"

"No!" Lilly replied.  "You're...you're smoking!  Are you nuts?  Don't you
know how bad that is for you?"

"You have no idea how good it feels," Caroline answered with great
satisfaction, bringing the Max up to her lips for another puff as she walked
down the stairs and into the living room with Lilly in tow.

"Caroline, who are you?  What happened at that finishing school?"

Caroline leaned over a coffee table and gave her cigarette a tap above an
ashtray before sitting down on the couch.  "I have a new perspective on life,
Lilly.  I'm part of an elite in society.  I understand, now, that I'm better
than most people - and it's time I started acting like it."  She gently took
another puff on her Max and exhaled a creamy stream towards Lilly.

After a little cough from the smoke, Lilly said, "Caroline, why are you
having this ball?  You always said that you wouldn't get married until you
were in your 30s; at least until you finished med school."

"I've decided not to go to college," she answered blandly as she gave her
cigarette a wave.  "I plan on enjoying myself for the rest of my life.  Why
would I want to work?"

Now Lilly knew something was very wrong.  Caroline had talked about nothing
else for the last 2 years of high school except wanting to be a doctor.  And
now here she was, ready to throw all that away.  "Caroline, I need to know
what happened to you in San Marino.  My mom is sending me to that finishing
school today."

"I know," Caroline said eagerly, the cigarette held upright along side her
face, "you're gonna love it.  I want you to call me as soon as you get home
in two weeks."

"Caroline," Lilly pleaded, "tell me what happened to you!"

Caroline sat up with excitement ready to tell all.  "Well," she began, but
was interrupted by an "uh-hum" from Elizabeth who had been listening secretly
from the next room and now walked in to join the girls.

"Oh, oh," Caroline smiled, "I don't want to ruin the surprise."  She stood up
from the couch and said with a smile to Lilly, "Give Geraldine my regards."
Lilly watched her walk slowly back up the stairs, the cigarette dangling from
her fingers in an incredibly seductive way.

"Tell your Mom I said hello," Elizabeth said to Lilly, thus giving a signal
that it was time to leave.

As Lilly drove out of Caroline's driveway, she was angry.  Something happened
in San Marino, and she was going to find out what.

END PART III

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