I only have eyes, for you
You’re old money. Carol is a woman you meet at one of your parents’ “mandatory” dinner parties and suddenly you have a reason to want to be at every single one that isn’t the promise of the family business
warnings: sleazy man, unwanted touching (not from carol), carol coming to DEFEND, tiny argument between parents (not serious, it's literally over cake), insults, CLEAR dislike of men.
songs - I Only Have Eyes For You, The Flamingos || Baby, i'm yours, Cass Elliot || Oh My Angel, Bertha Tillman.
not beta-read! please be patient!
authors note: baby's first fanfic..🥹 on another note, carol has been running through my head since i watched in and she does NOT have enough fics so i decided to make oneee!
Another party, another day wasted on keeping up the “public image” your parents claim they fought so hard to build. You sit up out of your bed, groaning, the weight of sleep still heavy and it shows on your face.
You stumble to the mirror to be met with bedhead and chronic bags under your eyes. You look at your calendar “big birthday banquet for mom.” staring back at you in red ink.
You sighed, walking over to your window and opening it wide to be met with fog. The fog was hazy, preventing most of your view which was a disappointment.
Soon, rapt knocking sounded on your bedroom door. The family maid Amber’s voice floating through the door. “Miss Vanderbilt?” Her voice was soft, she knew how much you hated being awoken. “You know I hate to do this but..your parents are calling for you downstairs. I advise you to freshen up, they seem quite..frosted this morning.”
“Of course, Amber!” You bellowed through the door with a slight annoyance. You rubbed your eyes, going into your closet, plucking any dress off the hanger and heading to the washroom.
You heard them before you even saw them.
“RUSSEL!!” you heard your mother screaming about something. The sigh came automatically. Making your way towards the commotion, you found your parents in the kitchen, multiple different cakes on the table.
“Mother? What seems to be the issue?” You’d managed to keep the annoyance out of your tone. She turned to you, for some reason absolutely fuming.
“The issue? Oh, I'll tell you my issue! Your bonehead of a father still hasn't picked out a flavor of cake and the banquet is tonight!” She gritted out, looking around 9 seconds away from strangling your father.
“In my defense, your mother is a very complicated woman. Personally, It ain’t no skin off my nose, I'll eat the cake regardless.” He said, voice gruff.
They were having a screaming match over cake flavors. Cake flavors. Physically the most boneheaded thing they could be arguing about at 8 in the morning. You walked over, surveying the flavors and without a hitch you chose.
“Lemon. It’s mother's favorite, and guests love it. There, you guys both win. Is that settled now?”
The both of them said in time, immediately your mother ran to the phone, calling someone, likely about the cake order.
“So..” Your father started, fiddling his fingers in the way he did when he was going to say something you wouldn't like. “We think it’s time you find a suitable man to settle down with.” He said with a sheepish tone, hoping this attempt wouldn't fail as horribly as the last.
“Father, I have already told you—” sighing, you started your normal argument again just to be cut off.
“It’s just that you're an only child and a female, you’ll need to bear children to continue your legacy!” He said, trying to argue but you were already leaving back up the stairs. “Please!!! Think about it!!!” He called after you.
“You both are still around the child bearing age, have a boy for all i care! I won't be settling for a man who cannot even thank his drivers, father!” Your parents had tried to set you up on many, many dates with their best friend's son, Theodore. Each and every time you told them he was a pig who would never get the chance to be near you.
The man was sloppy, conventionally attractive? yes, but he wasn't..there, there. All looks, no brains. Not to mention he was just plain rude and all about the downfall of women, frankly he was embarrassing and you would never settle for a man as sleazy as Theo.
He also wanted only one thing from you, sex. He’d made that abundantly clear when he flaunted his “package size” on your first date to try and intrigue you. You gagged, the thought absolutely disgusted you.
In short, Theo would never have you, not if you had absolutely any input on the situation.
Upstairs, you immediately took to your journal, jotting down everything that had just happened. You write in there a lot, just to get every feeling off your chest. Years of entries, anger, sadness, maybe even love.
You closed it, setting it down in your bedside drawer. Thoughts of Theo clouded your head as soon as you weren't distracted with something else “maybe he’s not so bad.” you whispered to yourself , you immediately gagged. He was that bad.
Now, with the banquet in two hours, you had to get ready. You stood, mentally preparing yourself before looking at yourself in the mirror and whispering:
“Whatever happens tonight, don't take it super seriously.”
8:00 pm - August 15th, 1952.
The party was in full swing, the hired band doing a great job.
You sat in a corner, nursing a glass of champagne. This was the entire plan : Sit in a corner, Avoid Theo, Be free of this ‘small’ banquet.
It was going well so far, until the one man you didn't want to see sauntered up. Theodore Du Pont.
“Hey baby, you over in this corner alone?” He said, trying to sound somewhat romantic. You shuddered, his voice was such a turnoff.
“Yeah, avoiding you.” You shot back, not wanting to entertain the man you turned away, planning to move to any other place in the dining hall. He caught your wrist, pulling you back.
“Don't be like that. Your parents like me, you're just playing hard to get. ‘Cmon, one time you let me take you out?” He said, basically pleading for your attention and validation now.
“No, Theodore. Like everytime.” You said, voice still level, though your nerves were on fire. He was too close, too fast. His cologne was overpowering, and he just kept getting closer and closer. You tried to get away, unable. You shut your eyes to try and will the man away from you, to no avail.
That was until his hands were soon gone. You sighed with relief and opened your eyes. The man was staring at some woman like she had personally killed his family. An older, taller woman. Your gaze couldn't help but trail upwards to her face…
She was blonde, Her hair short, curled perfectly in a way that fascinated you to no end. Her eyes were a crystal like blue, one that you’d search the deepest depths of any cave to see looking back at you. Her lips were red, the lipstick pulling everything about her together. She was beautiful, no doubt about it. Sure she was a little older but you were gearing up to run away from your lavish lifestyle for this woman already.
Her gaze trailed to you. It softened immediately, not the glare she had pinning Theodore to his spot.
“Are you alright, darling?”
areudirty
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