Diplomacy

the smaller halls and consequently, it was fairly packed. Most of the guests were older, stuffy men with bored looking women by their sides, and very few people were actually looking at the objects on display.
    Lucas scanned the room for Jack, but couldn’t find him, so he guided Lucy towards a large tapestry covering most of the wall nearest to them. He didn’t want to venture too deep into the crowd in case he would miss Jack walking in.
    Tall, elegant, but stern looking young men in tails walked around the room carrying trays with drinks and Lucas was quick to scoop up two glasses of champagne, handing one to Lucy.
    “We should mingle with the crowd, Lucy, there are a lot of important people in this room,” Lucas suggested, but he saw panic overtake his girlfriend’s face. “Don’t worry, I’ll be here,” he offered with a smile, though it meant that it would be virtually impossible to talk to Jack alone tonight.
    Just at that moment flashbulbs went off at the front entrance and all eyes turned to the couple that walked in.
    Jack wore an elegant dark suit and tie, and Maria looked absolutely radiant in a powder blue two piece. They were greeted by the curator of the museum and quite a few of the other guests flocked towards the entrance to shake their hands.
    Lucas knew he and Lucy would have to bide their time before going over to them. This function required far more protocol and their status of personal friends would not carry far here. Jack would probably open the exhibit or at least observe that opening, and many more ‘higher D i p l o m a c y | 45

    ranking officials’ would want to talk to him before Lucas and Lucy could greet him.
    Although Lucas knew this, he still wanted the American to be aware of his presence, so he casually led Lucy into Jack’s range of view.
    He still had the feeling Jack had been ignoring him all this week and he wanted it resolved tonight, one way or the other.
    “Why can’t we just get in line with everyone and go say hi?” Lucy asked.
    “Because there are other people he needs to meet first, Lucy,” he shot at her, then sighed, “I’m sorry, but we can’t just…” Lucas didn’t finish his sentence, because Jack was staring him straight in the eye, his expression blank. After an almost imperceptible nod, Jack’s eyes turned to an older lady in traditional Indian costume, who was clearly introducing herself. The surrealism of the situation made Lucas wonder if the nod of recognition had really been there, or if he had just wished it.
    As one of the waiters passed with another tray of drinks, Lucas replaced his empty champagne flute with a full one. Jack was ushered towards the passage to the exhibition where he would have to cut a ribbon to open it officially, so with Lucy still on his arm, Lucas followed the stream of guests into the hallway. He made his way to the front of the crowd that formed a large semicircle to listen to the short speeches and official words of welcome.
    Lucas couldn’t help but admire the natural ease with which Jack acquitted himself of his task and the grace with which he turned the focus away from himself and his presence here to place it on the plight of ancient culture in today’s global society and the importance of the preservation of indigenous culture and art. His short and concise speech even contained humor as he added that Belgians were particularly adept at understanding this, since they had been conquered by so many nations in their past before becoming a country in their own right.
    Lucas was wondering if Jack wrote his own speeches when their eyes met again. Once more Jack’s expression was unreadable and he turned away almost immediately, leaving Lucas with a hollow feeling in the pit of in his stomach. He couldn’t just stand here; this was driving him crazy. If Jack didn’t want to have anything to do with him ever again, he wanted to hear the man say it himself.

    46 | Z a h r a O w e n s

    After the ribbon was cut, the crowd was allowed to enter the exhibit and it dispersed quickly. Lucas and Lucy were finally able to make it over to where Jack and Maria were still being greeted by all sorts of people.
    “Lucy, Lucas!” Maria greeted the young couple warmly with a kiss on the cheek. “What a surprise to see you here! Lucas, I didn’t know your liaison duties extended to art exhibit openings?”
    “They don’t,” Lucas answered trying to come up with an excuse, but drawing a blank. “I was just…