"Oh no, I can't have my stomach poking out. I can't eat anything."

I head for the wine bottle on the gozillion-dollar chifforobe but Miss Celia gets to it before me, dumps the rest into her gla.s.s. She hands me the empty and smiles. I pick up her fur coat she's got tossed on the floor. She's getting pretty used to having a maid.

I saw that dress four days ago and I knew it looked hussified--of course she had to pick the one with the low neckline--but I had no idea what would happen when she stuffed herself inside it. She's popping out like a corn cob in Crisco. With twelve Benefits under my belt, I've hardly seen so much as a bare elbow there, much less bosoms and shoulders.

She goes in the bathroom and dabs some more rouge on her gaudy cheeks.

"Miss Celia," I say, and I close my eyes, praying for the right words. "Tonight, when you see Miss Hilly . . ."

She smiles into the mirror. "I got it all planned. When Johnny goes to the bathroom, I'm just going to tell her. That they were over with by the time me and Johnny started getting together."

I sigh. "That ain't what I mean. It's . . . she might say some things about . . . me."

"You want me to tell Hilly you said hi?" she says, coming out of the bathroom. "Since you worked all those years for her mama?"

I just stare at her in her hot pink getup, so full of wine she's almost cross-eyed. She burps up a little. There really isn't any use telling her now, in this state.

"No ma'am. Don't tell her nothing." I sigh.

She gives me a hug. "I'll see you tonight. I'm so glad you'll be there so I'll have somebody to talk to."

"I'll be in the kitchen, Miss Celia."

"Oh and I've got to find that little doo-hickey pin . . ." She teeters over to the dresser, yanks out all the things I just put away.

Just stay home, fool, is what I want to say to her, but I don't. It's too late. With Miss Hilly at the helm, it is too late for Miss Celia, and Lord knows, it is too late for me. is what I want to say to her, but I don't. It's too late. With Miss Hilly at the helm, it is too late for Miss Celia, and Lord knows, it is too late for me.

THE BENEFIT.

chapter 25.

THE JACKSON JUNIOR LEAGUE Annual Ball and Benefit is known simply as "the Benefit" to anyone who lives within a ten-mile radius of town. At seven o'clock on a cool November night, guests will arrive at the Robert E. Lee Hotel bar for the c.o.c.ktail hour. At eight o'clock, the doors from the lounge will open to the ballroom. Swags of green velvet have been hung around the windows, adorned with bouquets of real holly berries.

Along the windows stand tables with auction lists and the prizes. The goods have been donated by members and local shops, and the auction is expected to generate more than six thousand dollars this year, five hundred more dollars than last year. The proceeds will go to the Poor Starving Children of Africa.

In the center of the room, beneath a gigantic chandelier, twenty-eight tables are dressed and ready for the sit-down dinner to be served at nine. A dance floor and bandstand are off to the side, opposite the podium where Hilly Holbrook will give her speech.

After the dinner, there will be dancing. Some of the husbands will get drunk, but never the member wives. Every member there considers herself a hostess and will be heard asking one another, "Is it going alright? Has Hilly said anything?" Everyone knows it is Hilly's night.

At seven on the dot, couples begin drifting through the front doors, handing their furs and overcoats to the colored men in gray morning suits. Hilly, who's been there since six o'clock sharp, wears a long taffeta maroon-colored dress. Ruffles clutch at her throat, swathes of material hide her body. Tight-fitted sleeves run all the way down her arms. The only genuine parts of Hilly you can see are her fingers and her face.

Some women wear slightly saucier evening gowns, with bare shoulders here and there, but long kid-leather gloves ensure they don't have more than a few inches of epidermis exposed. Of course, every year some guest will show up with a hint of leg or a shadow of cleavage. Not much is said, though. They aren't members, those kind.

Celia Foote and Johnny arrive later than they'd planned, at seven twenty-five. When Johnny came home from work, he stopped in the doorway of the bedroom, squinted at his wife, briefcase still in his hand. "Celia, you think that dress might be a little bit too . . . um . . . open at the top?"

Celia had pushed him toward the bathroom. "Oh Johnny, you men don't know the first thing about fashion. Now hurry up and get ready."

Johnny gave up before he even tried to change Celia's mind. They were already late as it was.

They walk in behind Doctor and Missus Ball. The b.a.l.l.s step left, Johnny steps right, and for a moment, it is just Celia, standing under the holly berries in her sparkling hot pink gown.

In the lounge, the air seems to still. Husbands drinking their whiskeys stop in mid-sip, spotting this pink thing at the door. It takes a second for the image to register. They stare, but don't see, not yet. But as it turns real--real skin, real cleavage, perhaps not-so-real blond hair--their faces slowly light up. They all seem to be thinking the same thing--Finally... But then, feeling the fingernails of their wives, also staring, digging into their arms, their foreheads wrinkle. Their eyes hint remorse, as marriages are scorned (she never lets me do anything fun), youth is remembered (why didn't I go to California that summer?), first loves are recalled (Roxanne . . .). All of this happens in a span of about five seconds and then it is over and they are left just staring.

William Holbrook tips half his gin martini onto a pair of patent-leather shoes. The shoes are attached to the feet of his biggest campaign contributor.

"Oh, Claiborne, forgive my clumsy husband," says Hilly. "William, get him a handkerchief!" But neither man moves. Neither, frankly, really cares to do more than just stare.

Hilly's eyes follow the trail of gazes and finally land on Celia. The inch of skin showing on Hilly's neck grows taut.

"Look at the chest on that one," an old geezer says. "Feel like I'm not a year over seventy-five looking at those things."

The geezer's wife, Eleanor Causwell, an original founder of the League, frowns. "Bosoms," she announces, with a hand to her own, "are for bedrooms and breastfeeding. Not for occasions with dignity."

"Well, what do you want her to do, Eleanor? Leave them at home?"

"I want want her to cover. Them. Up." her to cover. Them. Up."

Celia grabs for Johnny's arm as they make their way into the room. She teeters a bit as she walks, but it's not clear if it's from alcohol or the high heels. They drift around, talking to other couples. Or at least Johnny talks; Celia just smiles. A few times she blushes, looks down at herself. "Johnny, do you think I might've overdressed a little for this thing? The invitation said formal, but these girls here all look like they're dressed for church."

Johnny gives her a sympathetic smile. He'd never tell her "I told you so," and instead whispers, "You look gorgeous. But if you're cold, you can put my jacket on."

"I can't wear a man's jacket with a ball gown." She rolls her eyes at him, sighs. "But thanks, honey."

Johnny squeezes her hand, gets her another drink from the bar, her fifth, although he doesn't know this. "Try and make some friends. I'll be right back." He heads for the men's room.

Celia is left standing alone. She tugs a little at the neckline of her dress, shimmies down deeper into the waist.

". . . there's a hole in the buck-et dear Liza, dear Liza . . ." Celia sings an old county fair song softly to herself, tapping her foot, looking around the room for somebody she recognizes. She stands on tiptoe and waves over the crowd. "Hey Hilly, yoo-hoo." Celia sings an old county fair song softly to herself, tapping her foot, looking around the room for somebody she recognizes. She stands on tiptoe and waves over the crowd. "Hey Hilly, yoo-hoo."

Hilly looks up from her conversation a few couples away. She smiles, gives a wave, but as Celia comes toward her, Hilly heads off into the crowd.

Celia stops where she is, takes another sip of her drink. All around her, tight little groups have formed, talking and laughing, she guesses, about all those things people talk and laugh about at parties.

"Oh, hey there, Julia," Celia calls. They'd met at one of the few parties Celia and Johnny attended when they first got married.

Julia Fenway smiles, glances around.

"It's Celia. Celia Foote. How are you? Oh, I just love that dress. Where'd you get that? Over at the Jewel Taylor Shoppe?"

"No, Warren and I were in New Orleans a few months ago . . ." Julia looks around, but there is no one near enough to save her. "And you look very... glamorous tonight."

Celia leans closer. "Well, I asked Johnny, but you know how men are. Do you think I'm a tad overdressed?"

Julia laughs, but not once does she look Celia in the eye. "Oh no. You're just perfect perfect."

A fellow Leaguer squeezes Julia on the forearm. "Julia, we need you over here a second, excuse us." They walk away, heads leaned close together, and Celia is alone again.

Five minutes later, the doors to the dining room slide open. The crowd moves forward. Guests find their tables using the tiny cards in their hands as oohs and aahs come from the bidding tables along the walls. They are full of silver pieces and hand-sewn daygowns for infants, cotton handkerchiefs, monogrammed hand towels, a child's tea set imported from Germany.

Minny is at a table in the back polishing gla.s.ses. "Aibileen," she whispers. "There she is."

Aibileen looks up, spots the woman who knocked on Miss Leefolt's door a month ago. "Ladies better hold on to they husbands tonight," she says.

Minny jerks the cloth around the rim of a gla.s.s. "Let me know if you see her talking to Miss Hilly."

"I will. I been doing a super power prayer for you all day."

"Look, there Miss Walters. Old bat. And there Miss Skeeter."

Skeeter has on a long-sleeved black velvet dress, scooped at the neck, setting off her blond hair, her red lipstick. She has come alone and stands in a pocket of emptiness. She scans the room, looking bored, then spots Aibileen and Minny. They all look away at once.

One of the other colored helpers, Clara, moves to their table, picks up a gla.s.s. "Aibileen," she whispers, but keeps her eyes on her polishing. "That the one?"

"One what?"

"One who taking down the stories bout the colored help. What she doing it for? Why she interested? I hear she been coming over to your house ever week."

Aibileen lowers her chin. "Now look, we got to keep her a secret."

Minny looks away. No one outside the group knows she's part of this. They only know about Aibileen.

Clara nods. "Don't worry, I ain't telling n.o.body nothing."

Skeeter jots a few words on her pad, notes for the newsletter article about the Benefit. She looks around the room, taking in the swags of green, the holly berries, red roses and dried magnolia leaves set as centerpieces on all the tables. Then her eyes land on Elizabeth, a few feet away, ticking through her handbag. She looks exhausted, having had her baby only a month ago. Skeeter watches as Celia Foote approaches Elizabeth. When Elizabeth looks up and sees who she's been surrounded by, she coughs, draws her hand up to her throat as if she's shielding herself from some kind of attack.

"Not sure which way to turn, Elizabeth?" asks Skeeter.

"What? Oh, Skeeter, how are you?" Elizabeth offers a quick, wide smile. "I was . . . feeling so warm in here. I think I need some fresh air."

Skeeter watches Elizabeth rush away, at Celia Foote rattling after Elizabeth in her awful dress. That's the real story, That's the real story, Skeeter thinks. Skeeter thinks. Not the flower arrangements or how many pleats are around the rear end of Hilly's dress. This year, it's all about The Celia Foote Fashion Catastrophe. Not the flower arrangements or how many pleats are around the rear end of Hilly's dress. This year, it's all about The Celia Foote Fashion Catastrophe.

Moments later, dinner is announced and everyone settles into their a.s.signed seats. Celia and Johnny have been seated with a handful of out-of-town couples, friends of friends who aren't really friends of anyone at all. Skeeter is seated with a few local couples, not President Hilly or even Secretary Elizabeth this year. The room is full of chatter, praise for the party, praise for the Chateaubriand. After the main course, Hilly stands behind the podium. There is a round of applause and she smiles at the crowd.

"Good evening. I sure do thank y'all for coming tonight. Everybody enjoying their dinner?"

There are nods and rumbles of consent.

"Before we start the announcements, I'd like to go ahead and thank the people who are making tonight such a success." Without turning her head from the audience, Hilly gestures to her left, where two dozen colored women have lined up, dressed in their white uniforms. A dozen colored men are behind them, in gray-and-white tuxedos.

"Let's give a special round of applause to the help, for all the wonderful food they cooked and served, and for the desserts they made for the auction." Here, Hilly picks up a card and reads, "In their own way, they are helping the League reach its goal to feed the Poor Starving Children of Africa, a cause, I'm sure, dear to their own hearts as well."

The white people at the tables clap for the maids and servers. Some of the servers smile back. Many, though, stare at the empty air just above the crowd's heads.

"Next we'd like to thank those nonmembers in this room who have given their time and help, for it's you who made our job that much easier."

There is light applause, some cold smiles and nods between members and nonmembers. Such a pity, Such a pity, the members seem to be thinking. the members seem to be thinking. Such a shame you girls haven't the gentility to join our club. Such a shame you girls haven't the gentility to join our club. Hilly goes on, thanking and recognizing in a musical, patriotic voice. Coffee is served and the husbands drink theirs, but most of the women keep rapt attention on Hilly. ". . . thanks to Boone Hardware . . . let us not forget Ben Franklin's dime store . . ." She concludes the list with, "And of course we thank our anonymous contributor of, ahem, Hilly goes on, thanking and recognizing in a musical, patriotic voice. Coffee is served and the husbands drink theirs, but most of the women keep rapt attention on Hilly. ". . . thanks to Boone Hardware . . . let us not forget Ben Franklin's dime store . . ." She concludes the list with, "And of course we thank our anonymous contributor of, ahem, supplies supplies, for the Home Help Sanitation Initiative."

A few people laugh nervously, but most turn their heads to see if Skeeter has had the gall to show up.

"I just wish instead of being so shy, you'd step up and accept our grat.i.tude. We honestly couldn't have accomplished so many installations without you."

Skeeter keeps her eyes on the podium, her face stoic and unyielding. Hilly gives a quick, brilliant smile. "And finally, a special thanks to my husband, William Holbrook, for donating a weekend at his deer camp." She smiles down at her husband, adds in a lower tone, "And don't forget, voters. Holbrook for State Senate."

The guests offer an amicable laugh at Hilly's plug.

"What's that, Virginia?" Hilly cups her ear, then straightens. "No, I'm not running with him. But congressmen with us tonight, if you don't straighten this thing out with the separate schools, don't think I won't come down there and do it myself."

There is more laughter at this. Senator and Missus Whitworth, seated at a table in the front, nod and smile. At her table in the back, Skeeter looks down at her lap. They spoke earlier, during the c.o.c.ktail hour. Missus Whitworth steered the Senator away from Skeeter before he could give her a second hug. Stuart didn't come.

Once the dinner and the speech have ended, people get up to dance, husbands head for the bar. There is a scurry to the auction tables for last-minute bids. Two grandmothers are in a bidding war over the child's antique tea set. Someone started the rumor that it had belonged to royalty and had been smuggled out via donkey cart across Germany until it eventually wound up in the Magnolia Antique Store on Fairview Street. The price shot up from fifteen dollars to eighty-five in no time.

In the corner by the bar, Johnny yawns. Celia's brow is scrunched together. "I can't believe what she said about nonmembers helping. She told me they didn't need any help this year."

"Well, you can help out next year," Johnny says.

Celia spots Hilly. For the moment, Hilly has only a few people around her.

"Johnny, I'll be right back," Celia says.

"And then let's get the h.e.l.l out of here. I'm sick of this monkey suit."

Richard Cross, who's a member of Johnny's duck camp, slaps Johnny's back. They say something, then laugh. Their gazes sweep across the crowd.

Celia almost makes it to Hilly this time, only to have Hilly slip behind the podium table. Celia backs away, as if she's afraid to approach Hilly where she'd seemed so powerful a few minutes ago.

As soon as Celia disappears into the ladies room, Hilly heads for the corner.

"Why Johnny Foote," Hilly says. "I'm surprised to see you here. Everybody knows you can't stand big parties like this." She squeezes the crook of his arm.

Johnny sighs. "You are aware that doe season opens tomorrow?"

Hilly gives him an auburn-lipsticked smile. The color matches her dress so perfectly, it must have been searched out for days.

"I am so tired of hearing that from everybody. You can miss one day of hunting season, Johnny Foote. You used to for me."

Johnny rolls his eyes. "Celia wouldn't have missed this for anything."

"Where is is that wife of yours?" she asks. Hilly's still got her hand tucked in the crook of Johnny's arm and she gives it another pull. "Not at the LSU game serving hot dogs, is she?" that wife of yours?" she asks. Hilly's still got her hand tucked in the crook of Johnny's arm and she gives it another pull. "Not at the LSU game serving hot dogs, is she?"

Johnny frowns down at her, even though it's true, that's how they met.