Mercedes' charity event is a huge success: Eleanor had a lot to do with the art auction in the afternoon, both in organizing before hand and then taking notes for her magazine article later. In the evening comes the banquet, well attended by the wealthy set. Eleanor has already forgotten the name of the woman she's seated by, and she's not really listening to her, she's thinking about Justin as she waits for him to meet her here. She hasn't told him yet, she's rented a room for them in this hotel for the night. It's a special night for her, she did a wonderful job handling Mercedes' auction & she thinks she could even make herself successful in the art field: she's taken her first steps on the road to a real adult life, and she wants to celebrate by doing the one thing she hasn't been able to stop thinking about lately. She had to force herself all day to concentrate on the auction, but every Gregg Hills photograph brought up for bidding, those gorgeous male nudes posed so gracefully, would make her think of Justin, graphic sexual fantasies that would make her blush.

As soon as Justin does arrive, he tells her how gorgeous she is. He never even glances at the other women, all top shelf beauties in a city known for manufacturing beauty, Eleanor can't help but feel special around him, like she's the only girl in the room.

Mercedes staggers up behind Justin: Eleanor has seen her throw a few back, but she's never seen her boss lose it physically.

Mercedes looks angry & bewildered, an odd combination, and starts bitching about the flower arrangements at the auction.

Then she starts bitching about the woman Eleanor sat next to at dinner, flitting from complaint to complaint as though she can't land quite comfortably on any of them. She hasn't even given Eleanor a chance to introduce her to Justin.

When she does finally turn her attention on Justin, Mercedes pulls out her compact & primps herself, looking at her reflection as she says "This must be your boyfriend, Eleanor. I must say, you must have made your mother jealous with this one."

Mercedes is revolting, sometimes.