Regina's Revenge

Regina "The Vagina" Manning had never been invited to or thrown any parties in high-school. Why she would've hosted a dinner party just before Greenville High's class of '11's ten year reunion was anybody's guess.

Chelsea frowned as she re-read the invitation aloud. "You are cordially invited to a special dinner at the home of Regina Manning," she quoted. "Dinner will be served at 6:30pm RSVP by May 10th 2021." Chelsea pursed her rose pink lips as she turned to face her husband, Chad.

"She must've sent this to the wrong address," she said. "Regina knew we didn't like her. Why would she have us over for dinner?" Chad, who was preoccupied with his fantasy football league, responded. "Ten years is a lot of water under the bridge," he said. "She's probably trying to be nice. Maybe work on getting some new contacts?"

Something still seemed wrong. "I was the one who started that whole 'The Vagina' nickname," Chelsea countered. "She was kinda obsessive, there's no way Regina would just forgive that." Chad clicked the computer mouse hard and sighed angrily. "Hon, there's one way to find out," he said. "You call and tell Regina we'll be there. Otherwise throw the invite out and forget it!"

Chelsea picked up her phone and tapped in the number on the address label. A few rings later a woman answered. "Hello?" She said. "Hi," Chelsea replied. "Is this Regina Manning? " 

"Yes, who is this?"

"It's Chelsea from high-school."

"Oh right! I assume you got my invitation? "

"Yes, Chad and I will be there."

"Great, don't be late."

"Is there anything we can--"

CLICK

Chelsea sat her phone down. "Well, Regina's still a weirdo," she told Chad. He nodded and grunted he'd finally switched to responding to work e-mails. "Uh-huh, " he commented. "We'll be nice though. We're not in high-school anymore. "

The night of the party, Regina pulled out the roast from the oven. "Pricilla," she adressed her digital assistant. "How long till six-thirty?" In a perfect synthesized voice it said, "there is twenty minutes and forty four seconds and counting till that time." Regina nodded, she was ahead of schedule.

While she checked the ingredients for the drinks were all there, Regina's doorbell rang. She closed the refrigerator and went to the living room. The video door bell showed the first of the guests arriving. Composing herself, Regina opened the door. "Becky," she said smiling. "Please come in. Have a seat I'm just getting things on the table." Becky, who had been Homecoming Queen their senior year, entered. "Wow," she said. "Regina, this place is totes spectacular! How do you afford the mortgage?"

"The University pays me well," Regina said. " The dean actually praised my research in radio isotopes in a recent issue of the Alumni newsletter. " Becky, who didn't know much about science chuckled uncomfortably. "Who knew radios were so important!" She enthused. "I thought everything was, like, streaming or apps or whatever." Supressing her irritation Regina tried to be tactful. "Well," she said. "If you've ever been to the dentist or used a smoke detector, you have my forebears to thank. Their research made our lives better and makes my work possible."

After an uncomfortable silence, Becky excused herself and went to examine some abstract painting hanging on the living room wall. More guests arrived and chose to mingle amongst themselves after greeting their host. Last of all, about five minutes before dinner was to be served, Chelsea and Chad arrived. After a bubbly "Hi Regina!" and an awkward hug, Chelsea caught sight of the other attendees.

"Oh my Gawd!" Chelsea screeched. "It's all my peeps from high-school! Becky, Lindsay, Erica! How are you bitches?!" The atmosphere in the gathering warmed. "It's been a while! How has everyone been? Besides the hell that was twenty-twenty," Chelsea asked. "Good I guess," Becky said. "My firm just won a big wrongful death suit against Reynolds-Laurilard. Erica, who's that hot looking mocha-skinned stud next to you?" 

Erica rubbed the well muscled arm of her date. "This is Abdul Hakim, he's the son of an Ambassador from Qatar," she said. "We met at a black tie charity ball in twenty-eighteen. We just got engaged!" Erica showed off a ring with a large ruby set in gold. Gasps of envy and amazement swept through the group of old friends. "Congratulations!" Chelsea said. "So, Lindsay, what have you been doing?"

"I just got off set from filming the latest episode of my reality TV show Lindsay Love!" She confessed. "You can watch me do couples counseling every week at eight-nine central Wednesday night on Women Life Network!" There was a vacuum in the conversation. "Er, that's fabulous," Becky commented. "Unfortunately, I don't think that channel is included in my satellite TV package…but it sounds way interesting!"

Murmurs of assent were briefly heard. "Guys it's dinner time!" Regina announced. "Please come out to my dinning room."

The table was simple but elegant. Electric candles and fairy lights decorated the center mashed potatoes, a pot roast and mixed vegetables were passed around. "I'm a vegetarian," Lindsay announced. "Just potatoes and veg please." Since everyone was passing the food and serving themselves this statement was met by grunts and eye rolls.

Once they had all eaten their fill, Regina stood up. "I hope you all enjoyed your meal," she said. "I've got a special cocktail for you all. I can of course make a non alcoholic version for anyone who would like that." Abdul and Erica were the only two who opted for the soft beverage.

Regina disappeared into the kitchen and mixed the ingredients. Chelsea made sure their host was out of earshot. "So is anyone else surprised that Regina invited us all for dinner?" She asked. "Well it's not like any of us were friends with Regina," Becky said. "Maybe she went to therapy and this is her way of gaining closure?" Chelsea wasn't entirely convinced. "Chelsea," Abdul said. "Perhaps Regina is indeed letting bygones be bygones as the saying goes. Relax no one can stay mad forever."

"You are gonna love these," Regina said. "I call them Neon Cherry Surprise." She carefully sat a drink in front of each of her guests. "Pricilla, " she said. "Lights off." In the darkness, the beverages glowed bright blue. "This is really nice, thanks Regina," Erica said. "I just am wondering, why is your glass different? " It took Regina a minute to answer. 

"Well," she said. "I just ran out of glasses so I made do with what I had. Hey how about a toast? To the tides of fortune!" The guests never questioned why their host's glass didn't glow.

Everyone went to the ten year reunion. But within a week all the people who were at Regina's dinner party were dead. Autopsy revealed daughter isotopes of Polonium. Regina had finally gotten even with her classmates.