"The only cause I'll support is a worthy one," she said. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves so far. The air was full of anticipation. A sharp ache cut through the buzz of anticipation. She winced, though the only sign of that was a sudden tightness around her mouth.<br/><br/><em>Not tonight,</em>she silently pleaded with whatever power was out there. That would be a disaster, especially with some of the names on the guest list. The lights were too bright, music too loud, and was it just her or was there something off about the smells coming from the kitchen?<br/><br/>No, it would be fine. She'd done this before. And it had always been more difficult for her than anyone knew. Yes, she was a charismatic, sophisticated woman who knew how to sparkle with the best of the A-listers. But tonight especially it was important to see things went off without a hitch.<br/><br/>"I do not know yet," she admitted. "At least ten thousand dollars though," she said. "That's after deducting expenses." That made her feel better. She smiled. The smile remained fixed on her face, even when they overheard the conversation. Dangerous talk. But she agreed.