Bearly In Love

by Terri Reid

  “The big gala tonight for the Wildlife Reserve,” she reminded him. “Everyone is going to be there.”

  “Yeah, well, have fun,” he replied.

  “You’re not going?” she asked, astonished.

  He shook his head. “No, I’ve got some reports I’ve got to work on,” he said. “And really, I’m not the party-crowd type.”

  “You used to be,” she said.

  He laughed bleakly. “Yeah, well there are a lot of things I used to be,” he said. “But then you grow up.”

  She crossed the street and stood in front of him. She hadn’t noticed before, but he looked awful. There were strain lines in his face she’d never seen before. His clothes seemed to be too loose, and his whole demeanor was changed. The sparkle was gone. “Have you been losing weight?” she asked.

  He shrugged. “I don’t know,” he said. “I’ve been busy.”

  “Henry, when was the last time you went out on a date?” she asked.

  This time the laugh was filled with sadness. He looked at her for a moment, shook his head and turned away. “Turns out I’m not the dating kind either,” he called over his shoulder. “Have fun tonight, Lorraine.”

  She watched him walk back into his house, gnawing uneasiness in the back of her mind. No, he didn’t really love Stacy. He couldn’t. He just thought he did. He’ll get over it soon enough. And when he does, I’ll be waiting, she thought. She started to turn back to her house when she heard her name.

  “Lorraine, good to see you,” Charlene Guthrie called as she made her way to the mailbox next to the road. “Are you coming to the gala tonight?”

  Nodding, Lorraine walked closer to Charlene. “Yes, I am,” she said. “And I’m very excited about it. I’ve heard wonderful things about the new facility.”

  Charlene studied Lorraine for a moment and then nodded. “Yes, Stacy Gage has put her heart and soul into it,” she said. “I am quite pleased with what she’s done. I have to admit I totally misjudged her. The girl has a heart of gold.”

  Lorraine tried to paste a smile on her face. “Yes, sweet, old Stacy,” she replied. “Always the overachiever.”

  “You never did like Stacy, did you?” Charlene asked honestly. “Can you just explain why?”

  Lorraine didn’t even have to think about the response. “Because Henry liked her better than he liked me,” she said with a quick shrug. “He’s always liked her, from the time they were kids.”

  Charlene nodded. “Yes, I see it now, too,” she said. “Quite frankly, I didn’t like her for similar reasons. She wasn’t good enough for my son. He was throwing himself away on her. He needed to find someone closer to his own social status. I was so happy when they went their separate ways, and he started associating with you. I thought he’d finally come to his senses.”

  “Yeah, me, too,” Lorraine agreed slowly. “But he just went back to her. Even though she was all wrong for him.”

  “But what if she wasn’t wrong and we were?” Charlene asked thoughtfully.

  “What do you mean?” Lorraine asked, not really wanting to hear the answer.

  “What if he didn’t just like her? What if he wasn’t just infatuated with her? What if he actually loved her?” Charlene responded reflectively. “I keep asking myself those questions. What if they had that really rare connection from the time they were children? What if they were meant to be together and could only be happy with each other? What if by separating them, I was actually hurting him?”

  She reached into the mailbox and pulled out a handful of letters. “I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately,” she admitted softly, almost as if she’d forgotten Lorraine was standing next to her. “As I watch Henry pull away from everything he once enjoyed, I wonder if my disapproval caused someone I love to lose the very person that made his life worth living.”

  She shook her head. “I’m sorry, Lorraine,” she said with an apologetic smile. “I can run on sometimes. I’ll look forward to seeing you tonight.”

  Lorraine nodded. “Yes, tonight,” she said softly. “I’ll see you then.”

  Chapter Forty-eight

  The doorbell rang and Stacy put down the book she’d been pretending to read and walked towards the door. She did feel a little like Cinderella on the night of the ball, except no fairy godmother was going to show up to dress her. The prince already had a girlfriend, and this Cinderella had turned down her chance to go. She opened the door and was struck dumb with surprise.

  “Are you going to invite me in?” Lorraine asked.

  Stacy stepped back into her house and nodded. Lorraine, carrying a garment bag and a suitcase, walked past her and stopped in the hall. “Are you going somewhere?” Stacy finally asked, looking at the luggage.

  Lorraine shook her head. “No, you are,” she said.

  “What?” Stacy asked, wondering if this was another one of Lorraine’s sick, practical jokes.

  “You’re going to the gala tonight,” Lorraine said.

  “Who do you think you are?” Stacy said.

  “Your fairy god-bitch,” Lorraine replied.

  “I think you need to leave,” Stacy said, holding the door open. “I don’t really want to play your games anymore, Lorraine. I just don’t have the energy.”

  This is going to be harder than I thought, Lorraine surmised silently. Oh well, time for the big guns.

  “I lied to you,” Lorraine said flippantly. “I totally set you up. You were so easy, so gullible. You never even questioned it.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I stole Henry’s shirt. I told my dad to call Henry just before you arrived and to keep him on the phone because I was playing a practical joke,” she said. “Then I hid in the doorway next to the garage and waited for you. I slipped off my robe when you pulled in, and you bought it, hook, line and sinker.”

  Stacy’s jaw dropped. “You lied to me!” she shouted.

  Lorraine looked around. “Is your grandmother home?” she asked.

  Shaking her head, Stacy answered automatically. “She’s spending the night at Melba’s,” she said. “They both think I’m going to the gala.”

  Then she paused and slammed the front door. “But you lied to me,” she yelled again.

  “Yeah, duh, I think I’ve admitted that,” Lorraine said. “I’m a bitch. That should be no surprise to you.”

  “So, why are you here? To rub it in?” Stacy asked.

  Lorraine sighed dramatically. “You really can be very slow,” she said. “I’m here to send you to the ball or the gala or whatever the hell it’s called. I’m here to make amends because what I did not only hurt you — which I really don’t have a problem with— but it also hurt Henry, and he’s been my only true friend for most of my life.”

  “Henry’s hurt?” Stacy asked.

  “His heart is broken,” Lorraine said seriously. “And you and I did it.”

  “Wait, how do I figure into it?” Stacy asked.

  “You didn’t trust him,” Lorraine replied. “I may have set it up, but all you had to do was ask him.”

  Stacy thought back to the last words she’d spoken to Henry after he’d accused her of suing Adventureland. I thought you would have known I would never do something like that. I thought you would have trusted me.

  “Yeah, he didn’t even get back home from working overnight at Adventureland until after six-thirty that morning,” Lorraine added. “I thought I was going to have to wait until the next day.”

  Gasping softly, she remembered Ed telling her that the boss hadn’t left until six and then he’d just gone home to shower. Why didn’t she just ask him?

  She nodded. “You’re right. I didn’t trust him.”

  “So, we need to work a little magic tonight,” Lorraine said. “We need to get you ready for the ball and you need to go rescue Henry from his castle.”

  “You’re mixing up your fairytales,” Stacy said, a slight smile on her face.

  “Hey, I’m the fairy god-bitch,” Lorra
ine replied. “I tell them the way I want to.”

  She unzipped the garment bag and pulled out a long, black, silk georgette gown.

  “It’s beautiful,” Stacy said softly, fingering the flowing material and then looking up at Lorraine. “But, it’s not your usual style. You always wear dresses that are more…”

  She froze and bit her lower lip.

  “Slutty?” Lorraine offered with a smile.

  “Well, yes,” Stacy replied with an apologetic shrug.

  “Yeah, well, I thought Henry might be more interested in me if I looked more like you,” she replied. “Really, this has been your dress all along.”

  “I can’t do this,” Stacy stepped back and shook her head.

  “You have to do this. This isn’t for us. It’s for Henry,” Lorraine said, pulling Stacy towards her bedroom. “Now let’s get busy, because I can see my work is cut out for me.”

  Stacy froze. “Excuse me?” she asked.

  Lorraine grinned. “If you wanted nice, you should have gotten yourself a real fairy godmother.”

  Chapter Forty-nine

  Forty minutes later Stacy stood in front of bedroom mirror in awe. The dress fit perfectly, the shirred, V-necked bodice molding faultlessly to her breasts and the skirt draping softly over the rest of her curves. “This is amazing,” she said.

  Lorraine nodded. “Yeah, you’ve got boobs. Who would have guessed? If this doesn’t knock Henry’s socks off,” she said, “nothing will.”

  “Thanks, Lorraine,” Stacy replied sarcastically.

  “Sure,” she smiled. “No problem.”

  She handed Stacy a small, jewelry box that contained a diamond necklace and matching earrings. “These are a loan,” she said. “And don’t get too close to my mom, because she’ll recognize them and probably rip them off your neck.”

  “What?” Stacy choked.

  “Just kidding,” Lorraine replied with a chuckle. “But seriously, stay away from her. Okay, we just need one more thing. Hold on while I get it out of my purse.”

  Lorraine started to leave the room, and Stacy leaned forward, looking into the mirror. “And don’t touch anything,” Lorraine warned. “You’re perfect just the way you are. Practice walking in my heels.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Stacy replied.

  Lorraine turned and then turned back. “You know, I kind of like this whole fairy god-bitch thing,” she said. “I get to be bossy and do good deeds.”

  When she left the room and hurried down the hall, Stacy grinned. She almost felt sorry for Lorraine’s future Cinderellas.

  A few moments later Lorraine walked back in and handed Stacy a set of car keys.

  “What’s this?” Stacy asked.

  “Really?” Lorraine asked. “You don’t recognize car keys?”

  Shaking her head, Stacy took a quick, calming breath. “I mean, why are you giving me car keys?”

  “Because I can’t do the whole pumpkin into a carriage thing, and there is no way I’m letting my creation drive down the street in your car,” she replied.

  Chuckling softly, Stacy took the keys. “Thank you,” she said. “Do I return it by midnight?”

  Lorraine laughed. “No, I’ll take your car…it is an automatic, right?” she asked.

  Stacy nodded.

  “Good,” Lorraine said. “I’ll take your car, and we can swap sometime tomorrow. Or next week if Henry decides to whisk you away to Las Vegas and marry you.” She waved her hand carelessly back and forth. “Whatever. I know you’re too goody-goody to steal it.”

  “Thank you for all you’ve done,” Stacy said, moving towards Lorraine.

  With a squeal and some quick movement, Lorraine jumped out of Stacy’s reach. “No hugging,” she reprimanded. “You’ll mess yourself up. The only person you can hug is Henry. Got it?”

  Stacy smiled, picked up her purse and nodded. “Got it.”

  “Good. Now get out of here and don’t get a ticket driving my car,” Lorraine said as she walked Stacy to the door. “And go straight to Henry’s house. It’s already getting late.”

  She stood at the door and watched Stacy walk to her car and then turn back to her. “Thank you, Lorraine.”

  Lorraine nodded and sniffed back a tear. “And for heaven’s sake,” she called out the door, “don’t drive with the top down.”

  Chapter Fifty

  Despite Lorraine’s advice, there was one place Stacy had to go before she went to Henry’s house. Hopping on the highway, she headed out to Adventureland. If this was going to be a Cinderella story, then there had to be a slipper, and she knew exactly which one would fit the bill. Twenty minutes later, she pulled into the parking lot, which was ablaze with lights for the guests attending the gala, and drove up to the gate. Tonight she would break the rules and park as close as she could.

  The horse and carriage she’d hired to trolley guests back and forth between the parking lot and the new Wildlife Reserve pulled up next to her. “Do you need a ride?” a charming young man asked.

  She shook her head and smiled. “No, thank you,” she said. “I’m not going in your direction.”

  She hurried through the gate towards the employee locker rooms, opened the door with her key and flicked on the lights. Hurrying past the racks of regular employee costumes, she went to the far end of the room where the large, character costumes were stored. A large bear head lay on a shelf above an oversized locker. Opening it, she found exactly what she was looking for, the bear foot that went with Henry’s costume. Picking it up, she closed the locker and smiled.

  “Now I can go rescue the prince from the castle,” she chuckled to herself.

  Hurrying back to her car, she noticed that some of the guests were already leaving, and the parking lot was beginning to empty. Well, the gala wasn’t the important thing, she decided. Letting Henry know that she’d been wrong was. She pulled into the line of cars heading down the drive towards the highway.

  She glanced at the speedometer. They were going about fifteen miles an hour. She tapped on the steering wheel impatiently. “Come on, come on, come on,” she urged, resisting the impulse to beep at the donors.

  Finally, they reached the highway. Stacy entered the on ramp and then slid over into the left lane, passing the party goers who had all the time in the world. She was really impressed by the power in Lorraine’s car and smiled as she accelerated smoothly, passing them easily. “This is amazing,” she said, giving the car just a little more gas.

  Flashing red and blue lights in her rearview mirror had her heart thumping against her throat. “No,” she said, glancing down at the speedometer and flinching when she saw how fast she had been driving.

  She pulled over to the right lane, praying the police car would sail past her after some other law breaker, but her stomach churned when the cruiser pulled in behind her, its lights flashing. She pulled onto the shoulder, put the car in park and laid her head on the steering wheel. “Damn it,” she muttered. “Why can’t things ever go my way?”

  She pulled her identification out of her purse and rolled down the window, waiting for the officer to approach. “Well, it’s your own fault,” she said aloud. “If you hadn’t been in such a hurry.”

  “Pardon me?”

  Stacy jumped and turned to see an officer at the window, a flashlight in his hand. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I was lecturing myself on stupidity.”

  She handed him her identification.

  “Stacy?” he said. “Stacy Gage?”

  She peered up at him, but the beam of the flashlight blinded her. “Yes, I’m Stacy,” she said. “I’m sorry, I can’t see you very well. Do we know each other?”

  “I was on the volunteer clean-up crew at Adventureland after the tornado came through,” he said.

  “Oh, well, thank you. You all did such a great job,” she replied.

  “Well, I was also the guy the bison was charging when you came running out of the building and nearly got run over,” he added.

  She nodded. �
�That was an intense situation, wasn’t it?” she said. “I’m glad George was such a push-over for apples.”

  The officer handed her back her identification. “Well, one good turn deserves another,” he said. “So, if you promise me you’ll keep to the speed limit, I’ll just let you off with a warning.”

  “Oh, thank you so much,” she replied. “I will drive under the speed limit.”

  He laughed and shook his head. “Just be safe,” he said.

  “Thank you. I will.”

  He turned and walked back to the cruiser. Stacy breathed a sigh of relief and eased the car out into the right lane, being careful to keep the powerful car under control.

  Twenty-five minutes from the time she left Adventureland, she pulled onto the street to Henry’s house. The lights were on at the front door, but she didn’t see Henry’s truck in the driveway. Pulling up next to the garage, she parked the car and hurried up the walkway, the bear slipper in her hand.

  She pressed the doorbell and waited, her heart pounding against her chest. What if he didn’t answer the door? What if he slammed the door in her face? What if he—

  She heard the door knob jiggle on the other side and stiffened, all thoughts leaving her head.

  “Hello?” an unfamiliar woman stood at the door.

  “Hello, I’m looking for Henry,” Stacy said.

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” the woman replied. “He went to the gala at the amusement park.”

  “But I thought he had decided not to go,” she said, shaking her head in disbelief.

  The woman smiled. “Well, his mother decided he was going,” she explained. “And he did not have much of a choice.”

  Stacy sighed. “Thank you,” she said, turning away from the door.

  “Would you like to wait?” the woman asked. “They should be home soon.”

  “No, thank you,” she replied, knowing the chance to reconcile with Henry had slipped through her hands. “Good night.”

  Chapter Fifty-one