by T. J. Dell
“Homecoming? This would have been way overboard for a homecoming dance. Mel picked it out yesterday actualy, and she lent me her store discount.”
“That’s good.” Sounding genuinely pleased Tony relaxed into his seat and draped one are across the back of the pew.
The wedding was very beautiful. And if anyone had asked her the details of the ceremony later Libby would have had nothing to say. You see it was basicaly impossible to concentrate on anything other than Tony’s warm arm on the back of her seat, and how the tips of his fingers would occasionaly brush against her bare shoulder sending bolts of electricity through her nervous system.
There weren’t a lot of options for elegant affairs in Lindstown, but there was very nice hotel in the center of town with a big bal room, and that is where they headed for the reception. Mel of course rode over in the limo with the bridal party, so Tony and Libby rode together in his car.
And that pseudo-date feeling snuck its way back into Libby’s head. Libby had been on a few dates, but ‘date-talk’ was pointless between her and Tony since they already knew each other inside and out. That didn’t mean that they rode in awkward silence though. There was always and easiness between them. Even when they were silent it was never realy truly awkward.
“I have decided to start compiling an anthology of short stories. I have some new ideas, and with a little work a few of my older pieces could realy be something.” They were discussing his writing. He talked passionately about were discussing his writing. He talked passionately about his creative writing professor, and about a writing group he had joined that was ful of peer critiques which were apparently tremendously helpful. Libby smiled and listened.
This was how she liked Tony: ful of excitement and plans, and sure of himself. This was her Tony. “I haven’t given up on a real novel though. I have a hundred ideas. I am leaning towards a detective series. Thrilers. Real best seler list stuff, but I think getting my feet wet with some short stories is smart.” Tony guided his car into a spot at the hotel. “I’m boring you aren’t I?” He said it with humor but there was sincerity too. He hadn’t meant to ramble on and he didn’t have many private moments with Libby and now their 15 minute car ride was over and she hadn’t gotten a word in edgewise.
“You never bore me.” Libby giggled softly at the very idea of being bored and being with Tony at the same time. “Wil I get to read it?”
And there it was, that only-for-Libby smile. Tony covered her hand with his. “You wil be the very first. I promise.”
It was a perfect night. Everywhere she looked Libby was charmed by the silver and gold Christmas themed decorations. Of course, she was seated with Marchetti family, but it didn’t escape her that she ended up in the chair next to Tony rather than the one next to her date, Mel. They were served a beautiful fancy meal with more forks than she had any idea what to do with, but she could hardly feel uncomfortable sharing a meal with the Marchetti’s. No matter what the trappings.
When the band started to play great aunt somebody-or-another came and stole the family away for photos. Even then— when she was left alone at the table, smiling dumbly at her goblet of ice water, she stil didn’t have any time to feel awkward. Because the minute Tony’s arm left the back of her chair she had plenty of attention.
She danced once with one of the groom’s friends but he stepped on her toes, and his hand was a little too low on her back. So she was happy to oblige when Mel’s cousin Nick cut in. Nick was probably two years younger than her, but he kept his hands to himself and he was a good dancer.
Besides he confided in her that he had been stuck at a kid’s table. And if there was anything Libby could sympathize with it was being labeled as a kid. After laughing with Nick through the electric slide Libby found herself with Frankie.
Frankie Marchetti was one of many, many Marchetti cousins, but Libby had met him once or twice before when she tagged along to family functions. She thought he was maybe one year older than Tony, and he was very good looking. Tal like Tony was, but with a darker complexion and slightly too beefy muscles Frankie was from one of the more Italian branches of the family tree. But he was a good dancer even if he did hold her a little too close.
“So. Little Libby… al grown up.” His head started to bend towards her, and panic seized control of Libby’s brain making her step backwards. Frankie’s words were so close to what Tony had said and yet they made her stomach lurched in a very different way.
“Sorry. It’s so warm in here I think I wil get a drink.” Libby walked away quickly. At the bar everyone in front of her was leaving with a glass of champagne and Libby had just about made up her mind to order one for herself when Tony’s hand closed around her elbow.
“Cherry Coke… extra cherries, and champagne for myself.” Tony spoke smoothly to the bartender, but his eyes narrowed when he steered her back to their table. “Do you drink now?” He accused her.
“How do you know I wasn’t going to order the Cherry Coke?” Libby bristled at her abrupt return to kid sister status.
“You wear your every thought on your face. If you were a little older I would love to play poker with you.” Libby jerked her elbow out of his grasp. “I am old enough thank you very much.” Although at this point it was anybody’s guess as to what she was old enough for. “And you are hardly a stelar example. What would you have done if they had carded you for that glass of champagne?” Tony arched a brow in her direction. “I would have shown him my ID.” He answered wryly.
“Don’t be ridiculous you are only 20.”
“I have an ID that says otherwise” Tony murmured as they settled themselves back at their stil empty table.
“Wel wel. Pot meet kettle.” Libby muttered more to herself than to Tony.
“Come on Lib. There is a difference. You are 16!
I wil be 21 this summer.”
“I’l be 17 in two weeks.” Now Libby was realy talking to herself as she felt the last of her pseudo-date buzz slip away.
“And is 17 old enough to make out with my somewhat skeazy cousin Frank?” Tony was whispering now but every word was laced with anger and disapproval.
So that was it. Tony felt he had to rescue little Libby McKay from his big bad wolf of a cousin. “He has a girlfriend. And how would Sam Tucker feel about you draping yourself around Frank?”
Again with Sam Tucker. For Pete’s sake they had been on three lousy dates, and shared one lousy kiss. Big emphasis on the LOUSY. “I did not make out with Frankie. We danced to two songs. Then I got warm so I decided to get a drink and sit down.” She didn’t add that sitting down had actualy been Tony’s idea. No point in reminding him of that. “And Sam Tucker wouldn’t have any reason to give a damn one way or another even if I left with Frankie.”
“Which you are NOT going to do!” Tony was so shocked by her words he knocked over the glass of champagne. Not that he realy wanted it—he had been more trying to make a point by ordering it.
“Which I am not going to do.” Libby agreed easily.
“Just like I did not make out with him.”
“He kissed you.” Tony hissed although more calmly since reason was now settling back into place in his brain.
“And why wouldn’t Sam care?”
“We aren’t a couple Tony. We went out a few times, but it was nothing. And Frank almost kissed me. I walked away but I guess you missed that part while you were busy rescuing me from myself. Not that any of that is your business. I have been kissed before. I am not a little girl.”
Sam wasn’t her boyfriend. Libby didn’t have a boyfriend. Wait who had she been kissing? “Who have you been kissing?”
“Again, not your business. But I do believe I kissed you earlier today.”
you earlier today.”
“And here I thought I was the one who kissed you.” And just like that things were okay again. Tony had seen red when he came looking for Libby and saw her so close to Frank that he doubted a piece of paper could have passed between them and
he thought he saw them kiss.
But, he could have been wrong about that. And Libby was here now. And she wasn’t dating Sam Tucker. “I’m sorry Lib. I was… wel I had a weird moment but I’m better now.”
There it was her just-for-Libby smile. So she wasn’t angry anymore. “How did the photos go?” She tried to change topics.
Tony grinned. “They took forever! Al those moms and aunts and grandmas and great aunts and no one knew what was going on or who should stand where. It was a mess. Remind me, when the time comes, to elope!” For just a moment his last words hung in the air between them taking on a slightly different meaning then he had intended.
Wow. Did the air sizzle and snap! Leaning in, Tony touched her arm. “Dance with me Libby.”
When they danced Tony held her close. Not pressing against her the way Frankie had, but he gently tugged her into him and tucked her head under his chin.
“You smel like lavender.”
“It’s lotion. I have dry skin.”
Tony chuckled. Only Libby could make having dry skin sound so sexy. “You smel great. I love it. A few heartbeats passed before Tony spoke again. “Did I tel you Olivia’s colege roommate, Tara, pinched my ass during the photos?”
“What!” Libby laughed at the conversation change and puled back a little to look him in the eyes.
“She did! I felt like a piece of meat. It was disgusting.” A smile quirked at the edge of his mouth “and she is headed right for us.” Tony leaned down and whispered in her ear. “Let’s you and I pretend we are here together—on a real date.”
“What?” Libby breathed out the word even as her heart skipped.
“Please? It wil chase Tara away.” His breath was warm and moist on the shel of her ear.
“Kay” she turned to look at him, but his face was only an inch away from hers. He wasted no time in closing that distance. This was no gentle mistletoe kiss.
His lips molded firmly to hers. His tongue swept over lips and she opened, wiling him to deepen the kiss.
“Tonnyy!!” A high pitched, sugar sweet, sing-song voice invaded their moment. “I hope you are saving a dance for me.” The woman was a few years older than Tony and blond bombshel that filed out her bridesmaid dress like she had gotten it a size too smal—on purpose.
“Tara.” Tony turned keeping his arm around Libby. “I don’t believe you have met my date—Libby McKay.” His voice was easy, but not warm. Tara did not take the hint.
“Your date?” Tara looked confused for a moment, but she recovered quickly. “Libby. Oh right, Libby.
Aren’t you little Melanie’s date?”
“Does it look like I am on a date with Mel?” Sliding her free arm across Tony’s chest until it rested just inside his suit jacket Libby angled her body into his. Libby was not going to be intimidated, and she sure as hel wasn’t giving up on a date with Tony Marchetti – even if it was a pretend date.
“Wel I guess I wil see you two around.” Tara turned around looking a little dazed and headed towards the bar.
“You were amazing!” Tony spun Libby back into his arms laughing. “Is she stil watching?” Libby had no idea where Tara was. “Yes” She answered immediately.
“Good.” Tony drew her into another deep kiss.
Angling his mouth over hers this kiss shook her al the way to her toes and as he backed away he softly whispered
“wow”.
Every minute of that night was forever burned into Libby’s memories. Most of her dances belonged to Tony, and he even presented her with a glass of champagne when it was time for the toasts. Al too soon the evening was over, and Tony was dropping her off at home. She hoped he would walk her to the door and maybe she would even get another kiss.
“I had fun Lib.” Tony cocked a grin at her as he puled up in front of her building.
“Me too.”
“Wel have a great Christmas. I won’t be home again for awhile. I have an early flight out tomorrow and I start at the Examiner the next day. But I’l be in touch.” And he said the whole thing smiling. Libby couldn’t believe it. The best night of her life and a dress worth an entire winter break of servitude to her mother’s bakery and he would be in touch. ”
“Great. Thanks for the ride. Merry Christmas.” She climbed out of the car. Her apartment was on the fourth floor. For the first two flights she was determined to be angry with him. But by the time she finished climbing the last two flights she was determined to be positive. It had been a great night. And he did say that he had fun. By the time she fel asleep that night she was sure that Tony Marchetti was one step closer to realizing he couldn’t live without her.
Chapter Three
Merry Christmas! It was so weird to miss Christmas with the fam, but plane tickets home would have been worth way more than my sorry ass makes in a month. I love it though. Not that I ever get to do anything important but it’s a real newspaper. You know? I talked to mom and dad and Mel earlier. It sounds like they had a good holiday. My across the hall neighbor and I went out for Chinese. It sounds lame but it was kind of cool.
I thought about calling you, but I didn’t know when you’d be busy. So Merry Christmas Libby I hope it was a good one.
-t-
Chinese sounds good. You know me and my mom—
we ate so many Christmas cookies that neither of us could eat the Turkey dinner we made. So we had turkey pot pie for lunch today. I saw your family yesterday. I stopped by for a little while, they missed you—even Mel.
stopped by for a little while, they missed you—even Mel.
I missed you too
-L-
A few days later a box came in the mail for Libby.
Inside she found a digital runner’s stop watch. A little hand held thing that had settings for keeping track of her best times, and trends, and other things she hadn’t even known she needed to track. It was the most thoughtful gift. And Libby liked it almost as much as the card she found enclosed. It was a plain holiday card with a drawing of mistletoe on the front and inside Tony had scrawled a note in this barely decipherable writing.
thought this would come in handy. Lots of luck.
Love, Tony.
Love. Not Sincerely, and not Yours Truly. No, Tony had signed love. Of course boys probably didn’t think very much about these sorts of things so Libby tried very hard not to read too much into it. But that didn’t mean that she didn’t do a happy dance around her bed room after tucking the card into the frame of her dresser’s mirror.
Just got your package. I love it. It is perfect.
Tryouts are in two weeks so keep your fingers crossed for me!
-L-
How did it go?
-t-
I’m so in! They post the official results tomorrow, but I had the fastest mile. Not the fastest mile for a girl. I had the fastest OVER ALL mile! Just shows what a good stopwatch will do for training.
-L-
Not five minutes after she hit send, she got a thril from the message box’s ‘ping’.
TMarchetti: That’s great! Congrats
Libbylibbylibby: Thanks I am super excited about this.
I have never played any sports before. At first I just wanted to have an extracurricular for my colege apps this summer, but now I totaly want to win.
TMarchetti: that’s great lib. You sound happy. I’m sure it was al you, but I am glad you liked the stop watch.
They chatted about nothing in particular for almost 45 minutes. Libby floated into her bed that night.
Every couple of days she had come to expect an email or a text from Tony. Nothing particularly special or personal in content, but he always made her smile and occasionaly he had her laughing so hard her eyes would water. A week or so later she got a birthday card in the mail, and it joined her Christmas card in a place of honor above her dresser. That was their pattern. Light and occasionaly slightly flirtatious pen pals. It meant the world to Libby, but sometimes she had to wonder what, if anything, it meant to him.
/> Happy Birthday Lib. Mel says you are going to a movie? That sounds awfully tame for one of your parties! Do you remember the year when you two dragged us to The Little Mermaid on Ice ? You were so disappointed in Prince-What’s-his-Name. I hope you have fun.
-t-
It was Prince Eric! And the actor was all wrong.
the movie was fun. I guess we have just outgrown princesses and ice shows.
-L-
Wow. All state! Mel was so excited for you she barely spent any time talking about prom dress shopping. I was more interested in your news anyways.
Why didn’t you tell me last week when we talked?
-t-
Well I am pretty excited, but I figured I would wait and see how I actually place before I got all braggy about it. I didn’t want to have to tell you if I came in last – it would be too awful.
-L-
You’re dumb. That better be the last time you ever worry about having to tell me anything. Besides no way are you coming in last place. I wish I could make it home for the all state meet, but I really need all the study time I can get.
-t-
“Sam Tucker asked you to prom?” Mel was
out of breath as she ran into the bakery. “And you said NO!”
“Realy Mel, who is your informant? It hasn’t been more than an hour.” Sam had asked her right after school let out, and now 45 minutes later Mel was already in the know. “He wasn’t upset; it was more of an I-don’t-have-a-date-you-don’t-have-a-date sorta thing.” Mel puled a face. “You could have a date. I know you aren’t interested in Sam that way, but he is way hot and a good dancer. And at least you could go to the PROM!” Her eyes narrowed as Libby concentrated on arranging a tray of cup cakes. “You do want to go don’t you? You haven’t been out with anyone in ages. Actualy not since Christmas-- is this stil about Tony?” She could feel the color rushing to her cheeks.
