by Angela Blake
Rachel loved it.
“Oh my God, I can’t wear that!” she cried, hand over her mouth.
“Why the hell not?” Sergio asked not sounding at all amused.
“It’s too…” Rachel was lost for words.
Barry smiled at her, his head tilted to the side and hands palmed together, “Oh dear, she really is Cinderella,” he said to Sergio soto voce, “Yes darling, you do deserve to wear the wonderful dress and go to the ball with the ugly sisters,” he continued aloud to Rachel.
She flicked her fingers at him and then took a step forward to run her hands down the soft silky fabric.
“It’s beautiful,” she murmured.
“And you shall look gorgeous in it,” Sergio replied.
Rachel looked up, a suspicious shine to her eyes. She wasn’t used to people doing nice things for her, “Thank you,” she choked.
“Oh honey,” Sergio said stepping forward to fold her into his arms, “You’re so welcome.”
Barry clapped his hands excitedly, “And now to the best part!” he cried, “the fitting.”
He whirled around, rooting around in a bundle of clothing sitting on a chair. When he turned around he was holding two black, wispy pieces of fabric.
“The most important part,” he said with a wink, “the lingerie.”
Rachel opened her mouth to protest but then really looked at Barry and Sergio’s eager faces. She really could not deprive them of this. Not after everything they’d done for her.
“Okay,” she conceded, “but not too slutty.”
Barry looked innocent, “But honey, I thought you weren’t planning on getting laid anyway?”
Rachel stuck her tongue out at him, “You know what I mean Barry. Now stop being facetious and show me how to put these pieces of lace and silk on.”
The rest of the afternoon flew by as she let Sergio and Barry fuss over her; arguing about hair and makeup, fluctuating between black and pink underwear, or maybe both; and whether she should wear sandals or peep toes.
“God your toes honey!” Barry exclaimed catching sight of them, “Sergio call Laverne right away. This girl needs to get her nails done tuit bloody suite!”
Sergio rushed dramatically off to pick up his phone and rattle off a text.
Rachel sat on the cushion with a sigh. She felt like a rescued waif with no control over what her rescuers would do to her. She also had a knot in her stomach because she had not yet spoken to her mother about the ball, or the fact that she was going.
It could go either way; her mother might be pleased with her for taking the initiative and trying to improve the business…or she might put it down as a waste of time and resources and accuse Rachel of trying to goof off.
There was definitely no way she could go home with the dress Sergio and Barry had gotten her. Her mother would take one look at it and make assumptions. Even though she knew about her gay friends from the lingerie shop, she tended to exercise the right to have selective memory when it suited her.
Rachel sighed.
“Guys? I gotta go talk to my momma,” she said reluctantly.
Barry laughed, “Actually honey we were thinking that this would be one of those good times to ask for forgiveness after rather than permission now.”
“I can’t just not turn up after work!”
“Of course you can’t. And we wouldn’t dream of making you. But that nice Auntie Glory from the choir offered to go pick Sarah up this evening. They are having a small tea at the Women’s Guild.”
Rachel stared at them, “You didn’t…” she said.
“Oh yes we did.”
Aunt Glory was the doyen of the church choir at St. Francis of Assisi; the Hart’s church. Sarah Hart had been trying to get into her good graces for years and failing miserably. Glory well knew what kind of person Sarah was and she did not approve of how she treated her daughter. Rachel had heard her mother complain many a time about how Sarah was blocking her from joining the Women’s Guild – one of the most prominent church groups – because Glory was jealous of Sarah. She’d had to bite her tongue sometimes to avoid retorting to her mother because of some of the things she said. For Glory to agree to spend the evening with Sarah was truly bending over backward.
“What…how?” Rachel spluttered at a loss for words.
“Never you mind.” Barry said, “Now sit back so Laverne can do your eyebrows.”
Rachel sat.
***
The ball was being held in a bona fide castle. As her Uber drew up to the grounds, she was not above gaping like a provincial at the palatial building. The Oheka Castle grounds stretched before in well-manicured splendor as a doorman dressed in finest colonial style stepped smartly up to her door and opened it for her. She extended her sandaled foot out the door, flashing an azure blue painted toe as she maneuvered elegantly out of the vehicle. The doorman took her hand and led her with gentlemanly demeanor to the metal detectors where a group of gentlemen dressed in dark suits waited. One examined her invitation closely while another searched her purse. The third led her to a metal detector where she tensed, wondering if she should take off her jewelry. She had a simple silver chain with an emerald pendant around her neck, courtesy of Sergio’s great aunt Dolores and a silver ring on her finger with an inlaid platinum band, courtesy of Barry’s jewelry box. Her earrings were simple pearls, a birthday present from the guys. Barry kept them in his jewelry case as well to avoid Rachel having to answer awkward questions. She passed through the metal detector without setting anything off and heaved a sigh of relief. For a moment she wished Sergio and Barry had been able to accompany her. It would have been nice to have people she knew nearby. But Barry had given her his invitation, and Sergio wasn’t about to attend the ball without him.
“You should have invited a plus one,” Barry had whined at her as she was leaving.
“Who? Benny the possible serial killer?” she’d retorted.
Sergio gasped theatrically, “I thought it was wrong to make fun of your customers,” he cried dramatically.
“I’m not…I...oh,” Rachel blew a raspberry in his face and rushed into the Uber before he could retort.
***
There were a lot of older white men in the room, standing around in groups, seemingly congratulating each other on their life choices. Rachel figured that those were the people she should be talking to but she didn’t know how to start. Should she walk right up to a group and just introduce herself or stand around like a wallflower waiting for someone to notice her? It was a conundrum.
“Yaas honey, work that dress!” a voice said from behind her and she turned in surprise. There was a tall woman in turquoise standing behind her, regarding her with an approving smile. She had on a headdress that might rival any peacock within a ninety mile radius and her makeup was so over the top Rachel had to remind herself not to stare.
“Uh…hi.” She said a bit shakily holding out her hand to be shaken. The woman was a lot to take in.
“Aww, aren’t you a sweetheart?” the woman replied ignoring her hand and reaching for Rachel. She pulled her close, enveloping Rachel in a cloud of Chanel number five. The hug didn’t last very long but it still left Rachel discombobulated.
“Martina Elwes, at your service,” the woman said as she kissed the air on each side of Rachel’s cheeks.
“R-Rachel Hart,” Rachel replied feeling quite out of her depth.
“Us girls gotta stick together right?” Martina said leaning in confidentially. She then threaded her hand through Rachel’s and pulled her further into the room, “Come, let me introduce you to everyone,” she said.
Rachel went.
***
Martina seemed to know everyone and Rachel’s head was whirring with names and her purse was full of business cards by the time they called people to their places for dinner. Fortunately or unfortunately, there were place mats with everyone’s name on them and Martina was on a different table from
Rachel. She had introduced the girl to three people who were on her table so at least Rachel didn’t have to start from scratch. She made shy conversation with the stockbroker from Illinois who was looking to expand his business in the city as well as the small business representative from Brooklyn.
She was surprised to find that the two men were subtly vying for her attention, trying to one up each other in conversation and achievements. She hardly knew what to do with herself, never having been in this position before. As the appetizers were taken away and the first course served, she fired off a rapid text to Barry telling him about her situation. She got back a row of laughing-till-they’re-crying emojis for her trouble and an adjuration to have fun with it.
Rachel sighed, turning back to her dinner companions with a wide fake smile on her face. She could do this.
For the business.
Chapter Three: Dances with Stags
After dinner, during which the orchestra played suitably slow accompaniments to the meal, the music sped up a bit. It was time to dance.
The governor and his wife opened the dance but pretty soon, other people were joining them on the dance floor. Rachel watched from her corner of the room, swaying a bit to the beat of the songs. She wasn’t here to dance though. She was here to network.
“May I have this dance?”
She turned to see the stockbroker holding out his hand, a smile on his face. She opened her mouth to say she wasn’t here to dance but he beat her to it.
“Please.” he said, “Just one dance.”
It would be rude to refuse she thought. Plus she really liked the tune they were playing.
“Alright,” she said with a nod as she placed her hand in his. Just one dance.
She was on the floor all night. First one partner then another whirled her about like she was the princess she looked like. She didn’t recognize half of them seeing as it was a masquerade ball and most people were wearing masks. Rachel couldn’t remember the last time she’d had so much fun.
There was a curious prickling along her shoulder blades on and off all night though. It felt like she was being watched. She would glance around, trying to see who or what could be causing that sensation but all around her were dancing couples and nothing else. She finally decided that she was being silly and just tried to keep her mind on her current dance partner.
“May I cut in?” a silky smooth voice said in her ear as the next dance came to an end. She shivered involuntarily and looked around to see who-
Her gaze went up and up and up to behold a man in a beast mask. For a moment, she thought wildly that she should definitely have gone with the beauty and the beast outfit. In spite of the stag mask he was wearing with impossibly long horns, Rachel was struck by him. Something about him was familiar even though she knew that if she’d ever met this man before she would most definitely remember.
“Er…” she said even as his warm hand enveloped hers and pulled her close. Her mouth felt very dry all of a sudden. Before she could say another word or think another thought, she was floating around the dance floor in his arms. His eyes…she could not stop staring at them. They were curiously green or hazel, perhaps shifting in the light. Were they contacts? She couldn’t tell. She could tell that they went very well with his stag mask. How could a mask be so captivating? Surely bits of synthetic fur and painted plasticine should not be so compelling.
“Your…mask is…” she ventured to say.
“I thank you. I like your costume as well. The silver brings out the color of your skin most attractively.”
Rachel found it hard to even blink, “Er, th-thank you. You’re…very tall.”
The man laughed. Rachel could feel the vibration of his mirth against her bosom. She felt her heart speeding up at the sound. This was quite ridiculous.
“I hope that is a compliment. Do you like tall men?” he asked.
“Huh?” Rachel was too caught up in his mesmerizing eyes to pay much attention to this words.
“I said do you like tall men?” he asked again.
He had to know what he was doing to her. The thing with his eyes and the staring and the…hypnosis. It had to be deliberate.
Right?
“Uhh…” she said throat working, “Yes?”
“Is that a question? Are you not sure?”
Rachel blinked, shaking her head slightly like a wet dog before looking back at him, “I…meant that yes, I do enjoy a tall man.”
The man in the mask smiled. Yes his mask covered his mouth but somehow, Rachel could tell he was smiling.
“What’s your name?” she asked softly and would have immediately clamped a hand to her mouth if he wasn’t holding one and the other curved around his shoulder like her life depended on it.
“My name is Brendan,” he said, seemingly unfazed by her blushing embarrassment, “Brendan O’Brien.”
“Pleased to meet you. I’m Rachel.” She said.
“Rachel,” he rolled the name around his tongue like it was a piece of candy, “Beautiful name.”
“Thanks,” Rachel replied with a pleased grin. She didn’t know why but she was really glad he liked her name. They floated around the dance floor until the song came to an end.
“Can I buy the lady a drink?” Brendan asked.
Rachel smiled, “I believe it’s open bar,” she said.
“Nevertheless…” Brendan countered.
Rachel shrugged, “Why not?” she said.
He seemed inordinately pleased, “Come right this way my…” his voice trailed off without saying what of his she was. Rachel wanted to stop him, make him finish the sentence but it was really too early in their acquaintance for such familiarity. So she let it go. But she didn’t forget.
***
He brought her a mimosa. Rachel felt really fancy drinking it because she’d never had champagne before. It was a heady feeling and she wallowed happily in it for a while.
“Is this your first ball? I have not seen you here before,” Brendan ventured to ask.
Rachel laughed, “You sound like one of those guys in bars who ask you, ‘do you come here often?’ Yes, this is my first ball.”
Brendan took a step back looking disconcerted, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-”
Rachel put her hand on his arm before he could complete the sentence, “It’s perfectly alright,” she said, “I was just teasing you.”
“Oh,” Brendan said sounding supremely relieved, “That’s great. So are you enjoying yourself?”
He sounded nervous like he was trying to put himself out there and be interesting. Rachel wanted to pat him on the arm and tell him to stop trying to hard but thought it might be a little too familiar for their short acquaintance. Instead she smiled brightly and began to tell him about Barry and Sergio and how she’d gotten to the ball through their machinations.
“Like the story of Cinderella,” Brendan commented after staring intently at her the whole time she was telling him the story. Rachel grimaced.
“I don’t really like that reference. Cinderella was such a damsel in distress don’t you think. Sitting around moping, waiting for other people to rescue her. I’d rather prefer beauty and the beast myself.”
Brendan did that thing where Rachel was sure he was smiling. His eyes were certainly shining, ”Yes, I like that one too.”
“Is that why you’re wearing the stag mask?” she asked and he reared back as if struck.
“I-I’m sorry…I didn’t mean to-” Rachel’s mouth stayed open, not sure what she hadn’t meant to do. Scare him? Insult him?
“I-it’s quite alright. I was just…I-..I shall get us some water since you say it is the first time you have drank a mimosa,” he said before walking quickly away. Rachel watched him walk away, feeling slightly stupefied. She felt like she’d done something really bad but she didn’t know what it was. She took a deep breath, hoping he was really getting water and coming back so she could apologize again for wha
tever it was that had just happened. She hadn’t known him long, but she really liked Brendan. She felt like they could be friends. Maybe even more than friends, who knew? But first he had to come back and give her another chance.
She watched him disappear between two groups of tuxedo-clad men, slowly sipping her mimosa and going over their conversation, looking for the place where she might have slipped up. Lines appeared on her forehead as she thought hard, earth colored eyes far away. She was startled by a hand on her forehead, smoothing out her wrinkles.
She turned to see Brendan smiling down at her, a glass of water in one hand while the other slowly ran a finger down her temple before reluctantly leaving her face. Her eyes followed the progress of that finger, mouth slightly open in surprise.
“Why the frown?” he asked in a soft voice and her eyes moved from his hand to his eyes. She smiled.
“Nothing. Just worried that I’d offended you.”
“Well you didn’t.” he said offering her the water as he smiled back at her.
“Good.”
She took a sip of the water just to please him but then went back to her mimosa. She just loved the heady citrusy taste.
“So,” she said determined to steer the conversation towards happier things, “What do you do with yourself?”
Brendan opened his mouth seemed to think better of it and closed it again, ”Uh, I er, am an investor,” he said.
Rachel perked up, “Oh you are? That’s so great because I’m looking for investors!”
“Oh yeah?” he seemed strangely relieved, “That’s good. What do you do?”
“I run a coffee shop over on the East side,” Rachel said and proceeded to tell him all about the Split Bean and what a unique and fun investment it would be for anyone looking to diversify their portfolio.
“Well, I am intrigued, when can I come and have a look?” Brendan asked.
