That Boy

by Jillian Dodd

  "Ashley, I can't drink to that."

  I mean, I seriously hope that's the road I'm heading down, but she doesn't need to know that.

  She gets testy with me and says, "Well, what will you drink to then?"

  "Gosh, I can drink to the fact that I am indeed on a road." She grins at me. I shake my head and say, "This road is long and windy and could have many forks in it as well, and it is a possibility, albeit a small one, that one of those paths could possibly, someday, eventually lead to marriage."

  She drinks to this.

  I swear, I'm going to be drunk before my date.

  A horn honks outside.

  "Crap, so soon? It's only four-thirty. He is not supposed to be here until five. We're not even ready yet." She is muttering, as she heads toward the door, "I hate being rushed."

  "Uh, Ashley, it's ten till five. Is Phillip out there? I mean it's okay with me if......"

  "No, he's not out there," she says, quickly interrupting me, "but the limo is."

  I watch Ashley run out my front door and think, A limo?

  Ashley comes flying back in the house. "I told him we needed a few more minutes."

  "Oh! I've got to get dressed, Ash. Come help me decide which dress to wear. I have four different ones, but I just don't know who I want to be tonight."

  "Who you want to be?" she laughs at me like I'm nuts. "What do you mean?"

  "Well, come in my room, and you'll see."

  Ashley sits on my bed, watching me.

  I'm cheap entertainment, I think.

  I pull the first dress out of my closet. "Okay, so this dress is the kind of sexy, wild me," I say, holding up a slinky, red wrap dress. I put it down on the bed and grab another one, "This one is the more conservative me." I hold a little black dress in front of me and then place it on the bed. "This third one," a flowing, fuchsia and gold paisley dress with a scalloped hem, "is the creative, kind of artsy, me. And the last one," a simple cream silk dress, "is the demure, innocent me."

  I still have no idea who I should be. Really none of them seems quite right, and that's not the way it's supposed to be because I look great, and you know, I feel complete.

  And then I start to panic a little.

  "Ashley, what does Phillip like? Who should I be?"

  "JJ, don't freak, he likes you. All of you," she says, rolling her eyes at me and apparently insinuating I have multiple personalities.

  She runs in the kitchen, grabs the big box, and sets it on my bed.

  "Why don't you open this and see if it'll solve your problem."

  So I open it.

  And I think she is very right.

  Problem solved.

  Nestled in the box is the most beautiful dress I have ever seen. It's made of stretchy ivory lace, lined with a golden colored silk.

  It's the kind of dress that from a distance you look naked underneath the lace.

  I know this because a girl from my sorority had a top made this way and when we walked in the bar, the boys practically went crazy and couldn't get over there fast enough to see her up close.

  They really thought her shirt was see-thru.

  Needless to say, they were disappointed.

  Scattered on the ivory lace are millions of little ivory iridescent sequins, which now that I get it out of the box, I see are not ivory, but more golden, almost the exact color of my hair. The sequins shimmer when I move the dress.

  The cut of the dress is, well, pretty damn sexy, and it isn't even on my body yet! The top part of it is a halter. It's cut low in the front, and the skirt is straight and short.

  I can't wait to try this thing on. I sure hope it fits!

  I put the dress on, and it fits like a glove. The neckline plunges down and shows off my um, assets and the skirt makes me look skinny. I love it! I grab the satin and rhinestone sandals I wore to Danny and Lori's wedding and put them on. Ashley and I look at my reflection in the mirror.

  "Now, you look perfect!" Ashley beams. And that is a really good thing because Ashley is not a very complimentative person. I mean she doesn't give out many compliments. So I must look good.

  Very good.

  I look at myself in the mirror. One more time!

  It's amazing! This dress is perfect. It's sexy, demure, wild, and creative, all at the same time.

  Just like me.

  Phillip will love it.

  "Where did you get this dress?" I gush.

  "I didn't get it. Phillip did."

  "Seriously?"

  "Yeah, believe it or not, he did. My brother, the guy who bought me Scooby Doo slippers last Christmas, bought this amazing dress. I didn't think he had it in him. Evidently, he saw it a few weeks ago when he was in Kansas City visiting Danny and Lori. He had Lori go back to the store and buy it."

  He did?

  Wow! I should take him shopping with me more often. I didn't know he could find such great stuff.

  Ashley hands me my glass.

  Another toast, God forbid.

  Then she gives me another package to open. "Hurry, open this."

  She is getting awfully bossy now, but I know she can't really help herself because that trait definitely runs in the family.

  I open the package and inside is a silver linked bracelet.

  "It's beautiful," I say, as I start to put it on.

  "Wait," she says, and hands me a smaller box.

  I open the little box and inside is a charm. It's a rose.

  "Here, let me put it on for you," she says, snatching them out of my hands.

  I just stand and watch. She gets the bracelet and the charm the way she wants it and puts it on my wrist.

  "Alright, the limo is waiting for you. You better get out there." She looks at me like she's never going to see me again. She is really acting weird.

  "Thanks Ash, for everything," I say, as I give her a hug.

  Then she gets all teary eyed.

  What's going on with her?

  I'd blame it on PMS, but I hate when I have important feelings that are glossed over as PMS. So I won't.

  "Um, isn't Phillip going to come get me at the door? I mean the flowers, the dress, the champagne, the bracelet, and he isn't even going to walk up to the door and get me? What? Is he just going to honk and wait in the car? Jake used to do that. It drove my dad nuts. He said it meant he didn't respect me."

  Obviously, he was right.

  As if on cue, the limo honks.

  "I told you. Phillip isn't in the limo, JJ. He's meeting you....um, somewhere...else. You need to Go."

  Okay! So I'm going.

  I take a deep breath, but then I stop quickly to smell my roses and realize that in all the excitement, I haven't opened the card.

  I open it quick.

  The card has no signature. There is just a big heart drawn in the middle. I still have no idea what the heart means exactly, but it really makes me smile.

  "JJ, stop stalling, you really have to go, or you will be late for....."

  "Late for what?" I ask, holding my heart card up to my chest.

  "Um, for your dinner reservations," she tells me, but I get the feeling she's not being 100% truthful.

  "Yeah. Whatever," I say to myself, as I walk to the limo. The driver opens the door for me, and I ask where we're going, where we'll meet Phillip. The limo driver just shrugs, tells me to have a glass of champagne and enjoy the ride.

  More champagne. Yikes.

  The whole limo thing is really a surprise, and I must say, I like it! I know Phillip wants this date to be special and to make an impression.

  Although I have to say, he was pretty impressive last night, but I really probably shouldn't talk about that.

  Where was I? Oh, yeah. Spa and flowers and jewelry.

  Like lions, and tigers, and bears, oh my!

  Sorry. You know, I often wonder what incredible things my mind could hold if it weren't filled up with lines from every movie I have ever seen.

  Anyway. Wow!

  He really has gone to an
awful lot of trouble and expense for this. So I fully intend to enjoy it and maybe try to repay him later.

  I pour myself a flute of champagne, take a sip, lean back and enjoy the ride. We head out of the city, eventually to the town, and then the housing addition, where we grew up. Before I know it, we are at our old grade school.

  The limo driver stops the car, walks around to the other side, and opens my door.

  He obviously expects me to get out.

  So I get out, look at him in confusion and say, "Now what?"

  "Walk back to the swings," he says, after consulting a list from his pocket.

  Remind me to get my hands on that list later.

  I look down at my light dress and satin shoes, and then I look at him like, Are you nuts, boy?

  He ignores my look, so I say, "Are you sure? I don't think I should go back there. My shoes will get dirty."

  Actually, I kind of whined.

  "You have to."

  Oh really? I think.

  This is ridiculous. It makes no sense. Why would Phillip get me all gorgeous, buy me a beautiful dress and then send me out into the dirt?

  Then it dawns on me why I'm here.

  Our first kiss. Ohhhh, that's so sweet.

  He must be meeting me here.

  I run down the dirt path that curls around the building, not even worrying about my shoes. I expect to find Phillip waiting for me on the swings, but am disappointed to see only a boy swinging. I walk over, sit down on the swing next to him, and sigh.

  Hopefully the swing doesn't get my dress dirty.

  "Now what?" I mutter to myself.

  To my surprise, the little boy stops swinging and says, "Here." He hands me a little wrapped package and runs away.

  I look around in all directions, figuring Phillip is bound to turn up. But he doesn't, so I open the package. Inside is another charm, a swing. How cute.

  I add it to the bracelet and figure what the heck? I'm already sitting on it, swinging on it isn't going to get me any dirtier.

  So I start swinging, and pretty soon I'm swinging as high as I can. I close my eyes and let my stomach go all fluttery. I'm really enjoying myself until I hear that damn limo driver honking his horn at me.

  I've already had about enough of his rude honking.

  Maybe I'll have a word with him when I get out there. But as I walk back, I decide I look much too beautiful to get all pissed off, so I just get into the limo.

  We don't go very far because our next stop is Phillip's house. Finally, I get to see my date. Unfortunately, when we pull in the driveway, I notice Phillip's car isn't there.

  Shoot.

  The nazi limo driver comes around again, opens my door and says, "Go inside."

  Doesn't this man know that I hate being told what to do?

  I swear, if I weren't relying on him for my transportation, I would tell him to KNOCK IT OFF! I look straight at him and scream, KNOCK IT OFF, in my mind, and it makes me feel a little better.

  I barely get to the front door, when it swings open to reveal Phillip's parents.

  "Oh, JJ!" Julie cries. "You look beautiful!"

  I notice that she and Mr. Mac are very dressed up.

  "Wow! You guys look great yourselves. Where are you going all dressed up?"

  "Oh, there's a fundraiser at the Piedmont tonight. We're just getting ready to head there," Doug tells me.

  The Piedmont?

  "Did you know Phillip and I are having dinner there?"

  "Um, uh no, we didn't. The View is a wonderful restaurant though. I'm sure you'll have a great time, dear."

  "This is for you," she says, thrusting a box into my hand and deftly changing the subject.

  I open it and there, surprise, surprise, is another charm. This one is a heart with little red stones scattered around the edges.

  "Thanks," I say, and before I can hug her, Mr. Mac hands me another box. I open it. It's a red capital N, for Nebraska football. "I love it," I say, and give them both big hugs.

  "Oh, JJ, I wish your mother were here to see you tonight," she gushes and looks like she's going to cry. "You look just perfect."

  That's nice, but come on people, it's a first date. We probably don't need to go getting all emotional just yet. I know Phillip is going to a lot of trouble, but um, how 'bout we get past like the second date, before we go getting all teary eyed.

  She gives me another hug, just as the nazi limo driver honks his horn again.

  "That's my ride. And he's so polite. Um, do you guys know if I'm ever going to see my date? Did Phillip tell you where he's meeting me?"

  "Oh, Doug, look at the time," Mrs. Mac says, glancing at her watch. "We've got to get going."

  They hustle me out the front door and into the limo without answering my question.

  I lean back in my seat, let out a big sigh and decide to have some more champagne. Is it just me, or are all the Mackenzies acting a little strange about this whole first date thing?

  Is something going on here?

  I feel like I'm missing something. It's nowhere near my birthday. And it's not like they are coming on our date, surely, he wouldn't have invited them. No. He said romantic. I must just be paranoid. They are simply excited that Phillip and I are finally together. And that's a nice thing. I wouldn't want to have in-laws who didn't like me.

  God, there I go again. Actually thinking about marrying Phillip. Although, I guess it's not that big of a deal. I remember in high school always trying on a boy's last name, to see if it sounded okay. If it fit. Trying on a last name is very important because you wouldn't want to fall in love with some guy, only to find out that your name would end up something weird or all rhymey like Mary Barry, or worse, something gross like Jenny Tayla or Amanda Lick.

  Okay, so let's see. Just for fun.

  Jadyn Reynolds-Mackenzie.

  No. Too long.

  JJ Mackenzie.

  Jadyn James Mackenzie.

  Not bad. Doable, I'd say.

  All of a sudden, the driver stops the car. I look out to see that we are.......uh, where are we? I peer out the windows in all directions and determine that we are....definitely in the middle of nowhere.

  Like all I can see is a gravel road and lots of corn.

  Great, the limo driver is probably some psychotic serial killer, and now he's brought me out here to finish me off. Just as I'm thinking about my options, he startles me by lowering the window separating us. It's been up the entire trip.

  Crap.

  My purse wasn't big enough for pepper spray. Now what?

  I smile at him sort of nervously. He smiles back and hands me a little box.

  I open it and see that it's a cross charm.

  I look outside again and realize that this is probably the exact spot where Phillip pulled off the road and yelled at me before his dad called us on the night my parents died. Well, actually, I may have yelled at him.

  Hmm.

  Not a particularly happy memory, but a strong one nonetheless. And definitely a time in my life when Phillip was there for me. He was my rock. I don't think I could have gotten through it without him.

  I feel the car go forward, as the driver rolls the partition up.

  Yippee. Maybe he's not going to kill me.

  We drive for about half an hour. I can see that we are going back toward Omaha, and it even appears we are headed downtown.

  Hopefully to the Piedmont and my date.

  I look at my bracelet full of charms and think, this is nice and all, but doesn't it seem like a bit much for a first date?

  Actually, it seems like a bit much for any date. Although, I don't think I could even categorize this as a date yet. Because technically, it takes two people to have a date, and I refuse to count the limo driver.

  This has been more like a scavenger hunt.

  Not exactly the romantic evening I had in mind.

  Maybe this thing with Phillip isn't going to work out.

  The limo driver pulls up to the Piedmont. The Piedmon
t is the coolest hotel in town. It's in an old historic building that was completely renovated. The doorman opens my door. I slide out and look around for Phillip.

  Shit.

  I don't see him, so I walk inside. I've never gotten to stay at this hotel, but if the lobby is any indication, the rooms must be beautiful. The lobby has a huge, high, old-fashioned tin ceiling. There are marble columns and crown molding that must be at least two foot thick.

  A bellman walks over to me and hands me a note card.

  What is this? And how the hell does he know who I am?

  Just go with the flow, Jay, I tell myself, trying to stay calm.

  I read the note. It says, Go up the elevator to the 16th floor.

  No signature. No heart.

  I get on the elevator and see from the sign that the restaurant is on the 16th floor.

  I am telling you, if Phillip isn't there, I'm done with this date because I'm sick and tired of being on it alone!

  The elevator doors open to a dimly lit hall that leads into the restaurant.

  Still no Phillip.

  Damn that boy!

  Where the hell is he?

  I mean, I'm not complaining, but I have been on this whole scavenger hunt date extravaganza thing for over two hours now, and I still haven't seen my date.

  Okay, so maybe I'm complaining a bit, but I can't help it.

  I want to be with him.

  The maitre de is obviously expecting me because he says, "Miss Reynolds, please follow me," and he leads me to a big, cozy, leather wrapped booth.

  And guess what?

  Phillip is actually here!

  He sees me, give me a big grin, and stands up. He kisses my cheek sweetly, then lets me slide into the booth before him.

  Finally! Some manners! Much better than the horn honking, bossy, nazi limo driver I have been spending my time with.

  "You're late," he says.

  I give him an angry look before he kisses me again.

  He is teasing me, I think.

  Phillip looks very handsome. He's got on a dark brown suit that matches his eyes. Under the suit, he's wearing a light blue shirt and a really cool brown, blue and orange tie. And I will admit, when I got here, I had my panties in a bit of a wad and was kinda irritated at Phillip. But the minute I looked at him, it all melted away. I'm pretty sure that means I do love him.

  "You look incredible," he tells me.

  And I'm pretty sure he means it because his eyes are just riveted on me.

  It makes me feel both nervous and powerful at the same time.

  I think I could get away with just about anything in this dress.