by S. M. Bowles
I was unwilling to wait a moment longer and raced to the nearest mirror, certain that I would be disappointed and would need to force him to redo my entire look. When I got to the mirror I could hardly believe my reflection. Surely something so simple could not look so amazing and surely that could not be me with that bewildered look on my face. I smiled just to be sure.
Allan was standing behind me, “Stay still a moment,” he placed a little rhinestone band across the bundle of hair at the top of my head. “There,” he said. I was suddenly ashamed of my snappish attitude as I admired how I looked with my soft cheeks, doe eyes and 60’s inspired up do. “I hope you can step into your dress and not have to pull it over.”
“Yes,” I said. “Allan, thank you so much, I really look amazing.”
“Don’t thank me, that is mostly Mother Nature’s work right there,” he pointed to the girl in the mirror.
I felt guilty for all the irritation I didn’t bother to hide but Allan wouldn’t listen to my apology “I’m sorry if I seemed ungrateful, I should have trusted you.”
“Eh, eh,” he shook his head while he packed all his cases and made for the door. “It happens. Have a good time tonight.”
“Thank you, thank you for everything,” I closed the door as he stepped onto the walkway.
Margaret was at the top of the stairs when I headed up to get dressed. “Oh, my,” she gasped. “It is the perfect look for you!”
I smiled and felt myself glowing with pride. Danielle came to view Allan’s handiwork. “Whoa!” was all she could manage to get out.
“You’d better hurry and get dressed dear, I’m sure the limo will be here soon.”
“Thanks Aunt Margaret. This is turning out to be one of my best days ever.”
I hurried to my bedroom and wriggled into my dress. I couldn’t reach behind me to zip it all the way up so I called to Danielle and she finished it for me. She stepped back and admired me from head to toe. “You have no idea how jealous I am right now,” she smiled.
I circled around her, “You have nothing to be jealous of. I have never seen you look better. Zach is going to be beside himself wondering how he could ever have gotten so lucky.”
Just as we finished complimenting one another Margaret called up to us that our ride had come. We hurried downstairs and Margaret snapped a few dozen pictures as we gathered our coats and clutches and whatever else we felt we might need.
Our first stop was at Charlie’s. He and Zach were waiting on the porch for us and stood to attention when the limo pulled in. We didn’t bother getting out, since the more we moved the more we invited a mishap to our carefully constructed looks. As Zach settled into the limo beside Dani he was dumbstruck. He could not take his eyes off her and could not think of a single compliment worthy of expressing his appreciation.
Charlie’s praise was simple and effective, “You two look like you just stepped off the red carpet.”
“Aww, thanks Charlie!”
“Save a dance for me,” he said to as he turned and winked at Danielle.
“Me too,” Zach piped up.
“Ah, so this is your plan to keep me in line tonight,” I nudged Dani as I realized her intention was to have everyone and their dates keep me too occupied to care about Brooke and Jake and their attempted ruin of my night.
From Charlie’s we went to Missy’s, then Christine’s, Jake’s and Patrick’s houses. Brooke lived closest to the school, so she was thankfully the last stop and I didn’t have to spend much time in the presence of her and Jake together. Jake was careful not to make eye contact with me and made very little conversation with anyone else in the car. It was obvious the others were making him feel the full weight of his desertion.
Missy and Christine couldn’t get over our transformations. “It’s so classy,” or “It’s such a timeless look,” was repeated more than once to one or the other of us. We explained how we spent our day at the spa and talked about all our pampering. Danielle went on and on about Allan and his mastery of hair and make-up. She hardly ever wore makeup and never managed to tame her hair in any way other than her standard messy bun.
“If I could get myself to look this good all the time, I’d never see the light of day without makeup,” she joked.
Brooke didn’t join in on the conversation the rest of us girls were having but she was clearly envious of our experiences with Allan and the day at the spa. I found that I felt so superior at that moment that I could have cared less that she was even with us. She and Jake seemed nothing more than shadows stuffed into the corner of the limo; they were there but they were not at all obtrusive.
When we got to the school there was a bit of a logjam and we had to wait several minutes for a few of the other limos to move away from the carpool lane before our driver could pull safely in. He came around and opened our door and though they were sitting at the far end of the limo, Jake and Brooke make a dash before any of us could even stir. They stepped on a few toes on their way out but no one seemed to mind just as long as they were gone.
The limo driver bent down and reached for Dani’s hand. He helped her out, while Zach followed directly behind. The driver handed me out next then Missy and Christine, Charlie came next and finally Patrick. Charlie took Missy on one arm and held out his other for me. Danielle and Zach led the way into the school, while Charlie, Missy and I took up the middle with Christine and Patrick trailing in our wake.
The gymnasium was transformed for the night with lights and decorations hanging from all the rafters. There were bunches of balloons strategically placed at intervals along three of the walls. Along the fourth wall were a number of festively decorated tables holding bowls of punch and assorted finger foods. There were numerous couples already occupying the dance floor and more strewn about in little groups from one end of the gym to the other. The stage was in full use by a local cover band that was doing a fairly decent rendition of a classic ballad.
In spite of all my misgivings up until then, I was thrilled to be there. Charlie released my arm, “Please excuse me,” and he swept Missy out onto the dance floor. Dani was tugging on Zach and Christine and Patrick moved away to greet some other friends. I was left alone for the time being and couldn’t decide what to do first. Someone tapped on my shoulder, “Would you like to dance?” It was a boy named Marshall that I knew through Danielle, though I was not all that familiar with him.
“Sure,” I smiled, anxious to not look so lost in the midst of all those happy faces.
“You look incredible,” he smiled down at me. He was very tall and a little clumsy but a welcome distraction nonetheless.
“Thanks, you clean-up nice yourself,” it seemed the appropriate response to his easy-going manner. We made a little more small talk while we traced our little pattern of circles on the dance floor.
When the song ended, he thanked me and pointed to where he and his group of friends had stationed themselves and said, “If you get lonely, that’s where I’ll be,” he smiled.
I turned to search the crowd for Danielle. When our eyes met she gave me a quick thumbs up and a huge grin to let me know that Marshall was part of the plan. I smiled back and made a path towards the refreshments. Someone was thoughtful enough to have brought bottled water; there was a bin of ice with dozens of little bottles sticking out. I took one and carefully sipped away at it while trying to preserve my lipstick. I surveyed the dance floor and sought out my friends. Dani was with Zach, Charlie and Missy. The tempo was pretty upbeat so they were all dancing together in a little crowd near the middle of the floor. As I finished up my drink I noticed Brooke and Jake in the corner nearby. Brooke was tugging on Jake’s arm trying to get him to dance with her.
“Jake must not be much of a dancer,” I thought to myself. They were on the floor earlier while I was dancing with Marshall, so he must have been one of those slow song only guys. Brooke was clearly disappointed and grabbed the next boy that walked by and dragged him onto the floor leaving Jake scowling in their wake. She
was full of smiles and could seem to care less about her date than she did about having fun. She looked to be having a little too much fun for Jake’s liking. As I watched her she became more and more provocative with her moves and Jake became increasingly annoyed watching her fool and flirt with her partner.
Having never really cared for her I left off watching them. I knew that they were well on their way to spoiling the night for one another. I shuffled across the dance floor and joined my friends. The party had grown a bit; Christine and Patrick were with the others and the expanded crowd gave me a little more confidence in my own dancing. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves and I felt like I actually might have gotten the better deal after I witnessed the recent actions and reactions that took place between Brooke and Jake.
When the band slowed things down again another of Dani’s friends was quick to fill the void and kept me on the dance floor along with all the other couples. Danielle was at my elbow as Zach whirled her around, “see, I told you we would make sure you had a good time.”
I was having a good time too, a surprisingly good time. After we’d all been on the dance floor for about an hour it was mutually agreed upon that we needed to take a little break. Danielle and I made our way to the restrooms to freshen up and the guys were left in charge of securing some seats so we could have a bite to eat and drink when we got back.
“I can’t tell you how many compliments I have heard about you tonight. Everyone thinks you have the most amazing dress and that you look absolutely stunning,” Danielle was breathless with excitement as she told me this.
“Ha,” I replied, “I haven’t heard a single compliment all night that wasn’t directed at you.”
“That’s because everyone is too intimated to say anything to your face and if anyone says anything nice about me it’s just because I’m your friend. You look like a movie star,” I was shaking my head at her, “no, really, you do.”
“If you say so but honestly, there are plenty of other people here that would wear that title better than me.”
“Like who?”
“Like you, for one.”
“Ugh, take the easy way out, why don’t you?” Dani laughed.
“Whatever, it doesn’t matter anyway. Are you having a good time?”
“The best.”
“Me too, and that is all I hoped for with everything that has happened. Let’s get back to the others.”
We linked our arms and rejoined our friends. The guys all stood up and offered their seats to us which we gratefully accepted. I sipped on another bottle of water and inspected the people milling about nearest us. It was nice to see everyone in their best looks; the boys and girls I knew or just recognized. I smiled and nodded to a few that happened to catch my eye. After a number of minutes Danielle announced that she was getting restless and motioned to Zach to head back out on the floor.
I admired their moves as they danced together a few yards from where I was sitting. I was not anxious to get back out there so I sat and tapped my foot and drank my water. I continued my people watching. I noticed Brooke and Jake having an obvious argument on the other side of the gymnasium. It was not something I really wanted to witness but it was hard to take my eyes away. They were standing near the doorway. The music died down just as Brooke raised her hand and slapped Jake across the face. Though there was plenty going on all around them it was obvious that everyone in their vicinity heard it clear as a bell and they all turned their heads in Brooke’s direction.
She looked from one face to the next to the next then whirled about anxious to get away from all the curious stares. The band started playing again, it was another ballad and it acted as a signal for everyone to resume the festivities. She was hiding her face and Brooke didn’t see that there was someone standing in the doorway about to step through into the gymnasium. She walked directly into him and was obviously dazed by the mishap. My breath felt caught in my chest and I felt a little dizzy, lightheaded as some memory tried to force its way out.
Brooke was looking up into his face but he was not looking at her. She seemed to be trying to get his attention, to apologize or, “What is she doing?” my mind shouted. It looked like she was trying to flirt with him. He was not paying any attention though. She reached up her arms as though to put them around his neck and drag him onto the dance floor. He grabbed her wrists and gently forced her arms down in a very matter of fact manner, as though his reaction was the most natural thing in the world. He looked down at her and raised his brows in disapproval as he stepped to the right and around her.
Another of Dani’s friends, Kevin, stepped in front of me and obstructed my view. It took a moment for me to realize that he was asking me to dance. He was looking at me oddly and waiting for my reply. My heart was pounding though in some strange anticipation and I stood up. Kevin thought I had accepted his invitation and held his hand out but instead of taking it I tilted up on my toes and looked over his shoulder. The familiar stranger was right behind him. Kevin turned around, “Oh, excuse me, I didn’t know you were there,” he stuttered.
“It’s quite alright,” the man smiled. He had a single rose bud in his hand and pinned it to the strap of my dress.
“Michael,” I whispered in disbelief.
Chapter 15
His expression was full of affection as he took me in his arms and tucked me under his chin, “Elayna,” he said my name, inaudible to anyone but myself. His voice unlocked all my memories and they suddenly came flooding back to me. I felt like I could cry, I was so happy and confused; I was feverish with the overload of emotions. He pulled away.
“Would you excuse us a moment,” Michael said to Kevin, his voice was gracious and apologetic.
“Yeah, no problem,” Kevin quickly stepped away.
There were a million things I wanted to say but Michael put a finger to my lips, “Let me talk first,” he took my hand and led me out of the gymnasium. Once we were in the hallway he stood me in front of the office and pointed to our reflection in the window there. “They don’t see me the way you do.”
I looked at our reflection and there I was but I was not standing with Michael, well, it was Michael but a somewhat younger Michael. He looked 19 or 20 at the most. I admired us for a moment and turned and smiled up at him. “I like you better as I see you.”
“And I like you better as I see you,” he took my hand and held it over my head. He gave me a gentle twirl and studied me from head to toe. “I knew you would be a beautiful woman when you grew up but I think I underestimated how very much so,” his eyes were full of admiration. “I’m so glad you wore my dress. I knew it would be perfect for you.”
“Oh,” I said, “of course, that was you,” I was so relieved to learn this.
“I have missed you so much, Elayna. I cannot tell you how many times I have resisted the urge to come and see you,” his words were earnest and heartfelt. “My thoughts have been full of you ever since…” he broke off unwilling to finish the thought. “It is better that I didn’t though. I would only have been a distraction and kept you from enjoying a normal, happy life. Have you been happy with Margaret? Has my mother been good to you?”
“Everything has been wonderful. Margaret has taken such good care of me. I love her, Michael, I really do.”
He looked very happy to hear this, “And Kaley, how is your puppy doing?”
“She’s my shadow, always at my heels. Absolutely enormous now, people move to the other side of the street when they see us coming. She is really an angel though, all bark and no bite.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure of that, you’d be surprised how quickly that would all change if she thought you were in any danger. Was that your boyfriend that I stole you away from?”
“Oh, no, Michael, I don’t have a boyfriend. I never have.”
“Never?”
“Never.”
“But why, you are so beautiful, surely they are lined up in droves hoping to gain your affection?”
I blushe
d and shook my head, “I have forgotten many, many things Michael but I don’t think I have ever truly forgotten you,” I placed my fingertip on his lips, “Now you will be a part of me forever; that is what you said Michael.” I shamefully looked away.
“I’m so sorry Elayna. For everything. I wish I had known; I wish I had understood and could have accepted…”
Tears were welling in my eyes; his words, they felt like rejection.
He gently took my chin and forced me to meet his eyes, “No,” he whispered, “please don’t cry.” He took his fingertip and put it to my lips, “It went both ways Elayna. I am just as much a part of you as you are of me. I just wish…I wish it could have been different; that things didn’t happen the way they happened.”
“Lily, there you are!” Danielle was calling me from the doorway.
I blinked the tears from my eyes, forced a smile and waved to her, “What do I tell her?” I looked to Michael for help. He pointed to the window to remind me what Danielle would see. By the time she reached us I had come up with what I hoped was a viable story, “Hey Dani, this is Michael. We met a few years ago, when I was taking Kaley to obedience school. We were in the same class together. He just came back from college and decided to look me up.”
“I stopped by your house a few days ago but your Aunt said you were out biking with your friend, Charlie, I think that was it,” Michael took up a bit of the explanation, “she told me all about your prom plight and I thought it would be a nice surprise if I popped in to see if I could help.”
“Isn’t that sweet?” I asked Danielle.
“Actually, it’s our Spring Formal,” she said as she eyed Michael. He looked so handsome as he stood there laying on the charm that she couldn’t help agreeing, “Any friend of Lily’s is a friend of mine,” she said as she extended her hand. “I’m Lily’s best friend, Danielle,” she made sure to throw some weight on best so that there would be an understanding between her and Michael that she was looking out for me.
