“My son has been too well taught, methinks,” Zach replied.
“Aren’t you always saying, ‘Be careful what you wish for?”
“Et tu, Brute?” Zach said with wide, sad eyes.
Xander wasn’t buying it, but wasn’t in the mood for further banter. “So, what do you think of Hero?” he asked his father seriously.
“She walks in beauty, like the night. . .” Zach began, his voice sonorous, but Xander cut him off.
“I recited that one to her, actually.”
“Did you?” Zach mused. “Your mother also reminded me of that poem,” he said, a little sadly. He paused for a moment before he spoke again. “Jessica definitely doesn’t.”
“Dad, Jessica is not in the picture anymore. What do you think of Hero?” Xander reiterated.
“Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,” he quoted from Robert Harrick’s poem, ‘To the Virgin’s, to Make Much of Time.’
“Carpe diem, while good advice, is not an opinion about the woman I may want to spend the rest of my life with.”
Zach sighed. “I think you’re young, Xander. You both are. I don’t think you need to rush into anything.”
Xander waited, his eyebrows raised to suggest that Zach go on to answer his question. His father nodded in recognition.
“I think she’s pretty true to her namesake. If you, my son, are going to be rash and young, she’s probably the perfect woman for you to be rash and young with. Tis the east, and Juliet the sun.”
Xander thought about his father’s words for a moment.
“You were rash and young once, weren’t you?” Xander asked his dad.
“What do you mean once?” Zach answered with a grin, gesturing at the library and via it, the house as a whole.
His son laughed. “Good point. Oh, by the way, there’s something important I have to tell you,” Xander said somberly, as if the fate of the world hung on his next words.
“What’s that?” Zach asked, curious.
“Hero wasn’t named after the Marlowe poem,” his son replied melodramatically.
“She wasn’t? You mean she. . .” Zach trailed off.
“Yeah,” Xander said. “Anna’s favorite Shakespeare character is Hero from Much Ado about Nothing.”
“Oh,” his father said. “I suppose I shouldn’t have expected more from your mother-in-law.”
Xander snorted, while Zach continued. “Well, your Hero certainly isn’t quite so flat. Not quite as voluptuous as your Rosalyn, but. . .”
“Ok, you’re done with the metaphors and the allusions to Shakespeare and the allusions to everything else. And since I know that’s impossible for you, I’m going to bed. Big day tomorrow, I hear.”
“Tis the nightingale and not the lark!” Zach protested.
Xander left.
Angels of Rain and Lightning
Xander looked at his watch for what was probably the 150th time in the last hour. It was three o’ clock and Hero was due to arrive at any moment. It had already been a long day and he was eager for the party to start. Anna DiBenedetto had arrive at 8 that morning with an army of caterers supported by everyone else involved in the behind the scenes work. The weather had taken a turn for the worse and dark clouds covered the sky, though it was still warm. After two hours of setting up canopies under Anna’s constant direction, Xander and Zach had fled the house on the pretense of having to pick up some construction materials for the dock, a project they hadn’t actually planned on approaching this year, but suddenly was quite pressing. They had returned to the house around 1 to give themselves time to get ready and found the event already in full swing, though the lady of the hour had yet to arrive. Xander wasn’t sure if it felt more like a wedding or some kind of Southern debutante ball. Either way it was extravagant and people of all ages from Vista Bay and other parts of California had made their way to the Brighton House to celebrate. Jared DiBenedetto and his father were already deep in conversation with some affluent businessmen, somewhere near the open bar that had been set up in the dining room for those old enough to partake.
As Xander waited on the wide front porch people began to drift out of the front entrance and form a semicircle at the peak of the driveway. Nothing seemed to be happening, so he assumed they must be reacting to some cue he had missed. More and more of the guests piled out of the house until a large crowd had gathered in front of the house. They talked in a soft buzz that grew louder as uneventful minutes passed. Waiting is, Xander muttered under his breath to remind himself. No sooner had the words left his mouth when a classic black limousine pulled into the driveway and stopped in front of the house.
The crowd fell quiet as if expecting to receive royalty. Events seemed to be occurring as if according to a script and Xander found himself wondering if he and the weather were the only ones who didn’t have one tucked in a back pocket or folded into their purse. His thoughts were interrupted as the chauffeur came around and opened the limo door for his passengers. Apparently the entire Coven had come together. Jeremy got out first, dressed in a light blue zoot suit. He reached his hand in and helped Leana out, who wore a matching light blue polka dot vintage dress with black satin trim. Xander laughed. The suit complemented Jeremy’s personality perfectly and Xander was still amused by how thoroughly Leana had him wrapped around her finger.
Evan got out next, dressed as a Newsie to the nines, hat and all. He offered his hand to Jaimie, who appeared in a grey and black polka dot pencil skirt dress, for once from her own closet. She took her boyfriend’s arm and glared up at the sky as if to reprimand it for being overcast. To Xander’s surprise, the sun chose that moment to break through the clouds. Jaimie smirked as though she somehow secretly had control over the weather. The four who had exited the car made their way to the porch. After they had come to stand in place, conducted by Anna DiBenedetto, Brian stepped out of the car. He was quite dapper in tight, black, skinny-leg dress pants, wing-tipped shoes, a white tux shirt with rolled up sleeves, a black halter vest, a bowtie, and a bowler hat. He turned back to help Hero out.
The first thing Xander saw of Hero was a silver, sparkling heel as it emerged from inside the limo. Her dress slipped away from her calf as Brian drew her out, then flowed back down to settle just above her toes. Xander inhaled sharply. He had never seen anyone so beautiful in his life. The little sun beaming down shimmered off the silver satin of her dress, spun from cloth that hugged her curves and flowed over her form so fluidly that as she moved it seemed woven from liquid moonlight. The halter formed a mobius of ruched satin that looped through an eyelet. The eyelet framed a modest window in an empire waist that fell away to her mid-back, leaving her arms and shoulders bare. A single diamond rested at the hollow of her neck, hung from a matching satin choker and more diamonds sparkled as they dangled just below her earlobes.
As Brian escorted her toward the house, someone began to sing Happy Birthday. The rest of the crowd joined in. Xander thought it rather ill-suited to the moment, but Hero dimpled and curtsied to the crowd as if it had been expected. It must have been somewhere in that script he wasn’t privy to.
Hero warmed her guests with a smile as they sang to her. It was difficult for her to tear her eyes off Xander. A three piece pinstripe suit rested beneath a matching fedora, tailored so well that his shoulders looked like they’d split the seams at any second, yet never even stretched the cloth. She was looking forward to the party, but this was the moment she’d really been waiting for, the freedom to spend time with him again. The dancing wouldn’t begin until later, but she was impatient to slip into the roles of lead and follow with him. That was a few hours and a change of clothes away, however.
When they reached the porch, Brian brought Hero straight to Xander. The young man in the bowler hat winked as they approached. “I imagine you’d like to cut in.”
Xander laughed, he liked Brian. “I would, yes,” he said without looking away from Hero. He took her by both hands and stared into her eyes while the crowd waited. There was a
few moment’s pause while she stared back.
“You look like you were poured into the mold of a goddess,” he told her.
She smiled her appreciation.
This was not in her mother’s imaginary script. “Hero!” Anna hissed.
“Love-zombies,” Jaimie coughed from off to Hero’s right.
Hero leaned in close, as if to kiss him, and Xander leaned down to claim it. Anna looked like she was about to have an apoplectic fit. At the last second, Hero moved her head to the side and whispered in his ear.
“No, I’m sorry. It’s too easy,” she said coyly.
Xander laughed and offered her his arm. “Shall we go inside, Milady?” he asked easily.
“Oh, I think we shall,” she replied dramatically, taking his arm. Together they lead the crowd into the house, Anna muttering on their heels.
* * *
The party was without a doubt a success, Hero thought. Everyone she wanted to see had shown up, and plenty of people she didn’t know or would rather not have seen had been invited as well. This included Jessica, who mostly contented herself to glaring jealously whenever she thought someone wasn’t looking. After one smug look, Hero contented herself to ignoring the redhead.
Still arm in arm with Xander, Hero mingled with her guests, introducing him as her boyfriend without a second thought. After the first introduction as her boyfriend a rather amused expression had glued itself to his face. She wasn’t sure she liked it. She decided to bring it up after the third introduction, when it seemed to have set like concrete and she was beginning to wonder if it would be stuck on his face forever. It was beginning to drive her crazy.
“What are you thinking?” she asked him as she waved to someone across the room and guided him toward them. He let her lead without a hint of resistance.
“Me? I’m just enjoying myself.”
“Are you sure? You look like you’re laughing at a joke no one else knows.”
“Hmm?” He shook his head and shrugged. “Nah, I’m just happy to be close to you.”
She let it drop for now, somewhat mollified. The expression remained on his face as they approached a Hispanic couple who were family friends.
“Mr. and Mrs. Roberto, thank you for coming. This is my boyfriend, Xander.”
“Encantado, señor, señora,” Xander said, flashing them one of his most charming smiles. To Hero’s irritation the impression that he had some amazing, amusing secret somehow remained tucked away one of his dimples. She frowned briefly but let it slip away as they chatted with the Robertos.
“Pleased to meet you too, Xander,” Mrs. Roberto gushed a little after giving Hero a warm hug. “You two make such a handsome couple.”
Mr. Roberto nodded his agreement as he greeted Hero. Hero blushed and tightened her hold on Xander’s arm fondly. Xander inclined his head in thanks and the amused expression settled back in with full force. Hero’s entire frame tensed a bit as her frustration built, but she hid it as they chatted for a few minutes before moving on.
Outside, the weather had grown worse and worse. A warm summer wind had picked up and the sky darkened as if a curtain had been drawn over the sun by a sleepy hand. Hero and Xander had just stepped away when thunder boomed, shaking the house. The weather was beginning to match Hero’s mood. Xander grinned suddenly.
“Hey, let’s take a break,” he suggested.
“I should go get changed, actually. We’re going to start the dancing soon.” Hero’s voice was colored with her annoyance.
“I have a surprise for you. . .” he offered.
“Can it wait?”
He looked up at the ceiling, then back at her. “No, I don’t think so. We should hurry, in fact.”
She looked at him suspiciously, wondering what kind of present would require a hurry. If he had a kitten or puppy stuffed in a box somewhere, she was going to kill him.
He started to lead her toward the hallway. “Will you come? Please?” he asked.
“Xander, we should talk,” Hero said, still worried and perturbed about his earlier reaction to her guest’s comments about the two of them as a couple.
“Great!” he smiled. “Let’s do it upstairs.”
“Upstairs?” she asked, confused. The upstairs was still unfinished, with the exception of Xander’s room, which had its own stairwell.
“Yes,” he said, turning to leave. “Are you coming?”
“Umm. . . ok,” she said, taking his hand.
He lead her down one hall, turned down another, then up a flight of stairs off the kitchen that had once been utilized by the serving staff back when Brighton House was still in its full glory. The upstairs was quiet, since the party had been limited to the finished rooms on the first floor. He took her down another hall, then opened a tiny, closet-like door on another staircase she’d never seen before.
“Where does this go?” she asked.
“You’ll see,” he answered. Thunder boomed again. “Hurry,” he encouraged.
He lead the way up the stairs. They opened up into a large attic space that hadn’t been touched by any of the preparations for renovation. An orange extension cord snaked its way across the floor to a stereo with speakers that faced out a pair of open French doors. A vase with a dozen sunset colored roses bloomed on top of the stereo.
“Xander, what are we doing up here?” Hero asked. He ignored the question and pulled her through the doorway, stopping only to hit play. The opening chords of Edwin McCain’s “I’ll Be,” began to drift from the speakers.
Hero found herself on a balcony formed above the entrance of the Brighton House, complete with a wrought iron railing. Xander stopped and offered her one hand.
“Hero DiBenedetto, would you like to dance?”
She took his hand but resisted his gentle pull. “Xander, you know it’s going to rain, right?”
“I’m counting on it,” he replied with a smile.
“I don’t understand,” Hero said, not particularly happy with the idea of getting soaked.
“My mom loved the rain,” he said softly, his voice intense, “and she loved dancing in it. Dad and I moved here to get away from the rain, because it reminded us too much of her. And it always rains in Seattle.” He took her other hand and looked her in the eye. “Hero, will you dance with me? Give me a reason to love the rain again.” His expression was so sincere and hopeful that her heart ached. She nodded. He took her into his arms and stepped immediately into a spinning Viennese Waltz turn. Lightning cracked, thunder shook the house, and the sky opened up.
Burning Bright
The rain poured down but Hero hardly noticed, though her dress now clung to her like a second skin. It briefly crossed her mind that her mother was going to be furious about the dress and shoes, but then, her mother would never understand what it was like to feel like she was dancing across the clouds. As Xander spun them around again, the thought slipped away as the sensation of floating grew stronger. Though the space they danced in was limited, their contact with the ground grew so light that it seemed they were in an endless ballroom, skipping across cumulo nimbi and riding the lightning as it arced across the sky.
When the song came to an end, Xander bowed and Hero curtsied. She open her mouth to speak, but he shook his head as another, slower song came on. It was one she didn’t recognize, one without a beat she could immediately identify as belonging to a particular dance. She was surprised when, instead of slipping back into a formal ballroom closed position, he wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her close against him. He began rocking gently in a circle, somewhere between a high school dance and that first blues dance they had shared when they met. She laid her head against his shoulder and let the closeness of him fill her senses.
* * *
Downstairs, Anna DiBenedetto hunted everywhere for her daughter. No one had seen her in the last twenty minutes, though of course they were certain she was with that fine young man she was dating. Finally, irritated to the core that things weren’t going exactly a
s she had planned she stalked toward her husband and Zachariah McConnell, who were still talking over scotch whiskey on the rocks.
“Have either of you seen our children?” she asked.
Jared shook his head, while Xander’s father leaned his to the side as if listening for something.
“Is it raining?” Zach asked.
“Yes, it started a little while ago,” Anna replied. From her tone, she was obviously offended by the change of subject.
“Then they’re dancing,” Zach said as if it explained everything.
“They aren’t in the ballroom, I checked,” she said in a huff.
“Outside,” he responded, nodding his head toward the wall behind him.
“What?” Anna screeched. Some of the guests turned toward the commotion. “Do you have any idea what that dress cost?” she started to rant.
“Anna,” Jared intervened, laying one hand on his wife’s arm. “It’s her birthday. Let her do what she wants. As long as you’re sure they’re not, well, you know?” He directed the last at Zach.
“No, they’re definitely dancing,” the widower replied absently, lost in a memory of another time.
* * *
Though the rain and the song played on, Xander’s motion slowed almost to a stop. Hero lifted her head from where it was snuggled against his shoulder and smiled softly into his eyes. Her hair and clothing were soaked and she was pretty sure he was wearing most of her mascara on his jacket. In spite of the rain, she had never felt safer or happier in her life than she did now, in his arms, on this rooftop. It was hard to imagine someone like Xander, but there he was, filling her life with surprises and making impossible dreams come true.
The West Wind Page 12
