In the half-bath, Ella hung the bag Tim had handed her on a hook on the back of the door and unzipped it. She gasped at what she saw hanging there. The gown was gorgeous. A crystal blue color, with lovely gem embellishments all down the bodice, the skirt was full and flowy, and she knew it would look lovely on anyone--even her.
Quickly, she took her soup-covered gown off and tossed it in the garbage, thinking there was nothing anyone could do to get that stain out. As carefully as possible, she slipped into the blue gown, which fit her like a glove. He’d even gotten her some gorgeous new shoes. They were a shimmery white and just the perfect size. She slipped them on, repinned her hair with the diamond tipped pins she found in the bag, and slipped on a necklace and earrings he’d provided, too.
She looked absolutely stunning, and when she put on the blue mask that matched the gown, including matching gems around the border, she knew her cousin was the most wonderful man in the universe. She admired herself in the mirror for a few moments and then hurried out the door.
“Oh, wow, El! You look… breathtaking!” Tim said as she stopped and twirled for him, the skirt of the dress billowing out around her.
“Thank you! Tim, it’s so gorgeous! Thank you so much.”
He pulled her close. “You’re welcome, Ella. I hope you know how much I love you. I’ve missed you so much all these years, but it’s so great to have you home at last.”
She took a step back and smiled at him. “Thank you. I’ve missed you, too.”
“Now, let’s get the princess to the ball.”
Tim drove a souped up Ferrari, and he had the top down. When he first took off out of the driveway, Ella clutched her hair, letting out a mix between a shriek and a laugh. While she loved the speed, she could just see those beautiful pins holding her hair in place flying out the back of the car.
“Sorry,” Tim said, pulling over to put the top up. Once it was in place, he said, “I don’t usually worry that much about my hair.”
She reached over and straightened a few strands that were out of place. “Because you use so much product, a gale force wind couldn’t mess it up.” She laughed again, which was more than she’d laughed since she came back to America, and he hit the gas pedal.
They pulled into the drive of the country club only a few minutes late. The man who opened Ella’s door for her stammered a few times. Tim tossed the keys to the valet and said, “Hey, don’t ogle my cousin!”
“Sorry….” the young man replied, and Ella let go of his hand with a smile, placing her hand on Tim’s arm.
He escorted her in. Already, the place was crowded. There was music, dancing, waiters circling with trays of food and drinks. Beyond the main club room, she could see a fountain and gardens in the back yard. It was lovely, too, with twinkling lights.
Tim immediately led her over to his mother. While her Aunt Genevieve was speaking to someone else when they arrived, she immediately ended her sentence and burst out with a scream of delight. “Ella! Darling! I’ve missed you so!” She wrapped her arms around Ella and drew her in close.
“I’ve missed you, too.” Her aunt smelled so much like her mom. The scent of lilac perfume wafted in Ella’s nostrils, and for a moment, she imagined she was hugging her mother again.
Aunt Gen looked almost identical to her mom as well. When she stood back, even with a red and black mask on, it was clear this was her mother’s older sister. “How have you been, darling? Why have you not come to see me?”
“I’m so sorry. I’ve been busy. Working.” She couldn’t tell her the truth, that her stepmother had her locked in an attic most of the time, and she wasn’t allowed to leave the house.
“I do wish you could stop by.”
“I hope to. Soon.”
“You must meet everyone else. And your uncle Thomas is here somewhere. You remember him, don’t you?”
“Yes, of course.” Tim’s parents had divorced when he was younger, but they were still close, which Ella found fascinating.
Aunt Gen took her around for over an hour, introducing her to so many people Ella thought she’d never remember all of them. Tim was with them most of the time as well, though he did excuse himself to go greet some of his own friends and to dance a few times. Ella was glad she was too busy meeting people to actually think of dancing.
It wasn’t until she spotted her own stepmother and stepsisters glaring at her from across the room that Ella remembered her true purpose for coming. Of course, she was happy to see her aunt and cousin. Even Uncle Thomas was so kind to her. But she’d come for another reason altogether.
Where was he? Had he come? She knew if Tim was aware that Rome Verona was there, he’d have a fit. He’d probably cause a scene or a fight. She scanned the crowd again. Everyone was wearing masks. It was hard to tell who anyone was, especially someone she’d never met in person before. Surely, after having stared at his picture for so long, she could pick him out of a crowd, couldn’t she? Even if he did have a mask on?
Her eyes flickered over faces, skipping the ones that couldn’t possibly be him--the women, the older men, the ones too young. Then, she retraced where she’d just been looking, and stopped.
It was him. He was there. Standing near the french doors that led outside to that magnificent garden. He lifted a hand slowly, as if he were testing the waters, not quite sure that she was she. Ella dropped her head, not sure how to react with her aunt standing so nearby. When she was sure Gen wasn’t looking, she lifted her hand as well, and she saw his brilliant smile widen and light the room.
“Aunt Gen, would you mind if I stepped outside for a moment? It’s a bit… stuffy in here.” Ella leaned into her aunt’s ear.
“Yes, of course, darling.” Aunt Gen’s smile was genuine. “I’m sure you’d like to find a young man and dance as well. Go ahead, dear.”
“Thank you.”
“Just be sure to come back inside for cake soon.”
“Of course. I wouldn’t miss it.” Ella flashed a smile and then took off for the doors.
Rome was gone; she didn’t see him anywhere. She glanced around, hoping he hadn’t gone far, but he wasn’t there now, and she’d already told her aunt she needed fresh air.
So she opened the door and slipped out, careful not to let her long gown catch in the door.
The air was remarkably fresh. A gentle breeze stirred the leaves and sent a fragrance of honeysuckle and cherry blossoms across her face. Ella inhaled deeply. She’d missed being outside so much. In France, she’d spent as much time as possible outside. Her favorite pastime had been sitting outside beneath a tree, reading a book. This was the first time she’d gone outside since she’d arrived home from the airport, other than getting in and out of Tim’s car.
She spread her arms wide and walked toward the fountain, wondering why no one else was outside. The music from the hall was beautiful, but not as enchanting as the babbling of the falling water. She wished she could take her shoes off and climb inside, frolicking in the refreshing water. Assuming that was frowned upon at this particular establishment, she refrained. Spinning back to look inside at the guests, she wondered where Rome had taken off to. She rested her arms on the fountain and watched the dancers twirling behind the glass, like one of those music boxes she’d seen in antique shops when she was a little girl. They’d always fascinated her. She could’ve watched the tiny dancers move about for hours on end, but she’d never had one of her own.
Ella moved around to the side of the water fountain, losing her view of the party but relishing in the beauty of the flowers instead. Back here, the twinkling lights and the full moon were the only illumination.
Her gown was so long it scraped the ground as she moved about, so she lifted it, wondering how Tim had even known what size she was. His mother had to have helped with all of this, she imagined, and yet she hadn’t thanked her aunt. In fact, she hadn’t even brought her a birthday gift.
As she contemplated her shortcomings, a rustling in the bushes caught her attention, and Ella looked up to see that she wasn’t alone. There, amid the twinkling fairy lights, she saw two blue eyes pure as the ocean staring at her behind a mask a deeper shade of the same color.
A smile crept across her face as she recognized who was coming to greet her. Her breath staggered, and the words that came to her lips were lost before they could even ring through the night air.
He was here, standing before her, like an apparition or a man who’d materialized from a dream. Her hand rested on the fountain again as she tried to steady herself, and the clouds lifted from the moon, bathing them in warm, yellow light.
If perchance this were a dream, she never wanted to awaken.