DYLAN'S POV
When I arrived at the mall to pick Anisha up, I already knew where they were, so I rushed to the shop. The doors were closed, but I could hear chatting and laughing from inside. I knocked softly, and a girl opened the door.
"Come in," she smiled.
I entered and my eyes wondered around the room as I searched for Anisha, but I did not see her.
"She's coming", Chris laughed. I just smiled and calmed down.
An elderly lady came out of the back, holding a small hand mirror and a towel in the other hand.
"Oh, welcome, doc. I understand you're the one who brought the lovely lady. If you don't mind me asking, could she be the future daughter in law of the de Milos?" She winked at me.
I instantly recognized the lady as the owner of the many spas in our town, and once or twice she had attended some functions with my mother. I smiled politely as I shook her hand.
"Is she?", she whispered in my ear. I did not answer, and she proceeded, "you got yourself a gem. Whose child is she? Which family is she from?"
"She's my friend" I smiled.
The lady burst out laughing and said, "what friend? It's as clear as day, who she is to you. Look at yourself right now! You're love struck!"
I just smiled and did not say anything.
Then the back door opened again. And she walked out. Anisha walked out. My own Anisha. Dressed in a burgundy dress, the colour of the dress highlighted her skin tone to make her look extremely beautiful and flawless. She had the skin of a baby, and her beautiful eyes were shining like diamonds. It was as if her eyes were not real, as if someone had crafted them and then inserted them to her perfectly made face. When she smiled, I could not help but smile as well. She had the most beautiful smile I had ever seen. I had always known that Anisha was beautiful, but I had not known that she was that beautiful.
Her dress clung to her chest, exposing only what needed to be exposed; making her appear like a goddess. Across her chest the dress had a design of the same colour but seemingly thinner material, which ran from her right arm, where it draped gracefully on her arm, forming the sleeve of the dress. The 'sleeve' went on to her left shoulder, and the material flowed elegantly right through the length of the dress, down to the floor. Her well defined waistline was clearly painted by the dress, which, just below the waistline, softly loosened, but still with a hint of clinging to the body, and ran all the way down to the floor. She was wearing golden shoes that showed from underneath her dress, and were matching with the golden clutch which was in her left hand. She was wearing a set of matching necklace, earrings and a bracelet, all of them gold in colour. I blinked many times as I stared at her.
"Dylan!", her call brought me back to reality.
"Oh sorry, oh, what did you say?" I asked her.
"I've asked you so many times. I said how do I look? Do you like it?"
"I love it! I absolutely love it!", I smiled. I then stretched my hand to take hers, and after thanking the staff ,we headed towards the car.
"You look very beautiful", I could not help but say it again for the hundredth time. She laughed and said, "Thanks."
I wished she could continue laughing, for her laughter was the greatest melody I knew. I wished I had something else to say or do just to make her laugh. She turned to look at me and bit her lower lip, showing a bit of fear.
"What is it?"
"I don't know…do you think I will fit in with your family?", she asked.
"You are my friend. You fit in. If anyone thinks that you don't fit in, then it is their problem. I am happy with you, and I want you to be there for the dinner." I said, and I earnestly meant what I said.
"I don't know…who would have ever thought that one day I would be invited to the Clear Opal Manor?"
"Well, you are invited today, and you'll be invited many more times in the future."
Anxiously she nodded her head and looked out through the window.
She was admiring the trees and buildings outside, yet I failed totally to remove my eyes off her. What a lovely girl. I tried to keep it in, but my tongue would not let me; thus I heard myself saying,
"I've never seen a lady more beautiful than you. You're the most beautiful girl I know. Inside and outside, you're beautiful Anisha".
She smiled and pulled her hand away from me.
My phone rang, and I answered it. It was Iris, telling me to see her before we entered inside the manor.
"Is anything the matter?" I could not help but ask, for her voice was full of apprehension .
"Sir Dylan," she breathed heavily, "You have to meet me. Look, there is a competition in there. Anisha would have to look her best. What is she wearing? I have with me a dress which she can use. Not too classy, but it will help her fit in. It's never used; it's a brand new dress. Miss Arianna bought it and never used it, for she didn't like it after all. Sir Dylan, trust me, Anisha will NEED to wear it! I…"
"Shh, calm down, Iris," I tried to calm her down so that I could make head and tail f what she was saying, but she continued talking at a great speed.
"Sir Dylan, the dress should fit her well. What kind of shoes is she wearing? Please see me as soon as you get here. If you don't, trust me sir Dylan, Anisha is going to be made a mockery of today."
"Thank you for the heads up, Iris."
"Where are you now?" she asked hastily.
"We're running a bit late, but we're now along Lavender Street."
"Oh OK, you're almost home. I will be waiting in the front basement.," she whispered.
"OK Iris. Is everyone there yet?" I inquired.
"Yes, sir Dylan. You're the only ones who are not yet here." She continued to whisper.
"We'll be there in a minute."
I put the phone away and reclaimed Anisha's hand. Her hand was sweating. I checked her face and saw that she was doing her best to remain composed.
"Is everything OK? I mean, the phone call? It sounded like something is wrong." She was the first one to speak.
"It was Iris just checking how far we are."
"Do you think I will be able to match the standard?" she sounded very fearful.
"Relax, Anisha. You will be fine." I assured her. "Don't go there thinking about standards and all that. Be yourself and let everything just flow."
"Easier said than done," she nervously clenched her fists and looked out through the window again.
"You have me. If you ever need anything or even if you feel like you want to excuse yourself and go outside for a while, just give me a signal. Pete will be there too; and his fiancée Raelynn. Maybe you two can be friends, who knows? And there is Arianna, my sister. With Arianna I am sure you will feel at home. She will make sure to make you feel at home," I laughed quietly.
"I hope so. What about your older sister, Ciera?" she asked.
"Ciera will be there too. She's more on the quiet side, but she too will make you feel welcome. She obviously won't say as much as Arianna, but she will love to have you there. And there is Iris, who will show you motherly love."
I was silent as my own words came back to me, and I digested them slowly. How ironic. Iris was the one to show her motherly love. Yes, that was true…but why was my mother not willing to take her position and show the motherly love?
After receiving the phone call from Iris, I knew that my mother was capable of doing just that; and she surely had done it. What kind of competition was she planning? Who was in the competition? Was she part of it? Or had she made Arianna and Ciera to be part of it? Ciera…Ciera would never do something like that…or would she? And Arianna? No ways! Arianna was not the type that would allow mum to use her in her trivial battles.
I looked at the angel seated next to me and I told myself, if there is a dressing competition at the manor, then Anisha is ready for it.