"Just as long as you don't make medance."
Elizabeth smiled. Maybe it would be okay afterall.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: February 16,2013
Elizabeth looked in the mirror. She kind-ofcouldn't believe that it was really her looking back. She had neverlooked this good, even on her wedding day. She wished that Susanwas here to see her tonight. Her one remaining friend, Susan, hadlaughed when Elizabeth begged her for help in figuring out what towear for the Have-a-Heart Gala.
"Really, you want my help? The last time I worea dress was my high school graduation, and that's only because mymother made me, under penalty of death."
"I get that you're not exactly fem, but youknow what looks good, right? I need you to pretend that I'm someoneyou would be scoping out."
"You know I can hear you, right?" Jayne hadpiped in. Elizabeth laughed. Susan often put her on speaker phoneso that Jayne could participate in the conversation. Although theyhad never been close before, Elizabeth now counted Jayne as a truefriend, just as Susan had proved to be. "Are you using your loosemorals to corrupt my woman? You know, I've heard all aboutyou."
"Of course I am, Jayne. You know what a vixenand slut I am. But seriously, I want your input too. I need to looksmoking hot for this thing."
Susan, always the voice of reason, asked, "Whydoes it matter how you look? I thought you didn't want to leadPeter on."
"No, I don't. But chances are he won't noticeanyway. I just know people will be talking when Peter and I walkin. Tongues will be wagging, and the best defense is a goodoffense. People are gonna talk about me, and they’re gonna hate meregardless. It might as well be because I look so damnfine."
"Holy shit," Jayne chimed in. "Is ... is thatself-confidence I hear? Coming from Elizabeth? Say it ain'tso!"
Elizabeth laughed again. The girls always madeher smile. She wished they lived closer so that they could do morethan just talk on the phone. Elizabeth, obviously, had never beenone to take fashion risks. But this time, she wanted to take arisk. To step outside her comfort zone. Of course, she didn't knowhow she was going to pull this off without spending a fortune. Shedidn't want to use her hard-earned coupon money, and she certainlycouldn't ask Peter. Susan and Jayne assured her that things wouldwork out. They made tentative plans to go shopping in a few weeks,as long as the winter weather didn't prevent them from getting outof the mountains.
Then, about a week later, a package showed upon her doorstep. The sender's name was unfamiliar, and the packagehad been shipped from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Elizabeth could notimagine what was in the large, padded envelope, and nearly passedout when she opened it to find a gorgeous chiffon dress. She lookedat the tags. It was a designer, and one of her favorites at that.She loved his use of laser pleating and interesting fabric draping.This dress was no exception. Cherry red, one shouldered, with afront key-hole cut out. Elizabeth had run into her room andimmediately tried it on. It fit like a glove, the petite lengthperfect on her frame. The A-line skirt swirled softly, until thehem skimmed her ankles. Perfect for showcasing a pair of killerheels. And the best part, a thigh-high slit. The fullness of theskirt often concealed it, but, at the right moment, her leg couldpeek through. It was perfect, as if her own fairy godmother hadcreated it herself.
Elizabeth pondered how this bit of perfectionhad arrived at her doorstep when her cell phone rang. She dug itout of her pants pocket, now lying crumpled on the floor. It wasSusan. "Did it come today?"
"Oh my God, was that you?"
"So it came? Did you open it?"
"Open it, I'm wearing it, and I may never takeit off again!"
"Do you like it?"
"No, I don't like it, I LOVE it. It is the mostperfect thing I have ever owned."
"So the size is right?"
"It's perfect. I don't even have to get ithemmed. But I don't understand. How ... why ... how?"
"After you called, Jayne and I started lookingon eBay. We saw it and both knew it was perfect foryou."
"EBay? Really? But it still has the tags onit!"
"It's supposed to. I don't ask how or why theycan sell a dress that retails for four-hundred dollars fortwenty-two, but ..."
"Wait a minute, did you saytwenty-two?"
"Um, yeah. That's why we totally had to get it.With shipping, the whole thing was twenty-eight bucks. No way inhell we could pass that up."
"You're like my fairy godmothers! I can't eventell you how perfect it is. I never would have even looked atred."
"We decided you needed to go big or go home.Red was the obvious choice. No boring black for you."
"But red? Are you sure?"
"It goes great with your coloring,right?"
"Right. I guess." Elizabeth studied herself inthe mirror as she talked, taking in all the angles.
"No, right. And secondly, it's the Have-a-Heartshindig. Thirdly, it's Valentine's weekend. I just hope there aredoctors and a defibrillator there, because I think hearts are goingto stop when you walk in the room!"
Susan and Jayne refused to accept payment forthe dress. They had come through big time for her. Elizabeth knewthat in a world that could often be harsh and cruel, she wasfortunate to have two real friends rather than twenty-twofly-by-night people in her life. Phone calls and photos went backand forth, as Elizabeth pondered shoe choices and accessorychoices. Jayne insisted that she do metallic shoes, rather thanblack, and Elizabeth was lucky to find a pair of killer goldstilettos with an ankle strap at a consignment shop. She had goldearrings that accentuated the dress perfectly, and finally splurgedon a gold bracelet (okay, she spent $40) to complete thelook.
Elizabeth combed the Internet and YouTube,watching tutorials about how to style her hair. After severalrounds of practice one evening a week before the Gala, Elizabethfinally nailed a flattering chignon with intricate but soft twistsand braids to complement the pleating and draping in thedress.
So here she sat, almost ready to leave,
