Jada stood staring at Damon for a few minutes.
“I apologize for saying you’re acting like a little punk,” said Jada, voice full of contempt. “Even though it’s true.”
Then she turned on her heel and stalked out of the kitchen.
April
Brielle
The day of the spring debutante ball dawn cold and crisp. April in Michigan was very unpredictable, but for once it was somewhat warm and not raining on the big day. Brielle, Sammie and Kyzie sat in different styling chairs with their hair in various stages of completeness.
“It’s going to be so fun,” said Sammie. “I cannot believe that we are juniors this year.”
“I know,” said Brielle, “Our dresses are so beautiful. We are going to be banging.”
“Smashing,” said Kyzie. “Totally!”
They all laughed.
“Do we have all the steps down?” asked Kyzie, always the one wondering if the dance was going to go well. They had to do one dance with the other junior debutantes and act as hostesses for the senior debutantes, who were making their debut this year. They had been practicing once a week for four months and Kyzie had been coaching them endlessly in their limited spare time.
“I think we can do the dance in our sleep,” said Brielle. She hummed a few bars of the music in her head.
“Hey, all,” said Jada, as she walked into the salon. She had the next appointment after Sammie with the stylist named Christine.
“Hey, girl,” said Brielle, smiling. Her stylist, Avis, was putting the finishing touches on her French roll. She instructed Brielle to close her eyes and sprayed her hair first with oil sheen and then with hair spray.
“That looks fabulous,” said Brielle, preening with the hand mirror. “We are going to be so perfect.”
“Did your mom pick up our dresses from the bridal shop?” asked Sammie.
“Yep,” said Jada. “Mom and Damon went to drop them off at the hall, so we can just hop into them when we get there.”
“How is Damon?” asked Sammie.
“Dealing with his little rug rat as usual,” said Jada.
“Are you still being mean to him?” asked Sammie.
“Yeah,” said Jada. “He deserves it.”
“Don’t keep it up on my account,” said Brielle. “It’s okay.” And to her surprise she really meant it.
“It’s not for you,” said Jada. “I just can’t stand him.”
They all laughed, even Brielle.
Later, they all got changed into their dresses and were getting ready for the debutante ball. They were chattering happily and helping each other put on their long purple sequined gloves. Their dresses were also purple with rhinestones around the collar and hoop skirts.
“I feel like a southern bell,” said Brielle, out loud to herself, practicing her curtsey in the mirror that was set up just outside the dressing room.
“You look like a queen,” said a deep voice from behind her.
Brielle whirled around with her hand to her chest. She could feel her heart pounding. There stood Damon, looking as handsome as she’d ever seen him, smiling down at her.
“I didn’t know that you were coming to the ball,” she said, looking back at him. She didn’t smile and locked her knees to keep from getting any closer to him.
Damon shook his head.
“I’m not,” he said gesturing to his baggy jeans, tee shirt and leather bomber jacket. He held up a bag that he was carrying in one hand. “Jada forgot her shoes and mom called me to bring them.”
“I’ll take them in to her,” said Brielle, holding out her gloved hand. Damon carefully hung the straps of the bag over her gloved wrist. Before she knew what was happening, he reached up and touched one loose curl, that hung by her right shoulder.
“You are so beautiful,’ he said. He looked like he wanted to say something else but didn’t know where to start. His eyes seemed to plead with Brielle.
“Yes?” she tilted her head to the side. If you’ve got something to say to me boy, get it said or get out of my face.
“I hope you have a good time,” he said and felt crushed when she looked at him with disappointment in her eyes. He sighed heavily and turned on his heel.
“Thank you,” said Brielle and watched him walk away. She lifted her chin. For the first time she didn’t want to run after him and find out what was wrong. She smiled slightly and then turned and looked at herself in the mirror.
“You are so beautiful,” she said, smiling at her reflection. She blew herself a kiss, laughed to herself for her silliness and went to take Jada her shoes.
Damon
Damon put Ricky into his crib after his morning feeding. He’d already had a bath and a change of clothes, so he was sweet smelling and mellow tempered. The baby smiled up at Damon and his heart flipped over in his chest. He felt a brief moment of shame that he’d ever thought to abort Ricky. He caressed the baby’s cheek with the back of his hand. The doorbell rang.
“Be right back, buddy,” said Damon, leaning down to give him one last kiss. He went to open the door.
“Hey, Sasha,” he said.
“Hello, Damon,” she said, not bothering to meet his eyes. She didn’t have much to say to him now that she had finally figured out that he didn’t want anything to do with her if it didn’t involve Ricky. He strapped the baby into the seat and kissed the baby on the forehead. He helped her collect all of Ricky’s things and carted the baby in the car seat out to her car. Damon took a long breath to inhale Ricky’s sweet baby smell. Ricky smelled like the early flowers blooming in the yards around the neighborhood. He was going on four months old and Damon had never been so in love.
Sasha gave him a snotty look.
“I gotta go Damon,” she said. “I got stuff to do.”
He gave her long look and then straightened and
