Chapter 5
The blossoms of early spring decorate the trees outside a huge church. The inside of the church is more elaborately decorated with beautiful lilies. Decorators scampered about the church putting finishing touches on what was to be the “wedding of the century” according to Time magazine. Sarah gazed around the chapel with a mixture of concentration and awe. Never in her life had she seen anything quite so beautiful and at the same time, never in her life would she have appreciated it the way she did now.
Sarah smiled proudly until something caught her eye. She stared for a moment at an arrangement of flowers standing next to the organ and then pulled a few flowers from it. She thought for a moment and then replaced the flowers in different spots managing to fill a gap that had previously been there. She took a step back to examine the bouquet and nodded in approval. Janet walked up behind her and stared at the flowers. “You’re right.” She said with an impressed look, “They look much that way.”
Sarah laughed. “My father’s never going to believe that you convinced me to come to work with you.”
“I hardly believe it myself!” Janet said throwing an arm around her niece. “But you have quite the knack for it. Now if I could only get you in a skirt my mission would be accomplished.”
Sarah smirked. “Keep dreaming.” She laughed, “I would almost put money on the fact that the first time I wear a dress I will be the one walking down the aisle.”
“And when do I get to have the pleasure of planning your wedding?” Janet teased.
Sarah was about to reply when they were interrupted by the sound of a suggestive cough. Both women turned around to see Lance standing at the back of the chapel with a table cloth draped over his head flowing to the ground behind him as if it were the bride about to walk the aisle. Sarah laughed and then turned to her aunt and said, “You can book the chapel the day Lance agrees to marry me. Just make sure he knows I get to be the only one in a dress.”
Janet laughed hysterically. Sarah grabbed a handful of babies breath and ran to Lance. She gave him his bouquet and playfully walked with him up the aisle. The two laughed the entire time. Janet watched them with amusement. Sarah and Lance had become practically inseparable and Janet was often amazed that it took a boy to give Sarah that feminine touch she so desperately needed. Janet’s look of amusement turned to a look of pride. She was proud of how far Sarah had come in the few short months she’d been there.
**********
Weeks later Sarah and Lance sat in the school library pouring over textbooks that were spread out over the entire table. Sarah was trying her best to make sense of the Greek mythology she was reading while Lance focused on more important things. He frowned as he watched two students hang a large banner advertising the spring formal. Sarah tapped her pencil on the page of the book as the words began to fall into place. “So Prometheus is the guy who stole the fire!” she said excited that she’d found the answer she was looking for.
Lance frowned at her statement but not for the reason she was thinking. “I bet Prometheus went to his prom.” He said with a pout, “PROM-etheus! It’s spelled in the guy’s feaking name. He was probably the king.
Sarah pushed away her books with a heavy sigh. “I thought we agreed not to talk about prom anymore.” She said sternly.
“But it’s prom!” Lance whined again, “There’s your wedding, and then there’s prom! It’s you chance to become a queen for a night. You have to come!”
“A queen for a night huh? Now I understand why you want to go so bad.”
Lance rolled his eyes at the lame insult and Sarah laughed. “I’m sorry, but standing around in heels all night with five pounds of glue in your hair just so you have a picture in your photo album doesn’t sound so fun to me.”
Lance wrinkled his nose. “Besides, what good is being a queen if you don’t have a king?” Sarah said with a hint of disappointment in her tone.
“Is that what the real problem is? That you don’t have a date? Honey all you had to do is say so, I can find you a date.”
"Don't bother."
Lance frowned and looked around the library. The first guy his eyes happened upon was a boy wearing a Star Trek T-shirt, punching an equation into a calculator. “I bet he doesn’t have a date yet.” Lance said as seriously as he could, pointing at the boy.
Sarah followed his gaze just in time to see the guy wipe his nose on the sleeve of his shirt. “Well then, beam me up Scottie!” She said sarcastically.
She and Lance burst into laughter causing the boy across the room to look up from his calculator. He gave them a disgusted look and hissed at them pressing his finger to his lips. Sarah and Lance only laughed more.
********
Spring was almost a distant memory now as the different shades of green deepened with the oncoming heat. Brian sat at a stoplight just up the street from the auto repair shop. He sighed thinking that he used to visit that shop a lot more often. A weary smile crossed his lips as he remembered a time when he had a reason for going there. He looked at the new Volvo he was now driving and almost felt sad that it never broke down; not that being at the shop was as fun anymore anyway.
Brian noticed a very familiar red Corvette in the garage and couldn’t help the smirk. Brian used to get excited when his cars would need work, but nothing tortured his little brother more than having his precious car up on the blocks. Brian looked up and down the street wondering where his brother might be and noticed a for lease sign in the window of the vacant building to his left. It was a decent size building with a large enough parking lot adjoining it.
Brian sat lost in thought until he heard the horn of the car behind him. He looked up to see that the light he’d been waiting on had turned green. Instead of his previous destination, he decided to pull his car over. He peered through the windows of the empty building and then looked again at the phone number on the sign. He searched his pockets for a pen until her recognized the sound of Fluffy’s annoying little yap. He looked up and saw Nick exiting a bridal shop holding a leash. Fluffy was nearly strangling his own neck attempting to free himself from Nick’s grip. Nick growled out of frustration at the noisy little ball of energy. “You brought that on yourself you know.” Brian laughed.
“Brian!” Nick said surprised to see his big brother. “What’s goin’ on?”
“I was just passing through, saw Fluffy.” Brian chuckled and then corrected himself, “Well, heard him is more like it.”
Brian looked curiously at the bridal gowns in the window in front of him. “So did Deanna convince you that Fluffy needed a real daddy?” he teased.
Nick shuddered at the idea. He looked in the shop at Deanna who was busy talking to a lady behind the counter. “God no!” Nick laughed, “It’s nothing that scary. Deana had to get measured for a dress. She’s going to be a bride’s maid at her friend’s wedding in a couple weeks.”
“A wedding.” Brian smirked sounding a little sorry for his brother. “That should be fun for you.”
“You remember Veronica? The art major from NYU.”
Brian thought back to the only date he’d been on in the last year; a total disaster. “I believe it was art history” he corrected remembering very clearly the awkward night.
“Yeah whatever.” Nick said, “The point is, the wedding is in New York.”
Nick grinned but Brian seemed to miss the point. “I don’t have to go.” Nick laughed.
Brian smirked but saw Deanna walking toward them so he changed the subject. “What’s your car doing at the shop?”
Nick’s mood changed instantly. “Transmission.” He grumbled casting a longing look up the street. “Two weeks! Can you believe it?”
“You shouldn’t ride her so hard.”
“On the bright side,” Nick said as Deanna arrived at his side, “I get to borrow the Porsche.”
Brian threw a smile Deanna’s direction. “You’re going to trust him with a car that can go nearly 300 miles an hour?”
“Can it really go that fast?” Deanna asked in surprise.
“Probably only when driven by the pro’s” Brian said.
Nick grinned wickedly and Deanna gave him a warning look but then smiled at Brian. “I guess I’m going to have to trust him sometime if we’re going to be partners and all.”
Brian’s eyes lit up. “So then, you’ll do it? You’re meeting went well?”
Deanna laughed but nodded her head. “My lawyers looked over everything and so did my insurance carrier. They were impressed with your business proposal and when I told them about you they actually said to send them your resume if you change your mind.”
“Really? Wow!” Brian said completely flattered.
“Hey now!” Nick said seeing how excited Brian got at the idea of some big shots being impressed with his work. “No straying from the plan! This isn’t just your business you’re starting up here.” he teased.
Brian laughed again, “I wouldn’t dream of it.” He teased. “But don’t just think you’re gonna be able to coast on through this whole thing. Eventually there will be some work involved.”
Brian, Nick and Deanna all had a good laugh and then spontaneously decided to go out to lunch in order to celebrate.
**********
The sun was shining beautifully as a bell rang out sending students fleeing in every direction. Lance slumped down into the passenger seat of Sarah’s mustang on the verge of tears. “How could he do it on the day of the prom? My life is officially over.” He stated dramatically.
“Your life is not over.” Sarah reassured him with a sympathetic smile and a soft pat. “You said it yourself last week that you didn’t think things were going to work out between the two of you.”
“But I was going to wait until after the prom. How could he do that? I already bought the tickets. I put a deposit down on my tux… My beautiful white tux.”
Sarah tried to keep a somber face while Lance sighed, “It was the only one in all of San Francisco with a fuchsia tie and cummerbund combo.”
“Fuchsia?” Sarah asked stifling a laugh.
“Not that anyone will ever see it now.” Lance spat bitterly.
Sarah sighed. She felt bad for her best friend, but she still didn’t see what the big deal was. “I believe your exact words were, ‘JC is as exciting as church.’ If that’s the case the dance wouldn’t have been much fun anyway. At least this way you won’t have a bad memory to haunt you forever.”
“But now I’ll never know.”
“It’s just a silly dance.”
Lance’s pout turned serious. “It’s not just a dance.” He said trying not to become angry. “It’s senior prom. It’s one of life’s defining moments. They make entire movies about it. It’s like a right of passage into adulthood.”
Sarah giggled. “You afraid you’ll have to join Peter Pan in Neverland if you don’t go to your prom?”
Lance’s smile returned for a brief moment. “Although I wouldn’t mind spending a night with the lost boys,” he said with a giggle, “I just don’t want to get old and have an empty photo album because I never took any pictures. Taking a bad picture is worth it if there’s a possibility that it could turn out to be your favorite one.”
Sarah was surprised at how profound her friend sounded. He was talking about prom and yet his words struck a chord in her heart. Sarah started her car and her mind drifted into thought.
As soon as she was home she wandered into Janet’s office where she found her aunt flipping through swatches comparing different shades of blue. Sarah came around behind her and then pointed to one of the fabrics. “I like this one.” She said, “Nice and light.”
Janet smiled. “That’s the one the bride picked. Unfortunately the groom likes this.”
Janet flipped to a blue camouflage and Sarah snickered. “Looks like you have your hands full with this one.” She laughed.
Sarah looked down on the desk and picked up a ring of fabrics that were all different shades of pink. She stared at the colors for a moment and then asked, “Which one of these is fuchsia?”
Janet stared curiously at the suspicious look in Sarah’s eyes and pointed to the right square. Sarah smiled. “I need your help with something."
A few short hours later Sarah stood on the front steps of Lance’s house. She was a vision in fuchsia. She pulled a pink rose from a plastic case, trying her best not to mess up her fresh manicure. She tugged at her dress and brushed a curly ringlet from her eyes and then took a deep breath as she rang the bell. Lance opened the door wearing nothing but pajama pants and a fuchsia bow tie. He stood in stunned silence at the beauty standing on his porch. Sarah blushed, took a slow spin and then held out the boutonniere. “I decided I didn’t want an empty picture book either.” She confessed.
Lance took the flower and Sarah wiped a single tear from his cheek. Without warning Lance leapt into Sarah’s arms practically knocking her off her feet. Sarah laughed and said, “Don’t take too long getting ready. There’s a difference between fashionably late and over.” Lance was overcome with excitement and dashed off so fast he left Sarah standing on the porch.
Author's Chapter Notes:
See! All that wait and then two in a row! (don't get used to it) :) Enojy and thanks again for the comments. They really do mean a lot.
