by Rita Delude
There were three-legged sack races, which Henry didn’t think they could participate in because of Honey’s huge hoop skirt, but she made everyone laugh when she lifted her dress skirt, untied the hoop, and showed the layered pantalets that she was wearing under the dress. They were like long pants with layers of cotton fabric, far more discrete than many of the nurse, French maid, and other sexy, short outfits that some of the other girls wore. But she did dress back up again when the games were over because she loved the dress and so did the others. People gushed over it all night marveling that she’d made it herself. And she and Henry did win first prize for best couple’s costume.
They had silly string fights, water balloon fights, nerf gun fights, and played capture the flag. It felt like they were ten years old again, and they loved it. Sophie, always the star athlete among the Laconia girls, got into the games more than most. She had brought Annette along and they were both pirates. It was nice to see the others enjoy her friend from out of town. Isaac, who had come without a date, was hitting on Annette all night. Amanda took pictures and this time promised that many of them would be in the yearbook.
There was food available inside and outside the house and a Friday the 13th marathon running all night on the 55” screen TV. As it got late, people did mingle in smaller groups and the noise quieted down. Henry and Honey stayed out in the backyard with their plates and apple cider because it was cooler out there. With all the layers of clothing, Honey was quite warm. She had a shawl she wore over her shoulders.
“Do you like it here now?” he asked.
“It’s a lot better than when I first got here; that’s for sure.”
“I’m glad. I’m still sorry I started us off on the wrong foot.”
“No worries. Chill. Want a lollipop? That always helps me chill.”
“Sure,” Henry said. She pulled one out of the small lace purse she carried and gave it to him. Just then Amanda showed up to take a picture.
“Wait, wait,” Honey said. She took Henry’s hat off of him and took her bonnet off. He bent down and let her tie the bonnet on him making a huge bow at his neck. Then she set his hat on her head. They leaned into each other with lollipops touching as though they were doing a toast as Amanda snapped picture after picture and they smiled.
“This one makes the yearbook for sure. I’ll see to it myself,” Amanda said.
It was after midnight when Henry drove her home. He opened the door to his car and helped her squeeze the hoop skirt out of the car. They laughed at how difficult it still was.
“I can’t imagine having to dress like this every day. It’s much too much,” Honey said.
“Yeah, give me a pair of jeans and a T-shirt any day over this. As nice as you made it, I wouldn’t want to dress up like this every day. It’s too fussy.”
“Oh, could you return it to me on Monday? I have someone I want to show it to. She’s never seen my sewing.”
“Sure. Or I could bring it over tomorrow. I’m not working.”
As much as Honey wanted to see him again, she knew her limits and had her goals. “Sorry, Henry, I’ve still got a lot to catch up on since being out sick. I can’t see you tomorrow. I’ll see you in school.”
His shoulders drooped. She reached out and touched his arm. “It’s okay. I’ll see you Monday.
He bent his head down then and kissed her goodnight. “I had a wonderful time, Scarlett, thank you.”
“Thank you, Rhett. I did too.”
Twenty-one
Hello Dolly ran for three nights. Honey’s parents and Annie came all three nights and raved about how they could barely notice her, dressed entirely in black, move across the stage as she changed sets and set up props for each scene, which, of course, was the idea. Many of the last minute costumes were Honey Delano creations, and she got credit in the program for both staging and costumes. Dr. Sandra Bechard was in the audience one night, but slipped out without saying anything to anyone. She had several clients involved with the play. She congratulated them when she saw them, Honey included.
Those who saw it were blown away by Tara and Cory’s singing, he the deep baritone, and she pounding out the music across the auditorium as though she was twice her size. Sophie accompanied the actors on the piano each night with Annette waiting in case she needed a break, but she never did. By then, Honey’s parents knew all of these stars of the production. They opened their home to the cast and crew on the closing night for a huge party to celebrate the success of the show. Honey created a celebratory centerpiece made of hundreds of different sized lollipops and encouraged everyone to take some with them when they left at the end of the evening because, by then, she was happy to be known as the “Lollipop Girl” as Amanda was the “Bubble Gum Girl.”
She often got invitations to sleepovers as her sister Annie did; things were happy in the Delano household, and Honey and Henry were becoming a regular item. He often wore a half-dozen of her scrunchies on his wrists because he was always pulling them out of her pony tails to let her dark hair fly free. And she often wore one of his nerdy sweatshirts that said things like: Fe Man, Sarcasm Loading Please Wait, Never Trust an ATOM: They Make Up Everything, Science Is Like Magic But Real, When the Dragon Master Smiles: It’s Already Too Late, or the one she liked to borrow most with the picture of Lincoln that said I’m Not Really a Fan of the Theater.
“Yes,” she admitted to Sandy one day as spring approached, “the move to Laconia was a smart idea. I’m glad we did.”
“Have you shared your story with anyone yet?” Sandy asked.
“Henry and I are getting pretty serious. I think if I share my story with anyone, it will be with him.”
“That makes sense,” Sandy said. “Do only what makes you comfortable.”
“You can bet on that,” Honey said.
In April, Henry asked her to be his date for the prom, and she agreed. Prom was the only talk of the school it seemed, much to Sophie’s disgust. Sophie said she would refuse to attend because prom was a wasteful, useless night about nothing. But her friends would not let her off the hook so easily. They wanted everyone in the junior class to attend, especially their closest friends, so they went on a crusade to assure all juniors that it didn’t matter if you had a date for the prom or not, everyone was welcome and invited.
Seth Hostetler even made a special speech about it at a junior class meeting where they talked both about the prom and the end of year junior class trip to Canabie Lake Amusement Park. He made a point to make everyone feel welcome. As a result, more kids decided to attend, and Sophie asked Annette to come with her. Lots of guys and girls went without dates.
When Henry picked Honey up that evening, she was wearing her favorite color, blue, but it was a baby blue chiffon strapless dress that hugged her waist and accented her hour glass figure. Henry was speechless as her dark eyes and dark hair looked so stunning that he got so nervous he almost forgot to give her the wrist corsage he’d purchased for her.
“You’re, you’re beautiful,” he said. “This is for you.” And he slipped the corsage on her wrist. The white teacup roses and the white and blue ribbons matched perfectly. Henry had listened when she talked about the dress she was making.
“You look handsome too, Henry. Thank you for the flowers,” she said and lifted them to her nose, so she could smell them.
“Come over here by the fireplace, so I can get a picture of you two gorgeous creatures,” her mother said and Annie giggled.
They smiled for several pictures alone and some with Annie before Henry finally said, “My mom wants me to bring Honey to our house for pictures too, okay?”
“Oh, sure, sure,” Mrs. Delano said. “You two have a wonderful night.”
“We will,” they said at once.
She kissed her mom and dad goodnight.
After Henry had helped her into his car and slipped in behind the driver’s seat, he leaned in to kiss her. “You are the most stunning woman I’ve ever seen. I’m not kidding, Honey.”
“Thank you. You look pretty wonderful yourself,” she said and smiled wide.
They went off to have a prom night so special that they’d someday tell their grandchildren about it.
Acknowledgements
Thank you to Ron, my husband and first reader, who fact checks for me and is honest with his critiques. Thank you to Erin Lee of Crazy Ink Publishing for encouraging my writing and giving me this opportunity to reach my dream of writing fiction and being my confidante in every way, every day.
Thank you to Erin Wolf, my talented editor, who catches all the subtle things and works with a skilled and thoughtful touch. Thank you to Kimberly Lee, my PA, who keeps me organized, answers my crazy questions, and always has my back.
To my mom who listens to every word I write and my sister, Mary, who buys every book and anthology even though she doesn’t have time to read all of them, and to my sister, Jennie, who promotes me.
Thanks to the Crazy Inklings and Crazy Ink Exclusive Authors and all those who follow, promote, buy, and review my work, especially to my faithful readers and friends. Everyone’s support keeps me writing and dreaming of more and means more to me than you’ll ever realize.
About the Author
Rita Delude, an international bestselling author, writes contemporary romance, YA romance about much more than love, paranormal, and horror/suspense.
She has published Kaleidoscope, Baby Blues, and Adam’s Anguish, a three-part contemporary romance set in Escape, CO around Alice Glover and her quilting shop and family and friends who run it. She’s also published Catch.net and Caught in the Middle, a two-part series about finding love on the internet and keeping the flame burning after almost a decade of marriage. Sister’s Revenge is her horror/suspense read with Sweet Revenge the sequel to release in 2020. Dracula’s Choice is a paranormal 18+ romance by Delude. Bubble Gum Love and Lemon Yellow are her YA romances. In addition, Rhode Island Rendezvous and For the Love of Lily, contemporary romances, will release in 2020.
She’s published short stories in numerous anthologies by multiple publishers. They are:
“Confessional Crimes” in Absolution
“No Question” in Breakup or Makeup
“Little Girl” in Art Inspires Words Book I
“Left Out” in Art Inspires Words Book IV
“Arresting” in TTYS
“No Warrior Left Behind” in War Paint
“Purgatory” in Insane Insomnia
“Batman and Robin” in What’s Your Superpower?
“Bridges Burned” in Vague Book
“Bottom Feeder” in Catfish
“Darcie Ditches Dunbarton” in Beyond Oz
“Mad Milliner” in Beyond Wonderland
“The Locket” in Bending Time
“Happily Ever After” in Beyond the Mirror
“Of Kitty and Girl” in Twisted Classics
“At First Sight” in Craving: One Night
“Schooling Sara” in Getting Schooled
“Lily Lost” in Our Easter Nook
“Christmas Sunshine” in Our Christmas Nook
“Chance Meeting” in Accidental Attraction
She has been a magazine writer and a newspaper columnist for decades. Delude holds a MFA in Writing. She is retired from her position as a full professor at Nashua Community College, Nashua, New Hampshire.
She lives in New Hampshire, USA with her husband and their rescue dog, Daisy.
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Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.