Lost in Las Vegas

by Melody Carlson

  “Yeah. It’ll be lots better than the local restaurants, which will be packed.”

  “That actually sounds kind of nice.”

  “Yes. I thought so.”

  “Why didn’t he tell Eliza?”

  “I told you, he wanted it to be a surprise.”

  “Oh . . .” DJ considered this. “Then why did he tell you?”

  “He wanted some menu suggestions, and he knew I was a girl who could keep her mouth shut.”

  “Until now.”

  “You know how to keep your mouth shut too, DJ.”

  “Thanks . . . I think.”

  “Anyway, it should be a great meal. Harry’s mom set it all up.”

  As DJ pulled into the driveway, she thought that at least the evening would start out nicely. What happened later on, after the dance ended, was anyone’s guess. But at least she knew that she and Conner wouldn’t be involved.

  “Well, look at y’all,” said Eliza. “Don’t you look pretty!”

  “Thanks,” said DJ, and Taylor just smiled in a cool sort of way.

  “So was it really Yobushi, DJ?” asked Eliza.

  “It really was.”

  “And was it nice?”

  “Oh, nice doesn’t really describe it. Wonderful. Delightful.” DJ sighed. “It was like a little slice of heaven.”

  Eliza blinked. “Well, sounds like you liked it.”

  “And now we have just enough time for a little nap,” called Taylor from the stairs.

  “Sounds good to me,” said DJ.

  But before she put her feet up, she checked her email. Still not a word from Haley. DJ decided to write her again. This time she didn’t take as much care. But she didn’t say anything untrue.

  Hi, Haley. Did you get my last email? It looks like it went through. But I haven’t heard from you. Is everything okay? I can’t imagine that you’d quit speaking to me because I’m going out with Conner. It’s just a dance. It’s not like we’re engaged. Anyway, I really do care about you, and I hope you’re okay. Please, write back. I’m praying for you to get well, Haley. But I know it won’t help you for me to pretend that Conner and I don’t like each other. So, if you need to, please talk to someone about this, okay?

  Love, DJ

  Suddenly, DJ didn’t feel quite so happy about the evening ahead. Oh, she knew it was silly to obsess over Haley’s feelings. It’s not like they made any sense. Not to a normal person. Still, it would’ve been a lot easier if Haley had written back. Even a brief, “Hey, it’s okay . . . no problem . . . don’t worry” would’ve been greatly welcome. As it was, DJ couldn’t help but imagine Haley having a total meltdown over this. DJ wondered if she should call Haley’s parents and tell them what was up. Or was that being codependent? Taylor would probably say, “Duh.”

  DJ glanced over to where Taylor was peacefully sleeping, flat on her back with her thick dark curls carefully arranged so as not to mess up her do. DJ wasn’t even sure she could sleep like that. Maybe she couldn’t sleep at all now.

  So she just prayed. She prayed for Haley to be okay. She prayed for her housemates — and the evening ahead. She prayed that God would keep them safe and help them all to make wise choices.

  5

  AFTER A CHAOTIC HOUR OR TWO, all six girls, with five bathrooms between them, were eventually dressed to the nines. Eliza finally got to see what everyone else was wearing, and she made the predictable comments.

  “Oh, Rhiannon,” she said sweetly, “what an adorable gown. I almost wouldn’t guess that you made it yourself.” Then she turned to Casey. “No surprises here, Madonna. But it’s Christmas not Halloween.”

  Casey smirked with her head held high as she clumped down the stairs with Rhiannon trailing gracefully behind her.

  DJ frowned at Eliza, but continued to stand tall. Taylor had just given her a mini lecture about not slumping. “That dress deserves some posture,” Taylor had said as she helped put the finishing touches on DJ’s makeup.

  “And you . . .” Eliza scrutinized DJ now. “Well, the dress is obviously off the rack, but not bad.”

  “Not bad?” Taylor stepped forward and looked Eliza in the eyes. “DJ looks like a million bucks, and you know it. Why can’t you just admit it?”

  “And you, Taylor . . .” Eliza smiled slyly. “You will definitely stand out in the crowd.”

  Taylor held her head even higher. “Thank you, Princess Eliza. I will take that as a compliment.” Then she linked arms with DJ, and they walked down the stairs. But about halfway down the stairs they overheard Eliza loudly whispering to Kriti.

  “But if Taylor shows her fangs tonight, she might be mistaken for Vampira.” As if on cue, Kriti laughed.

  “Welcome to Eliza-lot,” said DJ in a quiet voice.

  Taylor threw back her head and laughed.

  Then to everyone’s surprise, Grandmother and the general met them downstairs and led them into the dining room where there was a tempting spread of appetizers.

  “What is this?” asked DJ.

  “General Harding insisted we see you girls off in style tonight,” said Grandmother. “He even asked his cook to put together the hors d’oeuvres.”

  “And I shall play photographer,” said the general as he focused his camera on DJ and Taylor. “Smile, beauties!” They smiled and he snapped.

  “Very nice!” DJ smiled as she put a mini crab cake on her plate next to a deviled egg. Thanks to the general’s cook, there was no low fat or low carbs going on here.

  The general shot dozens of photos. Some posed, some candid. And when the guys arrived, things got even crazier — and louder. The guys looked as pleased to see the “treat” table as they were to see the girls. And the general soon began shooting photos of couples in the living room.

  “Wow, DJ,” Conner said as they waited to pose in front of the big fireplace. “You look incredible. Really awesome.”

  DJ smiled. “Thanks. Taylor was my fashion consultant.”

  Conner laughed. “As long as she’s not your life consultant.” They both turned to watch Taylor and Seth in front of the fireplace, hamming it up and even throwing in a kissing pose for the general.

  “Yeah, right.”

  Soon the appetizers were picked over, the photos were shot, and it was time to go. The guys helped the girls with their coats and wraps and then escorted them out to where a white stretch Hummer was waiting.

  “So where are you taking us?” chirped Eliza after they were all seated in the roomy limo.

  “It’s a surprise,” said Harry with a twinkle in his eye.

  DJ and Taylor exchanged glances, but apparently Eliza was watching.

  “Hey, do you guys know where we’re going?”

  Taylor gave her the blankest of blank looks. DJ did her best to imitate, and then she turned to Conner and winked.

  Of course, it wasn’t long before they all figured it out, and soon they were piling out of the limo and into the well-lit beach house where fabulous seafood smells met them at the door. Candles were everywhere, and music was playing.

  “Oh, Harry!” exclaimed Eliza. “You’re a magician.”

  “You mean his mom is a magician,” corrected Garrison.

  Then Harry held up a cooler. “But my mom is not responsible for this.”

  “What’s that?” asked Conner.

  Harry put the cooler on the island in the kitchen. “Step up to the bar, folks.”

  DJ glanced at Conner, and he just frowned. Then she looked around the kitchen to see if any adults were around. Everything looked ready to go — the table was beautifully set for twelve, there were warming dishes and salads and breads all ready to serve. But no grown-ups.

  “So your mom put this whole thing together and just left?” asked DJ.

  Harry tossed DJ a questioning glance. “Is there a problem?”

  DJ just shrugged. “Not with the food. It looks fantastic.”

  “Want to help put things on the table?” he asked.

  “Sure,” said DJ stiffly.


  So DJ, Conner, Rhiannon, and Bradford put the serving dishes on the table. But once everything was set up — and even after DJ rang a fork on a glass as dinner bell, announcing “Dinner is served” — the others continued to cluster around the “bar.” Casey kind of floated back and forth between the two different groups, but it seemed that Garrison still had his old pull and influence on her. Not for the first time, DJ wished that Casey had a different boyfriend. A nondrinking and respectful kind of boyfriend.

  “Why am I not surprised?” asked DJ as she watched them refilling their glasses and toasting each other.

  “So predictable,” said Conner.

  “Hopefully they’ll still want to go to the dance.” Rhiannon pointed to the oversized clock in the kitchen. “It’s nearly eight now.”

  “Don’t worry,” said Bradford. “They’ve still got their suites to look forward to . . . I’m sure we’ll get to the hotel . . . eventually.”

  “And the Hummer is waiting,” pointed out Conner.

  “I guess we could always eat and get the Hummer to take us back to town,” added DJ.

  “Why don’t we sit down,” suggested Conner. And so the four sat down, and Conner actually said a blessing.

  “This food looks great,” Bradford announced loudly, obviously for the sake of the others. “I guess we’ll go ahead and get started.”

  DJ shook out her napkin. “Wow, lobster!” she said just as loudly.

  “And don’t blame us if there’s nothing left,” called out Conner. “Because I’m starving!”

  Well, that seemed to get everyone’s attention. They trickled over, carrying their drinks and finding seats at the table.

  DJ had already decided not to make a scene. There really seemed no point. Like she’d said, why should this have surprised her? Still, it had caught her off guard. And it was disappointing. There seemed to be a silent agreement between the four nondrinkers to simply get through this. Before long, DJ assured herself, they would be at the dance.

  But when they were finished with their meal, the others returned for another round of drinks, and Harry turned up the music so they could dance.

  “Conner?” asked DJ from where they were sitting on the sidelines. “Can we go to the real dance before it’s over?”

  He nodded, then stood. “Okay, DJ and I are heading over to the Winter Ball now. And since I paid my share of the Hummer, we’ll be taking the limo to get there.” He kind of laughed. “But we’ll be sure to send it back. Anyone want to join us?”

  Naturally, Rhiannon and Bradford were ready to go. Then, to DJ’s pleased surprise, Casey and Garrison said they were coming too. Although it sort of looked like Casey was dragging Garrison along.

  “No one else?” called Conner.

  “We’ll be along later,” said Harry lightly. “You kiddies have fun now.” Then he scowled. “And don’t forget to send the Hummer back.”

  “I don’t see what the hurry is,” said Garrison after the six of them were seated in the Hummer.

  “We want to go to the dance,” pointed out DJ. “Wasn’t that the point?”

  He shrugged, then slumped down into the seat.

  DJ tossed Casey a look, but Casey looked the other way.

  “Gee, this is fun,” DJ said loudly to no one.

  Conner frowned as if he was taking her comment personally. So DJ grabbed his hand and squeezed it. “Sorry, it actually is fun. But some people sort of take the thrill away. You know?”

  He smiled now. “Yeah.”

  Across from them, Rhiannon and Bradford nodded. Then Rhiannon smiled. “But let’s not let them, okay? We’re still having fun despite the juvenile delinquents we left behind.”

  This made them all laugh. Well, except for Garrison. He looked rather glum and slightly sleepy. Or maybe he was just drunk. DJ wondered how much he’d had to drink. She also wondered, What was the point?

  When they reached the hotel, Garrison looked a little unsteady as he attempted to get up from the seat.

  “Hey, Garrison, you feeling all right?” asked Conner as he helped DJ get out of the limo.

  “You look a little green around the gills, buddy,” called Bradford as he and Rhiannon stood on the sidewalk.

  Now Conner leaned back into the Hummer. “Need a hand?”

  The four of them stood by the open doors to the Hummer, waiting for Casey and Garrison to join them.

  “Come on,” called Casey. “Let’s get moving, Garrison.”

  “I don’t . . .”

  Casey turned and looked into his face with a puzzled frown. “Are you feeling — ”

  Just then he hurled — blasting fragments of seafood and who knew what else all over Casey, himself, and the limo.

  “Ugh!” DJ put her hand over her mouth and stepped back.

  “Oh, that is so disgusting,” said Bradford.

  Just then the limo driver came running around, holding his hands in the air. “What is going on here?” he demanded. Then he looked in the back of the limo and let loose with a few foul words.

  “Our friend is sick,” said Conner. “Sorry about the mess.” Then to DJ’s amazement, Conner stepped back into the foul-smelling limo and helped Garrison out. And once outside, Garrison hurled again on the drive-around in front of the hotel. Not a pretty sight, as latecomers arrived for the Winter Ball, quickly sidestepping the nasty mess.

  “You guys go on inside,” said Conner. “I’ll take care of Garrison.”

  “What about me?” Casey held her vomit-soaked layers of petticoat out and looked like she was about to cry.

  “You kids are going to be charged for this mess!” yelled the angry limo driver. “No one’s getting their deposit back!”

  “Sorry about that,” called Bradford. “Guess he was carsick.”

  “Carsick, my foot!”

  “Don’t forget that the people at the beach house still need you to pick them up,” said Conner. “We paid for your service for the entire evening.”

  The man laughed now. “Oh, you’ll get my service, all right. But you’ll have to live with the smell.”

  Despite everything, DJ laughed as she imagined Harry and Eliza and the others’ faces when they stepped into the limo. Still, Harry had brought it on himself — he was the one who “opened up the bar.”

  “What am I going to do?” howled Casey.

  “Let’s get her to the bathroom,” said Rhiannon.

  “See you inside,” called DJ to Conner.

  “Let the good times roll,” called Conner.

  Getting chunks of barf out of layers of netting, laces on the corset, and not to mention the fishnet hosiery was no small challenge. Finally, Rhiannon and DJ just stepped back and shook their heads.

  “There’s no saving this outfit tonight,” said Rhiannon.

  “Why don’t you take a cab home and change?”

  Casey was crying now. “Yeah . . . I’ll take a cab home, but I think I’ll just stay there.”

  DJ didn’t know what to say. “My guess is that Garrison might want to call it a night too.”

  “What a waste,” said Casey as she threw the last of the soggy, smelly paper towels into the trash.

  “Don’t you mean wasted?” said Madison Dormont as she and Tina Clark emerged from where they’d obviously been listening in the lounge section of the ladies restroom. They both laughed, then stepping carefully, made their way to the mirrors where they checked their makeup.

  “I hate to say I agree,” said DJ. “But Madison is right.”

  “Thanks a lot,” snapped Casey. She turned on the heel of her Doc Martin boot and stormed out with Rhiannon trailing behind her.

  Then DJ went to the vanity to wash her hands and to touch up her own lip gloss. Remembering Taylor’s lecture, she stood straighter. “But just for the record, Madison,” she spoke slowly as she carefully coated her lips. “Casey wasn’t the one who got wasted tonight. It was her boyfriend.”

  “If you sleep with swine,” said Madison, “you wake up smelling l
ike a pig.” They both laughed as if they thought that was very clever.

  DJ forced a smile as she mustered enough self-control not to say, “takes one to know one.” Really, that would’ve been childish.

  “Nice dress,” said Tina as she snapped her evening bag closed.

  DJ was surprised. “Were you talking to me?”

  Tina shrugged, then nodded.

  DJ smiled more genuinely this time. “Thanks. Yours is nice too.”

  “Thanks,” said Tina with a cautious smile.

  “Good grief,” said Madison. “Aren’t we having quite the little love fest in here. The guys are waiting, Tina.”

  DJ watched as Madison and Tina strolled out. Those two usually kept the enemy lines tightly drawn, but Tina had just let her guard down. Maybe if DJ made a little more effort, things could change. But for now, DJ had enough to deal with. She hurried out to see what had become of Casey and Garrison.

  “There you are,” said Conner as they met in the lobby.

  “Where’s Garrison?”

  “He went up to the suite.”

  “Oh, that’s right.” DJ had almost forgotten the overnighter plan.

  “Is he going to sleep it off?” asked Rhiannon.

  “Actually, he sort of rallied after hurling all over the place,” said Bradford. “He said he’s going to change and hang around.”

  “But I put Casey in a cab to go home,” said Rhiannon.

  “Do you think she’ll come back?” asked DJ.

  “I don’t know.”

  Bradford shook his head. “I’m sure Garrison will be giving her a call before too long.”

  “Hopefully she won’t be answering,” said DJ.

  “Ladies,” said Conner in a formal voice, “Are you ready to go to the ball?”

  “Beyond ready,” said DJ.

  And so the four of them finally made it to the dance. Once inside, they danced and laughed and danced and visited with friends. DJ was reminded of how many good friends she had and how much fun it was to be with a big crowd like this. The band was actually pretty good. And the refreshments weren’t bad either. All in all, she was having a great time.

  6

  “YOU’RE LIKE THE BELLE OF THE BALL,” said Conner as he and DJ took a break near the punch table. It was nearly eleven, and DJ was finally feeling slightly tired. Still, it had been a great time . . . once they had made it into the ballroom.