by Amelia Grace
And then finally, it was time to start preparing for the Ball. I started with a relaxing bubble bath, complete with candles and a scented bath bomb.
Then my personal hair and make-up artist came to the house to do my hair, according to the instructions of the Masquerade Ball.
My naturally curly hair was pinned high on my head leaving the curls loose at the top. Those loose ends were then secured to form a cascading updo. Bits of hair were left out to frame my face. Then, gently inserted into my hair was a delicate and intricate tiara.
I watched on in interest, as my face was transformed before me with the magic of make-up. I was very pleased with the final effect.
Finally, I wriggled into my glorious off-white ball gown. It was a beaded organza a line gown with spaghetti straps, and a low scoop neckline, emphasizing my womanly curves. The corset was tight fitting with boning for support, secured by pearl shaped snap closures in the back, and was fitted at the waist, but then flared out into a tulip shape at the hem, reaching to the floor.
I looked at myself in the full length mirror, and was very pleased with what I saw . I was sure that Nic would melt when he saw me.
***
He firstly returned to his own earth family, to their happiness, and then drove a car to where Cate’s house used to be, before it had been burnt to the ground.
He slowed the car to almost a stop as he approached Katie’s Gate. There was a new house on the lot of land. It was unfamiliar, and dark.
Ben felt the panic rising in his chest. He would have phoned her, but, he wanted to see her in person, to gage her reaction to him. In a fluster, he drove to the next best place – Cate’s parent’s house.
He urgently knocked on the front door, and paced to and fro. After a short while, Cate’s dad answered.
“Ben? Come in son,” said Cate’s father shocked to see him. He thought that he was long gone from Cate’s life, and they would never see him again.
Ben saw Cate’s mother and went and hugged her warmly.
“Ben, you look upset, how can we help you?” asked Mrs Boswell.
“I’m looking for Cate. I need to talk to her. I can’t stand to be apart from her anymore. Can you please tell me where she is?” Ben asked, emotional and panicked.
“Yes,” said Kate’s mum, her eyes full of love for Ben. “She’s….”
“Before you tell me though, I need to ask you something...Mr and Mrs Boswell, I am asking for your permission to marry your beautiful daughter, if she will have me. It would mean everything to me if she were my wife. I promise to love her deeply until the end of our days upon the Earth. I promise to keep her safe, and from harm. I promise to make her happy, always. I promise to treat her like a princess, and I promise to put her needs before mine.”
Cate’s mother put her hands up to her face and started to cry.
“Oh Ben…If Cate wants to marry you, then we approve. But, Cate has gone to the Masquerade Ball. She’s meeting Nic there…..he has also asked for our permission to marry her. He is planning to ask her tonight. I’m so sorry Ben…..”
Ben looked at Cate’s parents with shock on his face, and did not say a word. His worst fears were coming true.
She had moved on and fallen in love with another man.
Emotion choked the inside of him. He lowered his head and despondently left the house. He could hear Cate’s mum crying in the distance.
He was too late.
Slowly, he drove home, and then he lay on his bed feeling desolate. What was he to do now? He had pushed her too far. He had pushed her away.
Ben’s Earth mother entered the room, and sat and listened to his outpouring of grief.
“Well, what are you doing laying on your bed here Ben. Get up, put on your tails suit and go to the Masquerade Ball. Don’t go down without a fight. You belong together Ben. I know that she doesn’t love Nic as she loves you. I can see it in her eyes when she looks at him. Now get going before I go there myself, dressed in my pajamas!” demanded Ben’s mother.
But, Ben just remained there, his hands behind his head, staring up at the ceiling, his heart breaking.
Hope comes in bounds and dwindles away with disappointments.
Hope. One must never give up hope, and dreams.
And yet, he remained on his bed, lifeless, and deeply saddened.
***
I carefully placed the mask on my face as I arrived at the Masquerade Ballroom at 7:30pm. It was a stunning piece of venetian elegance, made from a soft metal that had been laser cut to provide an elegant and delicate design. It had a satin silver gold finish to the front and was adorned with ornate patterns.
My heart was aflutter. Soon I would be seeing Nic again, and I couldn’t wait.
I caught the elevator to the 76th floor with at least eight other belles of the ball. They were all as excited as I was, and enthusiastically left the elevator and rushed to the Grand Ballroom Entrance to show their tickets. As we neared the doorway, which opened to the fairytale adventure, we could hear the murmurs of the men. The girls shrieked with excitement.
Collecting my calm, I walked in together with the group, past the ogling men dressed up in their tails and phantom masks, to the other side of the room, to find our seats. Then we joined the other group of women who had already arrived and were enjoying sipping their drinks out of the tall fluted glasses.
At 7:45 precisely, the signal was given for the first compulsory dance to begin. Everyone formed a circle on the dance floor, the men on the inner circle and the women on the outer circle. As the music began, the men took the women’s hands and started the first dance of the evening. After one minute, the music changed signaling for the women to move on to the next dance partner.
I saw Nic halfway around the circle. He was so breathtaking in his suit and mask. My heart started to flutter.
Finally, Nic’s eyes met mine directly, and I smiled seductively at him. He smiled shyly back at me, melting my heart. I couldn’t wait to get him alone and to kiss him and for him to hold me in his arms. I couldn’t wait.
At the conclusion of the first dance, we all returned to our tables where we were served the first three of the five course meal, and the auctioning of the night started to raise money for the children’s fund. I did not see Nic’s placement in the room. I was eager to see him, and touch him again.
I decided to get up from my table and walk over to the bar to order a drink. That way, my height advantage would let me look around the room for him. But I was disappointed. I couldn’t see him anywhere. Perhaps he was sitting with his back to the bar?
I turned around to the barman to collect my drink.
“Madame, what a surprise to see you here,” Nic whispered in my ear, standing closely behind me, his voice rough.
I smiled, and then put my drink down, and turned to him to hug him.
“You look so beautiful Cate, so delicious that I could eat you,” Nic commented.
Just then, a Ballroom Minder quietly approached us and insisted that we take our seats again, as we were causing a distraction to the auction, and encouraging others to leave their tables as we had done.
I smiled at Nic, without saying a word, and then turned and walked away from him, excited to meet up with him again at some other time tonight.
After the third course, the Ballroom Guests were given permission to mingle and dance. Immediately I left my seat and fought my way through the groups of men and women looking for Nic.
But Nic found me. He took my hand and bowed to me, “Madame, would you like to dance?”
I curtsied to him saying, “j'aimerais à - I would love to.” He held my hand and walked in close proximity to me as he led me to the ballroom floor, then held me closely in the waltz pose as we swayed to the music.
“Nic, thank-you for coming to the Masquerade Ball,” I said gently.
“I’m glad that I did. With all of these men wanting a piece of you, I don’t think there would be any of you left by the end of the evening. I love you
Cate,”
Then the music ended, and Nic walked me back to my table.
The girls chatted animatedly about who they had met and what they looked like and if they got their phone number, and if they were going to meet them after the ball. Everyone was on a high, and eager to take part in the final compulsory ballroom waltz.
At 10:30 pm, the final signal was given for the compulsory waltz to begin. It would take at least one hour for every man to dance with every woman. Again we lined up as before, bowing to our partner and waited for the music to begin.
A romantic composition filled the ears of the ballroom dancers, as the final waltz had begun. Again after every minute, the music changed and we would change partners.
I didn’t have to wait for long until I found Nic this time. His eyes burned into mine.
I floated on air as I danced with the rest of my partners, politely looking into the eyes of my new partners, but not really noticing them, my mind was dreaming of Nic.
Then the music changed again, and I bowed to my partner before moving on to the next one. I put out my hand for him to take.
As soon as he touched me, I felt a surge of electricity. Shocked, I looked up and into his eyes. They were cerulean blue. His hair was very dark and wavy, with a cow’s lick on the right side, and he was infinitely handsome. His eyes looked deeply into mine, and my heart skipped its beat numerous times. As our waltz time ended, he bowed to me, kissing my hand, burning his cerulean eyes into mine.
He took my breath away.
I moved on to my next partner, in a state of shock.
It couldn’t be him. But as I continued looking back at him, I realized that it was him. There was no doubt. My heart began aching, and tears came to my eyes.
Here, I was at the Masquerade Ball with my new love Nic, and then, unannounced, the love of my life, that I had said goodbye to long ago, appears as if from out of nowhere.
I began to panic. What was I to do? Nic loved me deeply, and I loved him. I didn’t want to hurt him. Ben loved me deeply, and I still loved him deeply, more than I loved Nic. My heart pained. One of the men that loved me, and one that I loved was about to get hurt, was about to have their heart broken, and there was not a damn thing that I could do about it.
Then at once, the music stopped, and applause broke out. It was 11:30pm. It meant that our masks could be removed, and no more rules were in place.
Immediately, I ran from the dance floor, and out onto the balcony of the 76th floor, distressed.
I needed some fresh air. My head was in a spin. My heart was beating rapidly. I didn’t know what to do.
Swiftly Ben followed me out, trailed closely by Nic.
I stood at the balcony, facing the city lights, my back to both Nic and Ben.
Then I felt him near, my body still so highly attuned to his.
Slowly, I turned around and faced him. He stood there silently, looking deeply into my eyes, being ever so cautious with me.
He had returned for me.
I stared at him with disbelief written all over my face. It couldn’t be him. I had left him in Une Autre Terre to seal his love with Jacinta. My love with him was forbidden. We couldn’t be together.
Tentatively, Ben took another step towards me, his face full of emotion.
He slowly lifted his hand to touch mine, and immediately I felt the jolt of electricity from him. I had forgotten how good it felt. His touch instantly awakened every cell in my body, making me feel so alive, so happy, as only he could.
I looked down at Ben’s hands, searching for a ring to signify his marriage to Jacinta, but I saw nothing. I gently touched his fingers, running my soft fingers along his, looking up into his eyes. He knew what I was searching for. He had promised his love to me for eternity. I was his only true love. He had said that there would be no other woman for him. He had said that he could never love another woman as he loved me.
Then he lifted his hand to the side of my face, and moved closer to me. He burned his cerulean eyes into mine, mesmerizing me, then brought his lips closely to mine, but not touching. Slowly he pressed his lips against mine. I let out a soft moan, as he kissed me slowly and deeply with passion. I responded with a matching passion, wrapping my hand around the back of his head and twisting my fingers through his hair.
Ben pulled away, and walked away a short distance, placing his hands at the back of his head. Then he walked back to me, his face pained, and kissed me with great depth again.
He held me closely against his body, tears streaming down his face. And I held on tightly to him, my eyes closed as my tears flowed.
Then Ben kissed me tenderly yet again until I whispered his name. Then he lowered himself down onto one knee.
He looked up at me, his eyes intense, and held my hand.
“Marry me Cate. I cannot live without you. You are the shining light in my life. My heart beats only for you. My body feels alive when I am with you. You are my only reason for living. Marry me Cate. Marry me Cate…I want you to be my wife tonight. I cannot be apart from you, ever…”
I looked at Ben…..but I did not answer.
He stood up and looked into my eyes, reading my emotional state.
Then unexpectedly, he stepped back, looking at me.
“You love him?” he asked questioningly, the words choking in his throat.
He looked over at Nic.
Then Ben focused his eyes on the ground, his eyebrows pulled together.
When he looked up, Nic was gone. Ben walked away from me, and found Nic at the bar. He sat beside him.
Ben spoke to Nic, but Nic did not make eye contact.
Then I watched as Nic placed his drink down and then left the bar and came out to me. His face was shattered.
He stopped in front of me and held my hands.
I did not feel the jolt of electricity from Nic that I felt when Ben touched me. And then I realized that the love between Ben and me was a bond that could not be broken.
“So Cate…I met Ben……He told me that you love me, and that he was willing to step aside, if you choose me over him……………….I love you so deeply,” Nic said sadly, looking deeply into my eyes. And then he brought his lips to mine, and kissed me, as though it was his last kiss.
Nic released me from the kiss.
He looked out over the city lights, his hand over his heart.
“I know who you choose Cate. I knew I was up against Ben from the moment I saw his photograph in your bedroom. But you convinced me that it was totally over, and forgotten between the two of you. I raised my hopes about you. I tried not to fall in love with you, but you were just so addictive. I won’t forget you. I will always love you. I totally understand why Ben came back for you. It is exactly what I would do. I would actually fight Ben to the death to have you, but, I’m not that barbaric, and if it is him that you love more, then you must be with him. I wish you nothing but happiness.”
Tears fell from his face.
I held Nic’s face in my hands.
Nic, whom I loved. My heart broke for him.
He was shattered and down in the depths of darkness. I knew how it felt. I had been there many times before.
“Nic, look at me,” I insisted.
He lifted his eyes to mine.
“I am not the only woman on the planet. Look around you. Look at all of those girls who scream after you. Look at all of the women here tonight that are drooling over you. You will find another to love, and to love deeply. And you will find someone who deeply and passionately loves you, and worships the ground that you walk on.”
Then I wrapped my arms around him and held him.
“I will always love you Nic, and I’ll never, ever forget you.”
“Ah Cate, it hurts so much, saying goodbye to you. I don’t want to say goodbye to you. I don’t ever want to let you go,” Nic said with deep pain in his voice.
Then he pulled away slightly from me, and kissed me one more time.
“I love you,” Nic whispered. Then h
e walked away from me, a broken man.
Ben was standing at the french doors. He had been watching our interaction.
Nic walked over to him and shook his hand.
“You are a better man than me Ben. I could never give her up if she loved someone more, like you just did. She has chosen you - and , I wish I was you,” I heard Nic say.
Ben held Nic’s hand tightly and then pulled him to to hug him. I knew why he did that. It was out of respect for him, but also to briefly lay his hand behind his heart to help take away some of the pain that he would feel, and to speed up his grief and recovery process. He was such a good man. Ben was willing to give up his happiness for my happiness. He didn’t hate the man that I had fallen in love with, but tried to help him.
He slowly released Nic, his eyes looking down, and then Ben slowly walked back out to me.
He brought his lips to mine again. He kissed me with a new depth of love and with such emotion that it took my breath away.
Again, Ben gently knelt down on one knee, and held my hand.
“Marry me Cate …tonight,” Ben said tenderly, uncertain what my answer would be.
I looked at him, and started shaking my head.
“How can I Ben? Our love is forbidden. You’ll never be able to enter Une Autre Terre again, and I won’t be able to live with myself if you can’t return to your own world,” I said crying.
“Cate, I love you. Nothing else matters except that we are together,” Ben said emotionally and intensely. And he looked into my eyes for an immeasurable time.
And I looked into his cerulean eyes. He was too beautiful. No-one would ever make me feel the way that he did.
“Yes…..yes, I will marry you,” I whispered.
He stood up and wrapped his arms around me, lifting me up off the floor, swinging me around, crying tears of joy. Then he slowed the spin and placed me gently back down and then kissed me tenderly again.
He led me back into the ballroom, to the applause of all who had watched him propose to me. He led me to the ballroom dance floor where he held me closely, slowly swaying to the music, kissing me numerous times.
“On the stroke of midnight,” Ben whispered into my ear, “Under the great fairy tree in the Botanical Gardens, you will become my wife.” He kissed me slowly again. I could not wait until he would seal his love with me.