Holiday Magic (Second Chance)

by Matthews, Susanne

  “No one ever accused her of having a surplus of tact. Her excuse was pretty lame as far as I was concerned—too much cold medicine, my you-know-what! If he did show up there in a snow storm, she could have let him crash on the couch. At least she didn’t accuse him of forcing himself on her,” Eleni mumbled the last, just loud enough for Georgia to hear. “He’s a nice guy, an honorable man. Look, for what it’s worth, he doesn’t remember anything about that night. You’d know that if you let me talk about him once in a while.”

  “An honorable man would have kept it in his pants,” Georgia sighed. “If he’d wanted sex that night, why didn’t he come to me?”

  And that’s the sticking point, she thought. It’s not as if I’d have turned him away. We weren’t celibate. Our sex life was just fine. Since she had stopped taking her pills, they might have created their child that night, but instead her world had fallen down around her. When she thought of it, she still wanted to curl up in a ball and die.

  The waiter came and cleared their plates away, giving Georgia time to compose herself. She was about to renege on the deal when Eleni looked at her with the ‘kicked puppy dog look’ that always got her what she wanted, and Georgia could never refuse. She had been prepared to face him, so why did having to see him more often seem so much worse?

  “Seriously, if you can’t do it, I’ll find a way to get out of the contract. It won’t be easy and may cost me the business…”

  Georgia sighed and shook her head. Eleni was a master manipulator. She knew how to push all the right buttons. She had been Daddy’s little princess, the one who always managed to need rescuing, while Georgia had been his little soldier, going out to take on the world and take care of her sister. When had that ended? When had she lost the ability to face the world?

  She could not deny her sister anything. She had used this as her excuse to finally leave New York. She wouldn’t back out now.

  “I said I’d do this for you, and I will, but I’m setting some ground rules. You can inform Mark that I’ll accompany him to the Ball, but I will not be his date. There is only so much I can take. As soon as I can leave, I’m out of there. As for the rest of it, he can do what he has to do, but we aren’t friends anymore. In fact, other than business, we really shouldn’t have anything to say to one another. If he can’t abide by that, Meg or Sam can mind the store. I won’t leave Philly right away, and when I do, I won’t go as far away as I did, but I’m not ready to let bygones be bygones yet.”

  Eleni sheepishly agreed and called Mark with the news. From the part of the conversation she could hear, he accepted her terms. Why wouldn’t he? They really had nothing else to discuss.

  The rest of the evening was spent discussing expectations for the all-inclusive events and talking about the good old days. She was still annoyed with her sister, but realistically Georgia knew that Eleni would never change.

  Eleni left early the following morning, and Georgia settled down to work the showroom. They had a few walk-ins, and she sold a number of the turkey coat pins that she had designed especially for Holiday Magic. The pewter holiday fowl wore pilgrim hats atop carnelian heads, and had gold leaf applied to their tail feathers and the pilgrim buckle on the hats. The eyes were made of hematite. The size of an orange, they were funky and popular.

  Friday had been a slow day, and she had managed to finish her design for her newest brooch, ‘The Last Leaf’. The pin would have a brown enamel branch from which an amber elm leaf would dangle. It was simple and yet timeless, a moment in time captured forever.

  Mark had not been in the shop all week, sending pay envelopes over by courier, a small gesture for which she had been grateful at the time.

  Saturday night, Georgia reluctantly entered the hotel ballroom. This would be the first wedding reception she attended since her own aborted one three years ago. What on earth had she been thinking?

  She looked around the room, relieved, and nodded. Eleni had been right. When it was someone else’s event, you could be objective, especially when it was as far removed from her own theme as this one was.

  Meg and Samantha were quite adept at following instructions. The room was gorgeous. The bride would be pleased. The black and white decorations looked both elegant and simple, the contrast adding to the lasting impression they would make.

  On the black cloth-covered tables sat lustrous, white china, and black and white pillar candles in silver holders set atop small circular mirrors. Beside them stood double bud vases, their red roses, each boasting a single branch of green leaves, added richness to the scene that had surprised her. Takeaways—ceramic penguin bridal couples—added a touch of whimsy to the otherwise formal setting. Many species of penguins were notoriously monogamous and made excellent symbolic animals for enduring marriages.

  Georgia, aware she was as much a part of the décor as was everything else in the room, had worn a floor-length Mandarin-styled black dress and pewter jewelry of her own making. Her hair had been tamed into a sleek chignon held in place by a clip that matched the toggles on the front shoulder of her dress and her earrings. The bride and groom were set to arrive at any minute, and with them would come Mark, the man she had avoided for the past three years.

  She regretted that he had not come into the showroom. It since it might have been easier to see him there for the first time, than in a crowded room full of strangers. Her emotions were a tossed salad, and she hoped she could control herself enough not to spoil the event for the bride. She had been unable to eat all day, her stomach a veritable battleground of butterflies as she prepared herself for this ordeal.

  Since this was an all-inclusive wedding, in addition to the décor, the staff was responsible for coordinating the various aspects of the evening, but doing so unobtrusively, allowing the bride and her family to enjoy the event. The hotel would cater the meal, provide bar service and the army of servers who roamed the room, but making sure that everything went off without a hitch was Georgia’s responsibility. She walked over to the table in the far corner reserved for the staff of Holiday Magic. It looked no different than any of the other tables in the room, and she had provided the favors for her staff as an extra thank you for the long hours they would put in tonight. While they would be fed and could have a maximum of two alcoholic beverages each, they would need to watch for problems throughout the evening. An unruly guest could spoil a wedding very quickly.

  Meg and Sam wore the smart uniforms Eleni had designed for them. The tuxedo style pants and jackets in black pinstripe, set off by snowy white blouses, were both functional and formal, and suited the occasion perfectly. She had given each of the girls some of her Delicate Design jewelry to wear, so that was a bit of bonus advertising for her. She reached for the water glass and sipped. Her nerves were strained as she waited for her first glimpse of him.

  Chapter Four

  The buzz of noise in the room increased, and Georgia looked up to see the bride and groom, and their attendants entering. The bride wore an elaborate, pearl-encrusted gown of snowy white brocade and carried a large bouquet of red roses. Her attendants wore floor-length, strapless, black satin dresses and carried smaller, similar bouquets. The groom wore black tails with a gleaming white shirt and a red rose in his lapel, while the groomsmen wore white tuxes with black shirts. The monochromatic scheme was bold and impressive. She was about to take her seat when her eyes were drawn to the last man to enter the room.

  Dressed in a black wool suit, his white shirt split by the slash of his black, silk tie, Mark stood in the doorway searching the crowd. At six foot four, he dominated the men in the bridal party, easily attracting the attention of the single girls in the room. His copper hair, glistening in the overhead lighting, was longer than the way he used to wear it, but the tousled curls looked good on him. He had shaved that horrible mustache that had reminded her of a wooly caterpillar, leaving his beautiful, kissable mouth just the way she liked it. His warm, brown eyes, flecked with amber, scanned the crowd, and she knew the moment he ha
d found her, and every part of her cried out with need. Her heart rose into her mouth, but she forced herself to remain calm. He leaned over, said something to the groom, shook his hand, and started through the crowd towards her. When he smiled, she melted inside as she always had.

  “Evening, ladies,” he said, acknowledging the two girls who stood beside her. “So, those are the new uniforms. Nice. The jewelry really sets them off well.”

  “Do you really like them?” asked Meg, twirling for him. “Georgia said we could keep the earrings and pins. Isn’t she great?”

  Georgia reddened at the sudden attention bestowed on her.

  “Yes, she is,” said Mark, turning the conversation back on the girls.

  She suspected the young girl might have a crush on him. If she gushed any more, she’d leave a mess. The only thing she hadn’t done was bat her eyelashes at him.

  You’re not jealous, are you? She heard her conscience whisper. She had been fighting with it all day. Of course not. What do I have to be jealous about?

  She pulled her thoughts back to the conversation around her.

  “They’re really comfortable too, and can you believe it? They’re washable?” said Sam, smiling at Mark.

  He laughed. “Getting you something that needed to be professionally cleaned each time you wore it wouldn’t have been very practical. The guys are wearing black pants and shirts with white ties.”

  He turned to look at her again. His gaze lingered, taking in every bit of her in his inspection, and she could see warmth and something more, something she wanted to ignore, in his eyes. He masked it quickly and stuck out his hand.

  “Hello, Georgia.” His whiskey-smooth voice enveloping her. “It’s been a long time. You look incredible.”

  She blushed. He had always been able to make her feel special, and he had done it again. It would be rude to ignore his hand, so she reached out hers. Big mistake! Thousands of electric shocks attacked her nerves at his touch, sending a flood of heat to her nether parts. She released his hand quickly, hoping that he had not sensed her response, but knew from the quizzical look on his face that the tell-tale flush had heightened her color.

  Get a grip on yourself, she ordered her unruly emotions. It’s only static electricity. He isn’t yours anymore, and you aren’t his, but she knew that was a lie. She would never belong to anyone else.

  “How did things go at the church?” She was amazed that her voice worked, and hoped she could stay focused on the business at hand.

  “Great. The boys are collecting everything and taking it back to the warehouse as we speak. I was afraid those black satin bows would look funereal, but alternating them with white ones worked well.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out two business cards, which he handed to her, their fingers touching briefly, sending frissons up her arm.

  “These people were really impressed. They plan on calling to book weddings of their own later in the year. I told them to call in January, and you could help them out.” He looked around the room with his practiced eye.

  “Eleni is incredible. When the bride insisted everything be black or white, the red roses the only color, I wasn’t sure she could pull it off, but your sister’s artistic talent never ceases to amaze me.” He reached for the penguin groom in front of him and picked it up.

  “These little guys are kind of cute, aren’t they?”

  “Each couple gets a pair.” She was surprised by the blandness of her voice. She was bleeding internally, and yet she could stand there stoically discussing wedding favors. Grandma would have been so proud of her for keeping it together. Mark spoke to her as if they were complete strangers, meeting for the first time. There was no pain in his voice, no regret. Had she meant so little to him?

  “They’re salt and pepper shakers, so they can be put to practical use. There are extras for those who aren’t part of a couple.”

  He slid his penguin groom over beside the penguin bride in front of her. “You can have mine.” The unexpected huskiness in his voice startled her.

  Before she could comment, the MC announced dinner was served. The meal, a seafood appetizer, followed by Caesar salad, prime rib, and custard for dessert was excellent. Tony and Luke had arrived just before the meal was served, so she had been able to sit two chairs away from him. The conversation had been pleasant, especially since Sam and Meg had dominated it.

  She was surprised to see that she had made a decent dent in her food. The last thing she needed was a lecture from him on her eating habits. She had gotten one of those the other night from her sister. Really, what difference was it of Eleni’s if she had lost another ten pounds—slim was in vogue, wasn’t it?

  Once the music started, the young people got up and danced. Thankfully, the music was so loud that conversation was impossible. She sat there, lost in the past, remembering things she had tried desperately to forget. He still wore the same aftershave, and its tangy, ocean fresh scent teased her senses. She saw the way that particular curl still tumbled over his forehead, and had to sit on her hands to keep from reaching up and pushing it back. She watched as he used his fingers to keep the beat of some of the faster tunes, and imagined the way they had once glided along her body, playing her like a fine instrument.

  When he got up and danced with Meg, her body remembered the way they had moved together on the dance floor, their bodies perfectly attuned to one another. She conjured up the feel of his jacket under her palm as he held her close, the thumping of his heart as he caressed her back while the music carried them along.

  When the band began to play ‘Unchained Melody’, the song they had chosen for their wedding dance, Mark looked at her as if he wanted to say something, but before he could, she excused herself, and rose from the table.

  Even though she had left the room, the music chased her along the hall. She sought to get a grip on her jumbled emotions. Tears threatened to fall, and she was grateful to find the powder room deserted. The room was flooded with the harshness of fluorescent lights. She looked at herself in the mirror, noticing how haunted her eyes appeared with the shadows under them. Had she always looked so unhappy? She noticed for the first time that the dress, which had clung to her curves when she had first worn it, hung loosely from her frame. Eleni might have a point, she conceded. She would have to make sure she ate more. Thin might be in, but emaciated was not.

  Georgia repaired the damage the tears had wrought on her eye make-up, pasted a false smile on her face, and headed back to the ballroom, but stood outside in the hallway and waited for the song to end before walking into the room again. Seeing Mark, especially under these circumstances, had been harder than even she had anticipated, and she only hoped that as she saw him more often, the pain would ease. She doubted that the longing she felt to be in his arms would ever go away. Why had fate been so cruel?

  She was on her way back to their table when she was corralled by the bride’s sister.

  “Come on, Georgia. All single girls onto the floor. Amy’s going to throw the bouquet.”

  Wanting to avoid the flowers, she moved into the middle of the crowd of eager girls, many of them several inches taller than her. Unlike most of those present, since she was working, she had worn sensible two-inch heels.

  “On three!” shouted the MC. “One, two, three!” The throwing bouquet, three red roses wrapped in black ribbon and snowy lace, went up into the air, spun twice, and landed on Georgia’s head, the ribbon tangling in the clip that held her hair in place. When someone tried to grab it away, she couldn’t. The flowers were securely attached.

  “That’s a new one folks.” The MC laughed. Instead of the girl catching the bouquet, the bouquet caught the girl.” Everyone laughed and clapped.

  Georgia stood still while Sam untangled the ribbon and handed the roses to her. “I guess this means you’ll be the next bride.”

  She smiled, but didn’t say a word. The roses were unusually fragrant for such deep red ones. The rest of the evening passed quickly. She danced with eac
h of the boys and one of the groomsmen. She thought she saw a glower on Mark’s face when the man pulled her tightly to him. Despite wanting to push him away from her, she let it be. She was grateful when the music ended, and she was able to excuse herself to go and see to the cutting of the cake. A decadent selection of desserts was set out along with coffee and tea, signaling the end of the evening. On the stroke of midnight, the bridal party left, and the guests wandered off to the various private functions being held after hours in other rooms of the hotel.

  Georgia eased off her shoes and began to help fold the tablecloths that would be sent for cleaning and pressing before they could go back to the warehouse. The room’s main lighting came on. Instead of the beautiful, pristine room from earlier in the evening, she saw a well-used party room that had lost its magic touch. The bud vases and penguins had gone home with the revelers, the china had been collected, and the tables were littered with partially burned candles, beer bottles, liquor and wine glasses, and champagne flutes. Four of the small mirrors that had stood under the candle plates as well as four of those had disappeared, and they would be added to the bride’s bill.

  Sam and the others worked to take down the yards of sheer, black fabric obscuring the ceiling. The miniature white lights resembling stars were neatly rolled and put away in bins. The other items used to turn the room into a black and white, once-in-a-lifetime fairyland, were packed into crates and soon everything had been carried out to the truck.

  Georgia picked up her purse, placed her penguin couple inside it, reached for the roses, put her shoes back on, and did one last circuit of the room to make sure nothing had been forgotten. The first of the many scheduled events for which she would be responsible had gone well. Mark had behaved appropriately. She looked around quickly and saw that everyone had left. She had better get a move on if she didn’t want to miss her ride.