“We should find a table,” Andrew said with polite confidence. He began to head toward an empty table near the back wall.
“Hey, Andrew,” Karen called. “Why don’t you all join us?” She stood and waved her hand to indicate their half-filled table. “We’ve still got some room here.”
Andrew glanced at Allison as if to ask if this was acceptable to her. “That would be nice,” she murmured.
She recognized the boys as some of Andrew’s teammates and knew that he would probably enjoy their company, and of course, she knew Karen and her friends Beverly and Janet. She had just learned that Janet was also a sophomore, and that these three girls usually stuck together because they were the youngest cheerleaders and were sometimes picked on by the older girls. Fortunately, these three were not among the ones that Allison had overheard talking about her last night. Just the same, she had no doubt that they’d heard the news by now.
“Great,” Andrew said as he pulled out a chair for Allison. “And how about if Curt and I get you girls some punch.” The other fellows immediately leaped up from the table to join Andrew and Curt. It was amusing how stiff and uncomfortable these normally confident athletes looked in their formal suits and ties. They seemed relieved to get up and move around.
“Allison and Heather!” Karen gushed. “You two look absolutely gorgeous tonight!”
“Thank you,” Heather said, smiling politely.
“What beautiful gowns,” Beverly added as she moved closer to examine their dresses. “You couldn’t have gotten those anywhere around here. You two look just like glamorous movie stars!”
Allison tried not to grimace as she thanked Beverly for the compliment. Then she said sincerely, “You all look really fantastic, too.”
The five girls stood for a while, chatting and admiring one another’s dresses. After several minutes Allison began to relax a little. Perhaps these girls hadn’t heard about Marsha after all. Or better yet, perhaps they simply didn’t care.
“Okay,” Karen said in a conspirator’s tone. “We might as well ask what we’re all dying to know. Allison, is it true? Is Marsha Madison really your mother?”
Allison felt her cheeks begin to glow, but she did appreciate Karen’s frankness. It was certainly preferable to the catty comments of the girls in the bathroom. Allison nodded. “I really didn’t want everyone to find out—”
“Goodness, why not?” cried Beverly. “If it were me I’d be telling everyone, then selling them autographs for five bucks a pop.”
The others laughed while Allison began to giggle. “I never thought of that, Beverly.”
Karen reached out and clasped Allison’s hand. “Well, we’ve heard that some people are acting very childish about the whole thing, and we wanted you to know that we think they’re ridiculous. We don’t think you’re a snob at all. We heard Shirley Jenson going around last night and saying all sorts of stupid things—”
“That’s right,” interrupted Beverly. “And we think Shirley is—well, it wouldn’t be very ladylike to say exactly what we think.” Everyone laughed, even Heather.
“Why don’t we sit down,” Janet suggested. “It looks like the guys are over there replaying last night’s game.”
“Now, Allison,” Karen began in a serious voice. “You’ve got to understand that we’re all desperate to know everything about your mom, but I told the girls here that we needed to respect you as our friend and not invade your privacy. So if we accidentally forget and get too nosy, you just let us know, okay?”
Allison smiled. “It’s all right. You’re all being so sweet about the whole thing that I really don’t mind a few questions. It’s not fun having a famous mom. Sometimes it’s just easier to keep the whole thing a secret.”
Karen nodded. “I can understand that. I’m sure I wouldn’t want everyone only thinking of me as someone’s daughter.” The other girls agreed.
Allison filled them in about what her mother’s current movie project was and what Marsha’s luxurious home in Beverly Hills looked like, and the girls all listened with wide-eyed awe, asking appropriate questions here and there. For some reason they seemed very different from boarding school girls. Perhaps it was because everyone at boarding school had rich or important parents; not to mention that movie stars were not always highly regarded and sometimes were actually looked down upon among wealthy families.
“And if it wasn’t for Allison’s mother sending these gowns,” Heather interjected, “we would have looked like Cinderella before the fairy godmother came.”
“Really?” Janet said. “Your dresses actually came from Marsha Madison?”
Heather nodded. “She sent them to Allison along with a bunch of other things.”
“Wow,” said Beverly. She touched Allison’s sleeve as if the fabric itself held some sort of magic.
“Well, Marsha didn’t actually wear this one,” Allison explained. “She and I got it while I was in Beverly Hills last summer. I was supposed to wear it to a big party, but I ended up wearing something else.” Allison turned to Heather, nodding at her dress. “But I think that Marsha may have worn that one a few years ago.”
All the girls turned and stared at Heather. Janet and Beverly both touched the moiré satin sleeves.
Just then the boys returned with their drinks, and to Allison’s relief the talk of movie stars momentarily ceased as they sipped their punch and tossed corny jokes back and forth. Allison glanced over to where the small amateur jazz band was playing a slightly off-key Bing Crosby tune to an almost-empty dance floor. Only two couples were dancing, and they were the grown-up chaperones, probably hoping to get the ball rolling. Allison wondered if any of the students actually planned to dance, or if they would just sit and visit all night.
“Do you want to dance, Allison?” Andrew asked as if reading her mind. Everyone else stopped talking and looked at her expectantly.
“I . . . uh . . . sure, I guess so,” she stammered. As much as she wanted to dance with Andrew, she wasn’t certain that she wanted to be out on the dance floor when it was so bare. But, as if on cue, the other boys at their table began to ask the girls to dance, and soon their whole group was out on the floor together. Apparently they were the perfect ice-breaker, for by the next song the floor was crowded. Allison even spied Shirley with Mark clumsily dancing along. It seemed that Mark’s sense of rhythm was sadly lacking, and by the sour expression on Shirley’s face, he would be hearing about it soon. Poor Mark.
Andrew was surprisingly comfortable on the dance floor, but then Allison figured that might have to do with his involvement in sports. “Your dancing skills have improved since last summer,” commented Allison with a sly grin.
Andrew laughed. “Actually, Grace has been giving me some lessons.”
After several dances the group returned to their table and replenished their refreshments. Everyone seemed more comfortable and relaxed now. Allison looked around at the happy faces at her table and marveled at how only an hour ago she was fretful and nervous about tonight. She tried not to look around the gym. She didn’t want to spot the girls who had said the mean things last night. She felt certain they couldn’t possibly be having as much fun as she was. She glanced over at Heather and Curt engaged in a lively conversation. It was wonderful to see Heather having a good time. Allison sighed and smiled over at Andrew, but an odd expression creased his brow as he looked over her shoulder.
“Can we join you?” asked a familiar voice behind her.
Allison turned around to see Shirley with Mark in tow. Shirley had on the dress she had described to Allison. It was a strange orange-pink shade of taffeta and reminded Allison of a giant flamingo. Before she could answer, Beverly spoke up.
“Sorry, kids, these chairs are taken.”
Shirley scowled darkly for a long moment, then finally turned and pulled on Mark’s arm. Allison watched as Shirley marched off. She felt a little guilty, but then she thought of all the mean things that Shirley had said and figured it was Shirley’s
own fault that she had not been invited to join them.
“I can’t believe the nerve,” Beverly whispered. “After all the garbage she said last night—”
“She actually thought she’d be welcome at our table!” Janet exclaimed. “Doesn’t that just beat all.”
“I feel a little sorry for her,” began Allison. “She brings these things on herself.”
“Well, maybe this will teach her a lesson,” Beverly said.
“Okay, okay,” Bruce Williams cut in. “Enough about that. I think it’s time for another dance.”
Within seconds they were all out on the floor again, this time trying to do the jitterbug. Allison saw Shirley and Mark sitting alone at a table. Mark was leaning back in his chair as if exasperated, but Shirley was sitting ramrod straight with her arms folded tightly across her chest and staring coldly at Allison as if she were a mortal enemy. A shiver went down Allison’s spine, and she forced her eyes to look a different direction. She was not about to let Shirley Jenson spoil this evening.
When the Harvest Ball finally ended, Karen invited Andrew and Curt and the girls to join them at Wally’s for a late-night snack, but Andrew said that he had promised to have the girls home before midnight.
“Otherwise we might turn into pumpkins,” Allison joked.
“Perhaps another time,” Heather said politely.
“You bet,” Karen said. “There’ll be lots more times. Thanks for joining us tonight. It was fun getting to know you two better.”
Allison was glad that Andrew didn’t seem mind not going to Wally’s. She knew that her father expected her home by midnight. Besides, the long day had made her tired. The drive home was much more relaxed than coming. The four of them chatted comfortably about the events of the evening. Andrew even mentioned Shirley.
“I hate to say this, Allison,” he began, “but I think Shirley Jenson may have it out for you now.”
“I’ll say,” agreed Curt. “If looks could kill, you’d be dead right now.”
“Really?” Heather questioned. “What makes you think that?”
“Well,” began Curt, “you should have seen her face. She reminded me of that old witch in The Wizard of Oz!”
Allison laughed. “Oh, she wasn’t quite that bad, just a little unnerving. What’s hard is that her dad is in partnership with my dad.”
“You’re kidding,” said Curt. “What rotten luck.”
“So somehow, I’ll have to try to make things up with Miss Jenson,” Allison said. “I’ve already forgiven her for what she pulled last night.”
Curt looked confused. “You actually forgave her? How could you? I mean, if some guy did something like that to me, I think I’d want to meet him out in the back parking lot.”
Andrew chuckled. “That’s understandable to feel like that, Curt, but I think Allison is trying to forgive others the way the Bible says to. Right, Allison?”
Allison smiled. “That’s right. And even though it’s never easy, especially with people like Shirley, in the end I’m pretty sure it’s worth it.”
“I can’t imagine how,” said Curt skeptically.
“I’m still just learning about it myself,” Allison explained. “But I know that when we don’t forgive people it just builds up inside of us—all the anger and bitterness—and it ends up making us even more miserable than the people we refuse to forgive.”
“I see your point,” Curt agreed.
“Here we are, Allison,” Andrew announced as he pulled up to her house.
The lights were glowing warmly through the foggy night. It felt good to have a dad waiting up to hear about her evening.
Andrew walked her to the door. Allison paused for a moment on the porch, thinking about how people in movies often kissed at the door and wondering if she was ready for that. Was Andrew?
“Thanks, Andrew,” she said smiling brightly. “It was a wonderful night.”
He took her hand in his and gave it a warm squeeze. “Thank you, Allison. I had a swell time. I really did. And I think Heather enjoyed it, too.”
Allison nodded. “I just hope that Curt doesn’t fall head over heels in love with her. It might break his heart to find out that hers belongs to another.”
Andrew laughed. “I hope her heart doesn’t really belong to anyone yet. She’s far too young for that sort of nonsense.”
A sickening sensation began to grow in the pit of her stomach, and Allison quickly pulled her hand out of his. “Of course,” she said stiffly, wondering why she had even bothered getting her hopes up over Andrew. He would always see her as a young girl.
Confused at her reaction, Andrew looked slightly surprised. “Well, thanks again, Allison. I really did have a good time.”
“Thank you, Andrew. I better go in now.”
She went inside and leaned against the closed door, and her frustration turned to understanding. Andrew was probably right. She was only a freshman in high school—it was silly to feel this way about a boy. Why, only last year she had made fun of lovesick girls who acted all swoony, and she and Patricia had always giggled during the mushy scenes of movies.
“How did it go, Allison?” her father asked, interrupting her thoughts.
“It was wonderful, Dad,” she answered honestly.
“Then why are you frowning?”
She laughed. “I guess I’m just tired. Really . . . it was an almost perfect night.”
“Almost?”
Allison shook her head. “I doubt you really want to hear all about it.”
“Muriel has gone to bed, but she left milk warming for cocoa, as well as some delicious molasses cookies. I guarantee you, Allison, I want to hear everything.”
“I should warn you that some of it involves Shirley Jenson,” Allison said as she hung up her coat.
“Ah, well, that explains a lot.”
Over cookies and cocoa in the cozy kitchen, Allison told her dad all about Shirley’s little scene at the dance. “The sad thing is that Shirley just seems to be digging herself into a deep hole. No one at our table seemed to have any respect for her at all. I feel sort of sorry for her. Her attempts at making friends have all backfired.”
James stared at his cocoa with intensity. “I hate to say it, but people like that just seem to go for whatever it is they want, and they don’t care very much about who gets hurt along the way.”
Allison noticed the dark look in his eyes and wondered if he wasn’t referring to his own situation, as well. “Are things getting worse in the business?”
“They’re sure not getting any better. It’s hard to see Marge making decisions that seem to have no regard for the people who have worked so hard for the business all these years.”
Allison nodded. “That must be awful.”
“Not only that, but Hal won’t stand up to her. She has no respect for my opinion on anything. She acts like everyone would be better off if I just went back to the lighthouse to live.” He forced a laugh.
Allison smiled. “Well, I hope you’re not taking her seriously.”
“No, of course not, but it’s difficult being partnered with someone you cannot agree with. I know that my dad and Hal’s dad had a great business together, but it just doesn’t seem like it can continue—not like this.”
“Grandpa wouldn’t have wanted things to be like this.”
“I know, and it makes me feel bad that I can’t just make it work somehow. I feel like I am failing him—”
“No, Dad,” Allison interrupted. “You’re not failing him.”
“But I’m not making the business work—not the way he would.”
Allison thought for a moment. “Tell me—do you think that I’m failing you when I can’t manage to get along with Shirley Jenson?”
“Of course not, Allison. Good grief, I don’t think anyone can get along with that girl.”
“Then why would Grandpa judge you any differently?”
James slowly smiled. “How’d you get to be so smart?”
“I think
it runs in the family.” She grinned and pointed her finger at him. “Now, what about buying that airport? What about selling out the shipping business and starting something completely new?”
“It’s sounding better all the time.” He sighed dreamily, then looked down at his watch. “It’s long past midnight, Cinderella. I think your ball gown should be turning into a nightgown about now.” He stood and gently took her hand as if escorting her to the dance floor.
“I am pretty tired, and these high heels are starting to really hurt my feet.”
“Off to bed with you, then, my princess.” He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. “I’ll clean things up in here so Muriel won’t have to get up to a messy kitchen.”
“She’ll appreciate that. Good night.” Allison paused at the kitchen door. “You know, Dad, I’m going to pray that God will show you just what to do in regard to the business and the airport possibilities.”
“Thanks, Allison. I could use some divine direction. I keep finding myself wishing for Dad to tell me what to do. I missed out on so much by not being around my father. . . .”
“Well, God is our father, too. I’m sure He can tell you what to do.”
James smiled. “I hope so.”
The week following the dance went smoothly for Allison, especially since Shirley seemed to be avoiding her. At first Allison felt a little sorry for Shirley because she seemed rather lonely and isolated, but by the end of the week, a gathering of girls seemed to attach themselves to her, and Shirley basked in their attention. Not surprisingly, Allison recognized several of them as the ones who had repeated the gossip the night before the dance. It figured.
Allison and Heather had eaten lunch with Karen, Janet, and Beverly throughout the week, but it hadn’t seemed as if Caroline was entirely welcome in that crowd. Allison was pretty certain that Heather sensed this, too.
Allison O'Brian on Her Own, Volume 2 Page 14