by Cheree Alsop
She pulled my hands away. “Jumping off the balcony without being able to fly was stupid. Being jealous of me is, well, kind-of sweet.” Her smile deepened. “Are you crying?”
I wiped my watery eyes. “It’s the sun,” I protested.
She laughed. “I know today’s been hard on you. . . .”
“It’s the sun,” I replied again with a laugh. I pointed. “It’s right over your head, so whenever I look at you, it about kills me!”
“Sure,” she said with a teasing grin.
I let my head fall back. “I’m sorry, Ava.”
She fell silent for a moment. When she spoke, her voice was gentle. “You still haven’t asked me.”
That brought a smile to my face. I reached up and pulled her to my side. She cuddled against my good shoulder. “Ava, my beautiful, sweet, angelic Ava, will you go to the prom with me?”
At her silence, I glanced down at her. She gave me another teasing smile. “Will it make you cry?” At my laughing protest, she sat up and looked down at me again, a warm smile on her face and the sunlight bright in her eyes. “I will go to the prom with you, Reece, on one condition.”
Trepidation filled me. “What’s that?”
She grinned. “You have to wear a tux.”
That made me laugh. “I’m not sure any tuxedo place is going to be able to fit these.” I tipped my head toward my wings.
“We’ll find one,” she promised. “It’ll be an adventure.” She helped me sit up slowly.
“I would have thought you’d had enough adventures with me,” I told her.
She eased me carefully to my feet and ducked under my arm. “With you? Never.”
I grinned as we made our way to the front doors and the elevator.
***
“Are you sure they’re going to be cool with this?” I asked, looking up doubtfully at the store labeled Fancy Pants.
“Don’t worry,” Mrs. Brunsky reassured me. “I called ahead just to be sure.” She led the way into the store.
Getting tuxedos and dresses for the prom had turned into a social event. Apparently everyone thought it would be fun to dress up the Galdoni. While I detested the idea, the excitement on Ava’s face was enough to drag me anywhere. Kale’s reassurance before we left that he had placed a card on file at the store filled all the girls with dangerous enthusiasm.
“Can’t we wear jeans?” Brian asked for the twentieth time. Alice dragged him through the door. He gave me a look of sheer agony before he disappeared behind the glass.
“I’ll iron my dad’s church pants,” Seth protested. “He’s a bit taller than me, but they should look alright if I roll them up at the ankles.”
Sam shook her head. “We’re not going for alright. We’re going for fabulous.” He followed her inside with his head hanging like a scolded dog.
“Sounds like I’m not the only one reluctant to be fitted like a doll,” I told Ava.
She laughed. “Come on. It’ll be fun!”
I let her lead me inside.
Fancy Pants was split into two halves, the right side filled to the brim with dresses in every color imaginable, and the left stocked with straight rows of pants, vests, shirts, ties, cummerbunds, and anything else torturous individuals had invented to make women look beautiful and men look like penguins. There were even top hats in one corner.
Alice grabbed Ava’s arm. “Let’s go!” she said, giddy with excitement. “Mom’s already found the scarlet dresses.”
Ava gave me an apologetic look. “I didn’t know we’d be splitting up.”
I gave a self-suffering sigh. “Go ahead. I think I can manage.”
“You sure?”
I couldn’t help but nod at the bright smile on her face. “Definitely. Go have fun.”
She squeezed my hand and skipped off with Alice.
“We’ve been expecting you.”
It was all I could do to keep from chopping the man in the throat followed by a punch to the stomach and then an elbow in the back to lay him groaning on the floor. He must have seen the look on my face when I turned, because he backed off a few steps.
“Haven’t you heard not to sneak up on a Galdoni?” I asked, willing my heartbeat to slow.
He held up his hands. “Sorry, sorry. A bad habit. Makes for good sells when I see someone looking at things a bit higher priced; I tend to notice everything.” He wrung his hands together with an apologetic smile. “I noticed you could have killed me just then.”
I let out a slow breath. “I try not to kill people,” I said dryly. “But you might have been in pain for the next week or so.”
The man gave a weak smile. “Thank you for your constraint.”
I nodded.
“I’m Stewart,” he introduced himself.
“Reece,” I replied.
His smile deepened and I followed his gaze to my wings. “Wow. I could find you a vest to match them. It would look fabulous with that color of blue. And it would set off your blue eyes so magnificently. You would be the belle of the ball!”
I shook my head quickly. “Uh, no thanks. No belle. I’d prefer to draw as little attention as possible.”
Stewart gave a short little laugh. “As if,” he replied. “I’ll bet you’re the center of attention wherever you go.” At my disgruntled look, he pursed his lips. “Alright; little attention. Point taken. What did you plan to wear, if I may be so bold as to ask?”
I looked at Seth and Brian thumbing through the vests. There was every color imaginable. An idea occurred to me. “You see that Galdoni over there?” I tipped my head toward Ava who was busy holding the dozen dresses Alice had already handed her.
Stewart followed my gaze. Something in his face softened when he spotted her. I had seen the same thing every time someone new looked at Ava. It affirmed how special she was, how different. Nobody could help but smile when they looked at her. “She’s gorgeous,” Stewart breathed.
I nodded. “Do you have a vest that matches the color of her wings?”
Stewart’s mouth fell open. He covered it with a hand, but it remained open. “That is the most romantic thing. . . .” He paused, at a loss for words. His mouth gaped a moment more, then he shut it and stepped to attention so that his heels actually clicked together. “Your wish is mine to fulfill. Follow me.”
Surprised by his suddenly commanding air, I trailed him through the rows of clothes to a rack of vests near Seth. He held up a green and yellow one. “What do you think?”
I tried not to smile at the dismay Sam would show if he wore it. “I think you should go with something a little less bold.”
“Less bold, right,” Seth mumbled. He thumbed through the rack. “How about this one?” He held up a brown and orange vest.
I didn’t know what to say, but when Stewart turned around and saw what Seth was holding, he dropped everything in his arms. “Goodness sakes, son. You can’t wear that with your red hair!” He nudged me with his elbow. “Who’d be the center of attention now?”
“Maybe we should let him wear it,” I suggested.
Stewart laughed so loud it caught us both by surprise. He leaned on my shoulder as he laughed and laughed. Seth and I exchanged a look of disbelief. “It wasn’t that funny,” I said under Stewart’s laughter.
Seth grinned. “Apparently, he thinks you’re hilarious.”
When Stewart was finally sane once again, he ran two fingers over his eyebrows before picking up the vests he had dropped. “Come with me,” he told Seth.
Seth gave me a look of helpless panic. Stewart snapped and he hurried over to accept the armful of vests the man held out. “Try these on. One will hopefully suit your fancy.” Stewart winked at me. “Get it? Suit your fancy? And this is a suit store?”
I cracked a smile and it set him off laughing again. Bewildered, I followed him to a rack of gray and silver vests.
“Okay, okay,” he said, wiping his eyes. “You’ve got to let me work. I can’t imagine I’d get anything done if you were here cracki
ng jokes all day.” He pointed at the vests. “Are her wings more of a light gray like this?”
I shook my head. “No, they’re dark like storm clouds, but they lighten at the edges, like—”
“The sun breaking through and casting the entire day in glorious light?” Stewart finished helpfully.
“I, uh, yeah,” I replied, at a loss for words. I ran a finger along the rack, feeling the soft silk. When I neared the darker grays, one stood out. “This one. This is the color.”
“Ah,” Stewart breathed. “Spectacular. I’m sure our tailor can make this work with your wings. We just need to find a suit with the proper fit.” He pulled out a tape measure and began talking numbers faster than I could follow. “Hmm, yes,” he mumbled. “Wide shoulders, but I suppose that would be expected with the extra flight muscles.” More measurements. “Do you work out?” he asked.
“A bit,” I replied, unsure where he was going with the question. “But I’m not allowed to train.”
“Of course, of course,” he mumbled, back in his cadence. “I could just tell with all the muscles. . . .”
I blocked him out and turned my attention to the girls. Ava had so many dresses in her arms I could barely see her. Emily threw a green one on top, then picked up her own pile. All of the girls followed Alice and Sam into the dressing rooms. Mrs. Brunsky waited outside with her hands clasped in anticipation.
At first when Alice insisted that Ava and I go along, Mrs. Brunsky had been concerned about having two Galdoni in her vehicle. Fortunately, all she had to do was meet Ava for her worries to be alleviated. It had been determined by Alice that there wasn’t a clothing store with appropriate prom wear for everyone, so our trip took us to the nearby city of Tremonton. By the time we reached the store, Mrs. Brunsky seemed perfectly happy to have us along. She now beamed at Ava as if the Galdoni was her own daughter.
“If you would step into the fitting room,” Stewart said.
When I looked at him, I realized by his expression that he had probably repeated the request several times.
“Sorry,” I replied. “I was a bit, um. . . .”
“Distracted?” he completed helpfully. At my nod, he smiled. “You wouldn’t be the first gentleman whose attentions were captured by a beautiful lady across the way. It is one of the allures of our fine establishment.”
I followed him to the dressing room door and accepted the items he handed me. “Now keep in mind that these are unfitted, and you give us an additional challenge in accommodating your wings. Your group hasn’t given us much notice, but I feel we’ll be able to have proper attire available by Saturday if we ensure that our measurements are precise.” He held up his tape measure.
I sighed and stepped into the room.
Chapter Seventeen
“Look who’s fancy now,” Seth exclaimed when I walked out of the elevator. He and Sam stood arm in arm next to Alice and Brian.
“Looking sharp, Reece,” Bear called from the front desk.
“Thank you, Bear,” I replied. “Maybe dressing up isn’t all that bad.”
“That’s what I say,” Bear agreed. He smoothed the front of the printed tuxedo tee-shirt he had chosen to wear in celebration of the fact that Ava and I were going to prom.
His grin was contagious. I felt it spread across my face without effort.
“I got you this to give to Ava,” Seth said. He handed me a clear box with a flower inside. “It goes around her wrist.” He grinned. “Sam’s mom informed me that it is a very important part of going to prom, even though it’s just a flower.”
Sam laughed, patting Seth’s arm. “It’s called a corsage,” she explained. “And every girl who goes to prom deserves one.” She held up her wrist to show off the blue and purple flowers that matched her dress.
“Thank you for helping me out,” I told her.
She gave me a warm smile. “It’s no secret that this is your first prom. Well, it’s ours, too, but we’ve of course heard about it forever and I wouldn’t want you to mess it up for Ava even though you are already doing an exceptional job. I can’t believe you actually matched her wings, and after all you’ve been through, you’re still taking her even though you’re pale and probably—”
Alice put a hand on her shoulder. “Sam, you’re babbling.”
Sam covered her mouth. “I am,” she said with a giggle from behind her hand.
Seth grinned at her. “It’s alright. I enjoy Sam’s babbling.”
The fond look she gave him turned his cheeks as red as his hair.
The elevator behind me beeped. I glanced over my shoulder.
It would have been cheesy to say I felt like I could fly, because I could fly, but the moment Ava stepped out of the elevator I forgot I had feet, hands, or wings, because the world stood still. I felt like I floated straight to her side.
“You look absolutely gorgeous,” I said when I found my voice.
She had chosen a deep blue dress that accentuated her curves and trailed to the floor. The graceful lines and empire cut waist matched the fall of her feathers. She smiled at my vest. “You matched my wings.”
I nodded, but before I could say anything, Alice called from across the room, “And she matched your wings! It’s so romantic.” I glanced back to see her slap the shoulder of Brian’s red vest. “And you said we had to wear school colors. I hate yellow!”
I held up the corsage. “This is for you.”
Ava’s smile tugged at my heart. I fumbled with the box, but couldn’t get it open. She held out a hand. “May I?” In two seconds, she had the box open and was holding the corsage. “It’s so beautiful!” she exclaimed.
I slid it on her wrist and smiled at Seth over her head. He gave me a thumb’s up. “You’re welcome,” Sam called with a giddy smile.
I held out my arm. “My lady.”
“Oh,” Ava said with a little laugh. “Why, thank you.” She rested her hand on the crook of my elbow and we walked to the others.
“You should go everywhere dressed like that,” Alice said. “You two look absolutely amazing.”
“You look beautiful,” Ava replied. “You definitely should wear yellow more often.”
Alice beamed at Brian. “See, I told you we should wear school colors,” she said.
Seth led the way through the door. He was proud of his newly attained driver’s license and his father had lent him their family’s van.
“I don’t know how I’m supposed to explain riding to prom in a van,” Alice said. She picked a toy soldier off the back seat and examined it between two fingers before tossing it to the floor.
I refrained from mentioning that Kale had offered to pay for a limousine. Seth had been so excited at the prospect of driving everyone that I couldn’t take it away from him. Ava and I squished on the middle row of seats. It was a bit difficult with our wings, but we made it work.
Ava leaned her head on my shoulder. “I’m nervous,” she whispered in my ear.
“It’s going to be fine,” I whispered back. “I promise.” She squeezed my fingers. I rubbed my thumb soothingly along the top of her hand. I glanced back at Alice and Brian, then met Seth’s gaze in the rearview mirror. “Everyone remember the drill?” They all nodded. Though excitement lay heavy in the air, Ava’s worry showed on everyone’s faces. “It’s going to be okay,” I reassured them. “Just breathe, stay calm, and remember what we practiced.”
“They’re Galdoni,” Alice said, her voice tight.
I nodded. “I promise I won’t let anything happen to any of you, and I have help this time.”
“Thank goodness,” Brian exclaimed from behind me. He squeezed my good shoulder. “Because I don’t know how many more times you can take a beating.”
“As many as it takes,” I reassured him. “But our hope is no violence. It’s going to be a walk in the park.” I looked out the window and let out a slow breath, willing myself to believe my words.
When we reached the gymnasium, students were pouring out of vehicles and adm
iring each other’s attire.
“You all look so beautiful!” Alice exclaimed. “Emily! Alicia!” she grabbed Ava’s hand. “Be right back, Reece.” They took off across the sidewalk.
I tried to keep the worry from my face as I watched Ava. I could feel eyes watching us. Seth and Sam were busy conversing with Mr. Bennett who manned the front door. Even he had seen fit to dress up for the night.
“Nice tux,” I told him when I reached the door.
“Thank you,” he replied. “Same to you. I didn’t know they made tuxedos for Galdoni.”
I smiled. “We found a tailor who was kind enough to take the time for alterations.”
“Paid him a lot?” Mr. Bennett guessed.
“He probably made half a year’s salary off us,” I replied.
My algebra teacher laughed. “Only a tailor would rip off a Galdoni.”
I shrugged. “He knows I won’t be back there anytime soon.”
Mr. Bennett’s grin faltered. “Is everything good?” He tipped his head slightly to indicate the students.
I nodded. “Let’s get everyone inside. The sooner, the better.”
He raised his voice. “The dance is about to begin.”
Smiles faded slightly and eyes shifted as if the students suddenly remembered why they were there. Everyone greeted Mr. Bennett as normally as possible and shuffled through the door. I waited for Ava.
“They’re all nervous,” she whispered.
“I am, too,” I admitted.
She took a calming breath. “You’ve got this,” she said.
Her confidence filled me with strength. I brought her close and kissed her while I had the chance. A few catcalls and laughs followed. I smiled down at her. “No matter what happens, I love you.”
“I love you, too, Reece,” she said, looking up at me with her sea green eyes that made me forget what I was doing.
“Ahem,” Mr. Bennett said. “Not to take any attention away from you, but there’s a dance to attend to,” he reminded me.
I grinned, feeling more like myself. “Thank you, Mr. Bennett. Why don’t you head in first?” I held the door open.
He hesitated, then nodded. “Good luck,” he said under his breath when he passed.