by M.C. Moore
Chapter 24…
The garden had been transformed with long flowing linen curtains and plush couches. The ballroom was filled with linen clothed tables set with fine china and silver and a stage had been erected in one corner of the dance floor in which a DJ had begun setting up.
It was the evening of the triplets’ eighteenth birthday party and the day had been filled with last minute emergencies and overlooked details. Everything had come together beautifully in the end. Their party planner Doreen had out done herself with the food that was being delivered at this moment. The house smelled of delicious hors devours, roasted chicken, prime rib, and various other foods that would be available this evening.
Meckenzie had finished getting ready and was searching the house for anyone who actually lived there. There were cater-waiters milling about in the ballroom listening to the DJ test his sound equipment with a little Katy Perry. Adam, the party decorator, was in the garden adding last minute decorating touches.
“Have you seen any of my family?” Meckenzie surprised Adam. He had not realized she had entered the garden.
“Oh my gawd girl, you look fantastic?” Adam rushed over to Meckenzie and spun her around. “Is this Vintage?”
Meckenzie was wearing a dress that she had found while going through some trunks in the storage space downstairs. It had been her mom’s dress. It was a classic sweetheart floor length gown of a shimmering gold fabric that flowed behind her like a river of honey. Meckenzie’s mask matched it perfectly. Kellan had found a dress to wear as well and had it taken out for an emergency fitting. She was broader than Meckenzie and their mom, but the seamstress had been able to alter the dress and Kellan had looked gorgeous in it. It had a rainbow iridescence that matched her butterfly mask.
“Yes, it was my mom’s dress.” Meckenzie twirled as Adam shrieked with delight. “Have you seen Taggart or Kellan?”
“No, but that aunt of yours was through here a minute ago adjusting cameras and talking on her cell phone. I swear I saw her moving rocks around too, but it’s been a long day and I could have been seeing things.”
“Thanks Adam. I’ll see you later.” Meckenzie headed downstairs where she assumed everyone had gathered. Sure enough, she found Isabel, Bowen, Taggart, and Arden assembled around the potion table. Ardan was wearing a tuxedo and looked absolutely dashing. His hair had gotten a little longer so it was curling up over his collar. There was a place inside of Meckenzie that wanted to run her fingers through that hair. Twist her fingers into his beautiful locks and pull his mouth down to hers. Meckenzie cleared her head of these thoughts. They had done a great job of working together without letting their feelings find their way into it.
“Hey guys, what are we doing in our secret spy lab?” Meckenzie was feeling great this evening and her sense of humor had started coming back the last couple of days.
They all turned in Meckenzie’s direction. Ardan’s eyes met hers and she could see the desire spark in them.
“You look beautiful sis.” Taggart smiled.
“You look handsome too, bro.”
Meckenzie rubbed his hair so that Taggart would have to fix it before the party. Everyone’s mood seemed to be on the happy side this evening.
“We are putting some extra precautions into place. With all the people flowing in and out of the house, it is best if we are cautious. Here,” Isabel handed Meckenzie a couple of vials, “keep these in your purse. One is a smoke bomb that your brother came up with; it should be thrown on the ground. It will cause a dense fog. The other is a paralyzing potion. Throw it on the person you want to paralyze. This will help you avoid paralyzing everyone on Central Park West.” They all laughed at Meckenzie’s ability to project a spell in a large radius.
“The magic alarms are set. Anyone with fairy blood will be able to feel it when they go off. It will buzz you like an electric fence. It won’t hurt, but you will feel the vibration.” Bowen had upgraded the magical alarms when he had first moved in. “We will be monitoring the party from down here. We set up a viewing station for the many cameras around the house in the corner of our room. We have brought a couple of extra people over for security. They will be here any minute. Ardan will be in the ballroom with you three all night. Isabel and I will come and go, as we will be monitoring the perimeters as well as communicating with the others.”
“Has anyone seen Kellan?” Meckenzie was wondering where her sister had gotten off to.
“I thought she was getting ready.” Taggart said absently as he mixed another potion.
“I’m right here.” Kellan came down the stairs looking lovely.
“You look amazing.” Meckenzie rushed over to give her a hug. “You ready to turn eighteen?”
“Technically we are already eighteen.”
“Okay, ready to blow out some candles?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.” Kellan was very aloof. She seemed to have something on her mind, but Meckenzie didn’t have time to ask because Bowen began to go over the security measures for the evening with Kellan. Isabel gave Kellan the same potions to keep in her purse.
The trips and Ardan headed upstairs to the party. Guests would start arriving at any minute and it was important that they were there to greet them. Their father was already in the sitting room on the first floor with two gentlemen dressed in all black. They were discussing the cameras positioned over the door and in the entry.
Bowen entered and greeted them as old friends; they must be the extra security detail Meckenzie realized. As Bowen introduced them, they bowed to the triplets. It was the first time someone had addressed them as royalty. Meckenzie felt uncomfortable and Kellan snickered. Before it got uncomfortable, Bowen took them down to show them the ballroom and garden.
“I’m glad I get to see you three before this shindig starts up. I have something for you.” Their father pulled out three small ring boxes from his pocket. He handed the red one to Taggart, the green one to Kellan and the blue one to Meckenzie. “I hope you like them.”
The triplets opened the boxes to find they each had been given a ring. Taggart’s was inset with a ruby and eight small diamonds in a large square platinum setting. Kellan’s had a large princess cut diamond set off by two emeralds in a platinum setting. Meckenzie was amazed that he had taken the color of their necklaces into designing these rings. Meckenzie’s ring was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. There were a half a dozen sapphires and diamonds sprinkled through a platinum band. It sparkled from every angle.
“Thank you so much, this is so beautiful.” Kellan hugged their father tightly.
“Now they don’t have any magical powers, but I thought no matter what happens, that you would always have a piece of me with you.”
“Thanks dad.” Taggart gave him a hug.
Meckenzie was on the verge of tears. She knew she couldn’t cry though, she didn’t have enough time to fix her makeup. She hugged her father; she buried her head in his chest and breathed in deep. Her dad smelled as he had always smelled, sandalwood and citrus. It was some cologne that he had worn since the 70’s. Meckenzie loved the smell of it.
“Well, there will be guests arriving soon.” As if on cue the doorbell rang and everyone went off to greet the first guests.
People began pouring in and were shown down to the ballroom. The masquerade ball was a huge success; everyone was drinking, eating and laughing. The triplets’ friends from school had asked about their absence. The trips just confirmed the story that they were dealing with a personal family matter and needed to be home.
When it was time to cut the cake, the lights were turned off as a huge cake was wheeled in. The triplets circled around with their father to blow out the candles as everyone sang happy birthday. Meckenzie got ready to make her wish, but the only wish she could think of was that this would all be over soon so that they could get on with their lives and be near their father.<
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Applause erupted as they blew out the candles and the lights came back on. Meckenzie saw her first at the back of the room. She was standing next to the door holding a mask to her chest. Her blond hair was pulled away from her face and she looked a little older, but it was her.
Meckenzie must have stopped breathing because Taggart touched her shoulder, but Meckenzie couldn’t take her eyes off of her; she might disappear if that happened. So when Taggart followed her eyes to the back of the room, his hand dropped back to his side.
“Mom.” He whispered.