Playing in Secret(34)

"Where's my dress? And Quinn?"         

     



 

"Quinn went on ahead with the dress, and everyone else."

"Why would she do that? What if it doesn't fit? And why did everyone else leave today, too?"

If it's a mess, Blake won't be able to take me, and then it will be like  high school all over again. No. I take deep breaths, like the doctor  taught me to, and bring my heart rate back down. Blake loves me, and  we'll make the dress situation work no matter what. Stella has too many  connections for me to be without something to wear, and Blake will want  me on his arm, no matter what I'm wearing.

"Are you here with me, Audrey?"

"Yes. I was panicking a little, but I managed to calm myself down."

"You have absolutely nothing to worry about. Everything is going to be amazing. I promise."

"Okay. I trust you. I really do."

"I know. Let's go catch that plane, and get you to your man."

"I didn't know I was going today. I'm not packed."

"Everything you need will be waiting for you. Now come on."

I follow her out of my apartment, even though she won't answer any of my  questions. Not on the drive, or the plane, and she even tries to dodge  me once we land, too, but I stand firm. We didn't land in Burbank like I  was supposed to tomorrow. We're in San Diego, and I want to know why.

"Where are we going from here? I'm not getting in the car until you tell me, Stell."

"Fine. I will tell you where we're going, but only that. We are going to your parents' house."

"What? Why?"

"Nope. I shouldn't have even told you that much. Now get in the damn car."

I glare at her, but I get in. Neither one of us says a word as we're  driven to my old neighborhood. I don't speak, because I know she won't  answer my questions. I think she's quiet because she's pissed off at me  for not just going along with whatever plan they all have for me. I'm  just so nervous, and being surprised scares me, but I shouldn't take it  out on her.

"I'm sorry, Stell," I tell her when the car pulls up to the house. "I'm just scared."

"It's okay. You have nothing to be scared of."

"I trust you."

"I know. Let's go get your dress on you."

We walk up to the door, and my mother opens it before we can ring the  bell. She looks even more excited than Stella as she hugs me and leads  us inside. I can smell tamales cooking, and hear muffled voices through  the closed kitchen door.

"That is not your concern," she tells me, swatting my butt like she did  when I was little and trying to steal a cookie. "We're going to your  room."

"Yes, Mama."

She opens the door, and then steps back. My mouth falls open as I see  Quinn standing there with the dress in her hand. It's not just any  dress, though. Even though it's been reworked, I recognize it as my prom  dress from all those years ago. It's now strapless with the ruffles  turned into something more modern and asymmetrical, but there's no doubt  that it's the same dress.

"How? Why?"

"While you're still going to the L.A. premiere with Blake and Jeanne  tomorrow, you're also going alone with Blake to a special premiere  tonight. This one was recently added to the original schedule," Reina  says from behind me. She's got on an apron, and it's obvious that she's  been cooking for at least a few hours. "It was twenty years ago today  that he was supposed to take you to prom, Audrey."

"I know." It's part of why I've been freaking out today. I just wasn't going to admit it to anyone-not even myself.

"This is your do-over. You're going to a movie premiere tonight, but it's also your prom."

"The extra premiere wasn't on TV or online. I would've seen it."

"Blake will explain everything to you once you get dressed and ready for him."

"Okay," I say nodding. "Dress me up, Quinn. Hurry, please."

"There's not that big of a rush, Aud. He's not going anywhere without  you. Trust me on that." There's a crash from the kitchen, and both Reina  and my mother curse in Spanish. "I need to get back in there. See you  soon."

I turn back to Stella and Quinn. Stella hands me a strapless bra with  matching panties, and I run into my closet to put them on. Everyone in  the room has seen me naked, and I'm definitely not shy, but I think my  mother would be embarrassed if I just took it all off in the middle of  the room. Once I have the lingerie on, I step out and into the heels  Stella has waiting for me. They're similar to the sparkly rhinestone  covered ones I had originally, and I love them.         

     



 

Quinn nods to my mother, and I bend down so they can slide the dress  over my head. I stand straight and feel as it molds perfectly to my  body. "I knew we had it right," Stella tells Quinn with a smile.

"We are a great team."

"You're both awesome, now hand me some jewelry."

"Impatient, Aud?" Quinn asks with a laugh.

"Yes. I am."

Stella takes a jewelry box out of her bag. It's Chopard, and when she  hands it to me, I'm a little scared to open it. She nudges me, and I  flip it open, my breath catching in my throat as I look down at the  diamond covered links. It's gorgeous, and although I'm sure I could  afford it, I know that I didn't.

"Where are the guards that come with it? You borrowed it, right?"

"No. I didn't borrow it. Maggie bought it for you."

I look at my mom, worried that it will hurt her to see it, but she's  smiling as she takes my hand and slides a stack of thin silver bracelets  on my arm. "Your father and I never gave these to you, because he was  angry. We want you to have them now."

My relationship with my parents has gotten much better over the last  couple of months. We talk at least once a week, and they're planning a  trip to Vegas soon. They still won't take money from me, but Matt  arranged for my dad to have a job with the new company that's contracted  with him. He's actually getting better pay and benefits, which I know  are probably coming directly from Matt himself, but he'd never admit it,  and I'll never ask.

"I love them, Mama. Thank you."

"Would you like me to do your hair? I remember how you wanted it before."

"Yes, please." I loved the way she put my hair up with some down all those years ago.

My mother does my hair, Stella does my makeup, and Quinn adds some  yellow to the manicure I had done yesterday. When they all deem me  ready, I stand and follow my mother into the living room. I stop short  when I see Blake there already, talking to my father. He's got a sleek  black tuxedo on, and for the first time since he's been gone, there's a  thick coat of stubble covering the bottom of his face just the way I  like it.

"Audrey, I have given this young man permission to take you out tonight.  I would warn him to keep his hands to himself, but it's a little too  late for that."

We all laugh. I called my parents and told them I was pregnant once all  of my friends and Blake knew. They were happy, but I got a lecture about  how I need to get married soon. I have a feeling Blake got the same  lecture tonight.

"Hi."

"Hi."

"You look gorgeous, as always."

"Thank you. You look very handsome, as always."

"I got you a corsage," he tells me, handing me s wrist corsage made of  white roses, which is just what I had hoped for all those years ago. I  realize that my mother must have told him, and I squeeze her hand before  holding out my bare wrist for him.

"She got you a boutonniere," Stella says, winking at me as she hands me a  white flower. I pin it on his lapel, and then he catches my hand,  kissing my palm as he smiles.

"How long have you been here?"

"All day."

"What?"

"Cooking you dinner took a while."

"You cooked me dinner?"

"No. I cooked you dinner while he failed miserably," Matt says, smirking as he comes out of the kitchen.

"He did not fail," Reina says, smacking Matt on the back of the head.  "You've just had more practice with tamales and tacos than he has."

"It's okay, Reina. I know I suck. At least at the stuff we made today. I'm usually an okay cook."

"You tried," I tell him. "That's what matters."

"You mother told me that she had cooked dinner for me all those years  ago, and I wanted tonight to be as close to what you wanted as I could  make it."

"Thank you, but you didn't have to do this."

"Yes, I did. For both of us."

"Okay, well you two have fun. We have to go get changed and head to the premiere. We'll see you soon," Reina tells me.

"Thank you. All of you. You don't know what this means to me."

"Yes, we do, and you're welcome," Stella tells me with a hug.

They all leave, and then Blake holds out his arm to me. I take it and  walk out into our small backyard with him, pausing to take in the  twinkling lights in the trees, and the candles on the tables. "This  wasn't in my original plan."