mind drifted, Norma walked into the room.
“How was your nap?” she asked in her sweet voice.
I cleared my throat a bit before answering politely, “It was exactly what I needed.”
“Good. You look very rested.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I hope you don’t mind that I picked up a few things for you while I was in town. I thought you might like to dress up tonight since everyone is coming to see you. Fergus said the two of you left in quite a hurry—didn’t have time to pack, he said.” As she finished the sentence, she opened a large box and pulled out a simple, yet elegant red dress. “I hear red never goes out of style.”
“It’s perfect.” I bounced from the window seat and ran to her.
“And we can’t forget the shoes.” She tilted the box very slightly. Sitting at the bottom on crisp white tissue paper were a pair of red velvet high heels.
“Oh, thank you—but, this is way too much.” I laid the dress on the end of the bed, while she placed the box and shoes to its side. She quietly walked over to me.
“I’ve waited for this day for many years. It brings me great joy to have you here.” She paused long enough to sweep her hand over my cheek. “Nothing will ever be too much for our Clarabella.” She reached around my head and pulled me in for a hug. I quickly wrapped my arms around her.
While my head rested on her shoulder, I inhaled her sweet smell of lavender and sunshine. I could see another smile form on her kind face.
I looked right into her glistening eyes. “Thank you,” I said. “Thank you for everything.”
-11-
SCARLET REFLECTIONS
Everywhere I turned there was another face greeting me with a smile. I had said hello and nice to meet you hundreds of times and had been the official receiver of hugs and handshakes throughout the night. Once everyone seemed to calm down and talk among one another, I was able to slip away from the crowd. I weaved my way through the many groups that had gathered, until I saw the back of the hall. I was drawn to the round silver doors and two floor-length windows.
Fergus stood next to one of the rose-colored panes, staring out into the night. He moved every few seconds to take small sips from his glass of punch.
“Need company?” I asked as I walked to him.
“You look beautiful tonight, Clara,” Fergus said. His fingers tapped against the glass in his hand as he turned to reveal an award-winning smile. In some way I felt like he was proud of me.
“You should be enjoying the party, not hanging around an old man like me,” he said.
“Stop saying you’re old, ’cause you’re not.” I shook my head while clearing my throat. We both looked out into the crowd of guests. All of them seemed to be so happy.
“All these people, they know me, but I don’t remember a single face. I feel so out of place.” I noticed his smile fade, so I hurriedly brushed my hair from my shoulder and gave an enthusiastic grin. “But the food is great,” I added.
He chuckled. “That’s the Clara I know.”
We stood side by side, looking through the window at the night sky. Fergus continued to sip on his punch until it was almost gone.
“Fergus,” I said, breaking the trance, “you said you knew where they took Alice. Why won’t you tell me?”
He tilted his head down and looked up through droopy eyes. “Sometimes it’s too hard to hear the truth, dangerous even. I need you to trust me, Clara. Trust that I will do everything in my power to keep you safe and to bring her back.”
“I do trust you. It’s just…nothing makes sense. I feel lost.”
As I turned my head to avoid his heartfelt gaze, my attention fell on a painting on the other side of the room. It was alone, centered in the middle of the wall. It’s wide golden frame made it stand out even more against the shadowed wall. I wasn’t sure how I had missed it before.
“Is that you?” I walked toward the painting, putting our conversation on hold. “And
“How was your nap?” she asked in her sweet voice.
I cleared my throat a bit before answering politely, “It was exactly what I needed.”
“Good. You look very rested.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I hope you don’t mind that I picked up a few things for you while I was in town. I thought you might like to dress up tonight since everyone is coming to see you. Fergus said the two of you left in quite a hurry—didn’t have time to pack, he said.” As she finished the sentence, she opened a large box and pulled out a simple, yet elegant red dress. “I hear red never goes out of style.”
“It’s perfect.” I bounced from the window seat and ran to her.
“And we can’t forget the shoes.” She tilted the box very slightly. Sitting at the bottom on crisp white tissue paper were a pair of red velvet high heels.
“Oh, thank you—but, this is way too much.” I laid the dress on the end of the bed, while she placed the box and shoes to its side. She quietly walked over to me.
“I’ve waited for this day for many years. It brings me great joy to have you here.” She paused long enough to sweep her hand over my cheek. “Nothing will ever be too much for our Clarabella.” She reached around my head and pulled me in for a hug. I quickly wrapped my arms around her.
While my head rested on her shoulder, I inhaled her sweet smell of lavender and sunshine. I could see another smile form on her kind face.
I looked right into her glistening eyes. “Thank you,” I said. “Thank you for everything.”
-11-
SCARLET REFLECTIONS
Everywhere I turned there was another face greeting me with a smile. I had said hello and nice to meet you hundreds of times and had been the official receiver of hugs and handshakes throughout the night. Once everyone seemed to calm down and talk among one another, I was able to slip away from the crowd. I weaved my way through the many groups that had gathered, until I saw the back of the hall. I was drawn to the round silver doors and two floor-length windows.
Fergus stood next to one of the rose-colored panes, staring out into the night. He moved every few seconds to take small sips from his glass of punch.
“Need company?” I asked as I walked to him.
“You look beautiful tonight, Clara,” Fergus said. His fingers tapped against the glass in his hand as he turned to reveal an award-winning smile. In some way I felt like he was proud of me.
“You should be enjoying the party, not hanging around an old man like me,” he said.
“Stop saying you’re old, ’cause you’re not.” I shook my head while clearing my throat. We both looked out into the crowd of guests. All of them seemed to be so happy.
“All these people, they know me, but I don’t remember a single face. I feel so out of place.” I noticed his smile fade, so I hurriedly brushed my hair from my shoulder and gave an enthusiastic grin. “But the food is great,” I added.
He chuckled. “That’s the Clara I know.”
We stood side by side, looking through the window at the night sky. Fergus continued to sip on his punch until it was almost gone.
“Fergus,” I said, breaking the trance, “you said you knew where they took Alice. Why won’t you tell me?”
He tilted his head down and looked up through droopy eyes. “Sometimes it’s too hard to hear the truth, dangerous even. I need you to trust me, Clara. Trust that I will do everything in my power to keep you safe and to bring her back.”
“I do trust you. It’s just…nothing makes sense. I feel lost.”
As I turned my head to avoid his heartfelt gaze, my attention fell on a painting on the other side of the room. It was alone, centered in the middle of the wall. It’s wide golden frame made it stand out even more against the shadowed wall. I wasn’t sure how I had missed it before.
“Is that you?” I walked toward the painting, putting our conversation on hold. “And
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