AllFreeNovel
Share Us
We explored, searching through displays and dresses. Every once in a while, one of them would call out something like, “Oh, I like that,” or, “Ella, what about this?”
Several caught my eye, including a golden gown with a tulle skirt, a simpler, sleeveless black dress with a plunging neckline, and a short red dress that would cut off at the thigh.
I tried each of them on, but nothing clicked.
Finally, after several attempts—which Harriet helped me into so I didn’t mess up my hair—I stared at myself in the mirror.
This gown was gorgeous. Pink, beaded lace, scalloped shoulder line. I reached a hand to stroke the visible ruched waistband that seemed to be made of satin. The mirror had perfectly placed lighting that glinted off the beads within the lace.
“This is the one,” I said.
Harriet glowed with satisfaction.
Grammy and Addie were sitting on the chairs provided atthe back of the pedestal. I turned to them and held out the skirt for their feedback.
Addie clapped her hands and squealed. Grammy nodded with approval.
“You look like you’ve stepped into a fairytale,” Grammy said.
“You look like a princess,” Addie said. “You were beautiful at Gabby’s wedding, but this is better. Hawk is going to flip.”
I took in the full effect in the store’s dim lighting. My hair was perfection. This gown was stunning.
My stomach was full of butterflies at the prospect of seeing Hawk, of having him see me in the results of his kindness.
“Who does things like this?” I asked, casting my gaze across each of them in turn, including Harriet and Donald. “Who bribes an entire store just to open because his date didn’t have a dress?”
“This man of yours sure has style,” Harriet said.
He certainly did. Hawk had class in spades.
I fizzled inside. I was ravenous to see him.
“Thank you all so much,” I said. “I’m so touched by this. I love that you wanted to come, Grammy and Addie. And Harriet, Donald, this was so kind of you to go out of your way.”
“It’s Christmas,” Harriet said, smiling, as if that explained it all.
“Your mom would have loved this,” Grammy added.
“She would,” I said, basking in therealization.
I hugged her, then made my way to Addie, to Harriet, and even Donald. I hugged each of them in turn and it felt like with each one, sunlight shot a single ray straight through me.
Mom was in those words. She was in these hugs.
Hawk, Grammy, Addie—they hadn’t just given me a Christmas Eve gift. They’d brought Christmas to my heart.
“You’d better get going,” Grammy said, taking me by the shoulders and staring up at me. “That ball has already started.”
“What?”
Addie checked her phone and read out the time. “She’s right. We’d better get going. Are you ready?”
I gave myself one last glance. I hardly recognized myself. This was completely surreal.
“Yes,” I said, fluttering and weightless. Heat radiated through my chest. “I’m ready.”
“Then let’s find you some shoes and get you to this ball,” Grammy said. “Before anything else goes wrong.”
