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It seemed like I'd been dreaming for days. My dreams had been interrupted routinely by voices, lights, people checking on me, prodding me, lifting me. I heard buzzers and beeping, phones ringing and footsteps, even someone snoring. Even now, I drifted through a dream I’d had before.
It's my senior prom. I'd begged my mom for a strapless dress. She told me that I'd have to pay for it myself, because she couldn’t afford it. I worked every day after school to save up enough money for a form-fitting peach satin sheath that hit above the knees. It was strapless and the bodice was cut straight across. It was the most money that I'd ever spent on clothes, but it was prom, the first and only one I'd ever have.
By my side that night will be my steady boyfriend, Daniel Henderson. We've been dating through my entire senior year. He comes from a good family, and has a scholarship to attend Purdue University in the fall. He is good looking, with dark brown eyes and sandy blond hair. He is built, too. He'd played football all four years of high school, and would play in the fall for Purdue. Daniel means a lot to me and God knows he has been patient. We hadn’t done much more than make out. I'd let him feel me up inside my top and finger me a couple of times. But now I'm ready; I want to give him a prom night he will remember.
I slip my freshly bathed and waxed body into my new silk underwear and bra. My mom helps me zip my peach satin sheath in the back.
“I want you to have these earrings, Ty,” Mom says as she hands me a blue velvet box. I open the box and there are two glistening pearl drop earrings nestled on a pink satin pillow.
“These are beautiful, Mom, thank you!”
She smiles as I fasten them into my ears. “They are perfect,” I say, looking at my reflection in the mirror. Mom fusses with my hair a bit more. It's piled up loosely on top of my head. She releases a few tendrils from each side and frames them around my face.
“There now, that’s better, gives you a little bit of a ‘tousled’ look, now don’t it?” she says with satisfaction. Mom spins me around to take a full look. Her forehead creases a bit as she taps her index finger several times against her bottom lip.
“Needs one more thing,” she says, hurrying off to her room and returning a moment later with another blue velvet box. She opens it and presents me with a gold necklace that has a single tear-drop pearl pendant. She tosses the box over onto my bed, and fastens the necklace around my neck, checking the clasp.
“Your daddy gave me this, along with those earrings, Ty,” she explains. “About the only things he ever did give me, besides you of course. Seems only right that you should have them. There now, baby girl, you look gorgeous.”
I study myself in the mirror again, and I feel pretty. My make-up is subtle, my dress allows a bit of cleavage to show, but nothing overly daring. My hair looks shiny and playful. It’s the earrings and necklace that make it all perfect.
“Thanks, Mom,” I say, putting my arms around her and hugging her tightly. Mom gets that uncomfortable look like always when I show her affection. Our doorbell chimes, interrupting our rare tender moment. I grab my clutch from the bed and start for the door. Mom stops me with her hand.
“Tylar, honey, listen and don’t get mad, okay?”
“What is it Mom?” I'm puzzled.
“Honey, wasn’t that long ago that I went to prom, you know? Now, I just wanted to let you know that I stuck a couple of condoms in your purse there.”
“Mom!” I gasp, shocked.
“Now don’t ‘mom’, me. I've given you permission to go to those after-prom parties. You think I don’t know what goes on after prom? Well, honey, I do. I just want to make sure that you have protection in case Daniel doesn’t, okay? You have fun, now, you hear? This is your night, baby.”
I turn and descend the stairs, still blushing as I reach the landing and open the front door for Daniel. He's handsome in his black tuxedo, with peach cummerbund and tie. He places a gorgeous wrist corsage with peach-colored roses and white baby’s breath on me and whistles.
“You're hot, baby!” he laughs. “Are you ready?”
I nod, swallowing nervously. “I am, Daniel,” I say softly, smiling at him.
I'd beenready, too. I reflected on my dream as it continued. I'd wanted to lose my virginity; it hung around my neck like an albatross. The prom had gone by so fast and the after-party was a whirl. I remembered dancing with Daniel and kissing him as we swayed to the music. I remembered arriving at the after party, where my friends handed me drinks.
There I am, laughing, stumbling, and totally wrecked! I can barely manage to stand, so Daniel is holding me up. He has one arm around my waist, half holding, half dragging me up the walkway to my front door. My heels and clutch purse are in his other hand. I look like a pathetic rag doll; my hair hangs down my back. My sheath is torn from when I stumbled out of his car. The satin is stained with rainbow vomit. That's from the Jell-O shots. My mom's standing on the porch with the front door wide open. She has her skimpy black nightie on, the one with spaghetti straps that's cut low, really low. Mom motions Daniel into the front hallway, and closes the door behind him.
“What in the world happened to her, Daniel?”
Daniel gives her his best attempt at a sober grin. He doesn’t pull it off very well. “I’m so sorry, Ms. Preston, I really am,” he says. “I didn’t know that they were feeding her Jell-O shots. She’s small and, well, I think she didn’t know her limit. But that’s no excuse! It's totally my fault, ma’am. I take full responsibility.”
“Now you call me Maggie just like everyone else does.”
“Ms. — I mean, Maggie? I think it might be best if we made a bed for her in the bathroom if that’s all right. I’m not sure she’s done tossing yet,” Daniel is smiling at my mom now.
“Okay, sweetie, let me get a couple pillows for her. Can you get her upstairs by yourself, Daniel?"
“Sure thing, Maggie,” he winks.
Oh God, Mom was flirting with Daniel—my Daniel. My dream continued on to a part that I'd never seen before.
I'm sprawled across the bathroom floor. Someone has taken my prom dress off and dressed me in my nightgown. There is a pillow and blanket next to me. I sit up and peer into the toilet; it looks like I’ve puked more rainbow into it. I flush the toilet, no longer feeling nauseated. I'm tired and my head is pounding. I just want my bed. I head down the carpeted hallway toward my room, stopping at my mom’s bedroom to see if she's sleeping or waiting up to yell at me. She's not in there. Her bedside clock reads 3:47 a.m.
