* * *
Madeline inspected herself from head to toe in the full-length mirror.
Pulling on the bodice of her strapless dress, she adjusted it to create an
illusion of cleavage, made possible by a padded, underwire bra. She'd
pulled her hair back at the crown with a sequined bow, and let the rest fall
in soft waves midway down her back. On her feet, she wore a pair of
formal, satin pumps, though she worried about their functionality on
slippery outdoor driveways and sidewalks. She was contemplating whether
or not wear her winter boots, and then change into her dancing shoes
once safely indoors, when she heard her mother calling from the foyer.
"Maddy, Kenny's here!" Her heart leapt in her chest. With one last
glance in the mirror, she ran to the top of the banister, where the image
below sent shivers of excitement up and down her spine. She looked
down to see Ken standing by the front door, gazing up at her with his
ever-present smile from behind a gorgeous bouquet of white roses. Her
equally enthralled mother took in the scene with delight.
"Oh my gosh, Kenny I am so glad you made it here safely!" Maddy
exclaimed, rushing down the stairs to throw her arms around him. He
gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek as he carefully held the flowers around
her back.
"Ken, these are beautiful," Monica stated. "Why don't I go put them
in some water?" With that, she took the blooms and went off in search of
the perfect vase.
"You look incredible, Madeline Rose," he whispered, taking in the
sight of her; she'd been so very worth the harrowing ride in the blinding
snow.
"You're pretty handsome yourself," she replied, hugging him tightly.
He looked like a department store catalog model in his black suit and
double-breasted winter coat, which he'd unbuttoned but had not yet taken
off. She could still feel the cool moisture of melted ice as she pressed up
against him. "I'm so thankful you're here," she added. "I was so worried
about you!"
"Nah!" he laughed. "It's gonna take a lot more than ice and snow to
keep me away from you, sweetheart."
Maddy felt a wave of gratitude wash over her as she contemplated
what this New Year would bring.
* * *
"Go Kenny!" Greg and Damian egged on as Ken displayed his
break-dancing skills for the group. Even the band members seemed
pleasantly amused by the sight of a six-foot, two-inch male spinning
around on his back on the hardwood floor. Maddy, Lori, Vanessa and
Laura were equally entertained, laughing and clapping along. At Maddy's
request, Ken also showed off his Michael Jackson moonwalk, to the
amazement of her whole family, particularly her brother Greg, who
couldn't seem to get the hang of it, try as he might.
Throughout the evening, Madeline's heart was warmed by the easy
rapport Ken shared with her brothers, laughing and joking along heartily
with them. She realized if she could ever get beyond her irrational fears
and marry Kenny, he'd fit into her family perfectly. And from what she
knew of his relatives, especially his mom, she'd enjoy them immensely,
too. At one point, while she and Lori were powdering their noses in the
ladies room, Lori remarked, "Maddy, that guy is absolutely gaga over you!
He keeps telling all of us how beautiful you are, how he's gonna marry
you, the whole bit. Ooh, I'm so excited for you, baby girl!"
"I'm just relieved we got beyond that little misunderstanding," Maddy
sighed. "God, I was so stupid to write him that letter. But I don't know;
this reunion almost feels too good to be true. It's like I'm waiting for the
other shoe to drop."
"Maddy, don't do that to yourself!" Lori admonished. "He looks
perfectly content to me right now. Apparently, he's forgiven you and
moved on. Frankly as much as I love you, I'm getting tired of hearing
about how wonderful you are!" Her tone was playful.
"Lori? Do you ever get scared about sex?" Maddy asked, suddenly
serious. "I mean, you're getting married soon. Do you ever think about
it?"
"Of course," her sister replied. "But Maddy, it's a natural part of life.
Look at it this way-if it was so horrible the human race would've ended
a long time ago!"
"Yeah, I guess you're right. Kenny's so good about waiting, but
sometimes I wonder how long that can go on."
"Maddy, like Greg said when it's real love, the guy's willing to wait.
Look at all of us."
"True," she agreed.
"C'mon," Lori urged, placing an arm around her, "Let's get back out
there and dance. Our dates are waiting!"
It felt like heaven as Ken held her close in his arms and swayed with
her to the Prince ballad, Diamonds and Pearls. As always, he sang softly in
her ear, creating a flood of warm sensations throughout her body and
soul.