Serene (Shattered Book 3) Page 18

  “No, please don’t. I don’t want my arrival to cause any additional worries for her. I’m sure she’s stressed about the show, and considering she’s pregnant, stress is what she should avoid as much as possible.”

  “Just pack your bags and stop thinking about breaking one of Crystal’s vases or how to impress my parents.”

  “Easier said than done. This is all I can think about now.” And also how to tell Stanley our life was about to be complicated to the max.

  He kissed me one more time, more passionately this time.

  “Mmm… You are not helping,” I muttered.

  “Then stop making me think of all the ways to distract you from your unreasonable worries. Or we will miss the plane.”

  “Okay.” I inhaled deeply. “I can do this.”

  Those were the exact words I had been repeating to myself starting the day I lost my vision.

  Those were the words that made me stand up and keep moving, step by step, day after day. And I truly hoped that today I wouldn’t fail.

  ***

  The taxi stopped and the driver shut down the engine.

  “Thanks,” Stanley said as he paid for the ride. “Ready?” He asked, turning to me.

  “No. But what choice do I have?”

  “None.”

  “That’s what I thought.” I sighed. Then I opened the door and got out of the car.

  The weather in Pittsburgh was much warmer than in Washington, and I suddenly felt like my sweater was too hot to keep wearing it. So I took it off and waited for Stanley to take our baggage from the trunk.

  I could hear the voices coming from inside of the house. How many people were there?

  “There are just my parents and Liam,” Stan said as if he could hear my mental question. “Crystal and my friends are in the studio, helping Liz with the final preparations. Come on, I’ll introduce you to Mom and Dad.”

  “K.” I heard the taxi leaving and moved to the entrance, with Stanley firmly holding my hand in his.

  He opened the door with his key and pushed me slightly forward. I crossed the threshold and stopped, not sure where to go. But Liam came to my rescue.

  “Ivy, what a pleasure to see you again.” He came closer and kissed me on both cheeks. “Let me take your bag.”

  I felt Stanley’s palm land on my back and I immediately felt better.

  “Thanks,” I said to Liam.

  “Hey, man. How is it going?” He said to Stanley.

  “I forgot how good it is to be home.”

  “Welcome back!” I heard Liam pat Stanley’s back. “Your mom and dad are in the kitchen. They arrived early this morning because Mrs. Burke said she couldn’t stay at the lake house and do nothing. I guess she’s just too excited about meeting Ivy.

  A nervous laugh escaped my lips. “That makes two of us.” Despite how worried I had been about the flight, it ended sooner than I expected. And I swear I had never been happier to feel the ground under my feet. Thank God, my sickness didn’t get stronger and I managed to get to Pittsburgh without any trouble.

  Liam spoke in a whisper, “She has had two margaritas, so I’m sure the introduction part will be perfect.”

  “Maybe I should have followed her example and had a drink too. At least my knees wouldn’t shake like crazy.”

  Stanley chuckled, still standing behind me. “Everything’s gonna be fine. Come on.”

  “There’s nothing to fear, but the fear, remember?” Liam said.

  “And snakes,” Stanley added. “Fucking snakes.”

  “Said a plastic surgeon who cuts people on a daily basis.”

  “I hate snakes since the day Kameron brought one to the lake house.”

  “I remember that day.” Liam laughed. “He put it on the couch and you freaked out when you sat on it.”

  “Yuck! The mere thought of touching the slippery creature makes me sick.”

  I knew they were trying to distract me, and it worked.

  Laughing, we entered the kitchen and I felt the two pair of eyes staring at us.

  “Oh, my big boy is home!” Mrs. Burke said and clip-clopped on her heels to give her son a hug.

  “Hey, Mom. I missed you,” Stanley said.

  “We missed you too,” a male’s voice responded. Apparently, it belonged to Mr. Burke.

  “And this young girl must be Ivy,” Stan’s mom said. She came to me and took my hands in hers. “Just look at you, doll! I always knew my son was an expert in beauty, and I was not mistaken. Welcome home,” she said, as she wrapped her arms around me.

  She emanated warmth and kindness. It filled her touch and her every word. And I was sure Margaritas had nothing to do with it.

  “Call me Veronica,” she said, stepping back.

  “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “And I’m the boy’s father,” said Mr. Burke, shaking my hand. “I’m glad to know my son has found someone to make his life in Washington not so lonely. We never wanted him to leave, but it was what he wanted, and it looks like he made the right decision after all.”

  After the introductions were over, my fears vanished. Even without seeing Stanley’s parents, I knew they were good people. I hoped they liked me enough to believe their son would be happy with me.

  “Crystal has left a small present for you. It’s upstairs,” Veronica said. “Let’s go and try it. Boys, you stay here.”

  She took me by the hand and said in a covert manner, “It’s something you and I need to open without them.”

  We left the kitchen and went upstairs.

  “This is Stanley’s old room,” she said, opening the door for me. “Crystal left everything like it was when Stan lived here. She says she wants him to feel at home whenever he’s in town.”

  “What are the colors of this room?” I asked.

  “There’s a lot of dark blue and white here. The curtains and the bed cloth are silver, as well as the lamps on the bedside tables. There’s a bookshelf on your right and a bathroom door on your left. The wardrobe is to the left from the bed, which is right in front of you.”

  I smiled. “Thank you for the detailed description. I never know what to expect from new places.”

  “But I have heard that you are really good at ‘feeling’ the surroundings.”

  “It is true. Though I wouldn’t go for a walk without my navigator or my phone.”

  “Stanley says you work with kids.”

  “Yes. I love kids. They are so much braver than the girl I was after the accident. They don’t think twice before taking their next step. They are fearless. And it’s amazing. They make me believe that there’s nothing impossible in the world.”

  “When Stanley was a kid, he was afraid of his own shadow.”

  “Really?”

  Veronica said with a smile, “I couldn’t believe he wanted to become a doctor. I once asked if blood scared him. And he said, ‘No, blood is just blood. It’s not a spider, or a snake’.”

  I smiled. “This is so very him.”

  “Just don’t tell him I told you about spiders and snakes. A man to the bone, he hates when I bring up stories from his childhood.”

  “I won’t tell him a word.”

  “Good, now why don’t we open the present?” She pulled me by the hand and led me to what I supposed was the bed. “Here is it,” she gave me a box, which was big, but not very heavy.

  “Do you know what’s inside?” I asked, curious.

  “I do.”

  Impatient, I put the box on the bed and opened it. Unfolding the paper that was inside, I found something silky. It was smooth and cold.

  “It’s a dress, isn’t it?” I guessed.

  “Elizabeth made it for you. It’s one of the dresses that will be on the runway tonight.”

  “Oh, my God…”

  “It’s of a dark purple color, with barely visible paillettes decorating the bottom. They shine when the light touches their surface. Liz said the color would highlight the greens of your eyes.”

 
“Is it floor-length?”

  “Yes, it is. It is strapless, and the top of it should be tied around your neck.”

  “Will you help me put it on please?”

  “Of course.”

  I took off my jeans and shirt and put them on the bed, mentally high-fiving myself for putting on a new set of black Intimissimi lingerie.

  “Put your hands up,” Veronica said. She then put the dress on me and pulled the bottom of the dress down my hips and legs.

  I tried to take a few steps forward and was surprised to know it fit me perfectly. “How did Elizabeth know my size?”

  “She’s a designer after all. I guess one look at you was more than enough to know everything she needed to make a dress for you.”

  My palms slid down the smooth fabric.

  What one dress can do to a girl? Make her feel beautiful… Even if she can’t see it.

  “I love it,” I said to Veronica.

  “I’m glad to hear that. Do you want me to help you with the makeup and hairstyle?”

  “Just the mascara. The stupid thing won’t cooperate, no matter how much I try to make it obey me.”

  “All the girls have the same problems.”

  “What time shall we be in the studio?”

  “By seven in the evening. We still have a lot of time to get ready for the show. How about we go back to the kitchen and make something to eat? I shall confess – Margaritas were the only food I had today.” She giggled. “I was so nervous before your arrival. Stanley never introduced me to his girlfriends. This is how I knew you mean a lot to him.”

  “As well as he means a lot to me.”

  “This is all I need to know, darling. I hope you will make each other very happy.”

  I tapped the bed and sat on it, saying, “He brings serenity that I can never feel without him. It is more than happiness to me.”

  Wordlessly, Veronica sat down next to me and hugged me tightly. Then she said, “Happiness is what lights you up from within. If you feel it, you have it.”

  ***

  “Hurry up, girls! You don’t want to make the guests wait, right?” I recognized Crystal’s voice. “Geez, Debby, just look at your ass? It looks like you’ve eaten a ton of chocolates.”

  “Give them a break, sis,” Stanley said. “Girls, you look amazing, no matter what this pregnant woman is saying. Her hormones are a bit crazy now.”

  “Good lord, why no one told me you guys were here already!” I heard Crystal walked up to us. “Ivy, dear, you look stunning.” She kissed me on the cheek and added, “Liz will die seeing how perfect the dress looks on you. And you,” she turned to Stanley, “were supposed to call me before leaving the house, remember?”

  “But you love surprises, don’t you?”

  “I do. But not today. Because today, everything should go according to the plan, MY plan.”

  “What about Liz? Does she have any plans for this show?”

  “She’s too busy finishing the dress that one of the models managed to ruin during her last fitting. I swear this is the craziest show day ever. Hey, you! Yes, you, idiot, these flowers go to the bar, not here!”

  “Is there anything I could help you with?” I asked Crystal.

  “Actually, yes, take my iPad and make sure all the girls are ready to go on the stage. The voice-over will read you their names.”

  “Okay, I can do that.”

  “Stanley, you go with me?”

  “Where?”

  “Just follow me without asking unnecessary questions.”

  “Will you be okay here?” He asked before leaving.

  “Yes, sure.” I was a bit scared to stay in the room full of people who had no idea I couldn’t see them and pretend it didn’t matter. Then I thought that if even pregnant Crystal could deal with them, it shouldn’t be that hard to follow her example. “Girls, I’m going to read your names and you tell me if you are ready to go. Okay?”

  “Okay,” they said in unison.

  About half an hour later, Stanley, his parents, Liam and I were sitting in the front row seats, waiting for the show to begin. Kameron, Liz and Crystal were backstage, making sure no one messes up the show, and well, that Crystal doesn’t kill anyone for not listening to her orders. I wondered if her current mood was the result of her state or it was just the usual her.

  “What did your sister want from you?” I asked Stanley. He was holding my hand, with his other hand resting on the back of my chair. I felt like he wanted to protect me from everyone in the room, even though it was not necessary.

  “She needed my help with a few things.”

  “Do you know what she has done to make this show ‘visible’ to me?”

  “No. What is it?”

  “She recorded the descriptions of every dress Liz has designed for tonight, so that when shown on the runway, I knew what dress it was. How very thoughtful of her, right?”

  “Indeed.” Stanley pressed his lips to my hair and I felt like he wanted to say something but wouldn’t dare.

  “Is everything all right? You are tensed.”

  “I’m fine. It’s just…”

  “Ivy, come with me,” Crystal said, interrupting him mid-word.

  “Um, what for?”

  “Liz needs you.”

  Surprised, I stood up and left the room with Crystal. We went to her office where Liz had been waiting for us.

  “I need to ask you for a favor,” Elizabeth spoke. “The dress that you are wearing was supposed to close the show and I want you to demonstrate it.”

  “What?” Shock was not a strong enough word to describe what I felt at that moment. “I can’t see where I go, remember?”

  “Don’t worry, Ivy, Liz will walk down the runway with you. Since your dress is going to be the final dress of the show, she as the designer, will need to thank the guests for coming here tonight.”

  Liz spoke again, “The day I met you at Stanley’s clinic opening party, I knew you would look amazing in the dress from my new collection.”

  “Is that why Stanley acted like there was a bomb in the room and he knew it?”

  Liz and Crystal laughed.

  “I told him not to tell you anything,” Crys said. “I knew you would never agree to this small gamble.”

  “Ugh, you are kidding me, right? I’m not a model; I have no freaking idea how to walk down the runway.”

  “Neither have I,” Liz said. “I’m a designer. But tonight, I want you to walk the runway down with me. Please?”

  “I don’t have a choice, do I?”

  “Sorry, doll, not tonight,” Crystal replied. “Trust me, you will love it. If I were not pregnant, I would gladly do it myself.”

  “How about a deal?” I said. “If I finish tonight’s show, you will open the next one. It will be after you give birth to the baby. And it will be a fair payback for tonight.”

  Liz chuckled. “I don’t mind Crystal opening my next show. I know she’s always been a little jealous about the models walking down the runway.”

  I turned my head to where I knew Crystal was standing. “So?”

  “Fine. You win. But I want my dress to be to die for.”

  Liz said, “That won’t be a problem, considering this is what you say about all of my dresses.”

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Stanley

  Ivy walked down the runway like she owned it. Her dress swayed with her every step, with its bottom flowing behind her as if the wind was playing with it. She looked straightforward, with her hand holding Elizabeth’s.

  I knew she was nervous. Even though nothing about her appearance would give it away. She smiled to the applause following Liz’s thanking words and took one careful step forward, then another one, until she felt like she could walk all the way on her own.

  My heart missed a beat at the love so powerful I felt for her. I admired everything about her, from the way she treated her blindness and to the kindness of her heart that filled each and every class she had with the kids. She put other
s first, and never once complained about doing it.

  Everyone stood up and more applause filled the room.

  “Go,” Liam said, pushing me slightly to the runway. He knew I thought taking Ivy to the runway was a bad idea. Though after I saw her there, my opinion changed.

  I walked up the stairs, holding a bouquet of flowers that I gave to Liz. Then I wrapped one arm around Ivy’s waist and helped her step off the runway.

  “How did I do?” She asked, excited.

  “You were amazing, as always.”

  She let out a sigh of relief. “I hope I didn’t mess up the end of the show. You knew they would make me do this, didn’t you?”

  “I tried to make them change their mind, but you know my sister – if she decides to do something, it’s nearly impossible to stop her. And considering she’s pregnant, even trying would be pointless.”

  “Actually, I liked it. I mean I thought I would fall and everyone would laugh at me. But here I am – with the dress still on me and no one is laughing. I guess it means success.”

  “I love the dress, but even more I would love seeing you without it.”

  “Right now?”

  I smiled, whispering into her ear, “Shall I add the runway to the list of my ‘play’ places? I can make one in my apartment, if you want.”

  “So I could walk there, naked, every night to delight your eyes?”

  “Sounds like a perfect plan to me.”

  “Whatever plan he offers, think twice before going for it,” Liam said, joining us.

  “Look who’s talking!”

  “Behave boys,” my sister said, bringing champagne for Ivy and me. “God, I would kill for a sip. Why pregnancy has so many restrictions?” She gave Ivy a weird look that I didn’t understand. “Of all the periods in a woman’s life, she can’t have a drink when pregnant. This is a torture to the max!”

  Ivy chuckled. “Emery would high-five you for these words. When she was expecting Jesse, she couldn’t think or talk about anything, but a shot of tequila. Well, five salty and lemony shots of tequila to be exact.”

  Crystal almost cried. “That makes my mouth water!”

  “You asked for it baby, remember?” Liam gently pulled her into his embrace.

  “I didn’t know I would feel like a walking disaster, obsessed with spicy food, sultry drinks and generally all things forbidden. The only thing that crosses out all of the above is the thought of seeing my baby for the very first time. I’m looking forward to holding her in my arms.”