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Christmas Eve Ball (Part 4)

“I don’t mean to laugh, but what the heck are you wearing?”

Jeb’s companion coughed for attention. “This is what comes from waiting until Christmas Eve to pick up your tux. Hi, I’m his cousin, Brendan. You must be Pastor Greg.”

“Nice to finally meet you.” Greg turned to Jeb. “They usually hold them for you.”

“Only if you reserve them.” Jeb said, scanning the crowd. “I mean, it’s a tux. They usually stock them.”

Brendan laughed. “Not in giant size. The selection is limited when you’re built like an oak tree.”

“Sorry you didn’t make it in time for dinner, but feel free to join in for the rest of the festivities. We’ll be doing holiday trivia soon.” Greg said as Meghan made her way through the crowd. “Right now, I owe this lady a dance.”

Jeb continued to scan the crowd as Brendan drank in the sights. “I hope she’s here.”

“Don’t stress about it, Jeb. I’m going to take another look at that pastry table.” Brendan turned away and froze in his tracks. “I think you owe somebody a dance, buddy.”

Aundrea slipped gracefully between dancing couples as she made her way toward them.

“Oh my.”

“You can say that again, Jeb. Enjoy your dance. I’m going to go stand in a corner and cry.”

“Wait, I wanted to-”

“It can wait, Jeb. You dance. I’ll meet your friend later.” He gave his cousin a pat on the arm and wandered off.

“Aundrea, you are breathtaking.”

“That bad?”

“There’s nothing bad about you. The dress is stunning and you…”

“Me?” She looked up at him with those jade eyes. “What about me?”

“You look like somebody I’d really like to dance with.”

There’s the smile he’d been waiting to see. He reached out and she slipped into his embrace. The world seemed to melt away around them as they moved to the music. Her head on his chest. His arm around her waist. Their hands clasped. He wondered what kind of ring he should slip on her finger.

“Penny for your thoughts.”

“No thoughts, Aundrea, only feelings.”

She nestled a bit closer. He held her a bit tighter. He could hear her sigh with disappointment as the music stopped. She clutched at his lapel before she dropped her hand to her side and pulled him back to her table.

“You sit down here. I’ll go get another chair.” She pulled out her chair for him.

“I can-”

“You’re going nowhere, mister. Sit. I’ll be right back.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He said sheepishly. When she stepped away he scanned the table. “Hi, Herb. How are you feeling?”

“Been better, Jeb.”

“Sorry to hear it. Going to be alright?”

“Yeah, just my hip. No kind of shape for dancing but I’m a wiz at trivia.”

“Great to hear. Seems like there’s something for everyone tonight.”

Herb smiled as he watched Aundrea slide her chair in next to Jeb’s. “Seems like, Jeb. Merry Christmas.”

“Yes,” Aundrea said as she sat down. “Merry Christmas, Jeb.”

“Merry Christmas, Aundrea.”

“Merry Christmas, Herb.”

“Merry Christmas, Aundrea. You do look angelic this evening.”

“Thank you!” She was beaming as she looked down at her dress as if seeing it for the first time. Her gaze drifted over to her companion and a slight frown of confusion appeared. She looked at her hand in his and the frown softened. She looked at the shockingly red sleeve that concealed his muscular arm.

“Doing alright?” Jeb whispered.

Herb waited for what was coming next. Jeri came and sat down beside him. “Hi, Jeb.”

“Hi, Jeri. How are you doing?”

“I’d be better if Herb was up for dancing, but this weather.”

“I understand.” Jeb said with a smile. “At least there’s trivia.”

Jeri wrapped her arm around her husband’s and scrunched a little closer. “Aundrea?”

“Um…”

Jeb turned to her. “Are you okay?”

“Jeb, don’t take this the wrong way.”

He studied her beautiful face, searching for a hint of what might follow a statement like that. “Okay?”

“Jeb, what the actual heck are you wearing? I was so glad to see you that I didn’t even see this, this,” She waved her hands helplessly. “this suit of yours. Did you lose a contest or something?”

Herb and Jeri were trying to hold back the laughter, but they failed. “I’m sorry, Jeb. I don’t want to make fun of you, but that was priceless.”

“It was good.” Jeb smiled. “I guess I waited too long to rent my tux. The selection was surprisingly limited at six o’clock on Christmas Eve.”

Jeri dabbed at the tears in her eyes with a napkin. “You mean there was something worse than that to pick from?”

“No. Actually, this was all that they had in my size.”

“Hmm.” Aundrea tilted her head and studied him. “At second glance, it’s not actually that bad.”

“I’ve been past a mirror or two this evening. It is. It really is.”

“I like the bow tie.” Aundrea said as she took his hand.

“It does look good on you, Jeb.” Jeri said.

“And that jacket could probably stop traffic.” Herb said with a smile.

“I think you’re right.” Jeb said as he slid the jacket off. He twisted around to hang it over the back of his chair.

“I’ll go hang that up for you.” Brendan took the bright red jacket from his cousin. “Hi, everyone. I’m Jeb’s cousin.”

“Herb, Jeri and Aundrea, this is my cousin, Brendan.”

Herb extended a hand. “Sorry, I’d get up but I’m having some hip problems tonight.”

“Not a problem, Herb. Nice to meet you.” Brendan said as he shook his hand and nodded to Jeri. “Jeri, a pleasure.”

“We’re so glad you could join us tonight, Brendan.”

“Thanks, I’m sure it will be a wonderful time. I’m going to go hang up this rather alarming jacket and I’ll bring back a chair.”

“Thanks, Brendan.” Jeb looked over his shoulder. Aundrea squeezed his hand and he turned back to see her smiling again. “Better?”

“Stunning.”

Jeb turned to watch his cousin disappear from the ballroom.

Brendan strolled out to the coat racks and found a place for Jeb’s jacket. He straightened his tie and wandered over to the pastry table. He was admiring the remains of the pastry layout when he noticed someone approaching.

Time seemed to slow. A shimmering cascade of frosty blue silk and silver snowflakes drew closer. Her skin had the luster of freshly fallen snow. Her ash brown hair was woven into a complex coiffure. Her features were delicate, her figure lithe. He was captivated by the intensity of her glacial blue eyes right up to the point when her hand collided with his face.

The intensity of the slap drew him sharply from his reverie. “Trilby?”

“Jeb, how dare you?!?” She put her fists on her narrow hips and leaned in to give him the lambasting of a lifetime.