Perfect Summer by Bethany Lopez
Faith
I’d styled my hair in a nineteen-fifties bombshell style, with soft waves framing my face. I thought it went well with the pretty white eyelet dress I was wearing to the dance. The dress was a little young for me, but I couldn’t resist the butterfly sleeves, V-neck with tiny buttons running down to the waist, and eyelet embroidery.
Plus, it twirled when I danced. Who didn’t love a twirly dress?
I felt pretty and confident, with just enough sexy to have me stuffing the lavender lingerie I’d gotten from Queen’s in my overnight bag.
I gave myself one last onceover, touched up my cotton-candy-pink lipstick, and turned to go check on Hope.
As I was walking down the hall, I heard a knock on the door and called, “Hope, Mitch is here,” then redirected my feet toward the front door.
I opened the door and my mouth gaped.
He looked good enough to eat in his jeans, cowboy boots, and button-up shirt. His hair was still wet from a shower and was curling up over the collar of his shirt.
“Wow,” Mitch said, looking at me the way I’d been looking at him. “You’re absolutely gorgeous.”
“Thanks, so are you,” I managed.
“What about me?” Hope’s tiny voice said from my right.
We both looked down to see her grinning up at us. She had on a long, rainbow-colored dress and had attempted to put her hair up in pigtails, which were woefully lopsided. On her feet were jelly shoes. One red and one blue.
“Stunning,” Mitch told her, causing her to jump up and down.
“You are going to be the belle of the ball,” I told her.
“You mean like on Beauty and the Beast?” she asked, not quite getting my reference.
I chuckled and said, “Yes, just like Belle in Beauty and the Beast.”
She thought about it for a minute, her head tilted to the side, before saying, “I like Belle, but I don’t want a beast to lock me away. I’d rather just go have fun with my friends.”
“Then that’s what you’ll do,” Mitch said, before asking, “You ladies ready to go?”
I held up my bag in answer, which made his eyes twinkle.
“I’ll take that for you,” he said.
I handed him the bag and said, “I’ve just got to go grab my macaroni salad.”
After I locked up, we all loaded up in his truck and headed toward The Faulkner Farm.
“Is this your first barn dance?” Mitch asked Hope, glancing back at her through the rearview mirror.
“Yes. I’m so excited. Mommy said there’s games and food and dancing. I’m the best at dancing. She said Mr. Tucker will be singing. He’s my favorite.” Hope was practically vibrating with so much excitement that I was worried she’d be tuckered out before we even got to the farm.
When we arrived, there were already a lot of people there, so Mitch dropped Hope and me off at the front and went to go find a place to park.
“Oh look, Hope, isn’t it beautiful?” I exclaimed as we made our way to the barn.
There was a fun kids area set up outside and inside you could see lights everywhere. As we walked through the barn doors, I took in the delicate, feminine décor and absolutely fell in love.
It looked like a dream and smelled like heaven.
“Let’s go put this on the food table,” I said, crossing to the table and finding the appropriate place on the table for my salad. I left it with the other sides and turned to look around the space once more.
“There’s Grandma,” Hope cried, looking up at me expectantly.
“Go ahead,” I said with a nod, and she took off like a shot, weaving through people to get to my mom.
The band was warming up and while guests were still arriving, the others were milling around, enjoying drinks and mingling with each other.
I looked around the space and realized I knew everyone in it, which was oddly comforting. In Chicago it was odd to go to a function and know ten percent of the guests, let alone all of them. It was a city of strangers, which was exactly what I’d wanted. Funny how my desires had changed so drastically over the years.
Now I was becoming the person I’d been terrified of, and I loved her.
“Don’t you look lovely.”
I glanced to my left to see Mitch’s mother walking toward me with Mr. Locke trailing close behind. When she came up next to me and stopped, he stayed a couple feet away. Presumably to give us privacy, which I had to admit, made me nervous.
Mrs. Collins and I had always gotten along great, but I knew how much she treasured her son, and I was sure my leaving and breaking his heart did not endear me to her.
I glanced around to see if there was anyone nearby to save me, then mentally chastised myself for being a big chicken. If Mitch and I had any chance of having a meaningful relationship, I had to be able to face his mother and own up to what I did.
“Hi, Mrs. Collins,” I said lamely, hoping she couldn’t hear the tremble in my voice.
She didn’t even bother to fake a smile, instead she looked me dead in the eye and asked, “So, I hear you’re once again dating my son. Do you plan on sticking around this time, or are you going to break his heart again?”
Damn, she went right for the jugular.
“Uh, ah,” I stuttered, then cleared my throat nervously. “Yes, I am seeing Mitch again and it is not my intention to hurt him in any way. I swear.”
Mrs. Collins simply stared at me without replying, so I assumed she wanted me to continue.
“I’m so sorry for the way things happened before. I know I hurt him, and you, by running off without a word. I had my reasons, even though it’s not an excuse. And I promise to sit down with you one day over tea, or wine, if you prefer, and share those details, but I don’t think this is the place to get into it.”
Just then I saw someone approach from my peripheral vision. It was Mitch and he asked, “Mom, what the hell are you doing?” And he didn’t sound too pleased.