masq17

Chapter 17 - Birthdays

She sat up in bed slowly, looking at the clock. 9:00; she stayed up
to 3:00 a.m. yesterday for him, and Dredsdale hadn’t called.
And now, she woke up late, when the class she was supposed to
teach was at 9:15.
*KILL DARIEN DREDSDALE!* suddenly entered her list of
things to do.
They had gotten engaged only two weeks ago, and she had to
admit, it took some getting used to. They were now the most glamorous
couple in the nation, and had their pictures on the front of every magazine
in the country. Just last week, TIME magazine cover featured a picture of
both of them, their profiles facing out to the right superimposed on an
American flag. The title read “Camelot Returns?”.
They had appeared together at over twenty social gatherings in a
duration of less than two weeks.
At least Dredsdale provided pretty good company. Spending too
much time with someone less energetic, less witty, and less annoying
would be too dull. No, Dredsdale, with his perfect smile, perfect walk,
perfect air, was an exciting person to be with. And she was actually
getting used to the idea of being engaged to him; it was actually seemed to
be an appealing idea, when one read all the magazine articles about their
charming fairy tale so-called “love story” and all that propaganda.
Unfortunately, she didn’t like him enough not to plot his demise.
*If HE thinks that he has the right to keep me up all night, waiting by the
phone…besides! It’s HIS turn! He’s supposed to call. I called the night
before!*
Okay, so she DID like talking to him; but he listened, and he talked
back, and they had good times on the phone. The phone was a great way
of communication. She loved the rich smooth sound of his voice, it didn’t
make her lose her mind the way his smile did. Though she could literally
hear the smiles over the phone.
Okay, she DID like his company too, and there was just something
about talking with him that made everything more fun and interesting, just
sitting through the whole day, and wanting to tell him about it, even if she
did nothing, which was rarely the case. And even if there was nothing to
talk about, they’d do something about that.
But no, he didn’t call last night. She was slightly upset, but more
cranky than upset. She dragged herself out of bed, and went to her closet,
yanking out a sweatshirt, and some jeans. She hurried into the bathroom.
Five minutes later, she exited the bathroom, and went down the
hall, and out the door, without a glance to the calendar. Marked under the
27, however, in tiny print, the words “My Birthday”.

“Miss Larynce?”
Serena turned from the front of her still empty lecture room (she
was still five minutes early).
Her first student to enter the room, a young happy 19 year old,
smiled at her. “Hello, Crystal. How are you this morning?”
“Fine. But you look tired.”
“I won’t be once I get started in the lecture.”
Crystal smiled. Serena “Loquacious” Larynce was probably the
hardest professor to take notes from. She had no organized notes, but
managed to structure her ideas in her lectures, which were all done without
the aid of notes or text, unless she actually Xeroxed something for the
whole class for them to read. Her ideas flowed the speed of light, and it
was hard to always follow her; 75 percent of her class brought mini tape
recorders, and Serena was noted as the prof who racked up the most costs
on campus; even though she did not use any thick expensive textbook, it
was the batteries for the recorders, as well as tapes themselves, and
notebooks, that costed a bundle.
But Crystal was getting along in the class. She liked Professor
Larynce. And as Serena had heard, she had Professor Dredsdale as well,
before he retired from Harvard.
“I meant to ask you something,” Serena smiled at her student.
Crystal looked to Serena, while putting her books down in a desk
in middle back.
“Yeah?”
“Your records…I was checking them out…say that you used to
study a little med here as well as law; in fact, you had my fiancee for
professor once for bio…” she blushed.
Crystal smiled. *She has it BAD for him!* “Yeah! The girls in
my class all SWOONED whenever he entered a room! But I decided after
this year that I wanted to go into law for sure; before, I was studying both
pre-med and pre-law, but now I’m sure.”
“Tell me, what is my fiancee like, as a teacher?”
“He was a really good teacher, a lot like you; entered the class, and
did the class impromptu. Would draw diagrams randomly and expect us
to see them clearly. No offense, but he’s as bad an artist as you are…” she
alluded to the many different diagrams Serena had always charted out on
the board in crooked boxes that never fit all that she needed to write.
Serena laughed, filing the information in her mind. She liked
hearing praise about him, though she wasn’t in love with him. It gave her
a warm feeling of knowing her fiancee, even if he wasn’t a true fiancee,
was a wonderful person. She also liked to hear about him, which made her
feel slightly embarrassed, but not embarrassed enough not to pay attention
whenever someone mentioned his name.
“Professor Dredsdale was also a very eloquent speaker, as you are.
I liked his class. So did most of the female population at Harvard; they
were all kinda disappointed when he chose to resign when he became
Surgeon General.”
“I’ll bet,” Serena laughed.
Now, the class was starting to fill up, so Crystal went back to her
seat, and smiled back at Serena.
“All right, class.”

Serena sighed, as she got into her office at 11:45. Finding piles of
mail in the mailbox (she had gotten in from Washington last night) she
decided to read through all of them first. She’d have a short lunch break at
12:45 and then whisk off to teach at 1:15, and after that, her 4:00 was
canceled for the day, for classes officially ended at four. Today was the
last day before spring break. All her students were all anxious to get of the
class, and restless.
She sat back and played the messages on her machine.
“Hello, Rena darling.”
*What’s the special occasion? Mom’s calling, and using her nice
voice!*
“I called to find out if you were all right. AFTER ALL, you DID
miss the St. Patrick’s Celebration at the O’Briens, and you know we
ALWAYS go…”
Serena sighed. Gentle reproach. Not THAT bad, but the guilt trip
stung, of course.
“But of course, I understand how you must want to spend as much
time as you can with Darien-oh-he’s-such-a-sweet-boy!” (Okay, so
Darien’s name really wasn’t all that, but it ALWAYS sounded like that on
the phone, and Ilene Larynce never said his name without the phrase!)
“Call me when you have the time…”
*And strength…* Serena mentally added. She didn’t have that
now. It had taken her a whole waste of ten minutes to get her class to calm
down this morning, and additional ten to get her talking speed up to par. It
was odd.
*I must be getting old.*
There were no other messages, and Serena wistfully thought of
Darien. No, she didn’t EXPECT him to call ALL the time, but…
She opened up the first envelope, and began to read.

At four o’clock, Serena walked, exhausted after many hours of
teaching, in her mind swearing that she had to make up for the jog she had
missed this morning. As she walked by the super’s office, he smiled at her
and said, “Your fiancee left a little something for you…I unlocked the
door so the boys could unload it…”
Serena, suddenly very curious, as well as excited, took her stairs
three at a time. Her heart was pounding as she wondered what in the
world Darien had gotten her. On the floor mat of her apartment door,
there sat a single white rose.
Serena smiled. *He’s sorry…* She picked it up, smelling the rose
smilingly, dreamily. It was as if the hero had returned, though she
wouldn’t admit that.
She unlocked the door to her apartment, determined to find out
what Dredsdale had done; sure, they weren’t a truly engaged couple, but
the press didn’t know that, and Serena was always a sucker for gifts…
However, the white rose slipped gently out her grasp, drifting
softly to her hardwood floor, which was gently layered with scattered red
rose petals.

She would have sat down, but there was no where to sit. The
couch was drowning in roses, as was the table. Even her usual eating
wood stool had a vase of roses resting there.
“Wha-?”
She laughed and slipped off her shoes, not wanting to crush the
rose petals on her floor. She then entered the room and spun around the
room, deliriously.
Oh, it as wonderful to be engaged, even IF your fiancee didn’t love
you! But what brought on the surge of romanticism?
*What’s today? The ONE MONTH ANNIVERSARY? No, he’s
not that romantic…no, wait…what is today?*
She went to the calendar, and then was startled to realize it: *It’s
the 27th, as in, my birthday!*
She smiled as she looked around. *So he didn’t have the courtesy
to call to wish me a happy birthday, and yet, he goes to these lengths?*
she laughed.
She walked around the apartment, reveling in the romantic sea of
candlelight and roses, and stopped by her kitchen counter, where bouquets
blanketed the entire white marble top. It was so beautiful. Somewhere in
her heart, she wondered why a man so arrogant and dense as Darien
Dredsdale would possibly be so romantic with a woman he didn’t even
love.
In her heart, though, there was feeling of warmth and
embarrassment, to know that something about her made him go to all these
costs.
She walked though the rose-garlanded and petal-carpeted halls and
rooms, she came to her desk, where lay a single white rose, and a card.
*Ah…* Serena felt a nice glow of satisfaction as she picked up the
card and read it.
“Go to Helzberg Diamonds on 17th.” *Aren’t WE personal today,
Dredsdale?* she smirked. *Helzberg Diamonds?*
She immediately got her coat, wondering where Darien was
leading her.
Before she left, however, she made sure all her roses were in water.
As she walked out the door, she took her two white roses.

“Ah Miss Larynce!” the forty-ish blonde smiled at her.
Serena smiled back. “I take it that you’ve been expecting me…”
“Your fiancee said that you’d be around here about this time.”
Serena laughed. He had this planned, and she was still
wondering…what in the world was his surprise? Why was he doing all
this?
“This is for you…” the woman took out two white roses, as well as
a single card and a long flat box wrapped in gold foil with cream roses
printed on it. She carefully took the wrapping off, and folded it nicely,
putting it aside. The box was long, black, and velvet. Serena had a
sinking, melting feeling as she opened the box, but her eyes glittered
wonderfully when they focused on a diamond bracelet, entwined with
golden filigree which was shaped into rosy flourish.
Serena wanted to hug the lady who gave it to her. “It’s so
beautiful…”
“Mr. Dredsdale spent a long time here, but when he saw that
bracelet, he snatched it up immediately,” the woman beamed.
Serena smiled. “I love it. Where is he?” she asked, as clasping the
bracelet about her wrist, marveling at the living glow of it.
“I was told to give you these things after.”
Serena took the envelope from the woman, and smiled as she
opened it to find yet another one of Darien’s single cards, with the gold
rose imprinted in the corner. On it was written, in Darien’s sharp concise
handwriting, “Saks Fifth in Boston.” *Yet another beautifully eloquent
note!* she laughed.
Enclosed was a train ticket for 6:00. On impulse, Serena decided
to follow long and hope that not packing would still be all right. Besides,
Darien planned it. As she took her four roses out into the Cambridge air,
she smiled as she, for the first time in a long time, dreamt of romance.

A tall five ten blond strolled into Saks Fifth, having no idea where
to go, but as she walked through the crowd, she walked towards
information, where she’d probably figure out where the heck she was to
go.
As she approached the counter, the young man smiled at her.
“Serena Larynce?”
Serena smiled, and blushed. “Yes?”
“Your fiancee left this for you…”
He gave her a white rose, as well as another envelope. Inside it,
she found another card, which said, “Women’s evening gowns…wear it
for tonight…” *Gotta teach him how to write.*
She smiled, and took her roses with her to evening gown
department.

It was a white satin spaghetti strap. It fit her nicely, and accented
her stunning figure, flowing all the way to the floor.
The saleslady also handed her a shoebox, in which were white satin
high heels, and white opera gloves, as well as a comb of gold and
diamonds.
Serena put all on carefully.
Darien was planning an evening out for her?
There, in her white satin purse, there was another envelope, as well
as diamond starburst earrings.
“7:30 at Hilton Restaurant on Main.”
She smiled, dazed, as the woman also handed her a night cloak,
and a garment bag, in which her sweatshirt and jeans were put in.

She was beautiful, sitting in the elegant surroundings, looking
around her for his face.
The white suited her perfectly, as he’d hoped, and his bracelet
cuffed her wrist snugly, elegantly. He hair tumbled form the comb, and
the curls lightly danced on her creamy shoulders. Her figure was stunning.
He had arranged all this as a stunt to show the world just how
romantic they were, and perhaps there was a little in him that wanted to
see her pleased, melting into her surroundings in wonder and romance.
However, he knew that if he didn’t make his entrance soon, she would
most certainly have a lot to say. It was best to get her while she was still
in astonished romantic stupor.
A waiter walked to her table, carrying a tray that held five white
roses to bring her total up to eleven. On the tray was also two empty
glasses as well as another envelope, this one with a gold rose imprinted on
the envelope as well.
She opened it slowly, to find two tickets to the Rose gala on June
17th and smiled as she read the cream colored piece of paper, with the
gold rose in the lower right-hand corner.

“Larynce”,
Happy 27th on the 27th of March. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to call
you last night…(wince).
Anyhow, I wish you a wonderful birthday, and I wanted to show
you how much I appreciate you, and admire your spirit and enthusiasm,
and perhaps show you a little of something inside you didn’t know you
possessed (no, it’s not life; it’s romanticism). I have to admit, Larynce, if
there’s a woman I had to be engaged to, you are the best one on my list.
So, let’s make your 27th memorable.

Your “beloved” fiancee,
Dredsdale

She smiled into the air. There he stood, in a black tuxedo, smiling
warmly at her, carrying a single white rose…his blue eyes were glittering
with mischief, and she couldn’t help but blush under his very startling
gaze. It was the kind that would melt most teenage girls, and maybe even
herself at that early age. However, now she was different, because she
was of course older.
But that look in his eye, the flash in the smile, as well as the fact
hat Dredsdale went to such a drastic measure to charm her on her birthday
made Serena want to just collapse with tears of joy, and fall in his arms
and say that she loved him for it, which was totally irrational, because she
didn’t love him, right?
*A dozen white roses, and a sea of red…he really is romantic
today, isn’t he?*
He stepped towards her, and she watched, dazed and admiring.
*Thank you so much, for all you’ve done for me.*
She stood up, and as he stood before her, smiling at her sparkling
radiant face, he thought he ever saw anyone so beautiful in his life. He
wanted to kiss her, and hold her and tell her that she was the most
beautiful, the most intelligent, the most interesting person he’d ever met.
She stood up as he approached, her eyes flashing with happiness
and unborn tears. As he got the table, she threw herself into his arms as
everyone in the restaurant applauded.

“You went WAY overboard this time, Dredsdale,” she smiled, as
the danced to the slow soft music in the background, a deejay had replaced
the quartet from dinner.
“It’s worth it, isn’t it?” he teased. He danced with her as they
danced to the slow rhythm of Celine Dion’s “Falling into You”

“And in your eyes I see ribbons of color
I see us inside of each other
I feel my unconscious merge with yours
And I hear a voice say, “What’s his is hers”

I’m falling into you
This dream could come true
And it feel so good falling into you

I was afraid to let you in here
Now I have learned love can be made in fear
The walls begin to tumble down
And I can’t even see the ground

I’m falling into you
This dream could come true
And it feels so good falling into you

Falling like a leaf, falling like a star
Finding a belief, falling where you are

Catch me, don’t let me drop!
Love me, don’t ever stop!”

Serena laughed, to interrupt the threateningly true lyrics.
“Honestly, I don’t believe I’ve ever been more stunned and out of mind in
my life. But you still did not call last night.”
He pressed his forehead to Serena’s and smiled into her eyes,
saying softly, “You’ll forgive me anyways, right?”
Serena laughed. “I don’t know, Dredsdale. It’ll take more than a
few roses and a diamond bracelet to make me happy again,” she teased,
rolling her eyes mockingly.
“How about a kiss?”
“Umm…” she shifted uncomfortably. She had to admit…it
sounded tempting…but cats would talk before she told HIM that. “I was
just kidding; of course I forgive you. Besides a kiss isn’t a really good
idea-“
“Shut up for once Larynce…” he leaned his head down and gently
captured her lips in an embrace that startled both him and her.

“So close your eyes and let me kiss you
And while you sleep I will miss you…”

It was very gentle, like an angel’s, and it wasn’t the first time they
had kissed, but it was the first time that there was that strange underlying
feeling. A warm feeling took her soul, and Serena felt something that
wasn’t there before, not only gentleness, but also a certain feeling that was
hanging heavy in her heart. There was security and protection in that
promise of a kiss. Was it love? As she looked for an answer in his cloudy
eyes, she found nothing but a gentleness that held her in a web of
admiration and warmth. Serena shivered as her arms went around
Darien’s neck, and she put herself into his embrace. He held her
delicately, and she felt protected, and felt her soul lighten up and her heart
started to creep into her eyes.
She quickly closed her eyes, closing away the emotion, and started
to back away from the embrace, frightened of what had happened.
Was it supposed to be this way? She never thought so before? Did
happily ever after exist? In him? Darien Dredsdale. A sea of roses, a
glittering bracelet, and all the riches of the world, perhaps, in his eyes, and
would he offer them to her?
Her mind closed to questions once more as she just savored the
moment, and held him even more tightly, drinking in the atmosphere.
Darien smiled, and kissed her forehead, and held her to him as they
danced more.

“I’m falling into you
This dream could come true
And it feels so good falling into you

Falling like a leaf, falling like a star
Finding a belief, falling where you are

Falling into you”

Chapter 18 - Phone Calls

Darien sighed as paper after paper of medical terms he was tired of
staring at started to blur his vision.
Sitting in his bed at half past midnight, he was tired. Today was a
long day. He had to collect med papers from a few people, and from
others, exams. He’d gotten the exams out of the way, but he was still
working on the papers.
Suddenly, the phone at his bedside rang.
Taking his glasses off, he reached for the phone, and sighed into it.
“Morning, Lovely,” his husky voice fell over the line.
“Am I the only one that calls you this late?” she smiled across the
line. Serena’s heart smattered. That husky almost sleepy voice of his
made her heart pound, and her mind fill up with a love potion. She
couldn’t have fallen in love with the voice. But not the person. HA!
“Yes, I don’t think anyone else is as annoying.”
“Of course, but remember, I’m the fiancee, so I suddenly have the
right, don’t I?” she smirked over the line.
As strange as it was, Darien liked getting Serena’s phone calls, and
calling her. They’d call each other every night at around this time, and
converse on things that were on the agenda, or questions that were raised.
He loved to hear her voice. The velvet sound of her almost sore throat
(from talking all day) was something that triggered dreams. Two months
into the engagement now, and Darien was satisfied, somewhat.
It was that connection they’d feel, at times. She pretended now
that on her engagement, she simply went to bed, and nothing important
happened. Darien was smarter than that. He knew that she was scared,
and that first night was extremely weird for both of them. They really
connected that night. Larynce was an ice cube now, and stayed away as
much as possible. Except for on her birthday, which was a little touch of
heaven. However, it was different now. She didn’t even put the bet for
champagne on anymore, but only was the quiet fiancee who appeared to
say loving things in his ear to make him smile. At least, that was what the
press called it. In reality, Serena was making a droll comment on the attire
of one of her cousins, or something of that nature. He’d laugh. When they
were alone, however, it was a different story. She found the way to push
him off, or push him away. She never stayed around long enough for him
to talk to.
But then again, Darien didn’t REALLY mind. After all, Serena
Larynce was NOT the ideal fiancee. He wasn’t even going to get married,
so he didn’t really have to push the matter.
But there were times when he wished that perhaps there was
someone out there for him, that would care.
Like that would really happen to him.
Serena and him alternated nights calling each other, when Serena
started the tradition the second night of their engagement, asking him what
we were going to do with their careers. “I had that question presented to
me by a friend of mine. I said that I intended to keep my job, and you
yours. But my friend didn’t believe me because we were such a romantic
couple she didn’t think we’d get along without each other.”
Darien laughed.
Laughing and scoffing comprised most of their hour-long
conversations each night. Even if they had nothing to do, they’d read
papers to each other and laugh. It was odd. Darien got the feeling that
Serena felt safe when she could be with him alone on the phone and not
have to see him.
Serena had that EXACTLY in mind. In fact, it was perfect. If he
tried anything even slightly romantic, she’d just hang up and claim
disconnection. Serena never understood why she wanted to talk to him
every night at such a late hour, for such a long time, but she reasoned that
she enjoyed their dueling over the lines, and she enjoyed his insights and
thoughts, especially since they were so different from the dreary common
ones she was used to hearing.
Since the engagement began, since that NIGHT, she had been very
careful with the Dredsdale prince. It was hard to act as his fiancee and not
feel the urge to be his in real life, for in public, he was the ideal fiancee,
the one she’d always wanted, and he’d make her laugh and he’d do such
romantic things. He always sent her a flower at the office, which ever one
she was in for the day, a white rose, and she’d smile like a shy
embarrassed school girl.
Now, her birthday was a fluke…it was a touching escapade, and
she was surprised Darien never asked for the bracelet back, as she had
expected, and so, she decided that he meant to spend more than four
thousand dollars on a birthday present he wasn’t actually engaged to.
Of course that was just for the outer appearances. No one was to
know about their agreement. And she didn’t want to stick around longer
than she had to so that he could snub her and make her feel like a brat all
over again. She knew he was acting, and Serena readily admitted that he
was a GREAT actor.
But she was pretty good to. There was more than once when she
saw that overwhelmed look in Darien’s eyes. She relished in those
moments.
“So there anything special coming up this weekend?” he asked,
casually.
“Going to Mina’s for lunch.”
“Good. And evening?”
“Plan on staying the night. Mina and I have a lot to catch up on.
You?”
“Hospital seminar.”
“All day?”
“Yes, all day. But at least now, I won’t have those young female
interns giving me those starry eyes now. I’m a taken man.”
“That is, until we break it off,” Serena reminded him, and herself.
“True,” he said, somewhat disappointed.
Serena couldn’t wait for the engagement to be off. Only eight
more months. She was surprised they had survived two already. She had
been actually engaged for TWO MONTHS! She looked at the ring on her
finger, and played around with it. Being around Darien, pretending to be
in love with him, when he was pretending to be in love with you, was
dangerous for any woman. If Serena weren’t so set against him, she might
have fallen for him. Emphasize the MIGHT. But two months had passed.
I’ll be it, two VERY long moths passed, but Serena was sure that eight
could be passed the very same way, no complications.
“So what’s going on up there in wonderful Massachusetts? Long
time since I last came up.”
“So visit some time. Harvard’s grand this time of year. Students
are cramming and teachers are furiously writing new exams.”
“Well, we haven’t got much better at Johns right now.”
“Oh yeah, clear the tenth of May. You have to come back and be
my fiancee at the Harvard professor gala thing.”
“All right, but the third, a week before, is the Johns H one.”
“And the week before that, the 26 of April. That’s Ken’s birthday
ball at the White House.”
“And the weekend before that is the coming weekend, so we’ve got
our next weeks booked.”
“My cousins would sneer that we don’t spend any time together
alone, as a couple.”
“But that’s not what we ever wanted in the first place, now, was
it?” he asked, hoping to hear something to prove otherwise.
A silence. “No, it wasn’t,” she said quietly, and hung up.