Jay and Trisha got to spend some time together during the Christmas season which itself added a touch of romance. With warmer days behind them, Trisha began her annual winter season transition over to clogs and loafer mules worn with socks and nylons or tights. Her shoeplay contined just the same. Jay came over to Marietta to visit Trisha and her family Christmas afternoon and again on New Years Eve. Trisha's parents, Charles and Lisa, approved of Jay totally and were open to the possibility of this nice young man becoming their son-in-law some day.
Charles, now a executive manager at Coca-Cola, had been given two tickets to the annual New Years Eve Coca Cola Ball - which was being held at the Westin Peachtree Hotel. He and Lisa discussed going, but they decided they'd prefer a quiet dinner at a nice restaurant - specifically Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. They gave the tickets to Trisha who invited Jay to come up and visit her over the weekend and attend the ball together.
Tuesday afternoon, after having fun in and around Atlanta over the weekend, Trisha and Jay prepared for the ball. Jay brought his best black suit and a beautiful new black and red tie he had received for Christmas and his dressiest pair of shoes. Trisha wore a sleeveless, strapless black dress that came down to just above her knees. She adorned her outfit with a nice pair of earrings, a matching pair of earrings, her ankle bracelet - given to her by Jay - and finally a dressy pair of black slides by Two Lips which had a single narrow strap, accented with a sparkling silver buckle, across the toes.
Once both were ready to leave, they met in the living room and Charles and Lisa were there to send them off for the evening. It was almost like prom night. Lisa took their picture together. "You look so dressed up tonight," was her justification to them for snapping the photo. Lisa did play the 'mom' role briefly when she noted to Trisha, "Isn't it a bit cool tonight to wear such an open shoe?" Mom was wearing a dressy pair of black mules.
Admittedly Trisha could not have chosen a more open shoe and it was a cool evening, but Trisha had her own justification, "we're going to be inside all the time and I wanted a dressy look to go with this dress.
Lisa did not argue, but instead said goodbye and she and Charles left for a a nice dinner at Ruth's Chris at the same time Jay and Trisha left for the Coca Cola Ball.
Jay was excited to be with Trisha on New Years Eve - their first time to ring in a new year together. He hoped that 2003 would be a year where Trisha was a significant part of his life all 365 days - even if miles separated them for awhile, she would always be in his heart and he in hers. Trisha initiated some small talk as they began their 30 minute trek to downtown Atlanta. As she often did while sitting in Jay's passenger seat, Trisha crossed her right leg over her left and dangled her shoe a little. She noticed how easy the shoe went into the dangle position and how much effort it was to keep it on her foot.
Jay drove to the appointed location at the lobby of the hotel and showed his VIP pass - the one given to him by Trisha's father - to the valet parking attendent. Soon Jay was leading Trisha by the arm into the Westin Peachtree Hotel. He was pleased to hear the slap-slap of Trisha's slides as they walked. This reminded him of her most excellent footwear selection of the evening. Trisha knew that her shoes were also to Jay's liking.
The evening had an almost magical atmosphere. The ballroom of the hotel was nicely decorated, the orchestra was playing classical music that lended itself well to slow romantic dances and there was plenty of fine food and drink to be enjoyed. Jay and Trisha knew very few people there, but that was okay. They spent a lot of time talking and dancing with one another. Jay enjoyed being in the arms of the lady he loved and Trisha was falling more and more in love with Jay as well. Despite wearing loose-fitting slides with barely a strap, Trisha did pretty well dancing without having her shoes fall off.
As midnight approached, the band stopped and 2 large screen TVs were strategically revealed from behind some of the decorations. One was placed on Dick Clark's Rocking Eve 2003 on Channel 2 and the other TV showed the local Peach Drop happening right outside in the cold on Channel 11. The crowd began to move closer and closer to the TVs in order to get a good view of what was happening. Jay held Trisha's hand not only for the obvious reason, but also he did not want for them to become separated in the crowd. Soon the countdown to 2003 began 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 and at that precide second, the crystal ball in Times Square and the Georgia Peach landed on the ground lighting bright 2003 signs. Inside the ballroom there was a massive confetti and balloon drop. Jay and Trisha shared a kiss.
As they kissed, Trisha without realizing it, lifted one leg off the floor, leaving the shoe behind. When their kiss was over, she placed her foot back on the floor and then realized what had happened. "Oh, no, my shoe came off, Jay."
At the same time the crowd was very thick and everyone was busy blowing horns and hugging and kissing one another. Trisha and Jay tried to look down to locate her shoe but with so many people and so much confetti and balloons, searching was made quite difficult. Jay and Trisha scanned the floor in their immediate area and did not find her shoe. They were unaware that someone had kicked the shoe several feet away from where they were looking.
Jay had a secret plan for the evening and he did not want Trisha's lost shoe to ruin things. An idea struck him. "Hey Trisha, maybe it will be easier to find your shoe once a few more people clear out of here and we can get a better look at the floor. Whay don't we take a breather and go up to the observation floor and see what Atlanta looks like in 2003?"
Trisha paused but then agreed, "Okay, I was wanting to go up there sometime tonight, anyway."
Jay took her hand but after a couple of steps, walking on only one, hard to keep on slide, was not going very well. Trisha reached down and took off her remaining shoe and was able to walk a bit faster now. As they walked and boarded the elevator, Jay look at how pretty Trisha looked tonight - even after being at the ball for over 4 hours. Her legs and feet were virtually perfect and her red toenails were a nice sight on a cold day. She looked cute twirling her single shoe by the long heel. He thought back to their first formal event back in 2000 when she was missing a shoe and walking out of the hotel similarly twirling her single shoe. So much had transpired from that day and now he was ready to move their relationship to another level.
Neither said a word as they took the long elevator ride up to the 72nd floor of the hotel with several others. No one seemed to care that Trisha was barefoot and holding one shoe. They walked out onto the observation area and looked out at the beautiful city lights. It was a nice scene. Jay stood behind Trisha and wrapped his arms around her stomach. This gave Trisha comfort and she rested her head against his chest.
"It's a peaceful scene below, isnt's it?"
"It's really a beautiful night. I'm glad you're the man I'm getting to ring in the New Year with."
After a few more moments, Jay could not wait any longer. Trisha, I have some good news - or at least I hope it's good news."
"What's that?"
"I sent in my acceptance letter to the University of South Carolina Law School. I'm moving to Columbia in August."
Trisha spun around and hugged and kissed Jay in response. "That's great! But that's seven long months we'll be apart."
"We'll still get together like we have been. From May to July, I'll be in August so that will be much closer."
"I'm looking forward to us being together again!"
"Trisha, I have something for you." Jay reached into his left pants pocket and pulled out a small ring case. Trisha looked quite startled and Jay recognized it. "I know with your internship/graduate school and my Law School, we have plenty of time to date and see if we're meant to be together forever. But for now, I wanted to give you this promise ring to signify how special you are and to solidify our special relationship together."
Trisha kissed Jay again, dropping she shoe she was carrying to the carpeted floor, and allowed him to place the ring on the ring finger of her right hand. A little tear appeared in the corner of her right eye. "It's so pretty! You have such good taste."
"I guess I should give credit where it's due. Jeannie went with me to pick it out. She even remembered your ring size from back when you were roommates."
"Still, it's very nice Jay, thank you!"
Jay and Trisha returned to the elevator and went downstairs and were about to go back inside the ballroom. "Maybe we can find your shoe now."
Trisha stopped and realized, "Oh, no, I must have dropped my other shoe somewhere - either upstairs or on the elevator.
"You want to go back and look?"
"No, why don't you get the car back from the valet and drive back home. Those shoes are too hard to wear, anyway. We can watch TV in the basement and stay up late talking. I'll make coffee.
"Sounds fun! Stay inside where it's warm until they get my car.
Trisha did as Jay said. Jay gave the claim ticket to the valet and waited. Looking back, Trisha looked so pretty and formal in her beautiful black dress, yet so casual in her shoeless state. He noticed her standing behind the glass door entrance to the hotel lightly rubbing her right toes on the soft carpet as she waited. He could also see her wearing the ankle bracelet he gave her back in May. Soon the car arrived and Trisha dashed out quickly on the cold concrete and Jay opened the door for her to get inside. He turned on floor heat to help her bare feet stay warm on the cold January night. Although even had she been wearing her barely-there slides, she would probably been equally as cold.
On the way back to Trisha's house, they talked a little. Both were excited about their evening together and both were excited about Jay's promise ring. Jay and Trisha stayed up to 4AM talking about anything they could think of before Trisha went upstairs to bed. For Jay and Trisha all things seemed right in the universe. The rest of their lives lay ahead of them.
