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”
