Faith & Empire: Book One of The Holy Terran Empire

14. The Prom

The following three months were my last of secondary school. I had already finished my studies before summer break and returned to school after Michaelmas to fulfill my mentoring obligation by tutoring the younger boys.

On the night of Gaudete Sunday, secondary schools celebrated the senior students promenade and ball. My cousin Betsy took it upon herself to "spare me the indignity of showing up stag."

I told her I didn't consider it an indignity, but she rather imperiously dismissed my objection and sent me a link to the exact corsage that would perfectly compliment the gown she had chosen for the ball.

I felt showing up with one's cousin for a date was worse an indignity than showing up stag, but it was not a sentiment I was going to share with Betsy. Instead, I purchased the corsage and took her to the ball.

Betsy and I linked arms and began our stroll around the perimeter of the concert hall. There were a few hundred students slow-dancing to canned music on the dance floor set up beneath the stage. Most students, however, were gathered in clusters along the rear wall. Sequin-draped tables were backed against that wall at every ten meters. Large, crystal punch bowls were centered atop them, surrounded by stacks of paper cups.

As luck would have it, I spotted Jacinta with friends gathered before the eighth table in. It was quite the coincidence considering Christ the King Civic hall was filled with ten thousand kids from Georgetown Diocese' six secondary schools.

Jacinta was with mutual friends of ours and with a boy I knew somewhat from the diocesan football league. The sight of her with him stung more than I expected and I became vexed with myself for the unguarded reaction.

Picking up on the irritation, Betsy suggested, "Let's go over Zeph, so you can say a proper goodbye to Jacci."

"We've said our goodbyes," I protested.

"Jacci said goodbye. You just sat there with your mouth hanging open."

I stared hard at my cousin. She smiled sweetly and said, "Girls. We talk."

I loosed a snort and responded, "Yeah, maybe too much."

Betsy shrugged and said, "We're compensating for you half-mute boy-brutes. Now come on and quit your stalling."

"I don't know, Bitsy... I think it best if..." I started to say.

"Smile cousin," Betsy said as she dragged me forward.

Jacinta and what I presumed was her date were in conversation with our friends Aloysius and Miriam, a couple we had often gone on double-dates with. I greeted them first by way of approaching the group, "Aloysius, Miriam, how are you two?"

"Good."

"Great."

I shook hands with Aloysius and kissed Miriam's. "You guys remember my cousin, Betsy?"

Aloysius answered, "Sure do," and offered her his hand, palm up.

Betsy put her hand in Aloysius'. He kissed it in greeting and said, "You grow lovelier with every sighting."

"Thank you."

Miriam and Betsy then exchanged kisses on the cheeks. "How've you been Bitsy?"

"Mostly good," my cousin answered with an impish grin.

"You couldn't be bad if you tried, Bitsy dear," Jacinta said.

"The important thing is that one make the effort," Jacinta's date said with a wink and then extended his hand to Bitsy. "I'm Lawrence Niven, pleasure to meet you."