Twice Over

Chapter Seventy Six - Sublime

sublime

adjective

1. of very great excellence or beauty

It was the evening, after mum had spent the afternoon with me eating out and shopping. I didn't tell her about my altercation with Eyva, the second one. She didn't need to know. Mum had Jac-Jac join us in my bedroom. They arrived just as Gretta, the maid, finished up the last of my hair and make up.

"Hi, how are things going? You all ready?" Mum asked as she let Jac-Jac down who was wriggling in her arms.

"Where's your neww dwess?" my little munchkin asked. I patted him on the head and stepped into my closet. The door had been locked until I came out of the shower so there was no way this dress was going walk-about, but you never know. I was a little anxious, but I found the dress exactly where I had left it and carefully stepped into it and zipped it up.

This sleeveless dress was a long hot-red sheath dress with one shoulder and a side cut out. Black lace covered the bust and draped down over one hip, stopping just above the side split over my right leg. It was the perfect dress to show off my long legs, yet hide the knee injury scar at the same time.

Paired with a pair of black lacy pumps in the same lace as the bodice, I looked flaming hot!

"Woah, pwetty lady!" Jac-Jac exclaimed as I stepped out to show them all the ensemble. "You look like a pawincess. I can be yourw knight herow?" He stepped right in front of me and looked up at me.

"Yes, you can, but only if you listen to mummy all night and do as she says, OK?" I pulled out a red hot tie in the same colour as the dress and helped him pull it on.

"Howw I look?" he ran over to mum and asked her.

"Woah, handsome man!" She exclaimed, mimicking his words from a moment ago, making him giggle as she tickled him. "Come on, birthday girl. Time to go celebrate." She pulled us both out of my bedroom.

Mum had announced this morning that we had to go shopping today for a birthday party dress, and that she and Wallace were taking me out to celebrate with a few close friends this evening. I was worried about what they would deem as 'close friends' but decided to take the whole affair in the spirit to which it was given – a day to celebrate me and my becoming a legal adult.

The Wallace drove his silver Jaguar XE with Mum in the front passenger seat and Jack and I in the back. I hadn't realised where we were going until we pulled up to the valet lobby of the Old O Hotel. Wallace got out, threw his keys to the senior valet in charge, then opened the door for my mum, then Jack and I.

The four of us met Grandma and Grandpa Overmeyer with Eyva at the entrance to the hotel. Eyva had been sent back to the grandparent's place before lunch time today. She was wearing a conservative silver little dress with three quarter sleeves. It shimmered when she moved in it, but its neckline and hemline were all well above board. I bet Grandma Overmeyer picked it out for her to wear tonight. She didn't look very happy wearing it.

"You look fabulous, Lily. A beautiful sight for this old man's eyes." Grandpa Overmeyer kissed me on the cheek in welcome and Grandma echoed his sentiments, squeezing my hand in the process. We all congregated at the lifts then took it up to the top floor. I had no idea we were dining at the revolving restaurant until we stepped out of the lift and Jack dragged 'his pawincess' over to the windows.

"Let gow watch da city move round." He declared. Wallace managed to lead him towards the area of the restaurant that he'd booked for the night, and us two siblings ended up looking out the window next to a table full of my closest friends and subordinates. I welcomed their birthday greetings, then pointed out some land marks to Jac-Jac outside the high windows.

Dinner was amazing. Carlie and Teresa were seated each side of me. They talked all about the rave reviews each dish had as they were laid out of the table in a very Chinese style banquet with a million different courses. My favourites were the duck confit, the veal steak on a berry jus, and for dessert, you would not believe the plated work of art that was presented to each dinner guest.

The large individual platter held assortments of sweets surrounding a rectangle layered work of art. A thin almond crumb base held a cheese cake layer with a crispy hard caramel topping. On top of this were blanched lychee and marinated pear slices, covered in another crispy caramel topping. Biscuit crumbs on top of that with a frozen confectionery, topped with edible gold flakes, crystallised sugar syrup and little pear blossom. It. Was. Incredible. It turned out the scoop of frozen dessert was pear and elderberry sorbet.

I had a yummy dinner. Once our empty dessert platters had been removed, a group of waiting staff arrived at the table with a serving tray each. French Champaign was served to every member of our party, except Jac-Jac, and they all toasted to the birthday girl, wishing me a happy eighteenth birthday.

I felt so blessed, so loved and incredibly honoured to have everyone share this time with me. Thinking back to the last time I had any sort of celebration for my birthday, and it took me sometime to remember. Not even the eight years 'before' in my previous timeline had I celebrated my birthday with anyone who loved me. I don't count the horrible, fake birthday celebration I shared with the inmates at the mental institute. Those were lonely, miserable memories. I can only remember my last real birthday celebration being the one before my father died.

Before I knew it, I was trying hard to hide my crying. My mother took one look at me covering my face with my hands and assumed it was grief at the loss of my dad that caused me to cry.

"Oh, baby girl." She cried out, got up out of her chair and came around the table to give me a hug. "This is hard for you, your first birthday without your father." Even when my dad was sick in the hospice the year before he passed away, we still went in to celebrate with him. I let everyone at the table believe that was what I was struggling with, nodding my head and hiccuping.

"OK, you're OK. Lets dry these tears and get you sorted out, OK?" Mum took me to the restaurant bathroom to re-do my make up. But that walk alone across the spacious luxury restaurant was an eye opening experience in understanding the magnitude of Wallace Overmeyer's wealth. And the bathroom – THE BATHROOM! It had its own lobby. All done up in silver and white with brocade-like motifs along wall partitions, perfectly positioned lights and a huge sparkling Swarovski crystal waterfall chandelier hanging right in the center of the room. It was gorgeous.

I think if I could spend the rest of my life in this bathroom and I'd die a happy lady.