Coercion (23 page)

The doorbell chimed and she heard her mother rush to answer it, bumping into something—likely the couch—in her hurry. There was a pause, and then finally Valerie heard the front door swing open and her mother greet Daniel. “Oh my goodness, don’t you look wonderful!”

“Thanks, Mrs. Mercer.” Valerie could hear the smile in Daniel’s voice. “I hope I look good enough to stand next to your daughter.”

Her mother tittered and cooed over Daniel’s gallantry as Valerie’s mind swam, trying to envision Michael Vartanian speaking Daniel’s words. The unlikelihood of that event was almost too much for Valerie to bear and she tugged on the heart-shaped neckline of her dress, one violent yank away from tearing the fabric from her body completely.

“Is Valerie almost ready?” she heard Daniel ask after a bout of polite conversation.

“I don’t know,” her mother chirped. “Let me call her. Valerie! Your date’s here!”

Valerie took a deep breath and walked down the stairs once again, her chin held high. Daniel stood at the bottom holding a flower in a plastic container, his eyes glittering with admiration. Her mother stood behind him, her fingertips dancing against her mouth and barely masking her proud, knowing smile.

“You look amazing.” Daniel took Valerie’s hand and needlessly helped her down the last step.

“You do too.” Valerie observed his white jacket with the thick lapels and his pressed black pants. She absently adjusted his slightly crooked bow tie, and his grin only grew wider.

“This is adorable.” Valerie’s mother called up the steps, “Gerald, hurry! You’re missing everything!”

“I’m here, I’m here.” Her father came downstairs, the strap to his 35mm camera looped around his neck, just as the phone rang.

“Oh, who could that be?” Her mother sighed as if truly perplexed by the unknown caller. She scooped up the receiver from the turquoise phone on the end table. “Hello, Mercer residence.”

While her mother spoke on the phone, Valerie watched as her father looked Daniel over wordlessly, as if trying to assess if this boy was the type to walk out the door in the middle of a home-cooked meal.

Daniel thrust out his hand. “Mr. Mercer, it’s good to see you.”

Her father visibly relaxed, and he returned the handshake. “Pleasure’s all mine.” He nodded toward the window. “Do you kids have time for a picture?”

“Sure.” Daniel winked at Valerie. “Maybe even two.”

“Wait, not yet.” Her mother covered the mouthpiece of the phone even though her voice just became louder. “Valerie, it’s for you. It’s Aunt Linda!”

Valerie reluctantly accepted the phone from her mother. “Hello?”

“Well, doesn’t someone sound miserable,” her aunt said in her usual lilting voice. “And on such an important night too!”

“Aunt Linda, it’s just a gala. People are only going because there’s nothing else to do around here.”

“Just a... Oh, honey, that old saying’s true. Youth really is wasted on the young. You need to be happy, sweetheart. Men like being around happy women. And speaking of men, who’s this young man who’s escorting you to the dance?”

Valerie glanced at her date chatting amicably with her parents and swallowed back a
just Daniel
. “His name is Daniel Travato.” She twirled the spring-curled telephone cord around her finger. “We go to school together.”

“Very nice.” Her aunt laughed. “You know what will drive him wild? Dabbing a little perfume behind your ears and knees. Trust me, it works.”

Valerie pressed the receiver against her ear as hard as she could. The sharp backs of the pearl earrings she’d borrowed from her mother dug into her skin. She hoped the pain would distract her from the anger welling in her chest.

“Oh! And make sure you don’t talk about yourself too much. It’s poor manners. Like I’ve always said, you must retain your mystery.”

Valerie fought hard against the impulse to slam down the receiver and start screaming as loud as she could. She wanted so badly to tell her aunt everything was her fault and the world had been a better place before she was led to believe she could ever actually have a satisfying relationship with someone she loved who loved her back. She wanted to yell
everything
you promised me was a
lie
,
but knew her aunt wasn’t liable for how much she hated herself.

“And if you have to fix your hair, do it in the bathroom,” her aunt continued. “Absolutely no picking at yourself in front of your date or—”

“I think I’ll be okay.” Valerie’s face immediately grew hot. She hadn’t meant to sound so rude.

“Okay.” Her aunt sounded surprised. “I’m sure you will be.” An awkward pause followed. “Yes, of course you’ll be fine. Don’t listen to me. Just have fun tonight, okay? Promise me that.”

“I promise.” Valerie hung up the phone, wondering if she’d hurt her aunt’s feelings. Then she decided she didn’t care. After all, as far as she understood, nobody cared if they hurt her feelings. Still, part of her knew even that wasn’t true. Only Michael couldn’t care less if he rubbed her heart raw. That knowledge made her feel worse.

Her mother clapped her hands. “Picture time!”

Valerie and Daniel stood before the front window’s closed curtain after her mother quickly smoothed it out in an attempt to make it as wrinkle-free as possible. “I want one where he’s pinning the corsage on,” her mother announced, giddy with glee.

Daniel plucked the corsage—a single white rose—from the plastic box and stepped closer to Valerie. She could smell the subtleness of his cologne and feel his breath on her shoulder. His fingertips grazed her shoulder and the bare skin beneath the strap of her dress as he pinned on the flower, and she tried not to concentrate on the nearness of him.

He glanced into her eyes and blushed. “Sorry if I stick you.”

“You’re fine.”

There came a click from the camera, and her parents began discussing the next shot. Daniel took the opportunity to bend his head so his lips were near her ear. “You look so pretty tonight, Valerie. I mean it.”

Valerie tried to smile despite the screaming happening inside her head. “Thank you.” She then turned to her family. “I’m sorry, we have to go.”

She avoided her parents’ wounded eyes and Daniel’s confused expression as she picked up her gossamer shawl from the back of the couch. Her insides twisted with regret and she longed to take her words back. Still, she said nothing. She didn’t want to look at the photographs later and remember the evening as the night she almost cried for the camera.

* * * *

“Breezy!” Lisa Melane wove between the sweaty, swaying couples dancing to an Eagles song to meet her blond friend, who sat alone at a table beneath a canopy of twisted streamers and a banner reading
Kenton College presents Nights in White Satin
. “Why are you sitting over here all by yourself?”

“I needed a break.” Breeze fanned her hot face with her souvenir gala booklet, which she’d folded into an accordion shape. “I’ve been on my feet all night.”

“Me too.” Lisa sank down in a nearby folding chair and surveyed their surroundings with a pleased smile. “Isn’t this great?”

Breeze glanced around the dark crowded ballroom and took a drink from her paper cup, leaving faint marks of red on the clear plastic. “Yeah, I’ve seen worse.”

“I’ll say.” Lisa’s attention turned to Breeze. “I still can’t believe how beautiful you look.”

“Don’t sound so surprised.” Breeze stood and twirled, letting Lisa view her red halter dress from all angles.

“Mike probably wanted to tear that dress off you when he picked you up tonight.”

“He doesn’t care what I wear.” Breeze sat again. “Just as long as he can undress me with his eyes.”

Lisa winked. “At any rate, he’s a lucky guy.”

“I don’t know how lucky he’ll be.” Breeze plucked a few petals from the flowered centerpiece. “We’re just trying things out.”

“Oh, please.” Lisa rolled her eyes.

“I swear.” Breeze crossed her fingers on her right hand and held them up. “We haven’t done anything like that so far.”

“What does ‘so far’ mean? Is tonight the night?” Lisa bounced her eyebrows.

“The night will be whenever he finally proves himself to me.” Breeze crunched her cup in her hand and leaned over the back of her chair to toss it in the closest trashcan. “If he wants me, he needs to work for it. He needs to be a man for once in his life.”

“Okay, this is all none of my business, so naturally I’m interested.” Lisa leaned forward in her seat. “What does a young man have to do to melt the ice around Kim Breza’s heart?”

“There’s no manual or anything.” Breeze waved her hand. “And if a boy even has to ask, he’ll never know.”

“Do you think he’s going to know it before you take off to New York as soon as you can?”

Breeze shrugged. “I hope so. But that doesn’t matter, because I invited him to go with me.”

Lisa arched an eyebrow. “You asked your sort-of boyfriend to move a thousand miles away with you and you don’t even know if you two will last?”

“I never said I don’t think we’ll last,” Breeze huffed. “Michael and I have been through a lot together.”

“I agree. It can be hard to say goodbye. No wonder you want to take him with you.”

Breeze crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the floor. “If you’re suggesting the only reason I asked Michael to go to New York with me is because it’s easier to be with him than without him, you’re wrong.”

Lisa shrugged. “In any case, how convenient for you he’ll be free to go with you. You’ll be graduating, and he’ll be flunking out.”

Breeze gritted her teeth. “I don’t know how you know that but just shut up, okay? Michael’s coming over.” She straightened in her seat and gave Michael a tight smile as he approached, wearing a rumpled brown suit and a half-untucked peach shirt. His hair stuck out all over his head, as if he’d just woken after being asleep for days. “Hey, you.”

“Hey.” He spun an empty chair around and straddled it backward.

“How’s it goin’, Mike?” Lisa asked.

“All right.” He shrugged. “After all, I can’t think of anywhere else I’d rather be than in a suffocating room with about two hundred jerks who’ve nothing better to do than dress up and wiggle to
Rock Me Gently
.”

“Baby, please.” Breeze sighed. “Don’t be such a bore.”

Michael kept his eyes on Lisa. “Did I also mention it’s been a blast watching Breeze hike up her skirt and rub her vagina on just about every guy here?”

“You’ve just been standing by the punch and pouting,” Breeze said. “I have to dance with somebody.”

“You call what you were doing dancing? Maybe you should charge.” Michael attempted to peer down the front of Breeze’s dress. “Is that a dollar I see? You upped your rate.”

Breeze let out a tinkling laugh that sounded like icicles cracking as she gripped Michael’s upper arm, her fingernails digging into his suit jacket like talons. “Oh, baby, you’re a real riot. And if you make this night miserable for me, I swear I won’t let you forget it.”

“Right, let’s not ruin this momentous rite of passage.”

“Breezy was just telling me how you guys are planning on going to New York.” Lisa’s gaze flitted between the couple, and Breeze shot her a warning look.

The expression on Michael’s face grew darker. “I haven’t decided for sure yet.” His glare focused on Breeze. “Counting on my failure?”

“Now, now.” Breeze patted Michael’s knee in a way that was more violent than affectionate. “I can’t help it that you keep your options open, hoping something better comes along.”

Michael groaned as he blew the hair out of his eyes. “That’s not the case, and you know it.”

“Please, I don’t feel like having a fight tonight.”

“I think you do. Too bad for you I’m not going to give you one.”

Before Breeze could respond, Rooney staggered over and bent to wrap his arms around her shoulders. “Hey guys,” he shouted above the music. “Am I interrupting another lovers’ spat?”

Breeze rubbed the forearm of Rooney’s jacket. “Why, do we look like we’re fighting?”

“You look normal. So yes.” Rooney raised his eyebrows at Michael. “What do you say, man? Do you care if I have another dance with your girl here?”

Michael ran a hand through his messy hair. “What happened to your date?”

“Mary Anne’s still in the bathroom with her head in the can.” With one arm still looped around Breeze, Rooney pulled a small flask out of his jacket pocket and gave it a shake. “She couldn’t handle her whiskey, I guess.”

“Shouldn’t you be holding her hair back or something like a good date?” Lisa crossed her legs and shook her head, admonishing.

Rooney shrugged. “I guess. But all the alternatives are much more fun.” He looked at Michael as he pressed his flushed cheek against Breeze’s. “So? Can I borrow her for a bit?”

“Don’t ask him.” Breeze stood with ease despite Rooney’s arm still circling her shoulder. “He doesn’t care. And he’s being a snooze anyway.”

“Yeah, it’s cool.” Michael got to his feet. “I’m going out for a smoke.”

“Yes, go outside and be miserable.” Breeze wrapped her arms around Rooney’s waist and looked at him with a flirtatious smile. “So anything left in that flask?”

“Maybe.” Rooney arched an eyebrow. “Why do you ask?”

“Because you smell like you drank it all. I wanted to know if there was still a drop or two for a cute blonde.”

Rooney passed Breeze the flask. “I’ve always got something for a cute blonde.”

“That’s what I like to hear.” Breeze turned into Rooney’s shoulder and discreetly took a swig from the flask.

Michael rolled his eyes. “Don’t forget.” He leaned in close to Breeze and let his lips brush against hers as he pulled a cigarette out of his suit’s breast pocket. “I’m watching you.”

“Isn’t everyone?” She smirked as she wiped her mouth delicately with her fingertips then straightened his tie, one hand still wrapped around the flask. “Now go on. Enjoy yourself.”

“I intend to.”

* * * *

“Are you having a good time?” Daniel shouted to Valerie over Pilot’s
Magic
as he spun her around on the dance floor.

“Yes!” To her surprise, it was the truth. Although her stomach had been in knots when they first arrived, her unease drifted away as the evening wore on. They had sat with Daniel’s friends and their dates during dinner, and everyone had been so entertaining and in such good spirits Valerie couldn’t help but finally get excited. For the first time in her life, she really believed she was an adult, dressed up and surrounded by interesting people. She felt beautiful and life seemed so promising. It was as if everything her aunt had once guaranteed her had finally unfolded before her.