Oktoberfest Special... One Friend, Two Loves And A Guy Bearing Flowers

I don't think there is much that is prettier than the changing leaves of fall, Young Lovers. I'm a sucker for the brisk air outside and the warm cooking scented air inside that comes with this time of year. In celebration, instead of offering up and AureliaBluesDay Tuesday this week, I'm hosting my very own Oktoberfest here on FROM ME2U LOVE RALEY BLUE!

I'm going to share a serial story, ONE FRIEND, TWO LOVES, AND A GUY BEARING FLOWERS, I wrote last year on Facebook. Parts of it also appeared, for a limited time, as guest posts on another blog that I'm no longer affiliated with. And I had a blog, for a very short while, on Wordpress, where it also appeared. So maybe you've already read it. If so, I hope you'll enjoy re-reading it, like that book that's like an old friend, that you just love picking up over and over again. If this is your first reading, I'm so excited to share it with you. I will caution you that it is long. There are seven installments. I am posting them all in this single blog post so that they will be easy to find and all appear in the order the story is told. I have color coded each installment as well, so hopefully it will be easy to find your place again if you have to leave for a while. I really want you to come back. :)

One last RaleyBlueNote: This work has been traipsed across one word processing program, two blogs, and a Facebook account bearing different fonts and formats. ;) It may have errors. Some editing may have been lost. And as I frequently mention, I'm also a dreadful speller in my middle age! Please forgive? This blog is just for kicks and giggles so we can party together  more often, right? We're not going to be picky, right? Right? ;)

So without further ado, please enjoy, ONE FRIEND, TWO LOVES, AND A GUY BEARING FLOWERS...


ONE FRIEND, TWO LOVES AND A GUY BEARING FLOWERS (part 1)
An Original work by Aurelia Blue 


Aurelia met Dmitri the first day of freshmen year and she was smitten. He had the face of a cherub, dark smoldering eyes and matching raven black ringlets. But he was quick to tell her that he was indeed gay and suggested that instead of becoming star crossed lovers, the two of them become best of friends. And Aurelia liked this idea very much.

"If you could have any name, what would it be?" Dmitri asked her during lunch as they reclined under a tree in the school commons soaking up the last of the September sunshine, Latin text books and notes fluttering in the breeze.

"Deborah, she responded resolutely. "Why? What name would you choose?" Aurelia turned to face him as his hands cupped her face.

"Dmitri is the name I chose for myself, silly, my real name is Byron," he said giggling and rubbing his nose against hers. “Deborah, huh?"

"Uh huh."

"Well then, Deborah it shall be," he said, leaning his forehead against hers, "Deborah and Dmitri, Latin Lovers." And giggling again he added, "Amo te, Deborah," kissing her forehead.

"Amo te, Dmitri," she sighed. It was a perfect day. It was a perfect life.

...

She was sitting in the last rays of afternoon sun the following spring, waiting at the south entrance of the school, just outside the twelve foot wrought iron gates, better known as the famed dubbed Gates of Hell, when an angel appeared. Well she thought he must be an angel, although here-to-fore she'd never seen one.

His teeth glinted with the light of a thousand pearls as he said, "Hello. Are you waiting for the driving course to start too?"

Dear God in heaven on your golden throne, he's beautiful, she thought, as she answered simply and demurely, "Yes."

"Oh, great. Good. Now I have someone else to be nervous with," he laughed. "Are you nervous?"

She was so taken with him, she could barely get the words out.

"Not really. Farm girl." She smiled shyly.

He looked deeply into her eyes, locking her in his gaze, before asking, "So how does being a farm girl, exactly, give one nerves of steel?" An amused smile played at the corners of his lips.

"Not nerves of steel so much as practical experience," she answered feeling like she was being held by those beautiful mysterious blue-green eyes, "I've been driving since I was eleven. Not on the paved roads, of course." She could feel herself getting lost in those eyes and relished the attention.

"Perfect," he said breaking his gaze and sitting down beside her, "we can learn that bit together then." He smiled broadly again holding out his hand. "Gabe. Short for Gabriel."

He even has a angel's name, she sighed to herself.

They were supposed to pay attention to what was happening in the drivers seat at all times no matter which student was driving the candy apple red '92 Pontiac Grand Am. But Jonah, the third student in their group, got nervous with an audience, so the driving instructor suggested that Aurelia and Gabe talk quietly amongst themselves while Jonah was driving. And talk they did.

At first those discussions were full of spirited and passionate debates over literature and classical music. But as they discovered how many things they shared in common right down their belief in the fact that baseball is the best spectator sport on Earth and a woman is never fully dressed without polish on her toes, they began to fall irrevocably in love. Their conversations became hushed and fervid, filled with longing sighs and gazes. If Aurelia would ever make love to a man, surely Gabe would the one. The. One.

Aurelia was a lady though and Gabe was a gentleman. They began dating for the remainder of the school year. And then wrote letters to one another every day while Aurelia spent the summer with her grandparents and aunt and uncle in Chicago. They wrote so many letters, Aurelia's uncle called her father and suggested he look into the background of "this young troubadour."

This is why Aurelia's parents made her introduce Gabe to them formally before she could go to Homecoming with him. But that was okay because Gabe was brilliant and all adults loved him.

"I like your mom," he whispered in her ear as he held her close, dancing under the silver paper stars, " she's fiery like you."

Aurelia giggled, happy to just be so close to her handsome beau in the dark.

"But you're a thinker like your dad," he said, stroking her long hair, "and your beauty is..."

Aurelia slowly looked up into his gaze, no one had ever commented on her beauty before and she was curious to see his face while he spoke of it.

"...is all your own," he murmured now. "Honey blonde brunette..." he kissed her forehead as he wound his hand into her ponytail gently forcing her gaze back to his, "...like satin. And your deep doe brown eyes, like a fawn's..." His voice trailed off again as he kissed each of her eyelids closed.

She leaned into him so much so now that she was no longer conscious of where she ended and he began. Listening to his heartbeat as she pressed her head to his chest, she was pleased to feel the firmest part of him pressing into the softest part of her. Tingling, she trembled just a little at his obvious display of manhood.

"My God, Aurelia, you are everything a woman should be," he whispered into her hair.

Later as they sat in the darkness of her driveway, her parents having given up on them coming in hours before, their chaste kisses turned torrential and their hands roamed each other's bodies. The heat was palpable. But just as things began to hit a complete fever pitch, he gently pulled away clasping Aurelia's hands in his and laying them in her lap.

"I think I'd better take you the church," he said smiling.

Aurelia smiled too, allowing silly little girl thoughts of bouquets of white flowers and veils to enter her mind.

"Pick you up at seven Wednesday night?"

"Okay."

Gabe walked her to the door and gave her a long, lingering, kiss goodnight.

She felt like a princess sitting on the gate at the end of the drive in her long denim skirt and a pale pink cashmere sweater that had a sweetheart neckline covered in a fine mesh embedded with embroidered flowers and pearls. He smiled appreciatively as he pulled up to the drive.

"You are every bit a woman," he told her as she kicked off her pink high heels and put her long silk stockinged legs up on the dash. His eyes resting for a moment longer on her décolletage before putting the car in gear.

Aurelia remembered nothing of the youth meeting at the Episcopal church. She was only conscious of being on Gabe's arm, her hand entwined in his. They kissed once in the Columbarium, her back pressed into the name plates of them that had long departed the Earth.

And again they kissed in the choir loft. This time more forcefully. The church was deserted now. Aurelia's heart soared as he lay her back on an old fainting couch and began to run his hand up her thigh under her skirt. She closed her eyes, slowly running her fingers through his hair. They settled into kissing an caressing for some time then. So long and so deeply in fact that Aurelia was taken by surprise when Gabe suddenly pulled away, sighing heavily as he rolled over to lie beside her.

"What is it, Love?" She turned to him now, eyes full of concern.

"I don't know how to put it into words," he replied sighing again, his hand covering his forehead.

"Yeah," she whispered.

"In Spanish class, we say, Te Amo."

"Dmitri and I say Amo te, when we're being Latin Lovers," she said gently taking his hand away from his face.

"That's just it," he said sadly.

"What's it, Love?"

"What if I'm like Dmitri?"

The words hung in the air between them, laden with the lead of ten thousand coffins.

Aurelia slowly let go of his hand and drew her arms in hugging herself.

"Then it doesn't matter," she said quietly, lying back down beside him, "because I love you.'

"Yeah," he said softly, his hand returning to his face to wipe a tear, "I know."


ONE FRIEND, TWO LOVES AND A GUY BEARING FLOWERS (Part 2)

Dmitri threw Aurelia a retro Sweet Sixteen party over Christmas break, complete with bobby socks and vinyl records pilfered from the 'rents. It suited Aurelia as she loved the Oldies. It suited Dmitri as he loved a party. Any party.

He danced more than anyone else, and forced Aurelia away from her sulking over Gabe who had refused her invitation on the grounds that he didn't want to confuse her any further.

What was there to be confused about? So he was gay. Weren't they still friends?

"Maybe, maybe not," Dmitri tried to console her as they twirled around the dance floor. "The trouble with you Deborah, is that you fall too hard. It can be a scary thing to be loved so hard."

"Scary?" She was surprised at that word. "Would it scare you to be loved that hard?"

"Of course not, silly! I can't wait for a man to love me like that!"

"Well then, we want the same thing don't we?"

"Yes, indeed we do, Deborah, indeed we do. And we want it for each other, too."

"Well, I want it for Gabe too!" She gasped as Dmitri twirled her into the unsuspecting arms of Boden Bowdean, a fellow Latin student, who had been standing by the punch bowl.

"He knows that. And he wants the same for you," Dmitri whispered conspiratorially before waltzing away on his own.

"You do know Gabe is as gay as Dmitri, right?" Boden said as he began a genteel slow dance with her. "Happy birthday, Aurelia."

"Thank you, Boden, and yes, I'm aware of that fact."

"Well what's a nice girl like you doing with a mean old faggy freak like Gabe, when you could be dancing with me?

"I am dancing with you, aren't I? And don't call him a faggy freak."

"Ok, sorry. But mean is ok?" He twirled her a little, then dipped her before whipping her back up and giving her a quick kiss right on the lips.

"Uhhh... no," Aurelia struggled to come back to her senses, "not mean either."

" I heard he dumped you."

"We are separated."

"What, were you married to him or something? Seriously, Aurelia! He's just some guy."

"Just some guy who I was very in love with!" She managed to eject as he dipped her again.

"Was?" Boden brought her back up and into him as he began to turn her again.

"Yeah, I guess so," Aurelia said breathlessly.

"Well then," Boden replied, "Maybe it's time you fall in love again."

"What with you?"

"Why not?"

...

Yeah, why not? Aurelia asked herself over and over again throughout the next few weeks.

Boden had surprised her with a an adorable white fluffy stuffed dog the day after Christmas.

"Because I noticed you collect stuffed animals when Dmitri and I were here to work on that group project where cooked the cheese sticks for Latin," he'd said. Then adding, "Oh say, you have The Little Mermaid? Let's watch it."

Valentine's day came with the presentation of the biggest, most ornate, heart shaped box of chocolates Aurelia had ever seen.

"Because I noticed you like to hang them on the wall in your room," he said giving her a quick hug before running off to class.

The student council had a fundraiser that year in which students could buy a carnation for a dollar to be delivered to a sweetheart or Valentine during the last class period of the day. Aurelia beamed with delight as she clutched the lovely yellow carnation from Dmitri, with the note that read, "Amo te, Deborah."

Her fellow student journalists buzzed around the computer lab with their own carnations, giggling and reading each other's notes. A sudden hush filled the room though when Sven Oleson, the council president, entered the room with a magnificent bouquet of a dozen carnations in a dozen different hues, and a note addressed to Aurelia.

"Oh my God," shrieked Abby Benson, the Editor-in-Chief, as she snatched the note away reading, "Aurelia, darling, won't you be mine forever?!"

"Oh, hell, Aurelia," said Georgia Abrahms, her associate Op Ed editor, who was sitting beside her, "Are you shtupping him?"

Aurelia, overwhelmed and thrilled beyond belief to be given such a showy display of affection, adopted her best wouldn't you like to know expression and threw Georgia a knowing smile before answering in as sultry a voice as possible, "What do you think?"

"I think not," Georgia replied coolly.

"Oh?" Aurelia was a little startled at Georgia's quick answer.

"I think... you are not that kind of girl, Aurelia. It's not an insult, believe me. I wish I'd waited before giving it up to some idiot slob who didn't appreciate it for what it was," Georgia said, patting Aurelia's leg with her long black painted fingernails.

No, thought Aurelia, she was not that kind of girl, was she? But for Boden, who obviously wasn't an idiot slob, maybe she could be? Maybe she wanted to be?



From that day on, Boden and Aurelia were nearly inseparable. Before school, between classes, lunch, and after school every day that they had extra curriculars. As they wound into summer, they were pleasantly surprised that many of their interests band(him), theatre, journalism and summer classes (her) overlapped and they saw each other at the school frequently. This was a Godsend since neither of them had their own cars. Many hours were spent in the shade of the trees in the meadow out behind the building, laughing, talking, holding hands and calling one another, "Darling."

With the return of regular classes in the fall, they continued on that way. They would walk, talk, sit and study hand in hand. The only time they were apart was on their bus rides home.

Aurelia spent her time on the bus dreaming of the day she and Boden could be together as much as they wanted and reading all his notes passed to her from that day over and over.

One day in late spring, he wrote:

My dearest, sweetest Aurelia, Darling, My love, I know you were not raised to embrace any one religion, but I know the true depth and beauty of your spirituality. And if you would consent to our raising the children in the traditions of the Catholic faith, I would be ever grateful and would never cease to love and cherish you like the eternity of the sun. Forever yours, B.



A torrent of emotions rippled through Aurelia like wildfire. He knew the true depth of her soul! Eternal cherishment! Children! THE children! Oh my...



She giggled with pleasure to herself as she crossed and uncrossed her legs, clad in the silver tights that matched her dove gray wool skirt. She was immersed in visions of that day in the future when they would live together as a family.

So taken in her own glow, she almost didn't notice Axl Blue, the boy who lived across the field, who was now sitting across from her, staring unabashedly at her crisscrossing legs. He blushed as he smiled and gave her a little wink before turning away.

For the first time in her entire life, Aurelia felt her heart stop. And she had no idea why.

Later, she told herself it had been because she'd caught Axl admiring her. That she had been so deliciously overwhelmed by Boden's note, and all that it promised. Yes, that was it.

On the last day of school, the Latin Club went to King's Island for the day. It was a four hour bus ride. And after a full day of fun, sun and hand holding, Aurelia and Boden settled into their seat as darkness descended from the sky, to the joy of cuddling for the long trip home.

"I've been thinking, Darling, I'd like to be a teacher," Boden confided.

Aurelia, who had many teachers in her family, answered, "I think you'd be wonderful at it, Darling. What subject?"

"History, I think. You really think I should do it?"

"Absolutely."

"My mom and dad want to me to be a doctor."

"Well it's your life, Darling. You should do what you want to do. I'm behind you one hundred percent," Aurelia pulled him closer to him so his head rested on her bosom.

"We wouldn't be rich," he said.

"I don't want to be rich, Darling" she answered running her fingers through his hair and combing it back from his face like her grandmother used to do to her when she was a little girl.

"No. But you'd want to be comfortable wouldn't you, Darling?"

"Sure. But that's not the point."

"What is the point?" He burrowed deeper into her side.

"We'll be together. We'll build a good life. And we'll be happy."

"Is is really that simple, Darling?"

"Why can't it be, Darling?" She was cradling him now, nuzzling his head with her cheek.

"Yeah, why can't it be?" He answered, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Say, Darling, do you know what you want to do, yet?"

"I've already been accepted to Nursing school. Early admission. So you see, Darling, we will be comfortable," she said smiling into his sweet smelling hair.

"What?" He looked up at her now, "But Darling, you're not even a Senior, and you're already into college?"

"Yeah. Sometimes, Darling," she said, kissing him on the forehead, "you just know what you want."

"I guess so," he replied kissing her softly, whispering against her lips, "I want you."

"And you've got me," she sighed happily.

"And you, me," he said, kissing her again as they drifted off to sleep.

When the bus stopped at the school late that night, they wearily departed with one final kiss.

"I'll call you next week," he called over his shoulder to her as he headed off into the night.

Those were the last words Boden Bowdean ever spoke to Aurelia for more than a decade.



ONE FRIEND, TWO LOVES AND A GUY BEARING FLOWERS (Part 3)


Aurelia sat on the sands of yet another post card perfect Key West beach, the letter, that was not from Boden, fluttering in her hand. The scenery around her was breathtaking, yet she barely noticed. Her skin was deeply bronzed from a month of paradisiacal sun worship. She'd learned to surf. She’d had unscripted swims with a pod of young dolphins nearly every day. And had Unskinny Bopped in more clubs than she could count. Her companion Sabrina, the daughter of affluent friends of the family, lay beside her snoring, clearly embracing the blessings of party life.

After weeks of Aurelia's constant moping beside the telephone that never rang, her parents had encouraged her to take a sabbatical from all the summer classes, work on the farm and her job at a local restaurant, to join Sabrina and her family on their yearly pilgrimage to the keys. She'd picked up the receiver one more time before she'd left, her packed suitcase waiting by the front door, and dialed his number. A young man's voice came on the line, filling her with momentary hope, which faded as she recognized the voice of Boden's younger brother, Jud.

"Oh hey, Aurelia, no, I don't know where he is. Sorry, honey. I will leave him a note though. I can't expect he'd want to miss a call from his number one girlie. Hey, doesn't Axl Blue live out there in the cornfields by you? If you see him, would you say the Judster's been looking for him at the tracks? Avilla is going off this summer. You like fast cars, honey? Avilla is the place to be!"

"I'll do that..." Aurelia had said hanging up. Judster.



Aurelia sighed now as she returned to the letter. It was from her friend Dominic.

Hey Raley,

'Sup, girl? I've missed our breakfasts at the diner! Best five bucks I ever spent on biscuits and gravy. You work cheap girl! You should raise your rates. I got a B- for my final Gov&Econ grade! Couldn't have done it without you, Shug. I owe you, big time. Don't know what I can do for you though, since you clearly don't need me to write your current events reports, Miss Got 102%, The Highest Grade In The Class! Damn girl, why'd you even take summer school, it's not like you need to! Well I hear there are even more reports if you take it regular senior year. So maybe you, like me, just wanted to get it outa the way, so's you can party hardy senior year. SENIOR YEAR! Yeah! We're gonna fight for our right to partay! Am I right or am I right? Yeah, I'm right!

Ok. Ok. I gotta go. I have sixty acres to irrigate if I'm gonna get my ass up to Tipdango's tonight for line dancing. If you were here, girl, I'd take you wit' me, as long as you didn't get in my action, ha ha. But that's ok. 'Cuz we’re friends, right?

Sending you big hugs and kisses for wherever you want to put them. Love ya, Doom-inic the Seniorator, baby!





Aurelia couldn't help a small smile. Dominic was just that kind of guy. But if only, she lapsed back into the unhappy thoughts again, if only this letter could have been from Boden. She'd written him one a week before she'd left for Florida.

At first they were just newsy missives about summer school and how much she missed him. That she was sorry to hear band camp had been scheduled at the new middle school campus, so their paths wouldn't be crossing. Later, as the weeks wore one, she wrote pleading letters, begging him to call. Imploring him as to why he was so obviously ignoring her. Finally, in her anguish, she'd sent one final letter from Florida, taking the silver filigree friendship ring her grandparents had given her for her sixteenth birthday, off the fourth finger of her left hand. Tying a green piece of embroidery thread around it, she slid it in the envelope with her final words.


Darling,

Would that I could, I would tear out my own still beating heart and place it in your cold selfish hand. Since I cannot, I am sending you my last token of fidelity. I give you this ring in the spirit of love and friendship in which is was given to me and with this emerald token, I pledge my lifelong love. Will you not do the same for me?

Faithfully,

Your Darling



She'd crept out of bed and slid it in the mailbox outside the condo door in the middle of the night, afraid she'd lose her nerve and resolve by morning's light. Sabrina was waiting for her in the big bed they shared when she returned.

She smiled. Beautiful with her long blonde hair glimmering in the moonlight, she welcomed Aurelia into her embrace.

"Oh just fuck him, Raley. He doesn't deserve you," Sabrina said giving Aurelia a giant smooch on the lips.

Aurelia closed her eyes and let the sensations of being loved and held seep through her. How welcome it was to feel them again.

Sabrina had proved to be a wonderful diversion over the past few weeks. She was lively and outgoing, making friends everywhere they went, scoring them invitations to parties all over the keys. She was athletic as well, making her an ideal swimming and surfing partner. And she was outstandingly liberal with her affections with both men and women alike. Something the desperately lonely Aurelia did not underrate.

"Letter not from him, then?" Sabrina was awake now on the beach rolling over and pushing up on her elbows.

"No. From Dominic. The guy I wrote all the papers for," Aurelia said lying back on the sand.

"Oh," Sabrina said as she rubbed lotion on Aurelia's bare tummy. "Well did he pass?"

"Yep. With a B minus," Aurelia sighed.

" Not your best papers then," giggled Sabrina.

"No. My best is gone with my muse I'm afraid."

"Oh, Raley. You've got to change that."

...



"What the hell do you mean you have mono, Dmitri? I thought that went out with the plague," Aurelia cried into the phone.

"Apparently not, dear Deborah," Dmitri croaked into her ear. "It seems the kissing disease is still alive and well, and within me," he gave a short giggle, "I wish I'd gotten it from kissing some handsome sailor who was within me."

"Oh God, yuck, Dmitri."

"I know, sorry, my Latin love, I'm just so jealous of your month in the land of endless oceans. I can't believe you didn't have even one torrid night with a hot sailor."

"Dude! I'm taken. I can't be banging sailors, really," Aurelia sighed.

"Taken shmaken. He's gone, Deborah. We don't know why but he is. So move on."

"Move on?"

"Move on!"

"How? How do I do that?" Aurelia broke down in sobs. "You wont even be there with me the first day."

"Yes," Dmitri sighed. "But you can't let that stop you, beautiful Deborah. You will simply have to gloss your little tanned ass up in some Who Gives a Damn! high heels paired with a nice white dress and just strut right in there! Don't even look at him. Walk right by. Don't even let on that you know he doesn't know what the hell just hit him."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that!"

...

The first day of Senior year. Zero hour.

Aurelia pulled up to the school in her '73 Jeep Wagoneer and parked in the Senior lot.

"Nice car, Raley!" Dominic's voice boomed out from four spaces away. "Nice tan too, baby!"

Aurelia smiled broadly and waved as she stepped out of the car in her six inch heeled woven sandals and body hugging, white eyelet sun dress. As she passed by Dominic she couldn't help but stare at the gorgeous olive green '63 Mercury Monterey he was leaning against. It was stunning in the sparkling sunlight.

"Like what you see?" Axl Blue spoke softly as he leaned out the driver's side window.

For a moment he stared at Aurelia's long tanned legs with nearly the same intensity with which she had regarded the car. Then with just a hint of a wink, he turned back to Jud Bowdean who was in the passenger seat. Jud stared open mouthed after Aurelia as she quickly walked away.

Her heart was beating so fast she almost couldn't breathe. Was it the sight of Jud that had thrown her? Yes. Probably. That made sense, she thought.


ONE FRIEND, TWO LOVES AND A GUY BEARING FLOWERS (Part 4)

Aurelia kicked the door of Dmitri's locker shut behind her, falling back against it. Thank God for friends with way different last names! Her own locker was exactly two miles away on the other side of the building. Four thousand other faces came filing in through the open doors, bringing in all the end of summer heat with them. It was overwhelming.

God, another year of this, she sighed to herself. Somehow she managed to screw her stamina up and stepped away from the locker only to stop short at the sight of Boden Bowdean full on kissing another girl.

Aurelia had never felt so numb or so paralyzed with fear in her entire life! She stood there for what seemed like forever and five eighths, as people still flowed around her on both sides. Finally, the flat out cold stare from Boden as he fished his tongue out of the mystery girl's mouth and looked over her head and directly at Aurelia, set her in motion.

Walk!

Dmitri's voice screamed inside her head.

Like you don't give a damn!

Something animalistic took over inside Aurelia's body. Something hell bent on survival, because if she'd had her way, she would have perished right there in that sweltering high school hallway.

She put one foot in front of the other bringing it down hard, establishing a stomp, stomp, stomp runway like demeanor. Straightening up, she sucked in her gut and stuck out her chest, staring resolutely ahead of her as she walked right past Boden and his new friend. And although her heart was beating in her throat, she did manage to catch a glimpse of him out of the corner of her eye as his stare turned from steel to something of shock.

Keep going. Don't let him know that you know he doesn't know what the hell just hit him.

...



"Dom, I don't see what the big deal is. Why do I even have to acknowledge her?"

"Well Raley, technically you are an assistant director of this gay hell you call a musical. And she has been cast as your wardrobe person. So I think conversation might just come up, you know?"

"She's a freshman, Dominic. I can just look at her and give her orders, can't I?"

"Umm, sure, but if you want this homosexual hoedown-"

"Musical. Musical, Dominic, please."

"Okay, musical. Musical. If you want this musical to be really great and worthy of the Aurelia Stamp of Theatre Godliness, I think you might want to take a different, I don't know, more hands on approach? I mean she's just a girl after all. Surely you of all people, aren't afraid of a little girl?"

"Girl, my ass. She's a hussy marauding as a nubile froshy. Little bitch."

"Vivienne," Dominic said quietly, placing a calming hand on Aurelia's arm. "Her name is Vivienne. You might wanna use that on your first meeting at least."

"I don't want to meet her, period."

"I know, I know, but as we just established, it's probably inevitable."

"Yes," Aurelia sighed deeply, "it probably is, isn't it? Vivienne?"

"Vivienne. Vivi to her friends."

Aurelia sighed again. Loudly.

Vivi as it turned out, was not only Boden Bowdean's main squeeze since meeting him in band camp the previous summer, but was also quite possibly the most adored girl in school. Freshman or not, she ran in all the creative circles, band, choir, theatre, even Creative Writing Club, ingratiating herself into the bosom of inter-grade-level society.

She was also positively adorable. Petite, pixie-like with dark brown hair that stuck up in soft little curls all over head, and honest to God violet eyes!

Aurelia took to secretly referring to her as Vivi Vi, short for Vivienne with the violet eyes.

Aurelia wasn't unattractive in the least. But next to Vivi, she couldn't help but notice her thickness where Vivi was rail thin. She found herself wondering how her own eyes, doe brown or not, had ever held anyone's attention the way Vivi Vi's did. Aurelia couldn't help but notice how enticingly exotic those eyes were at their first formal meeting.

"Hey, Aurelia?" Vivienne had called out to her as Aurelia passed by the wardrobe room on her way to supervise the prop construction.

"Yes? Vivienne, is it?" Aurelia tried to act cool and professional as she stepped into the room, but the eyes caught her off guard.

"Oh it's Vivi, let's not pretend to be strangers. I know it's awkward for you, me being with Boden and all, but I think we should be friends anyway."

"Awkward?" Aurelia could only choke the one word out, as she suddenly became terrified. How did this girl know anything about her at all? Nothing Boden could have told her could have been accurate or even remotely good. She shivered just thinking what horrible things the two of them probably laughed about at her expense. Oh God, had Vivi seen her letters?

"What I mean is," Vivi continued gushing brightly, " I know I feel awkward being in here with you. I mean you're Boden's ex. You're legendary. All I hear around here is Aurelia this, Aurelia that, Aurelia got a hundred and two percent, Aurelia's essays are epic, Aurelia, Aurelia, Aurelia. It's like being in the room with the ghost that I'm just a shadow too. And honestly, it's intimidating. I mean, I don't know anything about your relationship with Boden or even how you two broke up. But I can tell by the way all our mutual friends talk about you, that you're someone I can admire. And I was just really hoping that we could be friends-"

"Boden and I never broke up," Aurelia said suddenly. "I'm sorry," she said then, shaking her head as if to wave those last words away with indifference. "Never mind. Why did you call me in here? Did you need something?"

"Well, to make friends for one thing," Vivi said with a hint of uncertainty in her voice. "But I also need to measure you for your gown. I was thinking of a deep purple." Her voice trailed off as she rummaged through a rack producing a poofy prom looking dress.

Suddenly Aurelia could only think about Junior Prom and how she and Boden hadn't gone because he'd felt insecure about the expenses and not being able to show Aurelia a proper good time. Aurelia had politely demurred that it wasn't important to her and they could just do something else. Now all she could think was that she'd lost her chance. Not with Prom, but all the happily-ever-afters it conjured up as she stared at the purple dress in Vivi's hands. Tears threatening to overflow her eyes, Aurelia suddenly smiled softly.

"I'm sorry, I don't think we can be friends, Vivienne," she said quietly as she turned to walk out the door.

"Uh, Vivi! Please call me Vivi!" Vivienne called after her.

"Okay, Vivi," Aurelia said turning back briefly, giving Vivi another soft smile and a brief nod, before stepping out into the hallway.

She tried to walk away slowly and dignified, but Vivi's sudden, unexpected hand on her arm stopped her short.

"Wait, Raley. Can I call you that?"

"No," Aurelia said softly smiling again. "I don't think so."

"Okay, sure," Vivi replied, "but at least let me do your measurements? For your gown?"

"I'm sorry, Vivi," Aurelia smiled again as the first tear dripped over the edge of her eyelashes, "I just can't today," she said as she turned and walked away, leaving Vivi alone in the hallway with the purple dress.

ONE FRIEND, TWO LOVES AND A GUY BEARING FLOWERS (Part 5)

"Dmitri, my heart!" Aurelia screamed with delight as she ran through the snowy parking lot and into his arms. He caught her up, swinging her around in the swirling white flakes.

"Deborah, my love!" Dmitri responded by leaning her way back, careful to obscure both their faces with his hand as he held her head close to his and pretended to kiss her passionately with a stage kiss.

They both came up laughing to find half the school parking lot's occupants staring at them. But they just giggled, pleased at the scene they caused. Joining hands they dashed off toward campus.

"Careful there, Raley, he had mono you know!" Dominic called out to them as they passed Axl Blue's beautiful Mercury.

"It's okay," she called back, laughing, "he's all clear now!"

Jud Bowdean let the cigarette he'd been unceremoniously smoking fall from his lips as he stared at them, his brows knitted together. But Axl, who was also leaning against his car with them, just gave Aurelia a little smile and shrug. And then, the tiniest of winks.

It was just enough to cause Aurelia to lose her footing in her furry heeled snow boots. Dmitri steadied her quickly as they kept walking.

"Axl Blue is cute," he whispered.

"I think his car is hot," Aurelia whispered back jovially.

"Ohhh," said Dmitri, steadying her as she lost traction again, "Axl is too."

...

Aurelia steeled herself outside the wardrobe room. It was the first week of December and the musical's performance date loomed. She couldn't avoid the fitting of her costume any longer. She'd learned to be cordial with Vivi over the past few months as she certainly couldn't avoid her entirely in Theatre class. They'd also managed to civilly critique each other's work a few times in creative writing as well. With a sigh, Aurelia decided they had a good working relationship and that she was being silly standing out in the hallway, dreading the inevitable. Besides, Dmitri promised to be here in twenty minutes to rescue me, she thought as she pushed through the wardrobe room door.

"Raley!" Vivi dropped the green silk gown she'd been working on, running to take Aurelia's hands in her own. "Hi! We've got a lot to do and not much time. I'm so glad you're here," she bubbled and smiled.

"Well, I guess it just needs to be done then," Aurelia answered matter of factly and just a little too brightly.

"Great," said Vivi, pulling the purple dress off the rack.

Aurelia was astonished to see all the ruffly baubles and bows had been stripped away and the gown's poofiness had been reduced by at least half.

"I went ahead and made a few changes," Vivi chittered, turning the gown over in her hands to show Aurelia the princess inseams she'd added to the bodice of the dress as well as the rhinestone encrusted circular hemline she'd managed to salvage from the formerly ruched and lace bedecked mess that had made the dress seem so large. "This is more befitting of a princess."

"I'm just the matron of the ball, it's a bit part. They just gave it to me so I could be in it. I'm really only supposed to be showcasing my directorial," Aurelia said dismissively.

"Oh, no, not at all," Raley," Vivi interjected, her voice full of majesty, "It may just be a cameo, but the matron is the most stately player of all! I mean all the young princesses look up to her. They were born into wealth and privilege, but the matron has won the respect and influence of the court with her hard work and her nice way with people. The king obviously respects her above all his servants and holds her up as an example of what he wants to see his foolish young daughters be as they enter adulthood. She's just as good as a princess herself. And," Vivi said, as she swept Aurelia's soft knit dress up over her head and sliding the purple concoction back over the suddenly yielding Aurelia's body, "she must look every inch of it. There." Vivi slowly smoothed the length of dress over Aurelia.

Aurelia surveyed herself in the three-way mirror. She was astonished at what the new dress did for her figure. It was hard to admit it, but she had to give Vivi props, the girl was a genius at wardrobe.

"It's so pretty, Vivi," she gasped. "I didn't expect to like it this much."

"Oh good," Vivi squealed, "mission accomplished!" She began pinching the waist in and pinning it tighter. Then she worked her way up the princess seaming until her hands rested solidly on Aurelia's breasts.

Aurelia was instantly aware of the warmth spreading through her chest. She thought about turning slightly in an effort to subtly deflect Vivi's touch. But as she stared into those beautiful violet eyes and the warmth began to spread throughout her body, she found herself responding instead by encircling Vivi's small waist in her own hands. Vivi responded by moving in closer to Aurelia who could see the two of them, just above Vivi's head, going on and on in the plethora of reflections caused by the mirror.

Vivi caressed one of her hands up Aurelia's chest and neck until she gently cupped the side of Aurelia's face. Aurelia couldn't help but melt into her gentle touch. Very slowly, Vivi leaned in softly, kissing Aurelia's lower lip. And for a moment, neither of them moved.

At this precise moment, Dmitri appeared in the wardrobe doorway, but went unnoticed by either of them. Respectful of the sensuality of the moment, he stepped quietly back out into the hall, easing the door closed again.

Vivi opened her mouth ever so slightly, sucking just a little on tip of Aurelia's lip as she pulled back slowly, seeming to savor it.

"Mmmm. Strawberry lip gloss," Vivi murmured with her eyes still half closed.

Aurelia moved her own hands now up to cover Vivi's who still rested at her bosom and face. Taking them in hers, she slowly moved them down until they were holding hands, still facing each other. Vivi's eyes fluttered open.

"Golly, Raley," she breathed, "I don't for the life of me know why Boden would've ever let you go."

"Yeah," said Aurelia quietly, as she leaned her forehead into Vivi's, "that is the twenty thousand dollar question."

Something shifted in the room then, a palpable feeling of not being alone, and both girls turned toward the doorway, hands still entwined, only to see the twisted expression of shock on Boden Bowdean's face and the stricken expression of Dmitri who had obviously tried to keep him from opening the door.



Boden simply stared, his eyes moving from Aurelia to Vivi. From Vivi to Aurelia. Suddenly turning on his heel, he fled down the hallway.

"Boden, wait!" Vivi cried out.

"Stop him!" Aurelia called after Dmitri who was already bolting after Boden.

...

Later, when the tearful Vivi was sobbing apologetically into to Boden's chest somewhere far away from Aurelia's favorite hiding spot under the school's Career Tech Center stairway, exactly two miles across from the other side of the building, Dmitri slid in beside her taking her into his arms and holding her tight. The tears began to flow unbidden. Aurelia had never felt so confused in her life.

"There, there, amo te, Deborah parva. It's ok, I love you, little Deborah. Sweet little Deborah. Oh you've had quite a day, sweetie, haven't you?"

"Did you talk to him?" She managed to choke out the words between sobs.

"Yes," Dmitri sighed.

"Did you see everything?" She asked in a more controlled voice now.

"Most of it," he said softly.

"Did he?"

"He saw enough," Dmitri sighed sadly.

"What did he say?" Aurelia looked up now into Dmitri's pensive face. "What is it?"

"Deborah, love," Dmitri sighed plaintively, "he's with her now, it's best to let it go."

"I can't. You know that."

"Yes, I do. I do know that," Dmitri sighed again, pulling Aurelia into his lap. "Ok, he said- he said this just proves what he's been telling everyone who asked him why he broke up with you." Dmitri gave another uncomfortable sigh before continuing. "He say's it just proves that you really are a- these are his words now, that you are a- total psycho hosebeast," Dmitri finished quickly.

If Aurelia had ever felt stunned before, she was so much more so now, that she began to feel numb. Although she could feel Dmitri wrapping his arms around her even more tightly, she felt her own body going limp and unfeeling.

"Well it is complete bullshit, of course, Deborah. Who cares what he tells people. He's obviously got some kind of fuck-up in his own brain that makes him say a thing like that. Hey," he said close to her face, squeezing her tighter, "don't let it get to you, sweetie."

Aurelia sat within his embrace in total silence for a long time. She didn't know what she thought or felt. Those words. Psycho hosebeast. What was she supposed to do with that?

Suddenly the weight of the entire day caught up with her and she just wanted to be alone.

"You're right," she said now to Dmitri, "no point in letting it get to me. I'm good. Now don't you have a follow-up with your doc this afternoon?"

"Well yeah," he answered his voice full of concern, "but I'll gladly blow it off for you."

"I know," she answered as cheerfully as she could muster, "but I don't want you too. I'm good now. You go on and in a few minutes I'm going to head out for home." She forced a smile as she squeezed his hand reassuringly.

"Ok, my Latin love, if you're sure? You'll call me later, right?"

"Absolutely."

...

Aurelia didn't know how long she'd been sitting there under the stairs when the footsteps above, startled her out of her numb state. She looked up into the surprised face of Axl Blue as he stepped off the last step and peered around the stairwell.

"Oh, hey, Aurelia," he said pleasantly. "You're here late."

"Theatre," she answered slowly feeling a strange tingle stirring within the numbness.

"Oh yeah, musical crunch time, huh? I was just meeting with my job coach for co-op work training. I'm gonna start out at the factory next semester."

Aurelia smiled, still marveling at the fading numbness and invading tingle that was filling her whole body now.

"Say, I'm glad I ran into you, Aurelia. Jud Bowdean says you have locker over here and you never use it. He said I should ask you if I can use it because all my classes are over here now and my assigned locker is over in the B section. But then I guess you know that having been with Boden and hanging with Dmitri Blantz," he stopped, looking uncomfortable as if knowing he'd said too much.

Aurelia gave a wry chuckle in spite of herself.

"Yeah, you gotta love the Bowdean brothers, diagnosticians of the whole world." Especially me today, she added to herself.

"Well, Jud's not so bad," Axl said now, giving a good natured shrug.

"Maybe not," Aurelia sighed. "Sure Axl, you can use my locker. Got a pen? I'll write the combo down for you."

He fished a black ink pen out of his shirt pocket handing to her as he turned his palm upright for her write on.

Aurelia was surprised at the surge of electricity that flowed through her as she took Axl's hand in her own and began writing the digits. She smiled as she placed the pen back into his pocket.

"Thanks," he said with a wink at the same time, she let go of his hand.

Then she was falling, and sobbing as his strong hands shot out to hold her steady. She gasped as the electricity that had so suddenly stopped with the hand drop and leaving her instantly bereft again, now coursed through her at full force as Axl Blue's arms enfolded her.

"Hey," he soothed in her ear, "hey, hey."

Aurelia clung to him as she sobbed uncontrollably, relieved to be able to feel something again. Anything but the numbness. But as Axl began gently kissing the top of her head, brushing her hair back with his lips, the numbness extinguishing tingle suddenly turned to fire!

And as the fire coursed through her vein’s she clasped his face in her hands and kissed him fully on the mouth, her arms shoving him against the wall. He responded with equal passion exploring her mouth deeply with his own and lifting her off the ground, his hands firmly grasping her bottom as he whirled her around, slamming her own back up against the wall.

Aurelia nearly screamed with the pleasure flowing through her. She wrapped her legs tightly around his waist, pressing hard against him as she gripped fistfuls of his soft hair. Axl returned her passion by kissing forcefully down her neck.

"Please don't ever stop," she rasped into his hair.

"Ok," he answered resolutely with that trademark wink as he moved his lips back up to hers, taking their kisses to an even more intimate place far beyond the time-space continuum of the universe.

A wave of passion consumed their kiss as they became one being, moving all it's pieces in unison until it exploded in a super nova of blinding light. They fell apart from one another then, each gasping and breathing heavily against the wall, still grasping one another's hand to keep from collapsing. Neither aware of the time that passed between them.

But as Aurelia began to come to her senses, she quickly pulled away. Trying desperately to gather her wits about her she turned again to him. His strong arms opened welcoming her back in and she kissed him again. Roughly. In a way that both shamed and excited her.

Gasping hard, she pulled away again.

"I'm so sorry, Axl," she said, her voice shaking.

Axl stared into her eyes, a shy smile playing at his lips.

"Oh, that's quite ok," he said softly, running the tip of his tongue across his own lip. "Strawberry," he said raising his eyebrow and giving her the wink that sent her running for her life out the Career Center doors, into the dark swirling snow.



ONE FRIEND, TWO LOVES AND A GUY BEARING FLOWERS (Part 6)


"Honest to Pete, Raley," Dominic sighed, "shove over! Damn, you got a lotta books up in here!"

"Sorry. Lot's of makeup work."

"Well," Dominic exhaled hard as he shoved the locker door shut, "maybe if you came to school more than two days a week, you wouldn't have that problem. Of course the two mile trek to all your classes over there in Academia Land probably is a bit of an incentive to consolidate your attendance hours." He laughed good naturedly, pulling her ponytail.

"No shit," Dmitri said, "I have a perfectly good locker over there you know?"

"Yes, and it's perfectly too close to the Boden Bowdean and Vivi Vi Show," Aurelia answered bitterly.

"Yeah," Dominic said quietly.

"Sorry, Deborah," Dmitri spoke quietly now too. "Forgive me, my Latin love?" He asked, hugging her.

"Always," she answered giving him a quick peck on the cheek. "And besides, Dom, I have enough credits to graduate even if I quit coming altogether," she said cheerfully kissing him as well.

"Then why do you come?" Dominic said astonished.

"Because I like my job. And if I don't go to school, then I can't go to work. The manager is very strict. She calls the school to check."

"Oh for crap's sake, you're a salad bar girl," Dmitri laughed derisively.

"And two full days of hell, ahem, school, hardly seems like a fair exchange for eight hours of work," added an incredulous Dominic.

"I'm a dining room hostess. Plus I get weekend shifts too. And easy for you say, Dominic, you get sprung at noon everyday for co-op work!" She laughed.

It felt good to tease and laugh with her friends. But it felt foreign as well. She hadn't done it very often over the past four months. She'd practically sleep walked through the musical. It had been a raving success and had earned her and the directorial team many accolades. But Aurelia had been on automatic pilot, just trying to get to Christmas break and away from the place that trapped her with Bowden and Vivi.

After the kiss she and Vivi had shared, Boden rarely let Vivi out of his sight in the presence of Aurelia. Suddenly he was everywhere. He met Vivi at the door of Theatre class. He escorted her to rehearsals. He even sat in the corner of the library during Creative Writing Club, pretending to research for a paper. Vivi herself, rarely spoke to Aurelia now outside of necessary conversation. And when she did, her violet eyes no longer sparkled but seemed dull, even a little dead.

Aurelia felt awkward around both of them now. She wasn't ashamed of the kiss, but she was ashamed for some reason about the aftermath, though she couldn't quite put her finger on why.

"Well, if you hadn't given your own BFE locker to Axl and the Judster, you at least wouldn't have to crowd in with me," Dominic laughed as he hefted his backpack over one shoulder.

"I gave it to Axl, not Jud," Aurelia answered.

"Uh huh," Dominic said now, "and what did he give you?" He smiled mischievously, waggling an eyebrow at her.

"Watch it," Dmitri said in a warning tone.

But Aurelia just gave him an innocent look.

"Why, whatever are you talking about, Dominic?"

"Oh gee, I don't know, Raley, maybe you can tell me why everywhere we go, Axl Blue who used to never speak unless it was about cars, now only talks about you," Dominic said looking at her pointedly.

"Maybe he's grateful about the locker. And we are neighbors too you know," Aurelia answered, her voice trailing off dreamily with the thought of Axl's fingers tangled in her hair as he'd kissed her in the moonlit woods night before.

"Love thy neighbor, I guess," Dominic snorted.

"It's not like that, brah," Aurelia answered dismissively.

"Whatever," Dominic said shaking his head, "hey don't forget to vote for me for Prom King at lunch, 'kay? I voted you as Queen yesterday."

"I won't, wait what? You voted for me? Why?"

"Uh, it's a free country and you're the only girl I'm friends with at this school. What's the big deal?"

"Prom is the big deal," Aurelia answered, feeling suddenly shaky. "I'm not going."

"What! Deborah, that's tragic," Dmitri piped in.

"I'll say," said Dominic. "Then I'm gonna get all my bros to stuff the ballot box with your name. Then you'll have to go, Raley. Come on, it wouldn't be any fun without you!"

"Oh for pitty's sake, Dominic, you make a party wherever you go, you'll hardly miss me. And you," she whirled on Dmitri, "that's rich, you aren't even going yourself."

"Only because it's my Julliard audition! Otherwise nothing but death could keep me from it! And you might as well know that I voted for you too, hmff," Dmitri said, verbalizing the scoffing noise.

"Oh God." Aurelia pressed her fingers to her temples.

"I voted for you too, honey," Jud Bowdean said suddenly bumping up against Dominic, "hey, brah, only fourteen days 'til the next weekend at Avilla!"

"Yeeaaaah!" Dominic and Jud bellowed in unison.

"What? Jud, why? Dude, you're a freshman! You can't even vote!" Aurelia snapped now.

"Never stopped me before, honey. 'Sides I voted for Boden for King and I can't see him going with that prissy little thing, Vivi. You two should go."

Aurelia made a slight gagging noise and Dmitri wheeled her around, dragging her away quickly.

"What'd I say?" They heard Jud call out right before they heard the crack of Dominic's fist.

...

"Oh my God, I think I threw up everything from last week," Aurelia groaned as she shoved her whole face into the water fountain.

"Sounded like it too," Dmitri said, smoothing back her bangs from the flow of the fountain. "You're okay, right, Deborah?"

"Yeah. Sure. Now." Aurelia drank deeply from the cool waters.

"I mean everything is alright with you, physically? This is just an emotional response, right? You're not..."

"Not, what?" Aurelia stood up straight now peering pensively into Dmitri's face.

"What I mean is, well, uh all the absences, focusing on work, and now the hurling," he trailed off again, giving her an uncertain look. "I'm just worried, Deborah, that's all. I just wanted to make sure you're okay and don't, uh, have a little Blue bun in the oven or something," he finished, exhaling quickly, looking at her nervously. "I mean, 'cuz it's okay if you do, I'll stick by you no matter what," he added.

Aurelia gave a tense gasp.

"Well it's nice to know you have such a high opinion of me."

"Deborah, love, you know what I mean," he answered, taking her hand, "never any judgments here." He placed her hand over his heart.

Aurelia softened.

"No, sweetie, of course not. I told you I don't sleep with him. We just make out."

Dmitri looked noticeably relieved.

"Okay, good. But how often is this making out happening? I know about the first time, and the time you went with him to Avilla, and the day you hid out with him in the woods over Spring Break. Has there been more?"

Aurelia looked down, blushing.

"Oh lord," Dmitri sighed. "So how often?"

"Almost every Friday and Saturday night for the last couple months, and again last night."

"Wow, Deborah. Are you in love with him, then?"

"No. Maybe. I don't know. We don't talk about that kind of stuff."

"Well do you talk at all?" Dmitri gave her a serious look.

"Not really," Aurelia said, blushing again.

"But it's hot though, right? It's not just a thrill or a way to get back at Boden and Vivi and," he sucked his breath in, "uh Gabe? You're not burying your heartache and feelings of rejection about all the things they didn't give you in what Axl Blue will give you, are you? I mean it's hot, and you're into him?" He put his around Aurelia's shoulders.

"No. It's hot. It's really hot," she breathed heavily, leaning into his side as he held her closer.

"Hmmm, well maybe you should go to Prom after all."

"What, with Axl?" Aurelia looked up at Dmitri in surprise.

"Why not?"

"Because it's not like that. We're not like that. I don't know. He doesn't bring it up. And he works nights on weekends. He's going to go full night shift after graduation."

"Okay, okay," laughed Dmitri, "it's obviously not an option."

"No," Aurelia laughed then too.

"You gotta admit though, it'd have to be better than going with Boden Bowdean and being crowned Queen."

"I just as soon would see myself going with Vivi and being crowned co-Queens," Aurelia giggled.

"Strangely, Deborah, I could actually see that myself," he answered. "Come on let's ditch and go to Grub's Subs. I've got quarters, you can play Pac Man," he said kissing the top of her head and leading her out a side door and into the spring sunshine.

..

Umm, okay, Raley's Dad's Voice, I will leave a detailed message... 'Kay Raley, this is Dominic, and I've been thinking. I don't have any special girlies at school, and I was gonna go stag to Prom, but then I was thinking why not go with you instead? Now, now, don't hit delete, yet, 'kay, please? Hear me out, Raley? I know you don't want to go and since those dang jocks all stuffed the box for that cheerleader with the boob job and she won Queen, my plan to make you have to go obviously didn't work out. But, but Raley, it is Senior Prom. I know school doesn't mean much to you, and you know I get that. But Raley, what if you change your mind twenty years down the road and you start thinking back and what if... You know what if you start wishing you'd taken the chance when you had it? Don't live with regrets, Raley! Now I work at a florist for crap's sake and I get wholesale. I can make you anything you want. BEEP...Uh hey again, Raley's Dad, anyway, I was thinking wrist corsage, because they're hot right now and a new trend, and expensive. Only the It Girls will have them. But I get the wholesale, so it's nothing for me to whip up something nice, classy. Dmitri says you like pink and that you even looked at some pink dresses down at Wedding Traditions last spring. So I'm saying maybe you revisit that and make a purchase, you know invest in future memories...and don't forget to get me a swatch of the fabric so I can match my tux. I'm thinking soft gray with a vest, cummerbunds are so gay and vests are coming in big. We could really do this in style, Raley! BEEP... Oh! Oh, I forgot to mention the eats! We could have dinner at the golf club, my dad said he'd give me the cash and we can get the shrimp or even surf 'n' turf, 'cuz you know I love farm girls 'cuz they know how to enjoy a good steak! Yeah, and my mom said she'd buy the really good photo package and split it with your mom. Honestly Raley, we'd have a good time and you'd have nothing but the best memories to keep...BEEP...Sorry, Raley's Dad, but I just gotta say one more thing. Raley, go with me, 'kay? Just say, yes. I promise to show you a good time, and hey it's something I can do to thank you for helping me all the time with my homework and for well, just being a good friend to me. Come on, Raley, what cha say? Let me be a good friend to you too, huh? I adore you, Raley, please go to Prom with me? BEEP



ONE FRIEND, TWO LOVES AND A GUY BEARING FLOWERS (Part 7, Finale)
                              
Aurelia stood in the garden outside her house, her long tresses wound up into spiral curls and pinned loosely with the pink rosebuds Dominic had sent over earlier. The sun was low in the sky giving the world a pinkish glow that matched Aurelia's off the shoulder, pink satin, mermaid dress. She tugged on her elbow length matching satin gloves at the urging of her mother who wound a pink cameo and pearl choker around her neck. Her dad snapped picture after picture until they were interrupted by the familiar roar that only comes from the drop engine of 1963 Mercury Monterey. As Axl parked in the grass under the tulip poplar and got out, crossing the lawn, her parents went back inside to give them a moment of privacy.

He wore an amazing smile with his work shirt and jeans looking for all the world like a cowboy coming for his Miss Kitty, to Aurelia. He took her hands in his, pulling her in to him so he could kiss her and then drawing back again so he could take her all in with his eyes.

"Oh baby, you look wonderful!" His voice was full of awe and wonder.

"Thank you," she giggled breathlessly.

"That Dom's a lucky sum bitch, getting to go with you tonight," he said twirling her around by one hand as she held out her skirt with the other. "God, baby, I wish it was with me," he added wistfully.

"I wish..."

Aurelia began, only to have Axl murmur "Shhh," against her lips as he kissed her again. "I know, baby, you don't have to say it."

She smiled at him radiantly in the glowing twilight. He smiled back, the orange-pink embers of a fading country sky glimmering in his eyes.

Dominic pulled up with Jud and his date. They got out of their car laden with flowers, wrist corsages, and boutonnières.

Axl pulled Aurelia close one more time, kissing her on the cheek.

"Have a wonderful time, baby," he whispered in her ear before departing to shake Dominic's hand.

"Hey, Axl," Dominic said, taking his hand and pumping it jovially, "you headed in to work?"

"Yeah," Axl said, glancing back at Aurelia, "take good care of our lady, there." He gave Aurelia a wink. And she nearly died of happiness right there in the asparagus and peonies.

"You got it, brah. Don't work too hard!" He called to the now retreating Axl who got into his gorgeous merc and roared away, giving them all a wave out his open window as he disappeared into the sunset.

Aurelia's parents came back out into the yard to snap a million more pics as Dominic produced the biggest, most extensive pink rose and baby's breath wrist corsage Aurelia had ever seen, securing it around her wrist with pink satin ribbons.

"Like it?" Dominic smiled expectantly.

"It's gorgeous," Aurelia breathed, "just perfect." She threw her arms around an exhilarated Dominic.

They embarked on a whirlwind evening of seafood and steak dinners and sparkling punch as they danced cheek to cheek under the stars in the school's courtyard. Dominic waltzed, two stepped and dipped Aurelia until she was deliriously dizzy. Then they sat next to the fountain in the cool night air, talking.

"So Jud and I were thinking we should all go the botanical gardens tomorrow and have a picnic. Admission's free if you have a Prom ticket stub. You up for it, Raley? Or," he smiled suspiciously as he added, "did you and Axeman have special plans?"

"What? No, Dom, of course not, this is our Prom weekend. I belong to you, and only you, for the duration," she reassured him.

"Yeah, I know, Raley, you're a good girl, and good for your word, but," Dominic faced her now, biting his lower lip just a little, "is that how you want it to be, really?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I think you're in love with him, Raley, and I'm pretty sure he feels the same way. Don't let me and our friendship stand in the way of that."

"In love? I don't know about that," Aurelia said, "love's a pretty heavy thing, you know..."

"Only if you make it be heavy, shug," Dominic interrupted.

"Dom-"

"Raley, don't be stupid! You love him. Anybody can see that," Dominic held both of her hands now, speaking urgently, "don't shut love out just because you've been burned before. When it's real, it's real! But you've gotta take the chance on it to find out."

"Maybe, but I don't know Dominic, I barely know him. We don't really talk that much," Aurelia said blushing.

"Well, sometimes words aren't really necessary now are they? And maybe it's time to start talking. You know, get to know each other, find out what you're both all about?"

"You think?" Aurelia looked at him questioningly.

"Yep," Dominic answered resolutely, wrapping his arm around her and bringing her inside his wool suit jacket, shielding her from the cool night air as he whispered, "That's why I invited him along to the gardens tomorrow."

...

EPILOGUE

As time passed, and Aurelia entered adulthood, she was struck by just how much some people can come to mean to one in a lifetime, and how others who were once so integral to everyday existence, can simply fade away. As the love she shared with Axl grew until it was so big it could no longer be encompassed by just the two of them and gave way to marriage and a family, Aurelia found her world consumed.

And when people around her spoke about high school with nostalgia, she barely gave it a thought. In fact, she made a point to shut those thoughts out. Because there was still one that could send her reeling in nightmares of pain. So she did her best not to let it in.

Sometimes though, in the insecurity of young womanhood, it seemed as those words would whisper through the universe on the winds on time. With every newlywed argument. In every moment of lost temper with a young child... she heard them... almost as if they were singing... "psycho hosebeast"... and for some unexplainable reason, her heart would bear to her that they were indeed true. No amount of success, delight or confidence Aurelia achieved or experienced could wash them away. And so Aurelia harbored them, perhaps regretfully, but with no less choice than the bay harbors a wrecked ship.

...

Aurelia was not built for sorrow though, and managed to find joy in the smallest of things. Wrapping herself up in such sunshine filled moments as the gleeful shriek of her one-year-old son as she pushed him as fast as she could down the big hill in the Wal Mart parking lot, then hopping up on the tote rack of the cart, riding with him, giggling just as hard, she barely noticed the world around her. It was in just such a moment that she encountered Gabe one blossom filled spring morning.

"Whoa," he said stopping the front wheel of the cart with his foot as it rolled lazily at the bottom of the hill, "wait, Aurelia? Is that you?"

"Gabe?" She was still breathless from laughing with the little boy.

"Oh my God, Aurelia," he said, hugging her, "is this your baby? He's beautiful, just like his mother!"

"That's so sweet of you to say," Aurelia replied, noticing the handsome, shy looking young man standing behind Gabe.

"Oh, this is Granite, my, ummm, personal trainer," Gabe said now.

As Granite took Aurelia's hand warmly, she couldn't help but smile to herself as she noticed the turquoise ring on his left hand that exactly matched the one Gabe wore on his.

There was small talk. Then with a flurry of hugs, kisses and well wishes, they parted company just as a soft warm rain started to fall.

...

Aurelia was surprised to find Jud at the door one cool autumn day about three years later. She was holding her newborn daughter.

"Come on in Jud, I was just feeding her. Axl will be home in about an hour."

"I'm sorry to just show up like this, honey," Jud said, "but I wanted to talk to you about something and I didn't want to put you on the spot in front of Axeman.

"What is it, Jud?" Aurelia couldn't help her mind from wandering to thoughts of Boden.

"It's about Dominic," he said.

"Dominic?" Aurelia asked in surprise.

"Yeah," Jud said, "look this isn't easy for me to ask you, so I'm just going to ask. Honey, you didn't sleep with Dominic on Prom night, did you?"

"Um, no," Aurelia's words came out more like a question than a statement.

"Are you sure? 'Cuz I'd never tell a soul if you did, honey. But this is important."

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure about that. Jud, what's this all about?"

"Dominic's HIV positive. Says he got it from some girl in a campground, Spring Break, your senior year."

"Oh no, poor Dom," Aurelia gasped, "how is he taking it?"

"Well you know our Dominic," Jud said with a wry laugh, "not much keeps him down. He's on a cocktail and he's doing pretty good."

...

"So what was really up with the Judster," Axl asked her that night as they lay in their bed talking, "he was being really squirrelly."

"Dominic is HIV positive," Aurelia sighed sadly, "and Jud was afraid I'd slept with him after Prom."

"Oh man," Axl sighed then, "I told him he had to be careful hooking up with random guys."

"Huh?" Aurelia looked at her young husband in surprise. "Jud said it was with some girl in a campground."

"Try, some guy in a campground, and you'd probably have that about right."

"What? Dom? No, I don't think so," Aurelia kind of half laughed.

"Baby." Axl looked at her seriously now. "I'm your guy, right?"

"Yeah," Aurelia said sweetly, taking his head in her hands and running her fingers through his hair.

"Then trust me. Dude is gay. Always has been."

"How do you know," she said kissing his ear lightly.

"Because he gave you up," Axl answered with a happy little sigh.

"So," she said, kissing his cheek now, "maybe I'm just not his type. Plus, he knew I was in love with you."

"No, it's not that." Axl held her close as he whispered in the dark, "he didn't follow you to Florida when Boden screwed you over. He wanted to. But he knew he'd only hurt you the same way in the end, because he couldn't be what you needed."

"What's that? What did I need?"

"A straight guy, baby," Axl told her softly as they began making love.

...

"Raley? Hey!"

Aurelia turned with surprise at hearing her name in the super market to see a very pregnant Vivi waving at her from one of the check-out lines.

"Oh my gosh, are these your kids?" She gestured to the sleeping little boy and girl in the back of Aurlelia's cart.

"Yeah," Aurelia said smiling, "wow Vivi, you're about to have one of your own!"

"My third actually," Vivi laughed, "that little monkey jumping around by the gumball machine is mine too, and I have another at home taking a nap while my mom watches him."

Aurelia looked at the boy who was sticking his small hand up the slot of the machine. He had to be at least four years old. Vivi followed her gaze.

"Yeah, you did the math right," she laughed, "I had him Senior year. Almost didn't make it to graduation. Thought a lot about not going through with it, but my boyfriend was Catholic, so he didn't want me to have an abortion."

"I remember," Aurelia said quietly now, vainly trying to keep her mind away from thoughts of Boden. Thoughts of Boden's children.

"Oh!" Vivi said quickly, seeing Aurelia's expression, "It wasn't with Boden! No, he's from my relationship with another guy. My ex-husband actually. Well, soon to be ex. I just couldn't take it any longer. I'm living with one of my ex-girlfriends and her kids now." She smiled thoughtfully. "I guess she's not really an ex though anymore."

Aurelia smiled as she said, "Well that happens. Life's like that sometimes, right?"

"Seems that way," Vivi answered brightly.

Aurelia hesitated for a moment, working up the courage to ask the question that hung in the air between them.

"So, what did happen between you and Boden?"

"Well," said Vivi now with a hint of sadness in her voice, "The same thing that happened to you, I suspect. It was the night you guys graduated."

Aurelia's thoughts were suddenly interrupted with her own memory of that night.

"Can I give you a ride?" Axl had asked as she'd stepped out of house into the rainy evening.

He was standing under the tulip poplar tree next to the Mercury.

"I'm going your way, and I already asked your dad, it seems you have a big speech to get to," he said with a grin.

"Yeah," she said, looking down at the baby doll prop she was holding, "like my kid?"

"Aw yeah, he looks just like me," Axl said with that perfect wink.

"So anyway," Vivi's voice cut back into Aurelia's consciousness, "he just said, 'I'll call you next week,' and that was the last I ever saw or heard of him. Fucker."

"Yeah," Aurelia echoed, giving her a hug, feeling Vivi's kicking baby against her own womb that held a new little secret all it's own.

...

"Baby?" Axl asked through the bathroom door, "You about ready? We're gonna be late if we don't get going."

Aurelia sat huddled in the warm tub, holding her knees.

"Baby?" Axl said poking his head through the closed shower curtain. "Hey. I have all three kids asleep and the sitter's here. You ready to get going?"

"I feel like shit."

"Oh," Axl said with concern, "is it too much? You wanna just stay home?"

"You really wouldn't mind? I mean who gives two craps about a bunch of random people who just happened to be born the same year we were and got thrust into the same inane governmental institution called school? I mean it's been ten years, so what?"

"Baby, you nearly died six months ago. The treatment would have killed you if it hadn't saved you, and this recovery has been hell. Of course I wouldn't mind," he said sitting on the tub's edge and kissing the top of her head.

Aurelia knew he was being sincere, she could see it in his eyes, but she could also see he would indeed mind. So she let him help her out of the bathtub
and into her robe.

"I'll get dressed. You'll go find my quilt? I washed it so it wouldn't look so ratty."

"Sure," he said, "Dom says he planned most of the action to be around the bonfire anyway, so you just go right ahead and snuggle down and enjoy the night. When you're tired, we'll come right home."

"Okay. Love you."

"Okay. Love you too, baby."

...

Aurelia was sitting with her back against a broad oak near the bonfire, wrapped in her blanket, lightly dozing in the warm summer's night air, when Boden Bowdean found her. She was vaguely aware that someone had sat down and was leaning against the opposite side of the tree.

"I'll go get us some beers, hon," a man's gentle voice from nearby, said right before he faded away on strong footsteps leaving the two of them alone under the oak and stars.

"Aurelia?" Boden's voice cut through the night like a scalpel tearing open the sutures of time.

She was fully awake now, but she said nothing.

"Don't worry Aurelia, your husband already informed me that he's watching and ready to kick my ass, if I upset you. And I'm pretty sure my brother, not to mention my own husband, would help him," he cleared his throat a little, "especially since he was the one who convinced me to come here to find you tonight."

Aurelia, knitted her brow,still sitting in total silence. She'd understood the moment the other man had said, "hon." It all made sense now. Truthfully, she was relieved. But that didn't change the strange coldness she felt in her heart. She had all the wisdom that living twenty-eight years can give a person. She'd faced death. She'd made peace with God and the Universe a long time ago. She had four true loves all of her own, one here with her tonight and three more slumbering in their little beds at home. It shouldn't really matter now, should it? Boden Bowdean and his confessions. But it did.

"Darling." Boden spoke the word into the quiet of the night.

Aurelia erupted.

"Don't you dare, 'Darling' me!" she didn't even bother facing him, she just screamed directly into the night sky.

"Look, I know I owe you the hugest apology," Boden interjected quickly, "and that it probably wont make any difference to you, because it can't erase your hurt."

"You got that right, buddy," Aurelia seethed.

"But I am sorry! I loved you, Darling, I love you still! But I'm gay."

"So the hell what?" Aurelia cried out in anguish. "You still told all our friends that it was my fault! Dumped me for someone younger, prettier, skinnier!"

"I know, I know! I was a dick!"

"You- you- ," Aurelia breathed hard to hold back the onslaught of tears until she could push the words completely out. "You called me a psycho hosebeast!"

She dissolved into the ocean of tears her heart had been drowning in all those years. Undamned, they flowed like a tidal wave as she gave in to them, letting her blanket fall from her shoulders as she fell back against the tree in surrender, her arms sliding down her sides, leaving her palms resting upturned.

"Oh, Darling," Boden turned slightly, his own hand taking one of Aurelia's, "you have to know that none of that was about you!"

"Then why did you do it?" She spoke softly as she turned toward him ever so slightly.

"Because I was fucked up," he answered softly.

"So was I," Aurelia sighed, "for a really long time."

"Yeah, I know," he slipped something cool and round into her hand, coming around the tree now to kneel before her, face to face. "You gave me your heart. And now, I think I've had it quite long enough."

Aurelia gasped softly as she stared down at the silver filigree ring that now rested in her hand. She looked up into his face, still as handsome as ever, streaked in his own tears.

Boden, his expression full of remorse, sincerity, and yes, love, she could see that, looked beseechingly into her eyes.

"Darling, I beg your forgiveness. Please."

He let his head fall forward against her breast. Aurelia could see the emerald thread from so many years ago, looped and knotted through the tag in the collar of his shirt. Looking up, she saw Axl, Jud and Dominic standing next to the fire with the stately gentleman in a cashmere sweater vest, holding two beers. They're eyes were all peering back at her with concern. She nodded slightly, closing her eyes against the night, shutting away history.

...

Morning sunlight streamed into the bedroom as Aurelia was roused by the ringing phone. The silver ring, Axl had placed on her finger next to her gold and diamond wedding rings, gently patting her hand as he'd left for work that morning, glinted in the light as she grabbed the handset. Glancing at the New York number displayed on the caller ID, she answered.

"Dmitri, my love and soul! I have so much to tell you..."

THE END into her robe.

"I'll get dressed. You'll go find my quilt? I washed it so it wouldn't look so ratty."

"Sure," he said, "Dom says he planned most of the action to be around the bonfire anyway, so you just go right ahead and snuggle down and enjoy the night. When you're tired, we'll come right home."

"Okay. Love you."

"Okay. Love you too, baby."

...

Aurelia was sitting with her back against a broad oak near the bonfire, wrapped in her blanket, lightly dozing in the warm summer's night air, when Boden Bowdean found her. She was vaguely aware that someone had sat down and was leaning against the opposite side of the tree.

"I'll go get us some beers, hon," a man's gentle voice from nearby, said right before he faded away on strong footsteps leaving the two of them alone under the oak and stars.

"Aurelia?" Boden's voice cut through the night like a scalpel tearing open the sutures of time.

She was fully awake now, but she said nothing.

"Don't worry Aurelia, your husband already informed me that he's watching and ready to kick my ass, if I upset you. And I'm pretty sure my brother, not to mention my own husband, would help him," he cleared his throat a little, "especially since he was the one who convinced me to come here to find you tonight."

Aurelia, knitted her brow, still sitting in total silence. She'd understood the moment the other man had said, "hon." It all made sense now. Truthfully, she was relieved. But that didn't change the strange coldness she felt in her heart. She had all the wisdom that living twenty-eight years can give a person. She'd faced death. She'd made peace with God and the Universe a long time ago. She had four true loves all of her own, one here with her tonight and three more slumbering in their little beds at home. It shouldn't really matter now, should it? Boden Bowdean and his confessions. But it did.

"Darling." Boden spoke the word into the quiet of the night.

Aurelia erupted.

"Don't you dare, 'Darling' me!" she didn't even bother facing him, she just screamed directly into the night sky.

"Look, I know I owe you the hugest apology," Boden interjected quickly, "and that it probably wont make any difference to you, because it can't erase your hurt."

"You got that right, buddy," Aurelia seethed.

"But I am sorry! I loved you, Darling, I love you still! But I'm gay."

"So the hell what?" Aurelia cried out in anguish. "You still told all our friends that it was my fault! Dumped me for someone younger, prettier, skinnier!"

"I know, I know! I was a dick!"

"You- you- ," Aurelia breathed hard to hold back the onslaught of tears until she could push the words completely out. "You called me a psycho hosebeast!"

She dissolved into the ocean of tears her heart had been drowning in all those years. Undamned, they flowed like a tidal wave as she gave in to them, letting her blanket fall from her shoulders as she fell back against the tree in surrender, her arms sliding down her sides, leaving her palms resting upturned.

"Oh, Darling," Boden turned slightly, his own hand taking one of Aurelia's, "you have to know that none of that was about you!"

"Then why did you do it?" She spoke softly as she turned toward him ever so slightly.

"Because I was fucked up," he answered softly.

"So was I," Aurelia sighed, "for a really long time."

"Yeah, I know," he slipped something cool and round into her hand, coming around the tree now to kneel before her, face to face. "You gave me your heart. And now, I think I've had it quite long enough."

Aurelia gasped softly as she stared down at the silver filigree ring that now rested in her hand. She looked up into his face, still as handsome as ever, streaked in his own tears.

Boden, his expression full of remorse, sincerity, and yes, love, she could see that, looked beseechingly into her eyes.

"Darling, I beg your forgiveness. Please."

He let his head fall forward against her breast. Aurelia could see the emerald thread from so many years ago, looped and knotted through the tag in the collar of his shirt. Looking up, she saw Axl, Jud and Dominic standing next to the fire with the stately gentleman in a cashmere sweater vest, holding two beers. They're eyes were all peering back at her with concern. She nodded slightly, closing her eyes against the night, shutting away history.

...

Morning sunlight streamed into the bedroom as Aurelia was roused by the ringing phone. The silver ring, Axl had placed on her finger next to her gold and diamond wedding rings, gently patting her hand as he'd left for work that morning, glinted in the light as she grabbed the handset. Glancing at the New York number displayed on the caller ID, she answered.

"Dmitri, my love and soul! I have so much to tell you..."

THE END