Peggy Sue glanced into the full length mirror and smoothed the fabric of her dress with her hands. "Oh God, I feel so old!"
The words were meant only for her ears but when she felt her daughter Beth walk up behind her for a hug, Peggy Sue realized that she'd spoken out loud.
"Mom, you're not old!"
In the mirror Peggy Sue looked herself up and down. "I've been out of high school for twenty five years, Beth! Twenty five years! And you're in college! Now that's old!"
But her daughter merely laughed. "So is Scott and he'd agree with me one hundred percent that you're not old! You look gorgeous!"
"Are you sure I look okay, Beth? I mean, is this dress okay?"
Beth smiled and grabbed a brush from the vanity, running it through her mother's hair. "Yes, Mom, it's fine. And so were the other five dresses you tried on! I've never seen you so nervous before! It's just dinner with Dad. We've had them for years so I don't understand-."
"I know, but things are different now, Beth. I'm different."
Peggy Sue's comment made her daughter smile and Beth placed a kiss on her cheek. "Of course you're different. And so am I."
"No, I… I mean…"
Beth's smile disappeared and she turned Peggy Sue to face her. "I know what you mean, Mom. You had a traumatic experience. You passed out-."
Peggy Sue shuddered. "Oh God Beth, don't remind me. That was absolutely humiliating!"
"Mom, it wasn't your fault, it couldn't be helped."
"But nobody else passed out!"
"No one else was voted Reunion Queen either, but you were!"
"Right and look at what happened! I passed out, ended up in the hospital and had the strangest experience of my life. I could have died."
Tears filled Beth's eyes and she hugged Peggy Sue tightly. "I know, Mom. I was terrified when Dad called me. Scott was too, and he was beside himself that he couldn't be there at the hospital, but-."
"I know. He apologized over and over again and said that he'd be here for dinner and-."
The doorbell rang and Peggy Sue's heart skipped a beat. "That's him now."
"I'll get it." Beth said. "And Mom, don't worry about a thing, all right? This is going to be a great evening!"
"I hope you're right."
"Mom…"
"Go get the door, Beth."
When Beth was gone, Peggy Sue looked in the mirror again. Maybe Beth was right. After all she had lost count of how many dinners she'd had with Charlie, both on dates, and when he was living here, as her husband instead of in his own apartment across town.
Damn him for meeting Janet. That floozy. The anger rose inside of her and for a moment she considered canceling, but the truth was that she really and truly wanted to see him. She did love Charlie, no matter how hard she tried not to. It crushed her to think that he found Janet more attractive and appealing. Peggy Sue had never met Janet nor did she have any idea what Janet looked like. But she really didn't want to know.
"Mom! Dad is here!" Beth's faraway voice called from the front of the house.
"O-Okay Beth! I'll be right there!" Peggy Sue yelled back. She looked at her dress again. A crazy print pattern in various colors that made her look like a bouquet of flowers with blonde hair. What was she thinking wearing this? She never wore clothes like this but when she'd seen it in the store (on sale no less) she'd tried it on immediately. Of course, buyer's remorse set in but as they'd always done, Carol and Maddy strongly protested her decision to return the dress. But it was Beth's opinion that sealed the deal.
"MOM!"
"Coming!" Peggy called to her daughter. Well, there was no time to change now. She'd have to make do with what she was wearing. And anyway it wasn't like it was a date. She was simply having dinner with her estranged husband as a thank-you of sorts for him being there for her after her accident. If one could call passing out at a Twenty Fifth high school reunion an accident.
She took a deep breath and rose from her vanity seat, moving through the house. And when she entered the living room, she saw him. He was sitting on the sofa with his back to her, talking to Beth. Her heart skipped a beat. Even from the back, he looked so handsome.
This was it… the moment she'd been waiting for (and dreading) for days. …