Wendy was on her way to the party with Mother and Father Darling in a carriage. She could not shake last nights dream from her head. Her hand flew to her lips and she closed her eyes and she could almost pretend she could feel his lips on hers again. She could almost taste him again. She replayed the thoughts over and over in her mind and she wished that she could go back to bed and dream it all over again.
"Wendy?" George Darling was a practical and sensical man. He was a stickler for the rules and very concerned with the public image of his family.
"Father?" She asked, worried that he might have caught her daydreaming about the wonderful Pan.
"I'm sure you do not need to be reminded of the importance this night has for the whole family. We need you to uphold the standards of our family and from this party you should be able to find yourself a reasonably suited match for a husband." He looked down on me as he always does, with that scolding look of disapproval.
"Of course father, I understand" I nodded to reassure him, but he still grumbled and turned away from me.
After our first trip to Neverland, father had managed to convince John and Michael that it was all just a dream, and every time I had mentioned it, I was punished for thinking such nonsensical thoughts. The lost boys were sent away to boarding school, and father had paid for all of them to receive a full education, but he didn't accept them as apart of the family. He would punish me if I even mentioned their names, he wanted to forget all about my stories. He moved my brothers out of the nursery and told me to grow up. I spent years doing training of how to be a proper lady and if I did not succeed, I was resulted to more punishment. It is not unheard of for a daughter to be punished but my mother was distraught and eventually, she had to change too - it was father's way or the highway. After a while I had to admit, I couldn't really tell whether going to Neverland was a dream or not and I didn't mention it at all in fear, which I guess is the way my father wanted it. Our family was never the same, and it never will be.
The tension in the carriage was thick. Mother spoke to try to ease it but all it did was make me more nervous of my upcoming chore. "Darling, you look beautiful" she put her hand over mine and her thumb moved over my hand in a reassuring way.
"Thank-you Mother, it was all thanks to you." I smiled politely and she shed a tear
"Now is not the time for mothering Mary" snarled my father. "You have an important job to do, you will leave here tonight with a proposal or so help me!" He was so angry and it scared me so much that I cowered in the corner.
"I understand father" I tried my best to assure him that I would not let him down, but in my heart, I knew I could never find love in that room if Peter was not in it.
Just before we stepped into the big ballroom my father gave me a curt nod and my mother a quick peck on the cheek. We stepped inside and I was immediately harassed with all the stares of eligible bachelors and their parents. Of course other women my age were here that were equally as eligible but it was obvious that they were of lower class. What did my mother say? My father had been planning this for years, he was a smart man and he knew how to make me look like I was the best option for these lonesome men. My mother and father spent the night introducing me to man after man, all in their 20's, but I didn't like any of them. I couldn't help but wish for any escape, some women want marriage, kids and a life with someone they barely know, whereas I, wanted a great big adventure of falling in love, not forced love.
An hour later, countless men, countless offers of dancing and having my feet stood on and still no offers were being made. It wasn't until my father was laughing with a young man and then summoned me over, that I truly realised that I could be leaving here tonight without a proposal at all, and my mother and father will hate me for it.
"Wendy, this is Zachary Walker" My father motioned towards the handsome man in front of me. I nodded my head curtly towards him and realised that this is the only man that I had met tonight that I had considered to be handsome. He took my hand into his and I curtsied like a good proper girl. I felt my father approve of my greeting at my side and I took a step back into place beside my father.
"It's wonderful to meet you Mr Walker" I smiled politely, the biggest smile I could possibly muster. He smiled back and then addressed my father.
"Mr Darling, would it be quite alright if I could have a dance with your daughter?" He was so polite and formal, it reminded me of my father. I shuddered internally.
"Why Zachary, I'm sure Wendy would be honoured." He glared at me as if to say 'do not ruin this'. I simply nodded at my father and at Zachary as I offered him my hand.
"I would be delighted, thank-you Mr Walker." I smiled at him again but my body (especially my feet) were praying that they didn't get trodden on again.
As we approached the dance floor I could feel multiple eyes piercing into me from every angle and I knew that my father and mother would watching too. Zachary rested a hand on my highly corseted waist and the other took my hand in his. We broke into a waltz and I realised that this man was a very good dancer which was very impressive. The other dances I had that even were terrible and her feet were reminding her about them. They were all slimy men too, trying to touch her in inappropriate places, she would look at her father but he did not care, her mother seemed to be concerned at one point but father had told her off. Mr Walker was leading her across the dance floor, all the while keeping his hands perfectly at her waist - not her buttocks- and never stepping on her toes. He twirled her around and actually made her forget where she was for a little while. Before she knew it they were onto their third dance.
"Miss Darling, I believe your parents are still watching, even after two dances" he whispered, leaning into her.
"Mr Walker, I think they're watching just in case I do something silly." I replied, instantly regretting what I said. I didn't intend of speaking illy of myself. My mother had warned me to not speak too much, to just let my beauty to win them over.
"And why would they think you would do something silly Miss Darling?" He asked while spinning me into a mind spinning twirl. Once he pulled me back into him I replied completely honestly, whether or not I should have or not.
"They want me to leave here tonight with a proposal, but they're scared I'm not good enough to get one." I looked down at our dancing frames, embarrassed how obvious it was of my parent's disapproval of me, they're lack of confidence in my abilities to find a husband. I felt him pull me tighter to him and I look up at him. He smiled at me and I felt better, if this man had danced with me for so long, I must have been doing something right.
"I don't think they need to worry Miss Darling, every bachelor in the room has been watching you since the moment you arrived. Myself included." I looked up at him and found complete honesty in his brown eyes. He was attractive, he had blonde hair and brown eyes, he was tall and slim but she could feel the muscles beneath his black tuxedo. His hair was neatly combed back and stayed there nice and tidy, he was clean shaved and she could smell something musky coming off of him. 'Could he be someone I can marry?' she thought, but then her thoughts deceived her as she thought 'he's not Peter Pan'.
"Mr Walker, I don't know why they're looking at me. Maybe they were terrified to refused my father's invitation in fear of injury" I giggled and he chuckled. Should I have said that? Maybe I should listen to my mother and keep my mouth shut. He pulled me in close and whispered in my ear.
"No Miss Darling, they could have shown up because of your father, but they were looking at you because you're absolutely breathtakingly beautiful." The song came to and end and he broke away from me. He walked me back to my parents with my hand on his arm and I was terrified. I wasn't terrified of him, I was terrified of my father when I came back to him and yet another man didn't propose. I shouldn't have spoken as much as I did, otherwise we would still be dancing and he might have proposed. Did my sayings about my father ruin this completely? What else did I do that may of scared him away? I was afraid that if I did not leave here with a promise of marriage, what would my father do? Actually, that thought left me terrified. We reached my mother and father and I could't bear look at them. The threats of my father were replaying in my head and I wanted to cry and scream and maybe run away.
"Mr Darling, Mrs Darling, your daughter is incredible." Zachary said while shaking my father's hand. I looked up at Mr Walker, stunned by his words. "If you would let me, Sir and Madam, I'd like to ask for her hand." I was confused. My mother's hands flew to cover her mouth and my father broke into a smile I hadn't seen in years. Zachary looked down at me and smiled.
"We just danced Mr. Walker" I said, If he wanted to dance more, why did he bring me back to my parents? He chuckled and look down at me.
"No Miss Darling, I want your hand in marriage."