Fables and Foibles, Pt. 8; Paris' Epiphany

Well, well! Paris and Dean? Oh No! Rory and Tristan? Uh, No! Cupid is still plotzing around the heavens, Diana is still scheming to best the little imp, Fortuna is playing them both, and now, a new, more mischievous influence is about to enter the playing field.

"Paris, stop! I am who I am," Dean said with gentle finality

"But..." Paris tried to press home her point

"No." He said, looking her in the eyes.

Paris stopped. She had been trying to convince Dean that he should try harder and get into a good college. Dean just smiled at her. He and Rory had been over this before. She didn't seem to understand a less than burning desire to be the smartest or the valedictorian.

"I know you want to be the best. I am the best I can be. I will support everything you go after, but do not expect me to want the same things!" He explained patiently.

"I don't get you." Paris mumbled. Dean was the first person who could stop Paris cold when she was on a tear. His gentle intractability flew in the face of her intensity. He was able to completely defeat her destructive rants without hurting her fragile ego. She was so totally in love with him that, months after their first date she still couldn't believe her luck. He smiled and her heart flipped. She stood, hypnotized, as he leaned in and kissed her.

"Paris, you are an original. I cannot believe you still want me." He whispered as he kissed her again. Paris smiled and her face softened. She became a very pretty girl when she let go like this. Dean grinned and hugged her. Paris melted into his embrace, curling herself into his arms and laying her head on his shoulder. This was the best, this delicious contact was so comforting, so enabling, so warming that she felt herself unfold from within, and become even more powerful. Paris felt like she could do anything if she was hugged and loved like this. Dean was like her shield against all the hurt and loneliness.

Her mother met Dean once, and then stood back. She watched Paris unfurl like a blossom, her sharp defenses softened and her daughter became happier than Mrs. Geller had ever seen. She sent up silent thanks for Paris's good luck. . Mrs. Geller loved her child, but Paris frightened and confounded her. Where did this all consuming drive and determination come from? Paris was a mystery and try as she might Mrs. Geller had always been at a loss on how to raise her brilliant daughter. She sort of went into a holding pattern, only commenting on the obvious. Paris took this for indifference and pulled further away.

"You look lovely today Paris. Are you and Dean going out tonight?" she asked one morning. Paris looked up from her breakfast and watched her mom.

"I think so. I was going to work on my resume for college but I think I'll go out tonight and tidy it up tomorrow."

"Paris, your resume is perfect. I know you have been working very hard all your life. Take some time for yourself. Dean is a lovely boy and you deserve to have some fun." She said as she sipped her coffee. Paris looked at her mom in wonder. Her mother turned and grinned ruefully.

"What, no criticism or left handed compliment?" Paris asked baldly.

Mrs. Geller sighed. "Sweetheart. I love you. You are so damned smart and capable that you almost didn't need a mother. You never had any questions for me, nor did you seek me out with any problems or confidences. You brushed off any compliment I could come up with, and I was reduced to watching from the sidelines. I was at a loss on how to help you! You reduced me to pointing out the obvious just so I could be in your life. I couldn't get through the walls you built no matter what I tried. Don't mistake it for indifference. I am sorry if my frustration sounded like that to you. I want you to be safe and happy." She finished.

Paris was silent as she digested this. This was becoming a year for the record books! First, her infatuation with Tristan was finally over. Next, she got a bona fide boyfriend who thought she was wonderful, flaws and all! Now, it appeared that her mother really did love her! Diana looked down and felt a twinge of happiness for this girl.

"I'm sorry if I shut you out. I didn't know what to ask and not sound stupid. I thought I was supposed to already know all this stuff. " She said softly. Her mother smiled.

"Never be afraid to ask, Paris. I know you are intelligent, but no one is born knowing everything. Ask. I need that as much as you do." She whispered. Paris looked at her mother, noticing the hope and sadness in her eyes. She then rose from her chair and hugged her mother. This surprised Mrs. Geller, but she hugged her daughter tightly and felt tears well up in her eyes. Paris went to pull away and Mrs. Geller whispered "Not yet. I am greedy. I have not had enough of these with you." Paris gave a watery chuckle of her own and stayed there in her mother's embrace. A golden feeling washed over her. Paris didn't really know what to do, so she stayed. This was all so amazing.

Paris drove to Chilton for practice. This English Lit assignment was very important. She thought about it as she drove.

She walked into the classroom to find all the other group members arguing. Tristan seemed to be at the center of all the disharmony. Suddenly, Paris saw her very big grade heading down the drain.

"Hey!" she yelled. Everyone shut up. Tristan turned and smirked

"Dugrey! Smarten up! This grade is very important, and unless you want to do this in drag as the second maiden on the left, you better get with the program!"

"Finally! Paris is back!" Louise whispered to Madeline. Rory looked at her classmate.

"Rory, are the costumes ready?" she demanded

"Yes, Paris. The costumes are finished. I'll bring everything to the next rehearsal. That way, there will be plenty of time for any last minute changes."

"Good. I expect everyone to be off book by this time, so let's do the first run through." She commanded and everyone took his or her places.

"And thus, with a kiss…I die" Tristan emoted all over the place. As he lowered his head to kiss the apparently dead Juliet, he stared at Rory's quietly beautiful face and noticed a tiny frown between her eyebrows. "Now what?" he wondered

"MMWAHH" he pretended to kiss her and fell to the floor. Rory giggled. Louise groaned and looked at Paris. Madeline was buffing her nails off stage. Brad was just staring.

"Tristan." Paris ground out

"Okay Paris, Give it a rest! I know what to do. It will be the real thing during the performance, I promise" He said from the floor. "Can we please wrap this up? " he looked up at their leader. Paris looked at the clock and realized that she and Dean were going out in about two hours.

"Fine! Rory will bring the costumes Wednesday. Dress rehearsal is Thursday. Don't be late." She gathered up her things and practically sprinted from the room. "Make sure the last one out turns off the lights." She tossed over her shoulder. Tristan sauntered away, Louise , Madeline and Brad soon followed. Rory, bringing up the rear, turned off the light and closed the door. She straightened her shoulders and walked to the Jeep. That "I promise." had been directed at her, of that she was sure.

Diana was proud of her champion, but worried at her growing attraction to that boy.

Cupid was becoming more confident that Tristan was going to succeed.

Fortuna was patiently waiting for the denouement. Rory had strength of character. Diana just had to have a little more faith in the girl.

Puck popped out from the twilight shadows of the Athenian forest. He had a bone to pick with Cupid. That little pest had ruined all his fun by making those silly humans fall in love! Well, Puck found out about the wager and there was no way he was going to let that weasely little god win. A proclamation on Olympus was not to be borne!