There was a knock on the door. She threw Jack's robe over her swim suit
and answered it. She had been expecting a person but all she got was a box
on the floor in front of the door. There was no one in the hallway even.
The box said it was from the small boutique they passed in the lobby on
their way to check in.
She brought the box into the room and set it on the bed. Opening it, she saw another note on top of a layer of tissue paper. She pulled it out and read aloud:
"Abbey, I hope you like your dress. I think it will suit you perfectly. I saw it and immediately thought of you. Remember, 6:00 sharp.
Love, Samuel"
It would have meant more to her if he had used their names, but she understood that he was ensuring their cover in case anyone intercepted. Still, what he was doing meant the world to her. It showed he didn't hate her. In fact, maybe it meant her feelings were returned.
She shook her head, clearing her mind of those thoughts. She wouldn't know for sure until she saw him, so she would just not think about it. She didn't want to get her hopes up, reading more into his actions than she should. She opened the tissue and pulled the dress out of the box.
The dress was beautiful. She stepped in front of the mirror and held in up to herself. It was bright red with spaghetti straps; the neckline scooped down low and would surely not leave a whole lot to the imagination once on. The back was completely open and it fell to her mid-calf. It was perfect.
Irina set the dress on the bed, smiling at it. It was then that she realized there were other things in the box. She pulled out a pair of red, strappy sandals that would add a good 2 or 3 inches to her height, not that she needed it. There was a small jewelry box as well, in which there was a diamond necklace and diamond stud earrings, much like the ones she had Sydney bring back to her. The last item in the box was a small, red purse. Opening it, she found a bottle of nail polish that matched the dress completely and a bottle of perfume. Jack had really gone all out.
She set everything back on the bed and went into the bathroom, intent to sit in the Jacuzzi like she had wanted. She sat there for a while, feeling relaxed and thinking about what Jack could possibly have planned. It was going on 1 when she finally got out. Although she was already starting to become water-logged, she decided she should start getting ready; she wanted to look perfect.
She took her swim suit off, turned on the water and stepped under the shower. She washed her hair, getting the chlorine out. She scrubbed her face, shaved, everything. It was quite a long shower. She finally got out, stepped back into Jack's robe and secured a towel around her wet hair. Going back into the bedroom, she sat on the bed, flipped on the TV and set to painting her nails, toenails first. She didn't leave the bed or touch anything until she knew for sure her nails were dry. She was feeling very girly but decided it was okay because she hadn't been allowed to act like that at all when she was the head of a crime organization. It felt good to act a little girly.
When she was certain her nails were dry, she dried her hair and started to think about what to do with it. It would be very un-Irina like, but she wanted to pull it up into a mass of curls, leaving a few curly strands down to frame her face. She pulled it up and started curling. With all her hair, it took awhile. She thanked God the hotel for some reason had a sample of hair spray. Looking in the mirror when she finished, she laughed, thinking about Jack having to deal with Sydney getting ready for dances and dates like she was doing now.
It was almost 3:30; she had time, she didn't have to rush. She watched TV for almost an hour, trying to calm her nerves. She started to do her makeup, settling on smoky colors for her eyes. She found a lipstick in the bag Sydney had packed that complimented the color of the dress and she was happy. She finished with her makeup, very satisfied.
It was time to put the dress on. She stood marveling at it for a few minutes before slipping into it. It must have cost Jack a small fortune. She looked at herself in the mirror and was little surprised. She hadn't dressed up like this since she was Laura Bristow, with the exception of a few missions where she had to dress to kill and/or steal information. Jack will have a hard time concentrating tonight, she thought.
She stepped into her shoes, double-checked her makeup and put all that she would need into her purse. It was almost 6:00 and she was beginning to get nervous. What if he didn't show? What if it was all some sick ploy to get back at her for what had transpired in the past?
The clock turned to six and there was a knock on the door. He did come. Her fears were allayed, but not her nerves. She was like a 16 year old all over again, getting ready for her first date. She let out a heavy breath and went to the door. She pulled it open and Jack was there, in a black suit, a large grin on his face and a single red rose in his hand.
She brought the box into the room and set it on the bed. Opening it, she saw another note on top of a layer of tissue paper. She pulled it out and read aloud:
"Abbey, I hope you like your dress. I think it will suit you perfectly. I saw it and immediately thought of you. Remember, 6:00 sharp.
Love, Samuel"
It would have meant more to her if he had used their names, but she understood that he was ensuring their cover in case anyone intercepted. Still, what he was doing meant the world to her. It showed he didn't hate her. In fact, maybe it meant her feelings were returned.
She shook her head, clearing her mind of those thoughts. She wouldn't know for sure until she saw him, so she would just not think about it. She didn't want to get her hopes up, reading more into his actions than she should. She opened the tissue and pulled the dress out of the box.
The dress was beautiful. She stepped in front of the mirror and held in up to herself. It was bright red with spaghetti straps; the neckline scooped down low and would surely not leave a whole lot to the imagination once on. The back was completely open and it fell to her mid-calf. It was perfect.
Irina set the dress on the bed, smiling at it. It was then that she realized there were other things in the box. She pulled out a pair of red, strappy sandals that would add a good 2 or 3 inches to her height, not that she needed it. There was a small jewelry box as well, in which there was a diamond necklace and diamond stud earrings, much like the ones she had Sydney bring back to her. The last item in the box was a small, red purse. Opening it, she found a bottle of nail polish that matched the dress completely and a bottle of perfume. Jack had really gone all out.
She set everything back on the bed and went into the bathroom, intent to sit in the Jacuzzi like she had wanted. She sat there for a while, feeling relaxed and thinking about what Jack could possibly have planned. It was going on 1 when she finally got out. Although she was already starting to become water-logged, she decided she should start getting ready; she wanted to look perfect.
She took her swim suit off, turned on the water and stepped under the shower. She washed her hair, getting the chlorine out. She scrubbed her face, shaved, everything. It was quite a long shower. She finally got out, stepped back into Jack's robe and secured a towel around her wet hair. Going back into the bedroom, she sat on the bed, flipped on the TV and set to painting her nails, toenails first. She didn't leave the bed or touch anything until she knew for sure her nails were dry. She was feeling very girly but decided it was okay because she hadn't been allowed to act like that at all when she was the head of a crime organization. It felt good to act a little girly.
When she was certain her nails were dry, she dried her hair and started to think about what to do with it. It would be very un-Irina like, but she wanted to pull it up into a mass of curls, leaving a few curly strands down to frame her face. She pulled it up and started curling. With all her hair, it took awhile. She thanked God the hotel for some reason had a sample of hair spray. Looking in the mirror when she finished, she laughed, thinking about Jack having to deal with Sydney getting ready for dances and dates like she was doing now.
It was almost 3:30; she had time, she didn't have to rush. She watched TV for almost an hour, trying to calm her nerves. She started to do her makeup, settling on smoky colors for her eyes. She found a lipstick in the bag Sydney had packed that complimented the color of the dress and she was happy. She finished with her makeup, very satisfied.
It was time to put the dress on. She stood marveling at it for a few minutes before slipping into it. It must have cost Jack a small fortune. She looked at herself in the mirror and was little surprised. She hadn't dressed up like this since she was Laura Bristow, with the exception of a few missions where she had to dress to kill and/or steal information. Jack will have a hard time concentrating tonight, she thought.
She stepped into her shoes, double-checked her makeup and put all that she would need into her purse. It was almost 6:00 and she was beginning to get nervous. What if he didn't show? What if it was all some sick ploy to get back at her for what had transpired in the past?
The clock turned to six and there was a knock on the door. He did come. Her fears were allayed, but not her nerves. She was like a 16 year old all over again, getting ready for her first date. She let out a heavy breath and went to the door. She pulled it open and Jack was there, in a black suit, a large grin on his face and a single red rose in his hand.
