Chapter Three: Waltz Through a Memory
As Madison opened her eyes, she gasped at the sight before her. At first, she did not believe the sight really existed. She immediately closed her eyes again, now lightly rubbing them with her hands. Though when she reopened them, the same greeted her once again. She found herself standing in a large Victorian ballroom filled with hundreds of people, all dressed in clothing ranging from simple dresses and professional suits to elegant gowns and handsome tuxedoes. Above the peoples' voices, she could hear the strong sound of an orchestra. Of course, her nose immediately caught the scent of fine foods, ranging from roast turkey to sweet cakes. Madison knew where she was, but she could not believe it. How could she be there? Why, the only way she could have gotten there was….
"Magic?"
Upon hearing the familiar voice, Madison turned to the right. She then saw who had brought her to this night of the past. Indeed, it was Eli.
"A fine evening, don't you think?" he asked, wearing the same loving smile he had already shown her many a time.
"Eli," Madison asked nervously, trying desperately to hold back her tears. "I…I am almost afraid to ask this, but…is this the night that I have told you of; the night that I cherish so much?"
Eli walked closer to Madison, causing her to once again catch her breath.
"I thought you said that with my help, you would have no fears." He joked, though no laughs came from Madison's mouth. "Yes, my dear, this is that night."
Madison let go of the tears now, allowing then to flow freely down her face. She then looked around the entire room, seeing everything she remembered. She was there, at what was undoubtedly the happiest night of…no, not anymore. She now knew as happy as that night had been, this night had been even better, by a long shot. She looked back at Eli, her face covered with tears. Though before she could say anything, he brought his hand to her face, and began to softly wipe away the tears.
"Please Madison, do not cry." He whispered. "It is such a wonderful evening, and I would not want the beauty of your face to be disturbed."
Though before Eli could say anything else, Madison brushed away his hand, surprising him. Then, she slowly wrapped her arms around him, throwing all fears to the wind. He smiled at this, gently placing his hand on the back of her head and pulling it to his chest.
"Oh Eli," Madison cried softly. "Do not worry about my tears, for they are of joy; the greatest joy."
She then looked up at Eli.
"You have done so much for me, from parting the clouds so I could see the beauty of the night sky, to parting the barriers of time…so I could once again see the beauty of this night. I thank you."
Eli smiled lovingly at Madison, holding her to him.
"Well, you know what I said." He whispered. "I would do anything to see you happy….even if it transcends time."
"No," Madison said, shaking her head. "I don't wish to hear that, for I do not believe that is the reason."
"Whatever do you mean?"
"If Sakura had told me that," Madison began. "I would have believed her, but even the mistress of the cards could not do this. No one could do what you have done for me. I…I am but a friend to you, if not a best friend, yet you have done something that borders on being more than friendship. I know I am selfish to ask this, but I wish to know. Eli, why did you do all this? Was it all for friendship, or dare I ask if it was something more?"
For a moment, Eli did not answer. He simply looked away and stared into the distance. He had a thoughtful look upon his face, as if he was contemplating what to say. Then, he looked back down at Madison, starring into her eyes.
"All of this was not for friendship, Madison," Eli finally answered. "And I dearly hope that is what you wanted to hear. This is all for something much more."
"How much more?" Madison asked, praying for an answer.
"You shall not know that now," Eli said. "But I promise you, by the end of this night, you will know."
Madison then let go of Eli, as if to respect the promise he had given. It was then that she actually noticed that the young man had had a change in clothing. He now wore a young man's tuxedo. She then wondered if she had had the change as well. She looked down at herself, discovering that she indeed looked much different than before. She was now dressed in a beautiful velvet, sleeveless dress, which was the color of dark violet, along with matching shoes. She began to bring her hand to her mouth, amazed at her elegant attire, when her fingers came across something around her neck. She then noticed that she now wore a necklace, made of the most beautiful diamonds Madison had ever seen.
"I hope you like your new attire." Eli said, causing Madison to look back up at him.
"Oh Eli," Madison said, almost breathless. "I…I don't what to say. How…how did you determine this?"
"Well," he began. "I knew that you would want to look a bit more elegant for an evening such as this. The necklace is meant to simply enhance your beauty. I took a wild guess about the dress, and hoped that you liked velvet. As far as color of the dress, as well as the shoes, I decided on the color of your most beautiful physical features."
"Most beautiful physical features?" Madison asked, surprised. "What might those features be?"
"That, Madison, is the easiest answer of all: your long, silky hair and your pearl-like eyes."
Madison blushed deeply as Eli commented about her. More and more, she began to believe her greatest dream, her greatest desire, might just come true.
Eli then looked away from Madison, and seemed to look for someone.
"Ah, I see someone, Madison." He said. "I see a young girl, a girl I believe we might just know. Please, look to your right and see if I am correct."
At first, Madison wondered what Eli could be talking about. Then, a thought came to her mind and she realized what he meant. She immediately did as she was told, looking to her right and searching the crowd of people before her. Then, her eyes fell upon a small girl. She was a Japanese girl with dark, violet hair and eyes that seemed to be of the same color. She wore a small, but beautiful blue dress, with matching shoes. Indeed, Madison knew this girl; she knew her all too well. Once again, she fought to hold back the tears, as she spoke.
"Oh my God….it's…it's me."
Indeed, a much younger version of Madison stood a few feet from the two. Seeing her made Madison want to cry. She wanted to run to the girl and throw her arms around her. She wanted to tell her younger self of her future, of the many things she should prepare for, such as the Sakura's magical exploits and….Eli. But, she knew she could not do such a thing. Doing so would probably mess up her future, or something of that sort.
"Such a happy, little girl, don't you agree?"
"Oh yes, she is very happy. I believe she just finished being introduced to….to some lady everyone likes for some reason."
"Tell me," Eli asked. "Has the girl danced yet?"
For a moment, Madison starred at her younger self, seeing her watch the other people, who had begun to dance to the orchestra's music. Soon after, a light frown appeared on her face.
"No, she has not." She finally answered.
"She has not danced yet?" Eli asked, sounding surprised. "But the evening is almost over. What ever could be keeping her from a good dance?"
"In the words of a dear friend," Madison answered. "A foolish fear. I suppose she…I was afraid that I might be rejected, or I might be a horrible dancer."
"A foolish fear, indeed!" Eli exclaimed. "First of all, I believe we have gone through the 'Diamond-rejection' lecture already. I also believe it was you who told me how your dance instructor said you were natural, and his services were not needed."
"What can I say? A child can be quite foolish."
"Well, perhaps we can intervene with the situation; perhaps we can help your younger-self lose that fear."
Madison immediately looked up at Eli, surprised at what he had just said.
"But Eli, we can't do such a thing. I mean, you can not change the past."
Eli laughed at Madison's warning.
"My dear, you speak of science, and you of all people should know that when magic is involved, science has no meaning."
"Well, I….I don't think you should do that to her. Perhaps I didn't want to dance."
"Madison, please." Eli said, moving closer to her. "Do not lie to me, for I know you much better than that."
"Well I…I……"
"Madison," Eli said, wrapping his arm around her, surprising her once again. "Look at her, standing all alone, watching people do what she could do so easily. If you do not wish to think of this as something we do for her, think of it as something done for you. Be honest, my dear. Would you have not greatly loved sharing at least one dance with someone?"
At first, Madison simply stared at her younger-self, not answering Eli's question. She did not really know why she was so afraid of doing what Eli said. Perhaps she feared a hidden consequence of causing the dance, or maybe she simply was afraid of letting herself have such a wonderful experience at such a young age. After a moment though, she decided that there was indeed no real risk in this endeavor, turning to Eli and giving him a slow nod, telling him her answer.
"That's a good girl." He whispered, holding her tight against his body, causing shivers to travel down her spine.
"Well then," Madison said. "If we are to pursue this little activity, I suppose we should consider a dance partner."
"Do not worry, my dear," Eli assured. "For I have already chosen the young man for your younger-self's waltz."
Eli then stretched out his arm, pointing to the left.
"Over there, you shall see a young boy. He is about the same age as your younger-self. Tell me when you see him."
Madison did as she was told, starring forward at the crowd of people before her. For a moment, she searched for the boy, but to no avail. Then, she noticed a young, Japanese boy walk out in front of the crowd. He wore a small, yet handsome blue suit, with a matching bow tie. The boy was quite cute, causing Madison to giggle.
"I take it you see him."
Madison looked back at Eli, with a wide smile.
"Yes, I see him," Madison said. "And I think he is a fine choice."
"Why, thank you, my dear." Eli said, making a wide smile. "I would only choose the best for you, so I chose someone I knew."
"You know him?" Madison asked. "But how could you? I would think even you could not have friendships transcending time."
"Well, he is not a friend." Eli explained. "Let us say….he is the only man who could know me even better than you do."
This confused Madison, though Eli continued explaining before she could ask about it.
"To start, you must first go to the young man. You will tell him of your younger-self's predicament and persuade him to help it. But above all else, do not let him know of your true relation with her, for if you do, he will consider you a fool and not even take a glance at your younger-self."
Madison understood Eli's instructions and planned to perform them, though she was still curious about the boy. Who was he, how had Eli known him, and why did he chose him? She looked back to the boy, who was now talking to one of the older gentlemen of the crowd. At first glance, she sensed a small familiarity him, but could not think of a reason why.
"Eli," she said. "I will do as you say, but I would like it if you could tell me more about this boy."
Unfortunately, she received no answer. She immediately turned to ask for the desired information again, but found no one to answer her. Eli was gone.
"Eli?" Madison asked, looking around her. "Eli, where are you?"
Once again, she was met with no answer. At first she was frightened, not knowing what she would do in this environment without him. After a moment of thinking though, she decided he had probably left her to do what they had discussed, and would probably return upon the completion of the task. She began to walk toward the boy, pondering what she would say. In a moment, she stood the beside him, and she quickly gave him one last examination. He seemed quite familiar now, yet Madison still did not know why. With that, she gathered her wits and gave the boy a light tap on the shoulder.
He immediately looked up, giving Madison a smile. As Madison looked at the smile, she found that it also seemed to be familiar. It was a soft smile, containing both seriousness and calmness, not to mention it was done with his eyes closed momentarily, which wasn't a very common habit.
"Good evening, young sir." Madison greeted.
"A fine evening it is, ma'am." the boy greeted back, opening his eyes. "What can I do for you?"
Madison then crouched down to the boy level, looking into his eyes. Again, she found a strange familiarity in the eyes. They were like his smile: soft, serious and calm. They were also quite dark, not in color but….more in depth.
"I was wondering if you could help me." Madison answered, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder.
"Of course." the boy said. "I would be more than obliged to help you. How might I be of service?"
Madison stretched out her arm, pointing to her younger-self.
"Do you see that Japanese girl about your age; the one in the blue dress?"
The boy looked in the direction Madison pointed to and immediately saw the girl. Madison noticed his calm facial expression become that of amazement and even awe.
"Yes, I see her. She is….quite elegant and…beautiful."
"Thank you." Madison said without thinking, blushing.
Her blush became an even deeper crimson as she realized what she had done. The boy looked up at her with a both confused and suspicious expression.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"W...well, I…I mean," she stammered. "I mean….for the complement you gave my…my cousin."
"Your cousin?" the boy questionably repeated.
"Yes, my cousin." Madison said. "My family was invited to this event, and I decided to take her with us rather than leave her out."
Madison then realized that the way she was talking, he would be sure to become at least a bit suspicious. She felt as if she was talking to Jerry Orbach. Fortunately, the boy smiled back at her, showing his approval of her story.
"Well, that was very kind of you." he commented. "So what does your cousin have to do with me helping you?"
"Well, the poor thing has been standing there for most of the night, so-"
"Wait a minute." the boy interrupted. "You are not saying that she has spent the entire evening standing there."
Well, not the entire evening." Madison said, laughing softly at the boy's faint childlike attitude. "She has walked around a bit and met a few people, but she has spent the majority of the night standing there, watching the people dance."
"Are you suggesting that she hasn't even danced yet?" the boy asked.
"I'm afraid so." Madison said, now starring at her younger-self. "It is hard to believe. Now that I think about it, I can't imagine why….my cousin has not at least asked someone."
"You can not be serious!" the boy exclaimed. "Are you saying that no one has at least asked her yet?"
Madison nodded sadly, now seeing the true foolishness of her younger-self. When she went to the ball originally, the real reason she did not dance with anyone was because she had been told not to. Her mother had known she would love to dance, but she was also afraid she would get to know the person she danced with. Indeed, Madison knew this would have happened if she had been asked. She knew she would have become friends with the person, and would have hated to leave him behind, due to the fact she and her mother would have to eventually leave England, due to the toy business. Then again, even with the pain of leaving, she would have still greatly enjoyed at least one dance.
"Well," the boy said. "I find that extremely hard to believe. A lady of that elegance and beauty, not even asked to one dance? How terribly unfortunate."
"Yes, indeed." Madison agreed. "If only a kind boy would go to her and ask to just one dance. She would be so happy."
The boy nodded, starring sadly at Madison's younger-self. Then, his eyes widened as he realized why Madison was talking to him in the first place. He looked back at Madison with both surprise and shock. Madison was forced to giggle, seeing the boy's serious and calm expression disappear.
"M…Ma'am, are you suggesting that…that I should ask her to dance?"
"I'm not suggesting." Madison said. "In fact, I am begging."
"I…I don't know what to say." the boy stammered. "I would love to dance with your cousin, rest assured, but are you sure? There are many other boys in this room, some of which are of much higher authority than mine."
"I do not wish for authority," Madison said, smiling at the boy's modesty. "And neither is my cousin. I simply wish for a gentle, kind-hearted soul, and I can easily see you have one."
"W…well, what if she refuses?"
"Insist she dance with you." Madison said, not caring about what her mother had told her that night. "Tell her her mother approved you as a dancing partner. To be honest, I do not particularly care how you get her to dance you, just make sure you do."
For a moment, the boy starred at Madison, obviously not believing what Madison was asking of him. Then, a look of suspicion came upon his face; a look that Madison had hoped she would not see. She dreaded what he would say next, for it would be a question she had no answer to.
"Tell me," the boy began. "You come to me this evening, not knowing me from any other previous occasion. You offer me to pursue a wonderful opportunity, yet as I said, you know nothing about me. You seem so confident, so sure I am the perfect boy for your cousin. I must know, why did you choose me, over every other boy in this room?"
Madison cursed herself for not having an answer. She had not been the one who had chosen him. Eli had taken care of that, and even he had not given a reason why. So, in a desperate attempt to conjure a reason, she gave the boy one last look-over. Then, it instantly came to her. The reason was as plain as day. She was surprised she had not thought of it before.
"I… I suppose in order to answer that question, I would have to put myself in my cousin's place. I would see all the boys in the room, whether lowly, rich, or born into power. Then, I would see you. I would be caught by your dark, deep eyes, your calm, serious smile, and even your dark hair. And of course, with only a few words, I'd know you were a kind, gentle person, the kind you never forget. And then I would know, you were the one; the one for….."
Madison immediately stopped, realizing that her babbling was taking up to much time, not to mention slightly scaring the much younger boy.
"What I mean," Madison quickly concluded. "Is you would have the perfect qualities for my personal preferences in a man, which I am sure are the same for my cousin."
For a moment, the boy starred at Madison, leaving her unsure on what he currently felt about the situation. Fortunately, she was relieved when he once again smiled.
"Well then," he said. "I suppose I should go to her and ask for her hand in the next dance. In fact, I believe it is the final dance of the evening, not to mention the dance with the music of the evening's guest of honor."
The boy then held out his hand, which Madison immediately took in hers and shook.
"Thank you, Ma'am, for this wonderful opportunity. I can only hope I live up to what you expect of me."
"Oh, do not worry." Madison assured. "I'm quite sure you will."
Then, as he drew back his hand, he turned and began to walk toward Madison's younger-self.
Madison smiled joyfully as she watched the boy walk away. She only wished that somehow, she could have a memory of this night, at least how it would be now. Yes, that boy would have probably been the only she would have chosen back then. He was everything she loved in a man. To be quite honest, he almost seemed to be a younger version of…..
Madison's eyes became as wide as saucers as she realized who the boy could be. Could it be? No, it was too good to be true. And then……it was so obvious. His personality, his handsome features, even his voice seemed to be exactly like the one she knew, if only slightly higher in pitch. Could it really be him? Well, there was only one way to find out.
"Wait!" Madison nearly exclaimed, causing the boy to stop.
He slowly turned back around, facing Madison once again.
"Yes?"
"Tell me, what is your name?" Madison asked, hoping she already knew the answer.
At first, the boy simply starred at Madison. She then considered the fact she was probably wrong. But then, he made that smile, a smile Madison now found not simply familiar, but unmistakably familiar.
"Forgive me," the boy answered. "But my….guardians prefer I do not speak my full name, for fear it would cause me great trouble. Though for you, I shall at least say my friends call me Eli."
The boy then turned and walked away, leaving Madison both shocked and dumbfounded.
It had been him! But, how could it have been him? A million thoughts went through Madison's head, trying to solve this mystery. Had Eli really been at the ball so many years ago, and she had simply not met him? Of course, the boy could have simply been another part of Eli's gift to her, in the form of this evening. For a moment, Madison considered the two thoughts. After a moment though, she simply smiled, deciding to accept not knowing the real answer. But, one question still remained in her mind, the one, almighty question that stood above the others. Why?
Why had Eli done all of this? To be quite honest, he had done something no one else could possible even attempt to do, except for possibly Sakura or Li, due to the fact they were the only other people she knew that practiced magic. Even then, she knew this was something only Eli could truly accomplish. So, why had he performed this wonderful thing for her? Was it really just a gift from an extremely caring friend, or maybe it was…..meant to show something more? Perhaps it was meant to signify a feeling he would later express to her in words, or to be more specific, in three words.
Though before she could think any more, her thoughts were interrupted by the much louder sound of the orchestra. All the people in the ballroom became silent, shifting their eyes to the orchestra. Then, the entire ballroom erupted with claps and cheers. Madison did not look up though, for she already knew what they were clapping and cheering for. She did not look up to see a middle-aged woman, dressed in a black, satin dress, walk out in front of the orchestra. And through all the clapping and cheering, one word, or name for that matter, could be made out.
"Barbra…"
Indeed, Miss Streisand walked out in front of the orchestra, where a stool stood waiting for her. On top of it, a microphone sat for her use. She immediately took it and sat down in its place. Madison looked up now, knowing what would happen next. She closed her eyes, waiting for the music to begin. Unfortunately, she heard no music at that moment. In fact, what she did hear was a growing laughter. She then opened her eyes in surprise. This was something she distinctly did not remember. She then noticed the faces of all the people turning, as their eyes obviously followed something. She tried to see what they were looking at, but to no avail. Then, the faces suddenly turned toward Madison. In fact, it seemed like everyone was looking directly at Madison, causing her to nearly panic. What was all this? Had she done something wrong? Then, she felt a light tap on her shoulder. She then turned around to find the source, only to gasp at the sight before her.
A boy, about her age, stood in front of her. Though he did not wear a tuxedo, suit or any kind of clothing for this king of occasion. In fact, he was wearing quite the opposite. The boy was dressed as a clown. He dressed in the most common clown suit, which was white with multi-colored polka dots. The ends of the pant legs and long sleeved were ruffled, and in place of buttons, flower blooms lined up the center of the suit, which could probably spray water if pulled and squeezed. The boy's face was painted white, except for two red spots on his cheek and a red outline around his mouth. And of course, in the middle of the face, sat a large, round, rubber, red nose.
At first, Madison had no idea who the boy was. This was something she knew had to be the work of Eli. Then, as if following the thought, the boy made a smile, while also closing his eyes. This was an action Madison knew quite well. She made a wide smile as she realized who it was. The clown then bowed to Madison, bending down quite far. In response, Madison made the most beautiful curtsy she possibly could. The clown then looked up, though not coming up from his bow.
"Good evening, madam." he greeted, in a very gentleman-like tone.
"Good evening to you as well, good sir." Madison answered in her most womanly tone, coming up from her curtsy.
Then, the boy abruptly came up from his bow. As he did so, a bouquet of roses appeared in his hands. He then held then out to Madison.
"A gift to you, my fair lady," he explained, as Madison took the bouquet. "A gift of beauty, though not coming close to your own."
The boy caused the people around then to laugh, reminding then all of days long past, of both childhood fun and young love. Madison brought the roses to her face and took in their wonderful scent.
"You are too kind, dear sir." she stated, keeping hold of the roses.
"My dear," the clown said. "May I please have the honor and privilege of having your hand in the final dance of this beautiful evening?"
As Madison heard these words, it seemed as if time had stopped, along with her heart. She could not stop herself from dropping the bouquet in surprise. Though this seemed to be a simple act to those around them, Madison found the boy's request to be much more important. The one man she loved had asked her to dance to the one song she loved the most, and on the night she now cherished the most. For a moment, she could not answer, as if the air she needed had been taken away. Then, when she regained it, she made a loving smile, now attempting to hold back the tears that were trying to escape her eyes.
"I….I would also be honored to dance with you…my dear Eli."
At that moment, as if using Madison's words as a cue, the orchestra began to play. The music was soft at first, giving all the room's occupants time to take their places. Eli then took Madison's hand and led her a few steps away, not even noticing the bouquet anymore. Once Eli stopped, he let go of Madison's hand. He then placed one hand on her shoulder and the other on her lower back, once again sending shivers down her spine. In response, she placed her own remaining hand on his shoulder, completing the formation. Then, as the music became louder and more powerful, they slowly began to dance. With that, the evening's guest of honor began to sing.
Isn't it rich
Aren't we a pair
Me here at last on the ground
You in mid-air
Send in the clowns
Isn't it bliss
Don't you approve
One who keeps tearing around
One who can't move
Where are the clowns
Send in the clowns
As the two danced, Madison desperately tried to keep herself from breaking out into sobs of joy. She also made sure not to say a word, knowing if she was to speak, she would undoubtedly say something that could possibly ruin the moment. So, she simply laid her head on Eli's remaining shoulder, sighing deeply. But, she then felt a gentle hand on her chin. It then gently lifted the face up, so Madison's eyes met with Eli's. He then noticed the tears that Madison was desperately trying to hold back.
"Please, my dear," he whispered. "Don't cry. I wouldn't want you to ruin such a wonderful evening."
"Oh, do not worry." Madison cried softly. "I do not believe there is any way this evening could possibly be ruined. You….you have made it the best evening…no, the best time of my life."
"It already was, wasn't it?" Eli asked, smiling.
"No, I do not mean the ball." she explained. "I mean the entire evening I have been with you. You have given me so much in this short time, from simple company to a trip back to my happiest memory. There is no way I will ever be able to fully repay you for all of this. Though I fear I must tell you something now, something that may either ruin or….or even make this evening even better. It is a confession of feelings I have had since the day I met you. I….."
Before Madison could continue, Eli placed a hand over her mouth, silencing her. He then removed the hand, starring into her eyes with a loving smile.
"Madison, before you say anything, I too have a confession to make, though mine is much harder to say. You see, I do not believe there are words in any language that can describe what I wish to say; what I feel…..for you."
Madison's breath froze as she heard Eli speak those last words. She did not let herself consider what he meant, though. She wanted to hear Eli speak that answer. She stayed silent as he continued speaking.
"Madison, before I met you, my life was totally dedicated to magic. As a natural-born sorcerer, not to mention the reincarnation of Clow Reed, I believed and accepted the fact I might have to dedicated my entire life to nothing but magic. Then, I met you. From the day my eyes fell upon you, a new feeling came into me, a feeling I at first did not understand. But over time, I came to realize what the feeling was and did not deny it."
At that moment, Eli stopped dancing, causing Madison to do the same.
"Madison, you gave me something I thought I could never have. You gave me the most precious gift I could ever receive; greater than anything magic could ever create. Now, I can only hope you can allow me to return the favor. I suppose I could tell you this in a number of ways, but I suppose I shall settle for the most common, simple, yet meaningful. Madison, from now until our souls depart this Earth, and even beyond…….I love you."
Just when I'd stopped
Opening doors
Finally knowing the one that I wanted was yours
Making my entrance again with my usual flair
Sure of my lines
No one is there
Don't you love farce
My fault, I fear
I thought that you'd want what I want
Sorry, my dear
But where are the clowns
There ought to be clowns
Quick, send in the clowns
At that moment, it seemed as if time had stopped, and all that surrounded the two seemed to disappear. All Madison could really see now were the two beautiful eyes that belonged to Eli. Had he really said it, or had she dreamt the whole thing? Was this whole night a dream, or was it indeed the night her greatest desire, her greatest dream, had been fulfilled? Yes, it was real. Eli loved her, with the same amount of love, if not more, she felt for him. For a moment, she couldn't speak, finding it hard to respond to such a beautiful speech. She then decided to simply speak what she felt.
"Oh Eli," she said. "I….I wish I could say something to you that could be as wonderful as what you just said to me, but I can not possibly find the words."
She then felt Eli's hand place upon her cheek, gently cupping her face. She let the tears fall freely now, not caring how she looked to her beloved.
"My dearest Madison," Eli whispered. "If you wish to speak words of such beauty to me, all you need to say is….three simple words, and my own will not even compare."
Madison smiled as she cried softly. She then placed her own hand upon Eli's face, starring deeply into his eyes.
"Alright then, I guess that is the most….wonderful way of saying what I feel. Eli, from now until forever, I….I love you too."
With that, the two's lips were brought together in a soft, yet passionate first kiss. Madison's eyes closed as she wrapped her arms around Eli's neck. In turn, he wrapped his arms around Madison's waist, as he slowly intensified the kiss. No longer did the two even notice what was around them, as they held each other in their loving embrace; an embrace neither of them wished would ever end.
What a surprise
Who could foresee
I come to feel about you what you felt about me
Why only now when I see that you've drifted away
What a surprise
What a cliché
Isn't it rich
Isn't it queer
Losing my timing this late in my career
And where are the clowns
Quick, send in the clowns
Don't bother, they're here
As Madison opened her eyes, she gasped at the sight before her. At first, she did not believe the sight really existed. She immediately closed her eyes again, now lightly rubbing them with her hands. Though when she reopened them, the same greeted her once again. She found herself standing in a large Victorian ballroom filled with hundreds of people, all dressed in clothing ranging from simple dresses and professional suits to elegant gowns and handsome tuxedoes. Above the peoples' voices, she could hear the strong sound of an orchestra. Of course, her nose immediately caught the scent of fine foods, ranging from roast turkey to sweet cakes. Madison knew where she was, but she could not believe it. How could she be there? Why, the only way she could have gotten there was….
"Magic?"
Upon hearing the familiar voice, Madison turned to the right. She then saw who had brought her to this night of the past. Indeed, it was Eli.
"A fine evening, don't you think?" he asked, wearing the same loving smile he had already shown her many a time.
"Eli," Madison asked nervously, trying desperately to hold back her tears. "I…I am almost afraid to ask this, but…is this the night that I have told you of; the night that I cherish so much?"
Eli walked closer to Madison, causing her to once again catch her breath.
"I thought you said that with my help, you would have no fears." He joked, though no laughs came from Madison's mouth. "Yes, my dear, this is that night."
Madison let go of the tears now, allowing then to flow freely down her face. She then looked around the entire room, seeing everything she remembered. She was there, at what was undoubtedly the happiest night of…no, not anymore. She now knew as happy as that night had been, this night had been even better, by a long shot. She looked back at Eli, her face covered with tears. Though before she could say anything, he brought his hand to her face, and began to softly wipe away the tears.
"Please Madison, do not cry." He whispered. "It is such a wonderful evening, and I would not want the beauty of your face to be disturbed."
Though before Eli could say anything else, Madison brushed away his hand, surprising him. Then, she slowly wrapped her arms around him, throwing all fears to the wind. He smiled at this, gently placing his hand on the back of her head and pulling it to his chest.
"Oh Eli," Madison cried softly. "Do not worry about my tears, for they are of joy; the greatest joy."
She then looked up at Eli.
"You have done so much for me, from parting the clouds so I could see the beauty of the night sky, to parting the barriers of time…so I could once again see the beauty of this night. I thank you."
Eli smiled lovingly at Madison, holding her to him.
"Well, you know what I said." He whispered. "I would do anything to see you happy….even if it transcends time."
"No," Madison said, shaking her head. "I don't wish to hear that, for I do not believe that is the reason."
"Whatever do you mean?"
"If Sakura had told me that," Madison began. "I would have believed her, but even the mistress of the cards could not do this. No one could do what you have done for me. I…I am but a friend to you, if not a best friend, yet you have done something that borders on being more than friendship. I know I am selfish to ask this, but I wish to know. Eli, why did you do all this? Was it all for friendship, or dare I ask if it was something more?"
For a moment, Eli did not answer. He simply looked away and stared into the distance. He had a thoughtful look upon his face, as if he was contemplating what to say. Then, he looked back down at Madison, starring into her eyes.
"All of this was not for friendship, Madison," Eli finally answered. "And I dearly hope that is what you wanted to hear. This is all for something much more."
"How much more?" Madison asked, praying for an answer.
"You shall not know that now," Eli said. "But I promise you, by the end of this night, you will know."
Madison then let go of Eli, as if to respect the promise he had given. It was then that she actually noticed that the young man had had a change in clothing. He now wore a young man's tuxedo. She then wondered if she had had the change as well. She looked down at herself, discovering that she indeed looked much different than before. She was now dressed in a beautiful velvet, sleeveless dress, which was the color of dark violet, along with matching shoes. She began to bring her hand to her mouth, amazed at her elegant attire, when her fingers came across something around her neck. She then noticed that she now wore a necklace, made of the most beautiful diamonds Madison had ever seen.
"I hope you like your new attire." Eli said, causing Madison to look back up at him.
"Oh Eli," Madison said, almost breathless. "I…I don't what to say. How…how did you determine this?"
"Well," he began. "I knew that you would want to look a bit more elegant for an evening such as this. The necklace is meant to simply enhance your beauty. I took a wild guess about the dress, and hoped that you liked velvet. As far as color of the dress, as well as the shoes, I decided on the color of your most beautiful physical features."
"Most beautiful physical features?" Madison asked, surprised. "What might those features be?"
"That, Madison, is the easiest answer of all: your long, silky hair and your pearl-like eyes."
Madison blushed deeply as Eli commented about her. More and more, she began to believe her greatest dream, her greatest desire, might just come true.
Eli then looked away from Madison, and seemed to look for someone.
"Ah, I see someone, Madison." He said. "I see a young girl, a girl I believe we might just know. Please, look to your right and see if I am correct."
At first, Madison wondered what Eli could be talking about. Then, a thought came to her mind and she realized what he meant. She immediately did as she was told, looking to her right and searching the crowd of people before her. Then, her eyes fell upon a small girl. She was a Japanese girl with dark, violet hair and eyes that seemed to be of the same color. She wore a small, but beautiful blue dress, with matching shoes. Indeed, Madison knew this girl; she knew her all too well. Once again, she fought to hold back the tears, as she spoke.
"Oh my God….it's…it's me."
Indeed, a much younger version of Madison stood a few feet from the two. Seeing her made Madison want to cry. She wanted to run to the girl and throw her arms around her. She wanted to tell her younger self of her future, of the many things she should prepare for, such as the Sakura's magical exploits and….Eli. But, she knew she could not do such a thing. Doing so would probably mess up her future, or something of that sort.
"Such a happy, little girl, don't you agree?"
"Oh yes, she is very happy. I believe she just finished being introduced to….to some lady everyone likes for some reason."
"Tell me," Eli asked. "Has the girl danced yet?"
For a moment, Madison starred at her younger self, seeing her watch the other people, who had begun to dance to the orchestra's music. Soon after, a light frown appeared on her face.
"No, she has not." She finally answered.
"She has not danced yet?" Eli asked, sounding surprised. "But the evening is almost over. What ever could be keeping her from a good dance?"
"In the words of a dear friend," Madison answered. "A foolish fear. I suppose she…I was afraid that I might be rejected, or I might be a horrible dancer."
"A foolish fear, indeed!" Eli exclaimed. "First of all, I believe we have gone through the 'Diamond-rejection' lecture already. I also believe it was you who told me how your dance instructor said you were natural, and his services were not needed."
"What can I say? A child can be quite foolish."
"Well, perhaps we can intervene with the situation; perhaps we can help your younger-self lose that fear."
Madison immediately looked up at Eli, surprised at what he had just said.
"But Eli, we can't do such a thing. I mean, you can not change the past."
Eli laughed at Madison's warning.
"My dear, you speak of science, and you of all people should know that when magic is involved, science has no meaning."
"Well, I….I don't think you should do that to her. Perhaps I didn't want to dance."
"Madison, please." Eli said, moving closer to her. "Do not lie to me, for I know you much better than that."
"Well I…I……"
"Madison," Eli said, wrapping his arm around her, surprising her once again. "Look at her, standing all alone, watching people do what she could do so easily. If you do not wish to think of this as something we do for her, think of it as something done for you. Be honest, my dear. Would you have not greatly loved sharing at least one dance with someone?"
At first, Madison simply stared at her younger-self, not answering Eli's question. She did not really know why she was so afraid of doing what Eli said. Perhaps she feared a hidden consequence of causing the dance, or maybe she simply was afraid of letting herself have such a wonderful experience at such a young age. After a moment though, she decided that there was indeed no real risk in this endeavor, turning to Eli and giving him a slow nod, telling him her answer.
"That's a good girl." He whispered, holding her tight against his body, causing shivers to travel down her spine.
"Well then," Madison said. "If we are to pursue this little activity, I suppose we should consider a dance partner."
"Do not worry, my dear," Eli assured. "For I have already chosen the young man for your younger-self's waltz."
Eli then stretched out his arm, pointing to the left.
"Over there, you shall see a young boy. He is about the same age as your younger-self. Tell me when you see him."
Madison did as she was told, starring forward at the crowd of people before her. For a moment, she searched for the boy, but to no avail. Then, she noticed a young, Japanese boy walk out in front of the crowd. He wore a small, yet handsome blue suit, with a matching bow tie. The boy was quite cute, causing Madison to giggle.
"I take it you see him."
Madison looked back at Eli, with a wide smile.
"Yes, I see him," Madison said. "And I think he is a fine choice."
"Why, thank you, my dear." Eli said, making a wide smile. "I would only choose the best for you, so I chose someone I knew."
"You know him?" Madison asked. "But how could you? I would think even you could not have friendships transcending time."
"Well, he is not a friend." Eli explained. "Let us say….he is the only man who could know me even better than you do."
This confused Madison, though Eli continued explaining before she could ask about it.
"To start, you must first go to the young man. You will tell him of your younger-self's predicament and persuade him to help it. But above all else, do not let him know of your true relation with her, for if you do, he will consider you a fool and not even take a glance at your younger-self."
Madison understood Eli's instructions and planned to perform them, though she was still curious about the boy. Who was he, how had Eli known him, and why did he chose him? She looked back to the boy, who was now talking to one of the older gentlemen of the crowd. At first glance, she sensed a small familiarity him, but could not think of a reason why.
"Eli," she said. "I will do as you say, but I would like it if you could tell me more about this boy."
Unfortunately, she received no answer. She immediately turned to ask for the desired information again, but found no one to answer her. Eli was gone.
"Eli?" Madison asked, looking around her. "Eli, where are you?"
Once again, she was met with no answer. At first she was frightened, not knowing what she would do in this environment without him. After a moment of thinking though, she decided he had probably left her to do what they had discussed, and would probably return upon the completion of the task. She began to walk toward the boy, pondering what she would say. In a moment, she stood the beside him, and she quickly gave him one last examination. He seemed quite familiar now, yet Madison still did not know why. With that, she gathered her wits and gave the boy a light tap on the shoulder.
He immediately looked up, giving Madison a smile. As Madison looked at the smile, she found that it also seemed to be familiar. It was a soft smile, containing both seriousness and calmness, not to mention it was done with his eyes closed momentarily, which wasn't a very common habit.
"Good evening, young sir." Madison greeted.
"A fine evening it is, ma'am." the boy greeted back, opening his eyes. "What can I do for you?"
Madison then crouched down to the boy level, looking into his eyes. Again, she found a strange familiarity in the eyes. They were like his smile: soft, serious and calm. They were also quite dark, not in color but….more in depth.
"I was wondering if you could help me." Madison answered, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder.
"Of course." the boy said. "I would be more than obliged to help you. How might I be of service?"
Madison stretched out her arm, pointing to her younger-self.
"Do you see that Japanese girl about your age; the one in the blue dress?"
The boy looked in the direction Madison pointed to and immediately saw the girl. Madison noticed his calm facial expression become that of amazement and even awe.
"Yes, I see her. She is….quite elegant and…beautiful."
"Thank you." Madison said without thinking, blushing.
Her blush became an even deeper crimson as she realized what she had done. The boy looked up at her with a both confused and suspicious expression.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"W...well, I…I mean," she stammered. "I mean….for the complement you gave my…my cousin."
"Your cousin?" the boy questionably repeated.
"Yes, my cousin." Madison said. "My family was invited to this event, and I decided to take her with us rather than leave her out."
Madison then realized that the way she was talking, he would be sure to become at least a bit suspicious. She felt as if she was talking to Jerry Orbach. Fortunately, the boy smiled back at her, showing his approval of her story.
"Well, that was very kind of you." he commented. "So what does your cousin have to do with me helping you?"
"Well, the poor thing has been standing there for most of the night, so-"
"Wait a minute." the boy interrupted. "You are not saying that she has spent the entire evening standing there."
Well, not the entire evening." Madison said, laughing softly at the boy's faint childlike attitude. "She has walked around a bit and met a few people, but she has spent the majority of the night standing there, watching the people dance."
"Are you suggesting that she hasn't even danced yet?" the boy asked.
"I'm afraid so." Madison said, now starring at her younger-self. "It is hard to believe. Now that I think about it, I can't imagine why….my cousin has not at least asked someone."
"You can not be serious!" the boy exclaimed. "Are you saying that no one has at least asked her yet?"
Madison nodded sadly, now seeing the true foolishness of her younger-self. When she went to the ball originally, the real reason she did not dance with anyone was because she had been told not to. Her mother had known she would love to dance, but she was also afraid she would get to know the person she danced with. Indeed, Madison knew this would have happened if she had been asked. She knew she would have become friends with the person, and would have hated to leave him behind, due to the fact she and her mother would have to eventually leave England, due to the toy business. Then again, even with the pain of leaving, she would have still greatly enjoyed at least one dance.
"Well," the boy said. "I find that extremely hard to believe. A lady of that elegance and beauty, not even asked to one dance? How terribly unfortunate."
"Yes, indeed." Madison agreed. "If only a kind boy would go to her and ask to just one dance. She would be so happy."
The boy nodded, starring sadly at Madison's younger-self. Then, his eyes widened as he realized why Madison was talking to him in the first place. He looked back at Madison with both surprise and shock. Madison was forced to giggle, seeing the boy's serious and calm expression disappear.
"M…Ma'am, are you suggesting that…that I should ask her to dance?"
"I'm not suggesting." Madison said. "In fact, I am begging."
"I…I don't know what to say." the boy stammered. "I would love to dance with your cousin, rest assured, but are you sure? There are many other boys in this room, some of which are of much higher authority than mine."
"I do not wish for authority," Madison said, smiling at the boy's modesty. "And neither is my cousin. I simply wish for a gentle, kind-hearted soul, and I can easily see you have one."
"W…well, what if she refuses?"
"Insist she dance with you." Madison said, not caring about what her mother had told her that night. "Tell her her mother approved you as a dancing partner. To be honest, I do not particularly care how you get her to dance you, just make sure you do."
For a moment, the boy starred at Madison, obviously not believing what Madison was asking of him. Then, a look of suspicion came upon his face; a look that Madison had hoped she would not see. She dreaded what he would say next, for it would be a question she had no answer to.
"Tell me," the boy began. "You come to me this evening, not knowing me from any other previous occasion. You offer me to pursue a wonderful opportunity, yet as I said, you know nothing about me. You seem so confident, so sure I am the perfect boy for your cousin. I must know, why did you choose me, over every other boy in this room?"
Madison cursed herself for not having an answer. She had not been the one who had chosen him. Eli had taken care of that, and even he had not given a reason why. So, in a desperate attempt to conjure a reason, she gave the boy one last look-over. Then, it instantly came to her. The reason was as plain as day. She was surprised she had not thought of it before.
"I… I suppose in order to answer that question, I would have to put myself in my cousin's place. I would see all the boys in the room, whether lowly, rich, or born into power. Then, I would see you. I would be caught by your dark, deep eyes, your calm, serious smile, and even your dark hair. And of course, with only a few words, I'd know you were a kind, gentle person, the kind you never forget. And then I would know, you were the one; the one for….."
Madison immediately stopped, realizing that her babbling was taking up to much time, not to mention slightly scaring the much younger boy.
"What I mean," Madison quickly concluded. "Is you would have the perfect qualities for my personal preferences in a man, which I am sure are the same for my cousin."
For a moment, the boy starred at Madison, leaving her unsure on what he currently felt about the situation. Fortunately, she was relieved when he once again smiled.
"Well then," he said. "I suppose I should go to her and ask for her hand in the next dance. In fact, I believe it is the final dance of the evening, not to mention the dance with the music of the evening's guest of honor."
The boy then held out his hand, which Madison immediately took in hers and shook.
"Thank you, Ma'am, for this wonderful opportunity. I can only hope I live up to what you expect of me."
"Oh, do not worry." Madison assured. "I'm quite sure you will."
Then, as he drew back his hand, he turned and began to walk toward Madison's younger-self.
Madison smiled joyfully as she watched the boy walk away. She only wished that somehow, she could have a memory of this night, at least how it would be now. Yes, that boy would have probably been the only she would have chosen back then. He was everything she loved in a man. To be quite honest, he almost seemed to be a younger version of…..
Madison's eyes became as wide as saucers as she realized who the boy could be. Could it be? No, it was too good to be true. And then……it was so obvious. His personality, his handsome features, even his voice seemed to be exactly like the one she knew, if only slightly higher in pitch. Could it really be him? Well, there was only one way to find out.
"Wait!" Madison nearly exclaimed, causing the boy to stop.
He slowly turned back around, facing Madison once again.
"Yes?"
"Tell me, what is your name?" Madison asked, hoping she already knew the answer.
At first, the boy simply starred at Madison. She then considered the fact she was probably wrong. But then, he made that smile, a smile Madison now found not simply familiar, but unmistakably familiar.
"Forgive me," the boy answered. "But my….guardians prefer I do not speak my full name, for fear it would cause me great trouble. Though for you, I shall at least say my friends call me Eli."
The boy then turned and walked away, leaving Madison both shocked and dumbfounded.
It had been him! But, how could it have been him? A million thoughts went through Madison's head, trying to solve this mystery. Had Eli really been at the ball so many years ago, and she had simply not met him? Of course, the boy could have simply been another part of Eli's gift to her, in the form of this evening. For a moment, Madison considered the two thoughts. After a moment though, she simply smiled, deciding to accept not knowing the real answer. But, one question still remained in her mind, the one, almighty question that stood above the others. Why?
Why had Eli done all of this? To be quite honest, he had done something no one else could possible even attempt to do, except for possibly Sakura or Li, due to the fact they were the only other people she knew that practiced magic. Even then, she knew this was something only Eli could truly accomplish. So, why had he performed this wonderful thing for her? Was it really just a gift from an extremely caring friend, or maybe it was…..meant to show something more? Perhaps it was meant to signify a feeling he would later express to her in words, or to be more specific, in three words.
Though before she could think any more, her thoughts were interrupted by the much louder sound of the orchestra. All the people in the ballroom became silent, shifting their eyes to the orchestra. Then, the entire ballroom erupted with claps and cheers. Madison did not look up though, for she already knew what they were clapping and cheering for. She did not look up to see a middle-aged woman, dressed in a black, satin dress, walk out in front of the orchestra. And through all the clapping and cheering, one word, or name for that matter, could be made out.
"Barbra…"
Indeed, Miss Streisand walked out in front of the orchestra, where a stool stood waiting for her. On top of it, a microphone sat for her use. She immediately took it and sat down in its place. Madison looked up now, knowing what would happen next. She closed her eyes, waiting for the music to begin. Unfortunately, she heard no music at that moment. In fact, what she did hear was a growing laughter. She then opened her eyes in surprise. This was something she distinctly did not remember. She then noticed the faces of all the people turning, as their eyes obviously followed something. She tried to see what they were looking at, but to no avail. Then, the faces suddenly turned toward Madison. In fact, it seemed like everyone was looking directly at Madison, causing her to nearly panic. What was all this? Had she done something wrong? Then, she felt a light tap on her shoulder. She then turned around to find the source, only to gasp at the sight before her.
A boy, about her age, stood in front of her. Though he did not wear a tuxedo, suit or any kind of clothing for this king of occasion. In fact, he was wearing quite the opposite. The boy was dressed as a clown. He dressed in the most common clown suit, which was white with multi-colored polka dots. The ends of the pant legs and long sleeved were ruffled, and in place of buttons, flower blooms lined up the center of the suit, which could probably spray water if pulled and squeezed. The boy's face was painted white, except for two red spots on his cheek and a red outline around his mouth. And of course, in the middle of the face, sat a large, round, rubber, red nose.
At first, Madison had no idea who the boy was. This was something she knew had to be the work of Eli. Then, as if following the thought, the boy made a smile, while also closing his eyes. This was an action Madison knew quite well. She made a wide smile as she realized who it was. The clown then bowed to Madison, bending down quite far. In response, Madison made the most beautiful curtsy she possibly could. The clown then looked up, though not coming up from his bow.
"Good evening, madam." he greeted, in a very gentleman-like tone.
"Good evening to you as well, good sir." Madison answered in her most womanly tone, coming up from her curtsy.
Then, the boy abruptly came up from his bow. As he did so, a bouquet of roses appeared in his hands. He then held then out to Madison.
"A gift to you, my fair lady," he explained, as Madison took the bouquet. "A gift of beauty, though not coming close to your own."
The boy caused the people around then to laugh, reminding then all of days long past, of both childhood fun and young love. Madison brought the roses to her face and took in their wonderful scent.
"You are too kind, dear sir." she stated, keeping hold of the roses.
"My dear," the clown said. "May I please have the honor and privilege of having your hand in the final dance of this beautiful evening?"
As Madison heard these words, it seemed as if time had stopped, along with her heart. She could not stop herself from dropping the bouquet in surprise. Though this seemed to be a simple act to those around them, Madison found the boy's request to be much more important. The one man she loved had asked her to dance to the one song she loved the most, and on the night she now cherished the most. For a moment, she could not answer, as if the air she needed had been taken away. Then, when she regained it, she made a loving smile, now attempting to hold back the tears that were trying to escape her eyes.
"I….I would also be honored to dance with you…my dear Eli."
At that moment, as if using Madison's words as a cue, the orchestra began to play. The music was soft at first, giving all the room's occupants time to take their places. Eli then took Madison's hand and led her a few steps away, not even noticing the bouquet anymore. Once Eli stopped, he let go of Madison's hand. He then placed one hand on her shoulder and the other on her lower back, once again sending shivers down her spine. In response, she placed her own remaining hand on his shoulder, completing the formation. Then, as the music became louder and more powerful, they slowly began to dance. With that, the evening's guest of honor began to sing.
Isn't it rich
Aren't we a pair
Me here at last on the ground
You in mid-air
Send in the clowns
Isn't it bliss
Don't you approve
One who keeps tearing around
One who can't move
Where are the clowns
Send in the clowns
As the two danced, Madison desperately tried to keep herself from breaking out into sobs of joy. She also made sure not to say a word, knowing if she was to speak, she would undoubtedly say something that could possibly ruin the moment. So, she simply laid her head on Eli's remaining shoulder, sighing deeply. But, she then felt a gentle hand on her chin. It then gently lifted the face up, so Madison's eyes met with Eli's. He then noticed the tears that Madison was desperately trying to hold back.
"Please, my dear," he whispered. "Don't cry. I wouldn't want you to ruin such a wonderful evening."
"Oh, do not worry." Madison cried softly. "I do not believe there is any way this evening could possibly be ruined. You….you have made it the best evening…no, the best time of my life."
"It already was, wasn't it?" Eli asked, smiling.
"No, I do not mean the ball." she explained. "I mean the entire evening I have been with you. You have given me so much in this short time, from simple company to a trip back to my happiest memory. There is no way I will ever be able to fully repay you for all of this. Though I fear I must tell you something now, something that may either ruin or….or even make this evening even better. It is a confession of feelings I have had since the day I met you. I….."
Before Madison could continue, Eli placed a hand over her mouth, silencing her. He then removed the hand, starring into her eyes with a loving smile.
"Madison, before you say anything, I too have a confession to make, though mine is much harder to say. You see, I do not believe there are words in any language that can describe what I wish to say; what I feel…..for you."
Madison's breath froze as she heard Eli speak those last words. She did not let herself consider what he meant, though. She wanted to hear Eli speak that answer. She stayed silent as he continued speaking.
"Madison, before I met you, my life was totally dedicated to magic. As a natural-born sorcerer, not to mention the reincarnation of Clow Reed, I believed and accepted the fact I might have to dedicated my entire life to nothing but magic. Then, I met you. From the day my eyes fell upon you, a new feeling came into me, a feeling I at first did not understand. But over time, I came to realize what the feeling was and did not deny it."
At that moment, Eli stopped dancing, causing Madison to do the same.
"Madison, you gave me something I thought I could never have. You gave me the most precious gift I could ever receive; greater than anything magic could ever create. Now, I can only hope you can allow me to return the favor. I suppose I could tell you this in a number of ways, but I suppose I shall settle for the most common, simple, yet meaningful. Madison, from now until our souls depart this Earth, and even beyond…….I love you."
Just when I'd stopped
Opening doors
Finally knowing the one that I wanted was yours
Making my entrance again with my usual flair
Sure of my lines
No one is there
Don't you love farce
My fault, I fear
I thought that you'd want what I want
Sorry, my dear
But where are the clowns
There ought to be clowns
Quick, send in the clowns
At that moment, it seemed as if time had stopped, and all that surrounded the two seemed to disappear. All Madison could really see now were the two beautiful eyes that belonged to Eli. Had he really said it, or had she dreamt the whole thing? Was this whole night a dream, or was it indeed the night her greatest desire, her greatest dream, had been fulfilled? Yes, it was real. Eli loved her, with the same amount of love, if not more, she felt for him. For a moment, she couldn't speak, finding it hard to respond to such a beautiful speech. She then decided to simply speak what she felt.
"Oh Eli," she said. "I….I wish I could say something to you that could be as wonderful as what you just said to me, but I can not possibly find the words."
She then felt Eli's hand place upon her cheek, gently cupping her face. She let the tears fall freely now, not caring how she looked to her beloved.
"My dearest Madison," Eli whispered. "If you wish to speak words of such beauty to me, all you need to say is….three simple words, and my own will not even compare."
Madison smiled as she cried softly. She then placed her own hand upon Eli's face, starring deeply into his eyes.
"Alright then, I guess that is the most….wonderful way of saying what I feel. Eli, from now until forever, I….I love you too."
With that, the two's lips were brought together in a soft, yet passionate first kiss. Madison's eyes closed as she wrapped her arms around Eli's neck. In turn, he wrapped his arms around Madison's waist, as he slowly intensified the kiss. No longer did the two even notice what was around them, as they held each other in their loving embrace; an embrace neither of them wished would ever end.
What a surprise
Who could foresee
I come to feel about you what you felt about me
Why only now when I see that you've drifted away
What a surprise
What a cliché
Isn't it rich
Isn't it queer
Losing my timing this late in my career
And where are the clowns
Quick, send in the clowns
Don't bother, they're here