Author's Note: Hey again! This chapter and the future ones will have to do with the introductory ball that I mentioned in earlier chapters. I promise that Wendy will meet a certain someone. I don't know when and I don't know how, but it will be a surprise…I hope. This chapter is based on Wendy more than Peter, because she has a lot of preparing to do. All Peter has to do is put on a tuxedo and he's done! Okay, well I think I will stop my ranting now and let you guys read. (Oh, Aunt Millicent is in this chapter, so beware! Ha ha)
Chapter 9: Pre-Party Jitters
A week has flown by since Michael and Nibs saw Peter. The days came and went, and now it is the day of the ball. A bright, clear day has just begun in England, along with the preparations for this important occasion.
"Wendy!" Mr. Darling calls hoarsely. "Wake up! Your aunt Millicent will be here in an hour!" He knocks on his daughter's door and peeks inside. Wendy is nestled under the bedcovers, breathing softly. He looks at her silently and feels a great pressure on his heart. His little girl is growing up too fast. She is already sixteen, a young woman. Soon, she will leave the house and get married. She will have children of her own one-day and watch them grow up too. Tears threaten to fall and Mr. Darling regains his composure. He clears his throat and tries to wake his daughter again.
"Wendy," he says and his daughter rolls onto her side. She stretches and props herself on her pillow, looking around groggily.
"Is it time already?" she whispers. Mrs. Darling appears behind her husband and pats his shoulder.
"Has she wakened?" Mary Darling asks, slipping into the dim room. She is already dressed in fine clothes. "Wendy, dear, you do not want to keep your aunt waiting." She goes to the window and pulls open the curtains. Mrs. Darling knows that her daughter has grown tired of the constant attention Aunt Millicent has given her. She feels as if Millicent is acting as Wendy's mother, an overbearing one at that. The sunlight pours into the room and Wendy puts her hand over her eyes.
"All right, I'm up," Wendy breathes and slides out of bed. She pulls her robe around her and peers at her mother and father.
"Tonight is the big night," Mr. Darling states, a big smile spreading across his face. "You will be established as a distinguished member of society." Wendy nods as she glances out the window. Time has passed so quickly. Tonight is the introductory ball, where her parents and Aunt Millicent will start their search for the perfect husband. Wendy hugs herself reassuringly and prays that they will not find one yet.
"I know, I am looking forward to it," she responds. Mrs. Darling turns her head and Wendy can hear her sniffling. "Oh, Mother, please don't cry," she pleads. "This ball…it is not that important." She says this nonchalantly, while her father shakes his head in despair.
"This is one of the most significant occasions of your life, Wendy," he explains in a proud manner. "It is your initiation into womanhood."
"I apologize, Father," Wendy replies. She has left her childhood behind and she is on the verge of adulthood. She has learned not to raise her voice and to eat and sit properly. All the while, she endures the growing pains that all adolescents must face. She does not mind it that much because she wants to grow up...in a way. She has accepted the fact that it is quite hard to grow up, but it does have some advantages. I do wish it were a bit easier; she ponders and goes to get ready for Aunt Millicent's visit.
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The knocking on the front door sends the Lost Boys and Michael screaming up the stairs. They cannot help it; whenever Aunt Millicent comes, they run away. She is too critical and is always looking for something to assess. She drives them to madness. They pity their poor sister Wendy.
"John, be a good nephew and open the door for our aunt!" Nibs sings from upstairs. John, who is the only one on the first floor, puts down his book, and hears his brothers laughing hysterically. He yells an obscenity up to them, which I will not repeat here. I daresay that the boys silence immediately, for there is no sound coming from the second floor. John shuffles to the door and unlocks it hastily.
Brace your self, John," he murmurs and pulls it open. "Good morning, Aunt Millicent. What a fine day it is!" he greets in a cheerful tone. "I trust you are well." He steps aside to let the older woman in, who observes him suspiciously.
"Hello, John. I am well, thank you very much," she answers haughtily. Before she can critique him, Slightly enters.
"Hey John!" he announces, bouncing into the hallway. "How are ya?"
"Proper language, Slightly," Aunt Millicent corrects her son. "How are you, is the proper way."
"Sorry, Mum. How are you, John?" he questions, looking up at his cousin.
"I'm good. The rest of the boys are upstairs," John responds. Slightly thanks him and rushes up to the nursery. "So, Aunt Millicent, are you here for Wendy?" The woman invites herself into the living room and sits down on the settee.
"Yes I am. We have much to do. Go and fetch her for me," she orders, looking into her purse. John stands there, surprised by the way she has treated him. He refuses to move and glares at her angrily. "Well, what are you standing there for? Go and fetch her!" She shoos him away and John sits at the top of the staircase. Wendy rushes out of the powder room, applying a light blush to her cheeks.
"She's here already?" his sister whispers, peering down the stairs.
"Yes, and she told me to fetch you," he gripes. "So you better go down there before she starts to fret." Mrs. Darling comes out of her room and starts to braid Wendy's hair.
"We don't have time, Mother!" Wendy cries as Mary pulls a loose strand of hair into the plait. She puts her hand over her mouth and Mrs. Darling turns her around.
"You look sensible. Your aunt will be pleased," she concludes and bids Wendy to go to her aunt. Wendy grasps the railing and makes her way down to the parlor, her heart in her throat. Aunt Millicent stands up when she sees her niece and Wendy curtsies to her.
"Good morning Aunt Millicent," she croaks and says nothing more.
"Good morning dear. Come here," the stately woman instructs and Wendy glides over to her. She takes her hands and surveys the girl. "We have some work to do. Your posture has improved dramatically and your manners are lovely. Tonight, you will look like a true princess."
"Thank you, Aunt Millicent," Wendy says and the woman looks smug.
"You will have many suitors you know," she adds. "Marriage to a man of status will do this family some good." Wendy nods submissively, but inside she is seething. Marriage to a man of status will do the family good? Wendy's family is doing quite well without Aunt Millicent's help. She slides her hands out of her aunt's and backs away, but not soon enough. "Oh Wendy! You are frightfully thin. We must get some meat on your bones!" her aunt announces, examining her arm.
"She's just right, Millicent," Mrs. Darling argues. She is at the foot of the stairs, staring at her sister-in-law. "She is not frightfully thin." Aunt Millicent straightens and makes a sound like a bird squawking. "Shall we go now?" Wendy slips on her coat and they are out of the house in an instant.
Aunt Millicent treats Wendy and Mrs. Darling to a fancy breakfast at Chez Juliet. She orders Wendy a vast plate of food, which Wendy politely refuses. She cannot be saved though, because Aunt Millicent forces her to eat all of it. Wendy ends up with a horrible stomachache afterwards and Mrs. Darling tries her best to help her daughter. They are taken to a variety of shops and Wendy tries on dress after dress after dress. In addition to the dress, Aunt Millicent also buys her a pearl necklace. Wendy cannot protest because Aunt Millicent will not be swayed. The morning passes in a whirlwind until they find themselves in a ladies' boutique, similar to the one Peter was in. Mrs. Darling starts to quarrel with Millicent about something and Wendy wanders off to look at various perfumes. She hears bits of the fight, and she knows what they are talking about.
"Have you ever bought Wendy one?" Aunt Millicent asks.
"I did not think she needed one so soon," Mrs. Darling replies.
"All respectable ladies need it! Oh Mary, she should have started wearing one when she was thirteen!"
"I did not want her to go through so much pain. You cannot even breathe!"
"She will not suffer. She will be beautiful."
Wendy can nearly feel the corset digging into her torso. She puts her hand to her chest and gasps for air. "She wants me to eat more, yet she wants me to be thin at the same time!" Wendy sighs, shaking her head. "That is why the dress was so tight. I will wear a corset to make it fit right."
"Wendy," her aunt beckons and Wendy comes to her. Aunt Millicent sticks her nose in the air and shows Wendy to a row of corsets. "This is an essential part of your womanhood, Wendy." Millicent chooses a plain white one and it looks dreadfully painful. "We must be starting home now. The ball will commence in a couple of hours." Mrs. Darling kisses Wendy's forehead sympathetically. Aunt Millicent buys the corset and they return home, where the boys are eager to see what is hidden in the bags.
"It is none of your business," their aunt tells them as she ushers Wendy into her room. John sees the look of pure distaste on his sister's face before the door closes on them.
"Let them alone, children," Mrs. Darling orders and they file into the nursery, disappointed. Mr. Darling meets his wife downstairs and she tells him her complaints. Upstairs, Wendy is being fitted into her new corset.
"Now, Wendy, stand still," Aunt Millicent commands. Wendy is holding the bedpost, preparing herself for the worst. Her aunt drapes the corset around her waist and stomach and starts to pull on the drawstrings. "This may hurt a little." She starts to tighten the corset from the back by lacing the strings together in a knot. Wendy winces and sucks in her breath. Millicent pulls the strings firmly and Wendy cries out in pain. There is a great weight on her body and she puts her hand on her stomach. It is unnaturally flat. Aunt Millicent continues to tighten the corset until Wendy is forced to stand as straight as a board. Her torso aches terribly and she moans because of it. Aunt Millicent puts her hands on her waist.
"Ah, I can't breathe, Aunt Millicent. I can't..." Wendy pauses, closing her eyes. She breathes in short breaths of air and hesitates when a wave of nausea creeps through her body.
"That is the point, my dear. You'll get used to it in due time. I'm going to get your dress," Aunt Millicent laughs. She closes the door behind her and Wendy struggles to sit on her bed. She cannot do that. The door opens and her mother comes in.
"Mother, I feel ill," her daughter whispers. Mrs. Darling looks at the corset and realizes it is much too tight.
"She must be mad doing this. I'm so sorry, Wendy," she apologizes and starts to loosen the corset. Wendy is feeling light-headed and she leans against the bedpost. "Wendy, what is it?"
"Mother, I – I…" she falters and her vision becomes blurry. She never finishes her sentence though because she collapses to the floor and blacks out.
"WENDY!" Mrs. Darling stammers and tries to wake her daughter up. Mr. Darling rushes in, horrified and runs to get some cold water. Aunt Millicent waltzes back in to the room, and peers at her niece sprawled on the floor.
"Oh my…it must be pre-party jitters," she concludes.
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Peter is lounging in the living room with Charlie. "Who do you reckon will be there tonight?" Charlie asks.
"Everyone," he replies, taking a sip of wine. Tonight is the night he will see Wendy. He has been waiting to see her for so long. Three years can pass by so slowly if you let them. He wonders what she looks like now. "Do you know the Darling family?"
"Heard of 'em. Me father is their doctor."
"Really?" Peter's eyes brighten. "They have children, do they not?"
"Yes, a whole lot of 'em. Seven boys and one girl, I think. The girl is our age."
"Perhaps she'll be at the ball tonight."
"Yeah, perhaps. Oh, my sister will be wantin' to dance with you tonight. She told me that herself." Peter nods slowly. He likes Evelyn; she is a nice girl. But he can never love her. Wendy is his one desire. He wants to see her again, to see her smile. He knows love now. He has a family and friends. He just hopes that Wendy will have the feeling he has towards her when the time comes.
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Author's Note: I wrote this all day because I had to get it over with. I hoped you liked this chapter. What will happen to Wendy? When she fainted, I thought of "Pirates of the Caribbean" for a moment. LoL, I feel like sleeping too. Thanks to everyone who reviewed! 15 reviews! Yay! So…I'll update soon. Bye bye for now!