Authors Note: I own nothing. No ownership rights to Beverly Hills 90210.
Chapter Eighteen
The phone rang as I was putting on the last silver bangle on my wrist. It was the only jewellery that Val had approved, well that my ring and a simple dangly pair of earrings. I had tried for a choker, fearing that the red silk slip dress that just stopped high enough to get a glimpse of my strappy silver heals was too simple. It's scooped neck and shoe string straps didn't give much of a focal point. When I said that, Val had immediately taken the necklace off me and pointed to my barely an inch of cleavage on display and then moved down my body to wear the dress clung giving me shape.
"Bren, trust me. That dress it's hot because it's not fussy, it's sexy because it's just you and not much else. Honestly, no focal point is needed, most of the guy's will be too focused on you moving trying to figure out if you are even wearing underwear, it clings perfectly."
She said it so proudly, I blushed. My red cheeks just made her laugh; she couldn't understand why I did not want that to be the predominant thought. It was the difference between Val and me.
Val was heavy handed in everything. She flew in on the Thursday while I was at school, and had insisted I was not allowed to purchase my dress until I got approval from her. Andrea and I had gone shopping on the weekend and put dresses on hold. Andrea's a black one, that was very pretty. Me I put three, a short silver one, a blush long silk dress that was still shoestring strapped but had a more structured skirt, and the red silk slip dress. After school the three of us went to collect the dresses, and for Val to choose one.
She immediately spotted a Calvin Klein from his 1992 spring line. It had blue silver lace flowers over an attached nude slip. It was pretty, sexy but still conservative, well except for the obvious cups built into the dress that were a feature. With her short bob, and a light pink nude lip she was going to look fantastic. She though felt it was a dress that wouldn't steal the limelight away from Andrea and me. Andrea and I both laughed as she went to get changed, she was delusional.
Val vetoed the silver one, with a "nice idea but not for this occasion, and not after this year." When I tried the blush gown she gave me, "well that's better, a dark clutch, your hair up and then from a far you'll look almost naked." I vetoed that one. The red though, when I walked out she immediately pushed me back inside the change room. "Take it off right now, that's the one I won't accept any other dress we need to buy it before someone else tries to."
Her heavy handedness extended to poor Andrea as well. She looked at her leaving the dressing room in her long black dress and asked her to spin. "It's beautiful, but do you feel it?" Andrea had replied with I feel pretty, Val had clarified what she believed a good dress should make you feel, "but not powerful or sexy?" Andrea said no I don't ever feel that way. Val sent her into the change room to wait. Andrea being a good sport tried on a Calvin dress that had one shoulder was firming fitting and white; it wasn't wow enough for Val. A satin silver halter dress that went to the floor; that looked amazing, but Val thankfully could tell left Andrea a little uncomfortable. When she found my blush dress in a dark teal Val took it straight to Andrea, the dress was perfect it made her look tanned and brought out the highlights in her hair. Andrea loved it.
Thinking the ordeal was over with the dresses now bought, Andrea was shocked to hear I wasn't dropping her off home straight away. I was ordered to go straight to Casa Walsh. As I curled my hair aiming for a different look, Val style Andrea's. It was decided that tied up was too sophisticated, she already carried herself with a maturity beyond her years, Val said prom was a night of fun. Her bangs were pushed to the side to shape her face and then Val decided that her natural curl was stunning, with a little product to enhance it, the dress, her make up done, and with a red lip, she'd look fantastic.
Val then preceded to paint Andrea's nails while the two chatted about life on the East Coast, I focused on finishing my hair. When I declared it was done and turned around to show it Val just said, "no. You look like you've been electrocuted. Your hair goes halfway down your spine with amazing bangs why on earth do you want to make it look like it barely touches your shoulders?" My protests were ignored she simply brushed it out leaving these large beach's waves. It was my normal hair, but fuller with these big curls that gave my hair shape. When she parted my bangs to sit still on my forehead but to the sides of my face to give a greater focus to the dark long curls I knew she was right. "You can say thank you now." As she was gloating, I stuck my tongue out at her in the mirror; something I hadn't done since we were kids, though I did thank her afterwards.
As I was just checking that the bangle's worked with the whole outfit, Brandon knocked and came in. "Wow, Bren you look amazing! Dad's going to hate that dress though."
"Yeah, that's what I told Val. She gave me a shawl to wear around my arms; she's confiscating it though when we are in the limo."
He laughs, "typical bossy Val- god I missed her." He hold's out the phone. "Andrea is on it, I think it's a girl emergency as she seems a little upset and asked for you."
As I grab the phone I say thanks.
"Andrea what's wrong? You know if you are panicking about her or makeup we can fix it on the limo ride to Kyle's. It's coming here first, then yours to get you and Jordan, then Josh's, followed by Steve's."
"No, I'm all ready. Mum came over and helped. I look, well I feel powerful and beautiful as Val told me I should. It's Jordan he just rang, he's been trying to fight off the flu for two day's and didn't want to tell me. He's been dossing himself up on cold and flu tablets, but they aren't helping. He sounds terrible and has a temperature. Bren I can't go to Prom I have no date, and I don't want to go alone like I did to the Spring Dance."
"Andrea you are so going to prom. Come on we practically hang out with half the football team on a regular basis, there must be one of them free."
"Kyle's going with Kelly, Tony decided to invite that cheerleader from the junior class when he realised everyone else was going. Brandon's got Val, David's got Donna, you are going with Josh, Steve with Celeste, the other's have girlfriends, there is no one."
"That's not true. Hold on a sec." I go to the hallway and yell for Brandon, who had been kicked out of his room so Val and I could have the bathroom and both rooms to get ready in. He got Mum and Dad's ensuite. He quickly comes up the stairs.
"What's up?"
"Is Dylan still in town? He's not going to Prom right- Val's been giddy about it. He hasn't gone off to Baja for the weekend?"
"No, he's got AA in the morning and counselling after that. He's trying to maintain a pretty consistent routine these days."
"Great thanks." He gives me weird eyes and follows me back into the bedroom as I put the phone to my ear. "Dylan call him up. He owns a tux and he can take you."
"Brenda, I can't it will be too weird. We are sharing a limo and are on the same table, I couldn't even move us to the second table as it would put him sitting on Kyle's table with Kelly."
"Andrea, you are going to prom, and Dylan… I know you have been talking to him about his writing. I read his piece in the Blaze. I know you guys are good friends, he will show you a good night."
"But it will be weird-"
"No it won't. Look we are going to Kyle's with the football guy's for canapés and then David asked us to stop by his Dad's where him and Donna will be. Kelly has to go because of Mel, well that's what Kyle said so his thing will be for a half hour. Call Dylan now. Tell him to meet us at Mel's. It will give him enough time to shower and allow for him to style his hair-"
"He leaves it more natural these day's."
"Tell him to style it. It's your prom, there will be pictures."
"Bren I can't say that."
"Okay you go invite him, I'll get Brandon to call him to make sure he's aware of the address."
"Brenda are you really okay with this? Josh and you-"
"Andrea, I want you at our prom, I want you to have fun. I'm not registering anything else right now. Go call, I'll be fine."
"Thank you, you are an amazing friend."
When I hang up Brandon walks closer, I see Val leaning in the doorframe of our bathroom. "You sure about this?"
"No, but Jordan has the flu. Everyone we know is now going with someone, even Tony asked the cheerleader last night. He's the only option."
"Want me to call and lay some ground rules?"
"No. It's fine. Can I have a minute though? The limo should be here in five, I'm sure Mum and Dad would like to take photos of you two."
"I'm sure Aunt Cindy will want the triplets."
"Tell them I'll be down in a few minutes. I just wanted to spray my hair one more time and check my purse."
"Okay sis. Val shall we?"
He holds out his arm, and she walks to him. As they leave the room I can hear them snapping at each other the whole way. Val annoyed that he had not said anything about her dress, how she looks. He tells her she looks good, fine. She doesn't like that response.
I feel partially bad for my brother, he really does not know what to do with a grown up Val. It's like she messes with his compass direction. It's been a hilarious twenty-four watching it. Val has enjoyed it most of all.
When they are downstairs I breathe, now that the panic of solving the problem is over I'm left with the reality I've created.
I pick up the phone and dial.
I'm just hanging out my old tux from the Spring Dance when the phone rings two minutes after I hung up with Andrea. I assume it's her calling me back.
"Hello."
No one say's anything but I hear the breath, I know that breath. I sit on my bed. Maybe she has changed her mind. Maybe she doesn't want to be in a room with me, be at the same table as me. I had already declined Andrea's suggestion the I join them in the limo from Mel's. Andrea will now ride those few blocks with me in the Porsche.
She hasn't said anything by her third breath. "You know I can call her back and say no. I don't want this to ruin your night." My words spark a response.
"No, Andrea should be there… and you should be there as well. Have you got your tux?" She knew I had it, it was a special tux it was our tux, I was never getting rid of it, or maybe she thought after the park I had.
"Yeah I got it out, it's already hanging in the bathroom so the steam can freshen it up while I shower." She taught me that, the steam she said helps make the material less tight. "I'm just looking for my grandpa's cufflinks."
"They should be in the right hand draw in the cabinet next to the dinning table. You used to leave them around, I was always scared you would lose one."
I stand and go to the draw. I push past the receipts and find photos of us; it's a draw I've been avoiding for months. Under a picture of us sitting in the car in Baja I find them. "Thanks, I got them."
Iris gives me strange eyes from the kitchen as I move back into my room with my cufflinks and a pile of photos. "So let's try and not make this weird, it's everyone's night, no one needs the drama that is you and me, or you and-"
I stop her, I want Kelly to no longer have any association with us. "Okay, no weirdness. Does that mean we can talk? You know as a group- not that I don't want to talk to you personally, I have so much I want to talk to you about-"
"Let's stick with the group conversation. You and I have a way…"
"Yeah, I know." Our way was to be real, talk our emotions out. With Bren and I, there was no shortage of emotion, we tended to get lost in each other.
"Okay good. So it's settled, we will avoid drama, talk as a group and leave the rest alone."
"Yeah, I can do that."
We breathe a few more breaths together, god I've missed that sound, I missed her. "I should go as I think the limo has arrived."
"Yeah I should probably go have a shower. Thanks for the cufflinks."
"No problem. I guess I'll see you at Mel's, do you have the address?"
"Yeah, it's near the waterfront. Near where… I know the area." She gets the reference.
"Are you going to be okay? You could meet at the hotel if that's easier."
"Bren, it's the Bel Age, there is only one suite in that hotel that contains nothing but positive memories. Every other place is marked with fights, drunken screaming matches… mistake's. I'll be okay."
"Okay, if you are sure." There's a noise like someone is yelling from far away. "I should really go, they're calling for me, and we still need to go and collect everyone and you need to shower and do your hair." I smile, that right there, that was my Bren. That was my girl.
Before I leave my house, I make sure that my hair was perfect. That my cuffs were on. That my watch and it's watch chain with medallion were all on. I even checked my wallet rubbing my half over the heart for luck.