After showering, Nora offered to help Beca with her hair. As Nora curled her hair, Beca applied her make-up and they talked like mother and daughter. Beca couldn't help but think that it should be her mother helping her to get ready even though she was more than happy that Nora was with her.
Beca decided to wear her grandmother's pearl necklace, bracelet and earrings for the party, but when it came to the dress her mother chose for her she wanted no part of it. Nora took the dress out of the bag and commented on how beautiful it was. Beca's response was, "Ppffttt, maybe for a debutant. In case you haven't noticed, I'm not exactly Cinde-fricken-rella."
"I know dear, but your mother picked it out special for you." Nora said as she zipped up the dress. Beca turned to see herself in the full length mirror and made a face.
"Yuck! Get this baby pink crap off of me! It's burning my flesh!"
Nora chuckled, "A little over dramatic don't you think?"
"I want it off! I can pick my own clothes."
Nora unzipped the dress and put it back on the hanger while Beca disappeared into her closet. A few minutes later, Beca came out wearing a knee length strapless navy eyelet dress and a wide brown belt. "There…that feels better." She said.
Nora stood shaking her head as Beca pulled on her brown cowboy boots with gold sequin inlaid designs. "Honey, are you sure that's what you should wear?"
"But Nanny…you always told me to be myself. This is me." She said gesturing to her dress and boots. "You told me to never change for anyone."
She nodded, "You're right. You look absolutely beautiful. Let's finish you hair real quick." Nora got to work finishing up Beca's hair. She pulled the top up and touched up a few of the curls.
Her mother gasped when she came down the stairs for the party. "Rebeca! Where is your dress?"
"I'm wearing it."
"Don't sass me young lady. That's not the dress I bought and you know it."
"But this is what I want to wear. This is what I'm comfortable wearing. If you don't like it, I'll be more than happy to skip this shindig you threw together."
"Quit being ridiculous. You can wear that dress."
Beca smiled, once again she had gotten her way.
"Beca!" her father called.
"Yes Dad."
"Can you come here please?"
"Sure." She rolled her eyes. "Here it comes." She thought. "The coming of age, respect yourself and your body talk." "Yeah Dad." She said as she entered her father's study.
"Close the door and have seat please." Her father took a deep cleansing breath and began, "Beca, I have something to tell you."
"Ok, I'm listening."
"Baby, your mother and I have done something that is going to affect the rest of your life."
"Oh great…lemme guess, I'm being shipped off to finishing school?"
"No" he said struggling to find the words. He knew she was going to blow up. There was no easy way to have this conversation.
"Dad…what's going on?"
"I'm just going to spit it out. Here goes…" he said, "Beca, your mother and I have promised your hand in marriage to Luke Babineaux."
"YOU DID WHAT?!" Beca screeched as she jumped up out of the chair she was sitting in. Her mother heard her from the other room and knew Tripp delivered the news. This was not going to be good, she was sure to run out on the party.
"Beca…let me explain. Please." Beca with a scowl on her face and her hands on her hips said, "This better be good." She thought.
Her father reminded her about how he and her mother met and fell in love but then he went into a story about why they couldn't be together; a story that until now, she and her sister had never heard.
"Your grandfather owed Governor Babineaux a gambling debit that he couldn't repay. When he and his cronies came to collect Pop had no way to pay them and he was beaten pretty badly. Upon seeing the picture of your mother from her coronation, Governor Babineaux said that he would waive the debt if your mother would agree to marry his son Eli."
"So, what in the hell does any of that have to do with me?"
"Your mother wanted to marry for love, not to repay a debt that her father owed. Beca, your mother and I fell in love; it wasn't planned. She told me about the agreement and said that she would speak to Eli. When she did, Eli told her that he would release her from the agreement if she promised her first born to his. She asked for time to think about it. When she spoke to me I wasn't crazy about the idea, but I was and am head over heels in love with your mother. I reluctantly agreed."
"So, Mom gets to marry for love and I get to be the sacrificial lamb."
"Beca, sweetheart…that's not true. I love you more than life itself…."
She cut him off, "Yeah, you love me so fuckin' much that you're willing to throw me to the wolves! Listen to me and listen to me good..." She said through clentched teeth while leaning over her father's desk, "I WILL NOT MARRY LUKE! So, go find yourself some other lamb to repay Pop's debt." She turned on her heel, flung the door open and ran out. She ran up to her room, got her guitar and left the house. There was no way in hell this was happening to her right now. "How could they do this to me?"
"Beca…" her Dad called after her, "Beca…come back!" Her father sat down at his desk and buried his face in his hands. "What have I done?"
Beca ran straight for the stables and started to saddle up Whiskey. She sobbed as the realization of everything her father told her hit. Throwing her guitar over her back, she climbed the ladder then onto Whiskey and took off out of the stable like a bat out of hell. Jesse heard the commotion and looked out of the window just in time to see her and Whiskey galloping away.
"Weird." He thought. "Her party starts in 30 minutes. Where is she going?" Something must have happened, but he didn't know what. He decided to give her some space. "If she's not back when the party starts, I'll go after her." He told himself.
When Beca arrived at the creek, her face was stained with tears. She was so mad she could spit nails. She dismounted Whiskey and tied him to the tree nearest the creek. She removed her boots and socks before sitting on a large rock, dangled her feet into the cool water and began singing,
"Who doesn't know what I'm talking about
Who's never left home, who's never struck out
To find a dream and a life of their own
A place in the clouds, a foundation of stone
Many precede and many will follow
A young girl's dream no longer hollow
It takes the shape of a place out west
But what it holds for her, she hasn't yet guessed
She needs wide open spaces
Room to make her big mistakes
She needs new faces
She knows the high stakes"
Tears overcame her. "What am I going to do? I love Jesse. I see a future with him, not Luke."
Jesse took off 30 minutes later to find Beca. He knew exactly where she had gone so it shouldn't be hard to find her. She was exactly where he thought she would be. He rode up, he dismounted Dakota and she hadn't even noticed or turned around. She looked so beautiful in the moonlight. He wanted nothing more than to take her in his arm and tell her everything was going to be alright but he didn't know what happened so he really couldn't say for certain that it would be ok.
Not wanting to frighten her, eased toward her and quietly called her name. "Beca."
Turning at the sound of her name, she sniffled, "Yeah" Jesse was standing there looking and smelling absolutely delicious. He was wearing a freshly starched long sleeve white button down dress shirt and dark wash jeans. "My knight in shining armor."she thought. "And he looks amazing."
"Are you ok?"
Turning back around to face the creek she said, "No and please don't tell me they sent you to find me and drag me to the party."
"No, they didn't. No one knows I left."
"Good." she said patting the spot on the rock next to her. Jesse sat next to her and waited for her to tell him what was wrong. When she didn't say anything, he didn't or pressure her. With Beca it was always best for her to come to you about things. If you asked or applied pressure she would blow up in your face. He reached over and took her hand.
"Well, if you aren't going to go to your party, then I'm going to dance in the moonlight with you."
"Are you serious?"
"Yeah...come on." He said standing up.
"You promise not to step on my toes."
"I promise."
"Well alright."
Jesse placed his left arm around her waist and her left hand in his right. She placed her head on his chest and they started to sway as he hummed a tune.
"What song is that?" she asked.
He stopped humming and started singing where he left off:
"Soft moonlight on your face oh how you shine
It takes my breath away
Just to look into your eyes
I know I don't deserve a treasure like you
There really are no words
To show my gratitude"
She couldn't believe he was singing to her. The words and the tune were absolutely amazing, but she still couldn't place the song. "Oh God, being in his arms feel so right, so absolutely amazing. And he smells so damn good. I just want to stay in this moment forever."
"So I tip my hat to the keeper of the stars
He sure knew what he was doin'
When he joined these two hearts
I hold everything
When I hold you in my arms
I've got all I'll ever need
Thanks to the keeper of the stars"
As much as it pained her to remove her head from his chest, she did so she could look into his eyes as he sang.
"It was no accident me finding you
Someone had a hand in it
Long before we ever knew"
"Thank you." she said affectionately.
"You're welcome. Happy Birthday Beca." he said as he allowed himself to kiss her lightly on the lips. Neither one realized that they were still swaying to the sound of the crickets. They were so caught up in each other that nothing else and no one else mattered. They were in their own little world and they were both content to stay there.
Beca woke up in Jesse's arms the next morning. They had spent the night looking up at the stars. She was in no real hurry to get up but knew what would be waiting for her back at the house. She knew that her parents had already figured out that Jesse was also missing so they were going to be facing the Spanish Inquisition when they got back.
Leaning up on her right elbow, she whispered "Mornin' Cowboy."
Without opening his eyes, he stretched and smiled, "Mornin' Beautiful."
"Jess, we need to get the horses back to the stable."
"Ugh... ok. Just give me a few minutes." he said kissing the tip of her nose.
"Ok." she said snuggling back into his chest.
A few minutes later they were on their way to the stables. They didn't ride quickly, they rode slowly enjoying the last little bit of time they had alone. Jesse reached over and held her hand for part of the ride back. They were able to get back to the stables without anyone noticing they were back. With the horses safely back in their stalls and it was time to acknowledge what was happening between them.
"I hope I wasn't too forward when I kissed you last night."
"Not at all." she said. "In fact, it was really nice. I enjoyed it."
"Good, I did too." he said snaking his arms around her waist.
"I have to go."
"I know you do. See you soon?"
"For sure!" she said with a wink as she headed toward the house.
A/N:
The song Beca sang is 'Wide Open Spaces' by The Dixie Chicks
The song Jesse sang to Beca is 'Keeper of the Stars' by Tracy Byrd