This story was written in response to a picture posted in the JE FF Facebook group with a request for someone to write a story around it. Peritales, this one is for you.

(SPOV)

WTF?

Mindful of the weight and width of my dress, I started down the stairs one slow step at a time, until I finally stepped down into my sister's living room. I stopped short at the sight of my ex-husband Dickie Orr standing in the foyer near the front door. Or at least I was pretty sure it was Dickie underneath the mass of black feathers and a weird-looking mask. I pointed a finger in his direction. "What in the hell is he doing here?"

"What is she doing here?" he asked at the same time.

Albert appeared in the kitchen doorway and glanced from me to Dickie and back before a look of guilt crossed his face. "Um…well, I rented a limo for the ride to the party, and I told Dickie he could come along with us."

I knew Albert had recently joined the same law firm where Dickie worked, but I had no idea they'd become best buds. "Considering your sister-in-law is also his ex-wife, you didn't think that information might be important to share? Didn't you learn about proper disclosure in law school?"

I'll admit, if he had told me ahead of time, it's entirely possible I would have made other arrangements. At the very least, I would have tried to drive myself. Though, I doubt it would have been possible in this dress.

Plus, would I really want to show up to this event by myself? It was bad enough I was going solo. At least arriving with a group would ease some of the sting of being alone.

I'd asked Uncle Joe about bringing a date and he'd said no. Only invitees who were married were allowed to bring their spouses. Everyone else was to come solo. His explanation for the stipulation had been that it would allow him to invite more donors for the charity auction. I wasn't sure I bought it, but since I wasn't seeing anyone right now, it meant I was going to the party alone.

After I settled into my new job and apartment in DC, I tried to date. I'd gone out with a couple of guys for coffee or dinner, but the fact remained, even two years later, I still wasn't over Ranger.

I stared at Albert as I considered my options. Was it worse to show up alone or with Dickie in tow?

Dressed as the matching queen of hearts outfit to Albert's King costume, Valarie walked into the room and stopped, a look of impatience on her face. "Cut Al a break, Steph. After all, I don't think he understood how deeply the animosity between you and Dickie ran when he agreed to share the limo."

Leave it to my sister to try and make me feel guilty for being upset after her husband blindsided me with this information. However, before I could think of a suitable reply, Dickie did something I would have never expected.

"You look beautiful in that butterfly dress, Steph."

My brows winged up as I turned to stare at him. Did he just compliment me? "Was that a compliment?"

He tilted his head to the side and shrugged. "Just speaking the truth."

Wow! Not once could I remember him ever complimenting me during our time together, either before or during our marriage. Not even on our wedding day. "Thank you. Your um…I'm sorry, but I don't know what you're supposed to be."

He looked down at his costume, then took off the bird mask and stared at it. "I'm the Raven. You know, Edgar Allen Poe?"

I hated to tell him that the costume made him look like a sick chicken instead of a raven. "Oh, that's the reason for the giant beak. Very…um…authentic."

He didn't look happy with my response and turned his attention to Albert. "Are we ready to go?"

Albert gave a nod, as Valarie's eyes widened. Oh boy, I knew that look. She'd developed an idea and wanted to share. "Since neither of you has a date, you could go together. You could be the characters from that Shinedown song, The Crow and the Butterfly."

I was shaking my head no before she was done talking. After hearing her say it out loud, I knew there was no way I would be seen as Dickie's date at this event. Even though I don't live here anymore, the last thing I wanted to do was give the burg nosy bodies fresh gossip.

"You know, Steph. That's not a bad idea," Dickie replied, confirming to me how horrible of an idea it was.

You have got to be kidding me. Leave it to Valarie to elevate my night to an entirely different level of suck. If I continued to argue against her idea, which they all seemed to love, I'd be the bad guy. If I agreed, I'd have to endure sharing the same air space as my ex-husband for the next few hours. Not to mention the field day my mother and others would have with seeing us together. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Would it matter what they all said? It wasn't like I lived here anymore. So, I wouldn't have to endure hearing about it for months after. With any luck, I'd be back in DC by noon tomorrow. "Fine, can we just go, please?"

Between the large wings, the giant crinoline, and multiple layers of fabric, it took a bit of effort to angle me into the limo without damaging me or the outfit. Honestly, if anyone else had sent me this dress to wear, I would have issued a polite thank you and promptly returned it. Don't get me wrong. It's a gorgeous dress. The intricate beading is amazing all by itself. Then add in how the orange fabric blends into greens, blues, and purples and trim the entire thing in black edging, making the colors pop.

However, the entire thing was a bit extravagant for my taste, and the multiple layers made it awkward and heavy to wear.

Since my godfather and honorary uncle Joe Juniak had sent it to me, I'd agreed to wear it without question. He's always had my back, including two years ago when I made everyone angry by moving to DC. So, if he wanted me to wear this dress specifically, then that's what I'd do.

Being the Mayor gave him the freedom to throw any type of party he wanted for his birthday. This year he chose to elevate the event by not only turning it into a masquerade ball but also a charity auction. So, when a delivery man showed up at my door with the dress Uncle Joe sent for me to wear, I didn't say no.

As the limo pulled away from the curb Dickie asked, "Have you seen your parents yet?"

I shook my head. "From what I hear from Mary Lou, mom is still angry with me for moving away instead of marrying Morelli. So, I thought it was best to just stay away."

"Just a word of warning, Steph," Val said. "They'll be at the party tonight."

"Great," I murmured as I turned to look out the window. I had enough to worry about without having to deal with my mother too.

"You know Morelli and his new wife will also be there," Dickie added. His tone of voice made me think he was hoping to add to my anxiety.

"That's fine." I waved a hand at him. "When I found out he got married, I sent him a wedding gift and included my contact information. He called me and we're good. I'm looking forward to meeting his new wife, Sarah. I hear she's a teller at the First Trenton National Bank."

"I heard through the burg grapevine that she's already pregnant," Valarie said.

"Good for them." I know how much Joe wanted to have kids and be a dad. Hopefully, he'd be a better father than his dad was to him. "I'm happy for them."

"So, if you're not worried about Morelli then why do you look like you're walking into your execution?" Val asked.

"I'm just a little concerned about how people will react at seeing me after being gone for two years." There was no need to tell her that I was more afraid about running into Lester and the crew. I wasn't nearly as worried about Ranger, since I had it on good authority that a year after I left, he'd returned to Miami and hadn't been back. Tank had gone with him, leaving Lester, Bobby, Cal, and Ram to run the Trenton office.

Twenty minutes later, the driver stopped the limo in front of the main building of the Trenton Country Club. With its giant pillars, black shutters, and grand front entrance, the white two-story building reminded me a lot of the mansion from Gone With The Wind.

With some help, I managed to exit the limo without face-planting. I adjusted my wings, hair, and mask, then barely managed to stifle a groan as Dickie offered me his arm. Not wanting to make a scene, I lightly wrapped my fingers around his bicep, and we made our way up the steps.

We weren't even through the door when I realized that Uncle Joe had hired Rangeman to handle the security. Fantastic! Dressed in simple tailored black-on-black suits with matching masks, Zip and Zero were working the door. I pulled the invitation from my bag and handed it to Zero. He looked at it and then shifted his attention to my face. "Steph?"

"It's good to see you, Zero," I said.

"You too," he replied as he handed me back the invitation. "Gorgeous dress."

"Thank you." Not much for socializing with the help, Dickie moved into the building, in turn, pulling me in with him. If Zip and Zero were here, that meant Lester and Bobby were also here…somewhere. My stomach was knotted at the idea of running into them as my mind drifted back to the last conversation I'd had with them, just shy of two years ago.

It was two weeks after I'd left Trenton when I opened my apartment door in DC to find two very pissed-off merry men staring back at me. I should have known that even with the FBI's help, I couldn't hide from them.

Knowing there wasn't any way to get around having the conversation, I'd invited them in. Lester had barely made it across the threshold before he started, "What the hell, Stephanie? You just leave in the middle of the night without telling anyone where you were going? We've been worried sick looking for you." The hurt expression on his face still haunted me.

To keep from tearing up in front of them, I turned away and looked out the window. Why did everyone have to try and make me feel guilty for just wanting to find some happiness in my life? "My dad, grandma, and Mary Lou all knew where I was going."

"So, we didn't even warrant a phone call?" Bobby asked, the pain in his voice pierced through me like a hot knife through butter, causing both a fresh shot of guilt and anger to flare. I'd spent years trying to make everyone happy; to live within the parameters others set for me. The result had been sadness, heartache, and guilt. Well, no more.

"I needed to get away and start fresh and if you guys knew I was leaving you would have tried to stop me."

"You don't know that," Lester argued. "And what about Ranger?"

"Yes, I do know that," I replied as I angled my hands on my hips. "And what about Ranger?"

"You're just going to disappear while he's in the wind? How is that fair to him? I thought you loved him?"

"I do love him, but I need more from him than he can give me, and my heart can't take another ride on his emotional roller coaster." I shook my head. "Your contact with the FBI made me a job offer I couldn't turn down. Please, Lester, if you guys care about me at all, you'll let me go without a fight and without following me."

"What do I tell Ranger?" he asked.

I crossed to the counter, where the letter I was going to mail to Ranger sat. I hadn't wanted to send it until it was closer to when he was expected to return. "Just give him this." With shaky fingers, I picked up the envelope and handed it to Lester. "It will explain everything."

He took the letter but kept his gaze locked on me. "It's really over between you two?"

I nodded, even as the tears began to build. "For my sanity, it has to be. I need more than he can give me, and I won't continue to live with a broken heart. I deserve better. I deserve to be happy."

Unfortunately, that's exactly what I had done for the past two years. Now, here I was, back in the place that caused all my pain. No way was I going to get through tonight without re-open a few old wounds.