Shane and Oliver's First Christmas Postal Ball
By
BPlusWriter
On my way to writing another SSD fan-fiction, and still fascinated with SSD For Christmas, I decided to take a turn at describing the infamous USPS Christmas Ball dance between Oliver and Shane with a short prequel and an epilogue also to add a little originality. Other fan fiction writers have led the way and done that well, but I hope this adds to your enjoyment of that moment Martha Williamson wrote so marvelously and Eric Mabius and Kristin Booth so delightfully gave us. Some of you may be familiar with my other fan fiction about For Christmas and this is similar but slightly different. I did not try to match the emotions and actions in a following chapter style but rather a compatible stand-alone story. I own none of these characters. If you read this little story, thank you, Martha Williamson, for allowing us POstables to write about your beautifully crafted characters and stories. This story takes place just before, during and after the Postal Ball, the day before Christmas Eve which was the day of the POstables' Christmas pageant. That makes it the day before my other Christmas story. The pageant is not included at all here.
Shane put down the mascara, gave herself a last critical look in the mirror and then picked up the lipstick she had chosen, identified by its name "Kissable," and applied the lipstick expertly. A memory of an almost kiss in the dimness of growing evening when she and Oliver danced in the DLO came to mind. Resolutely, Shane pushed the memory away. She was going to have fun dining and dancing with her friends at the Postal Ball tonight. She was not going to think about that night when she could have sworn Oliver came close to kissing her while they danced to "And So It Goes", the contemplatively worded melodious song by Billy Joel.
She moved to the bedroom to get dressed. She did not want to keep Rita waiting. Rita had come to go with her so they could arrive at the ball together. An Uber should be here soon. She looked forward to her short vacation to Arizona where she planned to relax for five days without mail and the cold Colorado weather. For tonight, her long flowing red dress with a low-cut but still modest decolletage hung on the closet door, her high-heeled black shoes were somewhere nearby.
This would be the first time Oliver had seen her in formal attire. He would surely not be surprised at her choice of the holiday dress that hugged her curves in very flattering ways. She wondered if Oliver planned to dance tonight. She wondered if he ever wished he had completed the lessons or if he was happy with having achieved the goal of learning enough to call himself competent.
Even at the beginning of the dance lessons they started together Shane thought Oliver was already dancing well. Working with Ramon appeared to give Oliver more confidence and self-assurance in his ability to guide her around the dance floor.
Shane and Oliver had not talked about dancing in any serious way since she had adroitly dropped the knowledge that canceling the dance lessons had disappointed her when Oliver suggested going to a seminar on mail, and really she was the only one who had anything to say. The subject of dancing had come up when they were temporarily locked in the bank vault, but it was not personal. Still, Shane spent a lot of time thinking about dancing with Oliver. She had thought especially about the dance in the DLO cut short when Oliver abruptly stopped with the lame excuse of tiredness while turning off the record player.
The fight between them that suddenly erupted several days later had its beginning in a discussion of his reason for ending the dance lessons but quickly evolved into uncharted territory regarding his absent wife. Shane did not want to ever go there again. Several weeks later, Oliver had asked her to dance while they attended the wedding and reception of Bobby and Ellie. There had been no dip, but Shane had felt very well aware of Oliver's arms around her and his eyes held hers with a warmth that seemed to say "I remember".
Shane shivered a little as she zipped up the dress. As chance would have it, Shane had not had an opportunity to dance since then. Well, that wasn't strictly true. About a dozen postal coworkers had decided to hold an impromptu party at the Mailbox Grille one evening and dancing had started. Brett, a new mail carrier, had asked her to dance but she said no, a bit concerned Oliver might walk in and get the wrong idea.
But tonight was going to be different! Shane was in the mood to enjoy herself to the extent she ever enjoyed the Christmas holidays, which wasn't much, but she was determined to dance and dine with enjoyment, no matter what Oliver thought. So, if that included dancing, so be it! She should at least use the skill she had gained during those short few weeks she took dancing lessons with Oliver.
Shane wouldn't mind dancing with Oliver tonight if he asked her. She had been quite startled to see him silently appear in the DLO this afternoon, already dressed in his tuxedo for the postal ball tonight. Shane thought Oliver always looked every inch the gentleman in his work attire three piece suit and tie, complete with pocket square, but seeing him in the black tuxedo and bowtie, snowy-white shirt, black overcoat and white silk scarf he looked even more impressively the gentleman than usual.
No, Shane wouldn't mind taking his hand and arm to take a spin around the dance floor. She couldn't help but think they did make a better than average looking couple.
Shane began the fevered hunt for her shoes under the bed while continuing to think about Oliver. Nothing appeared to have changed in Oliver's relationship with his absent wife, although he hadn't said anything at all about her. But given the fact that she wasn't with Oliver, obviously the relationship was still on life support.
Despite whatever obscure reasoning Oliver had arrived at that which caused him to cancel the showcase, this evening's activities revolved around dancing in part, so Oliver could easily be excused from any perceived wrongdoing to participate. Shane did think Oliver stood head and shoulders above the average dancer she had partnered with. With whom she had partnered, Shane silently corrected herself. At least Oliver could claim he had influenced her grammar, if not her dancing, thought Shane with a grin on her face. He may have hurt her feelings when he canceled the showcase dance then but she was over that now. At least mostly.
Shane would always be curious about what made her boss tick because it was in her nature to be curious and she did care about him very much (she refused to use the word 'love' to describe her feelings), but she had about given up trying to figure out Oliver O'Toole. Even though she knew he had mailed his letter to Holly months ago, it was as if it never happened. Nothing changed in his life that she could tell. He still remained an enigma. She was a little tired of always wondering and waiting for the other shoe to drop. However, she was curious whether he had danced with anyone else since then or if he was holding back in readiness should Holly suddenly show up. She shrugged. Regardless of what was going on in Oliver's private life, Shane was going to enjoy the evening with friends, fun and food. Maybe she would dance with Jordan. He seemed nice.
Digging under the bed one more time for the shoes, Shane took this opportunity to communicate with Rita. Loudly, Shane said, "Rita! I'm almost ready! I'll be down soon!"
Shane heard Rita respond to her but did not hear her words. That was ok. She'd be down soon enough. Not finding the black shoes Shane grabbed a pair of white high-heeled shoes and put them on. In turn, that necessitated changing purses so she would be carrying a small formal white purse instead of the black one she had already readied. Turning off the lights Shane headed downstairs.
Rita saw her first. "Shane! You look fabulous!"
"Thank you, Rita! And that dress looks divine on you!" As Shane spoke she gave Rita an approving look. Rita did indeed look stunning. Shane might not have any romantic love life of her own, but she could busy herself pushing Rita and Norman together. Shane moved around the living room and kitchen checking lights and the stovetop prior to leaving for the evening. She hastily glanced at the contemporary oval-shaped wall clock with its bold black and white numbers for the time as she heard the Uber drive up.
"Oh, do you really think so, Shane?" Rita asked a little anxiously. "I've never had a dress so…" Rita looked down at herself as if to find inspiration to describe herself.
"Well, it's about time you did have a dress so gorgeous!" Shane said reassuringly. "I can't wait to see Norman when he sees you! His eyes will pop out of his head!"
Rita laughed. "Well, I hope that doesn't happen, but I do hope he likes it as well as the red and green and gold dress I usually wear! He always compliments me when I wear it!"
Shane quickly put on her black fur coat, a gift from her mother, and retorted, "Well, if Norman doesn't appreciate you in this dress, somebody will! Let's go!"
Several hours earlier, Oliver stood in front of the full-length mirror, now dressed in snowy white shirt and black tuxedo pants after just showering. He combed his spiky hair and reached for the tuxedo bowtie on his dresser.
Oliver was reminded that the last formal event he had planned to attend should have been the dance showcase with Ms. McInerney. This was not the same tuxedo because the dance showcase was held in late summer and it was now the cold depths of December. Ordinarily, there would have been a wedding to sing for, or maybe an outing at a charitable event to sing for during the holiday season, but this fall there had been nothing, or at least nothing in which he cared to participate. Dale had noticed his somewhat reclusive tendencies and asked him if everything was alright. Oliver had been surprised, and said he was fine, he had just been busy. And it was true.
The POstables had been extraordinarily busy now that their reputation as a special task force had been firmly established by Rebecca Starkwell. The workload increase was noticeable but manageable. The POstables had developed the habit of eating together at the Mailbox Grille on Wednesday evenings and once in a while went for drinks or coffee and even for dinner sometimes somewhere else on weekends. These started out as after work casual work sessions where they bounced around ideas for resolving their current mail research project; Shane jumping online now and then. These evenings eventually evolved into casual meals to unwind after the stress of the day without having the distractions of the hustle and bustle of the post office at large or Glynis, the annoyingly bossy post office manager.
Once in awhile, Ramon joined them for a drink or two if they were at the Mailbox Grille. There had been no dancing.
Oliver had given much thought to that DLO dance with Ms. McInerney over the last few months. Tonight's event was a ball and since he and Ms. McInerney, Norman and Rita were going to spend the evening together it made sense that at some point they might dance. However, it was Ms. McInerney's first postal ball so he did not know what to expect. He had overheard her and Rita talking about it off and on for weeks, so he knew she was looking forward to it. The dinner should be worth attending the event regardless.
The bowtie in place satisfactorily, Oliver now put his coat on and reached for the pocket square neatly laid on his dresser. As he began to fold it his mind once again returned to the question of dancing with Ms. McInerney. He had long ago decided that the sudden desire to kiss Ms. McInerney during the DLO dance practice was an aberration, a temporary lapse into madness caused by conditions that could cause anyone to experience those feelings. Her nearness, her warmth, her perfume, the growing darkness, the silent room filled with the romantic music, lyrics that spoke of longing. Those conditions had all contributed to feelings that could normally have led to more overt expressions of a romantic nature if he had been with his wife. Surely it was Holly he had been thinking of since it was for Holly whom he was learning to dance. And yet, had it? a small voice in his head asked.
At any given time, Ms. McInerney's presence in his mind was seldom far from the surface. He was reminded of her smile and bright laugh when he saw something he thought she would appreciate, like a child teaching his hapless father how to use some feature on his cell phone, or the young lady who balanced a large and complicated coffee order for her office every morning. He seldom mentioned these moments to Ms. McInerney; he did not want her to know he thought of her that often outside of work demands.
He did feel ashamed that he had allowed things to get as far as they did in the DLO dance; it was not fair to Ms. McInerney. He had recognized the unmistakable look of questioning on her face, a face so close to his that a kiss had all but been inevitable until he regained his normally iron-tight composure; silenced the music, quickly said good night and exited the DLO.
Yes, deciding to end the dance lessons with Ms. McInerney had been the right thing to do, although he regretted the necessity. He also regretted the awful argument they had the following Monday on the porch of the Little Switzerland store. He and Ms. McInerney had argued before but this one had become personal. Canceling the dance lessons had been bad enough but the harsh words he had flung at her had hurt her much worse, of that he was absolutely sure. Oliver knew he was not perfect, and he knew that when his anger was aroused, he could be very unpleasant.
He did not wait long to gingerly begin apologetic motions there in the mountains so hopefully that had helped. They had not discussed the argument, the dance, the lessons or showcase again, although he had asked her to dance at Bobby and Ellie's wedding. The first dance selection had been a favorite song of Oliver's and he couldn't resist the urge to put his new dance steps into action. It didn't hurt that this gave him the perfect opportunity to hopefully ensure any lingering resentment Ms. McInerney might still harbor toward him was dispelled. This time, there had been no sizzling dip, just a smooth, practiced dance that he and Ms. McInerney were able to perform without incident.
It was true that Shane, Ms. McInerney, had referenced her disappointment in ending the dance lessons during her monologue on the merits of "fun" in life several weeks later, so he supposed she had enjoyed the dance lessons enough to want to put the dance skills into action at some point. And he might dance with Ms. McInerney again sometime but not alone in the DLO. He wished he didn't feel the sudden regret that thought instantly brought.
Oliver put the pocket square in its place, looked at himself in the mirror one more time and reached for his overcoat. Yes, if the opportunity presented itself he would dance with Ms. McInerney tonight, just for dance practice, of course, and hopefully allow Ms. McInerney to feel that the dance lessons had not been wasted. Maybe with Rita too, although he knew Rita was much more anxious to get the chance to dance with Norman if Norman had the courage to ask her. Oliver might dance with a few other ladies like his friend, the head of passports, Eleanor, as well, but it was the idea of dancing with Ms. McInerney that made him look forward to the ball more than it had in years past.
His conscience took this moment to kick in and he reminded himself he needed to practice in case Holly came back anytime soon. Oliver did not linger on that thought. He had wished and pined and longed for Holly to return a long time now and he was beginning to think that might be a waste of time. He was reminded of the unpleasant knowledge Ms. McInerney had uncovered: his wife had signed a three-year lease on an apartment in Paris and had not thought it important enough to let him know.
And, Holly's absence at Christmastime, a time most loved ones and families are together, made Oliver feel more lonely than usual although he tried not to think about it. He tried not to relive this time last year, the first year Holly was gone, when he agonized between being angry at Holly for not letting him know her plans for the holiday or fear that circumstances might be preventing that. The feelings for Holly this year had by now been dulled by the absence of expectations, but the loneliness persisted when his friends from church or the post office talked excitedly about their plans for family gatherings and special events.
The bright spot in the celebrations was the excellent performance of his department where letters to Santa were answered with speed and care. His goal, the same as every year, was to have every letter to Santa answered by Christmas Eve so that no child would feel forgotten at Christmastime. It was the best way he could celebrate Christmas, and do his job, considering he had no family of his own to whom to devote his attention.
With that thought in mind, Oliver remembered he had one last delivery to make. Buttoning up his overcoat, he picked up the brightly wrapped package on the side table and headed to the car.
Oliver stared. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. He was at the USPS Postal Ball standing with Norman and Rita exchanging greetings and chitchat when he noticed Miss McInerney taking the hand of a gentleman who pulled her into a dance. The man was a stranger to Oliver, who found that odd because Oliver had been with the USPS Denver Office for many years and knew everyone by sight if not by name. Of course, there could be postal employees from other branches in attendance although postal employees usually chose to attend their own branch Christmas celebrations with friends and coworkers. Watching the graceful moves of Miss McInerney, Oliver was moved by an uneasy emotion he had not felt in a long time, if ever. Other people more versed in the matters of the heart would have had no hesitation is calling that feeling the green-eyed monster. Who was this stranger dancing with his Miss McInerney? Oliver was so overcome by the sudden need to "punch" something, which was an unfamiliar feeling for him as well, that he did not pause to notice the incongruity of thinking of the employee who provided tech services in his department as both possessively "his" while at the same time keeping his distance by using her formal name even in his thoughts.
Oliver had moved his little group to the punch table where he downed numerous cups of the sweet cranberry flavored cold punch. It was not making him feel better. Norman and Rita stood nearby, happily engaging in a bit of innocent flirtation with each other, and apparently enjoying their exchange too much to want the punch. Rita suddenly noticed Oliver seemed obsessed with the punch and reminded him there were stronger drinks available. Oliver's gentle reproof concerning mixing dancing and drinking did not seem to register with either of his colleagues. It was really more of an excuse to remain where he was, with his excellent view of Miss McInerney, who seemed to be having a very good time dancing to the classic music, "Stranger in the Night", ironically apt at the moment. It wasn't until he noticed that the dance steps Ms. McInerney was sharing with the stranger were the same ones he and she had learned together under Ramon's eagle eye, that Oliver decided enough was enough. He was putting a stop to this now. Oliver practically shoved his cup at Norman and headed straight toward Miss McInerney and her unknown dance partner.
The feeling that resembled heated animosity at large and specifically aimed at a tall stranger, stayed with Oliver as he tapped on that gentleman's shoulder, observing the polite rules of comportment as he asked to dance with Miss McInerney. The stranger let go of Miss McInerney and Oliver's heart started beating more normally as he was introduced to Jordan Marley. Ms. McInerney was pleased although surprised to be approached by Oliver but accepted his hand to begin a dance with him.
His indignation at her disregard for their dance fueled the next few minutes as he endeavored to explain to her the breach of etiquette in their relationship she committed by using his dance steps with the stranger. Shane was enjoying herself this evening and did not want to be drawn into an argument with Oliver tonight. She did not seem to comprehend the meaning behind his words and in his attempt to explain he came perilously close to uttering words unbecoming a married man. The quickness of mind Oliver so admired in Ms. McInerney finally seemed to have grasped his meaning with his awkward turn of phrase and her teasing response was unmistakable.
From Shane's point of view, Oliver's jealousy was misplaced. He was a married man and she respected that, and she was in no mood for his dramatics. She would dance with whomever she pleased whenever she pleased. It was true that Oliver was a better dancer than Jordan and being in his arms felt naturally right, obviously because they had a certain rhythm as Ramon called it, but as long as he was still married to Holly that was where it had to end. He had made that clear to her so she was a little amused at his emphatic disapproval of her dance with Jordan. Her only recourse was to tease Oliver in light breezy conversation that would hopefully forestall any further words of reproof.
From Oliver's perspective, there now seemed only one way to bring the painful point of this conversation to a satisfactory conclusion that would end Ms. McInerney's light regard of the situation. Oliver did not hesitate to put this motion into action.
"Dip!" he said, and without another word Oliver pulled Miss McInerney into a dip, a dip lower than any they had performed before. In that instant, as Ms. McInerney relaxed in his arms, fireworks went off for Oliver reminding him strongly of their DLO dance. He felt the electric spark of attraction to Ms. McInerney and looking at her face, he was pretty sure she felt it too. His face held the expression of confident and intense intention to make Ms. McInerney understand his viewpoint as he held her securely in his arms a moment longer than strictly necessary. Sensing Oliver's mastery of the moment, Shane leaned her head back so her throat was exposed to Olive's gaze as she took a deep breath and executed a full foot extension before Oliver slowly righted her to a standing position again. It was a daring move on her part, but seemed right for the moment as she felt the energy of connection to Oliver fill her soul. She wasn't sure she would ever dance with another man again.
She had gracefully followed his lead and many eyes were on them as they continued to dance with flair, her red dress flowing, his arms holding her closely, more closely than during the fateful dance in the DLO. This was one time he did not mind the curious eyes upon him but his eyes remained locked on Miss McInerney's eyes as he communicated his dance possessiveness to her. Miss McInerney spoke no more but her eyes widened with sudden awareness of Oliver's oblique message and returned his steady stare, her arm holding him more closely in response to his embrace. Shane felt the exhilaration of movement so easily in rhythm with Oliver's movements as they deftly danced. And, at this moment, Oliver's senses could not help but be overcome by Ms. McInerney's nearness and he was not thinking about Holly at all. Fully aware of each other in the moment, the presence of others faded away as feelings of a different sort, reminiscent of their private DLO dance, bonded them in a dance of spirit, soul and body as old as time and as new as the freshest tender flower.
When the music ended Oliver wordlessly led Miss McInerney to the dinner table Norman and Rita had already claimed as their own. Oliver did not think Ms. McInerney misunderstood the wordless message he thought he had effectively now delivered. Oliver had regained his equilibrium and looked forward to an evening of celebration with his colleagues. He was fairly confident the stranger would be out of their lives. There would be no more dancing with anyone else.
The evening had ended surprisingly and differently than any of the POstables could have imagined. Each of them was now in their own homes, getting ready for bed while planning their activities tomorrow. Rita and Norman innocently so, both looking forward to enjoying being together tomorrow planning and participating in the Christmas Eve pageant to bring a little girl and her family a little happiness in the midst of deep distress.
Shane and Oliver each had a little more serious reflections on their minds.
Shane had made the necessary changes in her flight itinerary for her postponed trip; Oliver drafted a short dialogue script for the pageant participants.
At one point, each sat with a cup of their favorite night-time beverage, a cup of cocoa for Shane, a cup of herbal tea for Oliver, both mulling over the evening's various surprising turn of events.
Neither regretted the dance together but both had vastly different thoughts.
Reliving the moments with Oliver on the dance floor, Shane was still incredulous. Oliver had shown more feeling about the dance than anything in recent memory including herself and never in quite the assertive way he had this evening. She was still not quite sure she didn't imagine the whole thing. Did Oliver really care that she had danced with someone else to the point of jealousy?
Was Oliver jealous of her attention being claimed by another man strictly because he didn't want to share his dance steps or was he jealous of another man paying attention to her in the first place? He had never seen her with a man in a romantic setting so maybe his sensibility as a POstables was offended. For a long time, her time and energy seemed to be devoted only to the DLO POstables, so maybe he assumed it would be like that tonight too. As much as Shane would like to have believed Oliver's behavior was acting out his jealousy of Jordan on a personal level, Shane was too cautious of hurting her heart to hope that was so. Not to mention, she had her pride. She did not want Oliver to know it wouldn't take much for her to fall headlong into love with him if she wasn't already. Her touch of tiny snarkiness with humor was just the right response to his spoken protest of her dance with Jordan. Keep it light, McInerney, keep it light. But then there was that dance. She had most definitely felt something unexpected.
She could not help but drift off to sleep remembering the feel of his arms around her, especially recalling the dip when the moment the atmosphere changed. From that moment on for the rest of the dance, Shane neither heard, saw or cared whether anyone else was in the room or not, but was totally in the moment with no adequate words to describe her soaring feelings for the man who was her boss and apparently now her sole dance partner.
Although satisfied by the outcome of his actions, Oliver was somewhat aghast by his own behavior. He couldn't believe he had let his feelings get that close to the surface. Who was he kidding? His feelings had been so obvious they might as well have been a love song. He hoped Ms. McInerney had not noticed how strongly he felt about her dancing with another man other than himself, but he had rather given that impression.
Oliver began to feel as if his heart was beating just for her. For her.
I can't even call her by her first name, Oliver thought derisively. And that isn't helping me keep my emotional distance.
Part of him blamed Holly for putting him in this predicament by her absence while part of him realized the futility of that kind of thinking. Another part of him wondered dizzily how in the world he was perilously close to losing his heart to the maddening woman with the laughing eyes and dazzling smile who breezed into the DLO less than a year ago.
Still another part of him knew he was in dangerous territory while he was still married to someone else to whom he still owed his faithfulness. The best idea he had was to pray for guidance. Maybe Jordan was right: maybe he should accept the conclusion that Holly wasn't coming back and move on. But that idea brought a whole host of other questions. Just because he was falling for Ms. McInerney did not mean she felt the same.
Oliver had never felt such a strong chemistry with a woman before, not even Holly. He and Holly had a physical attraction that burned brightly when they were both in sync, which he now realized wasn't as often as he had apparently thought it was. Part of the realization came when he compared how he felt around Ms. McInerney. He was aware of her at all times, and attracted to her even when she was driving him crazy, unlike the tiresome theatricality Holly employed to get his attention.
And Ms. McInerney drove him crazy tonight. Seeing her dance with another man burned down the iron will self-control Oliver normally had over the emotional impulsivity he so decried in himself especially since he had married Holly. The sudden decision to interrupt the dance between Ms. McInerney and the stranger led Oliver to an unexpectedly exhilarating dance of his own with Ms. McInerney. He and Ms. McInerney had created their own unique celebration of the moment. Oliver shook his head and dimly in the back of his mind, the thought tried to take shape that maybe the chemistry he had with Ms. McInerney was not an aberration but the real deal.
Although Oliver was not ready to put a name to these feelings, after tonight he couldn't help but acknowledge that Shane McInerney was an important part of his life, like it or not. What would happen now was yet to be seen.
He sighed and pulled his Bible towards him, flipping absentmindedly through it. The page opened to Philippians and his eyes were drawn to an underlined passage, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God." He pondered those words as he finished getting ready for bed.
It was late. Oliver had to stop thinking about Ms. McInerney. Chess with Jordan had ended in his own loss. Jordan had played flawlessly, although a little recklessly in Oliver's opinion, as if winning was a foregone conclusion, but Oliver did not fault him his win. Jordan's interest in Oliver, the casual questions he asked had resulted in an unusually frank conversation with a stranger. It would be interesting to see how Jordan interacted with the POstables tomorrow. Oliver couldn't help but feel a little uneasy with Jordan's continued presence, although he would be useful helping the POstables get the pageant ready.
Turning off the lights and pulling up the covers, Oliver prayed.
"Lord, I thank you that Ms. McInerney came into my life even though she complicates it. I am beginning to see that my relationship with my wife is wanting in so many respects that only Your direction will suffice as I move forward in life. Show me where to go from here. And, no matter what happens, please take care of Ms. McInerney. After our discussions in the DLO tonight, I sense she is deeply troubled. Christmas can have that effect on us." Momentarily he thought of Holly and silently asked God to take care of her wherever she might be. With an amen Oliver then shut his eyes and slept.
The End
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