Chapter 43

Statute of Limitations 1

Claudia Bell grabbed the delicate bottle, her offering to the Gods of Peer Pressure.

It is 1950 so no one bats an eye when alcohol is given freely, especially among close family members.

"It'll grow hairs on his chest," her boisterous grandfather quips when he offers her cousin a sip of his beer. The boy's disgusted expression makes the whole family table laugh. Alcohol is a rite to adulthood undertaken by everyone in her tiny town.

Prom, the other rite to adulthood was an event most looked for especially for the quiet student council member. Claudia personally unpacked the delicate decorations and instructed their placement with military precision.

She had thought she had been so clever photocopying her own fake ID to fool the grocer into selling her the bottle. The bespectacled girl took two buses into the next town over to prevent anyone from recognizing her make her illegal purchase.

It was invigorating. She had taken a step out of her goody two shoes image. She wanted to be selfish for once and do something for her sake, not for her teacher's or her parents' expectations. She wanted to see the fruits of her labor, even a glimpse from the wings would satisfy her yearning.

"C'mon Claudia, hurry up!"

Jonathan, her sister Morgan's numbskull date bellowed at her from his car. The elder sister rolled her eyes at his roughness. Whatever. She'd deal with anything if he'd give her a ride to the high school.

Claudia grabbed the vodka bottle, something cheap and strong enough to guarantee a good time to the imbiber.

In her haste though, she forgot her father's warning about the loose cobblestone. Her foot caught the corner, and she goes sprawling on the rough ground.

Like Cinderella's glass slipper, the bottle shatters into a million pieces. Her heart feels much like the same as the other teenagers laugh at her blunder.

"Was that vodka, Claud? You're such a spaz! I can't believe you dropped it!" The pair in the backseat shouted insults in her direction.

Morgan, her baby sister, rushed out of the front seat to check on Claudia's well-being. She hissed under her breath so the others couldn't hear. "What were you thinking?! Were you going to trade that for a ride? We don't even have room for you!"

Claudia tried to bite back the tears that threatened to fall. She wouldn't let them see her cry! It wasn't until Jonathan's Beetle roared off around the corner did she began weeping into her arms.

"Why?! Why me? I just wanted to go to the prom!"

A warm light glossed over her body like a soothing blanket. To her wonder a man stood there, beautiful like no one she had ever seen before.

"Don't be afraid."

Wow, even his voice was melodious.

"Where… where did you come from?" Clauda stuttered. Good god, she could barely get a coherent thought out in front of this man. "I didn't even hear you walk up."

"You wouldn't have heard me," the man chuckled. "I just wanted to tell you not to despair."

"But the bottle broke! It was supposed to be my ticket to the prom!" All of her dreams went down the drain like the remnants of the liquor.

The handsome man shook his head sadly, "I can tell you that if those kids took that vodka, they wouldn't have let you go with them. What were you thinking? That they'd have one or two sips and leave the rest?"

Claudia searched her heart. "No, Jonathan always has to compete with everyone. He'd probably challenge everyone to a drinking contest."

"And your sister?" The man knelt down beside her, connecting to her on the physical and spiritual level.

The older sister started to deny her sister's wrongdoing, but lately Claudia thought of how her pretty, popular baby sister had been ignoring her in the school hallways, refusing to participate in their childhood traditions. Morgan had even turned down Claudia's offers to tutor her and heaven knows the girl could use all the help she could get!

"You don't want to lose her, but you could have if that had gone with them tonight." The man gestured to the deadly shards littering the road. "The four of them would have drunk the entire bottle. None of them would have been in good condition to drive, but your sister would have volunteered."

"Yeah she would have," Claudia muttered. "She always wants to please others."

"Just like you." His face darkened, "She would have driven the others to their death." The man could smell the spilled gasoline and hear the girl's screams.

The older sister shuddered at her unseen consequences. She would have made a terrible decision!

"Thank God the bottle broke," she exclaimed.

"Yes thank God."

Her tears dried, her resolve strengthened, Claudia took a deep breath of the clear night air. "Well I'll guess I'll go home."

The man gave her a reassuring smile and presented a helping arm up. "Well the school's only, what, a half mile away? If you'd like company, I'd be glad to come with you."

The brunette gave have a surprised look, but gratefully accepted his offer.

Cinderella may have lost her glass slippers, but she still had two strong feet to take her to the ball.

The company was also to die for.