After an initial awkward moment of meeting, things eased up and Evelyn spent the evening reconnecting with Nicole and getting to know the young man who so obviously had her heart. Ivan was as real as he was handsome and Evelyn did not try to hide her happiness on Nicole's behalf. Much to Nicole's chagrin, Evelyn recounted one of the cute stories parents tend to embarrass their children with in public. Evelyn did not miss her daughter's faint surprise that she remembered the event in question. She swallowed her twinge of pain, taking comfort in the pleasure her recollection eventually seemed to bring Nicole.
They had struggled, mother and daughter, through teenage years filled with uncertainty and resentment. Nicole had always been her father's little girl. When Leonard died so unexpectedly, she struggled to define her place in the world. In Leonard, Nicole had a guaranteed male who, in a way, had eyes for only her. She possessed a place in her father's heart that Evelyn could never inhabit. The teenaged Nicole never fully believed how much Evelyn mourned that loss on her daughter's behalf.
Maybe things would be easier now that Nicole had Ivan. He made it plain that Evelyn's daughter was not the center of his world. Nicole was his world. It warmed Evelyn to know that her only child would be loved so wholeheartedly. Every woman deserved to be loved that way.
Evelyn got up and prepared enough food for three. It had been awhile since she cooked for anyone else but herself. After Nicole first moved to New York, Evelyn had gotten into the habit of meeting her friend Cheryl at the little cafe each morning. At first she told herself it was a guaranteed way to maintain contact with her reclusive friend. After a while it simply became convenient.
She was a little disappointed when Nicole informed her that Ivan would not be joining them. He would, instead, remain at a nearby hotel. Evelyn had gone to bed assuming that Ivan would spend the night there at the house. It had been a long drive; halfway through dinner Evelyn could see them both fading. Nicole softly reassured her mother that the day would be a busy one for them all. Ivan would be there if needed, otherwise he thought it best he stay out of the way.
"I like your Ivan," Evelyn said as she and Nicole ate brunch in comfortable silence. The previous night had gone so well she decided to stick to neutral topics. "The furs his family sent are spectacular. Someone has excellent taste."
Nicole shrugged. "I picked them out. As soon as I saw them I knew you and Aunt Cheryl would be amazing in them." She straightened in her chair. "I'm curious, though. Why did you guys decide to make the reunion a formal affair?"
Evelyn grimaced. "Darla Granville Thorp."
"Of the Kentucky Granvilles?
Evelyn bit back a smile. It was her turn to be pleasantly surprised at Nicole's recollection. The joke about Darla's pretensions was a long-running one among Evelyn and her classmates. She had no idea that Nicole had heard the exasperated reference, much less paid attention to it. "The one and only. Once she found out that the reunion committee would not change its mind about voting her Most Successful, she had to find another way to flaunt her wealth. Well," Evelyn amended, "Michael's wealth."
"Michael?" Nicole raised a playful eyebrow. "Wait, isn't that the rich guy who tried to steal you from daddy?"
"Yes, he's Darla's husband. As I was saying," Evelyn hastily continued, "she's going to show up at the reunion wearing some one of a kind designer original, hoping that the rest of us look like poor relatives by comparison. But she is in for a surprise tonight. Cheryl and I are ready for her."
"Have you seen Aunt Cheryl's dress? Does she even have one?"
Evelyn smiled mischievously. "Yes. I sent her two to choose from: a daring red number I knew she would never wear and a plain but elegant black dress that looked conservative by comparison. The neckline on the black is a little lower than she's used to but like I said, the red dress made sure she didn't notice."
"What about you?" Nicole asked. "What are you wearing tonight? Not the daring red dress?"
"No. While I was shopping for a dress for your Aunt Cheryl, I picked up a beaded white Carolina Herrera gown with three-quarter sleeves. It is very flattering, if I do say so myself."
Nicole shook her head. "You will have to save it for another occasion," she smiled. "As soon as you told me the plans for your class reunion had been finalized, I talked to a client, Davis. He's the costume designer for one of the major studios and he's won a ton of awards for his fashion style. I gave him your size, showed him your picture, told him a little bit about you, and asked him to keep an eye out for something special for tonight. He called me a couple of months ago and said he'd found a gown that he's certain will be perfect on you." Nicole held up her hand, forestalling the question she knew her mother would pose. "And before you ask, I had him do the same thing for Aunt Cheryl."
"Where are the dresses? Let me see them!"
"Yours is hanging in the closet in my room," Nicole replied. "Aunt Cheryl's is at the hotel with Ivan. I'm going to show it to her when I go by there in a bit to do her hair."
Evelyn, who had been on her way to Nicole's room, came back and sat down. "Oh Nicole, that's not a good idea. Cheryl doesn't take well to surprises. Changing her dress at the last minute will just…"
"Aunt Cheryl's dress is simple and understated. If she doesn't like it, I won't try to force her into anything. And like you say, she still has the dress you picked out for her. But I promise you, she is going to love the dress, just like I know you will love yours."
End Note:
Leonard Jones- Andre Braugher
Evelyn Jones- Sarah Vaughan
