For What It's Worth

How Brooks managed to navigate his way through New York City without getting lost or causing an accident is something I will never understand. I’m not questioning his driving abilities because I’ve always felt safe with Brooks behind the wheel. It’s just that if you’ve ever been to New York City, you’d know that driving is not for the faint of heart. I was starting to wonder where Brooks was taking me, but I could tell from the strain in his neck that he was concentrating hard on not running anything or anyone over, so I kept quite, instead taking in the sites that had become so familiar to me over the past two years. We pulled up in front of the Plaza, a building I knew only from the outside. I craned my neck to get a better look at the gleaming golden doors and the glamorous couples who kept them in motion. Suddenly, my door was being opened and an outstretched hand was offered in my direction. I knew that hand anywhere.

“But Brooks, my sister’s engagement is at the Waldorf,” I said as he helped me out of the car.

“Well love, there’s been a change of plans,” he replied, his trademark grin plastered across his face. God I love that smile.

“But-” I started to protest, but my father quickly cut me off.

“Sweetheart, you go and have fun and I’ll take care of your mother and sisters.”

“But I still don’t understand what’s going on.”

“Close your eyes and hold my hand and I’ll show you,” Brooks answered.

I did as I was told and let Brooks guide me into the building. I’m going to be honest, I really wanted to peek, but I knew that whatever Brooks was up too, he was excited about it and I didn’t want to ruin his end of the experience. I shuffled along like a little girl in her mother’s high heels, for I wasn’t sure what lay in my path. I knew Brooks wouldn’t let me fall, but I also know myself. I may not know a whole lot about romancing boys, but I can tell you that grace is definitely not the product of dirt digging or playing street hockey with the boys. As I thought about falling, the clatter of my heels on the marble floor suddenly stopped and Brooks let go of my shoulders.

“Congratulations,” he whispered in my ear before swinging open the most beautiful set of stained wooden doors I had ever seen. I stood in shock as my eyes scanned the kind of party I had only ever dreamt about. It was like something out of a twenties movie, with champagne and a swing band, and men behaving like gentlemen. As I looked closer, I began to recognize my classmates, my closest friends, and I could have sworn I’d seen a few capitals players in there as well.

“Brooks, I’m speechless. You shouldn’t have…Did you really do this all for me?”

“I wanted you to have a party of your own. You deserve it,” he said, throwing an arm around my shoulder.

“Brooks, thank you,” I said breathlessly. I really did have the most amazing best friend in the world. I hugged him for what seemed like an eternity, my father watching the entire time. I think it was times like this that he realized how great Brooks and I were together, but he never said anything. He just let us be because he believes that things always have a way of working themselves out, even if you aren’t waiting for anything to happen in the first place.

“I’ve always wanted a party just like this,” I said thankfully.

“You are very old Hollywood glamour even if you don’t realize it sweet pea,” my dad said with a laugh.

As I looked through the doors at my party, I suddenly became very aware that I was underdressed for the occasion. My grey pencil skirt and white ruffled blouse were plain against the tuxedos and evening gowns parading around the ballroom.

“I got you covered,” Brooks laughed as he handed me a plastic card. “Room 561. I think you might find something your size in the closet.”

I felt my eyes grow large at the thought of a new dress. Fashion might not be the focal point of my life, but what girl can resist getting dressed up for drinks and dancing at the Plaza? I kissed both men goodbye with a peck on the cheek and headed for the elevator. This had to be a dream. I was supposed to be at an engagement party where the main topic of conversation would be what shade of spray tan my sister should go with so that she didn’t look washed out on her wedding day. I laughed at the idea, feeling only a little guilty for missing the party. But then I realized that they probably wouldn’t even notice and I turned my attention to the hall before me. I found the room quickly and ran to the closet as soon as I set foot inside.

My jaw dropped when I saw the dress that Brooks had picked out for me. It was a single shouldered, Grecian dress made of white silk. To say it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen would be an understatement. I didn’t want to ruin it, so I showered before touching it, which I know sounds crazy, but if you were me, trust me, you would have done the same. I pinned my dark curls into a loose bun at the base of my neck and wove a piece of gold ribbon through my hair. I put in the gold drop earring Brooks had left for me and stepped into my new dress as carefully as I could. I was slightly less elegant though when it came to fastening the gold shoulder clasp that kept the dress up. Very tricky business let me tell you.

As I was looking in the mirror, a knock startled me and I ran to the door to see who had come to wake me from my daydream. Let me tell you girls, Brooks can work a tux unlike any man I’ve ever seen. As he stood leaning against the doorframe, staring at me with an adoring expression, I couldn’t help but wish he would sweep me off my feet. Now I know what you’re thinking. I said I used to be in love with Brooks. I kind of forgot to tell you the part where I still am. I’ve just come to the realization that maybe we’re only meant to be best friends. So when he showed up at my door, dressed to the nines as my date for the evening, I was hit hard in the face with feelings that I hadn’t had to deal with for quite awhile. Maybe it was the way he was looking at me, or maybe it was what he had done for me. Whatever it was, I knew that I was thankful to have such a wonderful best friend, even if he made me confuse my feelings from time to time. Ok, fine. A lot.

“Jules? You there love?” he asked with a laugh.

“Yeah! Let me just get my shoes,” I answered as I unwrapped pair of gold heals. “There. How do I look?”

“Like an angel.”

I grabbed onto Brooks’ hand and skipped out the door, excited to see my friends for the last time. The minute I was in the door to the ballroom, a waiter handed me a champagne flute which I nearly dropped when I was tackled by Alex Ovechkin. I thought I had seen him chatting up one of the servers. Apparently some of them were in town for a golf fundraiser and couldn’t resist a good party. Hmm.

“Jules, you done now! You come back to D.C. with us so Brooks will be done being lonely?” The boys laughed.

“What are you playing at Ovie?” I asked slyly.

“Uh, nothing, it’s-, uh…” He'd gotten himself into a pickle since Brooks was giving him the “I’ll kill you later” look that he did so well. Unable to finish his sentence, he just turned around and made a break for it while I looked at Brooks. He shrugged at me so I brushed it off as Ovie just being Ovie. I downed my champagne, or what was left of it after Mike Green had turned it into a sampler. I grabbed another and spent a fair amount of time socializing with my classmates, Brooks’ teammates, and other’s who had showed up even though I was unsure of whom they belonged too. The swing band was blaring away at an unstoppable pace and it suddenly dawned on me that no one had asked me to dance. All around me, couples twirled and bounced to the rhythm of the base, just like an old Hollywood musical.

“Will you dance with me?” I asked Brooks, but I was quieter than I expected. Probably because I figured that he might say no and we happened to be standing with a large group.

“Sure,” he said, downing the remainder of his champagne. As he took my hand in his and wrapped his arm around my waist, I thought about how perfect he was, and how some lucky girl would end up being his for the rest of her life. It sounds ridiculously cliché, but we danced cheek to cheek for a long time, lost in our own little place. We didn’t have to talk like so many couples did to ease the awkward silence. We were just quite, swaying back and forth to the beat until I remembered something terribly important.

“Brooks, I almost forgot. I have something to tell you,” I said in his ear. He was wearing my favorite cologne.

“Hmm?”

“Remember when I applied for that job at the National Gallery of Art?”

“The one at the Smithsonian?”

“That’s the one. Well… I was offered the job last week. How would you feel if I moved to D.C.?”