Masquerade of Secrets

She stared at her reflection in the mirror as she got ready for the ball she had been invited to. She knew it was a risk to go, but she didn't care. She had to see him again. Her first meeting with him left her wanting more. She knew it was wrong to continue with what she was doing, but she couldn’t stop. He was like a drug and she needed more. She had seen him around town with another woman, who looked like she might be his girlfriend; however, she noticed that he didn't seem happy. Then again, she could have interpreted it the wrong way. He could be blissfully happy, but just want to have a little fun in his life, either way; she couldn't spend another night without him.

She put the finishing touches on her make-up and then started on her hair. She wanted it to be perfect. She brushed her hair until it was smooth and shiny. She then took a few strands and began to curl them with the heated curling iron. Once her hair was in soft waves she unplugged the curling iron to let it cool off. She grabbed strands of her hair and twisted them into an elegant knot at the back of her head. She only pulled half of her hair up. The rest flowed down around her shoulders. She made sure to have the hair out of her face. She adorned her hairstyle with little bobby pins that had jewels attached to the end so that they sparkled. She then applied a light coating of lip gloss to her lips. It was the last touch to her look for the night.

She stood up from her vanity and walked over to the bed where her dress was lying. Before she grabbed her dress she grabbed the heels and sat down to put them on. It was a technique that her older sister had shown her when she was younger. She held back the sudden wave of sadness at the thought of her sister. This night wasn't supposed to be about sadness. She had finished buckling up her heels and then stood up again.

She grabbed her dress and then carefully stepped inside. She drew it up and then held the bodice to her chest as she found the zipper and zipped it up. She sauntered over to the vanity again and picked up the mask resting near the mirror. This would offer her protection for the night. She hadn't told him she would be attending, but maybe he would recognize her through her disguise.

She hoped he would because she needed him. In fact, she didn't even think he knew she had been officially invited. She could bring a date with her, but she wanted to go solo. It would be easier that way. She drew the mask up to her face and carefully tied the mask under the knot holding her hair back. She made the necessary adjustments so that it was straight and then let a smile curve her lips. She was ready.



He stared at his reflection in the mirror. He had just finished a shower and needed to get dressed for the winter ball that his best friend's parents threw every year. Normally, he would have been looking forward to the party, but this year he wasn't. This year the theme of the party was a masquerade. He had to search everywhere for a decent mask that didn't look too feminine. It was pretty difficult, but he finally managed to find one. He left his bathroom and headed into his room to get dressed.

He smiled when he saw his girlfriend sitting at the small vanity table in the corner of the room. She was wearing only her lingerie. He assumed she didn't want to mess up her dress. He walked into their closet and pulled out the tux he reserved for the fancier parties and the few weddings that popped up. With his particular career he didn't have to wear a tux very often. He hung the tux in plain view before walking to his dresser.

He rummaged through his dresser tucked in the corner of the closet and pulled out a pair of black cotton boxers and pulled them on. He then grabbed a pair of black dress socks and pulled them on as well, followed by his dress pants. He left them open as he pulled out a white undershirt and slipped it on. His dark grey dress shirt was hanging up, already ironed and ready to wear. He carefully pulled it off the hanger and shrugged it onto his torso.

After he finished buttoning up his dress shirt he found the two black cufflinks he had and buttoned them up. He then carefully tucked in his shirt, so that it wouldn't wrinkle and finally zipped up his pants. Next, he grabbed his tux jacket from the hanger and walked out of the closet. He looked towards the vanity to see his girlfriend still sitting there in her lingerie.

"Babe, you almost ready?" he asked, glancing at the alarm clock on the nightstand.

She turned towards him with a small smile. "Yeah, I'm just putting the final touches to my hair and make-up before getting my dress on," she answered.

"Alright, I'll be downstairs waiting. Holler if you need me," he said.

She nodded before turning back towards the mirror. He picked up his mask from the top of her dresser and then headed downstairs. Once at the bottom he walked to the mirror placed over the fireplace and stood in front of it. He fastened his mask over his face and made sure it was secured behind his head. He then walked towards the kitchen where he grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge.

"Jim, can you come zip me up?" his girlfriend called from upstairs.

He sighed before he set his bottle of water down on the counter and then headed back up the stairs. Once inside his room again he walked over to his girlfriend and then zipped up her dress.

He pressed a soft kiss to her bare shoulder. "You look gorgeous," he whispered softly.

She turned to him and smiled. "You left something in the closet. I picked it up today to match your outfit," she said.

He nodded and headed into the closet. He searched around until his eyes landed on a black hat box on the floor. He leaned down and picked it up off of the floor and then left the closet. He walked over to the bed and set the box down on top of the bed. He lifted the lid of the box to see a black top hat sitting inside. He grinned as he lifted it out of the box. He turned towards his girlfriend.

"Why in the world did you buy this?" he asked with amusement.

"Because I thought you'd look sexy wearing it," she answered.

He chuckled and raised his arms up and placed the top hat on his head. He then reached out his hand and gave a dramatic bow. "My lady, may I escort you to the awaiting car?" he asked, holding out his hand.

His girlfriend giggled and placed her hand in his. He gently pulled her closer to him and then threaded her arm through his so that her hand rested on the inside of his forearm. As he walked her down the stairs and towards the front door, after remembering to grab his wallet and keys from the table by the door, he couldn't help but think if he was going to see the girl he couldn't keep out of his head since he first met her. He had yet to find out her name. During their first meeting she refused to give him her name, but he felt so comfortable with her that he told her his name. He was hoping that he'd see her tonight, but he wasn't sure. He knew it was wrong, but he couldn't help it. She had captivated him when he first saw her and now he knew that there was never going back. He smiled down at his girlfriend as he helped her inside the town car that would take them to the ball. He climbed in and then sat down next to her. He leaned forward and gave the driver the address after he shut the door and then they were off.



When she arrived at Mr. and Mrs. Sanders' home she smiled. She was excited to be there. She wanted to have fun tonight and she hoped that she would. Deep down she hoped to see her lover again, but she wasn't counting on it. She knew he had a busy life and that he was living his dream with his four best friends. She also knew that he had a girlfriend also, and that he had to go home to her. That's not what she cared about, no she just cared to spend the little time she could with him. She finally climbed out of the car and made her way up to the front door. She gently pressed the doorbell and waited for the door to open.

It didn't take long before Mr. Sanders opened the door. A smile split her face as she looked at him. It had been awhile since she had last seen him, but she couldn't forget his face anywhere, even if it was covered by a mask.

"Gary, it's so good to see you again," she said softly.

"Miss Emma, is that you under that gorgeous mask?" he chuckled lightly.

"I thought this was supposed to be a masquerade, Gary," she admonished.

"Well, of course, but I could never forget those mischievous blue eyes of yours," he replied.
She giggled and then gave him a hug. When she pulled away she looked at him thoughtfully. "Is Matt and his group of friends around?" she wondered.

"No, none have shown up yet," he answered.

"Good," she said. She wanted her identity to stay a secret.

He raised his brow. "Trying to hide from Matt now are you?" he asked.

"Of course not, Matt was always like a big brother to me. I met a guy a few months ago and we've been seeing each other from time to time. Nothing official, but just a few dates here and there and he mentioned that he knew Matt. I didn't want my identity to be revealed since this guy doesn't know my name yet," she answered.

Gary's eyes sparkled. "Some things just never change," he laughed.

Emma grinned and then walked further into the house. She found Kim and gave her a hug. It had actually been years since she had seen either Kim or Gary. She grew up next door to Matt and his parents. She was more of a friend to Amy than Matt, but Matt did look out for her from time to time and she would be forever grateful to him for it. After she caught up with Kim for a bit she wandered around the spacious home and met quite a few new people. She was glad to be back in her home town again. She had been away from home for too long and since she returned she was enjoying every minute of her time.

She had just grabbed her second flute of champagne when she saw Matt enter the house. She smiled and sipped at her drink. She watched as he greeted his parents and then walked a little closer to him. It had been awhile since he had last seen her, but she had seen him a few times. Her line of work allowed her to travel quite a lot. She had gone to concerts where Matt had performed and enjoyed watching him own the stage alongside everyone else. All their performances, in her opinion, were mind blowing and always gave her a thrill. Her favorite part was capturing it all on stills. She caught his eye and smiled at him, but it didn't go unnoticed by his date. She shot a glare in her direction and she only smiled wider.

The door opened again and her eyes moved towards it. She recognized Brian's spiky hairstyle that he always seemed to sport. He looked good and his date looked gorgeous. Behind him were Johnny and his date. She knew she had to talk to them before Jimmy showed up. They were the only ones she was going to tell her name too. She liked the mystery it provided in their relationship. She moved closer to Matt after she placed her empty champagne flute on a tray of a passing server.

"It's so good to see you again, Mattie," she said lightly, once she was standing within hearing distance of him.

Matt turned around and looked down at her. She forgot how much taller he was than her. "Do I know you?" he asked.

"Of course you do, silly," she said with a huge smile.

"I don't think I do," he answered.

She placed a hand over her heart. "That hurts. I would have thought you would have remembered your next door neighbor; even after all these years," she replied.

Matt's eyes widened. "Emma?" he asked incredulously.

"The one and only," she giggled.

Matt's face broke out into a grin and then his arms were around her in a tight hug. "God, it's been years," he murmured against her.

She laughed. "It has," she answered.

Matt put her back down and then turned towards his date. "Emma, this is my fiancée, Destiny. Destiny, my ex-next door neighbor Emma," he introduced.

Emma stuck her hand out. "Nice to meet," Emma said.

Destiny smiled. "Nice to meet you too," she replied.

Matt looked at her. "Does everyone else know you're here?" he asked.

Emma shook her head. "No. My identity tonight is a secret, but I'm hoping to see someone I've sort of have been seeing lately. He told me he knew you though," she said.

Matt raised an eyebrow. "Really? And what is this fellow's name?" he asked.

"He told me his name was Jimmy," she answered.

He nodded. "Well, why haven't you told him your name yet?" he wondered.

"And ruin the fun? Now why in the world would I do that?" she giggled.

Matt chuckled. "You haven't changed much," he said.

"That is exactly what your dad said," she laughed.

"Can't help but state the truth," he replied.

"I'm going to go mingle some more. See you later. And if you ever see this Jimmy fellow do not
tell him my name," she said.

He smiled at her. "Your secret is safe with me," he admonished.

"Good. I'll see you later," she said.



When he arrived he helped his girlfriend out of the car. He then walked with her up to the front door. He rang the doorbell and then stood tall as he waited for it to be open to them. It didn't take long either. When the door did open he made a flourish bow and his girlfriend played along and curtsied. Mr. Sanders chuckled and stood aside so they could enter. He kept his top hat on as he moved through the growing crowd of guests. He scanned the crowd and grinned when he saw his best friends standing in a small circle. He headed over to them and stood next to Matt and Destiny.

"Good evening Sir Matthew, Lady Destiny," he said with a flourishing bow.

Matt turned towards him and laughed. "Jimmy, dude, what are you doing?" he asked with amusement.

"Better yet, what the fuck are you wearing?" Johnny piped up.

Jimmy grinned. "For your information, I am wearing a top hat and I am attempting to speak as if
I was living in the Renaissance Era," he answered simply.

They all laughed at his comment. "So, how are you all this fine evening?" Jimmy asked, ignoring the laughter.

"I'm good. Met an old neighbor earlier and she hasn't changed much, attitude wise, but appearance wise she's got the goods," Matt said, earning a glare from Destiny, too which Matt chuckled.

Jimmy nodded. He listened to the conversations as he looked around the room. He wasn't sure if the person he was looking for had been invited or not, but he was keeping a lookout just in case she was there. He turned his attention back to his group of friends and the conversation at hand. As he was listening to them talk about the upcoming tour he caught a glimpse of movement out of the corner his eye. He turned his head slightly and saw a beautiful young woman in a silver mask. She was wearing a dark navy blue dress with silver accents going down her side.

He looked up towards her mask and saw a pair of dark, but bright blue eyes staring at him. He stared at her for a few more minutes before she walked off towards the hallway that lead to the bathrooms open for the guests to use. He turned back to his friends and slipped his arm away from his girlfriend.

"Excuse me, I'll be back," he said.

"Where are you going, baby?" his girlfriend asked softly.

"Bathroom," he answered and then headed in that direction.

As he headed towards the bathrooms he passed a few waiters with glasses of champagne and shots on some of the trays they were carrying. He grabbed a shot and a glass of champagne and downed them both before placing them back on the tray. He passed a few waiters with some food on them, but he just continued walking towards the bathrooms. Once he reached the empty hallway he headed towards the nearest bathroom and pushed the door open. He wasn't sure if he had been seeing things or if his lover was truly there. He hoped that she was present at the ball, but he didn't want to hope to high. He leaned against the counter and stared at his reflection as he tried to compose himself.



She wasn't stupid. She purposely allowed herself to be known to him. Whether he would come find her later or not was up to him. She had headed in the direction of the hallway that lead to the bathrooms, but stayed close to the shadows. She wanted to see if he would come after her or not. When he passed right by her hiding spot she was pleased. Emma made her way towards the bathroom that he had entered in and then quietly opened the door and entered.

She smiled when she saw him bent over the sink. She stayed within the shadows of the bathroom and watched him stare at himself in the mirror. She knew that when he locked eyes with her, that she had shocked him with her presence. She was having fun with the fact that she knew his name, yet he still had no idea what her name was. She knew that he could eventually get tired of her games and leave, after all he did have a girlfriend, but she hoped that he wouldn't. Emma found him to be fun to talk to. They didn't always have sex when they hooked up. Sometimes, they'd just sit and watch movies or even just talk about themselves. She still found it funny that he had no idea on who she was.

She continued to watch him. She stared into the mirror and saw his eyes closed as he breathed heavily. He then opened his eyes and lifted his head. He stared into the mirror and their eyes locked again. She knew that she was still hidden within the shadows of the room, but she couldn't help, but feel the spine tingling feeling of his eyes blazing into hers. She honestly felt that he knew she was there.

"I know you're there. I can hear your breathing," he said softly. She saw his face twitch a little as he fought to smile.

She took a deep breath before stepping out of the shadows and walking closer to him. He smiled at her and once she was within reaching distance he wrapped his arms around her tightly. She leaned into him and took in a deep breath. She loved how he smelled. His arms tightened around her as his head came and rested against her head. They stood like that for a few minutes before he pulled away and looked down at her. His smile widened. She smiled up at him because his smile always made her smile. It was infectious in her eyes, but she didn't care. Her eyes closed suddenly when his lips landed on hers. She loved when he kissed her.

As they kissed, she wanted to take things further, but she knew she couldn't. There were hundreds of people in the room down the hall and she didn't want people knowing about her affair. She also knew that he didn't want his affair to be known by anyone. She let her arms slide up his chest and then locked them behind his neck as the kiss deepened a little bit. After a few more minutes, they broke apart so that they could breathe. He leaned down and pecked her lips a few times before just staring into her eyes.

"You're beautiful tonight," he whispered softly.

She smiled up at him as he took one of his hand fixed some of her hair by tucking it behind her ear.

"I was hoping to see you tonight," she whispered back.

He grinned. "So was I. I'd love to make love to you right now, but this isn't the place," he said.

"We can always schedule a day later. I missed being held by you though," she told him.

He chuckled lightly before pulling her close to him in a tight hug. As he held her she came to the decision that she would finally tell him who she was. She wanted him to know the truth, but she wanted him to work for it. She pulled away a little and looked up at him. She then leaned up on her heels so that she was on her tiptoes, considering he was a giant of a man, until her mouth was at his ear.

"Dance with me tonight for three dances. At the stroke of midnight you'll have to find my mask. If you can find it, then you get to know my name," she whispered to him.

She then lowered herself to the floor. He looked at her with lust in his eyes. He leaned down and kissed her hard. She moaned into his mouth as she felt him push her backwards. When the wall hit her back she moaned again. He moved his lips down to her neck as one of his hands found her knee so that he could lift her leg up. He hooked her ankle around his waist before letting his hand roam up her bare leg underneath the dress. He moved his lips back to hers just as his long fingers found the edge of her panties. He skimmed his fingers against her panty covered entrance and relished in the moans that she made. He knew how to make her feel good. He had been waiting patiently for the last two and half years to know her name, and now he had a chance to find out what it was.

He pulled his hand away from her entrance and then lowered her leg back to the ground. She whimpered at the loss of contact, but he kissed her lips before moving his to her ear.

"I look forward to those dances, including the dance saved for a later date," he murmured softly.

Shivers ran down her spine as she looked up at him. She couldn't wait until they could meet up again later. She missed his touch and to feel it again. She pressed her lips to his one more time before adjusting her dress a little as well as her mask to make sure it was still properly on her face. She smiled up at him before she carefully slipped away from the bathroom.



Jimmy remained in the bathroom for a few minutes longer. After his encounter with his lover he had to really calm himself down and get rid of the boner he had. After a few deep breaths he was able to control himself and not jack off before going back to the party. He washed his hands and then returned to the main room where everyone was. He looked towards the spot where he had left his friends earlier, but noticed that they had all moved. He searched the large group of people and was able to spot his friend Brian dancing with Angel. It brought a smile to his face because he knew they loved each other. They were the perfect couple in his eyes. He started to walk towards them, but was stopped by a hand on his arm.

"There you are. I've been looking all over for you," a voice said softly.

He looked down and saw his girlfriend looking up at him with a small frown. He smiled at her softly before pulling her into his arms.

"I've been in the bathroom, I'm sorry I took so long," he murmured softly next to her ear.

"It's alright. I was just getting worried," she said.

"Well, no need to. I'm right here," he reassured her.

"Good," she said not letting him go.

Truthfully, Amelia couldn't help, but think that she was slowly losing him. He seemed far too distant lately when it concerned her. They weren't all that intimate anymore and she was honestly scared that she was going to lose him. She loved him and wanted their relationship to last forever. She couldn't even fathom the thought of losing him, considering they had been together for a good four years. She was hoping that his distant attitude was because he was going to propose and just didn't know how to, but she had a small feeling that, that wasn't what was going on with him.

She linked her arm with his and together they walked through the crowds until they reached a table where her purse and shawl were sitting. Jimmy pulled her chair out for her and then pushed it closer to the table before taking his seat. He'd have to wait a few minutes before he could dance with his lover. She wanted him to dance three dances with him tonight and he planned to do just that. He also couldn't wait until the stroke of midnight. He felt like he was Prince Charming trying to find his Cinderella. He knew he should be feeling guilty for having these feeling towards someone other than his girlfriend, but he couldn't help it.



Emma was waiting for her final dance with Jimmy. He had danced with her just before dinner was served and just after dessert was served. She had kept an eye his girlfriend. She didn't seem to mind too much, but she couldn't be positive. She knew that she would still hide her mask for Jimmy to find even if he didn't dance with her one last time. She kept track of the time to make sure that she wouldn't miss the stroke of midnight. She already had the perfect place to hide her mask. She just hoped that Jimmy would be smart enough to find it. Of course, even if he didn't find it, she decided she would still tell him her name. She didn't want any secrets between them anymore, but she knew that it may not change how their relationship was. She didn't mind either, just as long as she could at least see Jimmy.

In her eyes, they didn't need to have sex. Sure, she enjoyed the intimacy, but truthfully, she enjoyed their talks more than the sex. She just wasn't sure how she was going to tell him that. She didn't want to lose what they had, but if it came down to it, she knew that she could find someone else if need be, but she also knew that she'd miss Jimmy's friendship if anything went sour.

Secrets were meant to come out and Emma was slowly preparing herself for any kind of fall out that might happen when her secrets that she so carefully kept masked were made public. Was she afraid of what people might think of her? Yes, she was, but she was also a strong woman and she would be able to deal with any kind of negativity that might follow.

"Excuse me, miss, may I have this dance?" a rough voice asked.

Emma looked up into the eyes of her old neighbor. She smiled and placed her hand in his and he pulled her to her feet. He led her to the dance floor and then wrapped his arms around her.

"And how is your evening going?" he asked softly.

"It's going very well, thank you," she smiled at him.

"Have you found the person you were looking for earlier?" he wondered.

"Indeed. He owes me a final dance before I leave," she answered.
He raised his eyebrow at her. "Well, you should come to the next party I throw," he said with a kind smile.

"I would love that. Send me the invite. I'll give you my number before I leave," she said.

"Good," he said. He opened his mouth to say something else, but someone tapped him on his shoulder.

"May I cut in?" a voice asked.

Emma looked over his shoulder to see bright blue eyes staring at her. Her dancing partner nodded and kissed her hand before allowing the other gentleman to take over. Emma placed her hands in her new partner's and then started dancing with him.

"I was beginning to think you were going to flake on this last dance," she smiled at him.

"I would never dream of flaking on you," he said with a mock tone of hurt in his voice.

She giggled before leaning into him closer. They danced around the floor before he looked down at her.

"I need some fresh air. Care to join me?" he asked.

She nodded. She looked at the time once before she headed back to the table to grab her shawl and purse. She would leave from the backyard of the party. She would have to call Gary and Kim later and thank them for a wonderful time because she didn't have much time left before she had to leave. She followed him outside and then they sat down near a fountain.

"You do realize that you have about twenty minutes before I have to leave," she whispered to him.

"I know, but I wanted to talk to you for a bit before you left," he answered.

She turned towards him. "About what?" she asked.

"Us, of course," he said with a smile.

Her heart sank a little. "Good or bad?"

"Good I hope. I've been thinking about leaving my girlfriend, but I'm not positive yet. Things just seem off lately and I don't want to make a rash decision," he said softly. He didn't want any of the other guests, especially his girlfriend, to overhear their conversation.

"What does this have to do with us?" Emma asked softly.

"Well, for one, we wouldn't have to hide our relationship from anyone, but that's up to you. I'd like to take things further if you are up for it," he replied.

Emma swallowed as she thought about it. "I'd need time to think," she finally said.

"I understand, but I just wanted to let you know," he said.

"Thank you," she said.

He nodded and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Emma leaned her head against his arm as she listened to the fountain and looked at the stars. She was enjoying the peaceful night when she realized that she needed to leave. She looked up at him and smiled.

"It's time for me to go. You know where I live, don't be a stranger," she smiled.

"Wouldn't dream of it," he grinned at her.

She giggled and then pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Thank you for the dances," she said.

"Anytime," he replied.

She stood up and then headed towards the front of the house. She still had to hide her mask. She knew the perfect spot to put it too. As she headed in that direction, someone stepped in her way. She steadied herself and then looked up into a pair of green eyes.

"Excuse me," she said softly.

"Not so fast," he said.

She looked up at him confused. "What do you want?"

"I'm just giving you a warning," he said.

"A warning about what?"

"Don't fuck with my best friend. I may not like his current girlfriend, but I will not have his heart fucked with," he threatened.

"Look, I don't know who you are or why you are threatening me, but I am leaving," she told him.

"You've been warned," he said and then left.

Emma continued on her way. She stopped into the bathroom and then hid her mask within the bathroom. She was certain that he would be smart enough to find it. She had, of course, known the man with green eyes and she knew that he wasn't one to fuck around, but she knew that he'd come around once he knew who she really was. She quietly slipped out the front door and headed towards one of the awaiting black cars. She climbed in and told the driver her address. Her night had been amazing and she was looking forward to her next meeting with her lover.



Jimmy rejoined the party after getting some fresh air. He found his girlfriend and they danced for a couple of songs before gathering their things. She was tired and wanted to go home. Just before he was about to leave he excused himself to use the restroom again. He walked down the hallway and entered the bathroom. He did his business and washed his hands. Just as he was about to leave a small glint caught his eye. He turned towards it and smiled softly. He lifted her mask from its hiding place and flipped it over. Tucked just inside the nose pocket was a small piece of paper. He lifted it out and unfolded it and read what it said.

Jimmy,

I realized it was time for you to know my name. The games were fun, but I no longer want secrets between us. I'm not sure if you will remember or not, but I figured you might if you really thought about it. Just know that I do love you and your company.

Emma

He smiled and tucked the note away into his pocket. He had to make sure that he hid this from his girlfriend. As he walked out of the bathroom with the mask in hand he thought back to the name. It sounded very familiar. He knew he'd think about it until he figured it out. He rejoined his girlfriend by the front door and made sure to say goodbye to everyone. He led her to one of the black cars and allowed her to climb in first. He climbed in after her and they were off to their home.

The entire ride home, Jimmy kept thinking about the note that was hidden deep in his pockets. He knew the name sounded familiar, but he couldn't place where. It wasn't long before the car came to a stop in front of his house. He climbed out and helped out his girlfriend and together they walked up to the front door. He unlocked it and then opened the door allowing his girlfriend to enter first.

"Baby, you okay?" she asked, after he shut and locked the door.

He turned towards her with a soft smile. "Yeah, I'm fine," he said.

"You sure? Cause you were pretty quiet on the ride home," she said.

"I'm alright, honest. Just exhausted," he said, loosening his bowtie.

He took off his top hat and then placed it under his arm before he headed up the stairs to get ready for bed. Mila followed him, unsure if she should believe him or not. She didn't want to push him or anything because she was also exhausted. She figured after some sleep she'd bring it up again if needed. When she walked into their bedroom, Jimmy was already taking off his dress pants. Everything else was scattered around the room. He found his pajama pants and pulled them on before moving the blankets back.

"Hey, babe, can you help me unzip my dress, please?" she asked looking at him.

He smiled and helped her undress. She walked into the bathroom and undid her hair and removed all her makeup. When she returned to the bedroom, Jimmy was in bed with his eyes closed. Mila pulled on her sleep attire and then climbed into bed with him. She snuggled up into his side and let her own eyes close. When Jimmy heard her even breathing his eyes reopened and he stared at the ceiling. The name issue wasn't leaving him alone. He wanted to figure it out. He knew that he heard it before and it was driving him crazy that he couldn't figure it out. He heard his phone buzzing on the nightstand and he picked it up and looked at the screen. It was a new text. He pressed the button that opened the new text and read it.

You must be wide awake thinking about my name. It's okay if you don't remember. I remember and if you want to, just think back to when we were kids. Love you, Emma.

Jimmy's eyes widened at the words. He reread the text a few more times, before it finally clicked on where he knew the name from. Matt grew up next to a couple with a little girl named Emma. He remembered that she was a little firecracker then too. He deleted the text and then put his phone back on the nightstand and then closed his eyes to get some sleep. He finally knew her name and he was looking forward to seeing her again. He wanted to find out why she had left all those years ago.



When Emma arrived home she changed out of her dress and into comfortable clothes. She had a feeling that Jimmy might need a little push in remembering, so she had sent him a text before finishing her nightly routine before bed. He hadn't replied, so she assumed that he had just gone to bed. She wasn't worried that he was ignoring her. She was exhausted herself and just wanted to go to bed for the night. The ball had taken a lot out of her. After Emma finished taking off the little make-up she did have on, she switched off the light and then climbed into bed. Her eyes closed as soon as they hit the pillow and she dreamed of Jimmy holding her while she slept.