Red

Did I really have to wear pink? I know on the invitation it asked for ladies to wear pink, but a new red dress just arrived for me. Do I dare? This was my one and only shot to make myself noticeable at the annual Pink Gala taking place at the W in downtown Seattle. Stepping out alone for the first time since I was sixteen years old. My mother considered me an old hag at my age of twenty-four, that I should already be married with an infant. I couldn’t continue living the way I was though. So I dumped my boyfriend of eight years, and tonight was going to be my coming out party. I was just the only one that knew that.

Clad from bust line to floor, red lace dripped from my skin. If this didn’t scream singlehood I wasn’t too sure what would. It had a sweetheart neckline with a slit up to the top of my thigh. I pulled on my favorite nude pumps bringing my five foot six stature up to six feet. With a final makeup touchup I left my apartment and was greeted by Edmund, my driver, downstairs.

“Looking ravishing as always Miss Eliza.”

“Thank you Edmund. I’m hoping to turn some heads tonight.”

“That you will. Are you ready to face your mother?”

“That’s what champagne is for,” I laughed before patting his shoulder and gracefully climbed into the back of the black sedan.

My mother wasn’t fully aware that I had broken up with Aaron just yet. He was perfect in her eyes and couldn’t understand why I had turned down his marriage proposal when we were just 18 years old. She never believed me when I told her he was emotional abusive. The son of a Boeing executive could never be such a thing! I had my fill though and I kicked him out three years after I should have. Even though we lived together I had emotionally disconnected myself from him months before the split. It was for the best.

A red carpet lined the entrance to the W Hotel. Edmund pulled the car to a stop right at the start of the velvet. I powdered my nose quickly before he opened the door for me and helped me out. There were walls with the sponsor names plastered all over them along the walkway. I stopped in front of them and smiled at the four photographers taking pictures of guests as they arrived.

“Miss Eliza! Where’s Aaron?” I looked to my side to see Vincent, the editor-in-chief of Seattle Magazine, ask me.

“Who? I have no date. No boyfriend. Haven’t eaten and I hear my mother is inside. Does the bar have a back door I can sneak into?”

“Single? I do believe you just jumped to the top spot for Seattle’s Most Eligible Bachelorettes.”

“Pleases don’t. At least not before I tell my mother. It was nice seeing you Vincent. See you inside.” I smiled and gave my skirt a twirl showing off my right leg perfectly as I walked away. This was turning out exactly how I was hoping it would.

I should have known the moment I stepped into the ballroom my mother would be there, smile and all, welcoming all her guests.

“Eliza, you look beautiful. Where is Aaron?”

“I kicked him out two months ago. I’ve never felt better, now if you’ll excuse me mother the bartender is waving me over.” Of course I couldn’t even see the bar but I had to get away. Like ripping off a bandaid. I knew she wouldn’t criticize me at her big yearly event. It would wait until after and I had to make sure to get a few cocktails in me first.

“Whiskey and ginger please,” I smiled to the woman behind the bar. I glanced at the gentleman standing next to me. A couple of inches shorter than me, grey tailored suit, red tie, eyes too big for his head. He smiled at me as his eyes trailed down my dress and I ‘accidentally’ poked my knee out of the slit.

“Who do you belong to?” I asked. Clearly he was young, probably close to my age, and people my age only came to these events because of our parents.

“I don’t belong to anyone. I’m here alone,” he answered in a British accent which threw me off guard. There were only two things I was weak in the knees for, accents and scars.

“So you’re just here to support breast cancer?” I asked as I waved my arm around the ball room. Pink covered everything. All the women present were wearing pink. I stood out like a thorn in my dark red hue.

“Second base is my favorite. Every chance I get to support it, I’ll be there. So I can only assume you belong to someone?”

“Yes, my mother is the hostess. This is her yearly charity event. I’m actually trying my best to avoid her tonight.” I picked up my drink from the bar and took a quick sip from it. The whiskey hitting my lips felt like heaven.

“I can help you hide. I’m good at it.” He smiled at me before picking up a champagne flute and motioning me to follow him.