The Broken Mirror

Chapter 25: Final Judgement/The Dinner Party

"Alynne!" I called out from outside her door for the seventeen millionth time these past few days. At least today it wasn't out of anything of worry, for the first time in forever. Today has great significance to it. Today is the day where the dinner party with Maddy and her husband occurs, This is final judgement, a test that will determine whether Alynne has kicked anorexia in the ass and can go back home and return to her once normal lifestyle. 

"I'm almost ready!" She responded, sounding to be somewhat frustrated. 

"Are you okay in there?" I questioned. 

"No, not really," She answered. "This dress is giving me a very hard time."

"Need some help?" I asked, not in attempts to be a perv, after all she is my girlfriend. We really need to get going to Maddy's house so if she needs help with her dress, that's what she'll get. 

"Please?" To that, I jiggled the door handle slightly and let myself in, slowly and quietly shutting the door while I made my way inside. 

Inside, I saw Alynne in the middle of the living room with her jeweled royal purple party dress hanging off of her body. 

"I can't get it on the rest of the way," She informed. There were multiple ties around her waist that she obviously couldn't get on herself. 

"I can see that!" I exclaimed, stiffling a laugh. "What do you need me to do?"

"Take the two thicker purple ties and run them over my shoulder and knot them together near where the neckline would be," Alynne instructed. Shaky and hastily, I did just that. I was slightly afraid that I had tied the strings too tight around her neck but when I heard her take in a deep breath with no trouble whatsoever, that thought flew from my mind. 

"You ready to go now?" I asked, starting to step towards the door. 

"Just a minute," She claimed as she snatched a few gems from her jewelry box. She put on a silver chain necklace with a purple onyx pendant and a pair of silver drop earrings. "I'm ready."

I was blown away by what I had seen. I was seeing the person that I never thought I'd see in this condition ever again. When I found out that Alynne had anorexia, I automatically assumed that she wouldn't make it through and would die, and I hated that thought but had it painted out in my head that that would be the inevitable end result. Little did I know that someone could actually recover from anorexia and go back to being their normal self. But today, I stand here looking at the girl I fell in love with and wonder how the hell I was able to get her to actually go out with me, looking better than she ever has. 

I guess it's true that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger in the end. 

"You okay, Benji?" Alynne asked, this snapping me from my daydream back into reality. 

"Yeah, I'm good," I said. "Ready to go?"

"Ready as I'll ever be."

(*)(*)(*)

"Welcome!" Maddy spurred off as she opened the front door to her house open for us.

"Hi Maddy!" Alynne squeed in excitement. "It is so good to see you somewhere outside that hospital in something other than that labcoat and scrubs."

"You wouldn't believe how good it feels to be out of them either," Maddy commented. 

"I remember when you got that dress!" Alynne informed, with yet another squeel hooking itself onto the end of her sentence. "You got that dress when we were vacationing in New York and decided to take a look on Fifth Avenue for shits and giggles. We didn't think we'd be able to afford anything but we got a cracking two for one deal on these dresses!" 

"I remember that day like it was yesterday!" Maddy said with as much excitement in her voice as Alynne's, if not more. 

While Maddy and Alynne talked and Maddy's husband Brad prepared dinner, I took the liberty in giving myself a re-tour around their house. I've been here before, it's just been forever since the last time I've visited. It was nice to get familiar with the place again, but as far as my eye could see, nothing had really changed since the last time I had visited, at least nothing that I could notice. 

"Benji, dinner's ready," Alynne said as she somehow managed to find me to deliver this message. I nodded in compliance and followed her back into the dining room. 

"So Maddy, tell me, how the hell did you manage to get married before I do and I had a boyfriend first?" Alynne asked jokingly, it not meaning to be antagonizing in any way, just a question among friends. 

"Well, first I think I'll jog your memory that I met Brad a month after you met Benji at that club," Maddy reminded. "And no offense to you, babe, but you were pretty desperate to settle down with someone."

"The truth hurts sometimes," Brad murmered. 

"The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off," I muttered under my breath. 

"Amen to that, Benji," Maddy commented before giving me a high five. 

The evening quickly slipped by with conversation and great food. 

I'm not a doctor or anything of the sort, but I think Alynne acted nothign but like herself during the party.