Of Silk and Death.

Chapter 18

I should have known that Peter would ask the shopping staff to deliver the boxes while I was not in the room. It was so silly not to see the surprise.

I wondered if he was, in fact, thinking of napping or if he just wanted to surprise me twice, knocking on the door as I opened my gifts. But then I thought about the yawn and him rubbing his eyes and assumed he was truly exhausted, so I just began opening the boxes, wondering what I would see inside.

First, I opened the largest box, assuming it was my dress. I was correct, but I almost screamed when I unfolded the wrapping paper. I rapidly covered my mouth to muffle it and stared silently at the thing inside the box. I couldn't believe what my eyes were seeing.

Peter hadn't bought me any of the dresses we had seen on display in the hotel shop.

It was a completely new dress, and it was exquisite.

Perhaps he had decided none of the dresses were enough for his party and had just sent a shopper to buy one somewhere he knew rich women went shopping, like Saks. All I knew was that it was luxurious as I touched the fabric. It was like a soft blue wave of silk, long and cool, with small touches of blue beads that gave it a shine in a certain light.

As I walked to the closet and opened the door to look into the large mirror, I noticed its low waist and the uneven hem that gave it a regal look, like the long tail of a bird.

Wondering what other wonderful things he had provided for this foolish girl, I delicately placed the dress on the bed and walked to the living room to open the rest of the gifts.

Each gift I opened was like a dream come true. A beautiful case of makeup which I was so excited to put on, a set of combs and hairpins to fix my hair, several pairs of nylon stockings in a soft beige, a gorgeous, completely beaded, sapphire blue purse with silver details, and a pair of absolutely stunning silver pumps with rhinestone-studded heels.

It was all so beautiful.

Finally, I observed the last large bag left and recognized it came from a jewelry store close to The Plaza. Beginning to laugh almost hysterically, I sat on the sofa and dragged the bag closer, opening it with shaky hands.

The large bag carried three items, all black velvet cases, two small and one large. With an anxious sigh, I took the first one, the narrowest of them, and opened it.

The inhuman sound that came out of my mouth when I looked at the jewelry piece made me feel ashamed, but could you blame me?

I gasped as I took the diamond and sapphire-encrusted bracelet Peter had bought me. Then I moved to the other small case and opened it. It was another diamond and sapphire jewelry piece, this time a beautiful Art Deco hair comb.

Last but not least, I took the final case and opened it, ready for whatever it could be. But I was not prepared, as the second my eyes set upon it, I felt like fainting.

I melted down on the sofa, just laughing at the ridiculousness of the situation. Humming joyfully, I touched the necklace and earrings the young man had gifted me. It was a jewelry masterpiece and the final piece of this ensemble of diamond and blue.

Peter wanted me to shine brighter than Times Square.

But why? Was this just a gift from someone with a lot of money and not much sense, or was there something more? Something deeper?

I placed the velvet case back on the table and sat there, lying against the back of the sofa, looking out the window into the city beyond.

A morbid thought then came into my mind.

"Well, if we are going to die tonight, we will at least look good."

I frowned and closed my eyes, trying to erase the dreadful image of us hanging dead from large webs like two beautiful puppets.