On Bended Knee

Epilogue - Six Months Later

Lucy closed her eyes tightly. Frederick's forehead was against her own.

"Breathe, my Lucy." He spoke with exaggerated calm. "You can do this. You're fine. I'm right here with you."

Lucy nodded against Frederick's forehead. She would be fine. They'd talked about this, they wanted this. She forced herself to breathe deeply despite the constriction in her chest.

Stupid tight fancy clothes with their stupid tight shaping garments.

"Alright?" Frederick asked.

"Yes. Just a minute. I'm almost ready."

"Take all the time you need."

Lucy was grateful for the small lie. She knew there was a whole lineup of cars waiting behind theirs to deposit VIP guests at the movie premiere. She nodded rapidly a few times.

"Okay." She sat up straight, then collapsed back against the seat as anxiety flooded through her once again.

"There's so many people out there. They'll think I don't belong here, and they'll all be taking pictures, and judging me and—"

"Slow down," Frederick interrupted. "It's perfectly natural. Every single person on that carpet feels like they don't belong here, like everyone else is more talented or successful or better dressed or better liked."

Lucy turned to face Frederick, who was hovering protectively by her shoulder. "Even you?"

He laughed. "Me the most. Would it make you feel better if I told you something horribly embarrassing about myself?"

"Possibly."

"My first two years of boarding school, two whole years, guess what the other boys called me."

"Freddie?" Lucy asked, remembering his aversion to that nickname.

"I wish. They called me 'Ick'."

Lucy burst out laughing. "Ick? Oh, that's funny. I mean, awful. You poor thing!" It didn't seem possible that the handsome, confident man in front of her had once been on the receiving end of childhood taunts.

"A laugh! That's what I was hoping for. How are you feeling now?"

"Better. Thanks."

"Can I kiss you for luck?"

"Don't you dare smudge my lipstick! But if our luck is at stake, maybe you should cop a feel. Just in case."

A wicked grin on his face, Frederick complied, so thoroughly that all thoughts of the nerve-wracking moment to come was swept away by his touch. Too quickly, Frederick knocked on the window on the partition between them and the driver of their stretch limousine. Heat shooting through her nether regions, Lucy found herself reluctant to leave the car for a whole different reason.

Their door opened. Frederick stepped out to a cacophony of screams, cheers and camera flashes.

Lucy blinked once or twice as she took in the overwhelming noise and the sea of faces that lined the entrance to the movie theater. Her eyes slid from the hollering fans to a larger-than-life poster of Frederick in a top hat and black dress coat, a zombie in front of him and a woman in white receding into the distance behind him.

Frederick turned and handed Lucy out of the car. She straightened and Frederick put his arm around her waist. The screams grew deafening. Lucy listened to the noise and realized that it was the sound of joy. Lucy smiled.

"Shall we?" Frederick asked.

They stepped onto the red carpet. Together.