Coming Home

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The next few days were filled with planning the ball, decorating the mansion, and sending invitations out. Maggie quickly forgot about the threat and she focused on the things that she had to do.

Maggie's main job was to pick out a fabric for her dress. Seamstresses were hired and Maggie was given the choice to choose her own dream dress. Measurements were made, adjustments, calculations, and then finally, after lots of thinking and dreaming, came the time for picking out the color for the dress.

Maggie chose a shimmering dark blue, after Anne insisted it would suit her, and

Madame Broils, the head seamstress started sewing. It only took a few days for the hired woman to do her job, and then the dress was ready for her.

As soon as the dress was delivered to her room, she eagerly took it and put it on.

The dress fit her perfectly; it lay against her skin in all the right places, showing off her curves. It was strapless, which showed off her petite shoulders and collarbones. It glistened lightly under the dimmed lights, making it sparkle like the stars in the night. The dark blue made her eyes stand out, capturing anyone's attention. It flowed flawlessly down her body; like a river in a waterfall. Words could not describe the beauty of the dress.

Twirling in front of the mirror in her room, Maggie stared at herself from all angles. She looked stunning and she couldn't believe that this was her, plain Maggie McAnge; looking like a royal princess.

She wondered what the other women would be wearing to the ball and if she would stand out in any kind of way. She hoped not, because Maggie didn't like to get the attention of hundreds of eyes.

Thinking about the women made her thoughts travel towards her friend Kristine. She had called Kristine a few days ago and had let her know where she was. Crying silently, she told her the entire story in frustration and didn't leave out one little piece. Running away, Luke catching her, Uncle Earl capturing her heart, and the promise she had made.

They had talked about every possible thing that day and Kristine had managed to calm Maggie down a bit. Now she was about to call her friend again; to invite her to the ball. She was glad that Kristine was allowed to come. She knew that her friend would be excited and manage to twist things into a positive way. Maggie could hardly wait until her friend would hear of the ball news.

When Maggie called her old friend again with the invitation, Kristine was ready to come over at that exact moment.

"It's like you're planning your very own wedding!" the enthusiastic girl squealed. "Of course I'm coming!"

Maggie blushed when she imagined Luke as the groom and quickly changed the directions of her thoughts before her heart could have a say in the matter.

***

"Maggie! Maggie!" An over excited Anne squealed, two days before the ball was going to begin.

"You won't believe what l just found out!" Anne jumped up and down in front of Maggie with clasped hands. She tried to calm herself down, which took a few tries until she was able to declare,

"The Dentons' are coming to the ball too! Uncle Earl has invited them." She burst out, full of energy.

"Who are the Dentons'?" Maggie wondered curiously, but with suspicion.

"Oh my! They are the kindest couple I have ever known. Even though they are almost as rich as Uncle Earl, they have never tried to stop him or be better than him. They always show you respect and they have helped out a lot of people who were in need." Anne babbled on and on about the married couple, making Maggie want to meet them. They reminded her of Luke for some reason, but she knew he couldn't be related to them since he was not rich...