Secrets

Chapter 18

Holly S.'s heart raced in great anxiety and she felt a great shift within herself as she began walking towards where she and Duncan Quagmire had agreed to meet for their date. This sensation was far more extreme than the mere heart palpitations and flushed cheeks she'd experienced before when spending time with the young reporter. With having the renewed opportunity to explore her feelings and interest towards this young man; it felt as though her entire body had become numb, her arms and legs no longer obeyed the commands of her brain, and it was though she could no longer hear anything but her own heartbeat with the blood coursing through her ears and veins. One might often describe these sensations as if she were jumping off a cliff and continually falling, with no idea of when or where she would be landing. I, myself have never personally jumped from such a height without knowing whether I would be landing in the ocean or perhaps a valley filled with the softest pillows. I would also never jump without the reassurance that I would be avoiding capture from the authorities. Years later, I would eventually hear of a brave and noblewoman who had done something very similar to what was described here, but her experience was not one of taking a chance and falling in love with someone. She had done this in order to evade capture by two terrible villains and while she did not necessarily know where she was going to land, she could take comfort in the fact that she had the support of some very functional costumed wings.

While reviewing written and oral accounts of individuals who have fallen from cliffs and fallen in love, I have begun to develop a much better understanding of the phrase known as "falling in love." The meaning behind this metaphor had puzzled me for many years, even after I, myself had fallen for a beautiful woman. I never had those frightening and overwhelming sensations another person might feel while developing a fondness for their significant other or jumping off a cliff; yet this same person may never feel the deep, sharp, and wounding melancholy that I have after I lost that woman I had fallen very hard for. As I now understand, this metaphor can be literally and figuratively interpreted in this story, especially when it comes to feelings experienced by the young violinist because as she was turning to meet her date, she slipped in the shoes she was wearing and fell right into his surprised waiting arms as she turned the corner of their meeting place.

While I am told she was highly embarrassed for literally falling into Duncan Quagmire's arms, sometimes seen as an unfortunate way to begin courting one another, Holly S. was still worried about whether her date would find her attractive and presentable for the occasion. Even though she hardly ever worried about her outward appearance to others, this would be one of a few times in which she wanted to know if she was pleasing to the person whom she already cared deeply for.

Contrary to the seemingly disastrous way two individuals might meet for a courtship, one word escaped the triplet's mouth that set some of her worries at ease.

"Wow," was all the young man could say as he helped Holly stand up properly and he was able to take in her formal appearance.

"You...you..." he stammered, unable to form the words he sought. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you," Holly responded, feeling some of the falling sensations leave her body. "You look very handsome too."

Like his date, Duncan Quagmire had managed to shed the horrendous and dingy Prufrock Prep uniform and was dressed in a collared white shirt, black pants, and a black formal jacket. While he wore no tie, Holly could see a bulge in the side pocket of his side jacket, indicating that the researcher had smuggled his commonplace book to their meeting. His dark hair was combed more neatly than she had seen it before, and his eyes seemed to shine above the pink hue in his cheeks that matched Holly's own.

"Thank you, I don't exactly own a lot of clothing, considering the fire took most of our belongings, but when my sister and I lived with our previous guardian, her partner managed to purchase some formal wear for me and Isadora, insisting that we be prepared in case there were ever any dinner parties."