I unpacked my dress and hung it in the bathroom, took a steaming hot shower courtesy of their guest quarters and kept the room warm and humid by keeping the door shut while blowing my hair out and curling it with the wand oddly kept in a drawer next to the dryer. It was thoughtful of Abri to keep the instruments available to her guests but also felt like two points were added next to a dash by her name when I’d used them.
By the time my makeup and hair were done, the room had cooled. The wrinkles had disappeared significantly but not entirely. I thought about running the shower again but knew the water hadn’t yet reheated. I’d just started to panic when I heard a knock on my door. I threw on the silk short robe conveniently hanging from the hook on the back of the bathroom door, one more point for Abri, and answered.
Simon.
“Hi,” I said, my brow wrinkled in curiosity. “Can I help you?”
“Yeah,” he told me, “I wanted to say, while I have the opportunity in other words, while my mother’s not around, you’re in.”
“I’m in?”
“Yes, you’re in with us already. The guys took a vote and you’re in.”
“Guys?”
“Well, my dad and I.”
“And I’m in?”
“Yes.” He looked me up and down. “Why aren’t you dressed? We’re leaving in twenty minutes.”
The way he was so comfortable with me, I supposed I really was “in,” as he called it.
“I’m in a bit of a bind. The wrinkles in my dress won’t fall out.”
“Not a problem. Check the closet in your room. You should find a hand-held steamer.”
“Dammit! Two more points,” I gritted, my fist slapping an open palm.
“Huh?”
“Nothing. Thanks. I’ll be ready.”
I shut the door behind him.
The steamer was where he’d said it would be and it worked beautifully. The dress looked like I’d just picked it up from the store, maybe even better.
o;Where are they?” Ian asked.
“Mom’s at a press conference. Dad’s at a meeting. They said they’ll be home by four.”
“So what’s this news I had to travel half a day to hear?”
“It would sort of be anti-climatic, don’t you think, if I just blurted it out there?”
“I suppose so.”
“I’ll tell you at dinner.”
“Mom and Dad don’t know then.”
“No, you’ll all find out together.”
Ian eyed him curiously. “Where are we eating?”
Simon cleared his throat and looked at the ceiling. “Aubergine’s.”
“Dear Lord, this is serious,” Ian stated.