for James, if he had been an old family friend who was so important, he would have been spoken of at least once in the last five years. Then, there was the gleam in her Gran’s eye. She was up to something, and was clearly very proud of herself. It made Ally a little nervous.
The thought of James did strange things to her body that she had never experienced before. He’d been in her presence for all of five minutes, and he still haunted her to this day. Madame Isabella had been right about her parents, and she had met James, maybe there was something between them that was written in the stars. Oh God. I sound like Kat, and she isn’t even here yet.
Just then there was a knock at her bedroom door. “It’s just me, darling. Are you ready to see your dress?” Her grandmother sauntered into the room.
Ally smiled and nodded, and Adele held up the dress proudly.
Ally let out a small gasp and brought her hand up to her throat as she in awe. It was the most beautiful dress she had ever seen in her life. It had a stunning, simple elegance about it, made of deep scarlet satin that fell to the floor with a low square neckline and a slight gathering at the back. She knew she would feel like a princess in this dress.
“It was mine, and then your mothers," Adele whispered. “And now it’s yours.”
Ally was rendered speechless by the dress and the beautiful sentiment behind it. She felt her eyes well with tears of happiness. One escaped and rolled down her cheek.
Adele wiped it away with her thumb. “She would’ve loved nothing more than for you to have it and wear it tonight.”
“Thank you, Gran,” she whispered.
“I have accessories, too.” Adele pulled a pair of matching stilettos, and a half mask with a scarlet feather from behind her back. “These are all new, though.”
“Oh, my!” Ally sighed with contentment. “They are beautiful as well. Thank you so much.” She shook her head in disbelief.
“You deserve it, Ally.” She smiled and drew her into a hug. “Besides you need something bold to catch his eye,” she added with a wink.
“Whose eye?” Ally asked feigning innocence.
“The man of your dreams,” Adele said looking her square in the eye. “You are destined to be together, Ally.”
Ally was stunned. “What?” she asked. That was the second time she had been told that.
Adele chuckled. “I’ve decided you need someone like him, and he needs someone like you.”
“Doesn’t he get some say in this?”
“Yes and no.”
What a strange answer, Ally thought. “Let’s just see what happens. I might think he’s a total jerk.”
Adele laughed again. “You won’t.”
Ally focused her attention back on the dress and took it from her grandmother as if it was sacred. “This dress…” she let the words hang in the air.
“Was made for you darling. He won’t be able to resist you.”
“I don’t know, Gran. You’re still beautiful. He might lavish his attentions on you,” Ally joked.
But in all seriousness, Ally thought her grandmother was one of the most beautiful women she had ever seen. Even though she was in her mid-sixties, if Ally didn’t know better she would say that Adele wasn’t a day over forty. Her long brown locks still reached half-way down her back. She refused to cut it saying, “Women are supposed to have long hair.” Her grandmother could be very old school sometimes. Her bright violet eyes still shined as if they belonged to a newborn babe, but had the intelligence of Einstein. Her ivory skin had very few wrinkles and appeared to be almost as smooth as Ally's was. Given the age difference, it was remarkable. Ally hoped she had inherited whatever gene was responsible for that.
“Oh pish posh girl!” Adele giggled, “I’m far too young for him.”
“Young? Don’t you mean old?” Ally asked a bit confused.
Adele looked at her mysteriously and then answered, “Young at heart, my girl. He is too serious for me.”
“He isn’t too serious is he?” Ally asked suddenly concerned. Perfect, he’s a bore.
“No, I just like my man to have an inner goof ball.”
“Hmm…Grandpa definitely fitted the bill then.”
“Yeah…Grandpa,” Adele answered distractedly.
“It’s been so long since I wore a dress.” Ally remarked as she stood in front of the full length mirror imagining what the dress would look like on her.
“Far too long if you ask me,” Adele huffed. “Tonight we shall change that.”
Ally looked at her grandmother and rolled her