Chapter Fifteen: The Masquerade Ball

Once they reached the Garden District, Ellen and her friends had the cab driver drop Rich Falcon at a tuxedo rental to be fitted. Then they headed a few more blocks to The Red Carpet, a cute boutique on Magazine Street.

“This should be fun,” Tanya said as they climbed from the cab and paid the driver.

“Speak for yourself,” Sue said. “These places never have anything in my size.”

The gray and red shop looked small and crowded by the larger buildings beside it. Ellen worried there might not be enough of a selection to meet their needs. But when she walked inside and saw the length of it, with gorgeous gowns lining every square inch of the walls on either side and hanging from racks on the floor, she felt giddy with excitement.

Sue sat down on a red velvet sofa. “You two go ahead. There’s no reason for us all to go to the ball. The most important thing is for you to get Rich Falcon and his buffalo fur in contact with Sidney Longfellow.”

“Sue, don’t be like that,” Tanya said. “We’ll find something for you.”

“May I help you ladies?”

A woman as large as Sue emerged from a back room. She was a young black woman dressed to the nines in glitz and glamor. Her royal blue gown hugged her hour-glass shape. The dress was floor-length and sparkled with iridescent beads. The neckline was low and flattering. She looked incredible.

Sue’s chin nearly hit the floor. “Wow. That dress is stunning on you.”

“Thank you.”

“Can you help me find something like that?” Sue asked.

“I’m sure I can,” the young woman said. “Follow me.”

While the store clerk helped Sue, Ellen and Tanya combed the racks. Ellen had never seen so many gorgeous gowns in one place.

“What do you think of this?” Tanya held up a silver fringed gown by Mac Duggal.

“It’s lovely. Try it on.”

“Or what about this one?” Tanya held up a second gown by Mac Duggal with an asymmetric neckline. It was chiffon with a red blossom print on a light gray background and a sheer set-in bell sleeve.

“Oh, my,” Ellen said. “That one’s nice, too. Try them both on.”

Not long after Tanya had left for the dressing room, Ellen found a gown by Jovani made of a soft and stretchy navy-blue lace. It had a wide shoulder neckline with a very subtle scallop. Because Ellen didn’t like her upper arms, she was glad it had three-quarter set-in sleeves. The gown was fitted, but not too fitted, at the bodice and hips and flowed in a sheath style to the floor. She hoped it looked as good on as it did on the rack.

In the fitting room, Ellen climbed into the dress and studied herself in the full-length mirror. She couldn’t be more pleased. The navy blue went well with her complexion and her dark blonde hair. The fabric hugged her without showing any rolls of fat. And the length of the gown elongated her, making her look less round. She stepped from the dressing room to see if her friends agreed that she’d found the right gown.

Tanya was in the main showroom in front of a three-way mirror donning the gray chiffon dress with the red blossom print. It was tied at the waist with a thin black belt.

“You look beautiful,” Ellen said.

Tanya looked up as Ellen approached the mirror. “Oh, Ellen. You do, too. I love that on you.”

Just then, Sue emerged wearing an off-shoulder Tiffany in gold and black brocade with angel sleeves and a drop waist. She looked like a mermaid princess.

“Oh, wow, Sue!” Ellen said. “You look amazing.”

“You really do!” Tanya said.

“She cinched my waist, so I can’t really breathe, but I don’t mind.” Then she said, “You two look amazing, too. I’d say we hit the jackpot. Now we just need jewelry and shoes.”

“And masks,” Tanya said.

 

Once they were in the cab with their bags and heading back to the tuxedo rental to pick up Rich, Ellen noticed that Sue was crying.

“Sue?” she asked gently from the front passenger’s seat. “Are you okay?”

“I really didn’t think I’d find something that would make me feel beautiful,” she said. “I know I’m being silly. It’s just a dress.”

“You’re not being silly,” Tanya said.

“I wish my mother could have seen it on me,” Sue said. “I miss her so much.”

“I’m sure she’s looking down on you with pride,” Ellen said.

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Sue said with a forced laugh.

“I would.” Tanya put an arm around her friend in the backseat.

 

Rich Falcon looked handsome in his sharp tuxedo, with the white buffalo fur draped across his shoulders like a cape. He wore his white hair loose from its usual ponytail and combed straight back. Ellen thought he looked much more attractive with his hair that way, resembling Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter movies.

“Golly,” she said when she saw him as she emerged from the elevator in the lobby of the Inn on Ursulines. “Don’t you look nice.”

“I feel like the luckiest man alive,” he said. “To be escorting three beautiful ladies to a fancy party. Wowza. Those dresses look incredible on you.”

“What do you think of our masks?” Tanya held hers in front of her face. It was silver and red, like her gown, but in a harlequin pattern with silver lace trim and a red handle. They’d all opted to wear the kind that one held up to one’s face rather than risk ruining hair and makeup with elastic bands or ribbons.

Ellen’s mask was covered in white lace and pearl trim and had a white feather on one side. Sue’s was gold with black trim, black beads dangling along the bottom, and black feathers all along the top.

“Very nice,” Rich said.

“Here’s one for you/” Ellen handed him a plain black one with an elastic band.

“Thank you,” he said with a nod. “Are we ready, then?”

They had decided to splurge by ordering a limo to transport them to and from the benefit. It seemed wrong to arrive in a taxicab looking so fancy. The limo was already waiting for them at the curb.

 

The former federal reserve bank that was now the Federal Ballroom was an impressive white stone building with a red awning and floor-to-ceiling colonial-style windows. Inside, Ellen and her friends found massively high coffered white ceilings with two rows of tall white pillars separating the dancefloor from the round tables on either side. The pillars were made more beautiful by spotlights that illuminated them from their base, creating a dramatic ambience. On the opposite side of the long dancefloor was a stage where band members were setting up. Elegantly dressed people were making their way to the tables on the outskirts of the room.

As Ellen and her friends searched for a table, they passed by the buffet stations where they saw Caesar salad, shrimp and grits, crawfish etouffee, pasta primavera, chicken and sausage gumbo, roast beef debris with mashed potatoes, a beef tenderloin carving station, a fried turkey carving station, a roasted pig carving station with pork tenderloins and jambalaya, alligator sausage, crawfish sausage, shrimp sausage, grilled chicken breast, grilled catfish, bananas foster, coffee and beignets, and French bread pudding with rum sauce—all catered by Capdeboscq.

“My, my, my,” Sue said. “This may prove to be our best trip yet.”

They eventually found a round table for six in the furthest corner, off to the right of the stage. It was practically hidden behind a speaker system and a pillar, which was fortunate since the plan was to keep themselves and the buffalo fur inconspicuous, so as not to alert Sidney Longfellow of their presence. Rich Falcon draped the fur on the sixth chair, out of view, and waited with it while the ladies went through the food stations. When they returned with their plates full, Rich left for his turn.

“Have you seen him yet?” Ellen asked her friends of Sidney Longfellow.

“Not yet,” Sue said. “Have you, Tanya?”

“No, but there are a lot of people here. I’m sure he’s here somewhere.”

“Remember the plan,” Sue said. “One of us needs to get him on the dancefloor while another of us discreetly goes onto the floor with Rich.”

“Who’s going to dance with whom?” Ellen asked before taking a bite of her shrimp and grits.

“You better ask Mr. Longfellow to dance,” Sue said to Ellen. “Tanya won’t have the guts to do it, and he might turn me down.”

“Oh, stop,” I said. “But I’m happy to do it.”

“Just remember to hold up your mask,” Sue said.

“I will, I promise.”

“And Tanya, why don’t you go with Rich?” Sue suggested. “You’re less memorable than I am and are less likely to draw attention.”

“Excuse me?” Tanya asked as her face turned white.

“I meant that as a compliment,” Sue said. “People remember me everywhere I go because of my size. You blend in with the rest of the beautiful people.”

“Please stop, Sue,” Ellen said. “You know you look beautiful tonight. You said so yourself.”

“You’re right,” she said. “I’m just not used to feeling good about myself.”

“So, what will you do while we’re on the dancefloor?” Tanya asked Sue.

“I’ll be on the sidelines waiting to intervene once Sidney Longfellow realizes that he’s been shocked by the white buffalo.”

Rich returned to their table, so they ladies went over the details of their plan again with him.

“You’re sure it wouldn’t be easier for me to bump into him in the men’s room?” Rich asked.

“You can’t hang out there all evening waiting on his bladder,” Ellen said. “Besides, we want to be there when it happens.”

“I suppose we could hide out in the men’s room,” Sue said with a laugh. “We’ve done worse.”

“Let’s just stick with the original plan,” Tanya said.

Suddenly, Sue said, “Oh, no.”

“What’s wrong?” Tanya asked with dread on her face.

Ellen followed the line of Sue’s vision and was shocked to see Brian sitting at a table with a beautiful woman less than half his age. His gray eyes sparkled beneath his thick, dark brows, and his dazzling smile, caused by the gorgeous young thing beside him, made Ellen frown.

“Oh, God,” Ellen said, bringing her hand to her stomach. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

“Breathe, Ellen,” Sue said. “You have to stay focused. Remember why we’re here.”

Tanya turned to see what the hullaballoo was all about. “What is he doing here?”

“Who is he?” Rich asked.

“Ellen’s ex-boyfriend,” Sue explained.

The phrase ex-boyfriend made Ellen’s stomach clench into a knot. “Excuse me for a moment. I’ll be right back.”

Ellen lifted her mask to her face and crossed the ballroom in search of a restroom. Once she was inside the ladies’ room, Ellen took a good look at herself in the mirror. Why was it that when she finally mustered up the nerve to confess her love to Brian—in writing, no less—he decided to move on? The universe must enjoy taking pleasure in its cruel, ironic tricks.

She found a tissue and blew her nose, fixed her makeup, and washed her hands. She straightened her dress, took another look at herself from all sides, and then took a deep breath. Tonight wasn’t about her. It was about helping Rabbit and Crow Woman. She needed to get over herself, pull up her big girl panties, and get to work. Lifting her mask to her face, she left the ladies’ room full of resolve.

Back in the ballroom, the band had begun to play, and a few couples were on the dancefloor waltzing to the slow, romantic melody. Ellen avoided looking across the room at Brian’s table as she made a beeline for her own.

“Are you okay?” Tanya asked.

Ellen took her seat and drank down the last of her wine. “Absolutely. Has anyone had a Sidney sighting yet?”

“He’s standing in line for a drink,” Sue said. “This might be a good time to grab him, while he’s away from his wife and friends.”

Ellen lifted her mask to her face. “Ready then?”

Her friends nodded.

Trembling a little, Ellen headed for the drink line, where Sidney Longfellow was waiting.

When she reached him, she said, “Excuse me, Mr. Longfellow. On behalf of the New Blue Foundation, I’d like to thank you again for your generous support of people with autism.”

“Oh, thank you,” he said. “It’s my pleasure. You’ve put on a beautiful event tonight. You should be proud.”

“Thank you,” Ellen said, feeling guilty over her lie. Reminding herself that it was for a good cause, she said, “Speaking of which, would you do me the honor of dancing with me? We’d like to get a photo for the website.”

“Oh, in that case, of course.”

He led her onto the dancefloor, where she searched for Tanya and Rich, Instead, she saw Brian dancing with his cute little girlfriend.

“Ugh,” she said without thinking, as she held her mask to her face with one hand and held Sidney’s hand with the other.

He put a hand to her waist to lead her in the waltz while asking, “Is something the matter?”

“Oh, I just saw my ex-boyfriend with another woman—a girl, actually. She can’t be more than twenty.”

Sidney frowned. “Oh, dear. I’m sorry to hear that. Anyway, it’s obvious that it’s his loss.”

“Thank you, Mr. Longfellow.”

“Now, let’s see. Where is your photographer?”

“He should be coming over any moment now.”

Ellen noticed Tanya and Rich had finally made it onto the floor. The white buffalo fur shone brightly in the otherwise dim ballroom. It was difficult to keep it conspicuous, despite the crowd. Ellen pulled Sidney toward her, so that his back was to the other couple.

“Trying to avoid him?” he asked.

“Yes. If you don’t mind.”

“If I weren’t married to the most wonderful woman in the world, I’d offer to kiss you, to make him jealous.”

Ellen laughed. “Bullocks for me, then.”

“Are you English?”

“Oh, no. I just read a lot of novels and watch a lot of Downton Abbey.”

It was Sidney’s turn to laugh. “How charming.”

There were a lot of couples on the floor, now, and Ellen was worried that Rich wouldn’t be able to successfully maneuver through them to Ellen’s side before the song ended. To help them along, and at the risk of making a fool of herself, she said, “Oh, please, go backward. Let me lead. I don’t want him to see me.”

She pushed Sidney though the other dancing couples, bumping into one or two along the way, but he took it like a sport, until, at last, he bumped into the fur of the white buffalo.

He turned around to see Rich Falcon and Tanya standing behind him.

“Did you feel it?” Ellen asked him as she dropped her mask from her face.

“You?” Sidney said angrily, once he’d put together what was happening. “I can’t believe it! Just when I thought you’d gone as low as anyone could possibly go.”

“Ellen?”

Ellen responded to the call of her name to find it had come from Brian. He stood with his date on the dancefloor with his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open.

“I thought you were in Montana,” he said.

“You know this imposter, Brian?” Sidney cried in disbelief.

“She’s my…friend,” he faltered after glancing at his date.

“She’s despicable, that’s what she is,” Sidney said before he stormed off.

Ellen followed her friends from the dancefloor, feeling mortified and heartbroken. Hadn’t Sidney felt the shock of the hide? And, if he hadn’t, had she and her friends gotten everything wrong?

“Ellen, wait,” Brian said as he grabbed her by the arm at the edge of the dancefloor. “Can we at least talk for a minute?”

His date had returned to their table.

Tears flooded Ellen’s eyes. “What good would it do? I was clearly too late.”

“Too late? Too late for what?” he asked.

“With my letter,” she said. “You’ve moved on.”

“What letter?”

Suddenly, it dawned on her that he hadn’t received her letter. But would it have made a difference? His date was so young and sexy and sweet. If he was capable of dating someone like her, why would he want Ellen?

“Never mind. If you do receive it, just rip it up.”

Ellen pulled her arm free and quickly returned to her table, where her friends sat moping over their failure.

Without sitting down, Ellen said, “Let’s get out of here.”

She hurried off to the curb, ahead of her friends, where she phoned their limo.

Brian caught up to her as her friends were still trying to exit the crowded entrance.

“Ellen, please talk to me,” he said.

“I can’t,” she said through her tears. “Another time, okay?”

His date called from the entrance, “Brian? Aren’t you coming inside?” Then she noticed Ellen, who had quickly covered her face with her mask, to hide her tear-stained cheeks. “Oh, hello, ma’am. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

Ellen inwardly groaned. Aloud, she said, “That’s alright. We’re done here.”

The limo pulled up just in time to save Ellen from further embarrassment. She climbed inside as her friends were catching up to her. No one said a word to Brian as they joined Ellen inside the limo.

“What a night,” Tanya said.

“A colossal disappointment in every way imaginable,” Rich Falcon said.

Ellen couldn’t have said it any better herself.