The next morning Lilly Ann was in especially high spirits. She whistled an impromptu melody skipping down the stairs. Taylor had a feeling that something was up but he didn’t ask. He had done that before and had been quickly tied up in a ‘I know something that you don’t know!’ game that had taken several hours before it was concluded, revealing their life changing dinner plans for that night. So he just sat back on his favorite chair in the kitchen and smiled knowingly, and a lot of good that did him.
“Aren’t you going to ask?” Lilly Ann got her game rolling.
“Ask what?” Taylor replied innocently. He wasn’t giving up that easily.
“Ask what I know, that you don’t know,” Lilly Ann cast her net.
“And what would that be?” he had to remember to be more careful next time.
“I’m not going to tell you,” she played her cards, “because you didn’t ask me nicely in the first place.”
“That’s all right, because you don’t know, that I know, what you know,” he bluffed sporting his best high stakes poker face.
For a fraction of a second Lilly Ann was thrown off balance.
“Who told?” she blurted out before she recognized her mistake.
“Gotcha!” Taylor basked in his little victory.
“No fair,” she complained, “that’s against the rules! Now I’m never gonna tell you.”
“What are you never going to tell me,” Oh, he was really getting good at this.
“About the party,” Lilly Ann gave up just enough to bait the trap.
“What party?” Taylor promptly walked straight in.
“Ah, so you don’t know about it after all,” she laughed dancing around the kitchen, “I win! I am the queen of the secret game!” she proclaimed.
“Wanna know?” she just couldn’t let him off the hook that easily.
“Only if you want to tell,” he replied nonchalantly.
“OK, ok,” she feigned giving up under pressure, “if you have to know, a few of your new friends are throwing a party at the Schwyzer House tonight, to celebrate the glorious completion of your ‘Just ask Lilly’ quest. They seem to be happy that you are staying for a while longer,” she revealed the juicy details of her secret. “I am happy too,” she added with a slightly different timbre in her voice.
“Now that is mighty nice of them,” Taylor was genuinely moved.
“We never pass up a reason for a celebration, it’s just too much fun,” she set the event into the right light, “there is going to be a band and dancing and dress up fine dining, so, wear something pretty.”
“That’ might be a tad difficult, I completely forgot to bring my tux and dress shoes,” Taylor smiled apologetic, “any idea where I could borrow some?”
“Let’s raid dad’s closet,” Lilly Ann was excited at the prospect of having another reason to dig through her father’s stuff.
“Are you sure he won’t mind,” Taylor cautioned, “I don’t want to get you in trouble with him.”
“I wouldn’t worry about that,” Lilly Ann said calmly, “dad’s pretty cool about his possessions. You’ll see.”
“Am I ever going to meet your parents?” Taylor asked. He sensed that there was more to the story than Lilly Ann let him know.
“Sure,” Lilly Ann replied quickly without further explanation.
After breakfast Lilly Ann showed Taylor the magical world of her under staircase walk in closet. The walls, ceiling and floor were lined with smooth wooden panels drenching the room in a strong red cedar scent. Clothes racks, chests of drawers and carton boxes neatly organized the diverse men’s wardrobe. Each piece, even the most casual garments, exuded an air of artistry and attention to detail. Taylor had enjoyed wearing the shirts and pants Lilly Ann had offered him before and had marveled at their exceptional quality and comfort but the variety before his eyes surpassed anything he could have imagined to be stored in this small house.
“We are looking for something fancy and fun,” Lilly Ann decided.
She opened a tall gliding door cabinet that revealed a row of formal suits of various colors and styles.
“Now that is what I’m talking about,” she exclaimed, “what’s your favorite color to wear?”
“I never really thought about it,” Taylor admitted, “What would you like to see me in?”
Lilly Ann looked him up and down and curled her lips.
“Orange,” she said finally.
“What?” Taylor jumped with eyes big as saucers.
“Just kidding,” Lilly Ann laughed, “how about this? Black and blue, can’t go wrong with that, right?”
The dark blue jacket she had taken from the hanger was cut in a straight, almost oriental style, with intricate floral pattern embroidery in the same color on the sleeves and cuffs.
“Try it on,” she suggested, “I believe you wear the same size as dad.”
Taylor had just about given up on believing in chance or destiny the longer his stay in Flugerton lasted but the perfect fit of this elegant garment that framed his shoulders and chest like it was made just for him almost made him reconsider. The length of the jacked flowed almost down to his knees emphasizing his tall and slender build. Lilly Ann had to remind herself to breathe and not stare at Taylor. To see him in her father’s elegant suit put her self control to the test.
“I think you can take that off for now,” she said averting her eyes.
She quickly grabbed a pair of black slacks, a hand woven white French cuff shirt, cuff links, a pair of dress socks and a pair of black suede dress shoes and made her way out into the safety of her hall way.
“Are you all right,” Taylor was getting a bit concerned.
“Sure, of course, what do you mean, I’m just fine,” Lilly Ann stammered completely out of character, “always these tough questions,” she laughed at her own sudden insecurity. A moment later she had regained her center and was being herself again.
“I am going upstairs to work a bit on the next issue of the Chronicle,” Lilly Ann suggested, “do you want to go out for a walk? We could meet for lunch here in the early afternoon, that gives us plenty of time to get ready for the evening.”
“What are you going to wear?” Taylor asked innocently.
“You will have to wait until you see,” she said in a promising tone.
“I am looking forward to it already,” Taylor answered smilingly.
There was something about Lilly Ann that day that he had never noticed before, a certain very much feminine quality that struck a chord in him whenever he looked at her. He had thought of her like his kid sister more than anything else before, now he wasn’t so sure anymore. Maybe a walk in fresh air would help him clear his mind.
A few hours after the sun had passed its zenith Taylor returned to the house. He found the kitchen empty, a sandwich waiting for him on the table and a note in Lilly Ann’s childlike handwriting.
“Sorry I missed you. Enjoy the sandwich. Back soon. In a while, crocodile, LA.”
It was definitely a day of many firsts, and the main event had not even started yet. Taylor didn’t quite know what to make of it, but Lilly Ann’s secretive behavior paired with his own upbeat mood after the invigorating walk let him expect nothing but the best. This was going to be fun.
He ate the sandwich and enjoyed a glass of lemonade from the icebox while reading a few pages in one of the older Lilly-Book transcripts. Soon he decided that his mind was not focusing on the text so he retired to his room to start getting himself ready for the evening.
Looking at his reflection in the mirror on top of the dresser he decided that he needed a bath, a shave and a haircut.
‘Well, two out of three will have to do,’ he thought not seeing any way to get his hair cut without doing some investigating first. He undressed and put on his borrowed bathrobe to tend to his personal hygiene in Lilly Ann’s bath shed. There always seemed to be enough hot water in the reservoir to fill the round wooden tub. It never occurred to
him to ask how or why, it was just a luxurious convenience that he took for granted.
With the temperature of the bath water to his liking he climbed into the tub to relax and soak and enjoy the fine fragrance of one of the many bath soaps Lilly Ann had collected on one of the shelves. He always used his time in the hot water to stretch and massage his muscles, which were still recovering from the after effects of his injuries. Washing his arms and legs he was again pleasantly surprised at the rapid and complete rehabilitation of his skin from the scuffs, burns and bruises he had sustained during his fall or to be more precise, at his unintentional landing. Edie May’s remedy had obviously worked a genuine miracle on him.
Taylor thanked his stars for the lucky fact that there used to be a male occupant in the house. Daily necessities such as shaving utensils were still at hand and he put them to good use. The lather of the slightly perfumed shaving soap was rich and smooth and gave his skin a glowing appearance. He thoroughly enjoyed the manly ritual, which gave him the daily opportunity to reconnect with his masculine character traits.
Pleased with the result of his thorough personal cleanup he made his way back into the house and decided to get some rest before putting on the evening garments, which were waiting in his room. He had just sat down in a comfortable chair and picked up a back issue of the Chronicle to browse through when he heard the front door open and close.
“No peeking!” Lilly Ann shouted before he was able to open the door to the hallway, “I’ll be upstairs to make myself ready. Meet me in the kitchen in an hour.”
She didn’t even come to his door and hurried up the stairs to the second floor. This was new, and Taylor had a suspicion that it would not be the last thing this evening.
He took his time to inspect the various pieces of clothing that were displayed on hangers all around the room. It was almost impossible to believe that pure chance had brought him to a house that was full of clothes and other items that would make his stay so wonderfully uncomplicated. But here he was, about to put on a suit that belonged to Lilly Ann’s father and still looked as if it was tailor made for him. The irony was not completely lost on him.
In his former life, which wasn’t further off than a few months, he would not have dreamed of going out in public wearing an outfit as fancy and flamboyant as the one he was about to put on. The upper part of the black dress pants was cut so close to his body that they looked as if painted on. He was getting a little concerned about the dinner part of Lilly Ann’s plans until he sat down to put on socks and shoes. To his delight, the material was not only of deep black color and smooth and skin tight, it was also flexible enough to not restrict his movements.
‘This might work out after all,’ he thought.
He fought a bit to get the cufflinks working correctly. They were constructed with an intricate mechanism that only revealed a bright red crystal on either side of the cuffs when they were closed. He slipped into the formal coat and stood in front of the mirror for final inspection.
Taylor almost did not recognize himself in the unfamiliar wardrobe. Everything about this suit accentuated his most favorable features. His hair was growing long which gave his face a daring yet poetic touch. He had never paid much attention to his appearance besides an almost military tidiness, but he had to admit to himself that he liked what he saw in the mirror.
“You can come out now,” Taylor heard Lilly Ann from the top of the stairs. He opened the door and looked up. Lilly Ann was still hiding out of sight when he heard her announce with a slight insecure wavering in her voice, “Ready or not, here I come.”
Taylor could not help but gasp at the image that seemed to appear out of thin air before him. Like a mirage conjured up by an ancient fairy tale, the epitome of woman all but hovered at the top of the stairs, looking at him with eyes as big as the sun and as bright as the moon. She gently floated down the stairs, her feet barely touching the ground, never averting her gaze. Her dress was a symphony of miles of sheer weightless veils that surrounded her like a cloud of color and light. The halter less top a chalice to safe-keep the promise of her innocent beauty. Her hair, on any other day tamed to a pony tale or hidden under a hat, framed her face like red and auburn storm driven waves of the sea, laced with braided strands of gold and crystal. He could not take his eyes off her, not even to blink.
Every woman is a queen to someone, and John Taylor’s queen had just arrived.
“You are beautiful,” he stammered after having had to swallow hard a few times before he was even able to speak, “absolutely out of this world.”
Lilly Ann looked deep into his eyes searching for a sign that he understood the deeper meaning of the last words he had spoken. She didn’t quite see it yet but the choice of his words alone promised that he would one day soon.
She graced him with the smile of a woman who liked what she saw.
“Don’t sound so surprised,” she whispered, “you don’t look too bad yourself, you know?” Stepping down the last of the stairs she added, “Just pray that I don’t kill myself with those heels. It must have been a man who came up with shoes like that,” she laughed.
The magical moment had passed and reality settled down on them like a comfortable blanket. However, the awe and appreciation of having seen a vision plucked from a heavenly realm would never again leave Taylor’s heart.
“Are you ready for your party?” Lilly Ann’s voice lured him back to their moment in time.
“For you my queen, I was born ready,” he delivered the corny phrase with his best British accent and relished the laughter it earned him. “Do we walk or take the van?”
“Neither,” she announced, “I commanded a carriage.”
She slipped her hand under Taylor’s arm and pulled him to the front door. Outside the afternoon sun drenched the street in golden light and Taylor could not believe what he saw.
“My prince, your ride,” Lilly Ann proclaimed theatrically.
The vehicle that was parked in front of Lilly Ann’s house defied any definition. Two beautiful black Clydesdale draught horses, at least nineteen hands tall, stood in bright red and gold harness, calmly waiting to pull their carriage. It was much more difficult to find words for the wagon they were employed to draw. Taylor had seen motorcars like that in ancient movies from more than three hundred years ago. They were called Cadillac and this specific model did not have a roof and its rear fenders were shaped like shark fins. The engine had obviously been removed and been replaced by a pole to attach the horses’ harness as well as a raised bench to provide a perch for the driver.
Lilly Ann’s brother Willie proudly occupied the driver’s seat and waved at them with a buggy whip. He was clad in a bright red mock uniform with golden tassels and a tall hat and he was obviously enjoying the perplex stares his most unusual team earned from his guests and from bystanders. He jumped off his seat and opened the doors for his two passengers.
“Hop in,” he said eagerly, “make yourselves comfortable.”
“This was Willie’s idea,” Lilly Ann announced to Taylor, “isn’t this fun!”
She gathered up the countless layers of her veil dress and climbed into the back seat that was lavishly covered in red crushed velvet. Taylor, still in shock and disbelieve in view of this surreal horse drawn carriage, quickly followed her and let himself sink into the pillow soft seat.
Willie mounted his driver’s perch and cracked his whip for fun.
“We’ll pick up Edie May and grandpa on the way to the Schwyzer House, if you don’t mind,” he said turning back to them, and off they went.
Lilly Ann and Taylor didn’t mind the least. What could have been a more fun and pleasant way to spend a lazy afternoon than to be chauffeured around town by these powerful animals and their most accommodating driver? People on the streets stopped dead in their tracks, waved, whistled, and laughed. Flugerton had a new attraction and everyone was loving it. It took them the better part of an hour to gather up their additional passe
ngers who were just as amazed and amused by their ride as the first two had been. Another brief drive concluded their carriage ride in front of the tavern where guests were steadily arriving and festive lighting set the stage for the party in the outdoor dining area.
Willie parked the coach right in front of the Schwyzer House main gate. Quickly word got around that the guest of honor and his entourage had arrived and the crowd gathered to welcome Taylor and to congratulate him to his brave decision. He shook more hands than he could remember names. Overwhelmed by the outpour of well wishes and hospitality, he would have needed a secretary to keep track of all the dinner invitations and offers for lodging accommodations he received within just a few minutes. “Just in case you need a break from Lilly Ann,” was added with a jovial wink more than once.
Taylor and Lilly Ann were guided to the head of the longest table Taylor had ever seen. There must have been room for more than a hundred guests and the wait staff had already begun the never-ending parade of food and drink for all guests. They were just about seated when Fritz Neuwirt took an empty wine glass and used it as a bell to quiet the guest.
“Friends,” he said repeatedly, “friends, as you know a dear and brave soul has decided to walk his path alongside ours for a while longer. Let’s show him that we not only know how to think, but also how to drink,” cheers and hollering and clinking of glasses all around answered his joke, “and dance and sing and throw a party as if there was no tomorrow. Well, there isn’t one anyway, as long as I can remember it was always today, every day.” More cheers and laughing drowned out the rest of the speech and more than a hundred arms reached out to clink their glasses with the guests at the head of the table.
Taylor got up from his chair and raised his glass.
“I don’t know half of you as much as I would like and I like all of you twice as much as I deserve,” he was paraphrasing a birthday speech from an ancient text, “my life came crashing down on wings of fire, literally, and you picked me up to show me another way. That I will never forget.”
It took him fifteen minutes to get through endless well wishes and clinking of countless glasses before he could take a sip from his wine and sit down in his chair next to Lilly Ann. His face was aglow from the genuine affection bestowed on him by people he hardly knew and who hardly knew anything about him. Taylor was not used to being the center of attention and for sure not of such positive attention. Still, the natural and easygoing attitude everyone was displaying so freely, made him feel at home in the midst of all these strangers.
There wasn’t much time to be contemplative, though. Appetizers were served on lavish porcelain platters and everyone wanted Taylor to try their favorite treats. His plate was refilled each time he had tasted the bite-size delicacies and his wine glass never was just half full. The variety of dishes that were served was fantastic. There were tiny soup bowls with a myriad of different aromas and tastes and textures, steamed and grilled vegetables, masterfully prepared and seasoned with the most fragrant of spices, meats of every kind imaginable, cooked in countless ingenious ways, and a variety of bread which he could have never imagined before. This meal was a carnival for the senses with surprises and delights around every corner, with no end in sight.
Just as some of the guests indicated their inability to continue the carnal feast, music started to play. A band of seven musicians had arranged themselves under the big oak tree and got warmed up with a wild tune of Eastern European heritage. Two guitars, an accordion, a double bass, a clarinet, a saxophone and a fiddle filled the air with passionate music that sounded into the night. All the musicians were accomplished singers and their harmonies expressed age-old themes of love and life.
The first song had not even been concluded when men and women streamed onto the makeshift dance floor that had been constructed under the tree. The colors and shapes of elaborate costumes, suits and gowns whirled around the parquet to the rhythm of the music and many a dancer joined in with the orchestra to sing along well known tunes.
Lilly Ann pulled on Taylor’s arm.
“Dance with me,” she whispered in a tone no man could have refused.
“It’ll be my pleasure,” he answered all cavalier, “if you don’t mind taking it slow with an old man.”
“Don’t say something like that,” she jabbed him in the arm.
Taylor got up from his chair and turned to Lilly Ann.
“Would you be so kind as to give me this dance, Mademoiselle?” he bowed in front of her.
She laughed and allowed him to lead her to the dance floor.
The band saw Lilly Ann and Taylor approach and with an invisible signal they cut the song they were playing short and changed the tempo to a slow romantic waltz. Surprised looks turned into knowing smiles as other dancers spotted the two guests of honor.
Lilly Ann smiled at Taylor and invited him into her dancer’s embrace. Her eyes locked onto his as she stepped closer. His right arm reached around her back to ever so gently steady her against his body. They began to sway to the music, completely unaware of their surroundings, both of their minds captured by the tenderness of their movements. The world fell away from around them lost in a cloud of sound and touch and smell. Their feet not aware of the force that binds us to the ground and time was all but a rubber band stretched in either direction from the absolute moment of now, now and yet another now.
The crowd on the dance floor was politely unaware of the magic that took place in their midst. A cocoon of movement and laughter and song created an intimate place for new feelings to be discovered and explored. In a tender moment they both opened their eyes, their faces closer than ever. Hesitation for the sake of savoring the anticipation was all that kept them apart for just a second longer. Then, as if gravity itself had taken over, their faces were drawn closer and closer to each other. No power in the world and far beyond would have been strong enough to change what had to come. The first touch of their lips, light like a feather, sent waves of tingling electricity through their bodies and minds alike.
Startled they both pulled back ever so slightly to look for reassurance in the other’s face. An eternal moment of gentle consideration later their lips met again, hungry, passionate and powerful this time. Like fireworks their touch exploded - no wait, that sound did not come from within their lively imagination. Lilly Ann looked around her, confused only for a moment.
“Fireworks!” she exclaimed to give herself and Taylor time to readjust to their surroundings.
And so it was, rocket after rocket painted the colors of the rainbow into the night sky accompanied by noisy fire crackers, roman candles, glitter and spinners and comets. The uhh’s and ahh’s of the party guests mixed with the bands futile attempt to keep up with the deafening cacophony of the fiery display.
“Let’s get out of here,” Lilly Ann whispered into Taylor’s ear.
He looked at her as if asking, “Are you sure?”
She nodded and took him by the hand. No one paid much attention as the secretive pair quietly slipped to the exit to vanish into the night. Covered in the blanket of darkness they slowly strolled down the street, looking to the sky and then again at each other, just to sink once more into a blissful kiss that removed the barrier between their bodies and minds and souls. Leaned against a tree or a house or a poll they enjoyed the growing awareness of the secrets that their bodies still held. The promise of more was apparent in every touch and kiss and every word. Sweet bell-like giggles and moans and whispers could have been heard if anyone else had wanted to listen in to the lover’s song. But the night was quiet as if it had smiled at them and said, “All is well. You are loved.”
A short walk that might just as well have taken forever brought them back to Lilly Ann’s house. They both thought that their heartbeats could have been heard from miles away as they stepped through the door. Lilly Ann did not release Taylor’s hand as she turned onto the staircase that led up to her bedroom. No words were necessary between them, their
understanding easy and complete. A man and a woman celebrating their awakening to the life summoning force of new love. It doesn’t get better that this.
Mr. Big tiptoed around the bed in Lilly Ann’s room, unsure if he was welcome as usual since an unfamiliar occupant was still fast asleep. Ever the fearless explorer he decided to jump anyway, landing near Taylor’s bare feet. Oh, that toe looks familiar after all, the big cat thought and playfully started to nibble. Bite, kick, scream, the cat was back on the floor quicker than even he had anticipated. Taylor needed a moment to regain his bearings. Yes, right, last night, Lilly Ann. Where was his new lover anyway?
Taylor quietly climbed down the stairs, an interesting journey first thing in the morning. He found Lilly Ann in shorts and T-shirt gathering the ingredients for a hearty breakfast.
“Good morning, my love,” he greeted her. As she turned around his chin almost dropped to the floor. The shirt she was proudly wearing sported a brand new Abrahamster painting. The little cartoon fellow was dressed in a blue T-shirt himself announcing, ‘John kisses good!’
“When, how, what, ...” he stammered before they broke down in uncontrolled laughter, hugging and dancing around the kitchen.
“This morning, I made it, this,” Lilly Ann answered his questions and pointed at her chest.
“I have a feeling that this is going to be a wild ride,” Taylor said with raised eyebrows.
“You better believe it,” Lilly Ann confirmed the obvious.
Chapter 14: Light