Michelle Warren - Wander Dust (Volume 1)

::1::
The Lady in Black

Sixteen candles sparkle in front of me. Guests around the restaurant join in singing Happy Birthday with our waiter. As the end of the song nears, I reposition myself in my chair, getting ready to inhale and blow out the candles. Before I do, the air around me stirs, suffocating the flames. Each light simmers and vanishes. I jerk back in my seat, staring at the cake. No wish? This has to be a bad omen.

Everyone breaks into applause. As I glance around at the unfamiliar smiles, I realize, no one but me noticed the flames extinguishing on their own.

I readjust my interest and search for my dad, Ray. Through the swirling candle smoke, I see him sitting directly across from me at our large round table. The tables size is better suited for six people instead of three, so now there is an awkward distance between us.

Rays eyes are not on mine, because he has already returned his attention to flirting with Maddi, his annoying girlfriend. He probably had not even bothered to sing to me, and I had not bothered to check. With Maddi around, hes had even less time for me.

I want to be jealous of Maddi, but mostly she just annoys me with her plastic looks and superficial disposition. The first conversation the woman ever initiated with me was about lip gloss. Then she blew me away with her follow up discussion about her collection of yard gnomes.

Maddi lifts her hand and traces her long, fluorescent pink fingernail down Rays shoulder. Charmed by her attention, he giggles with his entire body. His giggles cause his glasses to slip from his nose, and he pushes the rims back up with a single finger. He turns and grabs her bronze hand, planting a kiss on the back.

When hes around Maddi, his rigid facade softens. I only see his reserved sidethe one that only notices me when I do something unacceptablewhich is almost all the time. Admittedly, this is from my personal doing.

I look away from them and shake my head, hoping to dislodge the image of adult foreplay. Annoyed, I lean into the table, drop my cheek into my palm, and turn my attention back to the cake. I pluck each candle off, one by one, and lick the frosting off the ends.

For the final candle, I drag the end through the frosting, digging a long ditch through the cream cheese icing, revealing the red velvet cake underneath. As I flip the end of the candle toward my mouth, the wicks flame suddenly flickers back to life, burning my hand. Startled, I drop it. It lands in my lap, and I jump up, pushing my seat away from the table. The lit candle rolls off my skirt and onto the floor. I stomp on the small flame, smothering it.

My heart pounds in my chest at the excitement, but Im not hurt, just stunned. Without another thought, I pick up the pile of candles on my plate and drop them into my glass of ice waterjust in case. The water splashes out of the glass and onto my skirt. When I look down at myself, Im not only soaked, but I find a large singe mark on my hem. Great.

Rays too enthralled with Maddis flirting to have noticed my small, dramatic event. If the flames had spread, engulfing me, would he have noticed? If Id set the fire myself, the answer would certainly be yes. At that point, I would have received a lengthy lecture, followed by yet another grounding. I huff in annoyance.

Im going to the ladies room, I announce, leaning onto the table. Neither responds. Im invisible to them. I roll my eyes and walk away.

I weave through the tightly packed tables of the restaurant. Farther away, in another room, dance music blares. Behind flowing white curtains, beautiful people, dressed scantily with drinks clenched between their fingers, dance around a bar. This is Miami Beach after all. Ive gotten used to everyone looking like models: the men, the women, all perfect, all tall. My small frame shrinks, just standing in their proximity.

Through the undulating crowd, I lock eyes with a woman. Her cropped, jet-black hair frames her pale face, which instantly makes her stand out among the tanned bodies. I continue to stare at her, and her bright red lips contort into a smile that sends uneasy chills racing down my spine.

I look away, trying to ignore her, and then push through the crowd and into a long empty hall. As I walk, the sound of high heels click on the tile behind me, echoing through the hallow space. This noise puts me on edge, and I turn to look, but no one is there. Strangely, the hall is empty.

When I reach the end of the hall, I shove open the door marked Damas. The wood door swings shut, instantly muffling the dance music behind me.

At the sink, I run water over a paper towel and then repeatedly dab the wet, brown blob to my skirt, trying to wipe away the blackened scorch-mark. The burned spot only crumbles under my fingers like ash. My favorite skirt is ruined.

I launch the balled-up paper towel into a waste basket across the room. Of course, I miss. After I retrieve it from the floor and try again with better success, I turn my attention to a mirror. Two loose strands of hair have escaped my bobby pin. One is dyed purple. Ray hasnt noticed it yet. I wonder when he will and how long he will ground me when he does. At least, eventually , it will make him see me.

Nearby, the door crashes open. The sound knocks me out of my personal pity party. Two girls, drunk, fall into the room laughing. They hold each other up as they wobble across the room and smash into a stall.

When I turn toward the door to leave, the lady with red lips stands, guarding the exit. Her arms are crossed, and shes intently studying me.

Even though she makes me nervous, I dont look away. I know that its a sign of weakness, and Im not weak. At least, I pretend not to be. So I stare back, giving her an expression of defiance I normally reserve for Ray.

Her black jumpsuit shines like patent leather. It covers everything but her shoulders and long arms. Under the flickering lights, her skin looks milky like wax paper. She drops her hands to her sides and steps toward me as though shes going to hurt me.

I step back, reaching for the wall. I look back and forward again, but now shes gone. Disappeared.

Confused, I spin in a circle looking for her, but only the two drunk girls remain. They giggle in their closed stall. One stumbles, banging against the dividers, and drops her clutch on the floor. A hand appears and scoops up the purse. They laugh again.

The Lady in Black is gone.

Where is she? Am I crazy?

I run for the door. As I push it open the music hits me again. I wind my way back to my table, avoiding the dancing models, all while nervously looking over my shoulder for the Lady in Black.

Maddi might as well be sitting on Rays lap when I return. She kisses his ear and plays with his dirty blonde hair, pawing him like a piece of meat.

I throw myself back into my chair, wishing my friend Beth were here. At least she would have distracted me from Ray and Maddis grope-fest, but her mom grounded her after we took the family car without permission earlier today.

Shes back! Ray exclaims from across the table, holding his palm toward me.

Youre back. I force a smile.

Sera, did I ever tell you about my collection of holiday hats for Mr. Whiskers? Maddi asks in her high-pitched, baby voice. She pulls her massive, sparkling handbag from the floor and rummages through the contents. Finally, her phone appears in her hand. Her pink claws scratch at the glass buttons, searching for a photo of her cat.

Yes, I believe you have, I say. A few hundred times.

Look how cute! She holds up her phone, wiggling it around, making it impossible to focus on the photo of the costumed animal. An orange blur is all I can make out.