Page 51 of In Her Own Way
She walked past the tables laden with food and drink and took a deep breath. Her nerves were pretty active, and there was no way she could even attempt to eat or drink anything. Maybe she’d grab one of those bottles of Tyttle Fizzle later.
She wanted to lean up against the wall and take in the room and the guests, but she didn’t want to gawk. She wanted to stare at the older tattooed woman playing the piano, or the guy wearing a codpiece and only a codpiece. Jessica’s eyes grew wide when she saw a woman wearing an oversized safety pin through her nose septum. Yikes. Didn’t that hurt? Or maybe that was the idea.
“Excuse me, Miss,” a youngish female voice said. “Jessica, right?”
Jessica turned toward the voice and came face to face with a familiar, tall young woman. “I am.”
“Great,” the young woman said. Her flapper dress costume was adorable. The fringed cocktail dress and feathered headband were straight out ofThe Great Gatsby. The long black gloves completed it. “I’m Kari. Miss Marta asked me to look for you. She said I was to bring you to Shanice in the kitchen. I recognized you by your eyes.
“My eyes?”
“Well, you’ve got everything else pretty much covered up,” Kari said, gesturing to Jessica’s mask and hood. “We met at Shanice’s prosthetics reveal party. I remembered how soulful your eyes were. Hazel?” Kari started walking, so Jessica followed.
“Yes, hazel.” Jessica pulled her hood down; she was getting kind of warm anyway. “I’m sorry I didn’t remember your name.” She vaguely remembered the tall woman at the coffee shop. “I met a lot of people that day.”
“No worries,” Kari said as they rounded a corner.
“An elevator?” Jessica blurted before she could stop herself.
“I know, right?” Kari laughed and then announced to the people in the kitchen, “Found her.”
Shanice was standing near a kitchen island, placing vegetables onto a tray. Her Little Red Riding Hood costume was positively adorable. “Miss Jessica, hi.” She abandoned her duties and walked, yes, walked, over to give Jessica a hug.
Jessica’s nerves dissipated with the hug. “So good to see you, little one. Thank you for reminding Miss Marta to invite me.”
“Right?” Shanice said and let go. “I’m glad Mama had you for a little while, Miss Jessica.”
Oh, we’re going there right away?Yikes. “You do? Why is that?”
“Because she would have been lonely all that time waiting for me.”
Jessica’s heart melted. “Yeah, I’m so glad youfinallyshowed up.” Jessica bugged out her eyes, thoroughly teasing thelittle.
“We’re both rocking the hooded cloaks tonight,” Shanice said, gesturing to her own red cloak and Jessica’s black.
“And we didn’t even consult.” Jessica pointed to her forehead and then to Shanice’s.
“Hi, Miss Jessica,” thelittlenamed Madison said as she came over. The young woman had an obvious case of FOMO—fear of missing out. Madison was so cute in her king costume. Her gray mustache and beard were artfully placed. And the jeweled crown on her head wasn’t cheap plastic either.
“Greetings, my liege,” Jessica said, curtsying.
“I knight thee, Dame Jessica of Denton Heights.” Madison placed the sword, which thankfully was plastic, on one of Jessica’s shoulders and then the other. “Rise, Dame knight of the round table.”
Jessica tried to stay in character but burst out laughing. She pulled her new king into a hug and said, “You’ve made me very happy.”
“That happens,” Madison, now being Madison, said. “I’ve knighted so many people.”
“Her kingdom is vast,” Shanice said with a grin.
“I must make haste,” Madison said. “My queen beckons.” She turned and ran toward Mistress Shasti, who held a stack of napkins she clearly wanted Madison to deliver to the great room. Mistress Shasti was dressed as a queen, and she totally looked the part. Madison bowed, took the napkins, and then hustled out of the kitchen.
“Glad you could make it, Jessica,” Mistress Shasti said. “Where is your plus one?”
Jessica’s radar pinged to high alert. This woman was the town gossip, or maybe just the town butt-insky. “No plus one. I’m single.” Jessica decided to give her that info right up front and not make the woman work for it.
“I see,” Mistress Shasti said. “Enjoy the party. Make sure you head down to the haunted house early; it’s going to get crowded once people know it’s open.”
“I will. Thank you.”
