Free Prom Date by G. L. Snodgrass Page B

like a raccoon on crack.
    Mom pulled her normal motherly miracle and got me to look halfway decent. She did something with alternating warm and cold towels to my face and then just the right amount of makeup that even I couldn’t tell I’d spent the afternoon crying enough to fill Lake Ontario.
    I slipped on my dress then the absolutely gorgeous heels and closely examined myself in the mirror. Not bad, I thought. Granted, everyone was going to know that Danny O’Brian had dumped me hours before the dance but at least they’d know it wasn’t because of my looks.
    Smiling to myself for the first time that night. My stomach dropped when I thought about Jimmy Hopkins. Oh well, beggars can’t be choosey.
    I was transferring a few things to my clutch purse when mom walked in and said, “I thought you might want to borrow these?” A pair of one carat diamond earrings rested in the palm of her hand. Dad had given them to her on their twentieth anniversary. “They are only a loan; if you lose them you will go ahead of Danny O’Brian on my crap list. Get it?”
    “Oh Mom, their beautiful,” I said fastening the posts. “Are you sure? They are so perfect.”
    “Yes they are,” she said with a huge smile. “Now finish up. Jimmy should be here in a moment.”
    My stomach dropped again. Every time I thought about walking into the room with Jimmy Hopkins, I got a sad feeling. There was nothing wrong with Jimmy, except that he was a two years younger and an inch shorter than me. That and the fact that he had to be forced by his sister to take me. When you added that to the fact of how I had bragged about going with Danny. I felt like such a fool.
    Forcing a smile onto my face I went downstairs to wait. Butterflies kept erupting. I knew there would be some snickering behind hands and probably the occasional rude comment. But I could put up with it for a night. After all, someday this wasn’t going to matter. Yeah keep telling yourself that Jenny, I thought. It might help you make it through the night.
    Jimmy was late of course. Mary had probably had to hit him over the head to get him to go. How did the kid even have a tux? I know for a fact that Mary had told me last week that he wasn’t going. Jesus, please don’t let him show up in a suite. Or worse his dad’s suit? Would Mary do that to me?
    My palms began to sweat. What if he didn’t come? Great, a minute ago I was terrified of walking in with Jimmy Hopkins, and now I was frightened that I was going to get stood up.
    The doorbell rang. Mom rushed to get it while I stood there waiting. She opened the door and my mouth hit the floor.
    Jack Hopkins, Mary’s OLDER brother stood there in a heart stopping full dress Marine uniform. A black tunic and snow white belt. Sky blue pants with a red stripe down the sides. White gloves and three shinny medals on his chest perfected the look. He reminded me of a movie poster of what a manly Marine was supposed to look like. Wide shoulders that tapered down to a narrow waist. My god, he was gorgeous.
    “Jack,” I exclaimed, “I didn’t know you were back!” He was on his second tour in Afghanistan and wasn’t due back for another month.
    “I got back a couple of days ago,” he said stepping into the house. His pristine white hat carried under his arm. He was as straight as an ironing board . His eyes traveled over me and lit up as if he liked what he saw.
    “I asked my family to keep it quiet. I needed a few days to adjust. Mary only agreed if I owed her a huge favor.”
    “Oh my god. You’re taking me to the prom.” I said not even believing my own words.
    “ Believe me, this is one of the greatest pay-backs ever. Ms. Carter, will you please allow me to escort you to the prom,” he said with a little bow.
    My heart skipped and all of the butterflies fell from the sky in a dead faint. Mary Hopkins, I am going to owe you for the rest of my life.
    “Yes Jack, I would love to go with you to the prom,” I said slipping my