The Chandelier
I wish I'd listened when my brother told me to run. He told me to get out while I could. Look where I am now. It's not half bad, I guess.
After all, I had flipped the coin. I was undecided about walking away and the coin said to stay with Louis. Perhaps I shouldn't flip the coin about such a minuscule matter but regardless, here I am in the Versailles Palace. Is it really that bad of a deal?
"There you are Maddy," he wrapped his warm arm around my waist as his lips brushed my left cheek,. "I've been looking for you everywhere, my dear. Maman would like to introduce you to some important people."
"Oh Louis, must I? I have a headache right now. I don't want to seem rude but I'm still on American time. Maybe another time? I'd much rather leave." I couldn't stand Louis' mother, she was dreadful and rude and everything my family makes fun of French older women to be. Maybe the coin was wrong this one time but I just couldn't risk it.
"I'll let her know you're ill, but next time we must go along with her. The whole point of coming back to France was to be with her." He rushed off, becoming just another suit in the crowd.
I looked down at my shimmering black ball gown and black gloves. I felt like a fool in this dress, what was this? The 16th century?
The chandelier above us all seemed to fit in perfectly with this thematic fairytale. I wasn't the kind of girl to wear these elaborate gowns, I had no clue what the difference between a black tie and a white tie event were, and I certainly had no idea why I had to wear these long gloves. I had Louis pick out my outfit for the evening. Granted, it was stunning, it just wasn't me.
Reaching for my purse, the tiniest bag I think I've ever seen in my life, the only things I could keep in it were my phone, two mints, and the L'Oreal lipstick in the shade of "Spice" another one of Louis' gifts. Whoever gets the awesome job of naming lipstick and nail polish is a very lucky person with such a funny job. At that moment, my cell began to ring and it was Brad.
"Hey, it's me." He had an uncanny way of always answering the phone that way, as if it wasn't 2016 with caller ID.
"And it's me. Now that we've established that, what do you want?" I couldn't help the snap in my tone, I didn't need him rubbing it in my face that flipping the coin was a bad idea and I should've just taken his advice about leaving Louis.
"Well now sis, that's no way to talk to your favorite younger brother."
"You're my only younger brother, you idiot. Seriously though, what's up?"
"How's France? Everything you thought it'd be?"
"Brad, I'm at a freaking ball what do you want? You know I can't go against the coin. Do you not remember all the other times? I caused Hurricane Katrina for god's sakes!" Forgetting my surroundings, my voice escalated. People starred and I realized maybe I shouldn't be having this conversation in the Versailles Palace over the phone with my want-to-be-know-it-all younger brother.
"Yeah, yeah Maddy. But really, is Louis worth a flip? We don't even know how many flips we get. We're not certain it's limitless. We should be using it for something important, not this month's relationships."
His last sentence stung and left me silent for a few extra seconds that I would've liked. I didn't need Brad making me feel worse than I already did.
"Okay first, there's no 'we'. It's my coin, it was left in my name from Grandpa's will. Second, Louis is more than just this month's relationship. I don't need this from you right now. Look, I got to go." I hung up before he had the chance to talk me out of my anger, another uncanny ability of his.
Just as my dramatic phone call ended, Louis came towards me.
"One more dance, mademoiselle?" His brown eyes pleaded, I just couldn't say no.
"I have to run to the ladies room, I'll be right back?" I squeezed his hand before leaving.
The crowd was a blur of sparkling gowns and sharp suits. As I reached the edge of the room, the earth felt like it was trembling beneath me, there were screams, and just when I turned around to see all the commotion, I saw the beautiful chandelier fall from the ceiling, right on my beloved Louis. The coin was getting more specific now, I shouldn't have literally walked away from Louis. Ever.
And yet the only emotion I was filled with was relief.
I was pulled away from the crowd with a course, calloused hand on my mouth. Raising my eyes, I came face to face with Louis' mother.
"Don't say a word." She whispered.
After all, I had flipped the coin. I was undecided about walking away and the coin said to stay with Louis. Perhaps I shouldn't flip the coin about such a minuscule matter but regardless, here I am in the Versailles Palace. Is it really that bad of a deal?
"There you are Maddy," he wrapped his warm arm around my waist as his lips brushed my left cheek,. "I've been looking for you everywhere, my dear. Maman would like to introduce you to some important people."
"Oh Louis, must I? I have a headache right now. I don't want to seem rude but I'm still on American time. Maybe another time? I'd much rather leave." I couldn't stand Louis' mother, she was dreadful and rude and everything my family makes fun of French older women to be. Maybe the coin was wrong this one time but I just couldn't risk it.
"I'll let her know you're ill, but next time we must go along with her. The whole point of coming back to France was to be with her." He rushed off, becoming just another suit in the crowd.
I looked down at my shimmering black ball gown and black gloves. I felt like a fool in this dress, what was this? The 16th century?
The chandelier above us all seemed to fit in perfectly with this thematic fairytale. I wasn't the kind of girl to wear these elaborate gowns, I had no clue what the difference between a black tie and a white tie event were, and I certainly had no idea why I had to wear these long gloves. I had Louis pick out my outfit for the evening. Granted, it was stunning, it just wasn't me.
Reaching for my purse, the tiniest bag I think I've ever seen in my life, the only things I could keep in it were my phone, two mints, and the L'Oreal lipstick in the shade of "Spice" another one of Louis' gifts. Whoever gets the awesome job of naming lipstick and nail polish is a very lucky person with such a funny job. At that moment, my cell began to ring and it was Brad.
"Hey, it's me." He had an uncanny way of always answering the phone that way, as if it wasn't 2016 with caller ID.
"And it's me. Now that we've established that, what do you want?" I couldn't help the snap in my tone, I didn't need him rubbing it in my face that flipping the coin was a bad idea and I should've just taken his advice about leaving Louis.
"Well now sis, that's no way to talk to your favorite younger brother."
"You're my only younger brother, you idiot. Seriously though, what's up?"
"How's France? Everything you thought it'd be?"
"Brad, I'm at a freaking ball what do you want? You know I can't go against the coin. Do you not remember all the other times? I caused Hurricane Katrina for god's sakes!" Forgetting my surroundings, my voice escalated. People starred and I realized maybe I shouldn't be having this conversation in the Versailles Palace over the phone with my want-to-be-know-it-all younger brother.
"Yeah, yeah Maddy. But really, is Louis worth a flip? We don't even know how many flips we get. We're not certain it's limitless. We should be using it for something important, not this month's relationships."
His last sentence stung and left me silent for a few extra seconds that I would've liked. I didn't need Brad making me feel worse than I already did.
"Okay first, there's no 'we'. It's my coin, it was left in my name from Grandpa's will. Second, Louis is more than just this month's relationship. I don't need this from you right now. Look, I got to go." I hung up before he had the chance to talk me out of my anger, another uncanny ability of his.
Just as my dramatic phone call ended, Louis came towards me.
"One more dance, mademoiselle?" His brown eyes pleaded, I just couldn't say no.
"I have to run to the ladies room, I'll be right back?" I squeezed his hand before leaving.
The crowd was a blur of sparkling gowns and sharp suits. As I reached the edge of the room, the earth felt like it was trembling beneath me, there were screams, and just when I turned around to see all the commotion, I saw the beautiful chandelier fall from the ceiling, right on my beloved Louis. The coin was getting more specific now, I shouldn't have literally walked away from Louis. Ever.
And yet the only emotion I was filled with was relief.
I was pulled away from the crowd with a course, calloused hand on my mouth. Raising my eyes, I came face to face with Louis' mother.
"Don't say a word." She whispered.
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