Chaperoning The Holiday Dance

He was dressed in a fine black suit with smart brown shoes. His tousled blond hair looked effortless and his blue eyes twinkled. Tally smoothed out the sides of her go-to red dress

“There he is.” Marie Fry nudged her colleague, Tally Kibble, in the side as Mathis Wilde walked into the auditorium. A “White Christmas” instrumental played overhead.

“Oh, stop!” Tally’s cheeks turned rosy. “He’s just a dad who wanted to help out with his daughter’s holiday school dance.”

“I don’t think that’s why he’s been staying late at your holiday dance meetings.”

“Marie, you’ve been drinking something besides eggnog tonight!” Tally laughed, biting into the stocking-shaped sugar cookie she had in her hand. “He’s not interested in me.”

“Ms. Kibble,” Jessica, Mathis Wilde’s daughter, said walking up to her teacher. “what do you think of my winter dress?” Jessica twirled around so the dark green hem lifted slightly, and its sparkles shone in the scant lighting.

“Beautiful!” Tally clasped her hands together.

“Exactly what I said.” Mathis’ rough voice came from behind her, making her slightly giddy.

Startled, Tally turned around to face him. He was dressed in a fine black suit with smart brown shoes. His tousled blond hair looked effortless and his blue eyes twinkled. Tally smoothed out the sides of her go-to red dress and looked down at her scuffed shoes.

“I thought your mom was chaperoning.” Marie glanced down at Jessica.

“No.” Jessica twirled again, “It’s dad’s week to have me so it worked out that way.”

“Did it?” Marie grinned. “Well, young lady, I see your best friend Lisa over there. Why don’t you grab her a hot chocolate and say hi?” Marie suggested.

Jessica gave one more twirl and headed to see her friend.

“You know,” Marie cleared her throat, “I think I’ll grab a hot chocolate too.”

“Would you bring me back one?” Tally asked. “This cookie is kind of dry.”

“Oh, I’m not coming back any time soon.”

Tally narrowed her eyes at Marie.

“I’d be happy to get you that hot chocolate, Ms. Kibble,” Mathis offered.

“Please, call me Tally.”

“Tally.”

Tally smiled shyly. “Sure.”

Mathis came back with two hot chocolates.

“Here you are.” He handed her a holly-leaf imprinted Styrofoam cup.

As she took it, her index finger slightly brushed against the back of his hand and a kaleidoscope of butterflies filled her stomach.

“Oh, uh,” Tally muttered.

“What’s wrong?”

“Ah, nothing.” She bit her lip.

For the next hour, they stood side by side watching the high schoolers dance to holiday tunes while red, green, and white lights faded in and out to the beat of the music. Tally couldn’t help but catch the scent of Mathis’ warm and rugged cologne prompting her to envision a cozy log cabin in winter with them in it.

“You did a great job organizing all of this,” Mathis finally said.

“What did you say?”

His statement broke her reverie.

“I said you did a great job organizing all of this.”

“You did most of the work – what with the lights and trees.”

“It was a pleasure – anything for my Jessica.”

Mathis shifted his weight to his right leg and gently bumped her shoulder.

“Sorry,” he smiled.

“No, not at all.”

“Is it good?”

“What?” Tally stammered.

“The hot chocolate. Is it good?”

“Ah, yes. It is. Very, uh, chocolatey.”

“I agree,” he chuckled looking out the window at the silently falling snow.

Just as “The Christmas Song” started to play, Tally dug into her purse.

“Oh, no!” she said.

“What’s wrong?”

“The envelope with the names of the Winter King and Queen is still in my car and I’m to announce them after this song.”

“Sounds like we need to hurry then,” Mathis offered his arm to her. She hesitantly took it and the two scurried out into the parking lot where the mounds of snow glistened beneath the moonlight.

The flakes fell lightly as they made their way to Tally’s car.

“This is me.” Tally fumbled for the keys.

“The song is halfway over by now,” Mathis teased.

“Oh, don’t say that!” Tally grabbed the envelope from the glove box and shut the passenger side door.

“We’ll make it in time!”

“Yes, we will,” Tally giggled as Mathis offered his arm again. She quickly took it. As they made their way across the parking lot, Tally’s left foot slipped on a small sheet of ice and she fell backward into a snow drift, pulling Mathis on top of her.

“Oh, I am so sorry!” Tally’s face flushed in a prickly heat as she felt Mathis’ strong arms on either side of her, keeping his full weight from crushing her.

“I’m not,” Mathis breathed as he looked down at her frazzled expression.

Tally held the envelope tightly to her chest, trying to ignore the giddiness rising in her again. “I’m a klutz tonight.”

“Are you okay?”

“I think so.”

“Are you?”

Mathis nodded, his face inches from hers.

“Uh, do you want to get up now?” Tally laughed.

“Do you want me to?” He whispered.

“Uh, not just yet,” she gave a shaky smile.

He leaned in and softly kissed her lips.