“Gotyouamocktail,”Roger says, setting a red, fizzy drink on the shimmering gold table cloth.
The ballroom was decked out in Christmas decorations before tonight, but for the ball, they’ve taken it to a whole other level. Snowglobes are in the center of each table, surrounded by at least ten candles. Sparkly snowflake confetti seems to have exploded onto the tables. Garland and lights are strung all the way around the ballroom, wrapping it like a present.
“Guess the name,” Roger says, pulling me out of the decoration splendor.
“The name?” I ask, confused.
“Guess the name of the mocktail.” Then, he continues before I can even come up with an answer. “Rudolph’s Ruby Delight.” He shakes his head and chuckles. “Isn’t it fantastic?”
I nod and rub a hand down my pant leg.
Roger happily sips his drink. “C’mon, man, try it.”
I put my lips on the red and green striped straw. The carbonation is strong, but the flavor is familiar. “Roger, this is just a Shirley Temple.”
“Yeah, but more festive.” He happily slurps down another gulp.
I, on the other hand, cannot stop thinking about Holly’s text, about her plan. It seems a little over the top…And by a little, I mean a lot. I don’t know if I can pull it off. The ball doesn’t officially start for another 20 minutes, but there’s got to be at least 200 people already here.
My chest feels tight. I’m beginning to lose my nerve.
But then, I hear the cue. The music starts, and Holly steps onto the stage. She’s got on her standard Mynt Peak blazer and name tag, along with a black trousers.
I stand, scanning the room. Holly begins belting out a song, but when she sings the words, “All I want for Christmas is you,” she moves her hand like Vanna White and turns her body to look at the main ballroom entrance.
My gaze follows hers.
Then, my eyes land on the one I’ve been looking for. The one I’ve been with everyday for the past week, except the last 24 hours. And all I’ve wanted to do was see her…and it’s finally happening. That’s right, Maya is entering the ballroom, but she’s not wearing her normal Mynt Peak Resort uniform.
Tonight, she’s got on a sparkling, bright-red dress. It hugs her upper body, but when it meets her waist, the fabric sprawls out like a royal gown. All she’s missing is a tiara. I would happily give her one, because I want her to be my queen.
My cheeks start to ache, and I realize I’m smiling like Buddy the Elf. The music continues, but Holly stops singing and says into the microphone, “Folks, before the ball starts, we’ve got a special Christmas gift for you. Eddie Evans would like to share a few words.”
I make my way to the stage while whispers and glances follow me. Walking up the stairs, I’m nervous. But, when I look outinto the crowd and find Maya’s eyes, I exhale, and my nerves are replaced by butterflies.
Holly holds out the mic. I expect my hands to be shaky, but they’re still.
I clear my throat. “Maya Torres, could you come up?” I want her close to me. If she’s giving me supernatural abilities from across the room, just think about the strength I’ll have with her nearby.
I see her holding her poofy dress as she floats toward the stage. Holly ushers her beside me with a wink and a grin.
I hold out my hand and Maya takes it. Then she mouths, “What’s going on?”
I try to give her a reassuring nod. “Maya, I brought you up here tonight because I want to thank you. The purpose of this week was for professional athletes to make a difference in people’s lives.” I pause and swallow down the emotion that I know is coming as I say my next words. “But you have made a huge difference in my life.” She tilts her head, intently listening to my words.
That’s when I turn to address the crowd. “You see, my brother, Joey, died twelve years ago, when he was nine. Our car was hit by a distracted driver. Since that day, I’ve refused to let myself live without guilt. In fact, you could argue I wasn’t really living at all. I was existing. I had one goal in mind. All I wanted to do was win. I’ve had some success on the tennis court, but I’ve never been happy. I didn’t know how to be…until…”
I turn back to Maya. There are tears in her eyes. “This week, you taught me how to laugh…at random things and myself. And I’m sorry if you can never look at Cheez-Its the same again.” At that, a soul-refreshing smile appears on Maya’s face. “There’s so much I want to say to you, which is very weird for a non-talker like myself. But, you’ve inspired me in so many ways. From hereon out, I’m going to stop living in regret and, instead, start living a life that Joey would be proud of.”
I pull Maya closer to me and secure my arm around her waist. “Mr. Mynt, are you here?” I look for him through the bright lights. Then, I see hands pointing and someone waving, getting closer to the stage. Mr. Mynt’s face appears, and I continue, knowing I have his full attention. “Mr. Mynt, I can’t thank you enough for this wonderful event. Your staff, especially Maya, has been incredible. I hope this week has positively impacted many people, but I can say for sure that it's made a life-changing difference in mine.”
Mr. Mynt nods and smiles while the audience claps. Then, I hear Holly say, “Let’s give it up for Eddie Evans and Maya Torres.” The applause grows louder, and I wave while escorting Maya backstage.
I lead her to a quiet corner, behind big black curtains. As soon as we stop, my hands find her hips so I can face her square on. I need to know what she’s thinking, what she’s feeling. But one thing I’m learning about Maya is that she doesn’t leave you guessing. I love that about her. She tells you…or shows you, exactly what’s on her mind.
Like when she immediately throws her arms around my neck, then rests her head on my shoulder. I hear her muffled voice. “I can’t believe you just did that.” Then, she looks up at me, grinning and shaking her head.
I tuck a piece of hair near her mouth behind her ear. “I hope it’s enough to get you out of the basement. I’m so sorry that I got you in trouble. I feel so—”
