Subj: Where Are the Angels Chapter 15
Date: 8/25/00 2:11:42 AM Central Daylight Time
From: Melissa
"Good day," said the Scarecrow, in a rather husky voice.
"Did you speak?" asked the girl, in wonder.
"Certainly," answered the Scarecrow, with a smile, "for it is very tedious being perched up here night and day to scare away crows."
"Can't you get down?" asked Dorothy.
"No, for this pole is stuck in my back. If you will please take away the pole I shall be greatly obliged to you."
Dorothy reached up both arms and lifted the figure off the pole; for being stuffed with straw, it was quite light.
"Thank you very much," said the Scarecrow, when he had been set down on the ground. "I feel like a new man."
Dorothy was puzzled at this, for it sounded queer to hear a stuffed man, and see him bow and walk beside her.
"Who are you?" asked the Scarecrow, when he had stretched himself and yawned, "and where are you going?"
"My name is Dorothy," said the girl, "and I am going to the Emerald City, to ask the great Oz to send me back to Kansas."
"Where is the Emerald City?" he enquired; "and who is Oz?"
Barnabas watched Josette read to Sarah and Daniel; he smiled when she looked up at him.
"Come sit with us Barnabas," Sarah said, "Josette is reading The Wizard of Oz to us."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Angélique stood in front of the mirror, she slipped on her heels, and she looked herself over. She kicked off the shoes and put on her new sandals. She was glad she had bought the dress, it was silvery blue and had thin straps that crossed in the back.
There was a knock on the door, "Come in," she called out.
She saw Barnabas walk into the room, she turned from the mirror and faced him, "Angélique, I want to apologize for my behavior. I had no right to talk to you the way I did or to take advantage of you. If you weren't here then Sarah might not have made it," he paused. "I hope that we can try to put everything aside and try to be friends."
"I'm still hurt Barnabas, I don't know if I'll ever be able to trust you again."
"I understand, I just want to be honest with you, and hope that someday you will be able to forgive me."
"I'll try Barnabas, but you have to do something for me too," she said.
"What?"
"Remember what we had, and know that I will always remember it as some of the happiest of my life."
"Angélique. . . "
"Don't say anymore. You better go and get ready."
When he was gone Angélique turned back to the mirror, she had seen something in his eyes, but she knew that it was not the love she desperately wanted there. She could not give up, not now, not after what she had done.
She grabbed her purse and went down stairs were she was greeted by Louisa, Virginie, and Therésè.
"You look great, aren't you glad you bought that dress?" Virginie asked.
"Those sandals are great, they match perfectly. Did you get those yesterday?" Louisa asked.
"No, I got them and Linnet's in Paris," Angélique said.
"Well they were made for that dress."
"Is Millicent coming?" Angélique asked.
"No, she was busy this evening." Therésè said.
"You girls look great," Peyton said as she came down the stairs with Sebastian, "Where are your dates?"
"They should be arriving at any moment," Virginie said.
"It feels like prom, the clothes, the limo waiting for us outside, I wish my prom had been this great," Peyton said.
The doorbell rang and Brigg's opened the door and let in Noah Tennyson and Peter Bradford, Barnabas' best friends.
Everyone introduced themselves. Barnabas came down the stairs he was dressed in a navy blue suit with a white shirt, he wore a black hat that had a white band around it. He looked as if he stepped out of a fifties movie. Angélique thought he never looked more gorgeous.
Josette followed him down in a yellow dress, the fabric was shimmery, with flowers printed on it. She looked beautiful, Angélique thought.
"So what do you guys have planned for us," Barnabas asked.
"Well we thought that we would go to a movie and then have some dinner, then we'd come back and go to the Blue Whale, where we'll do some karaoke," Therésè said.
"We thought that we'd let you two pick out the movie," Louisa said.
"Well I do want to see Bedazzled," Josette said.
"I saw that preview it looks really good, I like the part where he's speaking Spanish," Virginie said.
"Oh, yeah that was so funny."
"How is that? Is that okay with everyone?" Therésè asked.
"Sounds fine to me," Peter said.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"That was good, what did you think?" Josette asked Barnabas.
"It was good, but not really my type of movie."
"Well I think that it was funny, don't you think that Frances O'Connor is cute," Louisa asked.
"Yes I loved her in Mansfield Park," Therésè said.
"What can I get for you guys this evening," asked their waiter Will.
"Champagne," Peyton cried out. Everyone laughed. "I'll have the Chicken Parmesan."
"I'll have the same," Ben said. The rest of the group gave their orders, and they settled back in to enjoy the evening together.
On the way to The Blue Whale they finished off another bottle of champagne.
"I haven't been here since they fixed it up," Ben said as they walked inside.
"I'd like everyone to give a warm welcome to Barnabas and Josette, who will be getting married tomorrow," said Russell the bartender. The crowded bar erupted in applause. "Let's get things started, here's Barnabas."
Their table cheered as Barnabas walked up onto the stage, he put his hat on, "Hi, I'm going to be singing Beyond the Sea." Angélique was surprised how well Barnabas could sing, he almost sounded like Bobby Darin. The crowd was loving him.
"And now for something different here is Noah Tennyson and Peter Bradford singing Blue," Russell said.
The two guys walked onto the stage, they had chosen this song by Eiffel 56 just for the fun of it. As they were singing they made up their own lyrics. It was a huge it with everyone.
"Now let's hear from the bride," Russell called out.
"I can't," Josette said.
"You can do it," Peyton said encouragingly.
Josette got onto the stage and looked out at the audience, she smiled. "I'll be singing Breathe by Faith Hill," she said. She began a little weak, but soon she was lost in the song, and when it was over she got a standing ovation.
Peyton and Sebastian sang the Elton John song Written in the Stars. Louisa got up and sang She Doesn't See Him, while Therésè and Virginie sang I Knew I loved You.
"Are you going to get up there," Ben asked Angèlique.
"Yes, I was just trying to find a song," she said as she went to give Russell her choice, "I will be singing My Favorite Mistake," she said. She put everything into that song, and she never looked a Barnabas once. When she was done everyone was silent, then everyone cheered calling for an encore. She went back to her seat.
"You got to go back," Josette said, "You were great."
Angèlique reluctantly went back up onto the stage and waited for her music cue to start,
"Sunday is gloomy
My hours are slumberless
Dearest the shadows
I live with the numberless
Little white flowers
Will never awaken you
Not where the black coach
Of sorrow has taken you
Angels have no thought
Of ever returning you
Would they be angry
If I thought of joining you
Gloomy Sunday
Sunday is gloomy
With shadows I spend it all
My heart and I have decided
To end it all
Soon they'll be flowers and prayers
That are said I know
Let them not weep
Let them know
That I am glad to go
Death is no dream
For in death I'm caressing you
With the last breath of my soul
I'll be blessing you
Gloomy Sunday
Dreaming
I was only dreaming
I wake and find you asleep
In the deep of my heart dear." (*Sarah Brightman's song "Gloomy Sunday" from
her new cd La Luna)
"Angèlique I never knew you could sing like that," Josette said, "You were wonderful."
"Thank you," she said.
Ben got up and went onto the stage, "I'll be singing Everything You Want from Vertical Horizon," Ben's voice was all right, but he didn't sing the right notes and was late on the cues. "I'd like to dedicate this to Angèlique, the most amazing woman in my life."
She had to smile, pretend that she wanted him to touch her when he came back to her side and kissed her.
Other people got up, then Barnabas got up again and sang the Robbie Williams song Angels. Angélique couldn't bear to look at him, he looked so happy, how could she possible get him to go to her, she had hoped that he would come to her on his own, and now she had no time left. She looked over at Josette, who was smiling at Barnabas, she was oblivious to everything else. Angèlique looked to Josette's right and saw Jeremiah. Then a plan began to form, she knew what she was going to do, and Barnabas would never know what hit him.
"Jeremiah aren't you going to go up there?" Barnabas asked when he sat down.
"No, I don't think I will. I don't have the voice to do this."
"I didn't think I could do it, but once you're up there you just forget," Louisa said. She had hung onto Jeremiah all evening.
"No, I think I'll pass," he said.
"I think I'm going to do it again," Josette said. She got up and sang As I Lay Me Down.
"You were great," Barnabas said when she returned to their table.
"Thank you," she said kissing him softly.
"I'd like to thank all of you for providing some wonderful songs for us all, you were all great. Hope to see you again, and congratulations to Barnabas and Josette" Russell said as he began to close up.
"God look at the time," Peyton said. "If I don't get some sleep I'll be dead at the wedding."
"We all better go," Josette said, "I had a great time, I want to thank you all for making this a day I will remember."
And it's only beginning, Angèlique thought to herself.