*Some sexual references and adult themes
A Shower for Aimée
by Angela
Honey Wheeler chewed thoughtfully on the end of her pen. Looking up to meet the eyes of her two friends, Trixie Belden and Diana Lynch, she asked, "So we are all agreed that the party we’re throwing for Aimée will be a Victorian Garden Tea Party?"
Trixie nodded her blonde head. "I think that would be just perfect for Aimée! If we hadn’t decided to keep it a secret, we could have all dressed up in period costume, and she would have loved that."
Leaning toward her friends, her violet eyes wide, Diana said softly, "I still can’t believe that Aimée and Dan are actually getting married in August. Where are they going to live?"
"Dan’s transferring to the University of Toronto, so that Aimée can stay in school but they can both be together. At least it's supposed to be a great school, so Dan shouldn’t have any problem finding a good job when he graduates," Trixie confided.
"I’ve been afraid to ask since it seems to be a touchy subject, but when is the baby due?" Honey tossed her long golden hair back over her shoulder, and sat back in her chair waiting for Trixie’s answer.
"Mid-February, according to Dr. Graves."
"I wouldn’t want to be in Aimée’s shoes," Honey sighed, "imagine being twenty years old and trying to juggle an intensive college program and a new baby at the same time. Just goes to prove that you can’t be too careful when you’re going to have sex, no matter how much you love the guy." Honey drifted off thinking of Brian Belden’s warm brown eyes and sexy smile.
"It took just one mistake in Aimée and Dan’s case," Di said soberly.
Chuckling, Trixie commented, "Let’s hope they enjoyed making that little mistake."
"Now, let's get back to business," Honey scolded, tapping the pad of paper sitting before her on the council table with her pen. "What kind of food are we going to have?"
"Oh, I know," Di suggested, "since it's supposed to be a tea party, let's serve a bunch of different flavored teas: Earl Grey, Jasmine, Strawberry ..."
"Don’t forget mint! We can use old Miss Martin’s mint tea recipe," Trixie contributed.
"Speaking of Miss Martin, have you spoken to her about the double-wedding ring quilt that we wanted to give Aimée and Dan for a wedding gift from the Bob-Whites?" Honey asked.
"Uh-huh, Moms and I were over there the other day. The one I asked her to put aside for us is just gorgeous. The rings are all pieced in the cool jewel-tone colors that Aimée loves, and the quilting ... there are feathers, and flowers, and hearts all over it. Even though she’s getting old, Miss Rachel still manages to make such fine stitches," Trixie sighed in rapture.
"Aside from the tea," Di said drawing the other two back to their purpose, "what else are we going to serve?"
"Since it's girls-only, let's serve dainty finger sandwiches, and teensy little cakes and cookies," Honey said, casting a mischievous look in Trixie’s direction.
As expected Trixie groaned. "Dainty and feminine, totally Victorian, totally Aimée." Then she giggled, "Actually I guess she’s not really very Victorian, or Dan wouldn’t be panting at her heels all the time."
Honey and Di joined her in the laughter as in their minds they pictured Dan, naked and wearing a leather collar, following Aimée around Maypenny’s cottage on his hands and knees with his tongue hanging out.
"Gee ... I wonder if Jim would go for that?" Trixie asked, trying to keep a straight face.
Honey gave an uncharacteristic whoop of laughter. "No way, Trix, unless you want to be the one on your hands and knees. For that matter, I don’t think Dan would go for it either."
"Ladies," Di giggled, trying hard to control herself, "don’t you think we should get our plans made before Aimée just happens to stroll through that door looking for us and spoiling her surprise?"
"I guess we should decide what type of activities we’re going to have," Trixie said. "I’ll start, when I was on-line the other day I found this great site with suggestions for Bridal Showers. There was one game they called Striptease."
Honey and Di leaned forward their interest obvious on their faces.
"Well, you begin with a cardboard silhouette of a man, say it's Dan," she giggled. "You dress him up in all the clothes a guy would generally wear. Throughout the shower the guests are asked intimate questions about the bride and groom. If they get the answer right, a piece of clothing is taken off the figure of the stripper. When all the clothes have been removed the guy is left wearing a fig leaf. Then it's up to the bride-to-be if she removes it. When she finally decides to she’ll find something very interesting."
"Ooo ... sounds like fun," Honey and Di squealed gleefully.
"I can just see Aimée’s face. We should get Dan to pose for the silhouette. She’ll lift the fig lead just to find out how far he went," Trixie said slyly.
"What about our mothers?" Di asked.
"What about 'em?"
"What will they say?"
"Who cares!" Trixie and Honey shouted in unison.
Three feminine heads gathered closely around the council table in the Bob-White clubhouse, teasing and arguing about the games and decorations they would use for the party. By the end of two hours they had a rough plan worked out, and had divided up the work.
Trixie Belden rushed through the door of the Bob-White Clubhouse, blonde curls bouncing and blue eyes sparkling with excitement. "Hi guys! Sorry I’m late. I had a hard time losing you know who. And you guys thought I was the only Bob-White with a nose for ferreting out secrets."
"She didn’t follow you, did she?" Diana asked aghast.
"No, but I had to pretend I was going into town before I could lose her," Trixie replied. "Don’t look so worried, she fell for it hook, line, and sinker."
Both Honey and Di breathed a sigh of release.
"I can’t wait until two o’clock this afternoon when we can finally spring the surprise on her, that is, if she doesn’t pull one of your tricks and snoop until she finds out," Honey said.
"Well?" Trixie asked.
"Well, what, Trix?"
"You know darn well what, Honey Wheeler! Has Aimée’s surprise arrived yet?"
"Oh that," Honey smiled mysteriously.
"Come on, Honey, give," Trixie and Di implored loudly.
Hazel eyes sparkling Honey nodded her head. "Jim picked her up at the airport this morning. Aimée’s surprise is resting in one of our guest rooms even as we speak."
"Everything’s ready for the party?" Di asked.
Honey looked at Trixie who nodded, then said, "As far as I know it is! I even managed to convince Dan to get her up to the Manor House gardens on the pretext of choosing the spots where they would like to have their wedding pictures taken."
"He won’t spill anything, will he?" Honey asked.
"You know Dan, tight as a clam when he wants to be," Trixie answered.
"Not when Aimée works her wiles on him, he isn’t. I remember the time I walked in on them making out here in the clubhouse. Dan was anything but quiet!" Diana giggled, blushed at the memory of the two teens having sex on the council table. They’d certainly found an inventive position.
"Trix, did you get Dan to pose for the silhouette?" Honey glanced toward her friend her eyes just beginning to glint with mischief.
"Uh-huh!"
"So tell me," she began slyly, "is he as big as Aimée hinted that he was?"
Trixie’s round cheeks turned a brilliant shade of red and she gasped out, "I wouldn’t know, he didn’t take THAT MUCH off!"
"Really, Trixie," Di chimed in innocently, "sure you didn’t sneak a little sample of the goods, and just don’t want Aimée to find out?"
"Ohhh!" Trixie gritted through her teeth. "Go ... go ... well you know ..."
"C'mon, Angelface!" Dan implored playfully his dark eyes sparkling with love and laughter as he looked at the flushed face of his bride-to-be. "I know another place that will be just perfect for our pictures."
"Dan Mangan!" Aimée Monet stopped to stare at him, hands on her hips and a belligerent expression on her beautiful face. "You’ve already dragged me all over the Wheeler estate, I’m tired, and I’m not moving another foot until you kiss me."
Dan’s heart contracted as he looked at the woman he loved with all his heart. She was so damned beautiful. Long strawberry-blonde hair glinting in the sunlight, green eyes snapping with irritation, and her slender figure cloaked in a simple floral print dress, the gentle swell of her belly barely showing.
Grasping her tiny hand, he pulled her into her arms, then tilting up her stubborn face with one hand he bent to kiss her. Her mouth was sweet, tasting of the fresh strawberries he had caught her nibbling on in Helen Belden’s kitchen garden. He felt a little flame ignite in his loins, but pulled away after giving her another light brush on the lips. There was no time for that now, all he needed was Trixie to come looking for them and find them rolling around naked on the grass.
"There snippet, you’ve had your kiss, now will you come with me to one last place?" he teased.
Cocking her head to one side she looked up at him. "You’re up to something Dan Mangan. I just know it." She grinned impishly. "But whatever it is, I’ll go along with it!"
Dan gave an inward sigh of relief. He had begun to think he wouldn’t get her to the rose garden by two o’clock. Taking her by the hand he led her through the gardens to her surprise party.
Dan led Aimée onto the graveled paths of the Wheelers' rose garden. Looking around her at the brilliant display of roses in every shade of the rainbow from the palest blue-violet to an almost black red, the girl gasped in delight. Nestling her face in the petals of a pink cabbage rose, she inhaled its delicious sent. "Oh, Dan! You’re right, it's the perfect place to have our pictures taken. But why didn’t you bring me here first?"
Stepping into the center of the rose garden Aimée suddenly found herself surrounded by a bevy of women yelling, "Surprise, Aimée!"
Dan grinned wickedly at her. "That’s why," he said as he took off up the garden path.
Trixie and Di danced into view, their faces merry and their eyes filled with laughter. As the two younger girls wrapped their arms around her waist and led her into the center of the festivities, Aimée began to greet the people she knew. First of all, there was Aunt Helen, Mrs. Wheeler, Mrs. Lynch and, of course, Miss Trask.
Then there was Celia Delanoy, dressed in a perky little maid’s outfit, passing out glasses of ice cold lemonade. She smiled at Aimée as she handed her a glass, "I think you’ll like this one, i'ts Iced Peach Lemonade."
Aimée blushed at the word peach. "Uh ... Thanks Celia." Did the woman know about that day in Maypenny’s cabin?
"And congratulations, Aimée, I’m so glad you and Dan finally got together again. Tom and I always thought the two of you were perfect for each other. You’re such a lucky girl to find a gorgeous guy like Dan to love."
The three girls moved further into the cluster of chattering women. Aimée noticed the beautiful setting that had been created for the party. Large round tables had been covered with white lace table clothes, crystal bowls filled with deep pink roses, purple violas, and lacy baby’s breath gracing the center of each. Dark green wrought iron chairs with rose chintz cushions to provide comfort circled each table. All of the tables were set with sparkling crystal, silver flatware, and fine china painted with tiny pink roses. Beside each place setting was a little silver basket filled with colourful candy-coated almonds.
Diana and Trixie were leading Aimée to the head table which was decorated much like the others with the exception of a beautiful heart-shaped cake covered with white sugar-paste, decorated with a deep-pink scalloped sugar-paste frill circling the cake half-way up. The top of the cake was garnished with a cluster of hand-formed pink roses and purple violas. "Oh, Aunt Helen," Aimée gasped, "the cake is beautiful! How did you do all of this without my even knowing?"
Helen Belden smiled. "Aimée dear, let me tell you, it wasn’t easy! When you aren’t walking around with stars in your eyes, you’re pretty observant so the girls and I had to get you or ourselves out of the house as much as possible. That’s where Dan came in."
"Aimée," Honey joined them with a secretive smile on her face, "we have another little surprise for you." Directing the girl’s attention toward the far end of the head table, Honey stepped aside.
At the foot of the table talking with Honey’s mother, Madeleine Wheeler, was a diminutive woman with snow-white hair, dressed in a chic emerald-green silk suit. Aimée’s eyes widened with surprise and she began to run.
"Mamère, Mamère, how did you get here?" Aimée threw herself into the elderly woman’s waiting arms.
"Ah! Ma petite-fille, how I’ve missed you! Let me see you." Madame Monet held Aimée away from her, giving her an appraising look. "You are, how do you say rayonnant, ah, that’s it, radiant!" she smiled. "So was your maman when she was carrying you. Now," she asked looking around expectantly, "where is this young man I’ve heard so much about?"
Aimée blushed prettily at her grandmother’s exuberance. Compared to the other guest’s Félicité Monet was flamboyant and outspoken. "Mamère, this is a shower for women only, so Dan left just after he brought me here."
"Ah, Aimée, ma chérie, your Daniel is just afraid of your grand-mère," Félicité Monet smiled teasingly.
"Aimée, Madame Monet," Trixie beckoned exuberantly, "Come sit down so we can start the party."
Madame Monet led her excited granddaughter to the place of honor before taking a seat beside her.
Aimée’s seat was a sight to be seen, a high-backed wooden armchair draped with rose coloured streamers, white paper roses, and small heart-shaped balloons in numerous shades of pink. Seated on this elaborate throne the beautiful young woman looked like a queen before her court.
"Okay, ladies, let the games begin," announced Trixie in her role of Master of Ceremonies. "As each of you arrived, you were given a large safety pin. The goal of this particular game is to keep your pin for as long as you can, while at the same time acquiring the pins belonging to other people. To win a prize, at the end of the games you must have the largest number of pins. How, you might ask, do you acquire these pins? Well, you need to catch people doing something that’s off limits, and for the purposes of this game, it is crossing your legs, or ankles at anytime."
An excited rustle went through the gathering as the group of girls and women quickly uncrossed their legs.
"Now before we start into the games in earnest, I’d like you do meet our stripper!" Trixie paused for effect, rewarded for her efforts by a bunch of feminine gasps. She noted that several women, including Aimée and her own mother, were looking around for a male figure. Seeing Honey and Di entering with the silhouette, she grinned. "Ah, here he is! Ladies, I’d like you to meet Dan."
Aimée erupted into a fit of giggles, then grinning shouted out, "You know something, Trix, it really does look like Dan."
"That’s because he posed for it, smarty-pants," Trixie teased. "Now, ladies, as you see Dan is now completely clothed, and if you want to see him strip, you’re going to have to answer some very intimate questions about Dan and Aimée. Let’s hope you all know them well, and we can have some fun this afternoon. Now for your first question."
The group was listening attentively. "What is Aimée’s favorite song?"
"Oh, I know," Helen Belden shouted out getting into the game, "‘Longer’ sung by Dan Fogelberg."
"You’re right! Aimée," Trixie grinned, "I know you’ve had lots of practice so will you remove the first piece of Dan’s clothing."
As taped striptease music belted through the sound system, one of the younger women in the group yelled, "Take it off, Danny, take it all off!"
Her face fiery, but eyes sparkling, Aimée strutted over to the silhouette and slid Dan’s B.W.G. jacket from the figure’s shoulders.
A whoop sounded out from her audience.
The afternoon passed quickly as they played games such as Scrambled, Famous Women, Spice Rack, and a naughty little number played with a toilet paper roll and a stick. In this game, the group was divided into teams with one member of each team holding a broomstick between their legs while the other members attempted to place the toilet paper rolls between their own legs onto the pole. The suggestiveness of this particular game had all of the women rolling with laughter.
Things were just starting to quiet down when Trixie stood up and announced "Hey guys, it looks like Dan only has one more item of clothing left! Anyone game to make him take it off?"
The women gave a rousing cheer. "Okay, ladies, before we eat, what is Dan’s favorite hair color?"
"Strawberry-blonde," the group roared with laughter.
"You’re right! Sorry, Danny, Aimée has to steal your panties now." Trixie grinned.
Aimée moved sensuously towards the male figure. Pretending to give Trixie’s creation a kiss, she hooked a finger in the G-String and pulled it away. With an astonished expression on her face, she broke into laughter. "He’s wearing a fig leaf. No way, lover boy, you’re not getting away with that. Show Aimée what you’re hiding under there." Sliding her fingers under the edge of the paper leaf, Aimée gave a quick tug. Scrawled in Dan’s bold hand were the words,
Not a chance, minx!
Laughing at the disappointed expression on Aimée’s face, the women settled down to enjoy the delicious repast prepared by the Wheelers' and the Lynches' cooks.
Trixie once again stood up facing the group of chattering and laughing women. Everyone seemed to be having a great time and nobody had been offended by the risqué games they had played.
"Guess what time it is!" she yelled.
"Tool time!" one of Aimée’s school friends yelled back.
"No, that’s later when Dan and Aimée are alone!" Trixie parleyed back. "It's time for Aimée to open her gifts."
A gasp went out from the gathered women as the men and women who served them came out carrying armloads of beautifully wrapped gifts.
Aimée clapped and squealed like a small child on Christmas morning as Honey handed her a pretty pink foil package with a silvery lace bow. "This is from my mother and me."
Tearing open the package, Aimée lifted out a beautiful white negligee made of the sheerest silk. Lace as fine as a spider’s web trimmed the scooped neckline that was embroidered with tiny pink silk roses. "Ooo ... it's so beautiful, I love it, Honey, Mrs. Wheeler." Jumping up, she gave both women a quick hug.
Diana approached the girl carrying a large silver basket from her and her mother. "It’s for you and Dan on your wedding night." The basket was filled to the brim with bubble bath, a pair of monogrammed bath towels, almond-scented massage oil, body lotion, vanilla-scented candles, a CD of romantic love songs, a bottle of pink champagne, a box of delightfully molded chocolates, and a few very interesting sex toys. "Thank you, Di, Mrs. Lynch. I intend to put these to great use," Aimée said suggestively.
Trixie and Aunt Helen came next each carrying a gaily wrapped package. Aimée opened Aunt Helen’s first, it was a pair of gorgeous oriental robes. Aimée’s was in a white on white silk damask, with a pattern of butterflies and delicate flowers. The one intended for Dan was a deep rich burgundy edged in black silk cording. Aunt Helen embraced Aimée in a big bear-hug as the happy girl jumped up to thank her and Trixie.
Trixie handed her the large flat package she was carrying. "This is for my almost-adopted big sister, I sure hope you and Dan will be happy together."
Carefully opening the large box, Aimée exclaimed in wonder as she pulled out the large black leather book. Turning the pages little gasps of happiness issued from her lips. It was a book of memories from her and Dan’s relationship. Pictures from the Hallowe’en party and the Sock Hop, of her sitting behind Dan on Jupiter’s back, of them skating together on the Wheelers' lake, playing in the hay, and of them capsizing the row boat as Dan had tried to teach her how to fish. So many wonderful memories. "Oh, Trixie, I love it! You went to so much work, little sister."
The gifts kept coming. In the three years that she had made her home base in Sleepyside, Aimée had made a lot of friends. Anyone who knew her soon grew to love her. Finally she was finished.
"Wait," Félicité Monet said, standing up beside her granddaughter, "there is one more gift." Reaching for the long butterfly decorated package that Honey offered her, the old woman laid it in Aimée’s lap, then kissed her cheek. "Ma chérie, I have waited a long time to give this to you. It has been in my family for generations. Having no daughter myself, I thought I would never have someone to pass it down to. But then you were born, my precious Aimée."
In awe Aimée carefully unwrapped the package and opened the box. The women standing around her gave a collective gasp as Aimée withdrew a fragile lace veil from the package. Handmade from delicate silk thread, it was the most beautiful thing they had ever seen.
Félicité Monet began to tell the story of the veil. "When I was a little girl my maternal grandmother showed me this veil with the promise that one day it would be mine to pass on to my own daughters or granddaughters. According to her tale it was given to our ancestress, one of the Filles du Roi sent from France to marry one of the many young men who came to the New World searching for adventure. My grandmother told me that if was given to my many times great-grandmother by one of the nuns at the first convent in Québec. She wore it on her wedding day, as did each of her daughters, and their daughters. Ever since it has been passed down in the family from mother to eldest daughter, until the pattern was broken with me. But Aimée and I shall start the pattern anew, for she will pass it on to her eldest daughter." The old woman chuckled as she gently patted Aimée’s curving tummy.
Aimée sat holding the veil with tears of joy running down her cheeks. That day her grandmother had given her a great gift, not just the veil, but a glimpse into her heritage. Stroking the delicate lace, Aimée made a silent vow to herself and to the unknown ancestress who had first worn the veil. She would never abandon her heritage, but actively seek it out so that someday she too would have something to pass down to her granddaughter.
The End