Bellamy's Redemption

“Oh my goodness! It’s really for me! I’m just, so… flabbergasted. Really, can’t you tell? Look at me. I’m shaking,” said Deb. She held her hand out in front of her. It didn’t appear to be shaking, so she wiggled it just a little bit. “What am I going to wear? Can someone help me with my hair? Oh my God. This is so awesome. What do you think he could mean by don’t forget to enjoy the view? I suppose maybe we’re going some place high up?”

“You’re probably going to the Eiffel Tower,” said Alanna.

“Ooh, I’ve heard of that. So that is here, in Paris?” asked Deb.

“Yes,” said Alanna.

“Wow. Crazy. Of course it’s in Paris. How dopey of me. Yeah, I’ll bet that’s where we’re going. Okay. And then what do you think? What else is there to do here?”

“Lots of stuff,” said Alanna. She looked at me and made a small gesture of shooting herself in the head. Everyone had gotten over my crying attack in Venice and as far as I could tell, we were all friends again.

“Seriously, guys. I wonder what else we’re going to do,” said Deb. “I hope we’re not going to go out to eat anyplace. I hate all this foreign food. Honestly, I’d rather just pick up some granola bars at a gas station. Do you guys all like granola bars, or do you like cereal bars better? To me, cereal bars are almost like dessert. Granola bars are more like a main meal. What I really like are pretzel bars. My mom makes those homemade. You mix pretzels, marshmallows, and I think there is one other ingredient. They’re so good. And healthy. I think they’re totally fat free, except if you grease the pan. You’ve got to grease the pan. Or wait, wait, you could use wax paper. My mom is an excellent cook.”

“You’d better get ready,” said Vanessa. “Run along. I must get an outfit like this while we’re here,” she added, holding up the French Vogue to a page showing a model wearing a blue checked romper, sucking on a pacifier. Her hair was in piggy tails. It was completely inappropriate and bizarre.

“Seriously?” asked Deb. “You like that? I think it’s really cute too, but your clothes seem more serious than that. No offense.”

“None taken,” said Vanessa.

Deb went away and returned a moment later carrying two hangers. One held a very 1980’s inspired sundress covered in bright rainbows. I actually kind of loved it. The other hanger housed what looked like a blue velvet bathrobe. “Which one?” she asked us.

“Not that bathrobe,” I said.

“Is that a bathrobe?” asked Klassie.

“Yes, but it cost a lot of money, and I think when I belt it with a leather belt it brings it into daytime mode,” said Deb. “I wear it with brown leather boots, and I bring my vintage brown leather satchel, and it all works great.”

“Debbie, I had no idea you were so fashion forward,” said Alanna.

“Maybe to you guys I’m not, but I am very fashionable in Duluth. You could go so far as to call me edgy.”

“I guess we didn’t understand the whole vision, but now that you describe it, go with the bathrobe,” said Alanna.

“Yes, for sure. The bathrobe,” said Vanessa. She hadn’t even looked up from the magazine.

“Are you guys for serious?” asked Deb.

Klassie shrugged. “I’ve got to rinse my hair.” She skated away.

“Hmm,” I said. I shook my head a little. “The sundress is cute too. Maybe you should at least try it on for us. Keep in mind, they will be playing reruns of Bellamy’s Redemption until we’re super old, so a bad fashion choice could haunt you for a long time.”

“Emma, don’t rain on her parade,” said Alanna. “Debbie, wear the bathrobe. You’ll look great.”

“Just out of curiosity, what do you wear beneath it?” I asked.

“I brought some blue boy-short undies and a matching bra so if Bellamy sneaks a peek I’m all matchy matchy.”

“How risqué,” said Vanessa.

“Bath-robe, bath-robe, bath-robe,” chanted Alanna, pounding her hands on the coffee table.

“You talked me into it, Alanna. Be right back. Once you guys see me in it, you will love it.”

Alanna went out to our balcony and surveyed the city. “If I lean, like this, and then tilt my head, like this, I can see the Eiffel Tower,” she yelled.

“I think it’s really cheap of them to put us in a place where we can’t simply look at it,” said Vanessa. “I don’t want to hurt myself trying to catch a glimpse of it.”

“Vanessa, you’re so spoiled,” said Alanna. “I’m just happy to be in Paris again. It’s been practically a whole year since I’ve been here. A whole year!”