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Chelsea DelGrosso's
Night of Golden Memories

At the Kopela home, Boston, Massachusetts, January 2011...

I don’t think I’d ever been that nervous before, and I sure hope to god I never get that nervous again. It was hot and you know how it says that boys sweat and girls glisten? The Prom was the big deal. Oh, I know kids don’t go to dances. Seniors really don’t go to dances, but who doesn’t go to their senior prom, right. And I was going with my former-cum-present girlfriend, pun not at all intended. I looked at my watch and noted that it was already getting late (it always gets late, by the way…)

I pulled the collar tight to my neck, trying to keep my thumbs out of the way. The problem with a rental tux is that one size mis-fits all, and the shirt was too tight around my neck. At five — five and one hundred twenty-seven pounds, it amazed me that my neck was too big.

“Maaaahhhhmmmmm,” I screamed, “I need your help.

“Just a second, Alex…Hold your horses,” she screamed from her bedroom. “I can’t believe they charge so much money and don’t iron the damn pants.” She walked quickly into my bedroom.

“And I couldn’t believe human beings still actually said, ‘hold your horses.’

“Mom….” I pointed to my waist…”You’ve got the pants which means I don’t.”

“Relax, why don’t you. You don’t have anything showing that I haven’t seen before.”

“Mom!”

“Okay, okay…here, put these on.” She laughed and stood back as I pulled the pants up my legs.

“The collar doesn’t fit…” I glanced down at my chin, but she got the point.

“Wait a second…” She ran out of the room and I heard a loud rattle down the hall as she pulled out desk drawer.

“Here…this makes it wider.” She handed me a button with a loop on it. I put it on top button and pushed it into the button hole. She handed me the clip-around bow tie and helped me with the jacket.

“Not bad, kiddo…not bad at all,” she said. I looked at my reflection in the closet mirror and saw someone I didn’t recognize; I actually looked good if a bit scrawny. I figured if I looked this good right then...maybe...

“You look stooopid,” my sister laughed from my bedroom door way.

“Not as stoooopid as saying stoooopid,” I shouted back.

“Would you two be nice to each other for once. Now, Nickie, leave your brother alone” My mother was constantly playing referee.

“Can I take the Acura?” I turned to my mother who frowned and shook her head before breaking into a smile.’

“The Ford just doesn’t say “Class,” does it?” She reached into her robe pocket and tossed me the keys.

“No later than Tuesday, okay?” She laughed.

“Okay…One o’clock,” I said as I kissed her cheek.

“You look really good, kiddo. Have a nice time.”

I skipped down the hall and out the door.

I had a crush on Chelsea since grade school, and now, finally, after weeks and weeks of asking for a second chance, she said yes. We dated last year when we were both juniors. Somehow she had felt I wasn’t her type…we just didn’t fit, and I guess it didn’t help that she was… well… different. I kept telling her it didn’t matter to me, but she just wouldn’t hear it. But I had a breakthrough. She was completely surprised when I asked her to the Prom, and surprised even more that she gave me another shot by saying yes.

The trip yo her house took almost twelve minutes, but it seemed like….forever. I pulled into the driveway and she was actually standing at the door, waiting with a big smile. I got out of the car and nearly tripped on the curb as I ran toward the door.

“Quick…come in…” She giggled as she pulled me close for a kiss. It was the second kiss of my life and it felt better than the first. Mostly because she was wearing peach lip gloss; she knows I love peach. But it was better because there was actually a second kiss instead of just the one.

“Sixteen…seventeen…eighteen…” Eighteen seconds...wow. I was in heaven...okay, I think I was in heaven; I’ve never actually been there, but if there is one, it had to include peach lip gloss and soft, greasy lips.

“I love you.” She said. It was scary and fucking wonderful at the same time.

“I’m not sure.” I said and she pouted until I added,

“If I love you…or I really love you…really, really love you. I giggled. She kissed me again…Number three; it was getting better all the time.

“We’ve got to hurry…okay?” She broke off the kiss and ran into the living room.

City Hall...Boston, Massachusetts...forty minutes later...

“You two look just beautiful.” Sandy Cabrini said as we walked into the building. I turned to Chelsea; it really was the first time I had to actually look at her. She wore an rose strapless satin wrap, which set off her dark red hair nicely. She was a tall girl at five-six but even taller in black satin pumps but with a two-inch heels, which she wore in deference to me. She leaned closer to me and put her hand on my mine, sending a spark right up my arm, causing me to shudder and laugh nervously.

“Black really suits you, Alex. You look good enough to eat.” She whispered in my ear.

“Really?” I said, looking nervously at my reflection in the door window. It was odd to see a silver belt bisecting my waist, but it was just the middle frame of the door dividing my image.

“Oh, Alex…Chelsea, you’re adorable.” Philly Mangiano said, giving us both of us a hug.

“Black…oooh…you look good! She's right...it suits you,” he said as he air-kissed me Chelsea and me. I looked again in the window. At five-six I really was sorta short and scrawny like I said. But short and scrawny in a tux is one thing; a bit taller in three-inch-heels and a floor-length black silk gown, it was more like 'short and thin and bitchin’

“Yep….” Chelsea said as she whispered in my ear once again.

"Yep?" I asked as she nibbled my ear.

“Good enough to eat.”