The Virgin Ceremonies Ch. 03

"I want to say goodbye and thank you."

"Must you?" Diana spoke up. "You should go back into the bedroom and wait until we've gone."

"No, I want to say goodbye," I said defensively. "Can't I?"

"Oh, it's fine," Nana said. "A woman needs a little closure."

The bedroom door opened, and Beau stepped out, still wearing his stupid mask. I had hoped he might take it off. He was dressed now, but unlike the tux he was wearing earlier, he now wore jeans and a t-shirt with a small coffee mug over his heart that said "Free Coffee." He held a jacket under his arm.

We met eyes again. I couldn't help but stare at him, to take in this memory of the last time I'd ever see him, the man who took my virginity and gave me this incredible night.

"Um, hey," I said, waving stupidly. "I, I just wanted to say thank you. It was a really nice night. You, um, really showed me a nice time."

He smiled at me but didn't speak. I hated that he was still mute. I felt like the night was over. Couldn't he take off the mask and say, "You're welcome"? Hell, I'd have settled for anything. Just speak to me, damn it.

"Can I give you a hug?" I said nervously. I felt like he was off the clock now, and I had no right to hug him without permission.

He stepped toward me and his arms opened. I was relieved. His arms came under mine, wrapping around my back. I felt his rough mask scrape my cheek, but I held our hug for as long as I could.

"Thank you," I said again.

I wasn't expecting him to say, "you're welcome" or "goodbye" or anything, really, and I certainly was not expecting him to whisper something into my ear, but he did. With his back to my aunt and my mother and my grandmother, I felt his lips close to my ear. I had to strain to hear him. I almost thought I'd imagined it.

"Same time tomorrow, Bethesda."

I was reeling. I wasn't entirely sure I understood him, but it was too late to ask him to repeat himself. He broke the hug, smiled at me, and then turned away. My aunt beckoned him along. My mouth failed me, and I was unable to call him back. I didn't know what to say or how to stop him.

"Wa-wait," I said, but the door closed, and he was gone. I stood there alone in this luxury suite, staring at a closed door.

"Minibar time?" Quinn said.

I spun on her. "He spoke to me!"

"Huh?" she said.

"Just now, he said, 'Same time tomorrow, Beth.'"

"He called you 'Beth'?"

"I think so. Maybe he was confused about my name."

"Seriously?"

"Wait, wait, he said something else. It wasn't Beth. What was it? Oh, my God, I forgot the word he said. It sounded like Beth though."

"Bethany?"

"Yeah, no, something like that. God, why didn't I ask him to repeat himself?"

"What did he mean 'same time'?"

"I don't know!"

"Okay, relax. It doesn't matter what he said or meant or anything. You're never gonna see him again."

"I mean, yeah, I guess."

"What do you mean you guess?" she said, taking a step toward me. "Never, right?"

"I wasn't going to, but then he said that. I think he wants to meet again."

"Okay, okay, let's stop right there," Quinn said. "It's not going to happen, okay? Ever. Right? Say it."

I took a deep breath. "Yeah, you're right. It's not going to happen."

"Ever," she said.

"Ever," I repeated. "But what do you think he meant?"

"Some things, we'll just never know."