Chance Meeting

Part I

"Hey! The corset is comfortable and it gives me good back support."

"Whatever you say, Callie. I think that's about it. Take a look."

Looking at her reflection in the bedroom mirror, she was impressed. Jill had taken her cues from Cal's outfit and gone for dramatic. A dark smoky eye and the false lashes brought out the amber tones in her eyes so they appeared to be the same burnt orange color as the late autumn leaves on the maple trees outside. Black cherry lip gloss almost the same deep wine color as her corset painted her lips. On someone as fair as Jill the dark colors would have looked too stark but against Cal's darker golden complexion they were more complementary. Shimmery color picked out her prominent cheek bones. Chin length auburn curls fell in soft ringlets around her face, no help from Jill was required for those, her hair had a natural curl that just needed a little taming. The entire look was meant to highlight the striking planes of her face, an angularity softened from harshness only by her full lips and bright wide-set eyes.

Cal was never inconspicuous but she rarely felt beautiful, Jill had done a remarkable job. This wasn't self-consciousness on her part, she was comfortable with her appearance, but the box labeled 'conventionally pretty' does not include 5'10" women with more muscle than curves and extensive body art.

Jill's brother Ethan and his wife Sara had met them in the parking garage a couple of streets over. Ethan was a taller version of his twin sister, the soft roundness of her features became more squared off in his face butthey had the same bright blue eyes and dark honey hair. Fashion sense was not something he shared with his sister however and so he was dressed in sneakers, jeans, and a Star Trek t-shirt. His bride of six months was of average height with a full figure and smiling brown eyes that peered out through her gold wire-rim glasses. Sara's black hair was close-cropped into a pixie cut and she wore black dress pants, a burnt orange blouse, and shiny black ballet flats. She looked like an elementary school teacher not an electrician. In fact it was Ethan who was the teacher, high school English.

The line at the State Theater for the concert was mercifully short. It was a mild night for early November but in Maine that still meant it was anything but warm. As expected Krissy was running late and they were already in the theater by the time she arrived. She had dressed up in a short green dress over black leggings, sparkling green and gold barrettes pinned back her thick, almost knee-length, dark brown hair. All together they made their way down the aisle to the open dance area in front of the stage.

It was hard for Cal to dwell on losing her job when surrounded by the energetic music and so many people having a good time. She let the energy carry her away and just danced. Her heart raced, adrenaline pumping through her in time to the music.

A number of people danced with her, drifting in and out of a core group that formed spontaneously early in the show. They stayed together through the show with that easy familiarity that forms among groups of strangers having a good time. A burly man at least six inches taller than Cal with hair even redder and curlier than her own. Another with platinum blond hair, and judging by his dark eyebrows it was not his natural color, of average height and with his slender build and eyeliner was on the pretty side of androgynous. The only other woman, besides Cal and Jill, was petite with ample curves, a shaved head, and eyes such a bright green that they were noticeable even in the dim light of the theater. The last man drew Cal's interest the most, all night her eyes kept being drawn to him. He was a shade taller than Cal, slender but not delicate like the blond boy. Dark hair long enough to brush the color of his shirt, almost artfully messy. His face was pale without a trace of freckles, the kind of fair skin that looked healthy not pasty from too much time indoors. An unlined face but no longer boyish, Cal judged him at around thirty, and quite attractive if you liked the intense type. Cal did. His eyes were dark but not brown, definitely a cool color but whether a deep blue or gray she couldn't tell in this light.