The Circle of Friends

XII - Princess For A Day-1

XII - Princess For A Day

The next few weeks were just as busy for Lori. The attention from winning at the SEC Championship nearly overwhelmed her, though. Lori still did not enjoy being in the spotlight and tried to focus on her training. Her coach continued working with Lori, preparing her for the NCAA Championship the third week of March. She had to perform her best to win at that level.

She saw Jason only once before the break. One night was never enough and they looked forward to going home together for spring break. Lori found it difficult to believe they would be married in just two short months.

Early Friday morning, Lori departed for Tallahassee. If they got on the road by nine o’clock, they would arrive in Greenville before five. It would be strange not having access to her car for a week. The Mustang had been a gift for her sixteenth birthday. Jason insisted that she ride with him rather than drive alone and promised to be her chauffer while they were in Greenville. This meant they would spend a lot of time together, which pleased Lori.

She called when she reached town. Jason apologized and said he was not quite ready yet.

“Just come on upstairs,” he said. “I won’t be long!”

“Okay, see you in a couple minutes.”

After a several turns, she pulled up to the house. There were many empty parking places today. Apparently most of the boys had already departed in their eagerness to begin spring break. Lori felt relieved Jason did not want to hit the crowded beaches. Besides, all of their friends were returning to Greenville.

She exited her vehicle and cautiously ventured into the house. Two familiar young men said hello when she entered and Lori smiled before ascending the stairs. The house was so quiet today the stairs creaked under her feet and she adjusted her step. She reached the second floor and noticed Jason’s door slightly ajar. Hearing movement within, she gently tapped the door.

Jason suddenly yanked open the door, startling Lori. She laughed as he hauled her into his room, his arms wrapped around her midsection. Closing the door with his foot, Jason kissed her with great urgency. Lori held on tightly, pleased with the warm welcome. He was only half dressed and his bare shoulders felt wonderful under her fingers.

“Good morning!” she said when he finally let her speak.

“It is now!” he answered, running his hands down the length of her back.

His eyes were bright and his expression one of boyish mischief. Kissing her again, he scooped Lori into his arms and laid her on the bed. He slid up beside her and began to kiss her neck.

“So what is this?” she asked with a giggle, surprised by his intense arousal this morning.

“This?” he asked innocently, not lifting his head. “Just excited to see you.”

“At nine in the morning?”

He finally met her eyes. “I’m always happy to have you alone.”

Lori ceased her struggling and allowed Jason to indulge his affections. Hopefully the long drive to Greenville would curb some of his desires. She wanted his attention on the road, not his passenger.

Jason helped transfer bags to his car and they pulled out of town a little before nine-thirty. Despite the morning’s brief moment of intimacy, he still paid more attention to Lori than his driving. He was excited about the upcoming week and the time he planned to spend in her company. Lori found herself caught up in his enthusiasm and was glad he had insisted on driving.

They swung by his house first and dropped off his bags. His mother was overjoyed to see them and insisted Lori and Jason stay for a few minutes. When Jason explained that he intended to take Lori out to dinner before they joined their friends at Matt’s house, his mother reluctantly his mother allowed them to leave.

They arrived at the Anders’s residence a few minutes later. Lori tossed her bags onto the bed and took a moment to freshen in the bathroom. They were just leaving when her father came home. Lori gave him a big hug and he eagerly returned his daughter’s embrace.

“You two running off already?” he asked, smiling to hide his disappointment as he shook Jason’s hand.

“I want to take Lori out to eat before going over to Matt’s,” explained Jason.

“Well, I hope we see you sometime this week!” said Phil, straightening his jacket. “Remember, Pumpkin, your mother’s got you on Monday for wedding details.”

“I know!” answered Lori, gripping her father’s hand tightly, “and so do the other girls.”

He smiled and released her hand. “Go and enjoy! We’ll see you tomorrow.”

Lori and Jason quickly returned to his BMW and Jason started the engine. Lori waved goodbye to her father as they exited the driveway, thankful he had come home before they departed. There would be time for her parents later this week, though.

“Your father’s pretty cool,” Jason absently commented. “He’d let you get away with anything, wouldn’t he?”

Lori laughed. “Not everything, but he’s pretty lenient about most things. And I don’t remember ever having a major argument with my father.”

Jason c****d one eyebrow. “You know, we’ve never really had a fight, either.”

“And that’s fine with me!” Lori said decisively.

He patted her knee and smiled. “Good,” said Jason. “Now, where would you like to eat? Your choice tonight!”

They enjoyed a delicious meal of Chinese food before joining the others at Matt’s house. It was fun to see everyone again and they stayed quite late that night. True to his word, Jason was there to pick her up as soon as she finished her swimming lesson the next morning. When their friends gathered on Saturday, even Maria joined them for the evening.

Monday after lunch, Lori’s mother had her review all of the arrangements for the wedding. The invitations would be mailed soon and Lori double-checked the list. There were so many names, Lori could not even begin to add up how many guests were invited. She was very pleased with the selected designs and colors, however. As predicted, her mother was going first class with every detail.

They visited the bridal shop that afternoon and Lori tried on several dresses. It did not take long to make a selection. The dress was simple in the front but with elaborate latticework in the back, showing off her slender backside. Her bridesmaids eventually joined them and were fitted for their dresses as well. All of the girls were slender, although Heather’s height would stand out among the bridesmaids. Their marching order placed her beside tiny Maria, but it could not be avoided. Cindy was the only girl absent that afternoon, but Lori had brought her friend’s measurements for the seamstress.

On Tuesday, she and Jason visited the jewelry store to select wedding bands. This took a little longer than the selection of her engagement ring, but he just let Lori take her time. They finally settled on matching gold bands inlaid with small diamonds. Once the sizes were confirmed, the saleswoman told them the rings would be ready by Friday.

Lori enjoyed a quiet birthday with her family and Jason, spending the evening at a fancy restaurant. Jason took her dancing with their friends the following night. It never ceased to amaze him how the simplest of things could so please Lori. She appeared as delighted with an evening of dancing as if he had taken her to Europe for a week. His father might believe women were high maintenance, but nothing seemed simpler than making Lori happy.

Spring break was over all too soon. It saddened Lori to say goodbye to her parents and friends. She missed Sarah, even though they sent e-mail messages almost every day. Fortunately she saw Maria almost every time she visited Tallahassee, and as a result, they had grown closer as friends. College had broadened Maria’s horizons and Lori really enjoyed her company now.

The NCAA Championship took place the following week. Jason booked a flight to Texas so he could attend the event, despite Lori’s objection that he would miss too many classes. She was glad he would be there to see her compete, though. The real surprise came when her mother announced she would be in attendance as well. Her father assured Lori they possessed two plane tickets and promised that Rhonda would attend her meet come hell or high water.

The competition was much stronger at this level. She easily got through the preliminaries, although she did not have the best time in either event. Lori tried not to dwell on that fact, as the final race was all that mattered. Even so, she continued to fret over her position.

When the final race for the 200-freestyle concluded, Lori turned in her best run and shaved a half a second off her time. However, it was not enough to beat the fastest swimmer. Lori found herself in second place by only a tenth of a second. Her coach appeared pleased with her time and refused to allow Lori to berate herself when she emerged from the pool. Fighting back her tears, she reminded herself this race was but a stepping-stone to her dream. The Olympics were still two years away, which gave her time for improvement.

She felt all the more determined now to win the 100-freestyle. Jason and her parents expected to see her win and Lori refused to let them down a second time. She had already located them in the crowd about a third of the way up the bleachers. Their presence confirmed, Lori vowed to come in first and break the record. Anything less would be unacceptable.

Jason knew she was displeased with her finish in the 200, despite the improvement of her time. The expression on Lori’s face as she exited the pool had worried her fiancé and he feared defeat would overtake her thoughts. As he watched her approach the pool for the 100, Jason hoped she had readjusted her attitude. A first place finish was desperately needed now.

Lori’s father leaned forward, anxiously tapping his feet. “Okay, Lori, you can do it! Big win here!”

“And beat 48.40!” echoed Jason.

She stepped up to the block and bowed her head. Jason had witnessed this ritual many times, but he still did not understand its purpose. He glanced questioningly at Phil.

“What goes through her mind when she does that?” he inquired.

“She prays,” her mother replied.

Lori’s mother had not spoken but a couple times since their arrival. Phil and Jason exchanged glances and turned to look directly at Rhonda.

“’Lord, because of You, I am the strongest and the fastest and I will swim my best today,’” she recited, her eyes on the pool.

“How did you know that?” Phil asked.

Rhonda finally turned to her husband and smiled. “Her first coach taught Lori to say those words and she’s never stopped repeating the phrase.”

At the sound of the gun, their attention quickly shifted to the pool. These were the eight fastest college girls in the nation and it showed in their speed as they swam side by side. Not until the second fifty meters did a definite leader began to immerge from the pack. They all held their breath as Lori began to make her move and pull ahead of the others. Stretching out her fingers, she hit the final wall.

In the stands, her little cheering section simply exploded. Lori had finished in first place and at a time of 48.20. Jason felt relief all the way down to his toes. After the second place finish in the 200, Lori desperately needed this victory. He cheered and waved as she climbed out of the pool, her exuberance reflected in her bright smile. Jason felt incredibly proud of his fiancé and her accomplishments today. Lori had proven herself a champion on many levels

They managed to catch her for a few minutes after the meet. Jason apologized for not bringing roses this time, but she assured him flowers were not required. She was simply overjoyed with her family’s attendance. Lori even began to shed tears of joy when her mother gave her a congratulatory embrace, delighted she had seen her daughter compete. Jason sensed Rhonda’s presence was as much a triumph as winning the race today.