“Jill?”
I heard the man’s voice, but didn’t pay it much mind. My name wasn’t Jill, after all.
“Jill? I thought you were waiting for me outside?” Cold, squishy fingers pinched my elbow and I spun around.
The man was in a tuxedo, his graying hair slicked back with too much pomade, and he’d used some of the excess to twist the corners of his mustache up. He wasn’t all that bad looking, but why on earth was he talking to me?
“Um…” I looked over my shoulder, but there wasn’t anyone else in the room.
“Jill, I was out on the patio looking for you. I was out there for nearly half an hour. Have you been in here all this time?”
I decided it in a second.
“Yes. Sorry. It’s dreadful weather.” I smoothed the front of my dress. At least I wasn’t wearing my normal overalls. I didn’t look all that out of place with this very well-dressed man.
“Oh, that’s all right. Of course, I was just hoping you weren’t lost. But we can go in now. I’m sure our table guests are wondering when we’ll join them.” He offered his arm and I slid mine through it with ease.
I didn’t have the slightest idea what he was talking about, but he guided me into the larger ballroom of the hotel. Some kind of party. Maybe a wedding. But I didn’t see a bride. Or a cake.
Most of the people at the tables glanced up and looked away. But there were a few whose eyes lingered on me and my not quite fancy dress. My companion didn’t seem to notice though and I began to suspect his eyesight was failing him and he wouldn’t sink low enough to buy glasses. I had the suspicion he found it a sign of aging or something and he wouldn’t let that bring him down.
But I couldn’t fault him for it. If he wore glasses, he would have never mistaken me for his Jill. I wondered if we even looked like each other at all.
We sat at a table near the wall with another couple. Both of them looked at me with raised eyebrows, but my guide didn’t say anything.
“Evening, Frank,” he said to the man. “Lydia. Good to see you both again.”
He pulled my chair out and I sat.
“Yes… good to see you too, George.” Frank exchanged a glance with his wife, but she shrugged.
My stomach rolled with sudden nerves. What would George do if he then two told him I wasn’t Jill? Did they know he couldn’t see very well? Would they laugh it off? After kicking me out of the party of course. Because shame on me for not pointing out that I was not, in fact, Jill.
But they didn’t say anything. And soon the conversation had continued on to a point where it wouldn’t make any sense for them to bring it up. And I breathed a sigh of relief.
Some time later, we were standing near the refreshments with another couple. This couple also looked at me like the fraud I was, but didn’t point it out to George. He was very preoccupied with the available food and talked mostly over his shoulder. I didn’t say much at all, but I got the impression that was normal for Jill. If it hadn’t been, I’d bet George would have pointed it out.
But then a door slammed from the balcony area where rain poured down on the picnic tables. Only a few people turned to look — there’d been others going in and out all evening to sneak a cigarette — but I was one of them. And that’s when I saw Jill.
When I saw her across the room, I knew that’s who he must think I am. Our hair was the same color and I’d bet I could style mine the same as hers if I had a little practice. But her smile was soft where mine was full of teeth and bite. Her eyes were tilted up at the corners and bright and held none of the shiftiness of my own. We were even wearing the same color tonight, though I doubt that had anything to do with his mistake. But it would play into my favor when I disappeared and she walked up to his side.
And that’s just what I did. He had his back to me while he picked some food off the buffet table, so I turned the opposite direction so I wouldn’t have to keep looking at my doppelgänger and I hurried towards the nearest exit.
It had been an interesting hour, rubbing elbows with the more rich and glamorous. But an hour was enough for me, thanks.