With our ball quickly approaching I begin to get nervous and I wonder if Robert is even going to be able to come. I understand that he is a busy man but it would be nice to be able to see him. The rest of the plantation is putting together finishing touches to make sure that everything goes off without a hitch. A week before the ball my cousin Catherine asked: “So Elizabeth can I see the dress you’ve decided to wear for the ball?” 432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjYwJ32HIw6
    “Shoot!” I panic because I haven’t even thought about what I was going to wear. “I haven't even thought about what I’m going to wear. I’ve been so busy lately.” I bite my lip trying to figure out what I can throw together so I look halfway decent. 432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm113lRD9vt
    “That’s alright,” my aunt pipes in. “Peggy can take you into town to have a dress made.” 432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCo1pGANXBy
    I look at Miss Peggy who is straightening things up before dinner. “Yes Miss Elizabeth, we’ll go tomorrow morning.” I breathe a sigh of relief; I have to look perfect in case Robert shows up. 432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHsagAlckJq
    The next morning Miss Peggy, Ella, Catherine, and I head into town to Addy’s Shoppe, a seamstress who also designs beautiful dresses. “Miss Lomax!” she practically yells “It’s great to see you again! I hear your family is throwing a ball! How exciting! I’m surprised that you weren't in earlier to get a dress!” Addison or Addy as she preferred people to call her is a chatterbox and a very excited person which some find annoying but I think it’s one of the best things about her. 432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPpbfB7Yden
    “Hello Addy, yes we are and I’ve been so busy with the details that I totally forgot about getting a dress,” I admit embarrassed. 432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvFAPUUvB8m
    “That’s alright because I knew you would be in need of my services so I took the liberty of designing you a dress. I kept your measurement so hopefully, we’ll only need to make minor changes. Shall we?” She leads me towards a changing room. 432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmXSJrg2xSC
    Addy is a talented designer and she really knows what she is doing so I completely trust her. She leads me into her changing room where a beautiful purple dress with black accents and a little train. I gasp due the beauty of the dress, it is the most extravagant and elegant dress I have ever seen. I hurry up and undress and try on the dress which has so many layers it feels like hours before I am ready to look into the mirror. Once everything is all laced up and my corset is so tight that I can barely breathe but it’s worth it because when I look into the mirror it looks perfect. “I love it, Addy! Thank you so much!” I say while hugging her.432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqJFOGLYlAJ
    “Let’s show the others!” She exclaims grabbing my hand and pulling me out of the changing room.432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ242reftBF0
    I let go of her hand and she stops giving me a curious look. “I want to wait until the ball to show everyone. I want everyone to be surprised when they see your beautiful work.” I explain to her. 432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0JkafNTijV
    “Oh yes of course! I’ll have my boys box it up and deliver it to your home.” When she says, boys, she means the few male slaves that she owns. She helps me take off the dress and bids me goodbye by kissing me on the cheek. 432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVZ4JIKEvwn
    One week later432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXVuhLWDV88
    The day of the ball is finally here and I couldn't be more excited! I love going to balls! I love dressing up and the pageantry of it all. Everyone is rushing around and getting decorations put up. We have beautiful arrangements of magnolias sitting at each table, the band is setting up, and the kitchen is a mad house which doesn't stop me sneaking in there and trying to help. Miss Peggy lets me stir the batter to one of the desserts but that’s all she allows me to do. 432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaiojH2mM0Y
    When five o’clock rolls around I get ready by putting my hair up with ringlets and magnolias pinned in. I recruit another house slave to help me get in my dress which takes about thirty minutes because I want every detail about my dress to be perfect. I’m a perfectionist. After I’m in my dress I place my white gloves on and grab my accordion fan.432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0k0GTbkKLK
    By the time I am fully ready most of our guest are already here so it’s the perfect time to make my grand entrance. I walk down my stairs to the parlor where almost everyone is standing talking. The first person to notice me is Daddy who announces to the crowd “My daughter, Elizabeth Lomax”, his announcement was followed by applause and oh’s and ah’s. It made me feel like I was President Davis! While I’m making my way down I search the room for Robert but I don’t see him. I am a bit disappointed but I’m not going to let it ruin my night, besides he’s probably busy.  432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDe172sWvXq
    We all sit down to eat a delicious meal of turkey, potatoes, corn, and many other side dishes. We had enough food to feed a whole army! It felt like Thanksgiving. After the main course, we had a delicious chocolate cake that was elegantly decorated. I was so full after dinner I knew it was time to get to dancing to burn off all this food. I get the band going and wait for somebody to ask me to dance. I don’t have to wait long, within minutes I get asked by somebody I’ve never seen. His name is William and from Louisiana, he wasn’t that bad looking but my Robert is more handsome. 432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfFJZSmb3A2
    I spend most of the night dancing with random strangers which was fun but I had to take a break because I was getting overheated. I had a drink of wine to cool down, which also made me feel ready to dance some more. While waiting for someone to dance with I got caught up in conversation with Angela who was a slave owners daughter. I’ve had a few conversations with her in the past and she’s a really nice girl and definitely nothing like my “acquaintances”. During our conversation, her eyes went away from mine and looked behind. Next thing I hear is “Can I have this dance?” The voice is rather familiar, it takes me a few seconds but I realize that the voice belongs to Robert! 432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa2YBMB6Se7
    I turn around fast and Robert is there smiling,his green eyes sparkling like never before. He isn't in his uniform with is a good thing because I’m not sure how southerners would react to seeing a Union Officer. “Yes, you may,” I say with a smile on my face. He grabs my hand and leads me to the dance floor. 432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvC1sX8cXiW
    “You look beautiful,” he says. I blush, still not used to getting complimented by him. I’ve been told that I’m beautiful many times by many different men but coming from him makes me feel butterflies in my stomach. 432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ54G6ljSsAx
    We dance for what feels like hours but my feet start to hurt so I tell him to follow me into out garden. It’s quiet out here so we can catch up. “I can't believe your here!” I marvel. 432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVVyk15iwFj
    “I told you that I would come see you eventually,” he smiles pulling me in for a kiss. I miss the softness of his lips. Every time we kiss I struggle to catch my breath afterward, he takes my breath away. “So this is where you live?” he says pulling me out of my trance of our kiss. 432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCdvW6bhrUt
    “Yes, I was born here too,” I reply. 432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMYcOpJAYJk
    “It’s beautiful. So this is where your father….” he trails off looking towards the slave housing. 432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBu3IWiASFv
    “My father keeps his slaves? Yes, this is the place.” 432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeK7sa84vGe
    “Doesn’t it bother you?” 432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3nJu8JBY1R
    “Yes, but what am I supposed to do?” 432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUFIeA687rL
    “You could leave with me.”432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJyBtilG36Q
    “And leave my father alone? I can’t do that.” I look down afraid to disappoint him.432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIbv4gXlK97
    “Your father is a monster!” he yells obviously annoyed. 432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1KQbay1uSu
    “He is still my father!” I shoot back.432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWBN2fhPRwh
    We hear a throat clear and a little man steps out of the darkness. He stands at attention and says “Sorry to interrupt Sir but we must go, a carriage is waiting outside. I will explain later.”432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGcfpf9Mzmm
    Robert nods and begins to leave. He turns back before leaving and says “I’m sorry but I must leave.” Then he's gone. 432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡukKnuSLaA1
    I feel that hot tears run down my cheek and burst into an all-out sob. I feel so stupid for saying what I did. Am I the reason why he had to leave? Was his plan to get me to run away with him? “No man is ever worth crying over Eliza. Come back to the party and have fun.” Ella says while wiping my tears. She must have seen what happened with Robert and I. I nod and whip more of my tears and make myself looks presentable again. I go back to the ballroom and dance the night away. 432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9cwrKf8s40
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8wqNwY02eQ
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