A Magical Prom Night

Inspired by Tom Mcgee's The Prom Night

AN: Dearest Readers, while this story borrows the premise, a few characters, and some lines of dialogue. from the above-mentioned story, I have changed it to make it my own. The character portrayals have been changed to suit my writing style and many other things were fleshed out.

I sought the author's blessing but after waiting a month with no response (he hasn't been active here since 2008) so I am going ahead with my story. I hope you enjoy my take on this tale.

~*~

It is a well-known fact that unless you were a stud hoping to either hook up with one of the single young women attending the prom, that you are planning to steal someone else's date, or generally weird, no one likes to go to their prom alone. The latter was the case for one Jackson Miller, a senior at Parks High School in the rural part of Iowa. Jackson had gone alone to his Junior Prom and hated the experience with a fiery passion as very few of the girls would dance, let alone spend their precious time with him. It was now a year later and Jackson was desperate to secure a date for his Senior Prom. All of the eligible girls in his Senior and Junior class that he asked had already secured their own date for the dance or claimed to be busy.

Jackson was your typical mid-western farm boy. He stood at six feet tall, was lanky, but his muscles were well defined and he was strong as steel. As the spring harvest was in full swing his normally pale complexion was a bit tanned from working in the field during his afternoons for the past two months. He had auburn-colored hair that he kept short and blue eyes.

Even though he was not one for formal affairs as he didn't care for formal wear, Jackson made the exception for this occasion (and the previous prom). He had gone through the process of picking out the perfect tuxedo and had his final fitting once the suit had arrived from the warehouse. All this would be for naught as there was only a week and a half till the night of the prom and he was still dateless.

It was now eight days before the 2020 prom and Jackson sat with a very sullen expression at the dining room table. He was bashing the fork into his dinner plate in irritation at his situation. All of the single ladies that he knew were either already taken or unavailable.

"No luck?" Jackson's mom inquired. She already knew the answer based on his disposition but need a way to broach her idea.

"None... nada... zip," Jackson replied not looking up from his Salisbury Steak that he had shredded with his fork.

Jackson's mother Jillian wiped her mouth with her napkin and placed it to her right side. She then said, "I think I might have a solution for your problem Jackson." started his mom, who always called him by his full name. "I think I know someone you could take as your date to prom."

"Really? Who could you possibly know that would go with me that I haven't already asked?" responded Jack, half listening.

"You could take Julia as your date." Jackson's mother said mater-of-factually.

Jack stopped stabbing his plate at the name proposed. Jillian watched as her son looked up at her with a quizzical expression on his face. "Julia?" Jackson sat stunned for a moment. "You mean as in my Aunt Julia?"

"Sure, why not? She's maybe 8 years older than you, but she doesn't look a day over twenty. Besides she lives three towns over and has never lived in this town so I doubt anyone will know who she is, much less associates her as a member of our family." Explained his mother.

"Mom, I hate to break it to you, but no one wants to bring their aunt as a prom date." Jackson retorted.

"Jackson, I know you don't want to miss your prom, and I don't want you to miss your senior prom either over something as silly as not having a date. I'm quite sure that Julia could pull it off. Besides, the two of you get along so well that I'm sure you will have a good time... and I might have already told her you would take her."

"You what?!" exclaims Jack, nearly spitting his food out. "Geez mom, thanks for the heads up."

"It's not that big of a deal Jackson! She doesn't look like us and isn't even a blood relative, she's adopted." Jillian reminded her son.

"That only makes it slightly better mom," he says, shaking his head.

"Jackson Bryan Miller, I will also remind you that Julia didn't get to attend her Senior Prom because she was sitting at home nursing a broken leg, as you might recall." Jackson's mother exclaimed.

And there it was. Jackson suspected when his mother broached the idea of him taking his Aunt Julia that this might come up. Jackson did indeed recall that fact. It was his fault that Julia had broken her leg. Jackson was ten years old at the time of the incident and he had carelessly left the gate unlatched on one of the horse stalls in the barn. Julia had come over to help clean out the barn to earn some extra money for her prom night. No one could have known that the horse would get spooked and when it did it kicked the stall gate which Julia was standing just outside of. The gate flung open and caught Julia square in the shin, making a clean break. Julia wasn't able to walk without crutches for quite some time.

"So my punishment for a childish mistake is that I have to take Julia to the prom?" Jackson relented. He still felt bad that he was the reason that Julia had missed her prom.

"Don't think of it as a punishment. Think of it as a grand gesture to make up for past deeds." Jillian said trying to turn this around.

Jack takes another big bite of food and doesn't say a word. He doesn't say another word until he has finished his dinner. Finally, he sits up in his chair and looks at his mom who hasn't stopped looking at him through the whole meal.

"So my options are taking my Aunt Julia to the Prom or staying home?" Jackson reiterated.

"I guess... but I can think of a reason to take your aunt as opposed to staying home," Jillian states sipping her evening tea. Jackson' couldn't see her expression but she was smirking like a Cheshire cat.

"Oh, I can't wait to hear this," Jackson says in almost a sarcastic tone.

"If you take Julia and the Camaro is yours," Jillian states with a surprisingly straight face.

Jackson looked at his mother in shock for several very long moments. For a moment Jillian wondered if her son had cardiac arrest for a moment before her son finally blinked. "The Camaro... I can take the Camaro?" Jackson reiterated.

Jillian grinned and nodded her head yes.

"I can't believe you'll let me drive the Camaro?"

"No, I'll let you have the Camaro. It has been far too long since that old car was out of the barn anyway." Jillian states.

The Camaro in question was a 1990 red Camaro that once belonged to Jackson's father. Raymond Miller was a good man that passed away when Jackson was only 11 years old. The car was something his father had saved up for quite a while and proudly paid for in full after a great season in 1990. After his sudden passing from an undiagnosed brain aneurysm, his mother had stored the car in the barn alongside the tractor. Jackson had always admired the car but never held out hope that his mother would give it to him. He had been saving up over the last three years to buy a car of his own someday soon.

"So let me be clear on this... I take Aunt Julia to the prom as my date and I get the car?" Jackson asks again.

"Yes, and I'll even pay for your meal." Jackson's mother says. She knew she had him. Jackson simply smiled and held his hand out implying he wanted the keys to the Camaro.

"I take that as a yes?" Jillian asked.

"Yes, mom."

"Good, now go call Julia and ask her properly," Jillian tells her son.

Not wasting another moment Jackson jumps up and runs to his room, grabbing the cordless phone along the way. He cycles through the phone's stored phone numbers to his grandmother's house number. Pressing the phone number he listens to the

"Hello." The voice that Jackson easily recognized as his grandmother's answer.

"Hello grandma. I was wondering if Aunt Julia was there." Jackson asks.

"Hold on dear." Jackson hears her move the phone. "Julia, you have a young gentleman caller on the phone."

"So my mom told you her idea too I see," Jackson says blushing at his grandmother's remark.

"Julia and I were on the speakerphone together when your mom told us your plight." His grandmother states. "I just had to tease you for a moment but not only do I agree with your mom's logic, but I also think it would also be a very sweet gesture since your aunt never got to attend her senior prom." Janice tells her grandson.

Before Jackson could continue the pair heard a click followed by another familiar voice saying, "Hello."

"All right sweetie, I'll let the two of you talk now. Goodbye Jackson," Janice says to her grandson.

"Hello Aunt Julia, it's Jackson." He greeted his aunt.

"Jackson... Jackson... do I know a Jackson?" Julia said in a teasing tone. Jackson could almost see the expression on her face and her tapping her finger against her chin as she pondered that question.

Jackson sighed... apparently all of the women in his family were in a playful mood. Fine... if Julia wanted to play, he could play the game as well. "I'm sorry, I was looking for a lovely young woman by the name of Julia Ann Lawrence. She has long shoulder-length dark brown hair, shining blue eyes, and a smile that lights up the room. Some people say she could be Alexandra Daddario's long-lost twin. We've known each other for as long as I can remember and I had something to discuss with her but apparently, I have the wrong number." Jackson says into the phone.

"Well, that sounds like me... except for the hair that is. My hair travels down to the small of my back now. Also, it is Chestnut, not a simple Dark Brown. However, I'm still not sure that I remember a Jackson." Julia continued the game. "Why don't you tell me about yourself," Julia says.

Jackson decided to continue with this, heck he had to admit he was even enjoying it a bit. "My name is Jackson Bryan Miller, I am in my final year at Parks High School. I work on my family's farm ever since my father passed away and I think it has helped me grow into a fine young man. I was hoping that if she was free next Saturday evening that I would like Julia to accompany me to the Senior Prom that my high school was having." Jackson says.

"Well... I might be free. I have to check my schedule." Julia informs her nephew.

"OK Aunt Julia, Mom already told me that she pitched this to you and even said you were very excited to go," Jackson tells his aunt.

"Isn't she a spoilsport? Well, I might be inclined to go... but I want you to ask me properly." Julia says now very seriously.

"Aunt Julia, will you go prom with me?" Jackson asks in a goofy voice.

"No," Julia replies.

Jackson is a bit dumbfounded now. "What... why not?"

"I don't go on dates with silly boys. I only date men who know how to properly ask out a woman." Julia replies.

"You're right... this is a serious matter." Jackson states. He recomposes himself and says, "Julia Ann Lawrence, will you please do me the honor of being my date and accompanying me to the prom?"

"Jackson Bryan Miller it would be a privilege to accompany you to the prom. Out of curiosity, where are they holding the prom?" Julia asks.

"My class rented the Golden Estates Country Club for the prom," Jackson informs his aunt.

"Wow. I always wanted to go there." Julia says very impressed.

"So... do you have a dress already? Mom didn't say when she came up with this idea so I was just curious so I can get you a corsage to go with it." Jackson asks.

"Your mom only called us earlier today when your last option didn't pan out. So I will be going out to find the perfect dress after I hang up. Your mom says you already have your tux ready to go." Julia states.

"Yes, I had my final fitting today and I pick up my tux Monday. As soon as you find the dress that makes you look even more beautiful than you already are please let me know what color it is so I can order you a corsage." Jackson states.

"Well, I will get back to you later tonight as soon as I return from the store," Julia tells her date for the prom.

The pair say their goodbyes and hang up the phones.

"So do you have a date?" Jillian Miller asks her son. Never mind the fact she already knew the answer. All she cared about was the smile on her son's face. Sure it took a Camaro to help put it there but in her opinion, it was worth it.

Jackson chuckled and said, "Yes mother I have a date with the lovely Julia Lawrence. Now, can I have the keys to the car?" Jackson asks to hold out his hand.

~*~

Upon hanging up the phone a huge grin came over Julia Lawrence's face. She was originally very sad to hear that her nephew was having such a hard time finding a date for his senior prom. When Jillian suggested that Julia should go as Jackson's date she was initially shocked but the more she thought about it, the more she liked the idea of going herself.

Julia had missed her senior prom due to a broken leg so the idea of being able to go, even as her nephew's date, was appealing. Julia was only 8 years older than her nephew and with her youthful looks, she could easily pass for 20. As she lived several towns over from Jackson and had never interacted with any of his friends that no one would know that she was his aunt.

In her early years Julia originally had the last name of Smith as she had been found abandoned outside of a firehouse at the age of 2 by two firemen. She bounced from one foster family to another for most of her young life until Brandon and Janice Lawrence decided they missed having a child in the house and opened their home as foster parents to young Julia, she originally was a very troublesome child. It was only after they showed her nothing but the unconditional love that the once hardened young girl's heart opened up to her foster family. Julia's eleventh birthday gift was the completion of her adoption. Her birthday party was a massive double celebration for the family as not only a celebration of her birth but of Julia joining the Lawrence family.

Julia had never had a middle name growing up but upon her adoption was given the name Ann after Julia and Jillian's grandmother. Despite the twelve-year age gap between them and even though Jillian had a two-year-old son of her own at this point in her life Jillian would make the effort to be the best big sister a young girl could ask for. Their mother would either bring Julia to the Miller's farm to spend time with her sister's family or they would come up for long visits to Lawrence's homestead. Julia and Jackson were very close as they were the youngest members of their families. It was only when Julia turned 15 that she started to pull away from Jackson due to the pressure of high school life. Julia attended community college located in the next town over and after she earned her associate's degree spent the next few years earning an online Bachelor's degree in accounting. She had not obtained a job yet but had several job applications out awaiting review. Julia had even interviewed on the east coast and was awaiting a call back. The firm had called her back for a second interview and was told they would get back to her in a few weeks. Julia wasn't holding her breath as there were hundreds of applicants for this very sought after position.

Now that she "officially" was going to the prom Julia raced from her room, flew down the wooden staircase, grabbed her car keys from the keyring on the wall, and was out the front door.

Janice was sitting at the dining room table and Julia heard her say, "Have fun shopping."

Julia slid into her 2018 silver Toyota Verso. The car had been a graduation gift from her family who was proud of her success and while it was a fairly small car it got good gas mileage and suited her needs just fine. She drove straight to the large mall two towns over which was very near the Golden Estates Country Club that the prom would be held at. Upon parking her car she made haste to the boutique within to mall to find a dress. Julia hoped that with the prom so near that she could find a dress that wouldn't need altering or if it did hope that it could be done before Friday. Julia spent an hour and a half searching through the dresses and occasionally trying one, but she wasn't finding the dress that she liked.

"Miss..." The silver-haired boutique owner called out to Julia. "If I may."

"I'm sorry Ms. Paradis, I'm just not finding that something... special," Julia said in almost a defeated tone.

"I'm sorry that you are having such a hard time. The majority of the newest designs were picked over earlier this month for the various proms in the area. However... I just received a new shipment of gowns this evening. There are only three new designs but there might be something that you like." The owner informed Julia.

As most girls had their dresses already the store was vacant so Ms. Paradis had her three assistants bring out the three designs that had just arrived. They were Sherri Hill-designed gowns, a name Julia wasn't familiar with but looked very nice. The first was a fitted dress, the number wasn't important to Julia, was form-fitting, backless but had entirely too many strings at the back for her liking. The next was called a long dress as it had a flowing skirt from the waist down but its top also had spaghetti straps at the shoulders and an open back with lace straps along the back. The final gown however caught Julia's eyes. It looked very sophisticated, was strapless, with a straight-across neckline. The dress was form-fitting like the first but had a slim skirt with an edgy high front side slit in the dress. The dress had a train but it was not so long that dancing would be difficult.

"I like this one," Julia announced as she ran her finger on the material. "Taffeta?"

"Yes... but I'm not sure about that Emerald Green." Dominique Paradis said. "Girls put the other gowns on the rack, and Reann, go fetch the Royal Blue." The boutique owner ordered.

Julia was about to question this when Dominique says, "Trust me dear... trust me."

A short time later Julia Ann Lawrence exited the dressing room of the boutique with a smile showing off her pearly white teeth. The gown looked and felt amazing. She had to admit, as nice as the Emerald gown that she had originally shown looked, the Royal Blue suited her better. The salesgirl had informed her that they actually had this dress in red as well but as much as Julia loved red she knew this was the dress for her.

As all of the alterations for other dresses were finished and Julia had plenty of time before the mall closed the ladies took the gown and proceeded to adjust the waist for Julia's figure. While she waited for her gown to be adjusted Julia perused the shoes that Dominique had brought out that she might like to go with the gown. After viewing her recommended choices she picked out a pair of black Robin strappy open-toed heels.

Julia was about to sit down and wait patiently for her dress when Dominique told her, "It's going to be a little while. While you are waiting I would suggest grabbing a bite to eat and on your way to the food court you may want to stop by Pink and peruse their selection of No Show panties to go with your dress." The older woman stated.

"I supposed I should find a matching bra to go with it," Julia added.

"Only if you wish. Even with your curves, I doubt you'll be popping out of the top of your dress." Dominique added.

The seamstress had to take her measurements so all four women knew that Julia's measurements were 34D-27-35. Julia gave the dress a twirl and danced about to test the neckline and didn't feel it give. As she didn't mind the feel of the gown braless (she did not own a strapless and did not wear a bra while trying on the gown) she would heed Dominique's advice again.