The Best Quinceañera Ever

 By Briley Jones, Age 17

FINALIST (ages 14-17) Writing Contest Winter/Spring 2024 

When peace like a river

Attendeth my way;

When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say;

It is well, it is well with my soul.

 

    Five-year-old Andrea Carter sniffled and tightened her grip on her mother’s hand as the hauntingly sweet sound of the church organ rolled over her. While she didn’t understand what all the words of the newly-written song meant, she certainly grasped one thing: She would never see her beloved father again, not on this side of earth. Just four days before, he had been thrown from his horse, and instantly killed. I’ll….never….see……Father….again.  Andi squeezed her eyes shut and wiped her nose on her sleeve. As usual, she had no handkerchief. Normally, Mother would scold Andi for such unladylike behavior, but not today. Andi stole a glance at her mother’s beautiful face. It was red and puffy, and her eyes were watery with tears.

     As the last notes of the song faded away, Andi could bear it no more. She pulled her hand from Mother’s and ran out of the doors of the church. She didn’t know where she was going, nor did she care. She just knew she wanted to be far, far away from the church….Father’s casket…..and the events of the past few days. She collapsed beneath a huge oak tree, panting and sobbing. She thought she heard Mother’s voice calling her.

     “Andrea! Andrea!”

 

     “Andrea!”

     Andi rolled over and moaned. It was a dream, she realized. Over the last ten years, she had relived Father’s death in her sleep over and over.

     “Good morning, Mother,” she croaked. She cleared her throat. “What time is it?”

     “Nearly noontime!” her mother exclaimed, smiling. “And high time you were up and about!”

     Andi took a deep breath, still rattled by the extremely vivid flashback. “Oh.”

     “Andrea, are you feeling all right?” Mother asked, concern coloring her voice.

     “Yes! I’m fine,” Andi forced a smile. “I reckon I’m still tuckered out from the cattle drive.”

     Just a week before, Andi had participated in her first-and hopefully last- cattle drive. She had begged Mother and her older brothers to be allowed to go, envisioning bonfires, story-swapping, and high adventure. Instead the drive had brought heartache, heartbreak….and exhaustion.

     “From what Chad told me, you are cured from ever wanting to participate in a cattle drive again,” Mother smiled. “He mentioned you might want a second chance of choosing how to celebrate your quinceanera.”

     “Oh, yes!” Andi exclaimed. “I absolutely would…if you don’t mind. The cattle drive was nothing like I imagined.” She shuddered. “Maybe I am ready to start settling down and acting more like a young lady rather than a ranch hand.”

     After experiencing the dirt and mosquitos and mud and exhaustion of the trail, a traditional quinceanera with music, food, and dancing sounded delightful.

     Mother smiled again. “I thought as much,” she laughed. “In fact, preparations are already underway to celebrate your passing from childhood to womanhood.” A quick pain crossed her face. “It’s hard to believe my youngest daughter will be fifteen.”

     “Did Katherine and Melinda have a quinceanera?” Andi wanted to know.

     “Well…yes.” Another look pf pain flashed across Mother’s face. “When Katherine turned fifteen, we threw her a grand quinceanera. A short time later….she ran away to San Fransisco.” Mother cleared her throat. “And of course Melinda had a quinceanera as well. You remember it, don’t you?”

     “Oh, yes, I believe I do. I think I spent most of the time out in the barn with Taffy,” Andi smirked.

     Mother laughed. “Oh, Andi.”

 

 

     Two hours later, Andi found herself again in Taffy’s stall. Her golden mare whinnied, happy to see her mistress.

     “I’ve missed you, girl,” Andi crooned, stroking Taffy’s side. “It’s a good thing you didn’t come along on the cattle drive, though. It was utterly miserable.”

     “Utterly miserable?” a voice rang out from the other side of the barn. “I don’t think it was quite that bad!”

     Andi turned. “Hey, Mitch!” she greeted her easygoing older brother. “What are you up to?”

     “I came to grab a bridle. My other one broke,” Mitch replied, heading into the tack room. When he reemerged, he walked over to Taffy’s stall.  After stroking the palomino’s nose, he turned to Andi. “I appreciate your help with the remuda,” he said softly. “I truly mean it when I say I don’t know what we would have done on that drive without you.”

     Andi beamed. “Thanks, Mitch.”

    “Thank you, little sister. You’ve proved yourself to be responsible and dependable. You’re not a little kid anymore.” He glanced at her as if seeing her for the first time. “It’s hard to believe you’ll be fifteen.”

     “That’s exactly what Mother said,” Andi sighed. “One side of me is ready to be grown up. The other side of me just wants to stay a carefree little girl forever.”

     “You’ll always be young at heart,” Mitch grinned. He reached out to ruffle Andi’s hair then stopped himself. “But I guess you’re getting too old for me to muss up your hair.” He winked. “See ya, Sis. I’m off to fix a few breaks in the fence.”

     Once Mitch’s footsteps faded away, Andi turned back to Taffy. “Mitch is right. I’ll always be young at heart…but it’s time for me to start acting my age.” She straightened her shoulders. “This growing up business is a little scary….but I’m also a teensy bit excited for it.”

********

      “Turn a bit to the left, Miss Carter,” instructed Mrs. Marlow, Fresno’s finest dressmaker. Her mouth was full of pins and in her hands she held a measuring tape.

     Andi shuffled. “Is that better?”

     “Perfect,” Mrs. Marlow nodded.

     “The gown looks beautiful on you, Andrea,” Mother commented with a soft smile. “The light pink really complements your dark hair.”

     Andi grimaced but turned it into a smile. “Thank you, Mother.”

     Apparently, part of this “growing up business” included getting a new dress made for her quinceanera. Andi would have much rather been enjoying a good fast ride on Taffy instead of spending her Saturday in town getting fitted for a scratchy, pinching dress, but she held her tongue.

     “There!” Mrs. Marlow exclaimed. “Now go change back into your other clothes and give me the gown. I will have it finished for you by next Saturday.”

     “Thank you,” Andi said. She really meant Thank you for letting me take this thing off! but she did not voice that out loud.

     Once back into a more comfortable outfit,  Andi handed the pink gown back to Mrs. Marlow.

     “Come along, Andrea. I want to purchase some new shoes for you at the shoe shop down the road.” Mother decided. “Thank you for your time, Mrs. Marlow. I cannot wait to see the finished result.”

     I can, Andi thought, as she followed Mother out of the seamstress’ shop and into the shoe store. But she did not voice that out loud either.

*******

     “Gorgeous!”

     “Beautiful!”

      “Breathtaking!”

     Andi stared at her reflection in the mirror. Mother, Katherine, and Melinda crowded around her.

     “The gown looks so lovely on you,” Melinda sighed.

     “Thank you,” Andi managed. With her hair curled and piled atop her head, Andi barely recognized herself. The quite grown-up looking gown added to her sophisticated appearance. Andi tried to decide if she liked this “new Andi” or not.

     “Katherine, Melinda, I believe the guests for the quinceanera are arriving. Would you assist Luisa and Nila in welcoming them?” Mother requested.

     “Of course,” Katherine said, and she and Melinda headed downstairs, leaving Andi and Mother alone.

     Mother turned back to Andi and sighed. “My dear Andrea.” She paused. “How I wish your father was here to see you.”

     “I do, too,” Andi sighed.

     Mother wiped her eyes and gave Andi a bright smile. “I have a surprise for you, dear.”

     From her pocket, she pulled out a small package and a cream-colored envelope. “These are from you father.”

     Andi gasped. “How? I mean….what…….”

     “When Katherine turned fifteen, she received a beautiful ring and a handwritten letter from your father. Shortly after, James told me he wanted to go ahead and purchase rings and write letters for Melinda and you to open when you each celebrated your quinceanera. At the time, I wasn’t really sure why he wanted to do it so far in advance but I agreed. I’m so glad I did,” Mother sighed and wiped her eyes again. “It’s almost as if..as if he knew…” She swallowed and composed herself. “A short time later, he died in the accident.”

     Andi wiped her own eyes, speechless. How grateful she was for her father’s decision!

     Mother passed the letter and package to Andi. With shaking hands, Andi undid the ribbon and opened the small box. Her eyes flew open. “Oh, Mother!” Inside lay the most gorgeous and intricate ring she had ever seen. The thick silver band boasted a respectable-sized dazzling topaz, surrounded by tiny diamonds. The topaz stone was the exact shade of sunset-orange Andi loved so much. “It’s….it’s gorgeous!!”

     Mother smiled. “Do you know the meaning of a topaz?”

     Andi shook her head. “No, I don’t.”

     “A topaz symbolizes love and affection,” Mother replied. “Your father loved you so much, as do I. I am excited to see what the Lord has in store for your life, sweet daughter.”

     Andi slipped the ring on her finger. It fit perfectly. “I love it,” she whispered. “I’ll never take it off.” Suddenly visions of roping cattle, brushing Taffy, and mucking stalls flashed across her mind. “Then again…maybe I will,” she laughed. “I love it too much to let anything happen to it.”

     Mother patted her youngest daughter’s hand. “I’m so glad you like it,” she smiled. “It’s been over ten years since I’ve seen it myself, and it’s even more beautiful than I remember.”

     Andi then turned her attention to the envelope. As much as she loved the ring, she was even more excited to read the letter her father had written her a decade ago. “Here goes!” She took a deep breath, gently broke the seal of the envelope, and drew out a sheet of folded paper. With a fluttering heart, she began reading.

My dearest Andrea,

     As I write this letter, I am sitting on the porch of our home, admiring a brilliant sunset. Even at a young age, you already love sunsets as much as I do. That is why I have chosen to give you a ring the color of the setting sun.

     It is hard to imagine you will be a young lady of fifteen one day, but if you are reading this letter, I will have to accept the fact that my baby girl will not stay a little child forever.

     No matter what happens in your life, I urge you to trust the Lord and seek His will above all. I’m excited to see what the Lord has in store for your life.

     At this, Andi paused and looked up. “That’s exactly what you said, Mother!” She glanced back down at the letter and picked up where she left off.

     I recently heard a song by a man named Horatio G. Spafford. This song was written only this year, and it had already become my favorite hymn. The first verse goes like this:

When peace like a river

Attendeth my way;

When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say;

It is well, it is well with my soul.

     Andi sucked in her breath. “Mother, that’s the song we sang at Father’s funeral! I remember it!”

     Mother wiped her eyes and nodded. “Yes, dear. I had no idea he included it in your letter!”

     Andi quickly resumed reading.

     The words of this beautiful song remind me that our Heavenly Father will be with us and guide us through all of life’s storms, no matter how high or intimidating the wind and waves are. I pray you cling to that truth, no matter how old you become.

Your loving father,

James Carter

    

     Andi took another deep breath. “Oh, Mother, it was like Father was sitting here and talking directly to me! How wise and fitting his words are! I will treasure this letter forever.” She hugged it to her chest. “I couldn’t ask for a better quinceanera gift.”

*******

     “Hey, little sister.”

     Andi looked up into Chad’s smiling face. “Hello big brother,” she bantered back.

     “It looks like it’s the last waltz of your quinceanera. Would you possibly agree to dance with your bossy older brother?”

     Andi grinned. “I suppose so.”

     Chad led her to the dance floor and guided her gracefully around. “It’s hard to believe my baby sister is fifteen,” he sighed.

     “Everyone’s saying that!” Andi grimaced. “I’m not a little girl anymore, you know.”

     Chad grinned mischievously. “No, you aren’t. I guess that means you’re ready to settle down and find a beau. And I know just-- YOUCH!”

     Andi glared up at Chad. “I’ll stomp on your toe again if you say anything else like that, Chad Carter! I’m not that old yet. I’m more interested in helping run the ranch than finding a silly beau.”

     “Is that so?” Chad winked. “You might change your mind when you discover who the new wrangler I just hired is.”

     “Who?” Andi asked, more out of curiosity than any interest in finding a beau.

     “A childhood friend of yours,” Chad replied vaguely.

      “Who?” Andi demanded again.

     “I guess I’ll just let you figure that one out for yourself.”

*******

     As Andi lay in bed that night, she replayed the events of her quinceanera in her mind. It had been a simply wonderful party. Suddenly she remembered her conversation with Chad. Who on earth could the new wrangler be? she wondered. I can’t think of anyone who…WAIT!! Could it be….no it couldn’t…well…maybe…could it possibly be…Riley Prescott??

     Andi smiled. It must be! How she would love to see her childhood friend again. With that happy thought, she fell to sleep.