[color=#8bccc5]▔[/color][color=#8fccc1]▔[/color][color=#94cbbd]▔[/color][color=#98cbb9]▔[/color][color=#9ccab6]▔[/color][color=#a1cab2]▔[/color][color=#a5c9ae]▔[/color][color=#a9c9aa]▔[/color][color=#aec8a6]▔[/color][color=#b2c8a2]▔[/color][color=#b6c79e]▔[/color][color=#bbc79a]▔[/color][color=#bfc697]▔[/color][color=#c3c693]▔[/color][color=#c8c58f]▔[/color][color=#ccc58b]▔[/color][color=#cfc992]▔[/color][color=#d2cc9a]▔[/color][color=#d6d0a1]▔[/color][color=#d9d4a8]▔[/color][color=#dcd7af]▔[/color][color=#dfdbb7]▔[/color][color=#e2debe]▔[/color][color=#e6e2c5]▔[/color][color=#e9e6cc]▔[/color][color=#ece9d4]▔[/color][color=#efeddb]▔[/color][color=#f2f1e2]▔[/color][color=#f5f4e9]▔[/color][color=#f9f8f1]▔[/color][color=#fcfbf8]▔[/color][color=#ffffff]▔[/color][color=#fcfbf7]▔[/color][color=#f8f7f0]▔[/color][color=#f5f3e8]▔[/color][color=#f1f0e0]▔[/color][color=#eeecd8]▔[/color][color=#ebe8d1]▔[/color][color=#e7e4c9]▔[/color][color=#e4e0c1]▔[/color][color=#e0dcb9]▔[/color][color=#ddd8b2]▔[/color][color=#dad4aa]▔[/color][color=#d6d1a2]▔[/color][color=#d3cd9a]▔[/color][color=#cfc993]▔[/color][color=#ccc58b]▔[/color][color=#c8c58f]▔[/color][color=#c3c693]▔[/color][color=#bfc697]▔[/color][color=#bbc79a]▔[/color][color=#b6c79e]▔[/color][color=#b2c8a2]▔[/color][color=#aec8a6]▔[/color][color=#a9c9aa]▔[/color][color=#a5c9ae]▔[/color][color=#a1cab2]▔[/color][color=#9ccab6]▔[/color][color=#98cbb9]▔[/color][color=#94cbbd]▔[/color][color=#8fccc1]▔[/color][color=#8bccc5]▔[/color][indent][indent][color=#8BCCC5][sup]𝑺 𝑨 𝑳 𝑬 𝑴    𝑹 𝑰 𝑽 𝑬 𝑹 𝑨[/sup][/color][/indent][/indent][color=#8bccc5]▔[/color][color=#8fccc1]▔[/color][color=#94cbbd]▔[/color][color=#98cbb9]▔[/color][color=#9ccab6]▔[/color][color=#a1cab2]▔[/color][color=#a5c9ae]▔[/color][color=#a9c9aa]▔[/color][color=#aec8a6]▔[/color][color=#b2c8a2]▔[/color][color=#b6c79e]▔[/color][color=#bbc79a]▔[/color][color=#bfc697]▔[/color][color=#c3c693]▔[/color][color=#c8c58f]▔[/color][color=#ccc58b]▔[/color][color=#cfc992]▔[/color][color=#d2cc9a]▔[/color][color=#d6d0a1]▔[/color][color=#d9d4a8]▔[/color][color=#dcd7af]▔[/color][color=#dfdbb7]▔[/color][color=#e2debe]▔[/color][color=#e6e2c5]▔[/color][color=#e9e6cc]▔[/color][color=#ece9d4]▔[/color][color=#efeddb]▔[/color][color=#f2f1e2]▔[/color][color=#f5f4e9]▔[/color][color=#f9f8f1]▔[/color][color=#fcfbf8]▔[/color][color=#ffffff]▔[/color][color=#fcfbf7]▔[/color][color=#f8f7f0]▔[/color][color=#f5f3e8]▔[/color][color=#f1f0e0]▔[/color][color=#eeecd8]▔[/color][color=#ebe8d1]▔[/color][color=#e7e4c9]▔[/color][color=#e4e0c1]▔[/color][color=#e0dcb9]▔[/color][color=#ddd8b2]▔[/color][color=#dad4aa]▔[/color][color=#d6d1a2]▔[/color][color=#d3cd9a]▔[/color][color=#cfc993]▔[/color][color=#ccc58b]▔[/color][color=#c8c58f]▔[/color][color=#c3c693]▔[/color][color=#bfc697]▔[/color][color=#bbc79a]▔[/color][color=#b6c79e]▔[/color][color=#b2c8a2]▔[/color][color=#aec8a6]▔[/color][color=#a9c9aa]▔[/color][color=#a5c9ae]▔[/color][color=#a1cab2]▔[/color][color=#9ccab6]▔[/color][color=#98cbb9]▔[/color][color=#94cbbd]▔[/color][color=#8fccc1]▔[/color][color=#8bccc5]▔[/color]

[indent]In truth, Salem had decided homecoming preparations on his part would be lax after getting to know Marisol a bit more. Gwendolyn always had a thing for color-matching, an aesthetic itch from her time in the New York fashion scene. Homecoming junior year Salem was expected to wear this ugly salmon pink tie and uncomfortable shoes to match Gwen’s heart-stopping, drop dead gorgeous dress. He didn’t mind it, wasn’t particularly irritated by it, and enjoyed the happiness it brought Gwen – but it was [i]downright[/i] exhausting. He spent hours shopping, having to do multiple fittings, and trying to understand the difference between coral and salmon pink. This time around, though, it is Mari and Mari is rather easygoing. Salem was just going to throw on his favorite casual suit and call it a day.

Until Margherita Rivera came to the residence, two days before D-Day. Probably knowing she had an audience out of him by spotting his 1962 Aston Martin, Margherita flung the doors open in her most dramatic manner. A coat elegantly draped over her shoulders flapped with the force and her blue locks cemented with hairspray budged not even a millimeter. 

Her presence brought terrible foreboding and Salem carefully placed his collector’s edition of Tolstoy’s [i]War and Peace[/i], which was frankly giving him a headache, and attempted to flee to his room. Like a woman possessed by otherworldly forces, she descended on him at the foyer with a relaxed perfect posture and her leathery, boot-worthy skin.

[b][color=ffdab9]“[i]Nipotino,[/i]”[/color][/b] she had said, clasping her hands in front of her with a creepily serene expression, [b][color=ffdab9]“will you join me for a quick nibble?”[/color][/b]

Without awaiting his answer, she had tucked her arm under his and forcefully steered him towards the dining hall. He was the prisoner to her warden, and when she broached the subject of homecoming between careful bites of her favorite American food (Hamburger Helper, of all things), Salem realized his crime was not running away faster and his punishment two agonizing days.

Two agonizing days it was. His [i]nonna[/i] had dragged him designer store to designer store, making him try on ridiculously pricey suits – some of which he argued were too formal for homecoming. Every article of clothing and pair of shoes he tried on were designer made and perfectly tailored to his body, much to Margherita’s delight. Retirement had given her much enjoyment and freedom with her time and money, but only brought stiff resignation and aching feet to Salem.

[b][color=e6faff]“What color dress is she wearing?”[/color][/b] Gwen’s voice on the phone snapped him back to the present, where he was staring at his blue striped blazer in the full-length bedroom mirror.

[b][color=8BCCC5]“Uh,”[/color][/b] Salem’s mind stuttered, preoccupied with picking off a piece of lint and only the resigned amused sigh prompted him to continue, [b][color=8BCCC5]“I don’t know.”[/color][/b]

[b][color=e6faff]“You don’t know?”[/color][/b] Her voice wasn’t condescending or disbelieving, just simply confirming and he hummed his agreement to show she had heard right. [b][color=e6faff]“Did she not tell you?”[/color][/b]

[b][color=8BCCC5]“She’s not like you, Saint Nick. She’s not…”[/color][/b] Salem trailed off, taking a breath to select a good word to express his thoughts. This was dangerous waters, and though Gwen would likely not get upset, he still didn’t want to hurt her feelings or make her think he thought bad of her.

Before he could think of anything, she filled in the brief silence with an amused teasing tone, [b][color=e6faff]“You mean she’s not a priss like me.”[/color][/b]

[b][color=8BCCC5]“I wasn’t going to say that.”[/color][/b] Salem answered immediately, hackles rising and his voice immediately defensive. Gwen made a soft sound in the back of her throat, an irritated warning for him to calm down, and he shook out his right hand to let out any jitters. [b][color=8BCCC5]“I was going to say [i]detail-oriented[/i].”[/color][/b]

After fixing his suit and smoothing out any wrinkles, Salem stayed on the phone for a few minutes to talk about recent events in Gwen’s life. Eventually, he had to say his goodbyes and made his way to his expensive classic car. Salem wasn’t much of a car man, but he loved collecting old things and his car was one of them.

The drive was relaxing and the arrival to Mari’s house somewhat awkward. He stood downstairs waiting for her, and when she arrived she arrived like a shooting star. No, honestly, [i]shooting[/i]. Marisol slid down the banister, her dress glittering in the artificial light of the house. Salem rushed to her side and his hands automatically lifted to her waist to make sure she was steady on her feet, though his instinct was hardly necessary since she landed rather sure-footed.

It was only with his hands on her hips, towering over her, that he got a good look at her. She honestly was dazzling, in all senses of the word. Her dress, her hair, her makeup, it was all so gorgeous and Salem told her so.

Before taking her arm, Salem reached behind him for the sunflower he had set on the entrance table to give to her. 

[b][color=8BCCC5]“A beautiful flower for a beautiful lady.”[/color][/b] He said dramatically, with overexaggerated wiggles of his eyebrows. It was only when Marisol’s items were procured, and the sunflower secured in her grip that he guided her hand into the crook of his elbow, cheekily replying, [b][color=8BCCC5]“Ready to go, partner.”[/color][/b]
[/indent]