“Plotting for what purpose?” I asked, still thoroughly confused by the whole ordeal.
“He wants to reveal that part himself,” Macy answered, giving me an enigmatic little smirk. “Just know that you are not about to be fired.”
“You make it sound as if your father is preparing to bequeath me a castle,” I remarked, stepping out to open the door properly for her.
“No castle, Cody, but the real explanation might shock you,” Macy chuckled as we walked side by side toward the glowing glass entryway.
Inside the sprawling hall, the athletic gym had been transformed with silver streamers, floating helium clusters, and dim purple spotlights. We had barely stepped past the ticket table when Macy’s close friend, Paige, marched over with a bright, knowing grin spread across her face.
“So this is the famous Cody,” Paige declared, giving me an appreciative once over while holding a frosted paper plate.
“Paige knows all about my dad’s little undercover operation,” Macy admitted with a sheepish shrug.
“Splendid,” I said, offering a theatrical bow. “Has the sound technician been briefed on my performance review as well?”
Paige laughed aloud, nearly spilling her punch, before leading us toward a banquet table near the edge of the polished dance floor. We spent the next thirty minutes watching our peers mingle, during which Macy decided to lean playfully into her father’s bizarre instructions.
“Hold this for a second, please,” Macy said, pressing her beaded handbag into my hands.
“No problem,” I said, tucking the small purse under my arm.
“Now take my phone, and keep hold of this plastic tumbler as well,” she added, stacking both items into my open palms.
I stood there loaded down with accessories, raising an eyebrow at her. “Is this the ultimate test of my operational endurance?”
“No, I simply needed both hands to fix the strap on my heel,” Macy laughed, straightening up after securing her shoe buckle. “You are going to scrutinize every single gesture I make tonight, aren’t you?”
“Your father has completely ruined my ability to trust ordinary human social cues,” I said, handing back her phone with a grin.
For the following hour, Macy entertained herself by inventing preposterous logistical challenges just to watch how I would respond. She asked if I could petition the sound engineer to play a nonexistent song title, complained loudly that the catered punch lacked sufficient ice cubes, and then insisted she required a chair oriented precisely toward the northwest corner of the room.
“Macy, I can locate a chair facing north, or I can pull one facing due west,” I told her, folding my arms with mock authority. “The current operational budget does not support diagonal seating.”
Paige collapsed into giggles beside us, nearly dropping her raspberry frosted cupcake onto the tablecloth. I was actually beginning to unwind and enjoy the surreal evening when a tall woman wearing a gold supervisor badge approached our table.
“Cody, is that you?” the woman asked, offering a warm and familiar handshake.
“Yes, ma’am, good evening,” I replied, rising politely to my feet.
“I am Brenda, Macy’s maternal aunt,” she explained, smiling warmly. “I volunteered to chaperone the floor tonight, and I must say, Walter talks about your work ethic constantly.”
I glanced over at Macy, whose cheeks had instantly flushed pink. “Hopefully he only shares the positive highlights.”
“He insists you possess an extraordinarily steady head whenever unexpected pressure mounts,” Aunt Brenda said with an approving nod before waving goodbye and slipping back into the crowd.
I turned back to Macy, leaning over the table with a bewildered expression. “Does your entire extended family hold regular committee meetings regarding my workplace evaluations?”
“Aunt Brenda has zero filter,” Macy groaned, burying her face in both hands while laughing uncontrollably.
A short while later, we stepped out onto the quiet concrete terrace overlooking the Cedar River to catch some fresh evening air. The summer breeze felt wonderful after the humid ballroom, but my curiosity was finally boiling over.
“All right, Macy, no more puzzles,” I said, leaning my forearms against the cool iron railing. “Your dad interrogates me with strange hypotheticals at work, he coached you to test my patience at your prom, and your chaperone aunt knows my employment file by heart.”
“He has been deliberating over an enormous decision regarding the business,” Macy admitted, leaning beside me while watching the reflection of the streetlamps dance on the dark river water.
“Is he planning to sell the warehouse to a competitor?” I asked, my chest tightening with sudden fear.
“No, nothing like that,” Macy assured me, shaking her head.
“Am I on the chopping block to be laid off?” I pressed, desperate for an honest answer.
“Of course not, Cody, please stop stressing yourself out,” Macy said gently. “You will understand everything on Monday morning, I promise.”
Before I could pry any further, Paige burst through the heavy glass exit doors, waving both arms frantically. “Macy, they are assembling the senior class under the balloon arch for group photos right now!”
Macy caught my wrist, pulling me back toward the noisy gymnasium with a genuine smile on her face. As we joined the line, I realized that she was no longer maintaining any distance or annoyance, acting instead like a trusted co-conspirator.
The hired photographer arranged everyone in tight rows, shouting instructions through a megaphone. “All couples, move in close and place your arms around each other!”
Macy stepped close against my side, looking up at me with amusement. “Put your arm around my waist, Cody.”
“Is this another graded exercise from the company handbook?” I whispered, hesitating slightly.
“Cody, it is just a prom picture, so stop overthinking,” she chuckled, gently tugging my arm into place.
Right as the bright flash illuminated the archway, my phone vibrated inside my breast pocket with a message from Walter: Is the evening progressing smoothly so far?
