Roses, "Wine", and Backdoor Boys

“It’s just dinner. Why are you making us get all dressed up...?” they had been complaining all day long. The male species is exasperating sometimes.

“You don’t have to get all that dressed up. We only ask that you wear ties!”

“Can I wear just a tie?” Mike popped in as he passed the hotel room.

“No! I mean we have to wear dresses, or at least skirts, can’t you give in this once?” Lara stuck her head out from the other room where she rummaged through Susannah’s luggage for a shirt she was going to wear.

“I guess...” Daniel sighed and collapsed onto his bed.

“Okay now, get out. Go get ready. We have to get ready too,” Susannah shooed them away and we closed the door in their face before going back to rummaging through the luggage for clothes. Before to long, the rest of the girls began to show up and before we knew it, more than fifteen of the twenty girls on the trip were in our room, changing and getting ready, doing each other’s make-up and hair, and helping decide on outfits.

“You know what this feels like?” Julia, one of our adult chaperones said as I curled her hair. “It feels like senior prom.”

“We’re not getting dressed up enough. It’s more like Homecoming...” Brandi giggled and we all hurried to get ready.


After we gathered in the lobby and took about five rolls of pictures of the guys all dressed up in their slacks and ties, we finally boarded the buses and set out towards the restaurant we would be eating in our last night in Europe. Nobody seemed very happy, though the group of us in the front tried hard to laugh and talk like we always did. After three weeks of living with each other, you kind of get used to it. The other 42 people become family. And you start to wonder what you’re going to do when you all go home.

We finally managed to reach the drop-off point, without shedding any tears as of yet, and walked the four beautiful Italian city blocks to the restaurant. Sven’s group was already in the restaurant, in the back room, and a few of them came out to talk to us. We had traveled with them for the past three weeks, and even though we had our rivalries, and the mascot war wasn’t over (Bob was well hidden under our table, in the back corner, and well guarded by the boys), we still had made friends with some of the “munchkins”, as we called the middle school group. The group I had stuck around with collected at two tables, beside each other, where we could all still talk and laugh.

“We need to make a toast...” Arjun said from the smaller table as we poured our Coke and Sprite and orange Fanta into the wide rimmed, wine glass-looking glasses in front of us.

“I thought you only made toasts with wine...” Daniel cocked one eyebrow and flashed a crooked smile. He always liked to make fun of us--especially me and Lara.

“Well, then, just pretend it’s wine...I’m sure there’s some kind of orange wine in this world...”

“Well...I don’t have much of an imagination...” Daniel hesitated as a smile played at his lips and we all just rolled our eyes at him. Whaley, Arjun, Robbi, Eric, and Catherine came from the other table, and Arjun lifted his glass, all of us seated and standing around the long table with the pink tablecloth following his lead.

“To every memory each of us will take away this summer...”

“Here, here...” we clinked glasses and took a sip.

“To Murdoch, and the great chaperones who let us break the stupid rules...” Mike piped up from the back corner.

“Here, here...” we clinked glasses and took a sip.

“To us...to the greatest group of friends ever created...” I smiled at the circle.

“And to the perfect blend of personalities...” Susannah said from the other side of me. The guys rolled their eyes.

“Man...leave it to the girls to get all sentimental on us!”

“Come on guys...we gotta do it!”

“Here, here...” we clinked glasses once again and took a sip. We all laughed, and Arjun, Robbi, Catherine, Eric, and Whaley went back to their table as the waiters came out with our appetizers and we all began to eat.


“So what was your favorite part about the trip so far?” Daniel asked as we scraped the bottom of the plates, which had lately held spinach pasta and alfredo sauce--my favorite food in the world.

“The food...” came the satisfied answer from Preston leaning against the wall in the back corner.

“Everything about Italy...it’s so beautiful...” Lara sighed, and I knew she was thinking about the Cinque Terra. The two of us and Susannah and Brandi, our roommates, had this conversation the night before.

“I just love the entire country...it’s so different from America...yet they're so much alike...” Indi yawned. Before anyone else could answer, Murray and Sven, our’s and the middle schoolers' tour guides, stood up in the front of the restaurant, which our two groups completely occupied, and asked for everyone’s attention.

“Okay now, my group, I want you all to come up from back there in that back room, so you can see,” and the munchkins began to fill the room. Anne and Liz went to sit by Mike and Preston (the girls had crushes on them and I think the guys might have returned them), and Drew and Craig, Lara and mine’s adopted “little brothers” sat at our feet. Murray and Sven stood at the front of the room, which was now packed tightly with almost ninety people, and just looked at us for a minute.

“Okay...” Murray started with a deep breath. “We promised to show you the ‘hocka’, and we never go back on promises...”

“As we told you before, this is the dance the New Zealand rugby team does before any match. And as you will be able to tell...it scares the crap out of the other team...” everyone laughed as Murray and Sven turned away from us.

The two tour guides then proceeded to do the downright scariest dance I do believe I have ever seen a person do. I don’t even know how to describe it, except that it was too very strong men, shirt less, screaming and almost jumping around. It would have scarred me, is I was a rugby player! When they finished, we laughed and clapped and cheered for about five minutes straight. Murray and Sven bowed, but back on their shirts, and grinned at each other.

“Now, we have a surprise for you kids...” Murray began, talking to the munchkins, and slowly making his way back to our table. None of us were quite sure what to think. “We had our talent show last night, as you know, and found out that we have some interesting acts among our group. Including, the newest boy band that will be breaking into the United States sometime next year...” Daniel, Indi, Whaley, Mike, and Preston began to sink down in their chairs, trying to hide below the tables. “Ladies and gentlemen, for your viewing pleasure tonight, I would like to present to you, straight from the backwoods of New Zealand...THE BACKDOOR BOYS!!” All the girls from my group started cheering and screaming, and the girls from the other group caught on pretty fast. We smiled “sweetly” at the guys at our table, as they slowly got up. “Hit it, boys...” Murray whispered, smirking from ear to ear.

“We’ll get you for this...” Mike mumbled back and Murray just laughed, sitting in an empty chair, and leaning it onto it’s back two legs.

“You are our tour guide, we think your so fine, believe when we say, we want you Murray...” Daniel, Indi, Whaley, Mike, and Preston began to sing, trying to take on their “Backdoor Boys” persona’s from the night before and quickly making falling into them. We cheered and clapped and screamed...and almost drowned out the boys singing.

“Tell me why--he is a sexy kiwi...tell me why--he cannot ever leave me...tell me why--I know that it will always be...I want you Murray...cause I want you Murray...” the guys finally finished the song and were greeted by thundering applause.

“One...two...” Susannah whispered, counting on her fingers for me, Ashley, Saffron, Anne, Liz, Lara, and herself. “THREE!” At the last count, the seven of us stood, “clutched our hearts” and screamed. “WE LOVE THE BACKDOOR BOYS!!!” Then we “fainted”. We laughed as we sat back up and the boys laughed as well, as the sat back down. The entire room was filled with laughter.

“Okay, quiet down!” Murray said, standing on the chair. “Now, on a more serious note, we do have one more song for you guys. Now, I hate to have to do this to you, and she’s probably going to shoot me for this when we get back to the hotel, but last night, she sang so pretty and I thought everyone should hear this song. And it’s perfect, since it is our last night here and all.”

“You have to keep reminding us of that, don’t you, Murdoch?” Whaley sighed from his chair and the room giggled.

“I know, I know...but it’s a perfect saying goodbye song.” Suddenly, it hit me. I knew what he was talking about--and I started to shrink. “Last night, at the talent show, we not only discovered the next big, one-hit-wonder boy band, but we also discovered the next big female act to hit American. She’s gonna give Brittany Spears a run for her money. C’mon, Dulcie. Get up there. Sing...” he and Mike pulled me out of my chair, and Mike helped me up onto his. They wanted everyone to see me, and they could. And I could see everyone in that room, watching me...I breathed deep and closed my eyes. When I opened them again, I saw my entire group smiling up at me from the table. Whaley winked at me.

“C’mon, kiddo...” he whispered. I took a deep breath and slowly began to sing.

“All my bags are packed, I’m ready to go. I’m standing here, outside your door. I hate to wake you up to say goodbye...But the dawn is breaking, it’s early morn. The taxi’s waiting, he’s blowing his horn. Already I’m so lonesome...I could cry...So kiss me and smile for me. Tell me that you’ll wait for me. hold me like you’ll never let me go...Cause I’m leaving on a jet plane, I don’t know when I’ll be back again. Oh babe, I hate to go...Now the time has come to leave you. One more time, let me kiss you. Then close your eyes, and I’ll be on my way...Dream about the days to come, when I won’t have to dream alone. About the times I won’t have to say...Oh kiss me and smile for me. Tell me that you’ll wait for me. Hold me like you’ll never let me go...Cause I’m leaving on a jet plane, I don’t know when I’ll be back again. Leaving on a jet plane, I don’t know when I’ll be back again. Leaving on a jet plane, I don’t know when I’ll be back again...oh babe...I hate...to go...” I smiled at my friends. They all started to clap and cheer, and soon the whole room was clapping and cheering. I stepped off the chair and went back to my seat, where Lara and Susannah hugged me from both sides. The three of us laughed through all of our tears and smiled at the guys. They just rolled their eyes at us again, laughing.

We all kept talking, and the munchkins went back to their room in the back. We laughed and talked as we ate the terramissu they put in front of us for dessert. It was the sweetest and richest thing any of us had ever eaten. Most of us couldn’t manage to finish it all, but the guys at our table made sure it was all eaten. They happily devoured anything that was put in front of them. As we were eating, a short man came into the restaurant from the street, carrying dozens of different colored roses. They were long stemmed and beautiful. Eric called the guy over and bought two peach ones for Catherine. Mike and Preston each bought one for Anne and Liz. Murdoch bought one for each of our female chaperones.

“Isn’t that cute?” I asked, turning back to the table.

“I wish someone would buy me a rose…” Lara added, pouting. We both laughed, Susannah and Saffron joining in. The guys rolled their eyes at us again. They did that a lot in the three weeks we traveled. Whaley stood up and called the guy over, and bought a rose for each girl in our little group, and Daniel bought one for me. All of us girls smiled and thanked the guys.

“Hey, Lara. Dulcie. Look. Someone’s coming over here…” Indi sing-songed. We just laughed at him.

“Whatever, Indi.” We shook our heads and went back to talking. After a few seconds, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around, and Lara did too. I guess someone tapped her shoulder. Drew and Craig were standing behind us, each holding a rose.

“We thought our ‘big sisters’ deserved flowers,” they both smiled at us, and handed us the prettiest red roses I have ever seen. I had to blink back tears, and I think Lara did too. We stood up and hugged our little brothers, and I know flashes went off, though I’m not sure who was taking pictures.

*~~~~~*~~~~~*

“How far are we from Hartsfield?” the girl leaned around the headrest and asked for the fifteen-billionth time since we had taken off eleven hours before. I rolled my eyes and pulled off my CD player’s headphones off my ears.

“How am I supposed to know, Shel? What do I look like? A walking map?” Sheldon rolled her eyes back at me and leaned back in her seat, trying to get comfortable. I think she was tired. We all were. The night before had been long, after we left the restaurant. We hadn’t gotten back to the hotel until after midnight and then my entire group had sat out on Whaley and Arjun’s balcony and talked all night. We hadn’t gotten any sleep – and I doubt anyone else had. And then that morning…

“I can’t believe we spent four hours in an airport this morning…” Whaley took the words right out of my head, sitting up and stretching from where he had been sleeping with his head in my lap for the past hour or so. Daniel laughed at him from the other side of me.

“Have a nice nap, Michael?” Whaley just threw a little airplane issue pillow at him and I laughed.

“You know it’s a long plane ride when they show you three full length movies…” Lara said from across the aisle.

“’Specially when one of the movies is Shakespeare in Love…” I added.

“I know…” Whaley stretched again.

“I get to see Michael…I get to see Michael…” I heard a voice chanting from the row behind me. Saffron had been counting down the hours until she got to see her boyfriend since she had called him when we were in Florence.

“Hey, Dee – did you sign my cover yet?” a hand reached across the aisle from beyond Lara and handed me the white photograph folder.

“Nope. I’ll just sign it right now…” I reached towards my book bag to get a pen when Daniel handed one he already had out.

“Passengers, please return all seats tot he upright position, secure all luggage, and prepare for landing. Flight attendants please prepare for landing. We are now approaching Hartsfield International Airport…”

“I hope they don’t check our bags in customs. I really want to give my parents that bottle of wine we got in Nice…” Daniel whispered.

“Yeah. My roses are wrapped up in one of my dresses…” I whispered. Daniel laughed.

“Tomorrow sure is gonna be weird…” Whaley pitched in as the plane began to descend.

“Waking up in a room without a roommate or just waking up in the United States?” Daniel asked.

“Waking up without a wake up call.”

“That shouldn’t be weird. You seemed to so rarely get them!” Whaley blushed at that. Sheldon was muttering to herself (she hates flying), Saffron was still chanting about Michael, and Indi was singing something under his breath. I think it was their Backdoor Boys song.

After we landed, we waited for what seemed like a lifetime for the first class passengers to get off before we, a sea of khakis, red polo shirts, and dark circles under our eyes, moved off the plane and into the terminal. At setting foot on American ground, Preston, Jeff, and Mike knelt and began to kiss the floor. Melissa began to sing “America the Beautiful”, and Ashley waved that little flag she had carried over for the Fourth of July. People walking by looked at us like we were absolutly crazy, but we were still having just as much fun as we had the entire three weeks in Europe.

“Come on, kids…Let’s go…” our four adult chaperones joined our little group of thirty-eight teenagers and we headed off to get our bags and go through customs.

At the sight of a sea of teenagers, the customs people shooed us all through without ever checking a suitcase, which received no complaints from us. We sent our baggage up those luggage elevator things (Jeff, being the stupid boy he was, almost dove headfirst onto it) and then we gathered just this side of the metal detectors that let us out of the customs area. Gathered on the other side was a sea of people – some with balloons and presents or posters baring “Welcome Home, People to People” or “We Missed You” – and all armed with broad smiles. Our group of red grew as no one walked through the gray arch. At the sight of the first red shirt, the people on the other side had all begun to clap and cheer.

“You know what we should do? Sit down and refuse to leave…” Whaley joked to the group.

“But aren’t you glad to be home?” Daniel answered the question I am sure was meant to be rhetorical.

“Yeah, but we’re gonna miss each other. You live with people for almost a month…and you get kind of used to them…” as the last red shirt joined the group, the cheering got louder. We all kind of shrugged.

I don’t know who was the first one to go through the metal detectors, but I wouldn’t be at all surprised if it was Saffron. We all went through, and the second I did, I saw my family, waiting with a Starbucks Frapacinno and a silver bag. I ran to them and gave my sister and parents hugs and then was rushed off to the trains and the baggage claims. It was all kind of a blur. While Dad waited for my luggage, I found a few of my friends.

“Call me tomorrow, okay, Dee?”

“Have fun in Mexico, Ash!”

“Rob, Lara, Susie, Dee – Thursday, Chili’s?” People called to each other, all of us answering, talking, smiling, and laughing all at once. Dad got my bag, and I only had two good-byes left. I saw Whaley and his brother by the baggage carousel and I ran over.

“Bye, kiddo…” he said, hugging me and kissing my cheek. I laughed.

“I’m not that much younger, stupid…” we hugged again and I followed my family to the door.

As I started to walk away, I heard someone calling my name. I turned around to see Daniel with his family. I ran over and he hugged me.

“And who is this?” his mother asked and he just laughed.

“This is Dulcie, Mom…” she nodded and he turned back to me. “I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”

“Yeah.”

“Don’t forget about the lake house.”

“July 21st, right?” he nodded and hugged me again.

“Bye, Dee…”

“Bye, Danny…” we laughed and I turned to walk away and join my family because they were impatient to get me home. As I did, Daniel’s mom turned to him.

“She’s cute. You should keep her…” Daniel and I just looked at each other. We weren’t quite sure whether to laugh or cry. We laughed. It was the easier of the two to handle.