“Thanks for letting me come over. My mom is borrowing my car while the mini-van is in the shop to have its automatic side door fixed. It’s been slammed shut a little too hard a few times too many. Darcy told me that he has been waiting for this movie to come out for a long time. I think it is great we get to see it together, don’t you?” exclaims Anne.
“Yes, I agree” nods Liz in a weak voice being a little tired of spending so much time with Anne lately but polite enough not to let her know it “I hear it has good reviews”.
“Sorry I had to bother you, when I talked to Darcy today, he told me that he had an appointment this afternoon and that unfortunately he wasn’t able to pick me up but he would see me at the theatre” insincerely explains Anne conveniently not mentioning the nineteen unanswered times she had tried to call first before he finally returned her phone call in response to a text of “I need your help!”
“I would have liked to go with all of you, but unfortunately I have corps council tonight. It is the quarterly planning meeting for the activities of the corps. Maybe next time, I’ll be able to go with you” sighs Char not looking forward to an evening of Myrtle and Olive arguing back and forth over who has more War Crys to distribute to the Senior Care facilities even though she has been very methodical in making sure that each woman has an equal amount.
“It’s been so much fun going out with Darcy and William! I really hope that I’ve been able to keep up with everyone else. You are all so quick, and it takes me awhile to catch up sometimes” noticing that Liz is not confirming or denying this statement Anne adds with more tenderness in her voice “Darcy is so sweet though, explaining everything to me to make sure I’m not left behind.”
“Yes, that’s very thoughtful of him. But I’m sure that you are quite able to understand most things” frankly states Liz a little annoyed with the attention and affirmation Anne is constantly seeking from Darcy.
“William seems to be one of your secret admirers” offers Anne “What do you think of him?”
“I don’t know. William is nice, we get along. He’s fun” describes Liz “What do you think of him?”
“I think he’s charming but not as handsome as Darcy” clarifies Anne “However, I wouldn’t mind be attached to either one of them. Do you think Darcy likes me? We’ve been friends forever. I wonder if he could ever see me as his girlfriend. What do you think Liz?”
“I … I think that is something you’ll need to find out for yourself” suggests Liz not wanting to encourage Anne’s attraction to Darcy.
“Really, I’m sure you have an idea. Do you think he could see me as his girlfriend?” pursues Anne “He likes women who are intelligent and fun. Do you think he would ever look at me more seriously?”
“We all have our special gifts and personalities. I’m sure if he wanted to be with you, he would find a way to do that” politely rationalizes Liz “Someday you’ll find a man who you click with better than others.”
“I know I will. But what do you think of the idea of Darcy and me? Don’t you think we would make such an attractive couple together? We both know each other so well” continues Anne “Not like you and Darcy who have only known each other for such a short time. We know his other’s history and understand one another better than anyone else.”
“Ummm … that’s interesting” answers Liz searching desperately in her mind for some other topic to talk about other than Anne’s hopeful relationship with Darcy “What are your plans for the week?”
“To get Darcy to like me!” Anne giggles to herself “What else?”
“When will your mother’s van be ready?” asks Liz hoping that this conversation will not take place every night for the next week.
“I don’t know. It works out best this way. I can always get a ride with Darcy wherever I need to go” Anne adds with special emphasis “He’s always made sure that I’m taken care of.”
“Are you wearing that tonight?” asks Anne evaluating Liz’s wardrobe choice.
“Yes, I thought jeans would be the most comfortable. None of us are on a date” defends Liz “Is there something wrong?”
“No, I just feel a little too dressed up for the occasion” offers Anne “I would hate to get all the attention”.
“I’m not worried about that” offers Liz thinking her in head that Anne is use to getting a lot of attention in one way or another “I would just like to see the movie”.
“I think that I hear Darcy’s horn! I can recognize the sound of his car from miles away!” rushes Anne before stopping a second in front of the mirror next to door to make a last minute lipstick check.
After Anne walks out the front door, Liz pauses for a moment before the mirror and shrugs her shoulders. She murmurs under her breath “it was the best that I could do for a non-date”.
As Liz catches up on the sidewalk with Anne, she grabs Liz’s arm to stop her for a second. “I don’t handle being in the backseat very well when someone else drives, so I need to sit in the front seat. I didn’t want to bring this up in front of the guys though that would be embarrassing. I hope you don’t mind.”
“It’s fine with me” offers Liz after noticing the motive for Anne’s statement. Darcy is at the wheel as Anne opens the front door and moves in while leaning as close as possible without being overly noticeable to the others next to Darcy. She touches his arm and smiles at him “Thanks so much for including me tonight! It’s so thoughtful of you to think of me too!”
In response Darcy politely smiles and looks in the review mirror as Liz adjusts her seatbelt sitting next to William. “Liz, you look very pretty tonight! Did you do something different to your hair?”
“No, not really . . . I might have straightened it some and it decided to agree with me and stay that way” states Liz with a smile.
“Did you have a good day? I hope your day went really well for you” offers William stroking his hair into place.
“Thanks it was good. Char and I did some chores around the house and then spent some time shopping together. We went to a tea room for lunch which was fun” explains Liz “I don’t suppose you’ve ever been to a tea room?”
“I can’t say that I have. But it seems kind-of the girl thing to do”, acknowledges William “I’m more into going to see a game in my free time”.
“I’ve been to a tea room with my sister. It’s really not that bad, at least they have good sandwiches even if they are not very large” interrupts Darcy smiling back at Liz who seems pleased with his effort “What did Char and you have for lunch?”
“I had some tomato bisque with cucumber and mint sandwiches while Char had garden vegetable quiche” Liz restates her menu “and of course scones with preserves and tea”.
“My favorite is the smoked salmon quiche” inserts Darcy hoping to inspire some admiration in Liz for his attention to details.
“I don’t think that I’ve had that before” answers Liz surprised that Darcy would remember any of the menu.
“How do you know what they serve in a tea room?” asks William “It’s a lot of fluff and lace, I don’t really see that as your thing Darcy!”
“You don’t know everything about me” hushes Darcy.
As he looks up in his review mirror, Darcy notices that William is resting his arm on the headrest behind Liz and seems quite comfortable leaning into her for conversation. He sees an opportunity ahead of him with an incoming yellow light. He slams on the break, thrusting everyone forward. Williams quickly removes his arm to brace himself from crashing into the Back of Darcy’s seat.
“Whoa! Be careful! You’ve got fragile cargo back here!” exclaims William readjusting himself in the seat to make sure his seatbelt is still intact.
Darcy smiles to himself.
Upon arriving at the theatre, Darcy drops everyone off at the front so they can get in line to purchase the movie tickets while he finds a parking space.
“Liz and I need to go to the ladies room for a minute. We’ll be right back” orders Anne grabbing Liz’s arm not waiting for her permission.
Once they are in the bathroom alone, Anne confidentially asks “What do you think Darcy thought of my outfit? He didn’t say anything, but I’m sure he was thinking something. Do you think he liked it?”
“You look very nice. I’m sure he likes your dress.” Answers Liz.
“Do you think it is a good color on me? I hope he thinks that I look pretty” states Anne and then in a more firm voice “He was watching me the whole time in the car. You’re right, I don’t think he could keep his eyes off me.”
Liz looks puzzled for a minute not understanding when she agreed that Darcy could not keep her eyes off Anne, but then shaking her head tries to not let it bother her. Liz tells herself “Darcy can like whoever he wants whether it’s me or he chooses to like someone else”.
Stepping in front of her and blocking her way to the door, “Liz, are you paying attention? I asked you a question! Do you think Darcy will try to kiss me tonight?” emphatically asks Anne.
“I really don’t know that’s up to him and you, I guess” states Liz wanting to end this conversation as quickly as possible “I think that the guys are probably wondering where we are” as she takes a determined effort to reach the exit door before Anne can stop her again.
“You’re right. If he gives me a chance, I can make it happened” resolvedly Anne echoes throughout the bathroom as if claiming her territory.
On arriving at the aisle where William and Darcy are already waiting, Liz finds an empty seat on the aisle, the next seat occupied by Darcy, the next seat empty, and then with William in the next chair. A few people sit a few chairs away. Darcy jumps out of his chair into the aisle. Anne pushes Liz in front of her. Liz takes the chair between Darcy and William.
Darcy appears to be disturbed and a little restless once everyone takes their seats.
Noticing that Darcy appears to be giving all of his attention to Liz sitting next to him, Anne sighs “A movie just isn’t the same without popcorn. Darcy, why don’t you get us some popcorn. I know how much you like it too!”
He thinks for a moment, “Okay, I’ll be right back.”
As soon as he is out of site, Anne moves into the chair next to Liz. “Wasn’t it so nice of Darcy to offer to get popcorn for all of us! He knows how much I love it!”
Liz smiles and turns toward William aching for some different conversation. William on the other hand is playing a game on his cell phone. “I just got the high score!” exuberantly shares William. Liz stretches her neck looking up at the patterned ceiling hoping for some relief.
A few minutes later Darcy returns with a big bucket of popcorn. He stops in the aisle, “Uhh … Anne weren’t you sitting in the aisle seat. I don’t want to take your place.”
“Yes, but I thought that I would let you sit there so you have more leg room” kindly offers Anne.
“I’m okay. Don’t worry about me. You can sit on the aisle. You can probably see better that way” suggests Darcy not knowing exactly how to get her to move back to her original spot.
“Don’t worry about it. I’m comfortable where I am at and I don’t want to move now! Go ahead and sit, the movie is about to start and everyone will be wondering why you are still standing up!” coaxes Anne.
In capitulation Darcy sits in the aisle seat and sulks. This isn’t going as he had planned for the evening. He looks down the aisle, William in his classic move has arranged to place his arm behind Liz’s chair. With some relief, Liz seems oblivious to the event and looks for a second at him catching his eyes staring at her. She looks down but looks up again and smiles back at him.
Darcy sighs with relief, “maybe it won’t be so bad” he thinks to himself taking another handful of buttered popcorn.
A half hour into the movie, Anne yawns and leans softly against his shoulder. Uncomfortable with this new gesture, slightly pulls away and props himself on the opposite arm rest as the movie continues.
Throughout the movie Liz has felt William’s hand gently touch her shoulder a few times. Not exactly wanting this type of affection, Liz leans forward away from the back of her chair. She likes William and finds him fun to be around but a date isn’t what she had in mind. She notices that naturally Darcy and her laugh at the same comedic moments and moved by other scenes at the same time which Anne and William seem a little oblivious to.
On the way back to the car, Darcy and Liz repeat some of their favorite lines from the movie back and forth with each other and recall some of their favorite scenes. William and Anne appear lost in the conversation. William asks Anne if she has seen the most recent football game on TV. They choose to talk about that instead.
Again Anne jumps for the front seat with a smirk of achievement at Liz on her arrival at the car waiting for the doors to be unlocked.
“That was fun! When do you want to go again? I’m free on Friday for the new thriller that is coming out” suggests William “Liz, I think that you’ll really like it. Anne might scream a few times, however, but she can use Darcy as a shield from the parts she doesn’t want to watch”.
“Sounds like a great idea to me!” Anne concurs giving a flirtatious look to Darcy staring at the steering wheel in front of him “Darcy, you will probably need to pick me up. I can hardly wait!”
“Liz, how about it?” encouragingly asks William again moving his arm behind the headrest where Liz is re-cooperating.
“I think that will be all right. I’ll have to check with Char’s plans for the day to see what she had in mind for us to do this week” returns Liz wishing that it were Darcy asking her out instead and not looking forward to another evening of Anne’s questions.
Darcy glances up again in his review mirror. He sees Liz turn to look at something in her window across the parking lot. She doesn’t appear to be that happy and he cautiously wonders for a second if maybe her evening didn’t go as she hoped either.
“If you don’t mind, I’m going to drop Anne off at her house first. I need to run by the post office and it’s on the way to her house from here” suggests Darcy.
“I don’t mind the ride. I can wait for everyone else to be dropped off first. It doesn’t bother me!” hurriedly interjects Anne “I like to drive around the city at night”.
“Your mom is probably wondering where you are and you don’t want to leave her too long by herself” suggests Darcy “there will be other times to see the city.”
Reluctantly Anne tightens her lips and crosses her arms, sulking in her car seat. “I guess, as long as you promise to take me for a ride some other time!”
In reply Darcy smiles and nods his head agreeing in his heart that it could take place any time during the next fifty years and it won’t have to be just the two of them.
Finally they arrive at the Debourgh’s home. “Look, my mother didn’t leave the light on for me. Darcy, would you mind walking me to the door. It’s so difficult to see at night!” pleadingly asks Anne.
Reacting Liz cannot help herself and rolls her eyes as she turns her head to face the window. William catches her response and nudges Liz in the shoulder. They share a look of acknowledged agreement.
Grabbing his arm to steady her balance that appears to be unusually uneven tonight, Anne moves closer to Darcy almost stepping on his shoes as she treads the walkway.
Darcy politely drops her at the doorstep. Anne raises her chin to meet him eye to eye. Darcy takes a step back, “Uh, everyone is waiting. Hope you have a good evening. I’ll talk to you sometime later!” announces Darcy rushing as quickly as he can back down the pathway to his car.
Pouting Anne quietly stomps her foot in protest as she shuffles through her purse to find the door key.
“Liz, you can sit up front now. There’s more room up here” offers Darcy holding the front door open waiting for her demanded response.
Obediently Liz gets out of the backseat and moves to the front. “You’re right there is a little bit more room up here!”
Without anything being said, Darcy pulls in front of William’s home.
“I thought you were going to take Liz home first. I live closer to you than she does!” points out William disappointed that Darcy will be able to talk to Liz on his own.
Hiding his feelings, Darcy quietly does not respond waiting for his cousin to remove himself from his car. “I’ll call you later.” He finally states.
In the meantime, Liz sorts through her purse looking for her cell phone to see if she has any messages from Char. One text reads “running late. Argument at cc. now have to meet with both ladies.”
Finding it humorous, Liz giggles and explains the text as well as the background of the feud to Darcy as it has been relayed to her by Char.
“I’m glad it worked out to take you home last, Liz” shares Darcy “I enjoy talking with you.”
“Thanks. I like talking to you too” responds Liz in mutual admiration.
“Would you like to go out sometime with me without everyone else?” nervously asks Darcy “There is some places I think you would like to see but I don’t know about the others.”
“Sure” states Liz shrugging her shoulders not sure if he is asking her out on a real date or asking if she is interested in spending some time with him “Just let me know when.”
“How does tomorrow night sound?” asks Darcy not looking directly at her but at the windshield in front of him.
Still not sure of the motive of his request, Liz responds “Okay, I don’t think that I have anything planned tomorrow night.”
Waiting for another moment, he wipes his palms on his pants “Great! I’ll pick you up about six and we can go to dinner together.”
“Really? Okay, sounds good to me!” agrees Liz contented the way the evening is ending “Looks like we’re here!” jumping out of the car “I’ll see you tomorrow!”
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