Blood and Fire - Thirty Three

“Don’t tell mom!” threatens Lydia “I am going over to Beth Elliot’s house first which is what I’ve told her. So I am telling the truth.   Wickham is just going to meet me to go to the movies once I’m there.”

“I still think that you should tell mom.  She likes Wickham.  It’s better than getting into trouble later” carefully suggests Kitty having experienced the negative impact of being grounded one too many times because of being guilty by association with some of  Lydia’s  creative routine scheming.  “I want to enjoy my spring break this year!”

“Of course you will.  If I get caught, which I think is highly unlikely any way I will say that you weren’t involved.  It was all my idea.  Does that make you feel better?” pouts Lydia knowing that it’s always better to have an accomplice by her side because it somehow manages to soften the blow when being unexpectedly caught in one of her misadventures.

“I just don’t know Lydia.  Do you remember the time that you decided to go toilet paper Ben Wick’s house at midnight with some of your friends and managed to convince me to be involved as the lookout?   It still wasn’t my fault the sprinklers went on that night!  Who waters their yard at night? How does the water even know where the ground is when it’s so dark?” trying to come up with a reasonable defense but failing at the attempt, Kitty deflects “To top it off, do you remember when Lila Steel tried to jump over the backyard fence?   Although that wasn’t my fault either, how was I to know that she was going to somehow get her skirt all caught up on the bird house nailed to the wooden fence post?” Continuing Kitty giggles “Although it was rather funny watching her floral skirt slowly rip as she dangled in the air with her arms flying while she gently lowered to the ground.  However, I do feel bad that while getting up she slipped in the mud and broke her ankle.”

“Yes, that was so much fun!” excitedly recalls Lydia proud of one of her clever ideas “We should try it again! But this time we need to find out what days the Wick’s water their yard”.

“But remember how mad mom was?  Also, Mrs. Steel was not happy with Lila.  She wasn’t allowed to talk with us for a month!   Evidently Lila had just bought that outfit for the corps cadet picnic” feeling slightly guilty, Kitty recalls “It’s too bad she had to wear a cast and miss the end of the year skating party too. I think we all were grounded for at least two weeks and missed nearly all of spring break last year.”

“Don’t worry about a thing.  It’s going to be different this year” assures Lydia needing support in order to cover her own romantic plotting “You’re not going to get into trouble.  If anyone gets caught, which isn’t going to happen, it will only be me”.

“Alright, but you have to promise that if I don’t tell mom or dad, I can borrow your lavender sweater three times ---  any time I want to “ Kitty bargains but decides to add one more thing while at the transaction table “and also your blue heels too”.

“You can’t wear my shoes! Your foot is half a size smaller than mine!” argues Lydia crossing her arms and not happy with the shoes being thrown into the pact at the last minute “Your feet stink too!”

“I can still wear them.  I’ll just put a few dryer sheets in the front toe and no one will be able to tell the difference” feeling that the last minute add-on might lose the arrangement Kitty counters “It’s either the sweater and the shoes or no deal!”

“Oh, all right.  I’ll let you borrow them” reluctantly agrees Lydia with a condition “but please be sure to spray your feet first with your perfume. I’d rather smell a whiff of “Intensity” than old dried out leather that you’ve worn way too long.”

In response Kitty narrows and pierces her irritated eyes while making an unpleasant face at Lydia who responds similarly in turn while a car horn loudly and impatiently honks outside below the bedroom window.

“That’s Beth!  We have a deal, remember!  Don’t tell Liz either.  I don’t want her interfering into my relationship if she finds out that I’m going out with Wickham.  He’s mine now and doesn’t belong to her.” reminds Lydia grabbing her purse and duffle bag with more revealing clothes to change into while heading out the door towards the stairs.

 

After spending an hour over at Beth Elliot’s home changing her clothes, Lydia anxiously gossips with Beth and waits for Wickham to arrive.  She sees Wickham’s sports car pull up into the driveway and runs out the door to meet him.

“Hey!  Did you get her washed today?  She looks great!” Flirts Lydia while getting into the car knowing how much attention and admiration he gives to his treasured vehicle.

“Yeah, just this afternoon, she’s beautiful, isn’t she?” gloats Wickham caressing the steering wheel feeling proud of his purchase whose car payment exceeds a rational budget.  “So, I’ve heard Liz is coming home today.  Is anyone picking her up at the airport?”

“You don’t need to worry about her.  She already has a ride” swiftly and firmly replies Lydia with no clue who is actually going to be picking her older sister up from the airport “Liz is awfully busy.  She’s been spending a lot of time with Will Fitz lately while she has been out of town and I’m very sure has already completely forgotten about anyone here”.

“Mmmm… “ quietly mumbles Wickham to himself turning on the spray to clean his car windows and with a tone of jealousy “I’m sure she was bored out of her mind being around Will Fitz.  He rambles on about any topic that comes to mind.  Some women find him to be somewhat charming and intelligent but I think he is just annoying. He’s definitely not Liz’s type at all”.

“Let’s not talk about Liz.  She’s not here and probably thinking about someone else anyway.  You’re here with me.  Let’s talk about us and things that we can do today together!” excitedly states Lydia flashing her eyes at him, while moving closer and touching his arm for assurance of her interest in him “You’re the most exciting man I know!”

Feeling keenly admired, Wickham astutely smiles at her and presses his foot down on the gas pedal as the speed through the neighborhood.

In the meantime, Mr. Bennett meets Liz outside the doors of the baggage claim at the airport.

“How was your trip, Liz?” sweetly asks Mr. Bennett giving her a kiss on the cheek and picking up her red set of matching luggage and then with a genuine sigh  “I’ve missed having two consecutive sentences that contain any logic or reason in the house for quite awhile now. With your sister, Jane, visiting friends as well, it unfortunately has been a very lonely winter.”

Walking towards the parking lot, Liz smiles at her dad’s familiar sarcasm responds “Well, I’m not sure that I have much to offer now that I’m home.  I’m not sure that I’ve been entirely logical recently myself.”

“I don’t know if you know but Mary signed up for the drama at congress this year” Mr. Bennett nods in affirmation of this conquest, and then with a sad sigh continues “For the last month, she has been using your mother and me as an attentive audience to hourly rehearse her sixteen lines. Even after all this time, her voice inflection is just now moving a little past monotone, however it is hopeful that ‘humdrum’ may soon be on the horizon.”

“I’m proud of her!  But I do happen to agree that a stage hand might have been a slightly better choice.  One of her strengths is that she is very organized” considering this possibility Liz feeling inspired reflects on her plethora of books on the book shelves in her bedroom being sorted and arranged by the author’s birth date “… even if it is in her own peculiar and unique way”.

“What’s been happening with Kitty and Lydia?  I daily hear from them through texting, but I’m not sure that I’m actually getting much more information than how cute someone looks today, what they want to buy, or what music they are listening to at the moment” sincerely responds Liz missing the friendship of her younger sisters “How are things coming together for Lydia’s high school graduation? Is she having a 18^th birthday party next month?”

“As far as birthdays, as you already know that is your mother’s department and you will have to ask her.  But I definitely delightfully do see some fun frivolity and wild whimsy as part of the elementary equation in finally reaching another year of life heading towards the ultimate black hole also known as adulthood” jests Mr. Bennett pleased with his impromptu tongue twister while stretching his mouth in extreme contortions for special effect.

Laughing Liz puts her arm around him and hugs him “Dad, I’ve missed you. It is was a good trip but I’m glad to be home.”

“So what about you, Liz?” asks her dad considering that she might not be happen with some recent information but trying to soften the news somewhat “Did any one capture your heart while you were gone?  I’m afraid Lydia may be in a little bit of competition with you over Wickham.  I’m not sure he is biting yet, but she is definitely trying to be caught.  Frankly, I’m glad fishing is a bit of a patient sport.”

“Oh … I didn’t know” quietly responds Liz lost in her thoughts.

“I hope this isn’t too bad of news. However, if you happen to be interested  and  were to put forth some effort trying to act charmingly cunning and do those intuitive things which entirely are beyond my comprehension, I’m sure that it wouldn’t take very long and he would be looking your way again.”

Thoughtfully Liz shrugs her shoulders and shakes her head readjusting the shoulder strap of her small suitcase to fit more squarely on her shoulder.

 Mr. Bennett seeing her face fall suggests instead “However, for the record I prefer the independent and single status of my daughters until they find someone that I deem worthy of them and having the opportunity to call them such things as “the savior” or “the thief” depending on my opinion that particular day”.

“Dad, I’m all right as I am for now.  When the right man for me comes along and wants to be with me too, I’ll let you know and you can call him anything you want” suggests Liz while flipping through her cell looking for a familiar distant number that remains elusive.