THE CATCH

Part 4

When Jean arrived at Gregory's she found Edward was yet to arrive. 

She sat down and waited.

And waited and waited. After forty-five minutes, she realised she was being punished by he not showing up for their meeting.

Jean got up and left the restaurant.

As she wondered about how she was going to spend the rest of the day, Bill called.

"Hello, Jean. How are you doing?"

"Am fine."

"Are you doing anything today?" He asked.

"No."

"Good, where are you?"

"Am walking down De Main Street."

"I am near where you are, please wait, I am coming to pick you up.".

Moments later his BMW appeared and then pulled to a stop. He got out and walked over to where she stood on the pavement.

He gave her hug like he had not seen her in a very long time.

"Please come with me."

"Where are we going?" Jean asked as he opened the passenger door for her.

"To have afternoon tea with my parents."

Jean flew into bewilderment.

Soon they were seated in a tea room at the Karloff hotel with it's art deco style and fine furnishings, waited upon by a friendly and efficient staff.

Mr Benedict was an elderly man, his wife Mrs Benedict was somewhat younger.

They both looked and smiled at Jean.

"Father, mother, this is Jean Lee....a friend of mine." Bill said, he looked at Jean and added, "my parents."

"Good afternoon, Miss Lee," Mr Benedict began, "it's a pleasure to meet you."

"I hope we can call you Jean," Mrs Benedict proposed, "I think Jean is a lovely name."

"How do you do." Was all Jean could say.

"Am sure you will love some tea," Mrs Benedict offered.

But her husband jumped in. "Or a glass of champagne is more your style," he seemed to tease both with his voice and expression.

"Am fine with either," Jean said politely.

Before long a glass of sparkling champagne was placed in front of her.

"What do you do?" Mrs Benedict asked.

"Am an interior designer. Before that I worked in antiques for five years."

"So how would you describe your designs?"

"I like to mix old fashion glamour with bold modern colours."

"How did you meet our Bill," Mr Benedict sipped his champagne.

"We met on a date." Jean nibbled on her neatly cut sandwich.

"Was he a gentleman?" The question came from Mr Benedict.

His son burst out laughing.

"Yes he was." Jean answered nervously.

"Did you enjoy the drive to the seaside?" Mrs Benedict picked the teacup with its saucer.

"Yes I did very much."

Now Jean began to wonder about how much Bill had told his parents about her. Suddenly she became very self conscious.

A couple of days after her afternoon tea with the Benedict's, Jean sat on the floor of her tiny closet arranging her high heels back into their shoe boxes when her phone rang.

"Hello."

"Hello, it's Bill."

Jean smiled.

"I have got two tickets for the marriage of Figaro. Would you like to join me?"

"You mean the opera?"

"Yes, are you in?"

"It's a date then." Jean answered.

                                                                                THE END