Searching for Mr. Darcy

Scene Forty-One

On Saturday, Maisie picked Sailor up for the promised Auntie Maze day and they headed to the Museum of Life and Science to visit the Butterfly House and the weather exhibit. Sailor was a meteorologist-in-training - or, as she liked to call it, a meteor-in-training.

While Sailor oohed and ahhed over the winged things, Maisie pulled out her phone and texted Bastian.

Hey! Back in town - let me know when you want to reschedule.

"Auntie Maze!" Sailor ran up and grabbed Maisie's arm. "That one over there is dead!" She pointed frantically at the far corner of the building. "Come and see - it's so cool!" The little girl began tugging Maisie in the direction of the deceased insect, and Maisie had no choice but to follow. Bastian hadn't responded, so she stuck her phone back in her purse and didn't look at it again until she arrived home several hours later. Still no response.

****

Sunday morning, Maisie styled her hair to prepare for a brunch date with a mortgage lender while Talia, George, Aubrey, and Kent unloaded boxes from the bed of a borrowed H & L pickup truck.

"I can't believe Roseberg let you borrow a truck," Maisie said when George paused in her doorway on a water break.

"He probably wouldn't have let me. I asked Rich. He's a softy. Plus, I've helped his daughter move in and out of college the past three years. He owed me."

"And you called in your favor for Talia? That was nice of you."

"He owes me many favors." George grinned and gulped down the remainder of his water. "Back to work. Have fun on your date."

"Thanks," she called after him.

He bounded out the front door on his way back to the parking lot. Talia passed him on her way in, two large trash bags in her hands. "It hurts me my precious babies had to travel like trash, but there wasn't time to locate more boxes." She immediately dumped the contents of the bags onto Maisie's couch - at least fifty pairs of shoes tumbled out.

"I'm sorry I can't help," Maisie said. She clasped a pendant around her neck and went into the hallway between her room and the living room.

"That's okay. You're helping enough just by letting me stay, and you moved all of your books into the storage closet yesterday. I know that's a big deal for you."

"They are my babies."

"They aren't as pretty as mine, though!" Talia gazed with fondness at her colorful pile of shoes.

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."

"Yeah, yeah. Get out of here. You're going to be late and mortgage guy's pictures are cute so you don't want to be late for him. We'll be all done by the time you get back."

"Ooooh, George, Aubrey - do you guys want to stick around after? We can play some Catan," Maisie asked her friends as they entered carrying either side of Talia's dresser.

"Sure!" George said immediately.

"I'll check with Kent," Aubrey said. The pair passed both Talia and Maisie and continued on to the spare room.

"Fun," Talia said. "I'll get pizza for everyone."

"Perfect for our first night as roomies." Maisie waved and headed out the door, feeling better about her day. She didn't have much hope for the date. Working for a builder, she knew a lot of mortgage guys and while there was nothing wrong with any of them, there wasn't anything right either.