A Room With A View

Chapter Forty-One - Brian

October 28, Saturday

Brian felt itchy. Apparently he was allergic to whatever synthetic material his costume had been sewn from.

"You ready?" Brian asked, turning to Madeline. He was sweating underneath the heavy faux fur coat, and was glad that the material didn't show any dark spots beneath his arms. He'd checked in the bathroom mirror just a few moments before.

A crease formed between Madeline's full brows. "I wanted to say goodbye to Elena, but I can't find her anywhere. And I guess I'll have to argue with Joshua another time."

"Argue?"

Madeline rolled her eyes. "He's upset over the twins' costumes. Both droids appear in Last Jedi, for goodness sakes. Hang on just one sec."

Madeline disappeared into the crowd, her dress swaying around her ankles. She smiled and said goodbye to a few people Brian vaguely recognized. Phineas was standing in the corner, looking highly uncomfortable in a brocaded crimson jacket and black top hat. He hadn't spoken to a single person since he'd arrived. Brian had tried to worm his way over to Phineas earlier, but then Madeline had swept into view, and all thoughts of Phineas had been lost.

"Are you ready?"

Brian startled. Madeline had come up behind him. She must have worked her way around the outside of the crowd.

Brian looked down to where Madeline's bare hand was lightly touching the sleeve of his coat. He wondered what it would feel like if he wasn't wearing it.

"Yes."

Madeline smiled brightly. Brian had never seen someone who smiled with their whole person. Like the joy was coming through her, not just painted on, as was the way for most people.

"Then let's go," she said.

They left through Elena's front door. One of the twins (Brian didn't know their names, but this one was dressed in a grey costume with blue buttons) stumbled past them into the hallway toward a guest dressed as a wizard, before being corralled back inside.

Madeline giggled. For a moment Brian thought he could feel the sound through her fingertips, but then Madeline let go of his jacket. They stepped inside the elevator. Madeline clutched her hands against her black velvet skirt, suddenly seeming nervous.

"I thought we could go to Dosser's," Brian said, hoping to land on something that would make her take his arm again.

Madeline stared wide-eyed at him. "Dosser's?" she asked in disbelief.

Brian's heart sunk. His brain whirred into action, trying to right whatever wrong he'd made. "Yes? Is that alright? I heard it's quite a lovely restaurant just around the corner from here."

"Are you seriously taking me to Dosser's?"

The elevator stuttered to a stop. Brian was dumbfounded. How had he made such a colossal error so quickly into the night?

"It looked nice from the windows," Brian said lamely.

Madeline stared at him, her eyes narrowed, as if looking to see something written across his face. She smirked. "Dosser's is a lovely place," she said, her lips still upturned.

Madeline walked quickly out of the elevator, and Brian hurried to catch up. In what felt like three steps Madeline was already through the front glass doors and outside.

"You walk fast," Brian said, embarrassed by how breathless he was.

Madeline bit her lip. "It's a habit. It's to avoid..." She teetered on the edge of speech. "Someone," she finished, not looking at him.