The Smile

XXI - Table for two ?

Night. An office. A chair. Dr Alex Ryder was wondering. Dentists were gone, emergency service was permitted. The late hours were tearing her, as her thoughts kept coming in her head. She had under her eyes, a small box on her desk. A present. A thanks. Or an apology. A note was next to it, in an envelope. It smelled Valentine's day, even if it was January. Struggling with curiosity, she kept focusing on the gift. The feeling of not knowing was eating her, and the envy of opening, discovering inside the mystery box kept growing in her. Starving for informations, she did not resist too long and opens it. A package with red ribbons and mint candies between the stripes. She was confused. Maybe she had planned this ?

First, she takes the envelope and grabs the letter in it.

"Alex, I am sorry I didn't tell you before. Please, forgive me. With this, and a suggestion : will you join me ?"

An address was noted at the back. She recognized it : they were supposed to be eating nearly from this street.

The package was full of red ribbons, she throws them away quickly and is full of surprise when taking out the present. A long black tango dress.

How clever of her.

Simon is sweating, running, in the long streets of the old town. Downtown, bars had opened, clients and drinkers had taken their positions, staying with their drinks and friends. His face is tired, his eyes are blurry, his feet are hurting. But he won't stop in his rushed race. Finally, he stops, observing the red long neon sign above his head :

Red Lobster Bar

He does not hesitate and walks in. Sweeping off the full and obscure room, trying to find a familiar face, and an response. "Eva ! Eva !"

A tall brunette stands up. Her.

He does not hesitate and stares at her. He comes at the table.

"I am here to apology. I made a mistake."

His speech was convincing, but his posture and look was unpleasant to look at.

"Clever of you to come here.. I was expecting for someone else. I didn't order that

- Please, listen. Eva.

- Listen to you ? After what you did ? After your treatments to me ?!"

Obviously, she was still upset after him. He could not find an answer. Stupid filled of shame, he gets back on his knees and walks away.

He does hesitate. Eva throws a bomb before he finally leaves :

"Say hi to your new friends for me. I'm sure one of them will be pleased to meet me."

Two streets further, in an other restaurant, Madam Elizabeth Darcy was sitting at a napped white table. The waiter was rushing everywhere, and paying attention to the empty table, and to Eliza. He kept asking her, every five minutes "Did she come ?" But his interrogation sounded more like : "Will she come ?"

She did not know. Worrying, playing with her empty glass, she kept watching outside. When suddenly, someone enters in. The rare lights in the restaurant did not permitted lighten the body : the small shadows comes in, in a shy and clumsy gesture. Indeed, as she poses a foot and another, clients stops and stares at this one. Her walk is elegant. She is confident, and convincing. Finally, the whole diner can discover a woman in a long black tango dress.

The eyes of Eliza widen and she automatically stands up, crossing the eyes of her lover.

Alex was magnificent. She was not prepared to such a spectacle. The waiter dropped his menus from his hands and stares at the new arrival.

"Al..Alex ?"

Now, Elizabeth was the one to stammer. Roles were exchanged. Cards were on the table, and eyes over the dress of the divine goddess. She was enchanting every pair of eyes in the room. The one gaze of a true envy and not jealousy, Eliza's, were only important to her.

"Elizabeth. Or, may I call you, Dr Darcy..?"

The joke lets her do another, the beauty replies in a row :

"Oh, you can call you mine."

Elizabeth lets her sit, with a pedant gesture. Then, discussions restart but the glances kept sneaking at Alex.

"I discovered the present.

- Do you like it ?

- It goes well."

Silence. The voice of Elizabeth sounded stressed. She could not look away but on Alex.

"I am sorry.. I ..

- It's fine. You're gonna explain. You have to.

- But, before the revelations.. May I offer you a drink ?

- Certainly, Miss Darcy.

- You're challenging me tonight, aren't you ?

- I'm afraid to say roles are exchanged, sweetheart.

- I'd rather be in that dress.

- Oh but you will. One day."

They giggle. Between drinks, the two shared funny moments of this week. They were laughing.

Simon wasn't. Sitting on the pavement, he felt both miserable, mad and worried. Because of her.

"..Camille Davis was a friend of Andrea Campbell. They were with me, at the faculty of dentistry. Back then, I was a stranger. I didn't know anyone, trying to find a place.. And I met in class, Andrea.

- Andrea ?"

Her question was rhetorical, Alex meant how they were close.

At the table, the two were in a procedure of judgement. Eliza's judgement had come, and she had started sharing her version of the facts :

"Andrea, was one of the girl you couldn't miss. We became friends quickly, even if her friends weren't pleased to see me. She introduced me to her hobbies and so did I. I liked studying, reading, and she was more the drinking, partying type. She taught me kissing, being myself.. when I was helping her with the final tests. Eventually, she presented.."

She stops. Alex was listening, but she was worried. Or maybe, she was afraid. Trying to recover, she continues :

"She presented, one night, her community as an open-minded group. They were all kissing, and having relationships with everyone between each other. I.. I made out with many, trying to fit in, like Andrea was. Andrea was what we called a Dom Juan. A free mind in the body of a prude, and candid, polite student. She suggested me the pleasure, inventing me to be like her.. But I

- You refused.. How ?"

Elizabeth would not answer this one. She looks away.

" I am sorry. I must tell you the truth : I was trying to fit in. I played a character that I am not.. And I..

- You flew here. To get away from her. Was she mad at you ? Did she tried to convince you ..?

- She was. But.. It felt wrong and ..

- You're not like that after-all. I understand.

- I was like you. Clumsy, shy and unsure. Then, I became..

- Dr Darcy. The powerful and confident dentist ! Sexiest dentist on earth.."

The large smile on her face after the well played-joke was everything.

Questions were still on the table, alongside the empty plates. Alex had not stop focusing about the untold story. How did Elizabeth changed ? She didn't mention any facts about her, enjoying the rave parties, and the blurry nights. She had experimented, experienced feelings and sensations above what she knew. Of course, her superior had taught her enough. But how many time did she mention the others subjects ?

Her thoughts are stopped, when she finds the perfect gift to offer :

"I have another plan.. To our story.

- Please, ask.

- Will you move in with me ?"

She leaves a key on the table on the menu and a smirk on her face.