Gimme A Break
"What do you mean you're not going to the Midsummer Dinner Dance?" Richard said. "We always go!"
"Not this year," William said tersely.
"But we've got tickets! We've got $400 tickets, Fitz. That's--."
"...That's a hefty tax deductible donation to the museum," William said. "Besides, just because I refuse to go doesn't mean you need to stay home. I'm not your date."
"I know, but..." Richard sighed and sat down. "We've been going to this thing together every summer since--."
"I know." It was William's turn to sigh. "But it wouldn't be the same with my foot in this thing. It's not as though I can wear a tux with it, is it?"
"I hadn't thought about that. But it's black tie optional, isn't it? You've had pants altered to wear to work; why couldn't you--."
"Richard, I'm not going to the dance in a cast, and that's final. I'm sorry," William said gently. "Oh, stop pouting, will you? You're almost thirty."
"It still works," Richard said with a shrug and a smile.
"Not on me."
"So what am I supposed to do? I don't want to go by myself."
"You won't be by yourself. Your parents always fill a table--."
"...With a bunch of those cute little Junior Leaguers mom works with. Thank you, but if I wanted to spend the evening with vapid debutantes I can just--. I don't want to spend the evening with vapid debutantes."
"Why don't you take a date for a change? That way you can fend off the vapid debutantes easily and you'd have someone to talk to," William suggested.
"A date? That's a good idea. I don't suppose you--."
"Call her yourself, Richard."
"She's been avoiding me! I can't get close enough to her to get a whiff of her perfume, much less ask her out."
"Poor you. It's Chloe, I think."
"What?"
"Her perfume."
"William, please--."
"I can't order her to go out with you. If she's got better sense than to let herself fall into your clutches, who am I to gainsay her?"
"Fine. I'll go alone. Call me if you need anything." Richard rose and left. William smiled and returned to reading his newspaper. A short time later the woman he and Richard had just been discussing entered his office. "Good afternoon, Olivia," he said as she made her way over to the corner of the office where he was ensconced in a comfortable leather chair with a huge ottoman.
"Good afternoon. How's the foot?"
"Lovely," William said with a wince. "It hurts like hell unless I put it up and when I put it up my leg falls asleep."
"Ouch," Olivia said sympathetically. She sat down across from him and passed him a sandwich. "I broke an ankle once. I was miserable for a month."
"Thanks; that gives me something to look forward to."
"I'm sorry. At least yours is a minor--." She cleared her throat when William looked up sharply. "You wanted a Reuben and a Coke. Misty also sent you a slice of chocolate cake on the house when she heard about your accident."
"I'll have to remember to thank her next time I can get as far as the deli," he said, reaching for the drink. The pair began to eat as they chatted about the upcoming meeting of the Darcy Foundation. Olivia was the foundation's new director, and when she wasn't evading Richard she was doing an impressive job of reaching the organization's fundraising goals. "Oh," William said, as that thought occurred to him. "What are you doing on the 20th?"
"July 20th?"
"Yes, after work. There's a dinner dance at the Metropolitan Museum of Art that evening. As you can see, I won't be up to attending and I'd like to offer you my ticket," he explained. Olivia eyed him suspiciously.
"Why me?"
"Because the sooner you give up and admit that you're as crazy about Richard as he is about you, the better," William said with a roll of his eyes.
"I--!"
"Spare me," William said, cutting her off. "Please; say you'll go."
"But... All right, I'll go."
"Thank you."
"I'm not crazy about him."
"You're hopelessly besotted with him. Fortunately you aren't as insufferable about it as my idiot cousin," William said with a smile.
"Hey, you're talking about the man I--." Olivia shut her mouth and sat back. "Dinner dance, eh?"
"You can thank me later."
"...Or break your other ankle," Olivia said with a wink.
**
On the evening of the event, Richard dropped by William's apartment in a last ditch effort to get him to change his mind.
"Come on, you'll have fun, even if you don't dance," Richard pleaded. He pocketed the envelope containing his ticket as he spoke.
"I'm not going and that's final!"
"William--."
"I'm not going, Richard! Read my lips."
"But--."
"I couldn't go now even if I wanted to do so. I gave away my ticket."
"What? How could you?"
"It was remarkably easy," William said with a smile. "Go along to the dance. Have a lovely time. I'm sure you won't even miss me."
"I doubt that," Richard said. "And what are you going to do all evening?"
"Oh, I'll find something," William said insouciantly. The doorbell rang and Richard looked down the hall.
"Expecting someone?" Richard asked.
"No, you are."
"What do you mean I--." Richard fell silent when he saw Olivia standing in the doorway. She was dressed for the evening in lavender chiffon.
"You have a visitor," Mrs. Reynolds said before retreating.
"Good evening, Olivia," William said, awkwardly rising from his seat.
"Oh, don't get up on my account," she said as she moved further into the room. Richard continued to gape at her.
"Lovely frock," William said appreciatively. "Wouldn't you say so, Richard?"
"I would never use the word 'frock' but otherwise... You do look lovely, Olivia," Richard said with a smile.
"Thank you both," Olivia said, looking down at her cocktail dress.
"I've given Richard your ticket," William said. "Do enjoy yourselves; just remember that tomorrow's a work day."
"Yes boss," Olivia said pertly before turning to Richard. "Shall we?" Richard extended his arm and she took it.
William watched the pair leave the room, smiling like a doting parent. As soon as he heard the front door close, he let out a whoop of joy and reached down to undo the straps on his cast.
"The lengths I go to for those two," he muttered as he freed his ankle from the plastic apparatus.
"Are they gone?" a feminine voice said from the other door.
"Yes, and I can finally get rid of this bloody thing!" William removed the cast and tossed it on the floor. "Come here, Lizzy." She entered the room and climbed into his lap.
"So when are you going to tell them the truth?"
"Don't know that I will. Next week my leg will show remarkable improvement. I'll limp a few days and they'll never be the wiser."
"You're very bad, William Darcy," Lizzy purred into his ear.
"All's fair in love and war. But now that I've resolved their love lives, I'd like to concentrate on ours."
The End