Christmas Eve Across the Ages
"That's how we're going to win. Not fighting what we hate. Saving what we love." Rose to Finn, Star Wars: The Last Jedi
December 24, 2017
At about 8:45 on Sunday morning, Will Darcy, after returning from a workout at the gym, entered his bedroom quietly and sat on the edge of the bed. He knew he should wake up Beth soon, since they were due at Chase's house for brunch at ten, but he wanted a chance to gaze at her. His eyes followed her long eyelashes brushing against her warm brown skin, swept across the lovely curve of her oval-shaped face, and moved down to her full lips that were so delicious to kiss. She was so beautiful!
His heart was so full right now. After meeting Beth last Friday evening, she and he had spent much of the week together when he wasn't working. Over the weekend, he had joined her at her parents' house to help pack and organize boxes. The chore had given them plenty of time to talk about their lives, families, work, and interests, and discover that Friday evening hadn't been a fluke spurred on by supernatural encounters with their distant ancestors. No, they were in fact very compatible, both loving outdoor activities, cuisine of every ethnic stripe, meeting everyday people instead of sightseeing when they traveled, and of course, science fiction. They were able to open up about painful topics such as her parents' illnesses and deaths. He marveled that, despite hiding his father's imprisonment and mother's addiction from virtually everyone except his sister Gia and Chase for so long, he had no fear of entrusting such a vulnerable part of himself to her.
Will also had had a chance to read some of Beth's great-great-great aunt Eliza's journal, and it almost felt like encountering a sacred text. He was now even more convinced that the visitations by Eliza and his great-great grandfather Fitz had happened to bring Beth and him together.
In the evenings, they had had fun together, going out to eat, watching movies, visiting museums, catching up with some of her old friends, and hanging out with Chase and Janet and their kids. But last night was the pinnacle. They had gone out to Samba Bar and Grille in Somerville, which thrilled Beth who loved Brazilian food but lamented the lack of any Brazilian restaurants in Olympia, Washington. Even better, the place offered live music and dancing on the weekends, so they had had a blast.
Afterward, he was overjoyed when she had asked if they could go back to his place. He hadn't wanted to be the one to suggest taking their relationship to the next level, because he didn't want to admit how nervous he was. He had been celibate since his return to the U.S., so afraid he was of encountering someone who might know about his past. He needn't have worried. It had been amazing. Beth was amazing.
Beth stirred and opened her eyes. "Hi there," she said sleepily.
"Hey, you," he smiled back, leaning down to kiss her.
She kissed him back, but when she felt his tongue prodding, she pulled back. "Give me just a few minutes?"
He nodded, and she scampered out of bed to the bathroom. When she returned, he pulled her into his arms and lowered her onto the bed to finish what they had started. A few minutes into passionate foreplay, Beth suddenly stopped and cried out, "Oh, shoot!"
"What's wrong?"
"I left the presents for the kids at my hotel room, and Janet promised them they could open my gifts today. Do you mind if we stop by there on the way?"
"Which means we need to get going, doesn't it?" His disappointment was hard to mask.
"Yeah… I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you later today."
He nodded and kissed her one more time, before rolling away so she could get up and get ready. An idea occurred to him, and he broached it when she returned from showering. "What do you think about checking out of your hotel room and staying with me for the duration of your trip? Then you wouldn't have to run back and forth, and we could spend as much time together as possible before you leave."
She looked surprised, maybe even a bit troubled, but didn't answer right away. "Let me think about it, okay?"
Thinking she would be as excited about the idea as he was, it was his second disappointment of the morning, and he didn't want to feel this way, not after having had such an amazing week. He swallowed his feelings as they prepared to leave, and then again when they arrived at the home of Beth's brother-in-law and Will's best friend Chase to find that breakfast was not yet ready. After giving them a quick greeting, Chase told them he had to run back to the kitchen so nothing burned.
Beth looked at him apologetically. "I guess we could have taken more time."
He squeezed her hand to let her know it was okay, and then released it just in time to catch one of the three Bingham triplets who had bounded down the stairs to greet them.
It was Olivia, of course. The little girl was crazy about him, something that delighted him to no end. "Uncle Will, I have horses!" she shouted as he picked her up.
"Really, sweetie? Where?"
"In my room!"
"Are they big horses or little horses?"
"Big ones!" She stretched out her arms as far as the could go.
"How many are there?"
"Two!" she shouted, holding up three fingers.
"Is that three or two?" he asked.
She looked at her hand with a cute little frown, switching between two and three fingers a few times as she tried to figure it out. Finally, looking at three fingers, she shook her head. "No, I'm this many, so it's this many." Two fingers remained in the air.
"That's right, that's two," Will congratulated her. "Good job making sure you got it right." He asked her to tell her more about her new horse friends, and she happily shared how they had arrived in the middle of the night and saved her from a monster.
He heard scampering feet as Olivia's brothers came downstairs, followed by their mother. Joshua and Nathan used to get jealous at Olivia's monopoly of Will, but since Beth had come home, they decided she would be their new favorite. They plowed into their aunt, wrapping their arms around her legs and almost knocking her over.
"Hey, you two," Janet greeted them. "Sorry we're running behind. All three of the kids had nightmares at different times of the night last night, so guess who didn't get any sleep."
Beth laughed as she teetered back against the wall, one boy on each leg. "And you know they're not going to sleep tonight, either."
"No, I told them they'd better, or Santa wouldn't come. But I still won't sleep much because I'm on call." Janet was a pediatrician at Mass General Hospital.
At the mention of Santa, all three kids' ears perked up. Santa reminded Joshua of presents, and presents reminded him that Beth was bringing some. He started tugging at the bag she was carrying and begging to look inside.
"Only if all three of you go into the living room and sit quietly," Janet told them. "Then Aunt Beth will follow you in and give you your presents."
With the promise of presents in store, the kids were eager to obey their mother. As he lowered Olivia to the ground and watched her go, Will overheard Beth whisper, "I need to talk to you" to her sister.
Janet peeked into the living room and burst out laughing. "They're all sitting on their hands! I guess that's the only way they can stay still, they're so excited. Okay, Beth, you're on. Will, why don't you see if you can help Chase with breakfast?"
He knew it wasn't a suggestion, so he continued down the hallway to the kitchen, finding his friend surrounded by skillets on the stove and scrambling eggs. "How can I help?" he asked.
"You can keep making the waffles." Chase nodded his head to a charcoal gray appliance on the counter.
Will walked over. "How does this work?"
"There's one in there already. It'll beep in a few minutes, and the waffle will be done. Flip it over, lift the handle, and pull the waffle out. Then pour some more batter on it, flip it over again, and do the same thing."
"I could have figured that out myself."
"Hey, you asked!" Chase said. "Plus, you couldn't cook jack back when we lived together. Has that changed?" The two men had been roommates during their last two years of law school.
Will shook his head. "Not really." At that moment, the iron beeped. Following Chase's instructions, Will successfully pulled out the waffle and dropped it on a plate with an Emeril-style "Bam!"
"Proud of yourself, are you?" Chase laughed.
"Why shouldn't I be? I just made a waffle."
"Then hurry up and pour some more batter on. You are far from done, my friend." After Will had started the next one cooking, Chase continued. "How are you and Beth doing?"
Seeing the broad smile that spread across Will's face, Chase whooped. "Y'all did the deed, didn't you? My boy! Don't give me any details, though. She's still my sister-in-law."
"Good, because I wasn't going to." Will was still grinning from ear to ear.
"So what happens next?"
"When, later today? I thought you didn't want details."
"No, I mean next week. She's leaving soon, remember?"
Will shrugged. "I don't know. We haven't talked about it yet."
"So this is just a holiday fling?"
Chase's stern expression and tone annoyed Will. "You're not playing protective brother-in-law, are you? Beth doesn't need it."
"Believe it or not, I'm kind of protective of both of you. I remember everything you've been through. I don't want to see either of you get hurt."
Will nodded, his irritation fading. "It's definitely not just a fling. Not to me at least."
"And to her?"
Earlier that morning, Will would have said Beth felt the same way he did. Now he wasn't so certain. Why had she reacted as she had to his request that she stay with him? And what did she want to talk to Janet about? "I'm not sure."
"You two should probably start talking about it then. And that's the last thing I'm going to say on this subject."
Will nodded slowly, feeling a bit frustrated. His "stay with me" request was supposed to have been a prelude to just that, a discussion of what they would do when Beth returned to Washington.
~~%~~
December 24, 1911
The Fellowship Hall at the African Meeting House smelled of pine needles, candles, and delicious food as Eliza Bennet entered. A potluck supper had been organized following Christmas Eve services. Folks were already filling up plates and finding places to sit. They would enjoy a wonderful meal, followed by the students' presentation.
Eliza, Lucy, and Annabelle had been working for weeks to prepare the children's choir, and their voices, demonstrated first in church that morning, were angelic. They knew everything had to be perfect for the afternoon's ceremony. Mrs. Darcy, the wife of the founder of the Darcy School and the mother of its current headmaster, was coming this afternoon to present gift baskets for the children, collected by members of her Ladies' Auxiliary. The last thing Eliza wanted was for the Darcys to believe they were anything other than deeply grateful.
She and her fellow teachers were organizing the stage, making sure it was clean and neat for the presentation, when a voice came from behind her. "You're looking fine today, Miss Eliza."
Eliza turned. "Well, I thank you, Mr. Taylor. And Merry Christmas to you."
Solomon Taylor, doffed in a handsome suit and a well-trimmed moustache, was a childhood neighbor who had just returned for Christmas break from his third year of college at Howard University. Since that time, he had sought Eliza out repeatedly. "And to you. I was wondering if you might like to go ice skating tomorrow. They say the Frog Pond will be nice and frozen."
Eliza forced herself not to sigh. "I appreciate the offer, I really do. But you know my daddy. No playing on the Lord's Day."
Solomon smiled. "I believe today is the Lord's Day, so he can have no objection to me taking you out tomorrow."
"Tomorrow is Christmas, the holiest day of the year. In my daddy's eyes, that's the same thing. But I do thank you." She turned to gesture to Lucy. "Lucy is quite the skater. She might be available."
Her friend's eyes grew big as Solomon looked her over. "Perhaps your daddy is right," he said. "Christmas is a holy day, one to be spent with family and the Good Book." He nodded at the three women, and then quickly moved away to the buffet table.
"Eliza!" Lucy cried after he was gone. "Why did you do that? You embarrassed me."
Eliza felt badly for her friend; she hadn't thought Solomon would react like that. "I'm so sorry, Lucy. I know you're sweet on him, and I'm not. I thought that if he just had the chance to get to know you, he'd see what a lovely woman you are and stop trying to court me."
Annabelle laughed. At twenty-seven, she was the oldest teacher at the school since Charlotte had married Billy Collins. Although she was nearly a spinster, she seemed to understand the ways of men, and often gave the younger teachers advice. "It doesn't work like that, Eliza. When a man wants you, he's not likely to give up."
"Billy Collins did," Lucy protested. Indeed, Billy Collins had pursued Eliza for about a month, before marrying their friend Charlotte.
Annabelle harrumphed. "That's because Billy doesn't have the sense God gave him. It's a good thing he now has Charlotte for a wife. Otherwise he wouldn't even know how to put on his pants in the morning." At that image, Annabelle and Eliza laughed.
Instead of joining in their laughter, Lucy looked as if she might cry. Eliza reached out to hug her friend. "If Solomon Taylor can't see what a good woman you are, then he doesn't deserve you." Lucy was plain in looks, but very sweet and kind.
Lucy nodded. "I just wish I was so pretty like you. All the men like you, Eliza. Even Mr. Darcy. He looks at you all the time."
Eliza's eyes widened. "What nonsense is this? Mr. Darcy is only looking at me to find fault. Ever since I came to this school, he has treated me as the worst teacher he's ever had, and argued with every word out of my mouth."
"No, she's right," Annabelle objected. "You don't think we haven't noticed him going by every day to observe your classroom?"
"He observes every teacher's classroom."
"For two or three days, not every day since September!"
Eliza shook her head. "That's because he thinks I'm a terrible teacher! I try my best, and the children are learning, but he still thinks I'm not good enough."
"Eliza Bennet!" Lucy said sternly. "He looks at you like Solomon Taylor looks at you."
Eliza's heart started thumping. She wasn't sure what she was feeling—frightened, perhaps? Or was she excited? "Lucy, he's a white man!" she whispered. "There is no way on God's green earth that Mr. Darcy is looking at a colored woman like that!"
Annabelle shook her head. "Come now, Eliza, you know better. You know how many high yellow folks are running around because some white man looked at a colored woman like that?"
"Both of you, stop now, please!" Eliza shook her head. "It's hard enough being at this school and dealing with his stares without you putting this drivel into my head. Mr. Darcy is our employer, and we owe him the respect not to gossip about him or malign his motives."
"That's sound advice," Annabelle said. "Just… be careful around him, Eliza."
Eliza nodded. Why wouldn't she be? He might mean to alarm her with his critical eye, but her courage always rose with every attempt to intimidate her.
~~%~~
December 24, 2017
Her kids now happily playing on the floor with the Fisher Price playsets their aunt had given them, Janet turned to her sister, sitting beside her on the sofa, to find out what was bothering her.
Beth exhaled. "I don't know."
"Everything going okay between you and Will?"
"Yes, that's the strange thing. Everything's going great! We had sex last night for the first time." She whispered the last sentence, mindful of the little ears around her. They didn't seem to be listening, but one never knew what they might pick up.
Janet smiled. "And? How was it?"
Beth had to smile back. "Wonderful. Incredible!"
"So what's wrong?"
"I don't know. This morning, Will asked if I would be willing to stay with him for the rest of my trip. It makes sense, since we want to spend as much time together as possible. But for some reason, I became really afraid and couldn't answer him."
Janet pondered for a moment. "That's not surprising. When Chase and I set you up, we figured you'd like each other, but we didn't expect that things would take off like this so quickly between you."
"Even though you were talking about him flying out to see me before I'd even met him?" Beth grinned.
"See, when I said that, it was a joke! But now it's the real thing. If you two want to continue this, you're going to have a long-distance relationship. That comes with a lot of challenges. Maybe that's what's frightening you."
"Maybe. But I've always loved a challenge, so why would I be afraid of this one? I know I want to be with Will. From the time I first met him, it was as if we'd always known each other. Why am I so hesitant now?"
"First of all," Janet said, "You don't know him. I don't care what it feels like. You've known each other for all of nine days, Beth! He's had a lifetime of experiences you know nothing about, and thousands of thoughts and feelings and ideas he's never shared with you. After five years, Chase and I are still learning about each other, and probably will for the rest of our lives." She grinned. "And that's a good thing! Discovering each other is part of the fun."
"Okay," Beth nodded. "I get what you're saying."
Janet's eyes lit up. "Oh, you know what might be going on?"
"What?"
"You being so dang independent, girl!" Janet tapped her sister on the knee.
Beth frowned. "So what? Since when is that a bad thing? It doesn't mean I don't want a relationship."
"Yeah, but the guys you've been with in the past, you didn't need them. From what I can see, you need Will."
"No, I don't!" Beth protested. "I may want him in my life, but that's different."
"I don't mean need him like you can't live without him, or you need him to fix you in some way. It's more like… how do I describe it?" Janet thought about it for a moment. "Okay, it's like this. I need Chase. Not because I can't survive without him, although to be honest, it would be very hard on my own with the three kids. But I need the joy he brings me. I need his friendship. I need the partnership we have, how we help each other grow. He helps make me whole. Am I making sense?"
Beth nodded.
"And I think"—Janet wagged her finger at her sister—"you're starting to need these same things from Will, and it scares you because you've never felt this way before, and it's making you feel very vulnerable. You like being strong, so you don't do vulnerable very well."
Beth twisted her mouth, and then smiled. "My wise sister. You know me so well."
Janet grinned mischievously. "Or to put it another way, you're in love with him."
Beth's eyes flashed, making Janet laugh. "I knew it! You two are so disgustingly cute, I knew that if you weren't already in love, you would be soon!"
"You know what they say about payback. I've had to put up with you and Chase being disgustingly cute all these years."
Janet smirked. "Well, I'm thrilled. So have you told him yet?"
"Not in those words exactly."
"Girl, you need to tell him! Just like you still have a lot to learn about each other, you definitely can't read each other's minds."
Beth reached over and hugged her sister. "Thank you. See, this is why I need you!"
They both laughed, and then looked up to see a pouty Nathan in front of them. "How come she gets a hug and I don't?"
"Well, come on up here if you want one!" Janet told him. In seconds, all three children were up on laps and squeezing their mother and aunt.
~~%~~
December 24, 1911
After assuring that his man Thomas had safely loaded all the gift baskets in the wagon for transport, Fitzwilliam Darcy helped his mother into their Model T to make the short drive to the African Meeting House. She had balked at the idea of going to a place with such a name, wondering if it were festooned with artifacts from the Dark Continent.
"It's a church, Mother," he had assured her. "It looks little different than most white churches, although much plainer."
"I just don't see why we can't meet at the school!"
"The children have prepared a program for us. They needed a stage, which the school lacks and the church does not."
Mother sniffed, but seemed to accept his explanation.
They arrived and entered, to much welcome by the people gathered there. "I'd like to introduce you to my teachers, Mother. They especially wanted to express their gratitude for your generosity."
"As indeed they should," Mother replied.
As they approached the group of young women near the Fellowship Hall's stage, Annabelle, his most experienced teacher, spoke first. "Good afternoon, Headmaster Darcy. We're very honored to have you here today."
"Good afternoon, Annabelle. Mother, this is Miss Annabelle Jackson. She teaches the children who are ages eleven to thirteen. Annabelle, my mother, Mrs. Catherine Darcy."
Annabelle gave a small curtsey. "A pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Darcy."
"And this is Miss Lucy Smith, who teaches our eight to ten-year olds."
"Ma'am," Lucy said, also curtseying.
"And finally, this is Miss Eliza Bennet, who teaches our youngest children, ages five to seven. Since the departure of Miss Charlotte Lucas, who taught the other class of little ones and married last month, she has absorbed the additional students and now manages the largest classroom in the school. It was also her idea to offer the children's choir program today."
Fitz bit his tongue. Why had he shared these extra bits of information? Although he was quite proud of Eliza, he certainly hadn't wanted to make his admiration so obvious. Now the young woman had attracted his mother's curiosity.
"Your idea?" his mother said, peering closely at Eliza. "What brought that to your mind?"
"I'm new to the school this year, ma'am. I learned that for many years, you and your Ladies' Auxiliary have provided generous gifts to the children at Christmastime. I thought it might be nice to give you something in return, to thank you."
"And you think that colored children have something to offer me, besides their gratitude?"
"Oh, yes, ma'am! They're quite talented and very excited about singing for you today."
"We shall see. Where were you educated, young lady?"
"At Daytona Educational and Industrial Training School in Florida, ma'am."
"Is that one of those Negro schools?"
"Indeed it is." Eliza's eyes twinkled. "I could hardly attend Radcliffe, now, could I?"
"I should say not!" Mother looked quite offended. "What would a Negro woman do in a place meant to develop the jewels of white womanhood?"
Fitz wondered for a moment what might happen if he were to inform them that at least one Negro woman had already graduated from Radcliffe. Most colored women would not have the intellect to succeed at such a place, but he imagined that a few shining stars existed in every race. Eliza, he felt certain, was one of them.
Eliza seemed to relish sparring with his mother, but the other teachers appeared to have become quite uncomfortable with the conversation. "Headmaster Darcy, Mrs. Darcy, we have provided some chairs for you upfront as our guests of honor today," Annabelle said quickly.
As he led his mother to their seats, she remarked, "That young woman gives her opinion very decidedly for one of her race and station."
Fitz didn't answer, fearing that anything he said might give away his feelings for Eliza. He resolved to be particularly careful that no further sign of admiration should now escape him. He really believed that, were it not for the inferiority of her skin color, he should be in great danger.
~~%~~
December 24, 2017
By 1 PM, everyone had eaten their fill and had settled into the living room, where the children were once more playing on the floor. Chase had turned on the TV to watch the Patriots-Bills game. "Have you been following the Pats this season?" he asked his sister-in-law.
"Not really," Beth replied. "I'm in Seahawks country now."
Chase's jaw dropped in feigned horror. "Why, you two-faced, fair-weather, double-crossing traitor! How could you?"
Will laughed. "Tell us how you really feel, Chase."
"I know you're not going to let her get away with this. You're still a Pats' fan, right?"
"Actually…" Will said sheepishly, "I started following soccer when I lived in Europe."
Chase groaned. "Not you, too! Leave my house right now, both of you! Out! OUT!"
Everyone laughed, and then Will said, "Honestly, since I learned about CTE, I'm glad that I stopped watching American football."
"Don't give me that. You're just trying to make an excuse for your defection."
"No excuses," Will answered, a bit more seriously. "I mean, did you read about Aaron Hernandez's autopsy? They said his brain looked like that of a 90-year-old with severe Alzheimer's." He turned to Janet. "Knowing what we now know, would you want Joshua or Nathan to grow up to play football?"
"Probably not," Janet admitted. "I still can't give up my Pats, though. Especially because of Tom Brady. He's my heart." She patted her hand on her chest in fake palpitations.
"I thought I was your heart," Chase said with a pout.
"You are, baby, but come on. This is Tom Brady we're talking about. Right, Beth?"
Instead of backing her up, Beth scoffed. "Tom Brady who? I'll take Russell Wilson or Richard Sherman over him any day of the week!"
"Those are some beautiful men!" Janet agreed.
"Aww, why would you do that, Beth?" Chase moaned. "Now I have to either put up with my wife mooning over Tom Brady, or praising Seahawks!"
Beth just laughed, while Will took a deep breath, trying not to feel weird about the exchange that had just taken place. He couldn't fail to notice that as far as looks go, he had a lot more in common with Tom Brady than with Russell Wilson or Richard Sherman. Get a grip, he told himself. Jealousy was an unattractive trait. If Chase could joke around with Janet like this without feeling threatened, then he could do the same, right?
An hour later he was having a good time and laughing at himself for his hypocrisy and insecurity. He was enjoying the game and remembering how much he used to love American football. Plus, he was in an enviable spot, with Beth cuddled up against him on his left side, and Olivia on his right.
A while later, during a commercial break, a newscaster announced, "Coming up at 6: highlights of today's Patriots' game, a fire leaves a family homeless, and a white Christmas in the weather forecast! Also, what the GOP tax cuts mean for you and your family."
"Ugh," Janet said about the last item. "I can't believe that actually went through."
"Why?" Will asked. "Aren't you going to get a tax cut?"
"That depends," Chase answered. "They say it might hit people who own houses in high property tax states like Massachusetts pretty hard."
"Plus, it's not just whether it affects them personally," said Beth. "There's a lot to dislike about this bill, and how it's going to affect the country overall."
"I disagree," Will argued. "I spent the last six years paying U.S. taxes on all my income even though I didn't even live in this country. The new tax law is supposed to change that."
Beth sat up, animated. "You still owned property in the United States when you lived overseas, right? You still had investments here, correct? So why shouldn't you have been paying taxes here?"
"Yeah, on the income I earned here. Why should I have been paying taxes on the money I earned in Belgium?"
"Look, I'm not going to debate the specific facets right now, because that's not the point I'm trying to make. The point is, you shouldn't just be looking at this based on how it will affect you personally, rather than overall."
"So I should be looking at it based on how it affects you instead."
Beth's face went blank. "That wasn't what I meant, but I thought you'd know that." She sat back against the sofa, away from him, crossing her arms in front of her.
"Baby, it's past the kids' naptime. Let's take them upstairs," Janet said quietly. Olivia was now asleep against Will, Joshua likewise on the floor, and only Nathan remained playing. Chase stood and picked up the two boys, and Janet reached for Olivia.
~~%~~
December 24, 1911
The children sang beautifully, performing renditions of "O Come, All Ye Faithful," "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing," and "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen." The final song, "The First Noel," was to begin with a solo performance by 6-year-old Matthew Jefferson, one of the students in Eliza's class. Although he was one of her most mischievous students, the young boy had a celestial voice. Selecting him for this solo was one way that Eliza was trying to encourage him to channel his energies in positive directions.
The room was silent as Matthew's clear sweet voice rang out. By the time the other children joined him in singing the chorus, Eliza's heart had swelled with pride. When they finished, the congregants and parents gave them a standing ovation. Even Mrs. Darcy was standing! Eliza could see the joy on Matthew's face, knowing he had accomplished something special. She was so happy for him, finally understanding that he was more than "that naughty Matthew," as the other teachers often called him.
In the minutes that followed, as the children were embraced by their families, Mr. Darcy and his mother approached her. "That was indeed a pleasure," said Mrs. Darcy. "There are few people in Boston, I suppose, who have more true enjoyment of music than myself, or a better natural taste. If I had ever learned to sing, I should have been a great proficient."
"Thank you very much, ma'am," Eliza smiled. "I'm glad you enjoyed it."
"Mother," Mr. Darcy said, "I need to speak with Eliza for a moment. Will you please excuse us?"
"Yes, of course. You must extend your congratulations to your best teacher!"
Eliza blushed at the praise as Mr. Darcy led her aside to a corner of the room. She was therefore astounded to see the angry look on his face. "Mr. Darcy, is something the matter?"
"How could you," he said, his voice sharp, "allow Matthew Jefferson to perform that solo?"
"He has the best voice, sir. You heard him! He was lovely!"
"And he is also a child who is currently on punishment for bringing a frog to school and dropping it down a girl's dress!"
"Sir, that was weeks ago, and school is no longer in session!"
"But you have been practicing for this performance for weeks, when school was still in session. When did you select Matthew for this piece?"
Eliza looked down, knowing Mr. Darcy wouldn't be happy with her answer. "A few days into the rehearsals, sir. We had the children audition."
"So you rewarded a wrong-doer with the leading role in a performance meant to honor my mother? How could you, Eliza?"
Eliza swallowed hard. It was as she had known and told Lucy and Annabelle. Mr. Darcy looked at her for no other reason than to find fault.
Regardless of Mr. Darcy's dislike of her, she knew it was incumbent upon her to defend Matthew and her decision. Gathering her courage, she looked him in the eye. "Mr. Darcy, it is Christmas. A time when we honor the Savior who came here for all of us wrong-doers! If Christmastime doesn't remind you that we have all received forgiveness and undeserved second chances, then how dare you call yourself a Christian!"
Eliza gasped and covered her mouth. Had she really just said such a disrespectful thing to her employer? He would fire her for certain, so she knew she should do the righteous thing and quit. "I'm so sorry, sir," she said quickly. "I should never have said such a thing. Please forgive me. I will clear out my classroom first thing after the holidays."
Mr. Darcy gave no reply. Instead, he stared at her, his face pale and his expression troubled. He peered at her with a gentleness and sadness that pierced her heart. Standing so close to him, Eliza noticed his eyes for the first time. They were brown, the brown of coffee with just a touch of cream, and like coffee, were deep pools of richness and warmth. His eyes are beautiful, Eliza thought, and then blushed that she should be thinking such a thing.
"Eliza, please don't do that," he said softly. "My mother was right, you are my best teacher, and I would never want to lose you. And you are right. My attitude toward Matthew was very un-Christian. I hope that in the New Year, I can learn to do better in adopting some of your perspective about the children's potential."
He turned and walked away, leaving Eliza shaking and overwhelmed. She still had a job, thank goodness. Even more, she now knew that she worked for a very good man. One who would accept reproof from a woman, and a Negro woman at that, was a man with true goodness in his heart. She wondered briefly what it might be like if Lucy were right about Mr. Darcy fancying her. She shook her head. That would never be possible.
She watched him now from across the room, greeting parents, congratulating children, and even giving young Matthew a handshake. Merry Christmas, Mr. Darcy, she thought.
~~%~~
December 24, 2017
Will could feel the chilly silence in the room after Chase and Janet left, despite the sounds of the game in the background. His emotions were all over the place. He felt embarrassed by his argument with Beth, confused about why it had even happened, and even jealous, as he recalled Beth's Tom Brady remark like a punch to his gut.
They sat there for a few minutes, until Will couldn't take it any longer and had to break the tension. "Beth, how did we get here, from this morning until now?"
"Because we don't know each other," she said quietly, the hurt evident in her voice.
"I thought we did. Or were getting there, at least. Can we not disagree about something like taxes, or did that become a deal-breaker somehow?"
"It's not that," she said.
"Then what is it?"
She looked up at him for the first time in several minutes. "They'll be coming down again soon, and I know Chase still wants to watch the game. Can we go to the kitchen?"
They rose and walked to the kitchen, which had a breakfast nook that overlooked a wide backyard where snow now covered the toddler-sized jungle gym playset. Will and Beth sat down on the only two chairs at the table—the other spots taken up by three highchairs.
Beth rubbed her hands as they rested in her lap. He waited, and when she didn't speak, he decided to voice his fear. "Is this because I don't look like Russell Wilson or Richard Sherman?"
Her eyes widened. "What? No! Oh, Will, no, please don't think that!" She reached over and took his hand. "Just because I prefer them over Tom Brady doesn't mean that you're not the sexiest man I know."
"Sexier than Russell Wilson?" he asked, just to make sure he understood her correctly.
Her eyes lit up. "Oh, hell yes!" She leaned over and gave him a long kiss to show him just how much.
When they finally pulled back, both smiling, Beth said, "But…"
"I knew there was a but," he said, trying not to tense up again.
Beth squeezed his hand. "Let's talk."
~~%~~
From the journal of Fitzwilliam Darcy, January 5, 1914
"Eliza Bennet came to see me today. Until I saw her face, I had not thought that she could still hold such power over my heart, especially since my marriage to Sarah. I remembered the moment on that Christmas Eve some years ago when I first realized that my feelings for Eliza were not just fascination, but love. Today Eliza was everything gracious, congratulating me on my nuptials and wishing us happiness. I was not surprised to learn that since leaving my school, she had become a suffragette. A woman with her fire and passion would certainly be at the forefront of striving to help women obtain the right to vote.
"As I think back on her visit, I cannot help but be filled with remorse at my unkind words to her—'atrocious,' she called them, with that same twinkle in her eye that always delighted me—and anger at a society that declares that Negro and white can never be together. And yet, our fates have already been cast. I can only do as Scripture exhorts us, 'forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.' I must leave behind the 'what ifs' with Eliza, and devote myself to Sarah, to the children we might one day have, and the children of the Darcy School. I am grateful to Miss Bennet, for I am a better man for having known her. Perhaps someday, I might teach these lessons to my son, or to those that come after, that they might live their lives without regret."
~~%~~
December 24, 2017
Looking at the frown on Will's face, Beth wanted to make him smile. "The dreaded words," she said.
"What?"
"Let's talk. The ones no guy wants to hear from his girlfriend, right?"
It worked. The corners of Will's mouth turned up. "At least you still think of yourself as my girlfriend."
Beth smiled. "I do. Anyway, Janet and I had a very good talk this morning, and she said two things that really stuck with me. First, that no matter how much it felt like we had some immediate connection, we don't really know each other. And second, that I'm scared right now because my feelings for you are making me feel very vulnerable. She's right on both counts."
"Okay."
"When we were arguing about the tax bill, I realized that both of those things were impacting me at that moment."
"How so?"
"It's hard enough for me to let someone in like this, and even harder when they can't see the world from another perspective. You and I share a lot of similar interests, but have very different backgrounds, and probably very different points of view."
Will exhaled in frustration. "Beth, are you saying that somehow we can't see eye to eye because I'm white and you're African-American? It doesn't matter to me! And I had thought it didn't matter to you."
"It doesn't… and it does."
"You're going to have to explain that to me."
Beth rolled her fingers back and forth between Will's. Her fear was now back, and she now recognized the reason for it. Would he understand? "When it's you and me together, it's just you and me, and our different races or backgrounds don't matter. But it's not always just you and me. In fact, most of the time it won't be. Who we are doesn't exist in a vacuum."
"Are you worried about what other people will think about us?"
She shook her head. "No, I don't care. But it is important to me that you see things from other perspectives. It's something I try to teach my students."
"And this has to do with taxes, how exactly?"
"It doesn't. It came up because you were thinking about how the bill affected you, and my hope is that you'll think about how it affects other people, too. But that's true of any issue."
"Otherwise, I'm not a 'woke' enough white guy, is that it?"
Beth's face flashed with pain, and suddenly Will stopped. He had seen that expression before, for a brief moment when he met Eliza. He had apologized for hurting her, not even knowing why, and later he read in Fitz's journal that Fitz had made the same apology. It was as if at that instant, with Eliza in front of him, Fitz's mind and heart had merged with Will's.
It was happening again. Fitz's regret, the realization that he had hurt the woman he loved and lost her because of it, washed over him. He recalled Beth musing that Fitz probably didn't even understand how bigoted his attitudes were, and realized that he might be in danger of having the same problem. Will knew suddenly that his ancestor was prodding him, reminding him of his own mistakes and urging him not to repeat them.
He pulled her hands to his lips and kissed them. "I'm sorry, Beth. That was a stupid, stupid thing to say. It was me being defensive and insecure, and I think you're saying I don't need to be. I just need to listen and try to understand."
Beth nodded. "Yes, that's what I'm saying. We can still disagree, but I hope it comes from a place of understanding other points of view."
"Okay, I hear you. And if I ever forget, give me a swift kick in the pants."
Beth smiled as a thought came to her, a quote from the movie The Last Jedi, which Will and she had watched the previous weekend. It was about not fighting what you hate, but saving what you love. She loved Will, and he—they—were worth fighting for. "So maybe we should talk about what we're going to do after I go back home."
Will smiled. "I've been thinking about that, and I have some ideas. May I share them?"
"Be my guest."
"I think I should start preparing to move to Olympia."
Beth's mouth dropped. "You mean that?"
"I do. I'm going to miss you like crazy after you leave, so I know I need to do something about it. It makes sense for me to move, because I just came back to Boston not long ago. You're the one with the established career and home and friends."
"That's a big change, though!" Beth said. "What if things don't work out between us? I mean, I want it to! But what if you uproot your life and it doesn't?"
"I won't move right away. I'm thinking in about four to five months. That'll give me time to close out my cases and shut down my law practice, and to visit you a few times on your home turf. I think we'll know by then whether it's going to work or not."
"Wow," Beth said, overwhelmed.
"And Beth," Will leaned closer, "In the interim, I'm going to try to figure out a way to build a life for myself out there."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, I'm going to look for a job. I'm not going to do the solo practice anymore. I'll probably also look for some volunteer groups I can join, maybe doing legal aid. I need to be around people. It's like you told me, I need to start really living, and not be afraid any longer of what might happen if people know I'm George Wickham's son."
"I'm glad," Beth said. "You know I really want that for you."
"It's for you, too," he added. "It wouldn't be fair to you for me to go out there and have you be my whole life, without having something to offer you in return."
Beth grinned. "So you don't want to hide away in my apartment and be my sexy boy toy?"
Will laughed. "I'd happily be your sexy boy toy, but you deserve more than that."
"Yeah, I'd probably get bored if that's all you were to me."
"I figured as much. So what do you think?"
"I think…" Beth exhaled, still a bit dazed by his offer, and the thoughtfulness he had put into it. "No, I know. I love you, Will, and can't wait to see this plan unfold."
Will's face lit up in an enormous smile. "And I'm madly in love with you!" He pulled her into a warm embrace and deep, passionate kiss.
They broke away when they heard loud, excited screams and shouts from the living room.
"The Patriots must have won," said Beth. "A early Christmas present for Chase."
Will nodded. "Yes, but I got the best Christmas gift of all."
THE END
~~%~~
I hope you enjoyed my story! I would love to read your comments!
Story references:
There are quite a few, but I'm going to place the happy or neutral ones here at the top, and the sadder ones at the bottom.
Happy/neutral notes:
- Massachusetts has the largest Brazilian population of any state in the U.S., and Brazilian restaurants are very popular there. In contrast, there are only 4 Brazilian restaurants in all of Washington state, none of which are anywhere near where I live. Yes, I miss Brazilian food. Why do you ask?
- Originally a watering hole for cows, Frog Pond on the Boston Common was revamped by the city in the 1850s for public use. To this day, it is a public wading/spray pool in the summer, and an ice skating rink in the winter.
- The African Meeting House in downtown Boston was built in 1806 and is the oldest still-standing black church building in the United States.
- Daytona Educational and Industrial Training School was founded in 1904, as one of the HBCUs (historically black colleges and universities). It was later renamed Bethune-Cookman College (now University), and still exists to this day. Howard University, where Eliza's unwanted suitor Solomon attends, is also an HBCU, located in Washington, DC.
- The first African-American woman to attend Radcliffe College (Harvard University's former sister school) was Alberta Virginia Scott, who graduated in 1898.
- On December 24, 2017, the New England Patriots beat the Buffalo Bills, 37-16. The Seattle Seahawks also won their game against the Dallas Cowboys, 21-12.
- I can't post photos here, but if you haven't seen pictures of the three football players referenced, Tom Brady of the New England Patriots, Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks, and Richard Sherman of the Seattle Seahawks, then let's just say I'd highly recommend it!
Sadder notes:
- CTE stands for Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, a neurodegenerative disease affecting people with multiple head injuries, such as athletes who play contact sports. CTE often leads to behavioral problems, aggression, depression, and dementia. The discovery of CTE and its impact on American football players were dramatized in the movie Concussion, starring Will Smith and Gugu Mbatha-Raw.
- Aaron Hernandez is a former player with the New England Patriots. In 2015, he was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of another football player, and he was later charged but acquitted for two other murders. He committed suicide in 2017. Following an autopsy, he was diagnosed with CTE.
- The GOP stands for Grand Old Party, a nickname for the Republican party. I'm not going to say anything else about the recently passed GOP tax bill, because it's Christmas.