I wrote this some time ago, when CarLo's 'date' was nothing more than a vague spoiler. Any similarities between this short fic and the actual scene are purely coincidental. When I read the word 'date' in all the spoiler posts, I took it quite literal. This is how it played out in my mind...
Disclaimer: All standard ones apply. I own nothing.
.Rendezvous.
Thinking it was yet another business call, he was surprised when he flipped open his phone and heard, "Have dinner with me."
"Carly?"
"Yeah?"
"What?" God, if he didn't feel like an idiot. Was that the best he could do?
"Have dinner with me, Lorenzo. Tonight." She sounded miffed through the static of the line, demanding and defensive. He was only caught unaware for that one second before the entire situation fell into place for him. That one second had been enough for him to feel both elated, and disappointed. He shook his head in warm amusement.
"Where," he asked simply, letting his pleasure at hearing from her filter through. He wasn't too proud to lay his heart out bare for her. It was her choice to actually see it or not.
She was silent for a long moment, probably expecting more from him, and then her voice came sighing over the phone. It was guarded, but no longer defensive. Whatever words she had wanted from him, she hadn't got. "Kelly's, eight sharp. Be there or I'll be gone." That was her way of letting him know she was in complete control of the situation. Whatever situation she perceived this to be.
Kelly's wasn't the ideal place for a 'romantic rendezvous', but it was a place familiar to both her husband and people that might know them. If he had any doubts before, he didn't now. "I'll be there."
"Good." And then the line was dead in his hand. He slid the cel back into his pocket and didn't think twice about it. He had better things to do.
¤ ¤ ¤
Eight Sharp. Their meeting was just as abrupt as their last parting. Carly wore a pale blue dress, the colour seeming a little washed-out, but a perfect contrast with her gold hair and dark eyes. It was long-sleeved against the chillier evenings, but the skirt was knee-length and lightweight so every breeze stirred it against her legs. It flared out around her as she turned, having heard his approaching footsteps. Her hand rested against her rounded belly unconsciously. She was beautiful, and the comfortablity she had in her own body only enhanced her beauty in his eyes.
She was going for casual, but not casual enough for the setting of her choice maybe. On one hand he could please himself by thinking that she had dressed up for him, on the other he wasn't blind enough to believe it. She didn't want to be too comfortable with him, and had dressed accordingly. The fact that she was making such an obvious effort at forcing distance between them was more promising then a warm welcome. Carly would pull on her armor only if she actually saw him as a threat.
"Carly," he said by way of greeting. He was pleasantly surprised to see her, though not because he thought she might back out. He knew she'd show, even if she just ended up telling him, yet again, how much she loved her husband. The surprise came from how pleased he always was to see her.
"Lorenzo," she nodded, something uncertain in her voice. He immediately latched onto that as a way of getting her to talk.
"Is something wrong?"
The question was enough. She snapped down on whatever doubt she had, then raised her chin to him. All was held safely behind her customary mask of aloofness.
"I'm great," she said. "The baby's fine," she added, knowing what his next question would be. "Let's go." She turned, placing her hand on the door of the diner to push in. She stopped as the light from inside glinted off her wedding ring. He stopped too as he recognized this as the defining moment he had been waiting for.
She was silent for a long time, and then she turned back to him. Her left hand fell down to her side, her thumb twisting the band around and around on her finger. She spoke then, and her voice was blank and empty, making him wonder what she was hiding with it.
"You know I'm only using you to get back at my husband." She looked up at him with that, her eyes hard and dark with challenge. She was so certain he was going to be upset. No, she wanted him to be upset, so she could wave him off and retreat to familiar ground.
He, at the moment, couldn't have been more pleased. He clasped his hands behind his back and answered her expectant gaze with a knowing smile. His hands were empty, but not by choice. No matter the outcome of tonight, this moment was still a pivotal one in the course of their relationship. Flowers and all the traditional gifts had seemed too fleeting and insignificant. He had wanted to give her something she could take with her, something that wouldn't wilt and wouldn't die. But he knew she wasn't to the point that she would actually accept any thing from him. So he decided to give her something she had no choice but to take and keep and turn over later while she lay in her empty bed.
"I know that's what you want me to believe," he said.
She shook her head, her confusion toning her glare down a notch. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"You know you're only using your husband as an excuse to see me," he answered her, then leaned over and kissed her cheek before she could react, surprising himself just as much as he surprised her. Drawing back, even as she took two startled steps back into Kelly's door, he added, "Call me when you want to do this for real."
It was odd being the one to turn and walk away first.
.The End.
Yeah, I'm a horrible writer. But I like to write, so oh well. That's what's important, right? ^_^
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