The Key

Disclaimer:

This story is a work of fiction. Scooby Doo and all related characters are the property of Hanna-Barbera, Warner Bros., and /or Cartoon Network. Names, characters, locations, and events are fabricated from the author's imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, locations, or events is entirely coincidental.

Prolong

You can't see what's right in front of your eyes she'd said, then walked away. Maybe she was right; like the mailman who delivers your mail every day but if someone asked if you saw anyone that day, you'd say no.

I wanted to rush after her, to talk, maybe hold her hand, if she'd let me, while I waited for the school bus and she waited for her ride home (she never rode the bus). Instead I just watched her walk away; my feet felt like I was wearing concrete boots and my mouth was filled with cotton. But it was Friday and maybe I'd see her at the malt shop later with the gang. I'd get my chance to ask her to go to the Halloween Dance at the Coolsville High gym tomorrow night.

Unfortunately I never got the opportunity.

Part One: The Mystery

She hadn't shown up at the malt shop and when I asked, her friends were surprised that she wasn't there. The funny thing was the fact that Velma never showed. I didn't think too much about it because those two often had slumber parties together; one had gone on over a three day weekend. I hoped this wasn't one of their marathons. When Shaggy failed to appear, I called it an early night and went home.

I slept late the next morning. The only thing I had going for the day was mowing the lawn, and the Halloween party that evening. I was still in my blue stripped pajamas and robe, eating the oatmeal mom had fixed for me when she came in.

"What's this?" she asked, placing an envelope by my bowl. 'Fred' had been neatly typed in the center of the envelope.

"No idea mom." I replied as I tore the envelope open. There had been no return address but I hadn't expected to find one as there was no stamp on it either. Inside was half sheet of paper; pinking shears had left their tell-tale zig zag pattern around the edges. A rough drawing of a knight in battle with a dragon adorned the top section.

"What is the key? I'm waiting." had been typed across the center of the paper.

"I'm not sure mom," I said, handing the paper to her to see, "but it looks like I have a mystery on my hands." The zig zag pattern of the pinking shears looked like dragons teeth but what bothered me most was that I planned on going to the party as a knight...and I hadn't told anyone!

I changed into work clothes and went out to do battle, not with a dragon, but with our old lawn mower that would have to be replaced before next mowing season. As I worked I thought about the envelope and the message it contained. 'Messages' I corrected myself; I couldn't forget the drawing that had accompanied the typed message. The thought that the message contained in the drawing was as important as the typed one wouldn't go away.

The reason for typing the message and 'Fred' on the envelope was obvious; whoever did it didn't want me to recognize their handwriting. That cut the suspects down but not far enough. Who had gone to the trouble to send the envelope and what was 'the key'? And why use pinking shears rather than regular scissors. There were more questions than I had answers. The only answer I had was how to coax this old lawn mower through one more season.

By noon I had the lawn done and the mower back in the tool shed until the next time. I didn't have any answers to the mystery but I did have a plan. I headed upstairs to shower, change and take another look at the paper.

Part Two: The Girl in my Arms

The last rays of sunset had painted the darkening sky a rich mixture of colors when I drove into the Coolsville High parking lot that evening. Big brown moths swarmed the overhead lights as I got out of the car and adjusted my knightly costume; I headed toward the gym and the party which was just getting underway. I had the mystery solved...well, almost. I now knew who had sent the message and how it had been delivered. I also had a good idea as to why; 'the key' was the question that eluded me.

Every one was in costume, some as witches and some I had no idea what they were supposed to be. I waved to several friends from school I did recognize but I didn't see the ones I wanted to see. Daphne's rich red hair and Velma's thick eyeglasses would have made those two stand out. I did spot Shaggy by the punch bowl and decided to have some fun. I walked up behind him, raising my voice an octave, "Thank you Shag for the drawing."

"Thank you, it was nothing." He replied then jerked around when he realized it wasn't either of the girls.

"Fred! How..." he stammered.

"Take it easy Shag," I tried to calm Shaggy while laughing. "Is that punch for the girls or are you going to drink all three cups?" I poured a cup for myself and relieved Shag of one of the cups.

"Where are the girls anyway?" I looked over the crowd, "Oh, there they are...shall we?" I pointed toward the girls.

Walking toward the girls I couldn't help but smile at their costumes. Both wore renaissance faire style gowns; other than the obvious needed difference in length the only other dissimilarity was color; Daphne in royal purple, Velma in winter green.

"Your punch dear lady." I bowed, offering the cup. With me in my knight costume with Shaggy as my squire, we made a dashing foursome.

"Thank you kind Sir," she curtsied and took the offered cup. And smiled. That smile that made my heart race around my chest. I tried to say something but my tongue got in the way. She took a sip of the punch.

"Its good punch," her coquettish green eyes played over the edge of the cup at me. The last piece of the puzzle dropped into place! I knew 'the key'! I could see the whole picture now. The red haired princess standing by a stream waiting for her knight in shinning armor.

"Oh brother." Velma said under her breath. "Plll-e-ase."

"Velma," Daphne smiled at our mutual friend.

"What Daph?"

"Get lost."

"Okay, Okay. I know when I'm not wanted. But Fred, if she's not back after the dance I'm sending in the Marines! Shaggy Rogers, if you don't ask me to dance, I'll find someone who will!" Shaggy took her hand and they walked away. Secretly I hoped they would become a couple but that was up to them. I relieved Daphne of her cup, placing both on a near by table.

"My Lady, may I have this dance?" I extended my hand. She placed her hand on top of mine, renaissance style.

"I'd love to Sir Knight." She let me lead her to the dance floor, her eyes twinkling as she slipped smoothly into my waiting arms. Her cheek was soft against mine.

"What is the key? I'm waiting." She repeated the message. I loved having this picture of loveliness in my arms.

"First you made several mistakes. If you and Velma had been absent from the malt shop I might have thought you two were having one of your slumber parties. But Shaggy was absent too---that was too much of a coincidence!

"You three must have spent some time deciding what exactly the message should say while you did Velma's nails in your room. Once the message was agreed to, Velma typed it, you used the pinking shears, Shaggy did the drawing and later placed it on our door." Her hand softly caressed the hair on my neck, driving me crazy but I liked it.

"How do you know it was my room and that I used the shears?" she whispered so softly I had to strain to hear her.

"Your typewriter has a defective 'e'. The same defect is in "the key" of the message. I notice you are wearing a certain shade on your nails, there was a small smear of the same shade on the back of the paper. I missed it the first time. My guess is your nail polish wasn't quite dry when you used the shears."

"And Shaggy?" Her breath tickled my ear.

"The easiest of all; every artist has a style, he didn't bother to hide his style and I recognized it almost immediately. Besides, I've seen your attempts at drawing, Velma is good at technical drawings but..."

"And 'the key'?" she interrupted, still whispering.

"I wondered why Shaggy would choose to draw a knight fighting a dragon. We had all agreed not to let the others know what our costumes would be. Then I remembered, mom was pressing my costume one day when Shaggy and Scooby showed up. That's how he knew and he told you guys."

I didn't want to remove her cheek from mine but I did want to see those eyes when I continued.

"You were wrong you know...I do see what's in front of my eyes. The problem is that when we see someone everyday, we take them for granted. Our eyes see but it doesn't register. "The Key" is to see someone but not to take them for granted. Daphne, I don't want to take you for granted, ever. Will you wear my class ring?"

I realized we had stopped dancing and was just standing there. She looked at me for a few seconds with those beautiful eyes before she took a brightly colored scarf from her costume, tying it around my neck.

"If I'm going to wear you ring Sir Knight, this is to remind you that you are my champion." Then her lips, so soft and tender, were against mine. I didn't need any one to tell me to kiss her back.

I felt a tap on my shoulder, "I hate to interrupt but would you guys like to go to the malt shop," Velma said, "Shaggy's hungry."

"I think that's a great idea Velma," I smiled, "first round is my treat, after that Shaggy is on his own."

Monday, my friends at school asked me why I was wearing an ascot. I didn't correct them. Throughout the coming years I've never corrected anyone.

Epilogue

Years later...

"Daphne! Shaggy and Scooby just wiped us out of Halloween candy! Do we have any more?"

"I'm not surprised! There's more in the cabinet."

"I don't see any, you sure?"

She came around the corner to see I had already retrieved the candy and had it out for the next little trick or treater. She smiled that smile and my heart went racing its way around my chest.

"Why are you wearing an ascot at night?"

I cupped her face in my hands, softly caressing her lips with a thumb, "I'll tell you when we get rid of the trick or treaters and turn off the lights."
In one smooth motion Daphne closed the door and turned off the lights.

She placed her arms around my neck, "I'm waiting," she whispered seductively. I did tell her...right after I kissed my wife.