"You don't love someone for their looks, or their clothes, or for their fancy car, but because they sing a song only you can hear." Oscar Wilde
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He stood there leaning against the column, part of the portico where he'd sought shelter from the rain. Holding his umbrella out in one hand; Napoleon Solo looked as though he were lost in thought.
The rain had all but cleared the streets of pedestrians for the moment, as most people scurried indoors or hopped into taxis.
Impeccably dressed as always in a new double breasted grey suit and a red silk tie; Napoleon's mind was indeed wandering. He'd been waiting for a half hour now...at least it was that long ago when he'd last checked at his wristwatch.
"Late again," he sighed his disappointment. Though he understood, as he himself was notorious for not being on time. Still, this wasn't the way he'd envisioned how things would go today.
He'd made Valentine reservations at the 21 Club. First cocktails and hors d'oeuvres at the bar and dinner, seated at his usual table in the back in a more discreet corner of the restaurant.
The menu, Oysters Rockefeller as an appetizer, filet mignon and lobster tails served with a buttery-cream vodka sauce, a house specialty; accompanied by champagne of course. Dessert, a Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte...Black Forest layer cake filled with whipped cream and Kirschwasser-soaked cherries, more whipped cream, chocolate shavings, and cherries.
Afterwards, they'd go somewhere more intimate…
Why he'd agreed to meet here instead of just getting a taxi and going together, he had no idea, and as usual there had to be a discussion otherwise.
"Fine you win!" He remembered throwing up his hands in surrender. "I'll meet you wherever you want."
Napoleon began to whistle to while away the time and before he knew it, he was softly singing to himself in his usual off-key voice.
"The way you wear your hat, the way you sip your tea, the memory of all that. They can't take that away from me ….the way your smile just beams." He stopped for a second, chuckling to himself and adjusting the words,
"The way I sing off key...The way you haunt my dreams. No, they can't take that away from me."
He turned in place, doing a little Gene Kelly spin, then thought better of it, or was it more like Fred Astaire? If it were Kelly, then he should be whistling 'Singing in the Rain.' Definitely Astaire...
Napoleon stopped himself, realizing how some of these lines in the song were actually very applicable.
"We may never meet again, on that bumpy road to love, still I'll always, always keep the memory of, the way you hold your knife, the way we danced till three. The way you changed my life...no no they can't take that away from me, no they can't take that away from me…"
He looked up, seeing the blonde he was waiting for was standing there right in front of him; a pair of bright blue eyes watching him and an impish smile that was growing.
Napoleon continued singing."The way you changed my life...no they won't take that away from, no they can't take that away from me at all."
"You're in a good mood."
"I am now that you're here. Shall we get a taxi?"
"No, might we walk? Everything smells so fresh when it rains doesn't it?"
"Yes it does." Napoleon grinned, opening up his umbrella for the two of them as there was a light mist still falling.
