Summary: Lenny is smitten with the new girl in town, and Laverne isn't sure how she feels about that, rated strong T just to be safe.
Author's notes: This will be a chapter fic, each chapter will be a new "Episode", just like if it were showing on TV.
"Shirl, you KNOW I hate it when you make dates for us on days we have to work overtime!" Laverne said as she and Shirley raced around their room, their dates would be picking them up in ten minutes ... and they just got home ten minutes ago.
"Oh, stop complaining, Laverne! these two guys are total catches! One is a lawyer and the other is an executive in a company!" Shirley exclaimed.
"Yeah, two successful men want to go out with the likes of us, I'll believe that when I see it." Laverne replied, her tone cynical as she put on mascara.
"Yes, they do, you'll see." Shirley replied as there was a knock at the door.
"See?" That's probably them now." Shirley said cheerfully as she practically skipped to the door.
Laverne shook her head endearingly. She wished she could have one tenth of Shirley's eternal, indomitable optimism. But Laverne was a realist, she couldn't help it, it was the way she got brought up.
"Oh ... Mrs Babish, is something the matter? did Laverne not send the check for the rent ... again." Shirley said, raising her voice to ensure that Laverne heard her.
"No, no I paid that thing, I swear!" Laverne said as she hopped into the living room, trying to walk and put on her shoes at the same time.
"Relax girls, this isn't about the rent." she said as she looked to her left and motioned to someone in the hallway.
"Come on, they won't bite." She said.
"Well ... I might bite." Laverne said jokingly, Shirley elbowed her hard in the stomach.
"Girls, this is Mary Lou Fitzgerald, she just moved here from Michigan, and she is going to be living in the apartment right across from you." Mrs Babish said. the girl was about their age, and was slightly taller than Laverne with curly brown hair cropped into a cute pixie cut with pink highlights. Her build was lean and strong, and lended itself to a life of labor.
"Well, I'll leave you girls to get acquainted." Mrs Babish said cheerfully.
"It's nice to meet you." she said politely as she shook their hands, her handshake was strong and confident, and her hands were rough and calloused.
"Err ... likewise." Shirley said as she rubbed her aching hand.
"Did I hurt you? I'm sorry, my father always taught me that a strong handshake is a sign of good character." Mary Lou said bashfully.
"Aw, naw, don't mind her, she's just a wimp." Laverne said as she nudged Mary Lou playfully.
"I am not a wimp!" Shirley said indignantly as the phone rang and she went to answer it.
"Please forgive me if I have offended your friend." Mary Lou said
"Hey, forget about it." Laverne said as Shirley returned with a downcast look on her face.
"Well, as if right now, we have no dates." she said sadly
"Why? what happened?" Laverne asked, Shirley suddenly burst into tears.
"They dumped us! You were right, Laverne! I should have listened to you when you said they wouldn't want to go out with the likes of us!" Shirley wailed.
"Shirl ...! Not in front of company!" Laverne hissed as she put an arm around her shaking shoulders and tried to comfort her.
"Maybe I should go ..." Mary Lou said.
"Naw, I got an idea, in fact, since we are all already dressed, why don't we go out and have a girls night, eh? Show Mary Lou the great city of Milwaukee." Laverne said as she nudged a sniffling Shirley playfully with her hip.
"I ... I guess it is our obligation as her new neighbors to welcome her to the building and such. Besides, isn't it best that she learns from the right people what to avoid?" Shirley said a she dried her eyes.
"That's the spirit!" Laverne said, suddenly their door swung open and Lenny came crashing in, startling them all.
"Geeze, Len! You wanna give us all a heart attack or what?" Laverne said as she clutched her chest.
But Lenny didn't answer, his eyes were fixed on their new neighbor.
"Mary Lou, this is our upstairs neighbor, Lenny Kosnowski. Lenny, this is Mary Lou Fitzgerald, she will be living in the apartment across from us." Shirley said with an exasperated sigh. But Lenny didn't seem to hear them, he just kept staring at them with a glazed look on his face.
"Say hi, you big dope!" Laverne said as she elbowed him hard in the ribs.
"H ... Hi ... big dope." Lenny repeated in a dazed fashion.
Laverne and Shirley cast knowing glances at each other as they tried to hide their amused grins.
"Hello, Lenny, it's nice to meet you." Mary said as she offered her hand and he slowly took it.
"Now, what was so darned important that you had to barge in here in the first place?" Shirley asked, not sure if she really wanted to know the answer or not.
A look of remembrance dawned on Lenny's features.
"Squiggy's sick, real sick, he's lost his voice and everything! We got a few gigs coming up and I was wondering if you could fill in." Lenny asked Laverne and Shirley.
"Uh ... Len I don't know ..." Laverne began.
"I could do it, I use to sing in the church choir back home." Mary Lou interjected.
Lenny turned to her. "You'd do that?"
"Sure! I love to sing, and you need a singer, right?"
"Uh ..."
"Then it's settled, when's our first practice?"
"Uh ... how about tomorrow night?" he stuttered
"Great! it's a date! see you then." she said with a cheery smile.
"S... See you then." Lenny said as he practically floated out the door.
Once their door had closed, he leaned against the wall with a huge goofy grin on his face.
"Hello, Mary Lou, goodbye heart!" he said.