The Preemptive Strike
Scene 3 – Planning for a night out, Saturday morning call
Nora and George discussing what to do now.
Nora: What should we do with Derek tonight? I want Casey to be there to meet the rest of the family now.
George: Well, we are in luck. Derek's friend Sam has a birthday tonight, and Sam's mom, Sheila, asked me if Derek wouldn't mind going out to dinner with them for Sam's birthday. It will be at a different restaurant so we will have no reason to worry about them accidentally meeting right now.
Nora: That sounds perfect, I'll see you tonight. Love you.
George: Love you. See you tonight.
Ends phone conversation
Scene 4 – Saturday night, Olive Garden
Nora, Casey, and Lizzie meet George, Edwin, and Marti there.
George: It is so nice to see you again, Casey. It was a pity you couldn't join us last time.
Edwin: How was your bal-...? (George clamps a hand over Edwin's mouth.)
George: What do you think of London so far, Casey?
Casey: Oh, I think it is okay. I am not crazy about this place, but I think it could grow on me.
George: Cool, I am glad to hear it.
Casey: Mom, I thought you said three kids. Where is the third one?
George: Oh you must mean, Derek. His friend's birthday is today, and he was invited to go out to dinner with his family at the last minute.
Nora: Well, that's sweet.
Casey: (appears skeptical) Yeah, that is sweet. I thought this was planned a couple of days ago though.
George: I figure, what the heck, his friend only gets a birthday once every year and our two families have all the time in the world to meet everyone.
Casey appears confused but shrugs it off. The hostess comes to seat them.
Lizzie: Wow, I can't take my eyes off the dessert menu. I so just want to skip the main course and go straight to dessert.
Nora: Not on my watch, Lizzard. You pick something off the dinner menu first.
Lizzie: Fine (She huffs.)
Casey is looking over her menu for the most balanced platter on it when George interrupts her thoughts.
George: So, Casey, have you decided what you wanted from the menu yet?
Casey: (making a funny face) None of these main courses sound particularly balanced to me, I can't eat something that isn't balanced.
George: (laughing) You are funny, Casey. Restaurants are not supposed to serve perfectly balanced meals for every course.
Casey: Then I refuse to eat anything here if I can't get a balanced meal.
The waiter comes in.
Waiter: Hi, I'm Seth. I will be very happy to take your order when you are ready.
Casey: Do you have anything for someone who only eats balanced meals?
Waiter: Well, we usually do the soup, salad, and breadstick special during lunch, but I can make an exception for you if you want?
Casey: That sounds fantastic, I will just have that then, and I would like a Diet Coke
Nora: Raspberry Tea and Seafood Alfredo please.
Edwin: I am ordering off the kid's menu, I want the sausage pizza and Mountain Dew for my drink. (A/N: Edwin was less than 12 years old at the beginning of the series.)
Waiter: Very well, and you sir?
George: FettuccineAlfredo and a Raspberry Lemonade please.
Lizzie: I just want Spaghetti and Meatballs with a coke please.
Marti: What do you have for cats?
Waiter: I'm not sure. Do cats like pizza? (He asks Marti teasingly.)
Marti: Meow.
Waiter: How about cheese pizza and some milk then?
Marti: Meow.
Waiter: Very good then. Does everyone want their breadsticks and the house dressing on the salad?
Everyone: Yes! (Marti meows.)
Waiter: Okay then, I will be back with your drinks and then bring out your breadsticks and salad.
When the waiter left, George starts talking to Casey again.
George: Casey, I hear you don't have a boyfriend. A pretty girl like you must have the guys falling all over you in Toronto.
Nora gives George a 'What are you doing?' look.
Casey: I haven't had many guys around me. I go to an all-girl's private school.
George: You have had guys flirting with you before, haven't you?
Casey: No, I haven't. I don't think a guy has ever flirted with me.
Everyone else at the table erupts in a fit of giggles.
Casey: What's so funny?
Edwin: That waiter was definitely flirting with you, Casey.
Casey: (looking shocked) He wasn't flirting with me. He was taking my order and being nice to me.
Nora: He was grinning awfully big at you, my dear Casey. Guys usually do things like that when they want to impress a pretty girl.
Casey: Just because I impressed a guy with my appearance, there has to be some guy out there who isn't impressed by just how I look. I want to be more than a pretty face, you know.
Lizzie: Good for you, sister. You need to stand up for the girls everywhere that get a bad rap for being a pretty face and not taken seriously.
Casey: Thank you, Liz. Let's talk about something else now.
The rest of the dinner conversation is pretty boring. George and Nora decided beforehand it would be best not to bring up Derek because Casey is a smart cookie. She will know something is up if they start talking about him and his good qualities to her.
* * *
A/N: These are just some more scenes I was thinking of between the time George and Nora first meet to the point where Derek and Casey first meet. I had an idea for an impromptu meeting between the two of them. They don't exactly meet and get to know each other, but they spot each other. If you don't know what I am talking about, you should listen to James Blunt's "You're Beautiful" song. Anyways, I have to post the next scene too.
