Disclaimer: After six chapters, I wonder if anyone is even reading my disclaimers anymore. Let's do an experiment. anyone brave enough to write a review just on disclaimers? But then you might stop reading. I guess you already know that I don't own Phil of the Future, but if you stopped reading, you'd miss last call and - hey, you do have I.D. to get into the pub, right? Otherwise, you're not allowed to read below, because tonight we'll be ...

... PLAYING AROUND ...

Chapter 7 - "GNO" equals Dames, Darts, & Daiquiris, Darling

... waiting her turn, Teslow took another sip from her, well, numbers aren't really important if you're having a good time, current drink. This felt good, having a night out with the girls from the real estate office; they really ought to make this an annual - monthly - weekly - ritual. She was having the best time. Everyone was so, so, so-so, so happy. There were new people in the pub that they had challenged to a friendly game of darts and somebody was winning. Oh, and she had a new audience to introduce (show-off) photos of her sweet Jelly Roll.

"What a lovely coat your Jelly Roll has."

"What a lovely -? But she's not wearing a coat."

"What do you mean? Of course, she has a coat. How could Jelly Roll not have a -"

"YOU'RE looking at the cat. Her name is Samantha. My daughter is the girl holding the cat. Of course, this was taken when she was nine. She's bigger now."

"Huh? You mean you named your cat 'Samantha,' and you named your daughter 'Jelly Roll'?" Mandy's latest viewer of her photos turned to skedaddle away before she could be set straight. Ah, nuts to her. Who's next? There's one! "Hey, there. Hi! Wanna see the prettiest little girl in the world? This one's my daughter KEELY when she was nine and not wearing a fur ..."

"... coat you in sugar and lick you clean."

"That's sounds like your secret cat person is emerging, Phil."

"Guess you were right about me."

"Of course, I am. I know everything about you that's important. I was very careful before I gave you my heart." Teslow played with his hair, grooming her man, nearly preening him. She hadn't played with dolls in ages; while this did call up familiar memories, Phil was so much better than Ken. For one thing, he wasn't plastic, like some boys. And he had a brain, too; Phil Diffy was definitely ..."

"... sharp, so watch it. You don't hand darts over that way unless you're trying for multiple blood samples. That's better." Teslow took the tail end of the darts, then had some help as her buddies pointer her in the general direction of the pub's dart board. Watching the entire debacle was a moonlighting Coach Buchinsky, tonight's bartender, who was presently congratulating himself for posting disclaimers above and below the dart board:

[ Management is not responsible

for lost darts, injuries or damages

due to the judgment or aim of

amateur or pro participants, but - ]

and

[ - this includes bystanders, too.

Friends, before you commit,

take some good advice:

Watch Where You Sit! ]

With tonight's crowd, they'd get some use, he'd wager.

"Seven in the corner pocket," she predicted for her throw. Teslow's crew laughed at her faux pas - until she nailed the seven - then their escaping gasps were reminiscent of an old time steam locomotive coming to a stop. Keely's mom's remaining darts followed suit, delivering themselves where she addressed them to be. Gasps were replaced by cheers! Those outside of her chums thought they were witnessing a lucky streak, maybe even a skilled dart fanatic. Her coworkers knew better. Teslow could sink a crumpled up phone memo into a waste basket from across the room, and into a coffee cup at half that distance, but what she was infamous for was wearing out the center of the dart board on the back of her office door. Whenever it was closed, everyone knew better than to enter without knocking; rumor was that her dart board once framed the picture of a man who'd done her wrong, and that's how she became phenomenally adept at hitting the bull's-eye, taping up smaller and smaller photos until he was no larger than the red center. Teslow rarely missed ...

... being face to face, cuddled up in a ball. Yes, those kittens were precious, yet not as much so as the pair of bare lovers who had moved to Teslow's more comfortable bed. They were cozier, too, under her covers, spooning. There were many Phil-like qualities which she found endearing, and among the best was his ability to enjoy taking his time, letting both of them take their time. Presently, he was taking his time with her tummy, moving slow and easy, actually making a conscious effort not to tickle her. She appreciated all of that, especially that last part. He really did love her so much, always putting her comfort before his own, her wants, her needs. Didn't he have needs to? Rolling over to face him, she witnessed his smiling face. He was happy. Now, what about his needs? Teslow reached between directly between Diffy's legs; not shy anymore, this one. Phil liked that, but instead of being selfish and letting his bedmate do all the work (or have all the fun; it's a matter of perspective), he reciprocated in kind. Teslow made happy sounds as ...

... it was announced she'd won another round of drinks for her team mates. Eight rounds and the challenging team was practically sober, while - well, if you remember, Teslow was pretty sloshed to begin with. Mind you, her throws were sloppier, but that wasn't only from the prizes she'd been downing from her wins; she was getting prideful, too, taking to heart all the compliments being touted about her dexterity with darts. This was destined to be her downfall as down another glass of white wine. Her competition, if she could call her that, was steady in throws. Teslow wondered if that was from misplaced hope, or simply the lack of inebriation due the loser. Whatever. Didn't matter. Her teammates urged their champion to earn them more drinks yet again, and she found now familiar darts thrust into her palms. Studying them with questionable vision, she claimed one, grasping it around its ...

... shaft, holding it firmly, turning it ever so slightly with her fingers, noting how skin willing followed along with her hand even while what was hot and firm only would bend a bit. Hearing no complaints from her playmate, she continued. Removing herself just to lick her palm, she felt him reach up her thigh, her belly, ... what did he want?

She reached for him and he took her wet palm, rubbing his palm into hers, feeling the thin layer of moisture her tongue had painted on it. She'd need more. He pulled her hand between her legs, ignoring her plea to stop. Didn't she know how wet she was? Drenched in her own fluids, her hand was hers once more. Now, what was she doing before he made her do that? Oh, yeah. She grabbed on to him once more and ...

... found out that her aim had drifted to the right and down. Groaning erupted in the room, by her side and onlookers. The only cheers for her emanated from her opponents.

"Come on, Teslow. Keep your head in the game!"

"Teslow. Teslow. Teslow."

"Don't say my name three times. You'll jinx me."

"Okay, Okay. Just nail the board."

She was losing her focus, getting emotional. Sloppy. Reaching down, her fingers slipped and her thumb was rewarded with such ...

... a little prick, but it was all hers and no one else's. He'd promised her and he always kept his promises, unlike some people. Most people. It was this oddness, this meaning what he said and standing by his word that had attracted her to this boy from another time. There was never another Phil, nor would there ever be. Somehow, she had been lucky enough to have him fall into her lap, and ultimately brave enough to admit to the world that she loved him. They were a couple, certainly; best of all, despite their different backgrounds, they made sense together. It was this that bonded them, not how they looked, or even the different taste now in her mouth, reminiscent of something ...

... salty around the rim of the glass. Teslow had scored just high enough to pull off another round of drinks, but her friends seemed to sense that this might be their last. Getting to this stage of the game, they had had a lot of fun tonight, more than they had expected when they had entered the room; however, their fun? It should be culminating soon. Their champion would need a ride home. Bavarian Bees' Wax! She wasn't even facing the right direction for her throw! They rushed to her assistance to aim her at least toward the board, grabbing her shoulder, spinning her about and telling her, "Not ...

"... yet, Phil. Don't you dare end this yet. We've waited too long to get here. How about showing me some of that famous Diffy patience, Time Traveler?"

He sucked in lungs' full of air and waited to regain control. She didn't appreciate how hard this was to do when she smelled like this, kissed him like that, letting him inside her. As if she could read his thoughts, Teslow pushed off of his chest and sat up. Different position, that helped a bit. She smiled at him. That counted more. But that, despite her recent tone, she was happy, this is what gave him the will power to hold back what was building inside him, desperately demanding an exit. Yes, it all would have been fine and dandy ... but then she started riding up and down him, ready to start bouncing ...

... off the walls like a superball. One of the opposing team taunted her by reenacting a William Tell moment in miniature by pinning a stemmed cherry from Teslow's own drink over the bull's-eye for the dartboard ace to try and hit as if the fruit was a tiny red apple atop the noggin of her daughter. Could Teslow pierce her cherry?

"Just one more [HIC] shot. Make Mama proud."

The dart flew as if Cupid himself was making its flight true. Unlike the recent throws, this one was ...

... strong, bold, and determined to score by hitting her ...

... "BULL'S-EYE!"

The room was filled with screams of joy, of satisfaction, and of astonishment for how this anticipated moment made them feel.

Everyone had been waiting for this for so long, the final crescendo of tonight's symphony, and it wasn't a disappointment. Mind you, watching that dart impale itself upon that patch of red in the middle of the target, like so many darts had done before on targets of their own might have seemed common place to those not understanding all the practice, effort and sacrifice that had gone into tonight's triumph. Scoring win after win was a matter of more than being in the right place at the right time. It was everything that had gone on before which made tonight right and possible. Standing up stiff and true, the dart's tip was coated in red juice from the cherry it had just popped.

Was it the act itself, the thrill of this victory, or maybe the hugs that followed that left her ...

... breathless, but happy. Both of them had wanted this, but she was the one who had pulled off making this work tonight. Everything seemed to fall into place to help her, from her mother spending a rare night out with her real estate office friends, to Pim driving Phil into such a panic with caging her brother that he fell right into Teslow's trap. She felt him soften inside her, sliding out as she fell unto his chest, rolling over beside him, but having to reach for him once more…

"Have fun?"

"I did. Maybe, maybe ... we can play again some night soon? Right now, though, I think we're pushing out luck to continue anymore tonight."

"We've been luckier than we've had a right to be, sure, but then, we always have, haven't we?"

Kisses were traded freely, more promises were made. He'd keep his without a second thought, while Teslow would ...

... need a ride home.

"That was wonderful! I love you! Tonight, I love everybody! I feel so, so ... actually, I can't even feel my feet. Has anyone seen my feet?"

"I don't know. You walked in with them, didn't you, Teslow? Maybe, before you go home to your cat and daughter, Jelly Bean, you wanna let your friends clean you up? No kidding, Kiddo."

"Hate to admit the sober sore loser over there is right, but in all the years I've known you, Teslow, you've never looked so ..."

"... happy. I'm really happy, Phil. I didn't know true happiness could be like this."

"It's only because you love me. Without your heart's devotion, all I did wouldn't amount to a smear of wallaberries. Um, speaking of 'smears,' this is going to stain, right?"

"OH! NO! Mom is going to kill me dead."

"Relax, I'll just use my wiz- uh-oh."

"Uh-oh?"

"Nothin.'"

"Don't say 'nothin'' like it's nothin'. 'Uh-ohs' are never nothin' good. Tell me."

"My wizrd -"

"Don't say it! You forgot it, didn't you? It's too late, now. What are we going to do, Phil? Why weren't you thinking ahead? The one time I really need you to be planning ahead, you pull this!"

"Well, you rushed me out of my house so fast that I didn't have the chance to grab my Wizrd in case something would happen so it could fix things. Didn't you scotchguard this or something?"

"Oh, so it's my fault? I was supposed to provide the protection ... for the sheets?"

"Now, don't get upset. It's no big deal."

"Biggest big deal! Mom! My mother will be home any minute. Don't, Diffy, don't tell me not to get upset! I'll, I'll, ... Ooh! You make me so mad sometimes."