As we walked in Lydia and Kitty admired the house in very loud voices. We walked through the entrance hall and in to the kitchen-living room area. Charlie asked if we knew anyone and we said no so he started to walk us around the room introducing us to people.

"Hi Mary, Mary these are my friends Jane, Lizzie, Lydia, Kitty. Girls this is my neighbor Mary" he said as he introduced us to a drab looking girl with a stoic face.

"Hello, it is pleasant to meet you" she had a Mona Lisa smile.

"Well Mary it was lovely to see you again but I think I should introduce Jane and her sisters to more of my neighbors, I sure we will talk soon and thank you for the classical music CDs" said Charlie as he whisked us away from Mary and onwards towards some other people he wanted us to meet.

He introduced us to about half of the room when Caroline got board of just people talking and decided to put on some music that people could dance to.

"Ohh, Lizzie! Kitty and me love this song!" Lydia said, pulling Kitty to the place were other people were dancing.

"It's Kitty and I" I said after them.

"Whatever!" yelled Lydia from the dance floor area. I sighed and went to the table they had snacks on, to peruse of course. I knew on sight most of the desserts and I looked for anything I didn't recognize so I could ask Charlie what it was. I had just decided that I knew what all of it was when Louisa came up beside me to put down a dish, Louisa had taken over hosting when we had arrived since Charlie was completely absorbed by Jane's presence. I looked at the dessert and saw something that I hadn't seen in a long time, Charlotte's double chunk chocolate muffins. I spun around to look at the guests and in the middle talking to Mary was Charlotte.

I made my way over quickly and tapped her on the shoulder; she turned and smiled "Lizzie! It's great to see you I want to apologize about that night a few weeks ago when I was drunk and said those things they were completely untrue and totally unjust" she looked at me with pleading eyes "Will you forgive me, Liz-Biz?" she asked using the name that rob had given me when we were inn high school.

"Of course I do! How could I not?" I said as I hugged her. "So" I said "How is it that you happen to be here of all places?" I asked her curiously because I know she doesn't live anywhere near here.

"I came as someone's date" she said blushing.

"Oh, who is he?" I asked smiling cheekily

"That would be me, Elizabeth dear" said a nasally voice I recognized with dread, I turned and found Collin behind me simpering with two drinks in his hands.

"Collin, it is nice to see you again!" I said in a fake voice "Charlotte can I talk to you for a second?" I asked in a tight voice, she nodded and we walked away from Collin who started to talk to Mary about his job and his boss.

"Why are you dating him?" I asked in a tight voice "charlotte you could do so much better and he's so boring" I said.

She narrowed her eyes "Lizzie I don't know if you've noticed but guys don't like me, this is the first not-one-night-stand date I've had since you and Rob left" she huffed and turned around so she wasn't facing me "also just because you don't like him doesn't mean I can't, did you think that just because you said no everyone else would?" she asked sharply.

"What? NO! I would never think that!" I said "I just didn't think you would be happy, if you are then I am happy for you" I said grabbing her hand and spinning her around.

Her gaze softened "I am happy, Lizzie" she said "he's nice to me and he likes me and I am happy" she said.

"Then congratulations" I said "I hate it when you are upset you are like my only friend who I'm not related to" I smiled at her and hugged her. She hugged me back and we walked back to Collin and Mary. As it turned out Collin had gotten board of talking and had asked Mary to dance they were just moving when we came back and he promised Charlotte the next dance.

Charlotte and I were standing and talking when a deep voice behind us said "excuse me" we turned around and Darcy was standing there looking at me.

"Yes, Darcy how can I help you?" I asked in what I hoped was a polite voice, I really didn't like him but I didn't want him to think I was a bad person and tell Charlie about it because Jane really liked him.

"Yes you can" he said "I was wondering if you could honor me with a dance?" he asked, his voice was stiff and he wasn't looking at me, more off into the distance over my shoulder.

"I'm sorry but I don't dance, Darcy" I said.

"What? Why not?" he asked.

"You know why not… my leg" I said teeth gritted angry that he made me bring it up at all.

"Oh" he said taking a step back and his eyes darted to my leg "You let it get to you then?" he asked his voice like stone and I looked at him, his face was impassive and his eyes were hard.

"NO" I said louder than I meant to "but I only just got out of the clinic and I can't dance yet" I said and I wouldn't want to look like a drunk who can't walk in a straight line" I said throwing the words he used to describe me on the night we met back into his face.

His eyes widened "I…Um well okay then" he said and by the time he finished talking his face was blank again and he walked away from me.

"Lizzie that was very rude!" said Charlotte.

"Well he deserved it" I said "making me talk about my leg when I clearly don't want to" just then Collin came back with Mary and took charlotte off to the dance floor and I stood and talked to Mary for a while. The rest of the party was uneventful and Jane and I went home with Kitty and Lydia at about 11 o'clock.