Exceptional Lizzy

by tonyrod

This is my modern version of JA's masterpiece. Lizzy is a very accomplished and talented young Puerto Rican girl with a secret, while Darcy is a successful, handsome, wealthy tycoon. I changed some of their relations but the characters have basically the same personalities as in the book. I added a great brother for Lizzy and other nice relatives. It's a romantic comedy. Enjoy.

14. Chapter 14

A/N: This is my once-a-month chapter. See you next month. Hope you enjoy.

Chapter 14 - Home for the Holidays - Part 2 - Mr. Collins

The San Antonio de Padua Parish, a tiny, nineteen-century Spanish colonial-style Catholic Church, was built in 1848. In 1916 an earthquake damaged the structure, but it was restored to its original state a few years later. The facade of the building was simple, a single floor with a tower, a steeple with three old cast-iron bells, and above it, a cross. The modest church, enclosed by an ornate concrete fence and guarded zealously by various palm and oak trees, was situated right in the heart of town. It faced the public plaza directly across from City Hall, adding a charming touch of antiquity to its surrounding landscape. It wasn't much, but to the inhabitants of the town of Dorado, particularly to the Benes family, it had an important historical significance. The San Antonio de Padua Parish had been their main place of worship since its foundation. This is where the Benes offspring had been baptized, confirmed, married, and where the funeral and memorial masses had been held in their honor.

Twenty eight years ago, the former Miss Sylvia Grafals married Mr. Roberto Tomas Benes in this same church. That Saturday afternoon they were celebrating a special mass commemorating the second anniversary of her death. At one point during the mass, Lizzy sang a song dedicated to her mother, with Alice Gardiner accompanying her on the piano.

'…Añoro tu ternura,

el calor de tu abrazo,

tu dulce voz ausente

y tus bellos ojos que no veré jamás...'

(…I long for your tenderness,

the warmth of your embrace,

your sweet absent voice

and your beautiful eyes that I will never see…)

At the end of that deeply emotional song, there wasn't a dry eye in the church. Robbie and his father had to retrieve Lizzy to bring her back to their pew.

After mass, the closest members of the family went to the Benes' private cemetery in the outskirts of town to bring fresh flowers to Mrs. Benes' gravesite. Afterwards, an open reception was held in La Casa Grande for friends and relatives. Lizzy's fashion designer Amelia Hart and the whole Gardiner clan were present to pay their respects to their dear friends.

Despite all cheer up efforts from everyone, all day long Lizzy had been in a state of mourning. Each time she heard a new description of her 'dear' mother's kindness, liberality, wit, loveliness, and so on, Lizzy had to make an increasing effort to maintain a steady smile. It was now two years, but to her, the pain of losing her mother felt as strong as if it had happened yesterday. With each passing moment it was becoming harder and harder to conceal her pain. Until Aunt Fanny made her appearance to save the day! Lizzy's bereavement was instantly forgotten, quickly replaced with mortification.

Fanny arrived fashionably late. However, no one who truly knew her had expected to see her at church. She was accompanied by her two daughters Kitty and Lydia. Fanny Goulding was a widow and thrice divorcee who was presently unmarried and looking for her fifth husband. Her first husband had been Alexander Grafals, Lizzy's uncle on her mother's side. A year after she gave birth to her first daughter Kitty, Fanny had an affair with a friend of the family which resulted in Lydia's conception. Nine months later, the same day the baby was born, Fanny was forced to acknowledge the truth of her betrayal, a truth that couldn't be concealed due to the dark coloring of Lydia's skin. A brokenhearted Alexander filed for divorce immediately.

The poor wretched man didn't get the opportunity to recover from Fanny's perfidy. Two months after the divorce, he died in an unrelated automobile accident. Soon after, Fanny married Lydia's father, divorcing him two years later. She had two more failed marriages. According to her, all three were selfish men who had been unwilling to support the standard of living she and her daughters were accustomed to. She was of late living in Florida, still looking for that illusive rich husband who would solve all of her problems.

Fanny wasn't liked nor respected by the people connected to Alexander Grafals. She knew it, but nothing fazed her. She would unabashedly use her daughter Kitty to compel them to accept her. She wasn't a horrible person either. Granted, she was self-centered, immature, emotional, small-minded, loud and shallow. But she was also harmless, almost like a living joke, a 5 year old in the body of a 45 year old. Her most redeeming quality you ask? Fanny was a great mother. She lived for her daughters and they in turn adored her. That was the only reason the others tolerated her. Out of respect for Kitty, they also refrained from laughing in her face.

After her 'dear sister' Sylvia Benes died, Fanny had proclaimed herself as the de facto mother to Lizzy and Robbie. Her immediate mission was to assist Lizzy in finding her future husband, which she claimed her dear Sylvia had requested to her before dying. That was highly improbable, since Fanny and Sylvia had never been close, let alone confidants, although it would have been disrespectful to point this fact to Fanny.

Her youngest daughter, Lydia Goulding, was a spoiled 16 year old high schooler whose main interests were taking selfies, wearing sexy clothes, flirting with older guys, gossiping, and partying endlessly. Her smooth caramel skin, long straight brown hair, very attractive face, seductive green eyes, and shapely figure, made her a favorite among the boys. The girls envied her awesome looks and sparkling personality. Lydia had the distinction of being the only freshman and sophomore ever in her school to get voted head cheerleader and prom queen each year. She was definitely a shoo-in for the next two!

She was a smart girl, this alone kept her from failing in school. Being her mother's devoted and dutiful daughter, Lydia's goal in life was also to marry a rich guy. She never worked hard a minute of her life, always using her 'magnetic personal charm', as she called it, to get away with murder!

Her sister Catherine Grafals, Kitty, two years older, was a senior in the same school. She looked a lot like Lizzy, although less attractive, and her green eyes didn't have that magical combination of Lizzy's parents.

Although usually a follower to her sister, she had more sense, was more responsible and had been able to keep much better grades in school. She was very close to her cousins Lizzy and Robbie, although, when they weren't around, she tended to imitate her younger sister's constant pursuit of older boys and parties. Her secret intention to go to university was in strict opposition to her mother's master plan. Fanny wanted Kitty to go to a local community college, where she would remain close to her, until she could find her a husband of her choice. When the moment for the big confrontation would arrive, she was counting on the intervention of her uncle and cousins.

Fanny's entrance was boisterous, her screeching voice was heard way before she made her appearance. She hugged Mr. Benes and Robbie, nodded to Charlotte and Mary Gardiner, and then lingered in her embrace of Lizzy.

"My dear child, I'm so sorry I couldn't come earlier, we just arrived from the airport. We were in Louisiana visiting Lydia's father. That awful man didn't want to provide the extra funds I requested for my poor Lydia for next year. She needs a new wardrobe since she's growing so much! Besides, even though she's the most gorgeous and the most popular girl in her school, she has to keep up with the other rich girls. At least Kitty's family is more generous, though they don't give her as much as she deserves..."

She winked at Mr. Benes, who was outraged at her lack of shame. 'The nerve of this avaricious woman! Aren't we doing more than we should already?'

Fanny continued her self-centered monologue, disregarding the feelings of those present and the solemnity of the gathering. She mentioned her 'dear sister Sylvia' once or twice but no sooner after expressing her sympathy, she would return to her own sufferings. The Beneses should have been offended at the lack of consideration displayed by Fanny, but they were used to her ill manners. They felt sorry for Kitty though, who was squirming with shame.

In the wave of general bafflement Fanny created in the wake of her flamboyant personality, everyone had failed to notice a man who was standing behind her. He was a gentleman of medium height and weight, not handsome but not repulsive either. He had a somber countenance which made him appear more as one of the grieving relatives than as an outsider.

Capitalizing on a rare pause from her long speech, Mr. Benes was successful in interrupting her. "Fanny, are you going to introduce us to this gentleman who seems to be accompanying you? Is he perhaps your latest conquest?"

"Thank you brother, for believing that at my age I still could catch such a handsome young man. No, he's not with me. He's single, unattached, and is looking for a suitable match!"

She smiled mischievously at Lizzy, who cringed in surprise, while Robbie, Charlotte and Mr. Benes stifled a chuckle.

Fanny introduced everyone, leaving the man for last. "This is Mr. Wilfred Collins, our neighbor from South Florida. He's a financial advisor for the very rich and has agreed to manage my money, even if I'm not rich, yet! When I told him about my dear sister's memorial he insisted in accompanying us. Isn't he gracious Lizzy? Eh?"

She gave another one of those Fanny smiles to Lizzy, who cringed again. She recovered quickly telling him, "Thank you sir, we are much appreciative."

"That's the least I can do, madam. The moment I heard the report of your venerable, cherished and most loving dear mother's passing anniversary, I decided that I needed to be here to offer my respects in person to you, my lady, and to your distinguished family members. Here I am at your service to perform any duties you may require. I am and forever will be your devoted servant; your wishes are my command."

While articulating those sycophantic remarks, Mr. Collins kept bobbing his head while vowing at Lizzy. Had he not looked so comical, she would have been more affronted by his unwelcomed forwardness.

Robbie was grinning from ear to ear. 'Fanny's matching up this ridiculous man with my sister. Oh, this is going to be a more enjoyable holiday than I had expected! Let me first save him from Lizzy's wrath or we won't have any fun!'

"Mr. Collins, do you have family in Florida?"

"Unfortunately, I was an only child; my parents have been deceased for a few years now. After they died I was lost for a while, but ever since I had the good fortune of making a connection with the venerated Mrs. Catherine de Bourgh, my life has been transformed; I have become a new man. I have been blessed to enjoy all the advantages of my long association with the most deserving and admired Lady Catherine, as she prefers to be addressed, owing to the tracing of her august lineage to a noble family from the United Kingdom. Her generosity has been extraordinary; she has allowed me to take refuge under her protective wings, providing me with the opportunity to complete an exhaustive associate degree in microeconomics from a local community college. In addition, with her immeasurable support, I passed the challenging Certificate in Financial Planning from the state of Florida. With her patronage, I have been providing my humble services to a number of wealthy families in the area where I am currently residing. Incidentally, my modest abode is inside Rosings Park, the vast and glorious real estate complex of the illustrious Lady Catherine..."

He paused briefly, shifted his eyes to look intensely at Lizzy and with a flirtatious smile added, "...whom I hope one day soon to have the much anticipated privilege to introduce you in person when the favorable event that brings me here is consummated for my happiness and the pleasure of all the estimable personages assembled hither."

Lizzy was shocked at his presumptuousness, the clown made a gesture to grab her hands but she was faster. She escaped quickly, moving to the other side of Charlotte, next to Mary.

Mr. Benes and Robbie were almost dying inside while Lizzy was exasperated. 'Argh! I'm going to kill Fanny!'

Fanny was proudly listening to her travel companion, encouraging him to continue with his long winded discourses. He went on talking about the great Lady Catherine, giving examples of her superiority, her affability towards her inferiors, the magnificence of Rosings Park, his own prospects, and all the felicity his future bride would be so lucky to experience. He kept his gaze fixed on Lizzy, whose evident discomfort seemed to him as proof of her modesty and charm.

Lydia mercifully interrupted Mr. Collins by letting out a loud yawn exclaiming, "Jesus, I'm exhausted!" This prompted Fanny to act on behalf of her favorite daughter.

"Oh! Mr. Collins! You are so kind. Eh, Lizzy? I'm also very tired from our early flight, my nerves are on edge, I need to go to my room. Brother, are we staying in La Casa Grande?"

"My apologies Fanny, we have filled up all the rooms here, though I'm certain you'll love your customary accommodations at the guest house. We can also provide a room for Mr. Collins there as well. Please check with Carmen."

Mrs. Carmen Hill, the Benes' Estate Manager, was always amazed at how each time Fanny came to visit, she had the audacity to suggest the possibility that she would be permitted to stay in La Casa Grande, despite the fact that she hadn't been for almost two decades, and never would. There was a reason for this; a full explanation would be beyond the scope of our present tale. Suffice to say that many years ago Fanny had committed a great indiscretion in this house to merit her permanent banishment. Only three people alive were aware of the circumstances, Fanny, Mr. Benes and Mrs. Hill.

As soon as they left, Mr. Benes promptly excused himself from the room, summoning his children to his private library. The second the door closed, Robbie exploded laughing. His father wanted to do the same but was hesitant. He had perceived some distress in Lizzy's face, so instead he gave her a reassuring hug. But upon noticing her suppressed giggle, he couldn't resist the humor of the situation.

"My baby, you must be delighted with Fanny. She just gave you the best gift ever! When you marry Mr. Collins, all your problems will be over. You won't have to study or work ever again! All you'll have to do is praise the glorious Lady Catherine often, while listening attentively to your better half's insightful observations. You'll be set for life!"

This setup a round of laughs, this time all three joined together in merriment. Robbie finally recovered his wits enough to speak.

"Lizzy, forgive me for laughing so much, but after watching that toadying man fawn all over you and then to see the look on your face when he practically declared his intentions openly assuming you would eagerly accept him, it was a priceless moment! '…for the pleasure of all the personages assembled hither', that was so funny! Who uses that old-world talk anymore? I don't know where Fanny finds these characters, but I think this one broke the mold. You're so lucky Lizzy! Dad, when are we going to celebrate the wedding for these two lovebirds?"

Lizzy knew there was only one way to prevent her guys from persisting on making sport of her. She stopped laughing, shifting her features to an expression of sadness in her eyes.

"You know, I'm fed up with my life. The more I see of the world, the less satisfied I am. Everything that has happened to me recently has confirmed my belief that all human beings are inconsistent. I cannot depend on anyone but myself. I need a change, I feel so lonely and depressed. I'm certain that this man has the potential to make me happy. At least he won't abandon me. If you approve dad, I want to marry as soon as possible. Let's do it!"

That insincere attempt at humor from Lizzy, in addition to her downca1t expression, put an end to all the cheerfulness in the room. Lizzy seemed dejected. Suddenly she let out a loud guffaw, taking them by surprise. "Jajaja! Los engañé! No me pueden vencer en este juego! (Hahaha! I tricked you! You can't beat me at this game!)"

Poor Lizzy couldn't fool them! They had detected an underlying 'cry for help' inside her words. Mr. Benes was holding back his tears while Robbie was trying hard to conceal his emotion. When she looked at their faces she ceased her laughter.

"I'm sorry, I understand your feelings so well, I feel the same way myself. I miss my mommy so awfully much. I'd give anything in the world to have her here now, the four of us, like before, to hear her laughter, to touch her, to see her smile at me. Sometimes I think that she's around when I need her comfort, and then it hits me like I'm waking from this dream! I can't believe my mommy's gone, I'll never be able to talk to her, to tell her my secrets, to have her guidance when I need it most. I miss my mommy! Why did she have to die? It's not fair! Why did she abandon me?"

She couldn't talk anymore because she was now crying hard. Lizzy needed this so bad. In the two years since her mother's passing, she had been reluctant to even mention her name to her father and her brother. But now she had finally opened the floodgates of her broken heart. The three of them embraced, letting all their emotions out, crying for a long time. If Robbie had thought that he didn't have any tears left for his mother, he was sadly mistaken! From the outside looking in, it would appear as if Sylvia Benes had just died. They remained in that emotional purge for a long time. When they finally settled down, all of them felt as if a very heavy weight had been lifted from their chests.

"My precious baby, you don't have any idea how much I needed this. I have been mourning for your dearest mother for so long, but I couldn't do it with all my heart until I was certain that you were going to be grieving with me, with both of us. At long last you have given me the opportunity to say goodbye to the love of my life. I don't know what you experienced recently; why you decided to open up, but even if my heart aches, I'm satisfied that now we're together with one heart, we can finally be on our road to acceptance, to embrace the memory of my darling Sylvia. These past two years have been excruciating, that wasn't what your mother would have wished. She was so full of life and love and laughter. From now on we're going to honor her they way she deserves!"

After this exchange, and a long embrace between the trio, they returned to the gathering. All their tension was gone. For the first time in two years, the Benes mansion was again filled with laughter. The grand concert piano was opened; Lizzy's inspiring music and exceptional voice filled the hearts of everyone.

The Beneses were well-known for having the best Christmas Eve party in town, where the entire Dorado population, from the rich families to the poorest, the old, the young, friends and foes, all came together to celebrate. They ate and drank to their hearts content the plentiful traditional Puerto Rican gastronomy, sang folk songs, danced, talked, teased, and played games. Out in the terrace, two wood burning fire pits had been set up, each containing a large and succulent pig, impaled in a rod, roasting slowly. Three gentlemen were taking turns manually turning the rod and tending the fire. The men were generously nurtured with endless supplies of beer and local hors d'oeuvres.

Both Mr. Benes and Robbie kept Mr. Collins as far away as possible from Lizzy. When they were unsuccessful, Charlotte would step up to keep him entertained. Lizzy had a wonderful time with all her friends and relatives. Robbie danced until his legs were shaking and then he joined a group of oldies at one of the domino tables on the terrace, conveniently close to the beer and the roasted pigs. The party was a success, lasting until dawn, for those who still had the energy to remain awake.

On Christmas day, after opening their gifts, Lizzy and Robbie accompanied Charlotte to the airport for her travel home. Conveniently, after a plentiful Christmas bounty, Fanny and her whole entourage left that very same day as well.

That night the three Beneses had dinner at the Resort Atlántico Dorado restaurant. They sat down at their table, greeting the staff and ordering their usual favorites. Once they were settled, Mr. Benes began the conversation.

"What I'm going to tell you now is strictly confidential, so please keep it to yourselves. Lizzy, today I have received an extraordinary communication from one of my advisers. Monica's father, Captain Joseph Carter, has been found alive and well and living in an isolated compound in Afghanistan."

"That is wonderful news dad! What a Christmas gift this is going to be for Monica! Have his family been notified?"

"A U.S. Army representative visited his family this morning to impart the news, but they asked them to keep this to themselves as we're in a critical state of affairs. After Captain Carter obtained a medical clearance, he was taken directly to Guantanamo base for questioning where he'll remain indefinitely."

"But, I thought he was a hero, and now he's a POW! Shouldn't they welcome him with open arms?"

"It's not that simple Robbie; it seems that the soldier who claimed Captain Carter ran like a coward was right. He'll probably be court-martialed. Our people are still looking for more information both in Iraq and Afghanistan, it'll be months or maybe years before this is resolved."

"But, at least they'll allow Monica and her family to see him, won't they dad?"

"So far they haven't been allowed to contact Captain Carter. They showed them a video greeting from him. We're trying to arrange for a reunion. That's all I know. I can't tell you anything else. This hasn't been released to the media yet, therefore your discretion is vital."

They remained silent for a while, each deep in their own thoughts. Robbie began to look at the picture wall, when he spotted three new pictures. "Dad, please don't tell me that you took those photos, and if you did, that was monumental! Why didn't you tell us about it?"

His father hesitated for a few seconds, he realized his mistake in bringing them there, he had to tread carefully. 'I forgot about these, if she really knew!'

"No Robbie, I wished it would have been me! These photos were a gift from a good friend who, in his first trip to El Yunque, the lucky fellow came across that parrot. Can you believe his luck? He took these pictures using his cell phone. Before he left, he gave me his consent to display these on our wall."

Robbie instantly remembered the identity of the photographer. He winked at his father, suppressing a laugh. Lizzy was fascinated with the pictures. Ever since she was a little girl until she went to college, she had gone on a yearly photo hunting expedition to the rainforest with her father. The majority of the photographs on the wall, a variety of birds, small reptiles, snakes, exotic plants, and colorful flowers, came from Lizzy's camera. The Holy Grail for all of them had been the elusive Puerto Rican Parrot, so it was a great surprise to finally see this bird shown here.

"Dad, I'm so jealous of your friend, not only he was able to do what we never could in all those years, but you also posted his pictures on our wall. Who is he to have had that privilege? Do I know him?"

'Sorry my baby, I hate to lie to you but this time I'll have to stretch the truth a little.'

"I don't think so; he's a businessman from the U.S. who stayed here a few weeks ago... I just wanted to show them as an incentive for you, since we haven't been there in a while… I have a great idea! Let's go to El Yunque, the three of us tomorrow, maybe we can spot that same parrot, I have the feeling this is our time!"

The next day they woke up very early for their adventure. After spending many hours searching for their target, they gave up. Although they were unsuccessful in their original objective, they enjoyed a beautiful day hiking and exploring. Not all was lost though; Robbie spotted a San Pedrito, or Puerto Rican Tody, a very hard to find, 4-inch tiny bird with a bright green plumage, white-yellowish belly, red throat and long beak. This bird was on Lizzy's bucket list, she took many pictures, some of which were eventually displayed next to Darcy's pictures on the wall.

Around noon, they arrived at the top of El Yunque mountain. The visibility from Mount Britton's lookout tower was ideal. Robbie loved the crisp smell of the rainforest air, the feeling of being near the clouds, the perfect view of the greenery, the peaks and valleys of his treasured island, and the distant ocean, it was paradise!

The rest of Christmas vacation Lizzy rejoiced in the time she spent with her friends and family, hiking, riding horses, surfing, snorkeling, playing tennis, playing music, or just having many conversations with her loved ones. By the end of vacation, Lizzy and Robbie resembled a couple of sunburned lobsters. If you asked them they would respond that it was worth it.

The last day on the island their father took them to the hotel airfield for their flight back. "This has been one of the happiest times of my life which I hope to repeat again and again. Come here you both! Give your father a giant hug. Robbie, I'm entrusting you with the lives of my two most precious treasures, yours and your sister's! Take good care my son."

Lizzy and Robbie departed for D.C. in Robbie's private plane. While enjoying the view from the copilot seat, Lizzy decided to play matchmaking with her two favorite people; there was something that had been bothering her for a while; she had an idea that she was going to try.

"Robbie, how would you feel if I tell you that for the first time since I've known her, Charlotte seems to be paying special attention to one gentleman to the exclusion of others?"

Robbie understood his sister's intention. She was such a stubborn girl! How many times Charlotte and he had to tell her that they didn't have those kinds of feelings for each other, she was a sister to him! Resigned, he decided to play along, but he was going to have fun with her. "Dare I ask who the lucky man to capture Charlotte's imagination is? Don't tell me it's Mr. Collins, a few times I noticed they seemed pretty chummy. That is, when he wasn't wagging his tail at you."

"Not my most devoted beau! He wouldn't dare to cheat on me! Ha, ha. Be serious Robbie! I can't betray her confidence, but I can safely tell you that it seems lately Charlotte is seriously thinking about this other gentleman a lot. For the first time she had been hinting to me about the possibility of a long term relationship. She returned to DC a few days ago and has already had a couple of dates with him."

Robbie didn't say anything else. He knew if he looked pensive, Lizzy would think he was affected and would stop pestering him. He was happy for Charlotte if she found someone. 'I believe this is what'll take to finally convince my little sister of my brotherly intentions towards Charlotte. Maybe I should find me a new girlfriend.'

Lizzy, believing she has caused pain to her brother, decided to put an end to her scheme. 'I did my part. The rest is up to him. If he's interested, he'll have to do something about it. Otherwise all is lost.'