A/N: The Lizzy saga continues. This may seem like a filler chapter, but it's important as it sets the tone for the subsequent chapters. Yes, they're coming… one of these days… I promise. Ha!

I hope you like it. Here it goes.

••••••••••

Chapter 29 - The Twenty Second Annual Elizabeth Benes Birthday Bash

Lizzy's cheerful demeanor upon entering the apartment confused her friends. They were expecting to see a gloomier and more despondent version of herself. Before they had the opportunity to assimilate so much unexpected happiness, Lizzy had more surprises up her sleeve. She dropped her bags, gave each one a warm hug, and broke in rapturous exclamations.

"Jane! Charles! Kitty! I'm so happy to see you; I have so much to tell you! But first thing first! I have a confession to make. I'm in love! And I miss her so much already! I met her on Friday for the second time in my life and fell in love almost from the moment I laid eyes on her bewitching face! We spent the whole week glued to each other. We slept together almost every night. I have a ton of pictures of my cutie-pie, you have to see her! She's so adorable! You'll have to wait, though, 'cause I'm going to my room without delay. I promised I'd video chat with her as soon as I arrived at the apartment. I'll see you in a little bit."

As soon as Lizzy closed her bedroom door, a visibly embarrassed Charles decided to make a hurried retreat. "Well, love, and Kitty, I understand you have a lot to talk with Lizzy, I better leave before she returns to show us her new girlfriend!"

"Oh, no, my dear Mr. Bingley, stay where you are! You're not going to leave us all alone with this new complication. Lizzy seems to be in a state of denial, or maybe it's a defense reaction. Besides, if this is true, she'll need all the support we can give her. After everything she did for you, for us, are you going to abandon her now?"

"But love, I don't think I'm prepared to handle this ... development. Poor Will, he'll be devastated! He can compete against anyone, except another woman. I don't think he would want to anyway. This represents an insurmountable obstacle for his future happiness. How am I going to tell him that she found someone else, a lady? Did you know Lizzy was...? You know. I can't believe she could be so graphic, I'm still rattled!"

Kitty, who in her seventeen years had witnessed far more scandalous performances, especially from her own mother and Lydia and their friends, was open-minded about her cousin's news. She decided to have some fun with the whole affair. "I've never seen Lizzy look so happy. She was virtually walking on air! I'm dying to meet the lady who has captured my cousin's heart so quickly and convincingly! She must be something!"

Jane was aghast, "Kitty please, no jokes! There's no humor here. I know, this is just one big misunderstanding."

Both Kitty and Charles laughed. "Somehow we knew you were going to say that, love. Lizzy was very specific though. She clearly stated that she met the love of her life, a lady; they even slept together many times! Ugh, why did I remember that?"

"Oh, don't mention it again!" Replied a distressed Jane, "It's impossible! Lizzy's madly in love with Will. We all witnessed their behavior at the Chapel before the disaster unfolded. They were openly exchanging infatuated looks with each other. We all saw it! What about their escapade the night before and their hush-hush encounter at Rosings in the morning witnessed by both Richard and Anne? How could she transfer her devotion elsewhere so quickly? Especially to a woman, that's so unlike Lizzy in some many levels! You can't leave my darling boyfriend. We have to face this problem as one. We owe it to her. No matter what happens, she's our good friend and this new revelation won't change the way we feel about her. Even if this destroys Will's chances with Lizzy, we have to be there to help both of our friends."

••••••••••

They sat in the living room in an uncomfortable silence for what felt like an eternity. Ten minutes later, when Lizzy returned with tears in her eyes, the stress level of the room increased.

"Sorry, it's just that I already miss my sweetie-pie. I have good news! She's coming for my graduation and then you'll get to meet her. Remember this, I'm warning you all! She's mine! Only mine! I'm not sharing her with anyone! Especially with you, Jane!"

Jane turned red with embarrassment. At this stage the three friends were past worry; they were really concerned about Lizzy. She had become an object of pity for Charles, 'Why would she suspect my Jane would want to be with her girlfriend? She must be hallucinating. Hopefully with therapy she'll overcome this setback. We'll have to get her the best psychiatrist we can find. I won't let her down!'

Jane's thoughts weren't so dissimilar from her fiancé's. 'Poor Lizzy! Why would she think I could even remotely do something so out of character? I think all the stress has finally gotten to her. How can I help her overcome this fixation? I now wonder if her new love is real!'

In all honesty, only two of her friends were worried. Kitty was amused. 'I'm hurt! Why didn't Lizzy warn me to stay away from her lady love? She doesn't think I'm capable of stealing her woman? Ha-ha! She must be smoking hot, a perfect ten, for my crazy cousin to be so possessive! I can't wait to meet her! This is so entertaining. Lydia doesn't know what she's missing. Ha-ha!'

Lizzy, joyously oblivious to the silent chaos she had generated, connected her tablet to the big screen television in the living room using a USB cable. "Robbie can take credit for the majority of the photos I'm going to show you. I wasn't aware he had taken some of these. Imagine my surprise when he showed them to me on the plane coming home, especially the ones with my sweetie."

The first photo showed Lizzy with her arm on the shoulder of a woman a few inches shorter than her. Both smiling ladies were dressed in t-shirts, shorts and flip-flops. They seemed to be around the same age. The lovely girl next to Lizzy was stunning! She had a perfectly tanned olive skin, dark auburn straight hair reaching nearly to her waist, a pair of expressive dark brown eyes, a cute nose, full lips, and shapely arms and legs. Her slightly protruded belly was hidden behind a loose worn t-shirt.

When he saw the happy couple, Charles couldn't restrain any longer the agitation he was trying hard to keep down (or perhaps Charles Bingley suffered from an uncontrollable proclivity for nosiness?). He immediately blurted out, "She's real! She does exist! Is that her, Lizzy?"

Jane wanted to die of mortification while Kitty grinned from ear to ear. Lizzy gave Charles a questioning look. "What? Of course she's real! What do you mean? She's what?"

"Your sweetie-pie Lizzy! The love of your life! Is that your new girlfriend?"

"The love of my life? My new girlfriend…?"

Lizzy paused for a few seconds trying to comprehend what Charles was about. He was looking at her with curiosity... or was it anguish? Jane's eyes were averted; her face and neck were red as a tomato. Kitty seemed to be carrying out a critical assessment of the girl on the photo. Then, when realization dawned on her, she cracked up laughing. When her laughter turned into guffaws, she had to hold her stomach. The others just remained seated, flabbergasted. When she calmed down, she wiped the fresh tears she had in her eyes from so much laughing.

"I'm so sorry guys, I was so happy thinking of my love that I didn't even think of what I was saying. Now I understand the look in your faces!"

She changed her expression as if she was giving a serious consideration to her lady friend. "No Charles, you're mistaken. This sexy lady is definitely not the love of my life. My girlfriend is way hotter than her!" She paused to enjoy Charles' discomfort. She then studied the girl a little bit more and then added with a grin, "Although this babe is not so bad herself. Just wait a few minutes until you see my sweetie-pie, you'll totally agree with me! In the meantime, please be patient. This is Jessica Morres, an old friend from Puerto Rico. We've known each other since grade school. By the way, she's pregnant, and sorry Charles, the baby's not mine!"

After a new bout of laughter, she switched to the next picture. "This handsome man with Robbie is Reynaldo Morres, better known as Capitán Rey, the best seaman ever! He's Jessica's husband and yes Charles; he is the father of the baby. Ha-ha! The previous Friday they took us in their impressive yacht to visit my Aunt and Uncle's own tiny island, a key located inside the Florida Bay. Kitty knows them, Trish and Mino Coldán. Aunt Trish is my father's only sibling."

Lizzy kept narrating as she was switching the photos showing the yacht, the Florida coastline, a spectacular view of the city of Miami from the ocean, the dolphins doing pirouettes, and the stunts of the friendly humpback whale friends. The tension was mounting in the room and Lizzy was enjoying every minute of it, purposely delaying the moment they were waiting for.

••••••••••

At last, it was time for the long anticipated, yet highly dreaded, photo. Lizzy paused for effect. Using her best public announcer voice, she began, "And now, ladies and gentleman, I give you, the one and only, the love of my life! My sexy girlfriend! Drum rolls please, ta-ra-ta-ta!"

The next photo showed a close-up portrait of a little girl with eyes so sparkling they seemed to shine like brilliant points of light. She had long dark soft curly hair, rosy cheeks, and the most endearing smile.

"Lizzy!" Jane cried out in triumph, reassured by her superior knowledge of her friend. "Are you pulling our legs? That gorgeous child looks just like you! Is that an old picture of you?"

"This precious girl is my three-year-old twin cousin, as she declared as soon as she saw me. Her name is Isabel Coldán. The first time I met her, she was a tiny baby. The second time, which was last Friday, I fell in love with her at first sight, or I should say, at first hearing, because the moment I listened to her bewitching voice, I fell head over heels over her. She's the cleverest, wittiest, most fetching creature I've ever seen. And yes, I felt as if I was seeing myself as a toddler. I spent an awesome week with my family, especially with my cousin Isabel. Many times when I woke up, she had her little bitty hand on my neck while looking at me with those twinkling little eyes which melt my insides. She stayed in my room almost every night, so technically we slept together many times, the shame of it all!" She grinned at a visibly uncomfortable Charles. "I'm proud to say that I told my first bedtime story, although she fell asleep every night before I had the chance to finish it."

Lizzy could feel the tense atmosphere in the room evaporate. She rolled her eyes and gave them her best mischievous smile. More photos followed, of Lizzy, Robbie, Jessica, Rey and the Coldáns, especially her cousins, Isabel in Lizzy's arms, on the beach playing with all the cousins, Lizzy holding Isabel above the waves, hiking with everyone, Isabel entrenched on Lizzy's shoulders, on a campfire sitting on Lizzy's lap, holding Lizzy's hand while watching a nesting turtle, riding a horse together on the beach, playing the piano on Lizzy's lap, and finally both asleep with Isabel lying behind Lizzy, her tiny hand resting on Lizzy's neck. "This picture made me cry in the plane, Robbie's so slick!"

They all paused to gather their thoughts. Jane was the first one to come out of her reflection. "Well Lizzy, I understand one hundred percent why you fell in love because your charming cousin is so adorable! Are you sure you're not her mother? You look so much alike!"

"I wish I was, and then I'd have her all to myself. I miss my mom so much." Lizzy became somber, a tear escaped her eyes.

"Oh Lizzy, no, I didn't mean to make you cry! I feel terrible, please, please! Let's talk about your gorgeous cousin. I want to meet her so bad! I'll fight you for her! Do you remember our fierce battles for the attention of baby Yasmin in Florida?"

"Don't worry Jane, I'm fine. You just made me think of my mom. What a big sacrifice she had to make to keep me away during those weeks when she was in pain, just so that I could pass my exams. Considering how much I already miss Isabel, I just met her and she's only my cousin; I can't even begin to imagine the agony my mom would've been experiencing those final months when we were so far apart from each other, especially in her heart. My short acquaintance with Isabel has allowed me to understand a little better the profound love my mom had for me. I'll make an effort to cherish all the good times I had with her... Enough of that! No more sadness! Now, let's go back to Isabel, you have to watch this video I made of my delightful twin cousin. It's uncanny for a girl as young as her to act so mature! She's so precociously cute!"

Lizzy showed them more videos and photos of her vacation. The room became happy and animated. When Lizzy was done, she inquired after them.

••••••••••

"Kitty, I'm very pleased to have you here. You made the right decision in order to secure your future. Dad already told me about the arrangements for your return to your old school, which you already did last week. I imagine you're settled comfortably in Charlotte's old room. Dear Charlotte, I hope she has a good life. She knows if she wants to return home, we'll receive her with open arms, no questions asked!"

Kitty laughed at her cousin's clueless remark. "Lizzy, there's something you don't know. I don't think Charlotte will ever want to live here again. She's awesomely, humongously happy with her new husband. There's so much we need to tell you about what happened after you left the chapel that Friday! Can we begin now? Please Lizzy?"

Her three friends waited for her reaction with apprehension. A tense silence fell on the room once again. Lizzy took a calming breath in an effort to restore her self-control after the agitation induced by Kitty's words. She finally responded.

"Ok, here's the deal. I want you to tell me all about Charlotte because she is my dear friend and her happiness is of outmost importance to me. So please enlighten me, I'm deeply curious. But!" she made a dramatic pause to look at each of them. "But! I don't want to hear a single word about anyone else or anything else from that place or that day! If you're my friends, I expect you to accept my wishes. Otherwise we'll have some serious trouble!"

Kitty thought she was excluded because she was family. Besides, she knew Lizzy was going to be overjoyed with the report they had for her. "You don't understand. This is great news! Wait until you hear..."

"Kitty!" Lizzy stood up raising her voice in anger, "I said I don't want to hear anything about anybody except for Charlotte! If you can't please me, I'll go to my room right now and stay there!"

Jane interrupted the cousins in a conciliatory manner. She gave Kitty a warning look. "Yes Lizzy, as you wish, we won't mention anyone else but Charlotte and her new husband. Is that agreeable to you?"

Lizzy calmed down and responded in the affirmative. Dear Jane always had a comforting effect on Lizzy. "I'm sorry Kitty, for yelling at you. Please, please understand, I want to forget all about that day. I don't want to revisit any of it, not today or tomorrow or any other day! Now, I'm very curious to learn how Charlotte is very happy with Wilfred Collins. Did he change his personality all of a sudden? Is he a sensible and clever man now? If that's the case, it's all due to Charlotte's influence. Good for her! Although," she smiled, "I'll have to see it to believe it."

Charles, who had been in a subdued mood after his precipitous exclamation earlier on which has caused him so much chagrin, decided it was time to join in the conversation. "Well Lizzy, your awesome but odd choice of a song at Rosings Chapel had a fascinating effect in Charlotte and in someone else there. I'll summarize by giving you the great news that Charlotte did not, I repeat, Charlotte did not, marry Wilfred Collins. She's now the very satisfied and absolutely grateful wife of Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam. And they owe it all to you!"

"I can't believe it! Jane, is that true?" Jane assented with a smile and Lizzy continued, "Wow! What amazing news! I'm so happy! He did it, the romantic rascal! Yes! Where's she now? When can I see her? I want to congratulate her, and him! Wait, of course, they must be in their honeymoon!"

She danced with the three of them.

"Yes! Yes! Yes! I'm elated! Oh God, am I dreaming?"

She pinched herself, giggling like a little girl. Her friends were amused at her playful antics.

"You must think I'm going crazy! Maybe I am! Who knows? I'm making no excuses; these last few days have been some of the happiest in my life. First, I was reunited with a dear friend from my childhood in Puerto Rico. Second, I spent an idyllic week in a pristine island with my family and my sweetheart Isabel. And third, I find out that Charlotte married Richard. This is super-duper fabulous! We have to celebrate in style!"

••••••••••

She went to the kitchen and brought back a pralines ice cream tub, four cups and spoons. "This is the usual way Charlotte and I used to celebrate important events or comfort each other in disappointment. Tonight we're going to remember her by doing the same. So, let's dig in!"

Kitty felt giddy with happiness. "Lizzy, are you sure you don't want to know what happened after you left… AAGHH!" She couldn't continue talking because Lizzy stuffed a spoon full of ice cream down her mouth.

"Kitty, listen to me. I won't repeat myself. I don't care about anyone except for Charlotte and now Richard, and of course, Louisa, James and the baby to come. Absolutely no one else! I'm putting all that experience and all those people behind me! I have to put up with this place for two more months, and then I'll leave never to return! My friends will have to visit me at whatever place I'll end up living, very far from here. Kitty, this is very serious, you have to respect my wishes. Promise me you're going to stop!"

A much subdued Kitty now responded, "I'm sorry Lizzy, I promise."

Lizzy was satisfied. "Good, we don't have to talk about it anymore. So, how about our loving couple here? Have you set a date already?"

From that moment on the night proceeded in an upbeat mood with Jane and Charles updating Lizzy on their plans for a July wedding at Netherfield Park in North Carolina.

"Lizzy, you'll be my maid of honor, and you'll sing for us in church, a more appropriate song, of course. Ha! First and foremost, young lady, you'll remain in my wedding until the end if I have to chain you to the altar myself!"

Lizzy cringed at the possibility, no, at the certainty, of being in company with a certain someone. Although, she had four months to recover her spirits. By then enough time would have passed that they would be able to meet only as common and indifferent acquaintances. At least she hoped so. Besides, it would only be one night. She was sure she could endure it.

"I'll be honored! I promise I'll remain throughout the whole wedding. Remember this, my friend will be the one to accessorize and dress you up. I'll arrange for her to come to Netherfield, so we'll have to find a couple of private rooms just for us. Make sure you let your mom know ahead of time, she'll be an important member of our party. Your other bridesmaids will be invited as well. I can't even begin to imagine what my friend will do with you since you're already picture perfect!"

"Oh Lizzy, thank you, thank you, thank you! I'll be on cloud nine! It's too much, by far too much! I don't deserve it. I'm so excited! Mom will be thrilled to bits! And my sisters! I don't know what to say! Can't wait for my wedding!"

Charles looked at Jane with alarm. "Love, are you looking forward to be married to me or to be all gussied up by Lizzy's amazing dressmaker friend? Should I be jealous of her?"

Jane responded in an amorous manner. "My sweet darling, it's a ladies thing, you're not expected to understand or to be jealous of anyone. Nothing will make me happier than to be your wife!"

"Oh, baby, come here..."

"Lizzy," Kitty protested, "let's take our ice cream to the family-friendly living room and leave these two lovebirds here. Their mushy-gushiness is making me sick!"

••••••••••

The next day Lizzy woke up at daybreak to go to the nearest fast food restaurant, where she ate a light breakfast. When she was done she ordered the fattest, greasiest bacon cheeseburger on the menu with all the trimmings, a side of chicken nuggets smeared with barbeque sauce, and the largest french fries. She then returned to Longbourn. On the way home, she had to open both the convertible top and the windows, almost to the point of freezing, just to let out the strong aromas emanating from the bag of goodies.

As soon as she parked the car, she went on a hike on the Longbourn Complex woods. What a difference two rainy springtime weeks had brought to the footpaths leading down into her favorite wood site! There were shiny redbuds and cherry blossoms everywhere with white, pink, yellow, purple, and green blooms. A variety of unruly wildflowers lavishly adorned the full green foliage which had nearly obscured the trail she had painstakingly created. This stunning colorful display lessened the discomfort she felt from the drop in temperature she was experiencing compared to the Florida key, where her Isabel was probably waking up at that very moment. 'Perhaps she's missing me?'

She almost lost her bearing searching for the place. It was there somewhere; she just had to walk a little farther than usual while negotiating the soggy terrain trying to keep her clothes as clean and dry as possible. She lost the battle; her hiking boots were soaked and her jeans were six inches deep in mud! Finally, after a long and arduous trek, she found it. She placed the bag on the floor, opening it to let the fatty aromas flow to her friends.

She took a few steps back and waited. Typically, it would take Mrs. Confident a few minutes to emerge to claim her breakfast. Lizzy was eager to see the babies. Not this time, the indolent raccoon was taking forever. The clock kept ticking, Lizzy was getting impatient. 'I'll have to wake them up, the lazy rascals! ... Wait a minute..., what if she doesn't remember me or goes berserk for my intrusion? What if she feels I'm threatening her babies and attacks me? I better wait.'

Fifteen minutes later she ran out of patience. In another display of Lizzy's notorious recklessness, she went straight to the hole in the tree to wake them up. The chilling scene she encountered broke her heart. The nest was empty except for a few scattered fragments of the partially decomposed bodies of what appeared to be a pair of Mrs. Confidents' babies. Most probably a vicious coyote or a fox caught them unawares. 'So sad, so sad. I hope your other babies survived and are doing fine. Goodbye my friend, take care. I miss you already.'

She was crestfallen. As she was retracing her steps, she noticed the disappearance of the bag of smelly goodies. For a brief instant, out of the corner of her eye, she espied a raccoon stealing through the bushes carrying its bounty. She kept walking towards the apartment, but now a hint of a smile was slowly reaching her glistening eyes.

••••••••••

The following weeks found our heroes fully engaged in their respective pursuits. Lizzy almost lived in Georgetown University. When she wasn't in her regular classes, she would be at the Lauinger Library, or in study groups throughout the campus. In those moments when she just wanted to chill out, she would sit in her favorite table on the Hariri Building, basking in the glory of the sunlight streaming freely through the glass ceiling of the expansive atrium. Every Wednesday at noon she attended mass at the historic Dahlgren Chapel of the Sacred Heart.

One Wednesday in late March, she made a bold move at church. She asked Father Oslovich if she could sing a song during mass in memory of her late mother's birthday. It was a perfect spring morning, cool and sunny. As a result, there were roughly about ten worshippers that day. Everyone else was outside, playing in the sun. The Father agreed with some initial hesitation, he then figured there would be no harm in allowing Lizzy to sing during mass. After all, she was one of his regulars. If she sang well, it would be a richly deserved treat for his most devoted parishioners. If the poor child embarrassed herself, the pain would be confined to the few people here whom he knew were outstanding fellows who would treat her with compassion and respect. Besides, the dear child wanted to honor the memory of her loving mom; no one could disagree with such a strong argument. Even though in their conversations and her confessions Lizzy would almost always avoid the mention of her mother, Father Oslovich knew how much she meant to her.

During communion, after receiving the Eucharist, Lizzy went to the piano and began to play the intro of Franz Shubert's Ave Maria. After the last person sat and the Father was beginning the process of purification and clearing of the altar, she began to sing.

Ave Maria

Gratia plena

Maria, gratia plena

Maria, gratia plena

The second she sang the first note, everyone, including Father Oslovich, stared at her in amazement.

Ave, ave dominus

Dominus tecum

Benedicta tu in mulieribus

Et benedictus

Et benedictus fructus ventris

Ventris tui, Jesus

Ave Maria

They remained frozen, enthralled by the lyrics and melodies originating from the performer with the astounding voice and angelic beauty. The deep feeling she was radiating elevated their spirits. Her enunciation of each word with a strong Latin accent added a layer of sublime purity to her amazing vocals. It was a truly heavenly experience which they wanted to last as much as possible.

Ave Maria

Mater Dei

Ora pro nobis peccatoribus

Ora, ora pro nobis

Ora, ora pro nobis peccatoribus

Nunc et in hora mortis

In hora mortis nostrae

In hora mortis, mortis nostrae

In hora mortis nostrae

Ave Maria

By the end of the song she realized she had been crying. As soon as their engrossment in the music ceased, everyone, including the Father, broke down in a spontaneous applause. A red faced Lizzy stood, wiped the tears with her fingers, smiled while bowing timidly, and sat on her pew. Out of respect for Lizzy's feelings, a visibly affected priest concluded the Mass as best as he could without mentioning the extraordinary performance they had just witnessed.

The following Wednesday, when Lizzy arrived at church, she was surprised to find it was packed solid! She also noticed some students pointing at her while nodding amongst themselves. During the homily, the priest expressed his satisfaction with the large gathering.

"I know you're not here today because of my good looks, my charismatic personality, or my colorful and inspiring sermons. So with deep regret I'm going to disappoint you all. Our exceptional 'singing siren' will not be performing today, or any other day in the foreseeable future. Last week was a very special, and I should add, a very private occasion for her which won't be repeated for a long time, if ever, in our Chapel. The few of us who were blessed with the good fortune of appreciating her breathtaking performance can tell you all about the divine gift of song we received that day, and that's all you're getting today. The Holy Week is approaching fast. I expect you all to come visit us again for the right reason."

Life went on for Lizzy. When she was at home she spent most of the time in her room studying, or working on school papers, or video chatting with her family. Jane was practically living at Charles' apartment. Every Friday night, unless Jane had an engagement with Charles, the three roommates spent quality time either at the movies or walking. Their favorite activity was playing mini golf and then going to the ice cream store.

On Saturdays after her OWYP classes, she would usually go hiking, shopping, or visiting museums with Monica Carter, Mary Gardiner and Kitty. She was sad at the loss of Georgiana's friendship. Georgie was the person who shared more common interests with her. Lizzy was always on the move though, so there was no time for regrets. Once in a while she felt the urge to call her, especially when she found out about an upcoming classical music concert, or when she felt the itch to play a tennis match, or play some music, or when she discovered a song or a video by an artist they both loved. The likely probability of bumping into her brother kept Lizzy from having any contact with her.

On most Sundays Lizzy would mysteriously disappear from early morning until late afternoon. When Jane and Kitty would question her, she would declare she was on a sensitive mission of a personal nature which she preferred to keep under wraps until she accomplished her goal. They wondered where Lizzy was going and what she was doing.

••••••••••

Our hero was also involved in his own personal quest, although his wasn't so mysterious. As part of his effort to improve some areas of his life which he found lacking, his motivation was obvious, William Darcy decided it was time to take a more active role in some of his charities. He began with an institution which was very dear to him. The mission of the Pemberley Young Entrepreneurs Foundation was to inspire young adults to achieve success in the business world. This foundation provided funds for public schools around the world, to teach entrepreneurial skills to high school -and equivalent- children. It wasn't an entirely altruistic institution; there were some particular benefits for a very few selected grantees as well as for Darcy Enterprises.

The flagship program of the foundation was the Young Entrepreneur Achievement Fellowship, YEAF. Each year, this program awarded full-ride scholarships to the university of their choice to eight outstanding high school seniors who had excelled in a challenge given by the Foundation. The challenge consisted in the identification of a need in their communities, the evaluation and selection of a practicable solution, the development of a business plan, and the initial implementation of the business to provide the necessary resources or services.

Every year the foundation would bring the YEAF fellows for an award ceremony celebrated in the company's headquarters in Washington DC. Mr. Darcy would meet them in person while taking the customary PR photos and that was his entire personal participation in the whole program. The fellows then were invited to tour the headquarters and chat with the staff members who would act as their mentors. Finally, they were given all-expenses paid vacations with their families to visit the Capitol sites.

This year Mr. Darcy changed some of the procedures. As was customary, he didn't participate directly in the selection of the winners. Once they were chosen, in an unprecedented move, he surprised everyone when he traveled with his COO to deliver the award letters in person to each of the new fellows in their respective schools. Two weeks later, each fellow arrived at headquarters to deliver a detailed presentation of their business idea, from inception to implementation, to Darcy and his senior staff. Darcy participated actively, providing suggestions, recommendations, and the contacts and resources needed for them to succeed in their businesses. The senior staff spent four days, half a day for each fellow. At the end of the week they were exhausted, but their level of satisfaction was in the roof. Also, the respect and admiration they felt for their CEO increased tremendously.

Some of the staff had already noticed the marked improvement in his personal relations with them, but this was an entirely new ballgame. Darcy had voluntarily singled out eight virtual strangers making them feel not only valued but he treated each of them almost as friends. Their loyalty to their leader had never been so high.

As stated above, there was an incidental benefit for the Company. Once in a while a staff member would recognize a candidate with excellent prospects. They would offer him or her, a contract to intern at Darcy Enterprises part-time while attending university, with the option of a full-time job offer upon graduation.

This year the chosen candidate was a student from Atlanta, Georgia. William Darcy and Charles Bingley became the proud mentors of LaShonda Rosales, a computer whizz from Booker T. Washington High. LaShonda came up with the idea of creating a cross-platform mobile app to assist individuals in her community to satisfy all the voting requirements in her State. She figured the best way to resolve the problem of the ever-expanding voter regulations was to maintain the public informed, in real-time, of the changes in requirements, providing detailed steps of what they needed to do and the deadlines, in order to allow them to register to vote.

LaShonda was a discerning individual. She understood what the main obstacle she was facing was. People still needed to download and use her app. So the more challenging part of the solution was to make the app simple, interesting, affordable and rewarding. She chose her main target audience, high school and college students. They would act as advocates for everyone else in their communities who, in turn, would help them achieve higher scores in the app. It wasn't an easy task, but the possibilities were unlimited and LaShonda was a go-getter! Will and Charles were very pleased with her enthusiasm.

These activities, added to his normal responsibilities, kept Darcy so busy that he barely had time to reflect on his love problems. He thought of her all the time. There was nothing he could do about it though, so he was patiently waiting for her to come to him. And she did come to him, in a dramatic fashion. Unfortunately for us, this emotional encounter happened in a later chapter.

••••••••••

It was now mid-April and Lizzy's birthday was approaching fast. She'd only seen Charlotte once since the wedding, because the newlyweds had been flying all over the world, first for their honeymoon and then for Richard's military duties overseas. The day she saw her, Lizzy was running late for a class and was only able to express her congratulations but no other conversation took place as Charlotte had left the same day for Europe.

The next time she saw her was in the following manner. It was on a Saturday in mid-April when Lizzy had a class at Bell Multicultural High. For some reason she had been thinking of Charlotte all morning. As she was leaving the building for her car she took a moment to feel the cool Washington air on her face. This was going to be one of her final OWYP classes. As the end of the school year was approaching fast, she was feeling more and more a sense of loss because she knew she was going to miss her students so much.

After class, she invited Monica and some other students to eat at their favorite sandwich shop, where she enjoyed her favorite sandwich with the delicious chimichurri sauce. When she returned to the apartment, on opening the door, a smiling Charlotte was there alone with her arms open wide.

"Charlotte! I must be a clairvoyant! All day today I've been thinking of you! How's married life treating you?"

"Lizzy, I couldn't be happier and I owe it all to you, my best friend in the whole wide world!"

Lizzy smiled, "I was delighted to learn of the powerful effect my 'inappropriate' song had on the two of you. I'm only sorry to have missed your wedding, but I don't mind because all I care is for you to be happy and by the looks of it I can see you must be in raptures!"

"Yes I am, my dear Lizzy, I can't wait to tell you all about it! But I didn't come here just to talk about me. I'm here to plan the 'Twenty Second Annual Elizabeth Benes Birthday Bash' this year. We'll have it next Saturday and we'll invite all of our friends, and we will..."

Lizzy interrupted her, "You will do no such thing! My wish is to complete my degree in this town in as low a key as possible and then I'm leaving not to come back for a long, long time, if ever! You have to promise me Charlotte, I want no parties and no celebrations. Besides, I already have plans for this weekend. I'm leaving Friday afternoon for New York City where I plan to spend the weekend with Robbie and dad."

"Oh Lizzy, please let me tell you what happened in my wedding day after you left, please. It's important!"

"No Charlotte, it's still too painful for me to remember, I'm sure with time the pain will subside and then you can tell me. Especially when I'm far, far away from this place. At present I'm not ready to revisit those moments of humiliation, utter degradation and betrayal!"

"But Lizzy, you don't understand! By then it may be too late for the two of you!"

Lizzy's heart rate increased and she raised her voice. "Two of us! Two of us! There's no two of us! There never was a two of us! If you want to continue talking to me, you have to promise not to mention that man or that day again or I'll leave you alone!"

"But Lizzy..."

"I mean it Charlotte!"

"Okay, my headstrong friend. Then allow me to tell you all about the happiness I've experienced with my darling Richard. He's truly the man of my dreams! Oh, Lizzy! Had it not been for that magical song, I would've been lost! And then I want to see photos and videos of the love of your life. I'm so curious to see the sexy lady who captured your heart so convincingly. That was hilarious!"

And so they continued their chat catching up on everything that had happened to them since they had last seen each other.

••••••••••

The following weekend Lizzy spent a very pleasant time with Robbie and Mr. Benes in New York celebrating her birthday a few days ahead of time. Apart from the walks in Times Square and Central Park accompanied by her two men, the fancy dinners, the chats with her father, the Broadway musical they saw on Saturday night, and the gifts she received, the highlight of the very busy weekend was an impromptu trip to the Niagara Falls on Sunday morning.

They began with an airplane flight to Buffalo. When they landed, a helicopter was waiting for them. They took a northbound route following the Niagara River from its entrance to Lake Erie, alongside Grand Island, all the way to the Falls. Lizzy had a field day taking pictures of the amazing landscapes. They spent the next three hours exploring all the sights, including a boat ride on the Maid of the Midst.

Upon her return home that night, she found a brand new luxurious deep-red convertible with a new license plate, Lizzy 22, parked in her spot at Longbourn. She remembered affectionately his father's silly promise to buy her a fancier convertible every year. She laughed imagining what she would get on her fortieth birthday. Perhaps an airplane car, a submarine car, a robot car?

Tuesday was April 20, Lizzy's birthday. She knew her friends were planning to secretly have a party for her. Who knew who might have been invited; she shuddered at the thought. But Lizzy was one step ahead of them. In the morning she left for class without her friends noticing the suitcase she had taken to her car. After her morning class, Lizzy went straight to one of the premier hotels in DC where she rented a top-floor luxury suite with a view of non-other than the picturesque city of Georgetown. It was her way of saying goodbye to the neighborhood she had learned to love for the last four years. Beyond the grand scale monuments and memorials, she loved the walks in the cobblestone streets and shady trees surrounded by historic buildings.

She remembered the first time she came to this place. The charming quaintness of the neighborhoods and the feeling of history intermingled with the modern establishments had instantly enamored her. She had marked all the places she wanted to visit on a map. The C&O Canal, the gardens at Dumbarton Oaks, the infamous stone stairs at the corner of 36th and Prospect Streets, the Old Stone House, and many others.

Accompanied by her family, they walked everywhere with Lizzy leading the pack with her map until the morning of the third day when it was destroyed by a sudden downpour. Robbie and her father had laughed at the demise of her map, but her mother had commiserated with her. It was years later when her mother had confessed to her that she had been relieved when the map was destroyed as her feet were killing her from all that walking those two and a half days.

••••••••••

The Twenty Second Elizabeth Benes Birthday Bash kicked off with a scrumptious feast for one in an ornate formal dining table illuminated by a crystal chandelier. After a comforting nap in a Louis XV bed with a pure cashmere mattress and down pillows, she went downstairs for an intensive yoga class followed by a swim in the pool. To cap it off, she received a full body spa treatment consisting of acupressure rub down of the feet, a full body massage, and a facial, ending with a relaxing visit to the steam room. Ahh! The best birthday gift ever!

Back at the suite, she placed a chair in front of the floor-to-ceiling window facing Georgetown and the Potomac River. She then called Robbie and her dad to listen to the traditional Feliz Cumpleaños [Happy Birthday] song from her guys. They were diverted by the fact of Lizzy hiding out from her friends under their own noses. Finally, she video chatted with her aunt's family, spending a delicious time with Isabel, who took her tablet to the terrace to show Lizzy what she was missing, a glorious Florida Bay sunset.

There were no more calls to be made. Her cellphone had been turned off all day to avoid getting any unwanted or 'please Lizzy' calls. She was sorry to have kept her friends in the dark, but it was for the best. Hopefully they would be willing to celebrate her belated birthday in a small intimate atmosphere tomorrow. She planned to bring a nice cake in the morning as a conciliatory gesture.

The night belonged to her mother. Lizzy went back in time to a special day many years ago, when she was about Isabel's age or a little older. She was snugly ensconced on her mother's lap watching the movie 'Gone with the Wind'. Her beloved mother adored Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh. Lizzy reminisced fondly about the times her mother would dress her up using as model one of Scarlett's outfits from the movie. She would always say that Lizzy would grow up to be just as beautiful as Scarlett. Lizzy's soft curls matched Scarlett's to a tee. Their eyes, although of a different color, were both blazingly intense!

Wearing a cushy pink terry bathrobe and slippers, with her hair loose and her whole body refreshed from the spa, she settled down in a recliner with a large pitcher of honey raspberry iced tea, a large tub of movie theater popcorn, and a plate of fruits, vegetables and chips. All the essential food groups were covered! A portrait of her mother rested on the coffee table, catty-cornered to afford a view of Lizzy and the TV screen.

••••••••••

As soon as the movie intro began playing, she was interrupted by the sound of light door knocks. She hadn't requested anything so she was determined not to answer hoping they would give up and go away. The knocking became a little intense and Lizzy was getting annoyed. She clearly remembered placing a 'Do Not Disturb' hanger on the door knob!

When the knocking became unbearable she paused the movie, moving swiftly to the door. Without thinking of the possibility of it being a stranger or someone eviler, she opened the door wide to confront the annoying miscreant. She was about to begin a rant, when Charlotte and Jane appeared in front of her with presents. Before Lizzy could recover from the astonishment, they entered the apartment, inviting themselves over.

"How did you...? Robbie! I should've known! I'm going to kill him!"

Charlotte replied with a smirk, "It wasn't Robbie; you'll have to aim higher."

"Father? Why would he...?"

"So that's how you want to celebrate your birthday, in luxury, indulged to the full like a pampered princess, leaving behind your friends to host sham parties where the guest of honor doesn't show up."

"Oh no Charlotte, you're not going to guilt trip me into doing anything. I'm not leaving here until tomorrow. I specifically told you I didn't want any parties. Even if I would've loved to have you two with me today, I didn't want to take any chances. The rest of my night is already planned out with Rhett Butler, Scarlett O'Hara, and…" she smiled, pointing at the picture on the coffee table, "my mom. You can join us if you want. There's plenty of food and we can order more."

••••••••••

The three friends sat on the living room. Lizzy was about to start the movie when Jane interrupted her. "Wait, before we begin the movie, you have to open our gifts. What's a birthday party without gifts? This first one is from me to you, with all my love."

When she opened the present, she found a large box of tissues. She laughed at her friends. "Thank you Jane, what will I need this for?"

"Just chill and open Charlotte's present."

"What?" Lizzy exclaimed amused while opening the gift, which was the same size and weight as Jane's, "What a surprise! Another box of tissues. What's going on here?"

Jane continued, "This one is from my Charles." It was a manila envelope containing a few papers, closed and sealed with a metal clasp. In the front Charles had written:

Happy Birthday Lizzy

DON'T OPEN THIS UNTIL YOU HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED TO!

Love, Charles

Jane extracted a long wrapped box. "This is a surprise gift. You can't open it until the end of the night, so I'm going to settle it here on this corner, away from your overly-inquisitive eyes."

Jane placed the box in the corner of the room, took the manila envelope from Lizzy's curious hands, and placed it on top of the box.

Charlotte reached into her purse and extracted a large tablet. "This one is from Richard." She set it on a stand on the coffee table. She was going to start a movie when in a flash Lizzy bolted from the recliner escaping in the direction of the master bedroom. She was going to lock herself there and then she was going to call the front desk to... Before she could finish her thought, she shrieked at the sight of a tall red-headed man.

Charles closed the bedroom door and stood in front of Lizzy. "No Lizzy, this is an intervention. You won't escape us tonight if we have to hold you down and tie you up to the recliner!"

"Charles, please! I don't want to see what you want to show me! I won't be forced! You're holding me against my will! I'll call security!"

Richard, who had been hiding in the background, came forward. "Lizzy, te voy a decir un secreto, yo pertenezco a una unidad militar sumamente secreta que se especializa en someter a individuos recalcitrantes. [I'm going to tell you a secret. I belong to a highly secretive military unit which specializes in subduing recalcitrant individuals]. I have trained your three friends for this occasion. I can safely promise that you won't escape tonight until you have watched that video. Your pigheadedness had caused many people lots of misery and you are the worst victim of this entire affair. By your refusal to listen to your friends, you're hurting yourself more than anyone else. Tonight we intend to put an end to your misguided obstinacy!"

Lizzy was sobbing inconsolably. "I don't want to relieve that day! You don't know how much I suffered and still suffer because of it. I just want those people out of my life! Why are you so cruel to me? And you say you're my friends!"

Charlotte and Jane came to embrace her. "Lizzy, you know how much Jane and I love you. Charles thinks of you as a sister, and Richard is very grateful to you for being the principal instrument of our current happiness. Please believe me, you have to see this. There's no other way around it. You have to. You can be mad at us and stop talking to us if you want, but tonight we'll give you the best birthday gift you'll ever receive. Even your father and Robbie agree with us. After tonight we promise never to mention that day, or those people, if you still wish it. Lizzy, this has been going on for too long, you have to stop tormenting yourself and the others. For one night, please swallow your pride and your prejudices. Please, let us do this for you. Please Lizzy?"

"Okay, you win. I'll allow you to subject me to this horrible misery, only if you all promise, on your honor, never again to mention any of this! If I'm still talking to you!"

They responded at the same time, "We promise, Lizzy!"

She allowed to be taken to the living room. Jane and Charlotte sat next to her on the couch. Jane placed the boxes of tissues on the coffee table in front of Lizzy. Charles took the tablet, extracted a special cable, hooked it to the TV monitor, played the video, and left with Richard.