1976
"What on Earth did you do to your hair?"
"I cut it." Diane said proudly. "It was too long. I like it short."
"You couldn't have waited two days? You're hair needed to be up for the veil. Now what are we going to do?"
Diane bite her lip slightly trying not to laugh. If her mother was already this upset just from seeing her hair, the fact she had called off the wedding was going to make her nuts. But she had to tell her. She would even angrier if she showed up at the church on Saturday and no one was there.
"Well, I won't need my veil, so it's okay. I am not getting married on Saturday."
"Of course you are."
Diane stepped back when her mother turned and started at her wide-eyed. "Oh no. You eloped didn't you. I can't believe you would do that to me. Do you really hate me that much?"
"I don't hate you." Diane frowned. "And I didn't elope. Douglas and I just decided getting married was a bad idea. James and Olivia are calling everyone. And I know you and Daddy have spent a lot of money. Whatever you can't get refunded, I'll pay back. I promise."
"Pay back? No. You're just being nervous. You're not thinking straight. Have your brother stop calling people."
"No." Diane sighed sitting down. "I don't just have cold feet. I don't want to marry Douglas. It's decided."
"I just don't understand."
"I know." Diane smiled gently. "It's nothing personal. I'm not trying to hurt or embarrass you. I just really don't want to get married."
"Is this because of Olivia?"
"What does she have to do with anything?" Diane asked as her mother raised her eyebrows. Before she could stop herself Diane let out a laugh. "I'm not a lesbian, mother."
"They were talking about them on the television the other night. Seem so trendy. You spend so much time with her."
"It's not because of Olivia. It's not because of you. It's all me. I just don't want to spend the rest of my life with Douglas. He's not what I want in a husband."
"What is? A promising doctor from a good home, impeccable breeding, fifths is not want you want, what is?"
"Well I want a husband, not a show dog." Diane said rolling her eyes. "I don't care about breeding. And I don't know. I want someone who makes me laugh. Someone okay that I might work late and be perfectly comfortable with me having a job other than his wife. Someone I can have a conversation with about something other than their work. Someone that makes me feel safe. Someone I like."
"And that's not Douglas?"
Diane shook her head. "Not even a little bit."
"Well it's a pretty tall order my dear. You'll need to refined your requirements or you'll never get married. You'll never have children."
"I know it's hard for you to believe, but that really wouldn't be the end of the world
Present Day
Kurt smiled as Diane's laughter filled the room. Hank grumbled as Kurt lifted the hand that had been scratching him to wrap around Diane. "We should go somewhere." He said as Diane rested her head on his shoulder.
"Where?" Diane sighed contently. "I'm perfectly happy just sitting here."
"I didn't mean right now. And I don't know where. Away. Somewhere warm. I don't want to shovel wherever we go. I am over shovelling. Can you take time off? I know you're busy."
"I can take time off. A bit anyway."
"We'll go somewhere with cell reception. You can bring your lap top. It'll be like you never left."
Diane tilted her head so she was looking at Kurt. "I do know how to take a vacation you know."
"Do you?" Kurt laughed. "When was the last time you took one?"
"Will and I went to New York last year."
"For work?"
"Only the one day, but we stayed the whole weekend." Diane laughed. "Okay that was a horrible example."
"You like your job." Kurt shrugged. "I get it."
"Yeah. But it'll be there when we get back. I could go for warmth." Before she could make a suggestion Hank's ears perked up and he started to growl. When the car door slammed he eased himself off the couch and started to bark.
"Wait here." Kurt frowned. He wasn't expecting anyone and it's not as though he lived in an area people just dropped in.
"Oh shut up Hank." Rhiannon said walking through the front door. "It's just me."
"Rhi?"
"Hey." Rhiannon said knocking the snow off her boots. She frowned slightly at the confusion on her father's face. "It's five o'clock, third Saturday of the month." She looked around Kurt and waved at Diane. "Hi." She smiled. "You're busy. It's cool, I'll go."
"No." Diane said. "Don't leave because I'm here."
"It's fine." Rhiannon said waving her hand. "You don't need me being the weird third wheel. I'll just go."
"It's snowing, it'll be miles before you find a paved road. You're not driving back to the city in that thing you call a car."
Rhiannon shot a look at Kurt who just grinned. "You heard her."
"It's really not fair you get to boss me around outside of work now." Rhiannon said taking off her coat.
"Life isn't fair kid." Diane shrugged. "What is five o'clock, third Saturday of the month?"
"Father/daughter movie night. And I don't know what's more upsetting, that I've been replaced, his only child, or that he might be senile and forgotten."
"I don't think the roads are really that bad if you want to reschedule."
"Ouch." Rhiannon said placing her hand over her heart. "I was replaced. I knew this day would come. It's just me and the pooch" She entered the living room and sat on the love seat, patting the seat next to her urging Hank to come sit with her.
"So how to you pick the movie?' Diane asked.
"Alphabet. We are at J and we each get a pick. So naturally my pick is Julie Andrews." Rhiannon said pulling a DVD out of her purse. "Victor/Victoria!"
"I love that movie." Diane smiled as Kurt groaned.
"And since I figured you'd go with a musical, I went with True Grit."
"Oh, with Jeff Bridges." Diane nodded. "J."
"No" Kurt said quickly, as Rhiannon started to laugh. He shook his head, and sighed. "John Wayne."
"You should really study up on The Duke." Rhiannon said still laughing. "I can give you a crash course. He made about a million movies and talked really slow in them. He wore a toupee and his real name is Marion."
"And he was the greatest actor this country has ever seen." Kurt said as Rhiannon rolled her eyes.
/
As the credits rolled on True Grit, Diane looked around the room and realized she was the only one that had stayed awake for the entire movie. Easing her legs off Kurt's lap she got up and turned off the television. She looked over at Rhiannon and laughed under her breathe. She seemed quite comfortable, Diane only assumed falling asleep on the couch as a regular occurrence.
She grabbed a blanket off the the top of the couch and quickly covered Rhiannon. She moved back to Kurt's couch and nudged his leg slightly with her knee. He did not look as comfortable as his daughter, and Diane assumed if he stayed there all night he wouldn't be able to move his head for a week.
"Hey." She smiled when he slowly opened his eyes. "You feel asleep."
"No." Kurt sighed running his hand along his beard. "I was awake. I was just resting my eyes."
"Sure." Diane chuckled. She reached for his hand. "Want to come rest your eyes in bed?"
"Yeah. I have to lock up, I'll let you up there."
"Okay." Diane nodded, but she didn't move. She looked around the room, slowly running a lock of hair through her fingers, a slow smile spreading across her face.
"What?"
"Nothing." Diane shrugged, still smiling. "I liked tonight. I like you."
"Good."Kurt nodded. "I like you too."
The End
Thanks for reading everyone :)
And I am really glad you liked this so much CheridaDobbyn and NarcissaMinerva. Thanks for commenting on every chapter.
