Chapter 6
"This is pretty nice." Scarlett commented looking around.
"Yeah, it's one of my favorites. I guess I've never taken you here before." Duke concluded.
"Well, the few times I've come to St. Louis our time together was rushed. We basically stayed at your parents' house most of the time. We were lucky if we could get away for more than two days. Basically we spent the time unwinding and relaxing." Scarlett explained.
"I wish I could remember…" Duke trailed off and then grunted to himself as he shook out of his train of thought.
"Hey, how about we just enjoy ourselves. Let's not think of the past or the future. Let's just enjoy right here, right now."
"That sounds good." Scarlett smiled genuinely. The waitress came over asking them for their order.
"I think I'll take it easy tonight since I'm driving. I'll have a margarita." Duke decided. He looked at Scarlett to see what she would order.
"Scotch on the rocks with a lemon squeeze with a vodka shooter, please." Scarlett sighed. The waitress looked at her funny and then walked away. Scarlett turned to see a stunned look on Duke's face.
"What?" Scarlett asked.
"Scotch? I mean…I mean…that's strong stuff." Duke
"I'm a strong woman." Scarlett grinned.
"What else am I going to remember about you when I get my memory back?" Duke laughed.
"Oh, a couple surprises I'm sure…" Scarlett grinned with a twinkle in her eye.
"Is that so?" Duke smiled back. The waitress brought their order to them. They sipped away in silence for a few moments both just unwinding and taking in the scenery at the tavern. Duke leaned back and sighed.
"Why does everyone keep looking over here?" Scarlett asked after a few minutes. She had been watching different parties throw their eyes over to where she was sitting.
"I don't know. Maybe they're amazed someone like me has a stunning companion for the night?" Duke sighed as he watched another two men look over at them.
"That could be it, or you could have grown a second head." Scarlett giggled. She leaned forward and put her two hands on the sides of Duke's head. She gently moved his head side to side. "Nope, only one head." She removed her hands and took her shot of vodka.
"It must be you then." Duke laughed. He touched her shoulder and then made a sizzling sound and pulled his hand away like he burned himself.
"Conrad, that line is so outdated. You need to get some new lines." Scarlett teased.
"Well, maybe the only lines I can remember are from then." Duke laughed. They were both leaned in as if having an intense conversation, but neither one of them was speaking. Scarlett found the close proximity inviting and warm.
"You've got the most fantastic smile I've ever seen." Duke sighed after studying her features.
"I bet you say that to all the innebr… ineeb... to all the drunk women." Scarlett finally finished. She laughed at her blunder and leaned closer towards Duke.
"Hey you want to go for a walk? We could get some air and maybe sober up a bit before heading back?" Duke suggested.
"I'm not that drunk. Trust me, I can hold my scotch." Scarlett sighed leaning back again.
"Maybe the Vodka got jealous?" Duke suggested.
"Maybe just a little." Scarlett giggled holding her stomach. Duke stood up and offered her his hand.
"The park's not far from here. It will be a nice walk." Duke offered. Scarlett took his hand and stood up.
"You're the tour guide. It's your job to lead me around." Scarlett laughed as she let her arm go limp. Duke tugged on her to get her going.
The park wasn't very far from the tavern. Trees covered the area with a few paved paths cutting through the forestry. Street lights and benches lined the little streets.
"You know tomorrow I am going to have such a big headache." Scarlett sighed with a frown.
"Well I don't think we had anything planned so you can sleep in." Duke offered.
"I may. I normally hold stuff better than this. I don't understand." Scarlett continued to frown out of frustration.
"So you're telling me you can drink me under the table?" Duke asked with a snide laugh. Scarlett burst out a laugh.
"Honey, I can drink you under it, sitting at it, and on top of it." Scarlett proudly boasted.
"Really?" Duke mused.
"Don't get any ideas." Scarlett warned.
"Yes, ma'am." Duke smiled. They walked for a bit more. Scarlett began to drag along out of tiredness.
"Hey, let's head back to the car and get you home before you become dead weight." Duke suggested.
"Nonsense, I'm perfectly…" Scarlett trailed off trying to clear her head.
"Awake?" Duke suggested.
"That's the word I wanted." Scarlett agreed. They continued along the path until they came to a bench. Duke sat down and patted down next to him, motioning for Scarlett to join him.
"I can't remember a night as beautiful as this growing up." Duke sighed.
"It's the margarita, Silly." Scarlett laughed.
"I think it's you." Duke sighed softly while watching the sky.
"Did you say something?" Scarlett asked, not catching what Duke had said.
"Just agreeing with you." Duke smiled.
"Now I know it's the margarita talking." Scarlett teased. They both laughed. "Thanks for a nice time tonight, Conrad. I really enjoyed it."
"Thank you, Shana for coming along, for coming to see me, for helping me remember." Duke sighed.
"It's nice to just…what did you just call me?" Scarlett sat up alert.
"I called you Shana…" Duke sighed amazed at the name that came out.
"You remembered…"Scarlett excitedly smiled.
"It just came to me. You're first name is Shana." Duke sighed happily.
"Shana O'Hara. Code name Scarlett. Scarlett O'Hara." Duke played around with her name.
"Yeah, and if you make a Gone With the Wind joke…" Scarlett trailed off.
"I'm sure you'll punch the wind right out of me. I'm thinking 'ow'." Duke grinned.
"Do you remember anything else?" Scarlett asked hopeful.
"I don't know. " Duke said concentrating. "It just came to me. I wasn't even thinking about remembering. I guess how it will be. Things will just come to me. I'm ok with that." Duke sighed happy to have made a slight breakthrough.
"Hopefully more things will come while I'm still here." Scarlett sighed and squeezed his hand. She leaned against him.
"Yeah, hopefully." He squeezed her hand back. He stared off into the distance happy about his first recovered memory of this woman who was so kind enough to come help him, "Maybe we should head back?" Duke asked after a few moments. There was no response. "You still with me, Red?" He looked over at her. Her eyes were closed and a small sigh escaped from her lips.
"I'll take that as a 'no'." Duke sighed and tapped Scarlett's shoulder.
"Yes?" Scarlett answered.
"You were asleep." Duke told her.
"No, I was looking at the scenery." Scarlett told him.
"And so you were looking with your eyes closed. You're amazing!" Duke chuckled.
"Well, maybe I nodded off for a few seconds." Scarlett finally admitted.
"Sure, sure. Let's get going." Duke sighed and stood up. He took Scarlett's hand. The two walked back to Duke's car and headed back to the Falcone residence.
"This is pretty nice." Scarlett commented looking around.
"Yeah, it's one of my favorites. I guess I've never taken you here before." Duke concluded.
"Well, the few times I've come to St. Louis our time together was rushed. We basically stayed at your parents' house most of the time. We were lucky if we could get away for more than two days. Basically we spent the time unwinding and relaxing." Scarlett explained.
"I wish I could remember…" Duke trailed off and then grunted to himself as he shook out of his train of thought.
"Hey, how about we just enjoy ourselves. Let's not think of the past or the future. Let's just enjoy right here, right now."
"That sounds good." Scarlett smiled genuinely. The waitress came over asking them for their order.
"I think I'll take it easy tonight since I'm driving. I'll have a margarita." Duke decided. He looked at Scarlett to see what she would order.
"Scotch on the rocks with a lemon squeeze with a vodka shooter, please." Scarlett sighed. The waitress looked at her funny and then walked away. Scarlett turned to see a stunned look on Duke's face.
"What?" Scarlett asked.
"Scotch? I mean…I mean…that's strong stuff." Duke
"I'm a strong woman." Scarlett grinned.
"What else am I going to remember about you when I get my memory back?" Duke laughed.
"Oh, a couple surprises I'm sure…" Scarlett grinned with a twinkle in her eye.
"Is that so?" Duke smiled back. The waitress brought their order to them. They sipped away in silence for a few moments both just unwinding and taking in the scenery at the tavern. Duke leaned back and sighed.
"Why does everyone keep looking over here?" Scarlett asked after a few minutes. She had been watching different parties throw their eyes over to where she was sitting.
"I don't know. Maybe they're amazed someone like me has a stunning companion for the night?" Duke sighed as he watched another two men look over at them.
"That could be it, or you could have grown a second head." Scarlett giggled. She leaned forward and put her two hands on the sides of Duke's head. She gently moved his head side to side. "Nope, only one head." She removed her hands and took her shot of vodka.
"It must be you then." Duke laughed. He touched her shoulder and then made a sizzling sound and pulled his hand away like he burned himself.
"Conrad, that line is so outdated. You need to get some new lines." Scarlett teased.
"Well, maybe the only lines I can remember are from then." Duke laughed. They were both leaned in as if having an intense conversation, but neither one of them was speaking. Scarlett found the close proximity inviting and warm.
"You've got the most fantastic smile I've ever seen." Duke sighed after studying her features.
"I bet you say that to all the innebr… ineeb... to all the drunk women." Scarlett finally finished. She laughed at her blunder and leaned closer towards Duke.
"Hey you want to go for a walk? We could get some air and maybe sober up a bit before heading back?" Duke suggested.
"I'm not that drunk. Trust me, I can hold my scotch." Scarlett sighed leaning back again.
"Maybe the Vodka got jealous?" Duke suggested.
"Maybe just a little." Scarlett giggled holding her stomach. Duke stood up and offered her his hand.
"The park's not far from here. It will be a nice walk." Duke offered. Scarlett took his hand and stood up.
"You're the tour guide. It's your job to lead me around." Scarlett laughed as she let her arm go limp. Duke tugged on her to get her going.
The park wasn't very far from the tavern. Trees covered the area with a few paved paths cutting through the forestry. Street lights and benches lined the little streets.
"You know tomorrow I am going to have such a big headache." Scarlett sighed with a frown.
"Well I don't think we had anything planned so you can sleep in." Duke offered.
"I may. I normally hold stuff better than this. I don't understand." Scarlett continued to frown out of frustration.
"So you're telling me you can drink me under the table?" Duke asked with a snide laugh. Scarlett burst out a laugh.
"Honey, I can drink you under it, sitting at it, and on top of it." Scarlett proudly boasted.
"Really?" Duke mused.
"Don't get any ideas." Scarlett warned.
"Yes, ma'am." Duke smiled. They walked for a bit more. Scarlett began to drag along out of tiredness.
"Hey, let's head back to the car and get you home before you become dead weight." Duke suggested.
"Nonsense, I'm perfectly…" Scarlett trailed off trying to clear her head.
"Awake?" Duke suggested.
"That's the word I wanted." Scarlett agreed. They continued along the path until they came to a bench. Duke sat down and patted down next to him, motioning for Scarlett to join him.
"I can't remember a night as beautiful as this growing up." Duke sighed.
"It's the margarita, Silly." Scarlett laughed.
"I think it's you." Duke sighed softly while watching the sky.
"Did you say something?" Scarlett asked, not catching what Duke had said.
"Just agreeing with you." Duke smiled.
"Now I know it's the margarita talking." Scarlett teased. They both laughed. "Thanks for a nice time tonight, Conrad. I really enjoyed it."
"Thank you, Shana for coming along, for coming to see me, for helping me remember." Duke sighed.
"It's nice to just…what did you just call me?" Scarlett sat up alert.
"I called you Shana…" Duke sighed amazed at the name that came out.
"You remembered…"Scarlett excitedly smiled.
"It just came to me. You're first name is Shana." Duke sighed happily.
"Shana O'Hara. Code name Scarlett. Scarlett O'Hara." Duke played around with her name.
"Yeah, and if you make a Gone With the Wind joke…" Scarlett trailed off.
"I'm sure you'll punch the wind right out of me. I'm thinking 'ow'." Duke grinned.
"Do you remember anything else?" Scarlett asked hopeful.
"I don't know. " Duke said concentrating. "It just came to me. I wasn't even thinking about remembering. I guess how it will be. Things will just come to me. I'm ok with that." Duke sighed happy to have made a slight breakthrough.
"Hopefully more things will come while I'm still here." Scarlett sighed and squeezed his hand. She leaned against him.
"Yeah, hopefully." He squeezed her hand back. He stared off into the distance happy about his first recovered memory of this woman who was so kind enough to come help him, "Maybe we should head back?" Duke asked after a few moments. There was no response. "You still with me, Red?" He looked over at her. Her eyes were closed and a small sigh escaped from her lips.
"I'll take that as a 'no'." Duke sighed and tapped Scarlett's shoulder.
"Yes?" Scarlett answered.
"You were asleep." Duke told her.
"No, I was looking at the scenery." Scarlett told him.
"And so you were looking with your eyes closed. You're amazing!" Duke chuckled.
"Well, maybe I nodded off for a few seconds." Scarlett finally admitted.
"Sure, sure. Let's get going." Duke sighed and stood up. He took Scarlett's hand. The two walked back to Duke's car and headed back to the Falcone residence.
