Title: Housing Love
Rating: PG-13
Author: K. Ly
Chapter: Four
Disclaimer: Yeah…if I owned Sailor Moon I would be tanning on my own island. But I'm not. I'm sitting in my room typing up this disclaimer that obviously is the most ridiculous thing that I have to do in each new chapter. I don't own Sailor Moon. Get the picture? ::smiles::
Author's note: I was so ecstatic when I read all the reviews from the last chapter! It made me want to sit down at the computer and write more! Thanks everyone! Please review again after this chapter!
***
Serena closed the refrigerator. There was absolutely nothing to eat. Serena opened the fridge again, hoping to expect that something new would miraculously appear and she had the will to eat it.
Nope.
All that was left in the fridge was a jar of peanut butter, ketchup, mustard, and an orange. Not exactly the most appetizing thing in the world when concocted together. She searched the cupboards.
Nothing.
Dried herbs, glassware, wine glasses, and a bag of flour. How ever did she and Darien manage to eat when they were married? Serena went into the living room and picked up the phone book. Turning to the yellow pages she flipped to the pizza delivery section. Dialing the number on the cordless phone she waited it for to be picked up.
"Sano's pizza," a gruff voice spoke.
"Hi. Can I get a medium cheese pizza with olives?"
"Better make it a large pizza with olives and anchovies," a voice spoke up from behind her.
"Good Lord!" Serena shrieked. She turned her head and found Darien behind her, hands in his pockets. "Don't you knock?"
"Why should I? Don't I live here now?"
"Smart-aleck…"
"You do know there is nothing that's even edible in your fridge."
"I like to think of it as 'our' fridge, Darien. Since you live here again. Why do you think I'm making this call?"
"Hey, Lady! You still there?" yelled the pizza guy over the phone.
"Yeah, can I get a large cheese pizza with one side olives and the other side anchovies?"
"13. 56."
"Thanks, I live at…"
"Sorry lady, our delivery car is broken. You're gonna have to come get it yourself."
"What! Fine, whatever." Serena sighed. She didn't have the energy to argue and find another pizza place.
"Name?"
"Serena Shi-Jameson. Serena Jameson."
Darien looked at her. 'She changed her last name,' he thought. Serena hung up the phone and stood up.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, nothing," Darien shook his head. "I put my stuff up in the guest room next to yours."
"That's fine." Serena nodded. "Do you want to come get the pizza with me?"
"Yeah sure. I'll drive." Darien took his keys out of his pockets and headed towards the garage. Serena grabbed her purse that was thrown on the recliner when she got home that evening. Minutes later Darien and Serena were driving down International Drive towards the pizza place in Darien's Ford Mustang. From the moment they got into the car Darien and Serena had not utter one word.
'I think this is what they call a deafening silence,' Serena thought to herself.
"How's the architect firm?" Darien asked breaking the silence.
"Fine, how's the company?" Serena asked dazing out the car window.
"Good, I'm about to meet with a company about a merger," Darien replied.
"That's good."
"Did you have fun at that party?"
"It was okay. I left early because of…a meeting I had the next day."
"On a Sunday?"
Serena laughed weakly. "Well don't you put in extra hours at the office Darien?"
"True. True."
Darien smiled, as he looked the opposite way. He pulled up to the pizza parlor and parked. Serena got out with a hurry and practically ran inside with Darien on her heels. After countless minutes of waiting, Serena and Darien finally got to the front of the line.
"Pizza for Serena Jameson."
"16.87" the cashier said. He was the same guy who took Serena's order.
"What? I thought it was 13.58!"
"Yeah, about that. We had to charge you for three toppings."
"But I only had two. Anchovies and olives. That's two!"
"Plus cheese."
"You can't count cheese as a topping!" Serena cried waving her hands in the air.
"Sorry lady. That's life."
"No, look here. You can't count cheese as a topping. Without the cheese, its just a flat piece of bread with tomato juice on it!"
"Look lady, its 16.87! Large pizza, with cheese, anchovies, and olives! Three toppings!"
"Why I oughta…"
"Serena, Serena, Serena! Hold back, Sere. It's only 3 dollars extra," Darien said grabbing her wrists.
"For cheese! Darien, I'm not going to pay three dollars for cheese counted as one topping."
"I'll pay for it," Darien offered. Darien stepped in front of Serena and handed the man a fifty.
"Sorry, man. We don't take bills over twenty."
Aggravated, Serena pushed her way in front of Darien and was about to punch the guy. Fortunately Darien grabbed her by the waist and tossed the fifty towards the cashier. "Keep the change." Darien grabbed the pizza box and ushered Serena out the door, letting go of her waist.
"You're lucky you had your husband here with you!" shouted the cashier.
Serena turned back around and darted for the cashier.
"Let me go Darien!" she yelled as he pushed her the opposite way.
"Serena, it's not worth it!"
"Oh, trust me yes it is!"
"Keep walking," Darien urged as he handed her the pizza and they walked back to the car.
"I'm never going back to that place ever again," Serena muttered as Darien drove back to the house.
"You shouldn't let guys like that get to you."
"You know how easy I lose my temper…" Serena replied. Darien laughed out loud. "What's so funny?"
Darien continued on hackling like a hyena. "Darien! What are you laughing at!?"
Darien calmed down and let out a few stifled laughs. "I was just remembering how mad you got at our wedding photographer four years ago!"
Serena grinned.
*Flashback*
"Okay, can I have the bride and the groom in the middle with the maids on the other side of the bride," ordered the photographer. His commands were quick and unintelligible. "Groomsmen go on the other side of the groom. Little flower girls in front of those two young ladies next to the bride. Ring-bearer, in front of the groomsman next to the groom. And now we take the picture!"
Serena and Darien were in the middle surrounded by Serena's maids, Amy, Mina, Raye, and Lita, respectively. Next to Darien was Andrew, Greg, Ken, and Chad, respectively. Schedule was running a bit behind and the wedding party was taking their photographs before the reception. Serena who had been fasting since morning was dying to get into that ballroom to start eating all that food that they paid for.
"Oh wait! The third one in on my bride's side, can you scoot a little to your right? No, that's too much go out a little. There fine! And now we take the picture! Big smiles everyone!" As the photographer began to press his finger on the button, " No wait! Second man in on my groom's side scoot out a little. There. Perfect. Ready! One…two…oh darn. The lightening has gotten worse. Hold on a second will you please?"
"Just take the goddamn picture!" screamed Serena throwing her hands up in the air. "An idiot could have taken that picture five minutes ago and we would be eating right now! How long does it take to take a bloody picture! Two seconds! One, two! Picture taken! Now will you please take the damn picture so I can go eat the food I paid 10,000 dollars for?"
"Smile! One, two…"
CLICK!
"Thank you!" Serena sighed as she waltzed in the ballroom.
"And I'm going to be stuck with that for the rest of my life…" Darien mumbled as he smiled secretly.
*End flashback*
Serena grinned. "He deserved it."
"Poor guy. He was just trying to make the best day of your life special."
"And look how it turned out…" Serena replied without thinking. "I'm sorry Darien."
"No, don't worry about it. It's all in the past." Darien smiled looking over to Serena.
'The past', Serena thought.
Hours later, found Serena and Darien sprawled out in the living room. Watching a movie, eating pizza and drinking wine. "I don't know how you can stand this movie," Darien muttered taking a bit of his pizza.
"And I don't know how you can eat anchovies on a pizza," Serena shot back.
"I mean, seriously. Titanic has got to be the most overrated movie of all time."
"What's wrong with it? It has drama, romance, and Leonardo DiCaprio.
What's not to like?"
"The Leonardo DiCaprio part." Darien replied taking a sip of his wine.
"What's wrong with him?"
"Nothing, it's just he had so many women who fawn over him it gets annoying. Ordinary women must know that they will never have a chance to even date a guy like that."
"Guys like who?"
"I don't know. Tom Cruise, Orlando Bloom, Colin Farrell."
"Oh, I don't know about that. Remember that guy, what's-his-face at that charity benefit three years ago?"
"He was totally hitting you and we were engaged at that time."
"Feeling jealous Darien?" Serena smirked lifting up her glass.
"In your dreams."
"Speaking of which, I have to get to work tomorrow really early."
"Yeah, I have that meeting. Good night Serena."
"Night, Darien."
Serena walked up the stairs and never looked back. 'He's not so bad to have around…' she thought.
'She's not so bad to have around…' Darien thought as he turned off the DVD player and began to clean up the mess. 'What am I saying? This is Serena I'm taking about. It must be the wine.' At the moment, a ringing came from inside Darien's jacket pocket. In a flash he whipped it open. "Darien Shields."
"Darien. It's Diamond. How are you?"
"Very well, indeed. How are you Diamond? Excited about the meeting tomorrow I hope."
"Yes, I am. However there is one problem. I got called to Japan on very short notice and I'm about to return to the Americas. It looks like I'm going to have to postpone our meeting."
Darien frowned. "How about dinner?"
"I have had previous plans for dinner but I'm sure she wouldn't mind. Perhaps you could bring someone as well."
"Of course."
"Well then Darien. I hope to see you at the 49th Street Bistro at eight o'clock."
"I will be there."
As Serena began to climb into bed the phone on her nightstand rang. "Who's calling this time of night?" Serena asked herself as she sat on the bed and picked it up. "Hello?"
"Serena?"
"Diamond! What are you doing calling this time of night?"
"I'm sorry, Serena. I hope I didn't wake you. I'm in Japan right now. I forgot about the time change. I just wanted to see how you were doing."
"Japan? Does that mean you won't make it in time for dinner tomorrow?" Serena asked ever so diligently.
"I am about to leave the airport right now. I will make it. But I am afraid I will have to miss a meeting I am suppose to have tomorrow in the afternoon. Would you mine if he came along? I am sure he would be able to bring a friend of his own."
"I wouldn't mind Diamond. I guess we will have to have a night of our own very soon though. After all we must get to know each other sometime."
"That we will, Serena. I must be keeping you from a long night's sleep, so I will send a limousine tomorrow at 7:30 prompt." Diamond smiled. "Good night Serena."
"Good night, Diamond."
***
"I am so late!!!" Serena shrieked as she ran down the steps and into the kitchen. Grabbing a mug of coffee that was set on the table she gulped it down.
"Excuse me," Darien interfered. "That's my cup of coffee."
"I don't see your name written on it," Serena garbled as she kept on drinking it.
Darien sighed. "Some things never change."
"Aren't you suppose to have a meeting with that merger guy?"
"I did but he called and couldn't make it this afternoon. So we're having dinner, tonight."
"Ah, it looks like we both have plans for tonight," Serena replied.
"Really, what are you doing?"
"A hot date."
"Already?"
"I'm not getting any younger Darien!" Serena shouted over her shoulder as she went out of the kitchen. "Where the hell are my keys?!"
"Sofa, middle cushion, jammed in the way back," Darien yelled.
After a long moment of silence, Serena made her way back into the kitchen. "How did you know that?" she asked while hanging a pair keys from her fingers. "You haven't even lived here for a week and you know my habits…"
"I've known them since high school, Serena," Darien said, while pouring himself another cup of coffee. Serena dropped her hand. 'Wow…since high school? Have we known each other for that long? He knows me so well it's like he's my best friend. What's that saying? You should always marry your best friend?' Serena thought as she stood there. 'Well, I did. And look where it's got me. A divorce.'
"Who is he?"
"Who?"
"Your date."
"Oh!" Serena acted surprised. "Just a friend of a friend."
"Blind date?"
"No, I've met him before…"
"Where?"
"Nowhere."
Darien looked at Serena with a perplexed look. "Aren't you going to be late Serena?" Darien asked as he turned around.
Serena snapped out of thought. "Huh? Oh yeah! I'm so late! Bye!" Serena darted out of the kitchen and out the front door. Seconds later Serena's car revved up and peeled out of the driveway.
***
"You have a hot date tonight?!" Mina shrieked as that sat in Serena's office.
"Yeah but it's not going to be that romantic. Diamond said he had to talk to some guy about business stuff. Important stuff."
"Do you know what you're going to wear?"
"I don't know. I'll figure something out."
"Does Darien know you're dating again?"
"Yeah. Didn't have a problem with it." Serena said before taking a sip of her coffee.
"You know what men are like Serena. They say one thing and totally mean the opposite!"
"Mina, stop trying to meddle. Our 'romantic' relationship is over. Our 'friendly' relationship is just starting, so please for once, butt out."
"I'm just saying is all. Darien still might have feelings for you."
"Probably feelings he doesn't even know what they are. I give up on Darien. I can either sit at home and cry about it, or just go out and find a better guy. Which I think I have," Serena defended herself.
"Well you got out and enjoy yourself. Just promise me one thing, you spill all the details tomorrow."
Serena laughed. "Okay."
***
Later that night…
"Serena! I'm leaving!" Darien called up the stairs. "Serena?" After no answer Darien went upstairs. He stood before Serena's door and knocked. "Serena?"
"Come in."
Darien opened the door wide. In front of her long length mirror stood Serena. She was dressed in pink flowing evening dress, with thin straps that crisscrossed in the back. Her hair was done in curls and appeared much shorter. "What do you think?"
Darien stood at the doorway. He eyes wide and mouth open. "You look…ahem…you look great. Your date is going to love you."
"Thanks. A girl could use that compliment from a guy before she goes out for a night on the town. What did you want?"
"I was just coming to say…good luck on your date," Darien said with an assurance.
"Good luck on your merger."
"Thanks."
Honk! Honk!
Serena rushed to the balcony window. "That's my date's ride. Gotta jet."
"What? I don't get to meet him?" Darien said acting hurt.
"I'm meeting him at the restaurant," Serena said putting on a matching shawl and grabbing her purse. "If things go well tonight then, maybe you will get to meet him."
'Gah! Stop her! You don't know what this guy is like! He could be a gangster, or even worse, a politician!' his conscience thought.
"I hope I get to," Darien replied ignoring his conscience.
"Bye, Darien!" Serena said rushing past him and down towards the hall. Darien followed slowly and watched the limo turn the corner out of the driveway.
After a half an hour of driving towards the restaurant, Serena finally arrived. She entered the restaurant and walked up to the Maître d'.
"Has Diamond Wiltshire arrived?"
"No, I am sorry miss. He will be here shortly. Let me show you his table."
The headwaiter showed her to the nice wide booth that was in a very secluded spot. "Would you like anything to drink?"
"A white wine please."
"Another waiter will be here shortly."
Serena looked at her watch. She was a little early. After five minutes, a waiter had come by and brought her drink. Another ten minutes had gone by and still no sight of Diamond.
"Serena, I hope you haven't been waiting too long," a voice spoke up.
Serena looked up. There Diamond stood wearing a black business suit with a red shirt underneath. "Hello Diamond. No, I haven't been waiting for very long. Please sit down."
Diamond scooted in next to Serena. "Where's your friend?" Serena asked.
"He will be here soon," Diamond said. "But enough about him, tell me about you."
Serena smiled, "Well, let's see. I grew up in California, had a father and mother who loved me very much. And a brother who still gets on my nerves. I went to UCLA after graduating from high school where I studied architecture. Graduated Magna Cum Lade, got married and divorced within three years and here I am. Sixty second life story."
"Impressive."
"I wouldn't exactly call a divorce an accomplishment."
"Well, maybe not. But your career in architecture has gone to such heights."
"How did you know I have had a successful career as an architect?"
"I assumed. That and ask my personal assistant to do a little biography on you."
"You flatter me, Mr. Wiltshire. My ex-husband never did anything of the sort."
"What kind of man did you marry?"
"Well…he's a lot like you, from what I know about you. He's very businesslike and always spent his free hours in his office working. We both decided that the marriage wasn't working out, we both wanted different things. He took some things for granted and didn't know how to enjoy life. But we did remain friends though. After a lot of harsh words, we decided to remain good friends."
"Well, I know when to have fun and also not to take things for granted. So it looks like you and I are a matched pair."
"I guess so," Serena smiled.
"Sorry I'm late," spoke a familiar voice. Serena looks up and gasped.
"Darien, so glad you could make it," Diamond stood up and shook his hand. "This is-"
"Serena?"
"Darien?" Serena said in disbelief. Darien stood before them in immaculate dark suit and a dark blue shirt underneath.
"What are you doing here!" Serena shrieked.
"I could ask you the same thing," Darien snapped. "I didn't know you were on a date with Diamond Wiltshire."
"Does it really matter?"
"Well, yeah."
"Why does it matter?"
"Just…because!"
"You two know each other?" Diamond asked.
"Well…"
"Well…"
"Darien is my ex-husband."
Author's Note: Okay, okay. I wanted to end this chapter on an event that's going to happen next chapter but since my goal for every chapter is at least 2,500 words for every chapter and this one is well over 3000, I decided to end it just right here. You can kill me for doing that AFTER I finish writing the story. I apologize in advance if I have any plot holes. This was kind of rushed. ::Grins::
Review Please!!!!!!! Look what happened after all those reviews were sent in from chapter three! You got the next chapter in less than a week!!! It *could* happen again…