Chapter Three -- Friends and Lovers
A tired looking Leela entered the empty Planet Express lobby early the next morning. The unusual silence of the room was pleasant and she knew it would give her a chance to think before the others began to arrive.
Silently, she began to brew coffee and then sat down alone at the kitchen table to think. Last night had been like a dream, but the ring on her finger convinced her that it was real. She was engaged to Rodney Jones....or was she? Was that promise last night a proposal? She had been so overcome with shock that she hadn't uttered another word the entire evening. His words kept playing over and over in her mind, "if you find someone else who loves you like I do, then don't wait for me..."
Looking into the coffee cup, she stared at her own reflection in the dark liquid.It sounded so romantic, but why would he even bring up the possibility that I would find someone else. Doesn't he realize how much I love him? There isn't anyone else in this world that I want to spend my life with. At that moment, Fry's face appeared in her mind, his gentle eyes and kind smile. So boyish and so innocent, so unlike Rodney's masculine appearance. She shook her head in disbelief. Why, of all things, had she thought of Fry right now?
Leela sat in silence for another hour, turning Rodney's words around in her head and trying to decipher the hidden meaning she knew existed behind the gossamer promises. She couldn't come to a conclusion and her train of thought was finally interrupted by another member of the Planet Express team entering the Lobby. It was Fry. He walked in with his head down, not noticing Leela in the kitchen at first.
Unthinking, Leela stood to greet her friend, but as she reached the kitchen door, she stopped. Something compelled her to take off the ring. She didnt know why, but reasoned to herself that she simply didnt want to bombard Fry with it all at once. Deep down, though, it didn't make much sense and she knew it. Fry's a good friend, she thought to herself, he'll be happy for me; why should I hide it from him? She slipped the ring back on her finger and walked into the lobby.
Walking into the kitchen, Fry nearly walked right into Leela. His head snapped up and a big smile spread across his face. She smiled back and for the first time in a long time in the friendship, there was an awkward silence between the two of them. Fry finally broke it and leaned in to hug Leela gently and place a slight kiss on her cheek before he walked past her and to the refrigerator.
"Did you have a good time with Rodney last night," Fry asked, his head buried in the ice box.
Leela still stood in the doorway. She watched Fry at the refrigerator and wondered what she had expected out of the entire thing. Finally, she crossed to the table and sat down. "We had a good time," she said finally, "We talked a lot."
Fry nodded in silence and sat down accross from Leela with a bowl of Bachelor Chow.
"So...what did you do last night?" she asked him.
Fry shrugged, about to tell her a story he fabricated about a wild night out with a few lady friends that didn't exist. And then, he saw the ring. Though he tried to act as though he hadn't even noticed it, he nearly choked on his Bachelor Chow. He knew what that was and he knew who it came from. Suddenly, whether or not he had gone out last night didn't mean anything. He was about to ask about it and then stopped himself. If she wanted to tell him about last night, she would. And besides, maybe if he ignored the ring he could just pretend that it didnt exist. Finally, Leela broke the silence, "He took me to Elzar's. It where we first met, you know."
Fry nodded, still concentrating deeply on cereal, "I know."
"Right...well, we had a nice time," Leela said, a bit defensively.
Fry looked up from his cereal and into Leela's eye. She's my friend, he thought to himself, and I can't hurt her like this. She wants me to be happy for her and I will be. It's not like she got engaged just to hurt me. I should be happy that she's happy. He reached accross the table and took Leela's right hand, still ignoring the ring, "Leela, I'm really glad that you had a good time last night," he said as sincerely as he could, "and I know that you and Rodney will be very happy together and as your best friend, I wish you all the happiness in the world."
Leela looked at him in gentle surprise. Where the hell had that come from? From the look on Fry's face, he seemed to be asking himself the same thing. He had never been that open and frank and honest with her before, and thinking back Leela had to note that it was one of the least idiotic advances he had ever made. Maybe, she thought, it's because its not an advance. Maybe he's finally accepted that we're just good friends. She should have been happy at the thought, even relieved, so why did her chest feel so heavy and why was her eye burning with soon to be tears?
She managed a tight smile at Fry, but the tears were threatening to fall and Fry's hand still holding hers didn't help the matter. She blushed slightly at the warmth of his larger hand on hers. His face flashed in her mind again with Rodney's words and she blinked them back. No, Leela, do not do this to yourself. You've got the man of your dreams waiting for you. Suddenly she realized how many meanings that statement had.
"Leela...Leela...is something wrong?" Fry asked her, still holding her hand, a look of concern on his face.
"What? No, nothing's wrong," she said, glancing down at Fry's hand. He met her gaze and seemed embarassed.
"Oh...sorry," he said as he quickly pulled his hand away. After another awkward moment, Fry resigned to his Bachelor Chow, remaining silent for the rest of the meal. He prayed for the rest of the crew to arrive so that he wouldn't be forced to sit accross from the woman that he had planned to spend the rest of his life with and pretend that he was happy she was marrying someone else. "What is up with you meat bags? Do you guys sleep here or --- holy shit, is that rock real?" Bender's voice resonated from beside Fry. He hadn't heard him enter, but he closed his eyes momentarily and mentally thanked his robotic friend for small favors.
Bender walked over to Leela and she placed her hand in his to let him examine the ring. Using one of his eyes as a magnifying glass to inspect it, Bender began to make what should have been casual conversation, "I never thought I'd see the day when you weren't sacking it up with Zapp." Leela's cheeks reddened as she was reminded of the night so long ago spent with that egotistical bastard of a Captain, Zapp Brannigan. She set her jaw, "That was only once Bender and if I were you I'd be damned glad that I did it, too. It got your sorry asses out of jail."
Bender chuckled, "Well, if I were you, I would've killed myself on the spot, but that's just me." Leela noticed a slight tinge of anger rising in Fry's face. Apparently, so did Bender because she pulled Leela off of her chair and into a hug. Unfortunately, she didn't notice the ring being pulled off gently.
"Aw, you know I'm just jokin' with ya cyclops. I'm happy for ya." Leela smiled and then sat back down. Bender slapped Fry on the back in jest.
"Well meatbag, looks like you gotta find some other one eyed mutant to fantasize about. This one is sold as is"
Fry tensed up and looked at Bender, "The ring, Bender."
"What? What ring?"
"Give her back the ring."
"I don't know what you're - hey!" Fry stood up abruptly and yanked open Bender's front compartment, rummaging through empty beer bottles to find Leela's ring. All the while, Bender vebally protested. Fry stood up, holding the ring and for the first time got a really good look at it. It was beautiful, but it could never compare to Leela. In Fry's eyes, she was too good even for this ring. He laid it down on the table next to Leela.
For a moment, Fry didn't know what to say and found himself in an awkward situation once again. In an monotoned voice that even his own ears didn't recognize, he said, "I'm going to go start loading for the deliveries today. I'll see you guys later."
Fry walked out the door, leaving a stunned Bender looking at the pile of beer bottles on the floor and an unknowingly longing friend staring at the ring that held the key to a future that she was suddenly unwilling to take. Awkward silences were abundant that morning as another one reared its head.
"Well, I've been violated," Bender said, looking at the pile of beer bottles around him. "Wait..." he reached into his compartment and an angered look came over his face, "That thief took his wallet back! PINCHE CHAPERO!" Bender yelled after Fry.
To Bender's surprise, Fry answered, "ROMO!"
A tired looking Leela entered the empty Planet Express lobby early the next morning. The unusual silence of the room was pleasant and she knew it would give her a chance to think before the others began to arrive.
Silently, she began to brew coffee and then sat down alone at the kitchen table to think. Last night had been like a dream, but the ring on her finger convinced her that it was real. She was engaged to Rodney Jones....or was she? Was that promise last night a proposal? She had been so overcome with shock that she hadn't uttered another word the entire evening. His words kept playing over and over in her mind, "if you find someone else who loves you like I do, then don't wait for me..."
Looking into the coffee cup, she stared at her own reflection in the dark liquid.It sounded so romantic, but why would he even bring up the possibility that I would find someone else. Doesn't he realize how much I love him? There isn't anyone else in this world that I want to spend my life with. At that moment, Fry's face appeared in her mind, his gentle eyes and kind smile. So boyish and so innocent, so unlike Rodney's masculine appearance. She shook her head in disbelief. Why, of all things, had she thought of Fry right now?
Leela sat in silence for another hour, turning Rodney's words around in her head and trying to decipher the hidden meaning she knew existed behind the gossamer promises. She couldn't come to a conclusion and her train of thought was finally interrupted by another member of the Planet Express team entering the Lobby. It was Fry. He walked in with his head down, not noticing Leela in the kitchen at first.
Unthinking, Leela stood to greet her friend, but as she reached the kitchen door, she stopped. Something compelled her to take off the ring. She didnt know why, but reasoned to herself that she simply didnt want to bombard Fry with it all at once. Deep down, though, it didn't make much sense and she knew it. Fry's a good friend, she thought to herself, he'll be happy for me; why should I hide it from him? She slipped the ring back on her finger and walked into the lobby.
Walking into the kitchen, Fry nearly walked right into Leela. His head snapped up and a big smile spread across his face. She smiled back and for the first time in a long time in the friendship, there was an awkward silence between the two of them. Fry finally broke it and leaned in to hug Leela gently and place a slight kiss on her cheek before he walked past her and to the refrigerator.
"Did you have a good time with Rodney last night," Fry asked, his head buried in the ice box.
Leela still stood in the doorway. She watched Fry at the refrigerator and wondered what she had expected out of the entire thing. Finally, she crossed to the table and sat down. "We had a good time," she said finally, "We talked a lot."
Fry nodded in silence and sat down accross from Leela with a bowl of Bachelor Chow.
"So...what did you do last night?" she asked him.
Fry shrugged, about to tell her a story he fabricated about a wild night out with a few lady friends that didn't exist. And then, he saw the ring. Though he tried to act as though he hadn't even noticed it, he nearly choked on his Bachelor Chow. He knew what that was and he knew who it came from. Suddenly, whether or not he had gone out last night didn't mean anything. He was about to ask about it and then stopped himself. If she wanted to tell him about last night, she would. And besides, maybe if he ignored the ring he could just pretend that it didnt exist. Finally, Leela broke the silence, "He took me to Elzar's. It where we first met, you know."
Fry nodded, still concentrating deeply on cereal, "I know."
"Right...well, we had a nice time," Leela said, a bit defensively.
Fry looked up from his cereal and into Leela's eye. She's my friend, he thought to himself, and I can't hurt her like this. She wants me to be happy for her and I will be. It's not like she got engaged just to hurt me. I should be happy that she's happy. He reached accross the table and took Leela's right hand, still ignoring the ring, "Leela, I'm really glad that you had a good time last night," he said as sincerely as he could, "and I know that you and Rodney will be very happy together and as your best friend, I wish you all the happiness in the world."
Leela looked at him in gentle surprise. Where the hell had that come from? From the look on Fry's face, he seemed to be asking himself the same thing. He had never been that open and frank and honest with her before, and thinking back Leela had to note that it was one of the least idiotic advances he had ever made. Maybe, she thought, it's because its not an advance. Maybe he's finally accepted that we're just good friends. She should have been happy at the thought, even relieved, so why did her chest feel so heavy and why was her eye burning with soon to be tears?
She managed a tight smile at Fry, but the tears were threatening to fall and Fry's hand still holding hers didn't help the matter. She blushed slightly at the warmth of his larger hand on hers. His face flashed in her mind again with Rodney's words and she blinked them back. No, Leela, do not do this to yourself. You've got the man of your dreams waiting for you. Suddenly she realized how many meanings that statement had.
"Leela...Leela...is something wrong?" Fry asked her, still holding her hand, a look of concern on his face.
"What? No, nothing's wrong," she said, glancing down at Fry's hand. He met her gaze and seemed embarassed.
"Oh...sorry," he said as he quickly pulled his hand away. After another awkward moment, Fry resigned to his Bachelor Chow, remaining silent for the rest of the meal. He prayed for the rest of the crew to arrive so that he wouldn't be forced to sit accross from the woman that he had planned to spend the rest of his life with and pretend that he was happy she was marrying someone else. "What is up with you meat bags? Do you guys sleep here or --- holy shit, is that rock real?" Bender's voice resonated from beside Fry. He hadn't heard him enter, but he closed his eyes momentarily and mentally thanked his robotic friend for small favors.
Bender walked over to Leela and she placed her hand in his to let him examine the ring. Using one of his eyes as a magnifying glass to inspect it, Bender began to make what should have been casual conversation, "I never thought I'd see the day when you weren't sacking it up with Zapp." Leela's cheeks reddened as she was reminded of the night so long ago spent with that egotistical bastard of a Captain, Zapp Brannigan. She set her jaw, "That was only once Bender and if I were you I'd be damned glad that I did it, too. It got your sorry asses out of jail."
Bender chuckled, "Well, if I were you, I would've killed myself on the spot, but that's just me." Leela noticed a slight tinge of anger rising in Fry's face. Apparently, so did Bender because she pulled Leela off of her chair and into a hug. Unfortunately, she didn't notice the ring being pulled off gently.
"Aw, you know I'm just jokin' with ya cyclops. I'm happy for ya." Leela smiled and then sat back down. Bender slapped Fry on the back in jest.
"Well meatbag, looks like you gotta find some other one eyed mutant to fantasize about. This one is sold as is"
Fry tensed up and looked at Bender, "The ring, Bender."
"What? What ring?"
"Give her back the ring."
"I don't know what you're - hey!" Fry stood up abruptly and yanked open Bender's front compartment, rummaging through empty beer bottles to find Leela's ring. All the while, Bender vebally protested. Fry stood up, holding the ring and for the first time got a really good look at it. It was beautiful, but it could never compare to Leela. In Fry's eyes, she was too good even for this ring. He laid it down on the table next to Leela.
For a moment, Fry didn't know what to say and found himself in an awkward situation once again. In an monotoned voice that even his own ears didn't recognize, he said, "I'm going to go start loading for the deliveries today. I'll see you guys later."
Fry walked out the door, leaving a stunned Bender looking at the pile of beer bottles on the floor and an unknowingly longing friend staring at the ring that held the key to a future that she was suddenly unwilling to take. Awkward silences were abundant that morning as another one reared its head.
"Well, I've been violated," Bender said, looking at the pile of beer bottles around him. "Wait..." he reached into his compartment and an angered look came over his face, "That thief took his wallet back! PINCHE CHAPERO!" Bender yelled after Fry.
To Bender's surprise, Fry answered, "ROMO!"