DISCLAIMER: Second verse, same as the first!
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Thank you to MsWings for reviewing! I'm glad you liked "The Other Side Of Love" too; I had a great time co-writing it. I'm also thrilled that there are a few more "ATGB" writers out there like you!
Again, I dig any constructive criticism!
POST II
As Alistair had promised, the food at The Blue was exquisite. Against Jean's wishes, Lionel ordered a steak, medium rare. She herself chose shrimp. Alistair decided to "throw caution to the wind and cholesterol to the waist" and also had steak. Judy ordered a house salad.
"Just a salad, Judy, Luv? Aren't you feeling well?" Jean pried.
"Oh, I'm fine. Just considering the fact that I was a pig on our honeymoon. I need to watch my waistline," replied Judy.
Alistair dropped his fork and knife audibly and scolded his wife, "Judith, you are not, nor have you ever been, a 'pig.' Purge the thought from your mind and the word from your vocabulary. You are the most gorgeous woman I've ever seen."
"Oh, Alistair," Judy gushed. She took Alistair's hand and leaned in for a kiss, which he gave with relish.
"I think I may be ill," Lionel complained ever so softly to Jean, who kicked him in the shin as punishment.
Light conversation took the group through the rest of dinner. Jean kept trying to bait Judy into admitting she was pregnant, but had no success. She felt the need to kick Lionel under the table again when Alistair ordered sparkling grape juice instead of champagne. "I, for one, had enough liquor to last me a lifetime over the last eight weeks," Alistair explained, as though forgetting he'd very clearly had a drink in the limo. See? Jean's kick indicated. Judy can't have liquor, and Alistair is abstaining for her sake! Lionel frowned.
Dessert included cherry cheesecake, Judy's favourite. Naturally, she had a slice with everyone else. Then, when everyone had finished eating and were chatting over their flute glasses of sparkling grape juice, Chazz appeared. On cue, of course.
"Mrs. Deacon, would you and your husband do us the honor of opening our dance floor this evening?"
Judy coughed on her drink when she realized Chazz was addressing her. She wasn't used to being called "Mrs. Deacon" yet, and she adored the ring of it on her ears. She looked at Alistair, who winked suggestively at her. "We would love to," she replied.
Alistair pushed his chair back, rose, and offered his hand to Judy. She took it, blushing furiously, eyes bright with happy tears. He gently pulled her to her feet. "C'mon, Li. Mustn't let the dance floor go without the graces of our lovely ladies." Even Jean was enchanted by that one.
Lionel wasn't a dancer, but he knew it would please Jean. He didn't often admit it, but there was nothing more in life he enjoyed more than seeing his wife smile and knowing he played a part in her happiness. He offered his hand to her. She blushed like her daughter had and let him guide her up. Chazz led the two couples back down the hallway they'd come through before dinner. This time, instead of taking them to the elevator, he opened a door to the left and escorted them down a different corridor and down a flight of sapphire stairs, azure candles lighting the way. Big band sounds tickled everyone's ears. Stringed instruments too! A turn to the right, and Chazz peeled back a curtain. The dance floor.
"Wait here," Chazz whispered, gesturing to a conveniently open table for four. Alistair and Lionel both held chairs out for their wives before sitting down too. Chazz crossed the floor to the orchestra, which silenced at a quick gesture from the conductor. Chazz took the microphone as a spotlight hit him. A spotlight! Lionel's stomach dropped.
"Ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of my staff and myself, I would like to thank you for joining us this evening at The Blue. It is our pleasure to welcome and serve you. In just a moment, we will open the dance floor to you, our guests. First, I'd like to invite a good friend of mine to join me up here. Alistair, if you please."
Grinning like the cat who ate the canary, Alistair stood up, winked at Judy, smoothed his tie, and walked confidently across the dance floor to join Chazz up front-and-center. Chazz slapped an arm around Alistair's shoulders and continued, "My guests, I want to introduce you to my friend Alistair Deacon. During our university days, Alistair and I were both studying business; he was performing famously, and I was miserable. You see, I wanted to be a chef, but was too afraid of failure to give it a chance. It was Alistair who encouraged me to follow my dreams. Soon after our graduation, he helped me open my own restaurant; yes, this very establishment, The Blue, began under the watchful business-master's eye of Mister Deacon." The dining audience applauded while Alistair gave Chazz a hearty pat on the back. "Ladies and gentlemen, Alistair joins us tonight a newly-married man. I think he has something to say to his lovely wife, Judith." Chazz handed the microphone to Alistair.
"Thanks, Chazz. Well, folks, no one could be prouder of my friend Charles Denborough than I am. The Blue is his baby, and he's done a fabulous job with raising it, don't you think?" Again, more applause. Alistair was in his element.
"Baby. Alistair said 'baby,' Lionel. Did you hear?" Jean whispered.
"I heard," Lionel replied.
"And! What do you think?"
"I think he's an excellent crowd-pleaser."
"Oh, Lionel, really!"
"Chazz speaks the truth when he says that I'm a newly-married man," Alistair went on. "Though what he should have said was that I'm the happiest newly-married man in the universe. My wife, Judith, is my universe. She is my life." He strode over to the table where Judy was sitting with her mother and stepfather. Tears of elation filled her eyes. "Judy, could I have this dance?" Alistair extended his hand to her.
"Always," Judy whispered, accepting his hand and letting him lead her out to the middle of the floor. Once more, the guests applauded. Many stood up. Some even whistled. Alistair handed the microphone back to Chazz as the orchestra began to play Could I Have This Dance. Alistair put his arms around his wife, kissing her tears away. She embraced him warmly, lovingly, and they moved to the music as one.
"Ohhhh, Lionel," Jean breathed. Even Lionel was visibly moved. He looked at his wife, took Jean's hands in his own, and kissed her lips.
---------------------------------------
It wasn't until the wee hours of the morning that Judy and Alistair, Jean and Lionel, and the rest of the guests finally exited The Blue for their vehicles and homes. Alistair thanked Chazz over and over, leaving the staff an enormous tip.
Judy was giggly and giddy as the party climbed back into the limo. Alistair was as chatty as ever. The kids had so much energy! Not to be outdone, Jean was running full blast on a second wind and didn't feel tired at all. Even Lionel had to admit that he'd had such a good time, he was hardly sleepy. Jean invited her daughter and son-in-law in for a cup of tea when the limo arrived at her house. Secretly, she wanted to get to the bottom of this "Are you pregnant?" curiosity. Plus, she missed her daughter! Alistair was reluctant, but Judy looked so intent on staying. After all, she hadn't seen her mother in two whole months! For her, he paid the limo driver and decided he would ring for a taxi when he and Judy were ready to leave.
Jean sent Alistair and Judy into the sitting room, then went to the kitchen to put the kettle on while Lionel readied a tray with cups, spoons, an assortment of teas, a bowl of sugar, and a goblet of milk.
"Well, Lionel? What do you think?" Jean inquired as she turned the burner higher.
"I think that, as much as I may not want to admit it aloud, I had a marvelous time tonight," Lionel replied before he kissed the top of Jean's head.
"No. I mean about Judy and Alistair."
"Well, I'm pretty sure they had a marvelous time too." He chuckled.
"No! Lionel, really! I mean, do you think they're pregnant?"
"Now how would I know?"
"Oh, Lionel!" Jean sighed.
In the sitting room, Alistair shrugged out of his suit coat and Judy kicked off her heels. They sat down together on the sofa with the grace of a pair of dancers. Judy pulled Alistair's tie away from his neck in a not-so-subtle motion to get close to him. She nibbled on his ear.
"I take it you had a good time?" he teased her, squeezing his hands into fists in an effort to not let his own emotions show.
"You are amazing. Truly and unequivocally amazing." She moved to his neck.
"Everything I do, I do for you, my love." His reserve was gone, just like that, when she nipped at his jawline. He simply couldn't help himself any more. Alistair put a hand up to catch Judy's chin, then turned her face up to his and kissed her lips. Forget about what her parents might think! Married couples are allowed to do this sort of thing, even on one's mother's couch.
Voices from the hallway – namely, Jean's and Lionel's – snapped Judy and Alistair out of their passionate moment. Alistair wiped a hand over his face and neck, hoping no lipstick remained. Judy grinned almost guiltily, her dimples in their glory, as Jean and Lionel entered.
Over their tea, Jean again tried to steer the conversation again towards babies, but Judy and Alistair always returned it to their trip. The photos that they hadn't finished looking through made a great diversionary prop. Here was Alistair learning how to hula. Judy tanning at the poolside. A particularly nice shot of Judy and Alistair in each other's arms centered in front of a burst of colourful blossoms. Judy collecting seashells on a beach. Alistair scooting around a miniature racecar track. Another of them together, kissing, a glorious sunset in the background. "We're having this one framed," Judy noted.
By three o'clock in the morning, everyone was sufficiently exhausted, even the newlyweds. Alistair phoned for a taxi while Judy gathered the photos together. Lionel carried the dishes to the kitchen, not even bothering to load the dishwasher. When he returned to the sitting room a minute later, Alistair was stuffing his tie into his jacket pocket, and Judy and Jean were hugging like they hadn't seen each other in years.
"We'll bring your gifts over soon. After we've all had a good rest," Judy announced when she finally pulled away from her mother. Alistair escorted his wife to the hallway. Jean and Lionel followed.
"Thanks so much for tonight," Lionel said graciously.
"Oh, yes, we had a marvelous time, didn't we Lionel?" added Jean.
"We did," he admitted.
"My pleasure, Li and Lovely Lady," replied Alistair.
The cab pulled up.
"We'll see you soon," Judy said, embracing her mother once more. Alistair opened the door.
Suddenly, before she knew what she was saying, Jean exclaimed, "Judith! Are you pregnant?"
Judy and Alistair had made it as far as the top step outside the door. They wore twin shocked expressions. "Mum! Whatever gave you that idea?"
Jean flushed with embarrassment. She hadn't meant to actually ask so blatantly. "Mother's intuition?" she replied sheepishly.
"Oh, Mum." Judy wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry. She stepped back over the threshold to take her mother's hands. "When Alistair and I know we're going to have a baby, you'll be the first ones we tell, I promise."
Jean couldn't respond. She just hugged Judy once more and wished her and Alistair a good night. Lionel had to lead her back into the sitting room.
"All right. Say it." Jean flopped down onto the sofa.
"Say what?" Lionel remained standing at the end of the couch.
"I told you so."
"Jean, come to bed."
With a ragged sigh, she peeled herself from the couch and climbed the stairs to the bedroom she shared with the man who was too decent to make fun of his wife.
Alistair followed Judy into the taxi. "You handled that famously, Luv. How long do we plan on keeping quiet?"
"Silence isn't your strong point, is it, Alistair?" Judy teased, giving him a peck on the cheek for keeping his mouth shut outside. "Until after our appointment tomorrow."