June 13th – Morning
Patrick pulled the limo up in front of Bianca's apartment building, as he did every weekday morning, at exactly 8:15 AM. He would spend the next 15 minutes perusing the newspaper, and promptly at 8:30 AM he would ring the buzzer for his employer's apartment, to let her know he was there. This morning was different though.
Just as he reached for the buzzer, the outer door to the building flung open, and Bianca came almost hopping out. "Good morning Patrick!" she chirped. She looked around, took in a deep breath and asked, "Isn't it a simply gorgeous day?"
He looked up at the sky and it was obvious there were rain clouds off in the distance. "Um…yes Ma'am. Gorgeous."
Bianca walked to the limo with a bounce in her step, and a smile broad enough on her face that it threatened to overtake her ears. Patrick kept a close eye on her in the rear-view mirror as they drove to the Cambias office building.
About halfway to their destination, Bianca moved forward in the limo, which she did anytime she needed to talk to Patrick. "Patrick…after you drop me off, Maggie needs you back at the apartment for something."
"Yes Ma'am. Is there a problem?"
"I don't know." Bianca said, her face turning into something resembling puzzlement. "She just said she needed you today." The smile returned to her face. "And I suspect she has something she wants to tell you, but I'm not going to ruin that for her."
A look of apprehension passed over Patrick's face. He was quickly learning that anytime these two girls started hiding something, it was usually something devious.
June 13th – Late Morning
The girls had given Patrick the entrance code to the building ages ago, and though he had a key to their apartment, he always preferred to knock first. This time, when he knocked, the door flew open in seconds, a pair of tiny hands shot out, grabbing him by the shirt collar and was accompanied by, "Get in here Frenchie!"
Patrick flew by the small frame of Maggie, and with his good shoes on, skidded a couple of feet into the hallway. Maggie slammed the front door, turned around panting and leaned against the door. She had a wild look in her eye like she was about to attack someone.
"Maggie…what is wrong?" Patrick inquired. "Has someone broken in?"
"Worse."
"Is Miranda sick or hurt?
Maggie paused. "Still worse."
"Is someone dead?"
"Does wishing you were count?"
"Maggie…please…what is going on?"
"I….asked Bianca out…on a date…for this Saturday…and I do not have the first clue what to do."
Patrick tried to contain himself from showing his elation, and relief, at this news. "I am assuming you have been on dates before? Not with Bianca I mean, more in the general sense."
Maggie shot him a look that could have boiled blood. "Yes!"
"Then why don't you think you know what to do?"
"Well…let's see, we're in a city I still don't know that well, I haven't been on a real date in ages, let alone a date with someone I already live with…..and oh yeah…I've never been on a date with a woman!"
"I'm still not seeing the problem here."
Maggie walked over to Patrick, looked up at him, and promptly punched him in the arm. "You are part of the reason I finally asked her, so you are going to help me figure out first, where in the world we are going, and second, how am I supposed to know what to do on a date with a girl!"
"Mon Dieu. First off, I will help you, so long as I do not get punched the rest of the week."
Maggie grumbled. "Done."
"Secondly, let's make you some tea and calm you down." He took Maggie by the shoulders, and gently guided her towards the kitchen. "Where is Miranda?" he asked.
Maggie pulled the baby monitor from her pocket. "She's upstairs, asleep. She seemed tired, so I laid her down for awhile."
"Ok, good." He guided Maggie to one of the stools and gently pressed down on her shoulders to indicate she should sit. He grabbed the tea kettle and started filling it. "So…how did this all come about."
Maggie chuckled. "Well, let's see….you telling me I should do it, Lena telling me I should, half of Pine Valley telling me I should and….others, telling me I should."
The kettle full, Patrick put it on the stove, and ignited the burner beneath it. "What was it that made you finally do it after all this time?"
Maggie rested her right elbow on the butchers block, and put her left hand down between her thighs. She stared at the hand resting on the butcher block as she pondered Patrick's question. "It….it just felt like it was time….and…my mind finally said 'yes'."
Patrick got the mugs from the cabinet, and looked back at her. "What do you mean your 'mind finally said yes'?"
"Long story. Just suffice it to say that means I finally realize I love her….I truly love her."
Patrick turned his back to Maggie again so she wouldn't see his enormous grin. "So, now that you have asked her out, you have no clue what to do, is that it?"
"Yeah..I mean…this is going to sound so weird."
"Try me."
"Well…who's the man? I mean, do I open the door for her, or does she open the door for me?"
Patrick got out the tea bags, and placed them in the mugs. "I would imagine it is whatever you feel most comfortable with. And since you asked her out, I would assume it would be you."
"But down the road, does it always stay that way?"
"Maggie…I am glad you are thinking long term, but how about we get you through just this date first?"
"Good point."
As the teapot began to whistle, Patrick turned off the burner and used an oven mitt to pour the boiling water into the mugs. "Ok, let's try to think about this calmly…you have gone to social events with her before correct? I believe you mentioned something about a dance…what was it you called it…a 'prom' I think?"
Maggie chuckled. "Yes, it was a prom, but that was ages ago, and we went just as friends to rub it in the faces of some snotty girls who were hassling Bianca….at least that's what it started off as….it grew into something else that night though…" she said, her voice trailing off.
Patrick looked over his shoulder, and could tell Maggie was lost in at least one happy memory. He hesitated before he spoke again. "Well, weren't there other social events?"
Maggie came out of her moment of remembrance and answered. "Sure, and most of them ended badly. Not through our own faults, but that's just the way things go in Pine Valley. We always seemed to be safest when it was just us."
"Well…." Patrick looked around the kitchen for effect, "I believe the only other person about from Pine Valley is a little young to cause much trouble."
Maggie rolled her eyes. "And see, that's a good point! What are we going to do with Miranda? Not a very romantic date if we have her with us. Don't get me wrong, I love her to bits, but a toddler does not a romantic date make."
Patrick laughed. "I believe I know a woman who would be more than happy to have some alone time with the little lady. Of course, it will make my life difficult for awhile, but I think I will live."
"You think Giulia could do that for us?"
"Of course! She adored Miranda that night we all had dinner, and she has asked me numerous times when I could bring her around again."
"Ok…so we have the Miranda situation settled….but…there's still the actual date."
The tea was finally brewed, and Patrick brought it over to the butcher block, placing one of the mugs in front of Maggie. "Maggie…you are now living in what is considered the most romantic city in the world. Just walking down the street with someone you care for can be romantic."
"I know that, but there are so many options." She reached across the butcher's block and grabbed a legal pad Patrick had not noticed sitting there. She flipped back through what appeared to be several pages of notes. "I started working on ideas Saturday night, and it just kept growing…so I started writing them down." She handed the pad to Patrick who quickly scanned over the scribbled thoughts.
"Well, everything seems to start with a romantic dinner. I will make a call to a café I know just around the corner and have them set up something special. But, believe me Maggie, she will be happy just to be with you." Patrick reached over and squeezed her hand. She smiled and looked up at him. "The hard part is over Maggie, now is the time to enjoy the fruits of your labor, and as for the details, don't over think them. That will just drive you more insane than you already are."
Maggie cracked a smile. "Patrick, have I told you how just unbelievably fantastic you are lately?"
Patrick laughed. "No, but I would prefer you call Giulia and tell her!" he said with a wink. "Seriously though…" he said, his face straightening out, "just think of it this way. You are a woman, you know how you like to be treated on a date, just do the same for her."
Maggie could feel tears welling up in her eyes, but she brushed them back. She spread her arms wide, inviting Patrick in for a hug, which he gladly stepped into. "Thank you Patrick. I can always count on you to calm me down."
"Oh, what a sad world this has come to when I am the calm one." he retorted.
June 14th – Afternoon
Bianca sat at her desk, trying her best to keep a serious expression while listening to the head of personnel. It was a bit difficult though as she had just received a video message from Reggie doing his 'Bianca & Maggie Are Finally Going On A Date!' happy dance. It looked something like an octopus having a grand mal seizure, but it was the thought that counted.
His dry monthly report over, the somber personnel manager left Bianca's office. She unfastened her suit jacket, and slumped back in her chair with a sigh. She stared off in to space for a moment as she thought back to a few days before, and a smile crept across her face yet again as she thought of Maggie asking her out.
Sadly, the reality of the situation was beginning to sink in. This is something she had been waiting years for, but there were certainly some complications to it due to Maggie not only living with her, but being Miranda's nanny. What if, though she doubted it would happen, this didn't work out? What if they went on this date and it just turned into a complete disaster? She was trying not to think of that too often, but she was nothing if not a realist.
She was also puzzled by how they were going to know they actually were on a date. Sure, they would be dressed up, but how would this be any different than say their going to any number of social events back in Pine Valley, or even when they went out to dinner together now? Patrick had already told her that Giulia would watch Miranda for them, but that was really the only difference. She knew that she had to find a way to show them both though, what was a romantic, date time and what was normal, everyday life.
Maggie's insistence on not telling her what they were doing on the date was also slowly driving her mad. Without knowing what they were doing, how could she even possibly begin to pick out clothes?
And the pressure of being the first girl Maggie had ever dated? Oh lord, the pressure of that alone was enough to want to send her screaming through the streets of Paris! It was amazing how much pressure she was feeling from something she had wanted so badly for so many years, and yet…..
bzzt "Ms. Montgomery? Your next appointment is here." came the voice from the intercom on her desk.
She sighed, sat up, buttoned her jacket again, took one more look at the non-stop looping video of Reggie dancing and reached over to push the button to speak back to her assistant. "Thank you Aurélia. You may show them in."
June 15th – Late Night
Maggie wandered around the library in the huge apartment. They hardly ever used this room, and she was beginning to see why. "I'm sorry Mr. Shakespeare, but unless you wrote a book I don't know about called '101 Things To Do On A Girl/Girl Date In Paris', you'll be no help tonight." she mumbled. "Classics…classics…classics…do we not have one blasted tourist guide to Paris in this confounded place?" she asked of no one in particular.
She stormed out of the library, legal pad in hand. "I need air." She blew through the living room and exited to the terrace. She plopped down in one of the chairs, closed her eyes, and breathed deeply of the night air. "Maybe if I suck in the city, I'll think of something." She took a deeper breath. "Nope…nothing."
Patrick had made her dump the notes from the other day, and told her repeatedly to just let things come to her naturally, but she was still obsessing about it, and had just started a new list the moment he left the apartment that day to go pick Bianca up from work. Things were getting crucial now though because she had to finalize things if, for no other reason, than Bianca could know what clothes to wear.
She had been asking Maggie daily about it. 'I don't want to add to your obvious stress or anything, but can you give me a clue as to what sort of clothes I should be choosing for Saturday?' She wanted to give Bianca an answer as soon as possible, but she just didn't know what to do. For the past few nights, after Bianca would go to bed, Maggie would spend her time trying to puzzle out what exactly they could do for this momentous occasion.
Everything she thought of felt like a tired old cliché of a date. She wanted to do something that would really sweep Bianca off her feet, but were there really any new ideas left in the world? After thousands of years of dating, hadn't every possible date been explored? What could she possibly come up with that would make this fantastic girl sit up and take notice? Patrick kept trying to reassure her that the date alone would be enough, but she didn't believe him.
She tapped her pen repeatedly against the legal pad while day dreaming about every movie she had ever watched that took place in Paris. Finally, in a fit of frustration, she got up and took a walk around the terrace, starting off in the direction of the kitchen.
Arriving at the corner, she turned left and walked along what would be the wall of her own, smaller apartment. "Think blast it! Patrick has arranged for the dinner, so we're aces there. It's just a few blocks away, actually….in that direction…" she nodded with her head as she reached another corner and turned left, now walking along what would be the back wall of the elevator. "So, I guess we could just walk over there…maybe we wouldn't even need Patrick to drive us…he could stay here with Giulia and watch Miranda."
She paused as she passed under one of the windows of Bianca's room, and looked up at it. "So, if we walk there…" she pondered aloud, "why couldn't we just as easily walk back along the river bank? Sure, it's been done in a thousand movies, but it's not that far out of our way, but still…how do I end the date?" She sighed and kept on walking, looking down at her feet as she was turning left at what would be the corner of the den.
"Do guys have it this rough? I mean really…do they sit around this much pondering what to do on a date? I doubt it, but also, how many of them have known the girl in question for going on four years, lived with them and taken care of their child?" She chuckled at her own rhetorical question.
Reaching the next corner, she stopped and looked out over the city. "I guess dinner and a walk will have to suffice since I can't seem to think of….anything….else…." Her words slowed as thoughts formed, and her eyes locked on the Eiffel Tower. "Maggie Stone…if it had been a cliché snake, it would have bitten you! We've lived here four months…we stare at it everyday…and yet, we've never been to it?"
She chuckled…that grew into a louder laugh…and that grew into something akin to maniacal laughter. "Oh my, you are dense sometimes….dense as a stone! HA! I made another funny!" She was suddenly glad no one was around to witness her sudden mental snap. Somehow, she doubted that losing one's hold on reality this close to their date was not a way to make a good impression.
Quietly she made her way back into the apartment, through the living room, and on to her own apartment. She tossed the legal pad in the trash can, along with the pen, crawled into bed and smiled. "Dense as a Stone! I kill me!" Drifting off to sleep, she could be heard to be mumbling "stupid tower."
June 16th – Morning
Bianca sat in the kitchen sipping her coffee, noticing that Maggie seemed to once again be chipper, despite having some serious bags under her eyes. "What are you so happy about this morning?" she inquired.
"Well…I finally have an answer for you!"
"About what?"
"About what you have been asking me everyday since I asked you out silly."
Bianca set down her coffee cup and clasped her hands to her chest dramatically. "You mean…I might finally have a clue…no no…it's too much to hope for…to much to dream…that I…Bianca Montgomery, would finally know…what to wear?"
"You know…I may have to reconsider this whole idea now. I didn't realize I was asking out a deranged woman." Maggie responded dryly.
Bianca smiled. "Fine. What are your clothing recommendations for this big, secretive, date?"
"Something comfortable that looks nice, but you won't mind walking some in."
A puzzled look crossed Bianca's face. "Ok…odd, but I think I can manage. Do I get to learn any more about the date yet?"
"All in due time."
"A woman of mystery…I'm intrigued." Bianca said slyly, her eyebrows arching.
June 16th – Afternoon
"PATRICK!"
"No Ma'am, I'm sorry."
"I order you to tell me!"
Patrick smiled. "Sorry Ma'am, not going to work."
Bianca slammed her hand down on the stack of fashion magazines sitting on her desk. She took a deep breath. "Patrick…do you see my desk?"
"Yes."
"Does it look like it's covered in work?"
"No Ma'am, it appears to be magazines."
"Yes Patrick…fashion magazines, because Maggie's clarification of what to wear was just a tiny bit vague! 'Dressy, yet comfortable to walk in'? You have to tell me what she has planned! I'm going nuts trying to figure out what she means!"
"Going…Ma'am?" Patrick asked with a crooked smile.
Bianca's eyelids turned to slits and she shook her head. "You are so not helping."
"Ma'am…Bianca…she told me as a friend. I can not betray her trust just because you are my employer. Let me just say that her description is accurate."
Bianca hung her head in defeat and sighed. "Fine…" She picked her purse up and pressed the intercom button. "Aurélia…please cancel any appointments I have for the rest of today….and tomorrow. Reschedule them all to next week."
"Yes Ma'am." came the reply.
"Come on Patrick, let's go."
"Where to Ma'am?"
"Shopping. We have two days to find me something 'dressy, but comfortable'."
June 16th – Evening
"'Dressy, but comfortable…dressy, but comfortable'" Maggie repeated over and over in a whiny voice. "What was that? Could I have been any more snotty? Lord…." she threw another pile of clothes from her wardrobe onto her bed. "I thought all my stress was over having figured out what we were doing on the date. I hadn't even given the first thought to what I was wearing!"
After throwing the last contents of her wardrobe on the bed, she stood back and stared at the piles. "Where do I even start?" She picked up a mixed-design top cut like a Japanese Yukata. "Really…what was I thinking when I even bought this? I actually wore this in public? Ick!" She tossed it on the floor and continued on.
"How to start? Pants?" she held up some jeans. "Skirt?" she held up a khaki colored denim skirt. "Or maybe an honest to goodness dress?" she looked down at a pile of dresses set off to the side. Her hands fell to her sides, the skirt on the left, the jeans on the right. "Again I say…do guys have this much trouble?"
Elsewhere in the city, Bianca strolled between shops, while Patrick stood leaning against the limo, smiling while he watched his employer mumbling to herself as she tried to choose an outfit.
She had stopped pulling him into stores with her as his answer was the same to every outfit she showed him. "I am sure she will like that Ma'am." Patrick had perfected this answer after going on many shopping trips with his wife and two daughters, and he was glad to see it still seemed to work.
He looked down at his watch and noticed that Bianca was taking a bit longer in a shop of vintage clothing than she had anywhere else. Concerned, he walked over and peered in the window of the shop. She was nowhere to be seen. He hoped she was only in the dressing room, but thought perhaps he should go in, just to be sure.
As he walked around the shop, Bianca was nowhere to be seen, but the door to the dressing room was closed. He gazed around at the racks of clothes that were now considered 'vintage' and it pained him that he could remember when they were considered the latest fashions. He chuckled and shook his head at this interesting way of acknowledging his own mortality.
"What's so amusing Patrick?" came Bianca's voice from the direction of the dressing room.
He turned to explain, but found himself at a sudden loss of words when he saw what she was trying on. "Ms. Montgomery….Bianca….look no further, you've found it."
She looked down at herself. "You really think so? Must be if I got an actual opinion out of you!"
"You're ready…I really mean it."
"Ok…clothes wise I am, but we have one more thing to get tomorrow, then I will be fully ready."
June 17th – Evening
Every flat surface in Maggie's apartment was covered in clothes. Some were arranged as if they were an outfit, some were heaped and some seemed to make no sense at all. She stood in the center of the room, rotating in one spot, looking at each pile in turn. "It's official….I hate every piece of clothing I own." She heaved a sigh and left for the kitchen to start dinner for the evening.
Bianca arrived home from work to find a frazzled Maggie sitting in the kitchen. "Everything ok?"
Maggie sighed. "It will be….soon….I hope."
"Well, good. Um…I hate to add to your problems, but…do you know what time we are going out tomorrow night?"
"Finally, an easy one." She turned and looked at Bianca and smiled as broadly as possible. "I will be picking you up at eight
"'Picking me up'?"
"Just go with it."
Bianca laughed. "Alright then. Eight it is." Bianca walked over to Maggie and put her left hand on her friend's right shoulder. "Are you still sure about this? If you are having any doubts, you can still back out if you want."
Maggie leaned her head over, squeezing Bianca's hand between her cheek and shoulder. "I'm fine…I promise. Just first date jitters, I swear. Totally normal."
Bianca rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah, that's us, 'totally normal'."
Maggie lifted her head and turned to look at Bianca. "You know what I mean. This is just like any other first date. I just want to make a good impression is all."
Bianca smiled sweetly and cupped Maggie's cheek. "You already did…the day I first saw you at SOS."
Maggie blushed. "Oh you mean the day you collapsed to the floor? Yeah, that was a great start wasn't it?" she said while chuckling.
"You know what I mean. Just going out with you is perfect Maggie. What we do on the date is just a bonus."
"You have been hanging out with Patrick again haven't you?"
Bianca laughed. "How ever did you guess?"
"Kinda obvious. Anyway…how about we just agree, no more date talk until the date?"
"Sounds good. Now, where's my dinner?" Bianca asked with an evil grin.
"Uh oh, the boss is back!"
June 17th – Late Night
With less than twenty-four hours to go to the date, Maggie's bed only had one outfit remaining on it. "It will just have to do. Dinner is going to drain me as it is, and I have no time left to go buy a new outfit. A few accessories and I should be good to go." She picked up the outfit and laid it over the back of her desk chair. Running her hand over it, she mumbled, "You have to do."
She looked over at her clock and saw how late it was. "Course, if I don't get some sleep, the outfit and plans won't matter as I will collapse before we even get out of the building."
Collapsing on to her bed she looked back over at the chair. "Yeah…you will do won't you?" And with that, she closed her eyes, and fell asleep peacefully for the first time since she had asked her best friend out on a date.