Author's Note: Wow! Thank you so much for sticking with this story despite my pro-longed absence. The reviews and follows and favorites I got these past few weeks really motivated me to finally finish writing this chapter. I've been really busy with work and getting ready to go back to school in August. I'll be taking time off this summer to pursue some hobbies and relax before I start medical school, so I'll have more time to write soon.

While the Darcy/Lizzy (Nia) story arc is my fave, I want to explore some other story arcs like Mary (Amanda) and Jane (Janet). But I want to make sure that my details are correct as I expand. I'm going to take the rest of this month to work on the outline for this story and to go back through and make sure everything makes sense and flows. Thank you to everyone who's been reviewing and following and favoriting. I really appreciate it.

Also, I found a Jane Austen inspired app called Regency Love. It was 4.99 but I bought it and I'm so glad I did. It's a choose-your-own adventure type game, but the writing is beautiful. Very historically accurate and the gameplay is simple but also engaging. Highly recommend you check it out. The creators also hinted that the game will be expanding as they get more users. There are currently four potential suitors (you have to spend extra money to get the fourth one) but more options coming soon. I'm a sucker for Jane Austen inspired games and movies so I definitely want to support the creators. I'm in no way affiliated with the app, just an excited fan wanting to support a quality product.

Also also, this chapter was getting too long so I chopped it in half. Hopefully I'll have the second part up by the end of next week, but who knows.

Stay Happy, Stay Golden

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Chapter 8: Janet

"Ah five, six… five, six, seven, eight!"

After the initial eight count, Amanda is a beautiful tangle of limbs and soul. Her body twists and turns into various angles as she leaps and flies across the stage. Her shoulders curve in and out as she becomes one with the music. Her eyes are closed and her face is at peace as she effortlessly exerts every move. Every motion is fluid yet precise as if this dance is second nature. As the final notes of the upbeat banging fade into the distance and Amanda's body comes to a rest, I cheer along with the dancers sparsely littered throughout the theatre.

"Bravo!" I yell enchanted by how amazingly talented my younger sister is. "Magnificent. Marveloso! You were mystifying!"

Amanda blushes under my enthusiastic praise and sheepishly smiles down at me. "Thanks Janet. I wasn't that great. I messed up on the fifth eight count and my ending wasn't as smooth as it should've been. I felt myself stumble."

"Oh well, if there were mistakes I certainly did not see them. All I saw was perfection." I beam up at my sister. She is always so modest. Amanda is the most talented and dedicated person I know. I can't wait until all of her hard work pays off and she is a big star performing on Broadway and in blockbuster movies. She'll be the first black actress to win an Oscar for a leading role, I just know it. I get so excited thinking about Amanda's bright future. She's the only one of us with a real passion. She dedicates so much time and effort. She uses every failure as an opportunity to grow and become better at her craft.

Sure, Lizzy has her writing, but she's so protective of it. She once yelled at me for reading a short story she left on her desk. It was rather good, and I hadn't meant to spy. But she would not listen to reason. I never read another piece of her writing again. Well, except for her Dear Nancy columns, but those don't count since they're not written in her real voice. And then there's James and Lianna who are both currently pursuing aspirations we all pray to God will not become their passion.

I have yet to find my passion. Teaching is great. I love my students. The school keeps asking me to come on staff full-time, but something is holding me back. I'm not as dedicated to teaching as Amanda is to performing. I can't inspire my children the way I want to. For example, little Tommy Higgins comes to class, makes jokes, and refuses to do any of his work. I've tried talking to him, leveling with him, and bribing him to no avail. Nowadays I do my best to ignore his antics and continue with teaching my class. A truly dedicated teacher would not stop until Tommy Higgins was a role model student. But alas, I am not dedicated so instead I am content to contain instead of handle the situation.

"When are we supposed to meet Mr. Martin."

"Hmm, Mr. Martin sounds oh so formal. I'm sure he wouldn't mind you calling him Charles. That's how he introduced himself." I look at the clock hanging on the wall up above us. The hands read 12:30pm. "Well, he didn't actually give a time. He just said, 'See you Saturday.'" I blush as Amanda regards me quizzically.

"So, are we just going to show up there and start asking around for a Mr. Charles Martin."

I shrug embarrassed by the lack of planning on my part. "I guess that's what we'll have to do. It never occurred to me to get a specific time."

"Of course it didn't," Amanda laughs, "You were too busy getting lost in his baby blues."

"I was not." I blush again. Turning away quickly before Amanda can see my flushed face, I continue, "The worst that can happen is they turn us away and we'll know that this whole affair was not meant to be. It's not like either of us has very high hopes for this meeting." I turn to look at my sister who is lost in space, "Are you done practicing for the day?"

Amanda shakes herself out of her reverie and meets my gaze. "Practice? Yes, I'm done with practice. I'll come back later tonight and work on my second piece. The big show is in only a month."

A big smile breaks out across my face. "I know, I'm so excited!"

"Well don't get too excited." Amanda packs up her things and walks towards the exit. "I'll be lucky if I remember all of my cues. I haven't had enough time to practice for the show and attend auditions."

"Any good news?" I ask giddily. Amanda's been going to so many auditions recently she's bound to have gotten a callback from one of them.

"No, not yet." Amanda quickly replies as we open the door to our trusty family car. She's a little beaten up and has a few dents, but this car has seen us through multiple school dances, countless interviews, and way too many trips to the club. The day she breaks down will be a sad day indeed for the Bennet household.

I put the key in, start the ignition, and wait for our beloved car to sputter to life.

"God, I hate this car."

I gasp. "Amanda! Don't be so rude. Old Blue has served us well these past few years. She's not the newest, but she's reliable and she's sturdy."

"Whatever, Janet. Of course, you couldn't find anything unkind to say about anyone or anything."

I don't see how being kind is a bad thing. Amanda and Lizzy are always badgering me about being too kind and too naive. I don't think it's wrong to want to see the good in everybody and everything. Sometimes people are having off days. Everyone deserves to be shown kindness and respect. That's how I feel about the matter.

"Everybody deserves kindness."

There is a pause before Amanda replies, "Well, don't show Mr. Charles Martin too much kindness today."

"What are you talking about?" I laugh as I turn up the road heading uptown. I rarely have reason to drive this way, but I vaguely remember the Pemberley Productions building being at the top of a hill. Once I find Linden Street, I guess I'll just drive up until I see Pemberley.

"Ha, don't play dumb. You know Charlie is completely head over heels for you just like every other man on the face of the Earth. He's going to try and woo you while we're up there."

"No, this is not a date. This is a networking opportunity." I hurriedly reply. "Charles wants to meet with you to discuss acting opportunities."

"Pfft, puh-lease. Mr. Martin didn't even want me to come. Let's be real, he only invited me to appease you. He's doing whatever he has to in order to get in your pants. I'm just trying to warn you so you don't find yourself in a creepy situation."

"No need to be crass, Amanda! I'll remind you that Charles invited all of us, not just me. He wanted you to tour the building and network too."

"Whatever Janet." Amanda turns to her window and stares out of it for the rest of the car ride. I don't know why she's so intent on disliking Charles.

My family often insists that men are only nice to me because they want to sleep with me or have me as some sort of trophy wife. Nobody believes that my intellect or personality will attract a man. My whole life I've been told that I'm the town beauty, but when I look in the mirror, I just see a face like anybody else's. And I just wish people didn't place so much value on external characteristics likes look. It's quite bothersome.

Besides, I'm too unstable to be in a romantic relationship with someone right now. Charles seemed like a nice gentleman, and I would love to get to know him better, but I'm still trying to figure out my life.

"Janet!"

Charles Martin walks towards Amanda and me with a huge smile on his face and a light in his eyes. I politely smile back at him and give a small wave not quite able to match his level of enthusiasm after the encounter Amanda and I just had with his receptionist.

"Hello, Charles."

"Please, call me Charlie."

Two large bouquets of flowers swing at his side as he purposefully makes his way towards us. He stops abruptly in front of us and looks down at me smiling. He clasps my left hand in his right and says, "I'm so glad you came. These are for you." He hands me the bouquet of red roses, lifts my hand to his mouth and kisses it. "And these… are for you." He hands the bouquet of lilies to Amanda. "Amanda, right?"

"Yes… that's right. I didn't think you'd remember." Amanda replies in shock.

"I was pretty drunk that night, but there is no way I could forget the names of two such beautiful women." I blush at the compliment and turn to Amanda unable to hold eye contact with him any longer.

"How are you liking the building so far?" Charlie eagerly asks. Walking backward so that he can see our faces while we talk.

"Gorgeous," I begin ready to shower Pemberley with praise.

"But your staff is extremely rude."

"Amanda!" I hiss. "It was just a misunderstanding."

"No, it wasn't. Millicent wouldn't let us back to see you. She wouldn't even inform you that we had arrived. She just could not believe that two poor, black girls had a meeting with the hotshot Charles Martin."

"I'm sure it wasn't that." I hurriedly say, "Besides we weren't waiting for long."

Still holding my hand, Charles focuses on me. "Did you all just arrive?"

"Oh well, we arrived maybe ten minutes ago, but we didn't mind our wait in the lobby. This lobby is beautiful. The glass is -"

Amanda effectively cuts me off again. "Don't listen to her. We arrived over an hour ago. We let the receptionist know that we were here to see you and she told us that we weren't on the books. Ms. Millicent wanted us to wait outside or better yet just leave. We had to pretend to go outside and then hide out of her view to stay here. Who knows how long we'd have to wait if you hadn't been passing by and seen us."

Charlie stops and turns fully toward us. "That can't be right. I specifically told Milly to send my guests back to my office when they arrived. I told her your names. Hmm. I'm going to figure out what happened."

Charlie begins to walk purposefully away from us towards Ms. Millicent who is casually flipping through a fashion magazine behind the receptionist desk.

I flashback to our earlier encounter with Ms. Millicent and how she looked at Amanda and I with such disgust and hatred. I watch Charlie walk up to her desk and exchange some words. She looks up at me, and I give her a nervous smile. She looks back at Charlie and nods profusely. Then Charles turns towards me and beckons me over.

"I'm so sorry Janet. I must have missed it when you said your names. I thought you were wannabe actresses trying to sneak into the building. We've had a lot of people doing that, so I was being extra cautious. That was entirely my fault. I do hope you accept my apology."

Millicent looks up at me with a wide smile and imploring eyes. See? It was all just a big misunderstanding.

"Oh, no worries Millicent. You were just doing your job. And frankly, I can't remember if I even mentioned our names." We both laugh reflexively.

"I'm so glad we cleared that up!" Charlie smiles. We both turn away from the desk and walk back to Amanda.

"All cleared up, Amanda. Millicent will know who we are next time."

Amanda narrows her eyes at me. "Did she apologize for being nasty?"

"It's all cleared up. Let's just move on." I reply. Before Amanda can interject again, I ask, "So, Charlie what exactly is it that you do?"

Charlie takes us all through Pemberley showing us the different sets and production rooms. It's all quite fascinating. He introduces us to a few different people including a director and a producer.

"I had no idea there were so many different people involved with the making of one movie."

"Yeah," Charlie chuckles, "It's quite a production. A lot more to it than two people just reading lines. Once I had to re-do a scene 73 times because the director wanted it shot from every angle imaginable."

"Wow." The more Charlie talked about what he did as an actor the more I realized that performing is not for me. I could never learn all of those lines and kiss strangers just for one movie. And all of the razzle-dazzle of premieres and award shows and rubbing elbows with hotshots. No thank you! Give me a rowdy classroom of disruptive children over that any day.

"Is this a script for your new movie?" We've reached Charlie's office which is more like a pool hall than a place to get real work done. There's a billiards table and a big stereo system. There's also a small fridge and a table piled high with junk food. A television set sits in the corner in front of a plush black couch. On the table near the door sits some heavy stacks of bound paper.

"Yeah, it's a work-in-progress though. We're branching out into different, more nuanced genres and our writers aren't used to that style. The writing is not where the boss wants it to be, so the script keeps changing."

"Is everything else together like the other actors and the set design?" Amanda picks up a script and begins thumbing through it.

Charlie laughs, "We don't even have somebody to play the lead actress. Like I said, everything can change with this one." Charlie thinks for a moment, "One of you should give it a try. Read the lines let me know what you'd change up about the scenes." Although Charlie directs the suggestion to both of us, he looks at me while he says it. I remain quiet under his gaze.

"Can I give it a try?" Amanda eagerly asks. "I've tried my hand at acting once or twice, but I'd love to read lines with one of the greatest actors of our time."

"Oh, flattery will get you everywhere with me." Charlie contemplates for a moment, rubbing his chin with his hand and looking at Amanda through squinted eyes. "Toss me a script. Let's do Act two, scene one, page 35."

They both flip through their script to the page. "Now, even though we're just doing a reading, it's good to go through the scene and get the gist. You don't have to memorize all of the lines, but it's good to know some things. I'll give you a moment. Granted there aren't many lines for this particular scene. Let me know when you're ready."

They both take a few moments of silence. I walk towards the couch, take a seat on the edge, and watch them work.

"There isn't too much dialogue written," Charlie says. "Mainly some short descriptions of what is going on in the scene and how each of us should react. Thomas, my character, and Mary, your character, were high school sweethearts torn apart when I went off on a long trip out of the country. We are meeting up for the first time in years. The meeting is supposed to be 'a little tense with both of us guarded but hopeful.' Aside from a few key lines the scriptwriter insists be in the scene, we have to supply all of the other details."

"If this scene is going to work, we both need to have the same context." Amanda paces back and forth deep in thought. "Where does the scene take place?"

"It's supposed to be a chance meeting at a party. I've been in town for a few weeks, but you don't know that, and we happen to meet at the same party."

"I don't think I would intentionally seek you out at this party. Honestly, I would probably run away if I saw you. There has to be a reason for us to see each other while at this party." Amanda pauses, thinking up a plausible way for them to meet randomly.

"From what I know of my character, I probably would seek you out… secretly. I want to talk to you, but I also want to seem nonchalant. I've probably been tracking you at the party this entire time waiting for an opportunity to get you alone away from the crowd. I followed you into the… kitchen! Under the guise that I'm getting a glass of water."

"Okay. Party. Separated high school sweethearts. Kitchen. Thomas and Mary. Okay, I think I've got the details."

"Charles, you ready?" I call out.

"Ready." He replies. His head down and his eyes closed.

"Okay and…. go!"

"Hey, why are you here?" Amanda's tone is a little aggressive, but I can feel the hurt in her words.

"I'm back in town for business."

"Why didn't you tell me first."

"I…I didn't want to upset you."

Amanda stares back at Charlie. A moment passes and Amanda continues staring not saying anything.

"Umm…" Charlie looks back at her stunned not sure what to say.

"Sorry. Can we try that again? I got kinda dazed and didn't know what to say."

"Yeah, no worries. It's a lot harder than it seems, and this is your first time doing it, right?"

"Yeah. Okay, okay. Let's try it again from the top."

"And… action!"

"Hey, why are you here?"

"I'm back in town for business."

"Why didn't you tell me first!"

"I…I didn't want to upset you."

"Upset me? Why would…" Amanda freezes again. "Wow, sorry this is really hard. I have no idea what to say next."

"Yeah, it's hard to improv without any context." Charlie grabs Amanda's script and moves to place it back on the table. He pauses and then looks in my direction on the couch. "Janet, how about you give it a try?"

"Oh no, I wouldn't be any good." I nervously laugh. "Amanda is the performer, not me. I'm enjoying watching."

"No, give it a try. I'm sure you'll do great." Charlie steps closer to me and places a script into my hands. "It's mainly in the eye contact which should be easy for me since you have such beautiful eyes." He smiles looking into my eyes as if to affirm his point.

"You have beautiful eyes too," I whisper to him.

His smile gets wider, "Thanks."

Amanda loudly coughs from her corner. "Eww, I'm still here. I thought we were reading lines not staring into each other's eyes."

My face heats up embarrassed by Amanda's statement.

"You're right, dear Amanda." Charlie takes a few steps away from me and places his script on the desk. "This is theatre. Top of the scene?"

I look over at Amanda who shrugs and turns away from me. I take a deep breath and nod at Charlie.

I try to become Mary. I imagine my school days. Holding hands with Thomas on the way home from school. Notes sent throughout summer while he was away at camp. Stolen kisses behind trees in my backyard. I remember his leaving and how I was so sad I couldn't even see him off. The pain of not receiving any communication while he was gone washes over me. I think back to how I felt when I heard he had come back to town. And now here he is standing in front of me, different yet still my same Thomas.

I look up into the baby blue eyes of the man I loved… the man I love and simply state, "You're back."

Thomas rapidly blinks before replying, "Yes, I'm back. I've been back for a few weeks."

A few weeks? And he couldn't call on me once in those few weeks? "I guess you've been awfully busy catching up with family and old friends."

"He searches my face for something but before he can find it, I speak up again.

"And you didn't stop to see me?" The words tumble out before I can stop them. I'm hurt by his avoidance, but I refuse to give him the satisfaction of knowing that he hurt me so deeply. I wave my hands and laugh, "But no matter. I shouldn't have expected a special call after all this time. How was your trip?"

Thomas pauses straining with his next words. "Mary, I… Mary I wanted to see you when I first arrived. It's just — "

"Then why didn't you?"

Thomas is quiet again.

"Why didn't you stop by?" I don't ask the question without any bitterness or malice. I'm simply asking to understand. "My address is still the same. If I wasn't at home when you called, mother would've delivered the message to me."

"I didn't think you'd want to see me. Not after…" He trails away as we both think back to our last discussion full of tears and hurt emotions.

"Yeah. Well, we didn't exactly part on the best of terms," I chuckle.

"No kidding." Charlie laughs with me, the tension slowly easing.

"But that's in the past. You're here to stay, right?" I look up hopefully. Despite the hurt, I'm willing to put that all aside and pick up the pieces of our shattered relationship. I can't see myself with anybody but Thomas.

"I, Mary, I'm not staying. I have to get back to New York soon. My fiancé —"

"Fiance?" My hand flies to my heart of its own accord and clutches at my breast. I am in shock. How did this happen? In the span of only a few years, Thomas has erased all that we meant to each other and replaced me with a shinier, more worldly version. Fiancé? How could he have enough time to meet a girl, court her, and propose?

"We met at work. She's really nice. She couldn't be down here with me, but you'd like her if you met her…."

Thomas continues on, but I can no longer pay attention. I nod absentmindedly as a million thoughts whirl through my head. Questions pop up in my head begging to be asked, but my mouth can no longer function properly, so they remain on the tip of my tongue unspoken. I continue to nod until Thomas's mouth stops moving and he looks at me expectantly waiting for an answer.

I pull back the corners of my mouth into an acceptably enthusiastic smile and look up at him. "I'm so happy for you. I can't wait to meet her. It was so nice seeing you again." I awkwardly reach out to squeeze his arm craving some form of physical contact. I still can't believe that he is here in front of me, but also a thousand miles away. Giving him one last smile, I remove my hand and walk past him back out into the sea of joyful party guests.