"I've been around, someone like me should know better
Falling in love would be the worst thing I could do
Didn't I say, I needed time to forget her
Aren't you running from someone who's not over you?"

He pulled up in front of the house and viewed the porch out the passenger window. Velma's car was not in the driveway. He yanked the rearview mirror to attempt again to make that tie into a bow. He grumbled to himself. Spritzer couldn't have chosen a nice afternoon wedding. No, it had to be formal and splashy. Corny hated wearing a tux. He felt comfortable in work suits but cummerbunds never sat right on him and then there were these damn ties. He worked it but, it was bigger on the right. He pulled it and started over. He was concentrating as the front door opened. He could only see Velma's hips as she walked out onto the porch. Hmmm, he thought as he struggled, she must not have left. Just like her to get one more little smack in before Amber was released to him. He got a finger caught in the knot and growled. Start over, ugh.

His eyes glanced to the porch as she leaned to lock the door. He had to smile. Velma could make any man's life a living hell, but she was a fine looking woman. Formal looked good on her. Her mink stole slipped to her elbows and hung over her posterior as she stood, smoothing the formfitting gold satin. His eyes went to the mirror again. He looked positively goofy, but this bow would have to do. He pulled the left side straight and proclaimed it done. He needed not to fuss anymore.

She knocked on the passenger's side window. The cummerbund was too confining to lean far enough to see her face. He opened his door and stepped out.

"The door's locked." Amber said sheepishly.

Whoa. He stared at her. She was so, um, grown up. This wasn't one of his council members, one of the girls. He knew his mouth was open and he quickly closed it. "Let me get that for you…." He said as he reached for the keys inside. He cleared his throat and swallowed. Oh this wasn't right. Where were the bows? The poofs? The dresses that hid her figure properly? He blinked and shook his head as he walked to her side. He was praying for the composure he didn't have. Their eyes met and then she looked down.

"I've never seen you so dressed up." She said as she pulled her glove back up over her elbow. She was pink as she avoided his glance.

"No we haven't had much of an opportunity to see each other like this." He unlocked the door and opened it for her, "May I?" he said as he offered her a hand, trying to keep his eyes exclusively on her face.

She looked at it, then to his eyes and back to the hand as she took it. "Thank you." And she gracefully slipped onto the seat. He closed the door. What had he gotten himself into?

He traveled back to the driver's door and plopped in. She looked at him then studied her purse. Her discomfort was only matched by his own. Wasn't this supposed to be fun? He flipped the car into gear and they started on their way.

"So where's Link tonight?" he asked trying to cut the uncomfortable silence.

"He has a new niece. He's her Godfather." She replied

"Aren't Baptisms normally in the afternoon?"

Her face twirled. "That's what I said!" she exclaimed, "His parents said he has to be there for the party. That's where he is. I've had enough of him. We're over."

Corny couldn't help but laugh. "Until Monday."

"No! Forever." She cried.

He chuckled, "Like the last time and the time before that? You've told the poor kid you're over a million times. I don't know how he puts up with you."

She looked down and he regretted his words. "He'll come and apologize to you. He always does." He said with a smile, "You two always end up making up."

"Yeah we do." She sighed, "Always do. Have to."

He gave her a puzzled look. Have to? He knew that they were wildly popular as a couple. Fans liked seeing them together. Velma liked seeing them together. It made the ratings soar. Was that what they were all about? "He's a great kid, Amber. He cares a lot about you. You know that."

"Yeah, I know….he is a great kid. A really great kid." She looked out the window. He couldn't see her face. "And he cares about me. I know that, he does." Suddenly she looked back at him. "He really cares about us."

He knew what she was saying without asking her to clarify her words. Link cared about the couple they were, perhaps more than he cared about her alone. Link wasn't stupid, he knew the exposure that being by Amber's side gave him. He had heard Link talking about her to the other boys. It wasn't always pleasant. And Amber wasn't stupid herself. It's easy to convince oneself that you are loved when the object of your affection fawns over you, but perhaps she knew better. Perhaps she was a whole lot smarter than anyone gave her credit for.

"Sometimes I wish he knew…I mean, I sometimes I'd like to have a boy who knows what's important. It would just be easier." She muttered.

Corny thought. It takes a while to find out what's important. No one is going to find that in a kid. It takes some experience to realize that what you want is not always what is needed. It takes seeing some life. Link would get it after a while. Her words broke into his mind.

"I've never been to the '1840s Ballroom', have you?" She asked.

"A few times," he replied, "I think this is my third reception there. It's pretty popular for the big weddings….."

They moved on to simple chit chat and he felt himself relax. As long as he could keep his mind on her words, he would do fine. He glanced over to her crossed legs peeking out from the slit in the satin, then pulled his eyes back. Yes, just concentrate on her words. It's what he needed to do.