1. Patience
Elizabeth Swann drummed her fingers idly on the sill of the window. "Come on, Will…" she murmured softly.
They had agreed two weeks ago on seeing a movie tonight and the showing would start in less than ten minutes. They'd barely make it if they left immediately. Unfortunately, that was impossible as 'they' was just 'her'. 'him' was missing.
She fingered the call icon on her phone and thought of the hoard of messages and missed calls Will would have when he finally found it. Will's phone was in a perpetual state of missing.
She'd found it for him several times previously and it was always in the strangest of places. Some days she wondered what he did with it to get it trapped between the microwave and the refrigerator. Last time it was wedged in the backseat of his car. He'd only found it looking for loose change to pay for a DVD rental.
A soft sigh broke past her lips. She leaned forward, staring out at the dark street. Really, how complicated was it to find keys, phone, drivers license, and drive fifteen minutes to the girlfriend's house?
The girlfriend who had been waiting for twenty minutes.
Patience had worn thin and she was considering forgetting the entire thing, throwing on a comfy pair of pajamas, and spending the evening curled on her couch with an old movie.
The latest flick couldn't have been that interesting anyway, she decided as she turned away from the window, shedding her coat and preparing for a night of Cary Grant. Will must have been swamped with work last minute and had forgotten to call her.
She was mid-bowl of popcorn and completely immersed in her movie when a loud 'whack!' followed by a groaned curse sounded outside her apartment. Wondering if Will had finally arrived, she tramped to the door, popcorn in hand.
The door swung back to reveal Will, on his hands and knees retrieving boxes, stamped with the logo she was used to seeing glowing brightly in the restaurant window across the street.
Snow dusted his broad shoulders and his dark, curly hair, falling onto the apartment hallway and quickly forming a nice puddle around her boyfriend. He hadn't noticed or pretended not to as he collected the last box.
The soft aroma of garlic bread and fettuccine drifted towards her. It would be Will to bring her food when a promised movie fell through. He stood, smiling sheepishly, nose and cheeks rosy from the cold. "Sorry, Elizabeth. I tried to get here on time but there was an accident that plugged up traffic. I brought dinner to make up for it."
The bright glitter in his eyes, the enticing scent of Italian food, and perhaps the idea of curling up next to him on the couch made the decision and melted any disappointment she felt at missing the movie. "It's alright. Come on in."
He stepped in behind her and, after shedding his coat and boots, tramped after her towards the main room. The crackling voices sounding from the television caught his attention.
"Cary Grant, huh?"
"Mhmm. I thought maybe you'd like this one. I'm only ten minutes into it."
"Yeah, right." If Will's tone was her doormat, there wouldn't be puddle from his snow covered boots. As she was well aware, Will's movie taste lay more along the lines of war films, filled with guns, bullets, and explosions. The bigger the better.
Elizabeth didn't care for them much. Her favorite character was always killed at the crux of the film, leaving Will carrying on about the amazing visual effects and her, red-eyed and weepy. She didn't mind, however, the way he held her tight when the fateful cinema killing occurred.
Tonight, he shuffled towards the couch, plopped down and began to open up the boxes containing their supper. She didn't join him immediately, moving instead to collect a stack of napkins. Will always forgot the napkins.
Before she had gathered a substantial pile there was a low curse coming from the couch, causing her to straighten. Will was not known to curse and hearing him do so twice within five minutes was a rare occurrence. He must be particularly troubled or nervous about something. If it was about missing the movie, she wasn't that upset. There would be other showings.
His embarrassed, "Elizabeth?" reclaimed her attention.
"Here." The pile of napkins was passed his direction. Wiping the last of the popcorn butter from her fingertips, she settled down next to him while he mopped up a good sized lake of noodles and sauce.
A second later, a warm container of pasta drenched in creamy alfredo was in her hands, steam rising up to curl around her face. Her eyes returned to the screen and she began to lose herself in the plot.
She had only a moment though, until Will spoke again, hesitantly, "Elizabeth?"
"Mhmm?"
"Elizabeth…" His tone implored attention.
She tore her eyes from the screen and saw Will twitching in nervous anticipation, dark brown eyes glowing with a boyish eagerness. Initally she didn't understand. His gaze flicked down and she followed it. A velvet box was sitting next to her on the sofa cushion.
"Marry me?"
TBC...