It Happened One Sunday
Chapter Three: The Smiling Maiden
"Answer me!" Shaggy repeated nervously.
The knock came a third time. The man and dog looked at each other as if to say, "It's for you...you get the door." Shaggy had thought of giving up and opening the door on several occasions; wanting to and yet the fear of the nameless unknown that lurked just past the door had stopped him. An unbidden laugh escaped his throat; the nameless unknown had come knocking instead.
Seeming to make up his mind (there was no place to run this time) the man moved to stand in front of the door. Taking a deep breath, perhaps to calm his racing heart or maybe to give himself time to change his mind, he opened the door. A small gray creature slipped past him into the room, Shaggy slammed the door closed. Snarling, Scooby leaped at the creature, knocking it to the floor.
"Scooby! Stop!" The creature reached upward to remove the suit's hood, "My glasses! I can't see a thing without my glasses!"
"Velma? Vel! Wait, I'll help you up," Shaggy bent over his petite friend.
"No! Don't touch me, Shaggy," Velma placed her glasses on her nose, pushed Scooby from on top of her. He had recognized her and had started licking her face, dislodging her glasses. She stood up, "I have to get out of this suit; we can talk then."
Shaggy pointed toward the bathroom, "disposable bin for the suit," he stammered, "I'm glad to see you but what are you doing here?" He grimaced, 'dumb! Can't you say something intelligent?' Velma hadn't bothered to close the door, called out, "To find you and Scooby." Sounds of the suit being removed could be heard through the open door; Shaggy decided it best not to go investigating.
Dressed in her trademark cowl neck sweater and jeans rather than the usual pleated skirt, she returned to the main room, combing her fingers through her short brunette hair, "That's better. Now, we can talk."
"What about, Vel?" 'That's the best you could come up with, Dummy? The world as we know it is coming to an end and you can't do better than that?' "Where are Fred and Daphne? Aren't they with you?"
"No, they're not," her eyes drifted to the ceiling, "it's not too pretty up there. Fred is helping with clean up. Daph always wanted to be a reporter," Velma walked over to turn on the battery operated radio, turning it on, turning the dial to a local station. The voice was strained but it was Daphne's voice as she interviewed some person in charge of clean up. After several minutes she turned the radio off, returning to stand in front of Shaggy.
"I told Daph I wanted three days to search for you and Scooby. If I didn't find you...I would know...you were gone. I'd want some time alone.
"Daph told me what you did Saturday night," her small fist caught him by surprise, landing solidly on his chest. "How dare you?" She continued to rant and rave, her small fists raining blows wherever they found a target. He stood stoically as Velma vented her anger until her aggression had diminished. Only then did he catch her hands, holding them to his chest.
"How could you? I thought we were friends." Her words cut deep when he realized just how much he had hurt her.
"Vel, I'm sorry. You've got the right to be angry. I was wrong to do what I did. It was just..."
"Just what, Shaggy?" Tears streamed down her cheeks like rain drops down a window pane.
"It was just...it was something I've wanted to do for a long time. The temptation, your lips so close, was just too much."
"But not once but twice...you kissed me twice Daphne said."
"Daphne talks too much sometimes. Can you...forgive me, Vel?"
"yes, but I want to know one thing."
"Anything. What do you want to know?"
"Did you mean it...what you just said...about...wanting to kiss me?"
"I meant it with all my heart. I was afraid you wouldn't feel the same way. Silly isn't it? With all we've been through together, I was afraid of rejection, of how you'd feel if I told you I love you." He released her hands, wiping her tears away with his thumbs, "Velma Dinkley, I love you," he whispered.
"Shaggy, I'm not asleep now." Her arms slid around his neck. Holding her close in his arms, his fingers accidentally slipped underneath her sweater, teasing the bare skin of her back. Her lips were warm as he remembered the stolen kisses; now they were firm with pent up desire, goose bumps rose under his fingertips.
"I have a gift I give you, willingly," she lifted her arms over her head. The longing in her eyes empowered him to lift the sweater, "Are you sure, Vel?" "Yes," she whispered softly; her sweater dropped to the floor while she reached behind her back to release the clasp of her bra, "you'll have to open the door." The maiden smiled at Shaggy's bewildered questioning look.
"We have three days," she held the item in question by one hand, enjoying the burning heat in his eyes upon her bare breasts, "we don't want to be interrupted do we? This," she indicated her bra, "is an universal 'Do Not Disturb' signal. Just in case someone should come knocking."
Shaggy opened the door, Velma hung the "Do Not Disturb" sign on the handle and the door was closed. She slipped into his arms, removing his T-shirt, "We do have one problem."
"What's that Vel?"
"Scooby came in contact with my suit, I don't think he's infected but we need to give him a bath to be sure."
"Now!"
---------------Xxxxxx
Three days later, Velma lay beside him, her head resting on his bare chest. His hand floated lightly down her back to the blanket covering both of them, then making the return trip, massaging her neck. Her fingers made little designs across his chest,
"Shaggy, it's been three wonderful days. Are you ready to leave?"
"I guess we have no choice. We can't stay in here forever."
"No, we don't," she moved her head to kiss his lips; her hand disappearing under the blanket. She found he was indeed ready, "another hour won't make much difference."
An hour later Shaggy retrieved the "Do Not Disturb" sign. After they had dressed he opened the door and holding her hand, stepped out into the unknown with their canine companion. It wouldn't be easy rebuilding their new world; but with their friends, they would rebuild together. They had an appointment in tomorrow.
TBC