AN: This one I think is a lot better than the last one I posted. I don't own any of the songs that will be played here. They belong to their singer/writers whatever so don't sue me.
Later that evening, The Blues brothers were in their hotel room packing for their flight the next day. Elwood however, was multitasking. As he packed, he also got a clean white shirt, Black suit jacket & pants, and a new black tie for his dinner date with Maria. After a quick shower and after he was done packing, Elwood began combing his chestnut brown hair in front of the bathroom mirror, his shades foggy from the steam.
"Wow, you're actually combing your hair!" Jake said with fake surprise "You do like this chick don't you?"
"Shut up" Elwood replied as he rolled his eyes beneath his shades. "I've brushed my hair before"
"Running your fingers through your hair doesn't count!" Jake retorted "Hurry up and put on a shirt. I gotta talk to you, and I don't wanna look at your skinniness."
Elwood set down the comb and began buttoning on his white shirt with his black tie hanging around his neck as he sat down on the foot of his bed.
"What is it?" Elwood asked
"Since you two are gonna be seen in a public place…" Jake began but Elwood inturrupted "Wait, we've gone on a public date before!"
Jake rolled his eyes & shook his head "Being at Village Inn after midnight for coffee doesn't count. You two were the only ones there!"
"Get to the main point." Elwood told him impatiently
"Since you two are gonna be out in public, I strongly suggest you be careful with Maria." Jake told him sternly
"You know I won't let anything happen to her" Elwood told him as-a-matter-of-factly.
"I meant be careful because I know guys will hit on her and I know you'll get jealous." Jake told him as he pointed a finger at him "I saw how you scowled at Mr. Fabulous at the Chez Paul when he called her 'hot'. Don't be so possessive man, that's why your other relationships were all shitty."
Elwood scowled and crossed his arms, seeing Jake's point.
"Guys will hit on her Elwood" Jake told him again "So the best thing for you to do is prove that you're a lot better for her than any of them, instead of just being super defensive"
Elwood sighed and put on his black suit jacket. "Thanks" was all he said.
He knew Jake was right, but he needed to go. He put on his tie quickly and headed for the door.
"See ya Jake"
"See ya"
Meanwhile, Maria sat anxiously at her table waiting for Elwood and hoping he would find this place. As she waited, she could hear the men at the table in back of her talking and feel their eyes on her. She began to get very uncomfortable as she squirmed in her seat.
I hope Elwood gets here soon
She twiddled her thumbs and looked at the salt shaker in front of her, hoping the guys would stop looking and talking about her. She heard a chair's legs scoot, making a scratching sound and then heard
"Hey"
She looked up slowly and saw a tall, blond hair, blue eyed, muscular man smiling slyly at her.
"My friend and I couldn't help but notice you're here all alone." he said with 'sympathy' "Why don't you sit with us and we'll buy you a drink?"
"No thanks." She told him in monotone, showing her lack of interest.
The guy chuckled in disbelief that he got rejected "Why would you reject us like that?"
"I have a prior dinner engagement" she told him.
"A what?" he asked, not understanding her.
She was about to yell at him, but she then saw Elwood coming into the restaurant.
Oh thank god he's here!
She approached him and kissed his cheek. "Hi"
Elwood kissed her back and the blond guy got in between them
"Whoah whoah, you have a boyfriend?"
Elwood felt that twinge of jealousy that Jake warned him about as he stepped in front of Maria
"Yes" he said enunciating the word "She does"
Maria led Elwood to the table she saved, ignoring the pervert.
"What a shame" the blond guy said to them "because you got nice legs, and I doubt Shades here" he added referring to Elwood "would even want to get in between them like how I do."
"THAT'S IT!"
Elwood & Maria shot out of her chairs & she scratched the blonde's face with her long sharp fingernails.
"OW, YOU BITCH!"
"DON'T YOU CALL HER A BITCH!" Elwood yelled as he pushed the blond over his table. Everyone in the restaurant turned their heads and focused their attention on the fight. The restaurant owner rushed to the fight and grabbed Elwood and Maria by the arms
"What the hell man?" she yelled angrily
"Let go of her!" Elwood commanded
The couple kicked and wiggled in attempt to get away from not only the restaurant owners arms, but also his two 6'7 security guards. The doors open and the couple were tossed onto the sidewalk.
"Son of a bitch!" Elwood exclaimed angrily.
"What about my reservation?" Maria yelled as she banged on the glass doors with her fists.
"Let's face it; they would rather side with the rich guy than us, the lower class." Elwood told her annoyed by the fact.
She sighed angrily and glanced at Elwood sadly "I'm sorry we got us kicked out."
"Don't blame yourself." He told her as he gave her a sympathetic pat on the back. "It's that guy's fault. He obviously doesn't have the proper manners to address a lady."
She smiled at him sadly as they walked from the restaurant and she kicked a small rock in front of her.
"So what do we do now?" Maria asked him
Elwood looked at the street sign and got an idea.
"I know this Jazz and Blues themed restaurant you might like" Elwood told her. "Let's go there"
"Ok"
A few minutes later, the couple arrived at the "Hello Dolly Stop" and went inside. The restaurant had a small stage with a few instruments on it, allowing anyone who wanted to let the music flow to get up and perform. Maria looked around and smiled
"This place seems pretty good."
"Yeah, it's a really comfortable atmosphere" Elwood agreed.
The couple sat down and ordered their food. Maria ordered a soup and salad combo, while Elwood chowed down on a chicken sandwich. As they were eating, Maria looked at the empty stage and eyed the guitar. Elwood noticed and snickered as he chewed on his sandwich.
"You wanna play don't you?" he asked
She nodded with a big grin on her face. Elwood swallowed his sandwich and wiped his mouth before standing up.
"Let's go"
She got up from her chair and followed Elwood onstage.
"What song should we do?" she asked him
"You know any John Lee Hooker songs?" he asked her
"Yeah a few."
"What about Boom Boom?"
"Let's do it."
Elwood got the microphone and turned it on "Good evening ladies and gentlemen"
The restaurant customers and even some staff clapped & whistled as they remembered the time when the Blues Brothers performed there & recognized him.
"Where's Jake?" one person yelled
Elwood chuckled a bit and responded "He's not here. I'm on a date with this lovely lady here."
He extended his palm to Maria as she bowed and waved to everyone.
"And tonight we are gonna perform a song or two just for you guys. First is a classic from the great John Lee Hooker"
Maria began playing the intro and the whole restaurant clapped and cheered as she played.
Finally, a place where I can be respected!
After a few seconds, Elwood began singing
Boom boom boom boom
I'm gonna shoot you right down, right offa your feet
Take you home with me, put you in my house
Boom boom boom boom
A-haw haw haw haw
Hmmm hmmm hmmm hmmm
Hmmm hmmm hmmm hmmm
I love to see you strut, up and down the floor
When you talking to me, that baby talk
I like it like that Whoa, yeah!
Talk that talk, walk that walk
Maria played the solo as Elwood tapped his shoe to the rhythm and watched her play.
When she walk that walk, and talk that talk,and whisper in my ear,
tell me that you love me. I love that talk
When you talk like that, you knocks me out,
right off of my feet
Hoo hoo hoo
Talk that talk, and walk that walk
The whole restaurant clapped and cheered as Elwood smiled in triumph and Maria bowed.
"Why do you bow?" he asked her
"I'm showing courtesy for the audience. Besides, the Beatles did it after each song."
Elwood shrugged and bowed as well.
"I think they might want an encore." Maria told him "Let's perform a song that we're gonna perform in Vegas."
Elwood thought for a bit about a song both of them can sing. "Expressway to your Heart by The Soul Survivors?"
"I only know the lyrics." She told him "I don't know how to play it on guitar"
"That's fine. We can just sing it acapella"
Maria shrugged "I can try"
She focused her attention to their crowd and told them "This song's by The Soul Surviors and we'll be singing this acapella."
She cleared her throat before singing her duet
I've been tryin' to get to you for a long time
Because constantly you been on my mind
I was thinkin' 'bout a shortcut I could take
But it seems like I made a mistake I was wrong
Elwood began singing the bridge of the song, which made Maria want to melt like butter.
Mmm, I took too long
I got caught in the rush hour fellows started to shower you with love and affection
Now they both sang together as they danced along. Now you won't look in my direction on the expressway to your heart.
The expressway is not the best way. At five o'clock it's much too crowded much too crowded, so crowded
No room for me (too crowded) Oh, too crowded
Now there's too many ahead of me. They're all the time gettin' in front of me. I thought I could find a clear road ahead
But I found stoplights instead. I was wrong.
Baby, I took too long
I got caught in the rush hour fellows started to shower you with love and affection
Come on, look in my direction On the expressway to your heart The expressway is not the best way At five o'clock it's much too crowded Much too crowded, so crowded No room for me (too crowded)
Oh, too crowded
Everyone began clapping along to the rhythm of the song and Elwood and Maria began dancing along with the clapping since there's no solo like how there's supposed to be. Once they stopped dancing, Maria noticed they were very close to each other as they continued.
I was wrong.
Baby, I took too long
I got caught in the rush hour fellows started to shower you with love and affection
Come on; look in my direction on the expressway to your heart. The expressway is not the best way at five o'clock
Oh, much too crowded
Oh, so crowded
The song ended and the whole restaurant clapped and cheered for them. Elwood and Maria bowed once more before paying their bill and leaving.
"That was so much fun" Maria told him happily as they made their way back to their rooms "That was the best date of my life"
"Best date of your life so far" Elwood corrected
She chuckled a bit at his correction as she arrived to her door. "Thank you by the way for standing up to that guy when he called me a bitch"
"You're welcome. I just don't believe in calling women such harsh words, especially not my girlfriend." Elwood told her
"I'm still glad you did it though and Jake's lucky to have a singing partner like you" she told him slyly as she got closer to him for a kiss.
They kissed softly until Elwood broke it. "I gotta go. We have an early flight tomorrow and I think we should rest up as much as we can."
"Ok. Good night"
"Night"
After one final kiss and after he left back to his and Jake's room, Maria stepped into her room and began thinking about the song she sang with Elwood and how he sounded. Her heart started beating a bit faster as she thought to herself
He's such a crooner but hell, I'm not complaining! The way he looked at me and sang to me…wow. I'm so lucky to have someone like him…