So my travel schedule this week enabled me to get this next section out to you. I'm pushing hard to get to the convo and shopping trip but feel like we need to explore their thoughts more and build support for themselves as a couple b/c, like many of you noted, there will be surprise and shock if they get married soon...
The children had fully recovered from their stomach flu and were excited to see their father and Lizzy. Their enthusiasm had pushed all thoughts of William, marriage and a wedding from her mind until now. It was almost 9:00 and Lizzy, Maddy and Edward finally settled into the family room of the Gardiner's home. She hadn't shared much with the Gardiners about her blossoming relationship with William and wondered how much she should say. Certainly she couldn't bring up the issue with his Aunt Cathy given the relationship Professor Gardiner had with his benefactor. The whole thing could get messy and she didn't want to put her professor in an awkward situation.
"The look on your face implies that this will be a serious conversation Lizzy." Maddy said as she handed her a cup of tea and set out plates of leftover pie from Thanksgiving. "Have you heard from your family?"
Taking a sip of tea, Lizzy shook her head. "I texted my sister Maria on Thanksgiving Day and she didn't respond. I can't understand her. It's not like I had any choice in the matter. And anyway, she doesn't need to worry about being deported or anything." Lizzy added glumly.
"I'm sorry for mentioning it." Maddy reached over and gave Lizzy a hug. Pulling back she looked at her young friend, "Truly, there is something bothering you and we want to help. Will you fill us in on what you're worried about?"
"Sorry, I don't mean to be so serious and down all the time. I've been trying to put my family out of my mind as that's a situation I don't have any ability to influence. I was hoping tonight we could talk about William Darcy... and me." Lizzy said, eyes focused on the wine glass in her hands.
Edward was glad for the opening. With her father gone, Edward had begun to feel even more responsible for Lizzy but yet, wasn't sure how to begin such a conversation given their relationship. He'd observed the young couple over the past few days and was curious as to the what was happening between them. "I was wondering about your relationship with William. When we were in Maine it seemed a bit more familiar than simply someone who is advising you on a legal matter."
Lizzy took a deep breath. 'For all of the deep breathing she had done over the past few weeks one might mistake her for a yoga instructor,' Lizzy mused. She didn't let the thought linger as she looked up and noticed both Gardiners had their eyes trained on her. "I guess I'll start at the beginning. I first met William before this mess began - in fact, on the night I'd learned about my internship. I thought he was cute and we had a nice conversation. Then my life became a mess and, totally by coincidence, he was the law student assigned to help me. We had some, um, miscommunications for a short while. Some of the issues between us were more a result of the fact that his own life was being turned upside down by outside forces. We were able to see our way through those issues though and right before the holiday he asked me out on a date." A smile broke out across her face as she recalled their date.
"He was very sweet and we had a very lovely evening. I can't actually remember ever having such a perfect first date and yet, he truly knew some of my worst secrets and I his, so it was easy in a way." Lizzy sighed thinking back on the shared lemon cake and hot chocolate.
"I really do like him and wish I had months to get to know him. But neither of us have that much time. We both, for very different reasons, would greatly benefit from being married. My benefit is much more selfish than his, but getting married is important to us both. With his parents passing four years ago, William became responsible for his 15-year old sister. Unfortunately, if he doesn't get married soon, he will lose custody. At any rate, he suggested, actually proposed, marriage between us this morning."
Lizzy looked up to try and judge the Gardiners' reaction to this tidbit but couldn't tell from their faces what they were thinking. "One more thing," she added, "William suggested we approach this much like an arranged marriage where the couple are friends, and like one another, but haven't actually progressed to love. He suggested we get married but then treat the early months of our marriage like we would if we were dating and building a relationship." Lizzy paused, searching her mind for anything else she wanted to add. Figuring it would be better to get their reactions she looked up at Maddy and Edward expectantly, "So, what do you guys think... cuz I really don't know what to do."
Edward and Maddy looked at one another. Neither could figure out what to say. "That's quite a situation Lizzy and a lot to process. At this point, how can we help you most? What's the biggest concern?" Edward asked as he could see his wife was quite speechless.
"To be honest, my biggest concern is that if I say yes I'm getting rid of one problem but taking on a much bigger, more challenging set of issues. I don't want to repeat the mistakes of my parents. You see, my parents always took the easier path in the moment without consideration of all of the complications they would need to contend with later. Marrying William will solve my short term immigration issues and William's issues regarding custody of his sister, but then we'd actually be married! And, that is a huge deal. I always thought that I'd marry for love. I want to have a real partnership with my husband, like I see you two have. I like William a lot and I do trust him but I can't say I love him. We would never be talking about marriage if we both didn't have issues that would be resolved by marrying." Lizzy said with a sigh.
Regaining her voice, Maddy began, "Lizzy, I agree with you but I also want you to understand that there are no guarantees in marriage even when two people are deeply in love. A partnership is not something that comes because you love one another. Its something you build together and its work - every day. Love absolutely helps. It motivates you, helps you accept the imperfections in your partner. But it doesn't ensure success in marriage."
"I agree with Maddy and you said one other thing that is important, you trust him. Friendship and trust are the bedrocks of any good relationship," he added.
Edward could see that Lizzy ached for someone to tell her what to do. They couldn't do that...this was too important. He wanted to support her but was struggling to figure out how to, "I'm impressed that you are taking this so seriously. Many others in your situation would look at this offer as a quick fix. Did you share your thoughts with William?" Edward asked.
"A little. I was honestly just trying to process the concept when he asked. He had an interesting way of framing the proposal. He suggested we treat it like the marriages in traditional Indian or Jewish cultures where the couple is introduced and they might only know each other a few weeks before getting married. In a similar way we'd get married quickly with a commitment to one another to work on developing our relationship after the wedding day. I have a classmate that plans to follow this tradition, I just never thought that I would." Lizzy stated.
"That's an interesting way to think about it. Lizzy, what does your gut tell you to do." Maddy asked.
"I'm inclined to try it. I think I could marry him, but I'm scared of making this decision alone without my family's perspective, or at least my papa's." she sighed.
"It seems reasonable that you'd want their blessing. You know in most traditional arrangements like you describe, the parents take on a lot of responsibility evaluating the potential suitor. If you're comfortable, we might be able to take on some of that role." Edward offered.
"I would love it if you could help me. I'm meeting him tomorrow actually. Would you meet with him then?" Lizzy quickly answered.
Edward realized he had made this offer without discussing it with Maddy. 'So much for their great partnership,' he mused. He was relieved when Maddy jumped in. "Absolutely. Tell him to pick you up from our house. Edward and I will sit down and meet with him first and then the four of us can meet together. Think about your questions and concerns and we'll do the same." Turning to her husband she asked, "Eddie, will you give your friend Solomon Gilpin a call to ask him about his student?"
"Of course. I'll call him first thing tomorrow. What time do you expect William?" Edward asked.
"Around 1:00 I think."
"Tomorrow morning I'll try to arrange someone to watch the kids while we are meeting with him. The kids have been cooped up in the house and I don't want to sit them in front of the television if we don't have to. Maybe I can arrange some play dates or a trip to the Museum of Natural History as a distraction." Maddy answered.
Lizzy sprang up from her spot on the couch and gave them both a big hug. "Thank you. If I can't get my papa's perspective, I can't imagine anyone else I could trust more. I owe you so much." Lizzy said with tears in her eyes.
William Darcy woke early Sunday morning, eager to get back to Cambridge. He'd spoken briefly with Lizzy late last night and was more than a little nervous about going to pick her up from the Gardiner's home. She'd mentioned that they were hoping to speak with him and his mind had been racing ever since. 'Was it a good sign or a bad sign? If she didn't want to seriously consider this would she waste the Gardiners' time by having them sit down to talk about it? Or was this her way of saying no?' It was driving him mad. 'Of course, she assured him that their shopping date was still on. She wouldn't be thinking 'no' and then still want to go grocery shopping with him right?'
He had his suitcase loaded in his car by 7:00am and was waiting in the breakfast room for his cousin Richard. He'd said goodbye to Anne last night as she never rose before 11 unless it was for a tee-time. Aunt Cathy agreed to actually wake early to see them off at 8. Richard's dad had been useful this time. The Senator's request that his son get back early for a campaign fundraising dinner came in handy for getting them out early. "Morning Darce. How'd you sleep last night?" Richard asked as he entered the room.
"I've slept better. I'm pretty anxious to get on the road back to Boston." William grumbled.
"Why's that? Important shopping date?" Richard asked.
William's eyes shot up with surprise. 'How did Richard know about these plans and what else did he know?' he wondered. "We'll talk more about this in the car, I suspect."
"I'm looking forward to it." Richard responded.
William was somewhat relieved when he got in the car and began to drive away from his Aunt's house. She had managed to get a parting shot in when she alluded to seeing more of him once Georgie was "properly settled in Maine." If William wasn't feeling pressure already, those words on his departure certainly reinforced the weight he was carrying. He wondered if he actually looked as weighed down as he felt.
"Well, this week in Maine was more enlightening then I ever could've imagined. First the cryptic comments on the ride up. Then the very witty text exchange. A hot and heavy make out scene in the wine cellar, a stroll on the beach and finally, a shopping date this afternoon so your new friend Lizzy can cook for you. I'm looking forward to hearing you fill in the blanks." Richard reclined his seat back, crossed his legs and looked expectantly at his cousin.
"I'm curious as to how you learned about the shopping date?" William asked.
"Avoiding the question I see. Well you can try to delay but you won't shake me loose. I had an enlightening conversation with your Elizabeth yesterday morning after your walk on the beach. I asked her what her intentions are towards you..." Richard began but William cut him off before he could get further.
"You asked her WHAT?"
"I asked what her intentions were, but never fear, she evaded the question. She's got quite the skill in doing that by the way. At any rate, she said she 'intended' to take you grocery shopping so she could prepare you meals to ensure you ate properly. Which brought me to question of why she cared that you ate properly and exactly how much did she care." Richard responded with a small bit of glee at his own cleverness.
William swallowed hard. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know how she responded but then, couldn't resist asking anyway. "So, what did she say?" He tried to make his voice sound light but knew the giant lump in his throat conveyed exactly how seriously he wanted the answer.
"She said... you've become a very dear friend, are incredibly kind and, even though I'm better looking, you're pretty hot."
A smile tugged across William's face, "I know at least one part of that statement is undoubtedly untrue but I'm not sure how much of the rest is a fabrication."
Eyes twinkling, Richard teased, "No she really did say that you're pretty hot."
"Oh I had little doubt about the veracity of that element of the statement. And, I think you know it too. At any rate, did she say anything else?"
"She made some comment about her own life being very complicated and that you've been helping her out with some problem. She didn't go into any detail on that however." Richard added. "I've answered your questions, now I'd love mine answered. What's going on with you two?"
William was relieved that Richard hadn't figured out more. He wanted to tell this story his own way. "It shouldn't be a mystery to a smart guy like you. She's beautiful, smart, has a wicked sense of humor, is very independent and self-reliant and is a very dear friend who is becoming dearer. She kisses incredibly well and we just started dating a little over a week ago." William bluntly replied.
Richard was amazed his cousin was being so matter-of-fact about this. His cousin never spoke to anyone about the women he had dated so he decided to push harder. "Yes, that's fairly obvious and confirmatory of what I believed. What I don't understand is how she solves your problem with Aunt Cathy after knowing her for a total of like, five weeks and dating for one-and-a-half. That's the missing link."
William wasn't sure how much to share and yet, getting his cousin on board with this plan was important to getting the rest of the Fitzwilliam clan to fall in line. He'd need their support as Aunt Cathy was likely to have a fit if, and hopefully, when, this all came to pass. He also wanted his uncle's help with Lizzy's green card and Richard could be an important influencer in that regard.
"Richard, if I tell you everything, do I have your promise of complete confidentiality?"
"Does it have anything to do with America's national security in any way?" Richard asked, half joking.
"Um, no. I don't think so."
"You say that with less confidence than I was expecting." Richard answered eyeing William.
"No rational person would ever consider Lizzy a threat to national security, and the Democratic Party wouldn't either." William answered.
Richard was quiet for a few moments and then, turning towards William blurted out,"Lizzy's illegal?"
"Wow, you are smarter than I gave you credit for." Darcy said admiring how quickly his cousin figured it all out.
"I never would've guessed if we hadn't had that whole discussion on immigration on Friday with Aunt Cathy and then you hadn't given me that last clue about the Democratic Party." Richard replied, albeit with a smug look crossing his face.
William figured at this point, he might as well tell Richard everything. He began by recounting the story of how they met, celebrating her new internship. The later discovery of her status, Professor Gilpin's request to help her and the conversation with her parents. Finally, he filled Richard in on her current options and her parent's abrupt departure. "Rich, she's basically homeless and alone now."
"So I guess she'll jump at any offer you make her given her situation." Richard replied, a bit skeptical of this young woman who'd attached herself to his cousin.
"Actually, no. Yesterday morning, she suggested that we stop dating so I could find someone appropriate to marry to help with Georgie. It was as she was walking away that I proposed. We sat down on the beach and she asked me a number of questions. At the end of the conversation I agreed to give her some time to think about it. This afternoon, the Gardiners, who she's been staying with over break, are meeting with me. Then the four of us are going to meet altogether. Lizzy wants to make sure we are really thinking this through. Given her respect and close relationship with them, she wants to make sure we aren't doing something that in the short term might solve each of our immediate problems but in the long run may cause many, many more."
"Wow. I had no idea what she truly meant when she said her life was 'complicated'." Richard said shaking his head.
"The thing is, most other girls that I've ever known all wanted something from me. They only saw the clothes, gifts, money, and homes. If I had made this offer to anyone of them, they would've said yes. And I'm sure none of them cared very much about me as a person." William vented. Laughing to himself he thought back to how uncomfortable she was relying on him and how much she needed to be an equal participant. "Do you know, I asked Lizzy out to dinner and at first she declined because she couldn't afford to pay for her meal. And once, I bought her a coffee and muffin and she insisted on buying my t-pass in return."
"Does she have any idea how much your worth?" Richard asked.
"I have no idea. We've never talked about it. I mean, she's ridden in my car and been to my condo. She's acknowledged that our backgrounds and life experiences are very different so I think she must have some idea," William said thoughtfully.
"You're going to have to explain it to her. I mean really, really explain it. Perhaps Professor Gardiner can help out with that."
"That's probably a good idea. I'll talk with him about it this afternoon. I need to draw up a pre-nup anyway and will need his help explaining to her why its necessary. I drew up the outlines of one last night and after I talk to her today will send it over to our family lawyers."
"So when are you planning to tell Georgie?" Richard asked.
"If she says yes, I'm actually hoping to get married next Sunday. That's why I want you two there. I was thinking of telling her when I see you both on Friday. I thought that after we talk, maybe you could drive Georgie up to the house and get her to share her thoughts and concerns on the matter while I drive up Lizzy and a few close friends that we'd want there."
"Let me think about all this. You should talk to her therapist too so that she can give you advice on how to handle this. It will be quite sudden for her. Let's talk again midweek to finalize the plan." Richard offered.
"Thanks Richard. Please just don't tell anyone. Not your parents or your brother and sister. No one until I'm ready."
"Believe me. This is going nowhere!" Richard replied. To be honest, his own mind was swirling and if he hadn't met Lizzy himself and had the conversations one-on-one, he would've thought his cousin was out of his mind. As he reflected, he saw that William was following his trademark steady path, and it seemed like he found someone equally thoughtful. It was a one-in-a-million chance.
"Actually, I have one more question. If Lizzy says no, like really no, will you propose to someone else?"
"I can't imagine proposing to anyone else. I'd just have to try and support Georgie the best I can as her brother but not her guardian." William said with a sigh.
This response made Richard feel a lot better. He trusted his cousin's instincts and so he would simply support him and hope it all worked out.
Love, love, love to hear from you all. It really makes me happy and if you ask me a question I will try to respond quickly...if you are signed in and I can! So please, comments, questions. What resonated? What didn't?