Alrighty now. Another chapter, a little more progress. Getting towards the holidays here and a little visiting with old friends :)

Exercise. She desperately needed a run, a hike, really anything to get this nervous energy out of her system. Will had woken up a bundle of nerves about his exam that day and it set her off. Where had her serenity gone? She'd been so relaxed after the exam the prior day and now she was truly a nervous wreck. Maybe her period was coming? That was likely. She was often a bit jumpy during the days leading up and exercise had been her only release. Pulling on her running clothes she hoped she'd be able to sneak out without anyone noticing her. The press were still circling, despite their ability to get around them, and she had hoped they'd give up soon.

Donning hat, scarf and winter running gear she took the fire stairs down the 22 floors and exited through a rarely used door. Not many used the stairs given their location and a vast preference for the elevator ride. Without looking back, Lizzy quickly made her way through the back streets of Cambridge and up towards Fresh Pond. The air was damp but not overly cold. Boston had the ability to exceed 50 degrees on a good day in December and this was one of those days. It felt good to stretch her legs and the pounding rhythm of her feet against the pavement calmed her prior agitation. She'd been living day-to-day these past several weeks and wondered when her attention span would elongate beyond the next hour or day once again. She realized that tomorrow might be the last day in awhile that she'd measure in such a minute span of time. The relative eventfulness of each day certainly made them memorable but she was actually craving some mind-numbing boredom for a change.

Her run took her away from campus and towards the gracious homes that had populated Cambridge since the 18th and 19th centuries. Beautiful brick and cedar shingle homes projected a sense of stability and family that she'd always been drawn to. The Gardiners lived in one of these homes, walking distance from campus but far enough away to feel like any other well kept suburban neighborhood. Her run continued to the pond where she paused, taking in the others who'd come to stretch her legs: mothers walking with their baby carriages, girlfriends sharing some exercise and conversation, elderly couples sitting on park benches and students like her, getting in their exercise during breaks. Dogs of all shapes and sizes walked and ran alongside their owners. One pass around the pond and she headed back towards the Square, winding her way through the familiar Cambridge streets. Looking at her watch she saw it was 8:15. The kids would've left for school but perhaps Maddy was still at home. Without much thought she found herself running up to the front door of the Gardiners' home and ringing the doorbell.

"Lizzy! Oh, I'm so glad to see you!" Madeleine cried as she pulled her into a hug and tugged her inside the house.

"Maddy! I'm so glad you're home this morning. Do you have time to sit? I'm sorry I didn't call in advance. I found myself in the neighborhood and couldn't help stopping by to say hello."

"I'm glad you did. I would've been upset had you not. Come, sit. I'll get us coffee and we can catch up."

Elizabeth settled herself in the comfortable family room which had become like a second home to her over the years. She'd spent hours playing with the Gardiner children in this room and reading while waiting up late for their parents to return home.

Maddy quickly returned carrying two cups of coffee on a tray. Sitting down next to her on the couch, Maddy enthused, "Lizzy, your letter was excellent. I was so proud of you yesterday I thought I'd burst. How have the reactions from others been? Do you feel good about it?"

"I'm sure you can imagine how worried I was. I know what a political hot potato this whole immigration issue is and I didn't want my situation to become a rallying cry for either side of the debate. That said, if I didn't say anything then my situation could easily be defined by others. That didn't feel comfortable either. Day One I'd say people on campus were incredibly supportive. I was only on campus briefly yesterday, for my exam, but it felt great overall."

"I'm so glad. I thought you struck a really nice tone in your letter that few could quarrel with. You didn't offer an opinion on what people should think. You left the conclusion up to the reader. Now, the important stuff...how's married life? How's life with William?"

Lizzy couldn't keep from grinning as she thought of William. "Honestly? It's been wonderful and a remarkably easy transition. I was so worried about the adjustment of living together. We're so different you know? We've grown up with such different backgrounds, homes, and customs. I was thinking there'd be conflict about something but so far, it's been great. Of course, his sister hates me but I think that's more about being a 15-year old girl than me in particular. That and, she's had a rough couple of years. I'm trying not to take it personally."

"I'm glad things have gone so well with William so far. The key is communication. As long as you keep talking to one another, rather than avoiding conflict, you'll be fine. As for his sister, I can imagine this is all rather sudden. I'm sure she'll come around once she spends some time with you."

Lizzy shrugged, "I hope you're right. I know it's very upsetting to William so I want to make things better. He's so sweet and thoughtful that all I want to do is make his life easier in any way I can."

Maddy smiled. She'd always had a very high opinion of Elizabeth. She was hardworking, honest, bright and quick to laugh. With those qualities combined, she was simply a pleasure to be around. It would be easy to live with Lizzy. Lord knows her children adored her. "I'm sure you'll do your best. Getting people to like you has never been your challenge."

"You're too kind. My mama never felt that way." Lizzy murmured.

A concerned look crossed Maddy's face. "Lizzy. Mother's can often be our greatest critics. You're the embodiment of all her worries, hopes and unfulfilled dreams. Believe in your own goodness and know that William sees it too. I know he does." Lizzy had often intimated that her relationship with her mother hadn't been great. As long as it didn't impact how she related to William's family, it would likely be all right, she figured. Deciding to change the subject, Maddy turned her attention to the holidays. "Now, tell me about your plans for Christmas."

"We'll be spending Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with the Fitzwilliams. The rest of the break we'll be splitting between Maine and New York. There are some meetings William needs to attend in New York at the start of the year and I'm going to visit the city with him. I'm so excited. I've never been there before."

"I'm sure you'll love it. Are you worried about spending the holiday's with his family?"

"I'm more worried about what I'm going to give him for Christmas. What do you get for the man who could literally buy anything he wanted for himself? I have no idea what to get him and he's been ridiculously generous to me."

Maddy could imagine her concern. Their first Christmas would be a special time for the young couple. "I think you'll either want to make him something or plan a special day. Experiences or handmade items can't be bought and you can do that for him."

"I can knit and sew but I don't have a lot of time. I can certainly cook and bake but that wouldn't be really just for William. We haven't really decorated or anything. I'll have to think about it. I don't have much time."

"No you don't Lizzy but you'll make this holiday special. I know you will. Just don't focus on what you can buy. Focus on how to make memories and you'll be fine."

It was excellent advice and the wheels in her mind were already spinning. A stop at the yarn and crafts store on the way back through Harvard Square was now on her list. She'd have to be creative but she could probably pull it off. The grandfather clock in the room chimed 9:00 and Maddy realized she had a deadline to meet. "I'm glad you stopped by but unfortunately, I need to get to work. Do you think we might see you before Christmas?"

"Maybe William and I could swing by on Christmas Day with our presents for the kids."

"They certainly don't require presents but we'd love to have you come by for a cup of egg nog."

"The presents have already been purchased by my generous husband so you'll have to accept them. We'll come by after Christmas dinner to see you if that works."

"We won't be going anywhere so come by whenever. We'd love to see you both. Send my love to William."

"Of course. Thanks Maddy. It's always good to talk to you."

The pair quickly embraced and Lizzy was back on her way towards home. She ran towards Harvard Square, passing the law school campus and Radcliffe before making her way past the Kennedy School. She found herself in front of the yarn and needlework store she'd often passed. It was one of those high end stores and she'd never had the funds to purchase their beautiful yarns and patterns. Pausing before she went in, she placed a quick call to Mrs. Reynolds.

"Good morning dear. Is everything ok?"

"Good morning Mrs. Reynolds. Everything is fine, I'm sorry for disturbing you."

"It's no problem at all. What can I do for you?"

"I was wondering if there's a sewing machine available at the house. I can purchase one to be shipped but thought I'd check with you first."

"Oh, well, that is a good question. I have one that I do some mending on but I don't believe there's one at the house."

"Would you mind if I used your machine for a few hours while William and I are there? I wanted to make something for William and Georgiana for Christmas but will need a sewing machine to put it together. It would hopefully be a surprise so I'm hoping I can break away for a few hours."

"Of course you may. I know that Mr. Reynolds has a number of issues to discuss with him about the property and the winery and I'm sure he has need to do some Pemberley business so you should have several free hours to do your project. Your secret is safe with me."

"Thank you so much Mrs. Reynolds. You can imagine how hard it is to find something special for Willliam and I'm hoping I can simply make the holiday special for him and Georgie."

"That sounds wonderful. We'll see you late Friday night Lizzy. I'll make sure you have a few hours to work on your special project. I can't wait to see it."

Lizzy entered the store excited by her ideas. They were really quite simple. She was planning to make Christmas stockings for each of them, embroidering their names on white fabric with silver, green and red thread. She would cut out shapes and sew them to a red felt stocking she could quickly sew. While Lizzy didn't know Georgiana well she thought a winter scene with the trees of Maine and snowflakes would suit well. For William she'd attempt to recreate a simplistic scene of the Pond with fabric. For herself, she'd make one with poinsettia's on the front. Each year at this time, her home and the restaurant were always filled with the Christmas plant and it reminded her of holidays past. Needlework wasn't her strongest suit but she knew how to embroider such that she could stitch their names across the top of their stockings easily enough. She could also sew well enough to create the scenes she envisioned with felt onto the broad stocking. 'Those sewing lessons my mother insisted on in my childhood might actually pay off,' she mused. One of the women in the store was quick to come and assist her in the blocking of the three stockings. It was a relatively simple project and she had some good ideas as to how to lay out it out. Lizzy figured she could fill the stockings with oranges stuffed with cloves, lavender sachets, and chocolates much like her parents had always filled hers. It wouldn't be fancy but it would be entirely from her heart and she hoped it would be enough for their first Christmas. Lizzy also decided she'd attempt to make William a scarf and mittens. Growing up, the three wise men always delivered gifts on January 6th, the day of the Epiphany. She could certainly complete the project by then if not by the 25th when other gifts were exchanged at the Fitzwilliam's. The women in the store shared her enthusiasm for the projects. It was almost 11:00 by the time Lizzy exited the store.

Sneaking back into the condo building, much the way she'd departed, Lizzy walked briskly up the steps carrying her packages. She was on the ninth floor when she figured it would probably be fine to step into the hallway and call the elevator for the rest of the ride up to their floor. William hadn't returned from his exam yet so she was able to stash away the projects for a later time. A much needed shower, soup and sandwich in place and she was ready to settle down to study for her last exam of the semester.

The jangling of keys signaled William's arrival home. "How'd it go?" Lizzy called out.

"It's over at least. I was prepared for the questions asked," he answered, shrugging his shoulders. "Now onto the next one."

"There's some of Mrs. Reynold's soup on the stove. You may want to warm it a bit because it's been sitting for about 45 minutes. I made you a sandwich and left it covered in the refrigerator. We're running a bit low on that grainy mustard you like so I've added it to the shopping list."

William wandered into the kitchen and turned the stove on to begin re-warming the soup. He smiled as he opened the refrigerator to see his favorite sandwich sitting on a plate. Turkey, lettuce, tomato - very thinly sliced, whole grain mustard liberally applied to both slices of bread. Next to it was the pitcher of iced tea. She'd already left the tray out with a glass, napkin and spoon. A soup bowl was sitting next to the stove and he quickly scooped out the warm liquid. Placing everything on the waiting tray, he made his way back to the dining room where Lizzy was studying. She was sitting there waiting for him. Notebooks aside, Lizzy was sipping on some hot tea as she began to chat about her morning. She'd had an excellent morning and couldn't wait to tell him all about her run, he time with Madeleine Gardiner, and her indulgence at a new shop she'd never shopped in before. He loved hearing about her observations and answered all of her questions about his exam and his plans for the rest of the week. With lunch behind them, they settled down to study across from one another at the table, one more exam for each of them to get through.

It seemed a bit of role reversal at work. William had woken calm and peaceful, lavishing her with tender kisses. She was a wreck and looking forward to getting the first half of the day over with. Her exam was an early one, starting at 8 and they made plans to meet at Holyoke Center for lunch once they were both finished. Nearing their meeting place she admitted to herself that it wasn't her exam that had been plaguing her but her 1:00 appointment at the health clinic that had caused the burst of anxiety. William was standing near the entrance of the building waiting patiently for her. He was so unabashedly handsome and truly had no idea how yummy he looked standing there. That he could be posing for GQ, his hair a bit tousled, brown boots, jeans, green wool sweater and white waffle shirt poking through the edges, would never have entered his mind. "Hey handsome, care to take a girl out for lunch?"

"Only if its the girl standing before me. I'm in the mood for Chinese. Care to go to Yenching? It's my favorite place because it's truly authentic. They actually have two menus: one for Americans and one for Chinese. They know the Americans would never really go for the true Chinese food and vice versa."

"I can't believe I've never been. Let's go." Lizzy quickly agreed.

They quickly ordered and William noticed she was unusually quiet. Normally, she would be chattering away about whatever was going on in her mind. "Hey, did the exam go ok?"

"Oh, yea. It's one of my easiest classes. It was fine."

They fell into silence again and he was baffled.

"If you don't like the restaurant we can leave."

"No, I'm looking forward to trying it. I've always walked by but have never come in."

Again, silence. "Would you like to talk about what's bothering you?" He finally tried.

"Why would anything be wrong?"

"You're not usually so quiet. It seems like something is bothering you and I'd love to hear what's on your mind. If you don't want to I understand but I'm here if you need me."

"I'm sorry. I'm just thinking about the appointment. I know going on the pill is no big deal. At least half the girls in my house were on it and it will be a lot easier than all those condoms we've been using, I'm just nervous about it all."

"You don't have to you know. I'm happy to keep things as they are or there are other methods. Whatever you're most comfortable with is what I want us to do."

"Thanks. No I made this appointment. It's what I want to do I'm just nervous. I really do appreciate you coming with me. I know it's silly but it's a big deal for me and I didn't want to go alone." Lizzy smiled and reached out to cover his hand.

William placed a kiss on her lips, "Whatever I can do to support you, I will do, especially in things like this," he added with a mischievous grin.

The look on his face made her laugh and eased her anxiety a bit. Their food was delivered and Lizzy had to admit the quality was excellent and the price was low. She'd have to make sure her friends at school knew about this place.

Lizzy had never been a very good patient. Doctor's freaked her out. She couldn't imagine why Charlotte wanted to be one. Wearing the paper gown always made her feel vulnerable and of all the exams to have, this one was her absolute least favorite. The doctor came in and Lizzy was relieved it was a woman. "Good morning Mrs. Darcy. I understand you're here this morning to discuss birth control options."

"Uh, yes ma'am."

Smiling at her patient she could sense her discomfort. A common occurrence for young women and this particular exam. "Ok, let's get the exam done and then you can get dressed for our discussion. Lie back. This won't take long." As the doctor had promised, the exam was relatively quick. Apparently all looked fine and Lizzy was left to get dressed. She sat waiting in the exam room, fully dressed and wondering how William was doing sitting in the waiting room. It was nice to know he was there. The door reopened and the doctor re-entered.

"Alright now. Tell me a little about your sexual history and what you're hoping for."

Blushing brightly, Lizzy stammered, "I don't really have one. I mean, before I got married, less than two weeks ago, I'd never, um, had sex before."

The doctor simply stared at her. It was extremely rare among young women who came to her clinic to be a virgin until marriage. Perhaps that explained why she was married at such a young age. She'd often thought that it was likely the reason that people married at younger ages in the past. "I see. Well, is everything going ok for you? Are you feeling safe at home? Has it gone smoothly? Do you have any questions that I might be able to answer?"

Lizzy appreciated the gentle care this doctor was taking. She truly felt like she was being handled with kid gloves. "Um, yes. I think so. Everything seems really good. We've been using condoms but I'd like a more permanent birth control in place. I still have a year and a half of school and I'd like to work and maybe go to grad school before we have a family. I'm definitely not ready for children."

"I can only imagine and you should certainly have a plan in place. Having three children of my own I can tell you that I love 'em but their a lot of work too. You need to be ready to have them. Ok then, you've been using condoms. That's good. Has your husband been tested? Is he clean?"

Lizzy didn't realize she could blush brighter than she had but her face was now burning. "I...I...I don't know. I guess so. I haven't asked."

The doctor looked at her with concern. "That's a conversation you need to have sooner rather than later. The condoms are good protection but you should be aware of his sexual history and his testing history. You take a risk on your own health otherwise. If he hasn't been tested we can certainly do the testing here. No need for an appointment either as it's only a blood test so the lab can take it at any time. You should continue to use condoms until you can be certain he's clean."

"He's sitting outside in the waiting room. Should I ask him to be tested today?"

"It couldn't be more convenient. Let's finish our discussion and then I can call him so you can talk privately."

Lizzy agreed and the doctor reviewed her options. She opted for the pill as all of her friends had been on it and the idea of implanting something inside of her didn't appeal at all. She also liked the idea of better controlling some of the unfortunate sides of her PMS. It had plagued her for years and was looking forward to anything that would ease that monthly experience. The doctor handed her a script which she could get filled downstairs. Then, she watched as the doctor departed and she waited quietly for William to appear.

For his part, William was anxiously watching the clock. What could be taking so long? He was happy to support his Elizabeth in going to this appointment. She was doing this for them and he'd never seen her as nervous as she was today. Even on their wedding day she'd been calmer.

"William Darcy?" His head shot up as his name was called. Walking quickly toward the door, the nurse opened it a bit wider to let him in. "Your wife is back here and she just wanted a word with you. Follow me."

If he'd been anxious before, he could be described as having a fit of nerves now. The nurse opened the door and Lizzy looked so small sitting in the exam room. "What is it? Are you ok?" he quickly asked.

"I'm fine, perfectly fine," she smiled, "although I'll admit to being completely embarrassed by this entire appointment."

William visibly relaxed on seeing her smile. "Good. Alright love, did you need me?"

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, her question came out in a rush, "Have you been tested recently because if you haven't they can do it today." She quickly looked away, unable to bear having embarrassed both William and herself.

He smiled and pulled her into his arms. "I'm clean but if it will make you feel better, I'm happy to be tested again today. I haven't been with anyone in well over a year but was tested about three months after that ended. And I've always used condoms. Do you want me to get tested?"

"No, that seems unnecessary. I would never want to subject anyone, much less someone I love, to needles if they don't have to. I hope it's ok that I asked."

"I should have thought to tell you. I knew you were a virgin so I wasn't worried. I'm glad you asked and you should never hesitate to ask me anything, especially pertaining to your own health. It's important."

"Alright. Let's get out of here. I need to pick up a prescription and you owe me a trip to Burdick's. It's about the only thing that got me through this appointment."

"I owe you way more than hot chocolate but let's start there. We've got weeks of free time ahead of us for me to shower you with appreciation and love." William said as he helped her into her coat. The couple slipped out of the room and out of the clinic. Twenty minutes later they were enjoying a slice of lemon cake and cups of hot chocolate.

William had been insistent that hot chocolate was an insufficient reward for Lizzy and all she'd done to make his life so sweet and he wanted to leave her in no doubt of his appreciation of her. Upon their return home he was quick to demonstrate his full appreciation and Lizzy realized she'd found a way to truly please her husband. It wasn't long however before they'd fallen asleep, exhausted from the stress and strain of the past few weeks. It was truly a relief to have their exams behind them and the next few weeks stretched out in front of them as an oasis of time. Finally rising up from their bed, Lizzy stretched following their rest. "How should I be dressed for this evening's festivities?"

"Dress in layers. The temperature's dropping as the sun is setting and I don't want you to be cold. We'll be outside for a little while this evening.

Lizzy took his advice and bundled herself up. William called a car to pick them up and she found herself at the Boston Common not long before 6:00. She was amused by William's antics. He'd debated blindfolding her but she protested a bit so he gave up on that idea. Finally she agreed to close her eyes while he led her to their destination. Opening her eyes, she saw the banner strapped across the front of the Frog Pond House building, "Happy 21st Birthday Elizabeth!" Laughing she couldn't believe he'd rented out the entire ice skating rink at the Boston Common for her. Friends who had only joined them two weeks ago at their wedding were skating around the Frog Pond. A few who hadn't been able to attend the wedding were there as well. Quickly lacing up some rented skates, Lizzy was anxious to join her friends on the ice. She spied Jane and Charlie skating hand and hand. She made a b-line towards them and grasped Charlie's other hand, "Is this a couples only skate or can another girl join too."

"Only if she's the birthday girl," Jane smiled. "Happy belated birthday Lizzy!"

"Thanks Jane. How long has everyone been here?"

"They let us onto the ice at 5:30. I understand William rented it until 7:30 and then we're off to get dinner close by." Jane replied.

Lizzy noticed that Charles was abnormally quiet, "I'm really glad you're here Charlie. Thanks for coming to my party."

Charles looked a bit startled and smiled, "I'm honored to be included Lizzy. I've been blessed with very forgiving friends. Happy birthday."

The three skated along one time around the rink before Lizzy broke off to greet her other guests. Charlotte was apparently not an ice skater and was ultimately found sitting by the rink sipping hot chocolate. Lizzy decided to join her for a few moments. "If you want to come out I promise I'll stay right next to you in case you need my arm." Lizzy offered.

"No thanks. I'm very happy sitting here with my hot chocolate. I believe there's a bit of peppermint schnapps in here and the combination is keeping me delightfully toasty." She said with a smile. "I have to say it's awfully quiet at Pho Ho without you. Are you enjoying living in your own apartment with William?"

"I'm really loving it but I'll admit I've missed you and Jane so much. My whole life has been transformed this semester and it still doesn't feel quite real. Maybe it'll hit me next semester. I'm not sure."

"You look great, I have to say. Whatever's happened is definitely working for you. You're glowing." Charlotte answered.

"Thanks," she beamed. "So tell me what you've been up to. How did your classes end up?"

"Actually I do have some news," Charlotte grinned.

"Really, what's up?"

"Do you remember that law student I met at the party Charlie invited us to?"

"Is that the one where you ended up slinking back into our room at 3:00 in the morning because your beer goggles cleared?"

Sheepishly Charlotte continued, "Well maybe my first impression was better than my second. I recently saw him again and he mentioned how disappointed he'd been that I'd disappeared. We've been spending a lot of time together lately and I think he's going to come visit during winter break."

Lizzy's brows shot up, "Seriously? You've actually dated the same guy for more than a week? That's news Charlotte. I can't believe you've been holding out on me. Maybe we could go out on a double date next semester. "

"Maybe. You've got to forgive me Lizzy but my life has been positively bland in comparison to the newsworthiness of your life."

"I guess. To be honest, I'd be happy with a little boredom in my own life and would prefer to focus on others for awhile. I'm serious about the double date however. I can't wait to meet this guy."

William spotted Lizzy sitting with Charlotte and decided to join them, two hot chocolates in hand. "I thought you might want this my dear." The hot chocolate was steaming warm, mint from the peppermint schnapps reached her nose, and whipped cream curled upwards.

Taking a sip she smiled appreciatively at William. "Thank you for the extra serving of whipped cream. It's delicious."

"Anything for the birthday girl. So how do you like your party?"

Reaching over she placed a kiss on his lips. "I love it. I always wanted an ice skating party. I never imagined it would finally happen when I turned 21." Turning to include her former roommate in the conversation, "I suppose this was never what you wanted given you still have your boots on."

"I'm more of a beach party girl to be honest. But I'm happy to be here to celebrate your birthday. You two should get back out on the ice and see to your guests. We can talk more during dinner," Charlotte said as she pushed them on their way. Lizzy was reluctant to leave her but saw some other friends coming off the ice so she let William drag her back out. He was trying to taunt her, skating in a circle around her, grabbing her bum, and then skating away. He wouldn't get away with these antics and she decided she needed to use some of her best ice hockey moves to take him down. They were having a merry time on the ice when she spotted some more friends she wanted to greet. The remaining hour passed quickly and they were all removing skates and getting ready for the next phase of the birthday celebration.

She was surprised to find their next stop was the Fitzwilliams. "I wanted to have us all at Upper Crust for beer and pizza but the place was simply too small. My aunt offered to have everyone here and it seemed easiest given the location of the skating party," William said with a shrug.

Lizzy watched their friends take in the opulence of the Beacon Hill mansion, each one admiring (some gawking at) the beauty of their surroundings. She found herself wrapped in her new aunt's arms, "Happy Birthday Elizabeth! I was thrilled when William allowed me to host your party. Everyone follow me. I've got everything set up in the ballroom."

This was no little party Sophia Fitzwilliam had thrown together. Alongside the pizza and beer was a full bar, dj, and matching plates, napkins and balloons. William simply shook his head at his aunt. There was really no stopping her and he should've known better than to ask her to use her ballroom to have the party. The notion of simple and his aunt really weren't congruent ideas. "This is quite the party Aunt Sophia. Hugging his aunt he said, "I thought we were coming here for beer and pizza."

"I didn't do much. Just added a bit to make it feel more festive. Twenty-one is a big deal and I'd hoped you might stay here for awhile. We haven't had a gathering here in too long. I'm thrilled to play host. Now attend your guests and don't worry about me." Sophia pushed him away and went to the long buffet tables checking on the food she'd ordered. Pizza and beer seemed so insufficient and she'd called her caterer who was happy to supplement the offerings.

Lizzy had been paying no attention to the time, or the number of times her beer glass had been refilled. It had been a long time since she'd been so relaxed, so happy and so drunk. She spun around to see Jane and Bingley making out on the dance floor. It looked like a good idea and she quickly found William to undertake the same activity. William, who hadn't been drinking in an effort to ensure he could get them home safely, wasn't quite ready for so much PDA and managed to turn Lizzy's attention to some old friends from high school. The dancing lasted late and he began to worry about how they'd all get home safely. At 11:30, the dj agreed to shut down the music and they ended with a slow dance, perfect for William's skills on the dance floor. "Thank you. This has been the best birthday ever." Lizzy sighed before falling a bit more into his arms.

Most people liked the editorial...I'm so relieved! The semester ended and Georgie's going to be coming home from school soon. Christmas and New Years celebrations ahead and a meeting with immigration. So much to write. Thanks for hanging in there with me. I love it when new followers join and when I see new favorites. Of course the reviews are the best! Thoughts? reactions? Disappointments? I wanna hear em...