A few reactions to my guests and others who have commented more generally. First, Georgie's experiences are ones that run similar to the experiences of one of my former roommates. She was 13 when it happened to her and it deeply affected her - as you might imagine. The person she is today is certainly impacted by what happened to her so many years ago. I won't take Georgie into the direction my dear friend went but I still remember vividly the experiences she shared, the steps she needed to take to heal herself, and how it impacted life choices she'd later make.
Is Lizzy pregnant?! You'll have to wait and see. I've certainly seen notes from supporters and from those who aren't supportive of the idea.
You'll notice that my pace has slowed down. All I can say is that full time work and three busy kids are keeping me from writing as much as I wish I could. Simply not enough hours in the day. You might notice this is a little shorter than my usual chaps but we make progress and it feels right to end it here. I truly hope you enjoy getting there with me :)
"What do you think of the place? Isn't it wonderful. There is no place I'd rather be than here," Georgiana asked from her perch on the chaise lounge.
"It's absolutely stunning," Elizabeth admitted, still a bit bewildered by the elegance surrounding her. She sat down gingerly on a finely upholstered chair near one of the four fireplaces she'd spotted on her tour of the apartment.
Scrunching her nose, Georgiana thought a moment, "The kitchen could use some updating. It's probably been at least fifteen years since it was renovated, maybe longer."
"I didn't notice. I've never been in such a beautiful home. I think I'd be afraid to cook in there."
"Oh but you must. I hope you're willing to make use of it...not that I expect you to cook for us, that is, I'm sorry, I just meant you should be comfortable here and you're such a good cook..."
"Georgie, stop. I'm not offended. I know what you were trying to say. I'll admit that I'm a bit overwhelmed...hence my hesitation."
Georgiana looked around at the long familiar room, trying to imagine what was so overwhelming. This was the room in which she and her father would read bedtime stories together snuggled on the couch. This was the place where she felt the safest and most loved in the entire world. When her mother had become ill, the entire family had moved full-time to New York in order to access the best doctors and treatment. Once she'd passed away, Georgiana lived here with her father and Mrs. Reynolds traveling with him when work required. William's childhood had been spent in Maine but Georgiana had spent her formative years in this home.
The two sat silently in the room, each lost to their reflections. Both were grateful when William walked in brandishing takeout menus. "Anyone interested in some Chinese or Indian? I'm afraid the contents of the refrigerator are fairly limited."
"Ooooh. Do you have a menu for Bukhara? I love their chicken vindaloo." Georgie enthused.
"Lizzy? Are you ok with Indian?" William was still a little uncertain of how she was doing given her reaction earlier.
"Sure. I've never had Indian food so I'll have to trust you to order for me." Lizzy gave him a reassuring smile. Seeing his continued concern, Lizzy decided she wasn't one to be intimidated by a mere apartment. With hindsight, her prior freak out was a bit embarrassing and she wanted to put it behind her.
Returning her smile he opened the menu to begin choosing dinner. "I'd be happy to. Mild, medium or hot?"
"I've never been afraid of a little spice. Order what you like and I'll try some of each."
While William and Georgiana were pouring over the menu, Lizzy decided to check out the kitchen again. Perhaps she could set the table and come up with something to cook in the coming days. The kitchen had a fresh pine sent alerting her to the fact that someone had come through to ensure everything was clean and ready for their arrival.
"Dinner will be here in about thirty minutes. Georgie wanted to show you around the building. Are you up for it?"
"Yup. Let me get my shoes and I'll be ready to go." Lizzy was happy to see the rest of her surroundings. Especially because as it seemed like Georgiana was more comfortable here then she'd ever seen her before. Perhaps this trip to New York would help her better understand her sister-in-law.
Georgiana was an excellent tour guide, starting with the rooftop deck and working her way down to the gym, garden and pool. "I learned to swim in this pool. Even when my mom was at her most ill, the pool was the one place she could truly relax. She'd float around while Will and I would swim and play." Pausing on the memory, she smiled. "In the summer we'd come here after playing in the park across the street. For years my father would bring me here and we'd play games in the water. He'd throw change in the pool and I'd dive down to retrieve the dimes and nickels. When I had enough money collected to pay for a cone we'd go to the ice cream shop down the street. I always got chocolate with rainbow sprinkles. Now that I think about it, it was a very good way to exhaust a rambunctious 8-year old."
"I can imagine. I remember playing similar games with Lilia and Kat when they were little in an effort to wear them out. One of my favorites was to have them stand at the opposite end of a field and have them race to see which could hit one of my outstretched arms first. We'd do best out of ten. That way they'd really be tired by the end."
"We can go over to the park tomorrow. It's lovely, even in the winter. What do you think of it all this far?" Georgiana asked.
"One thing is certain, William did not need to buy an exercise bike for me given the five I counted in the gym. This building has everything a person could want. You're fortunate to have lived here for a time."
"I miss it," Georgiana admitted. The sadness in her tone conveyed a yearning that was far more than a simple lack of amenities. Elizabeth took note of the sentiment but said nothing. She needed to think more about Georgiana and New York.
It was morning but it certainly wasn't a good one. Elizabeth woke and barely made it to the bathroom before the contents of the prior night's meal were promptly expelled. William was out of bed and next to her in a heartbeat, rubbing her back and holding her hair back away from her face."Remind me to never let you order Indian food for me again," Lizzy moaned.
"You seemed to enjoy it last night."
"That chicken vindaloo burned a hole right through my stomach. I'm sure of it. I had the worst heartburn all night."
Reaching over to the sink, William filled a glass of water and grabbed some Pepto. "Take this. I think it'll help."
Draining the glass along with the two pink pills, Lizzy hobbled her way back to bed. "I think I'll be rising a bit more slowly this morning," she mumbled.
"Can I get you anything else? Maybe some tea and toast?" William was quite familiar with Lizzy and a sore stomach after her battles with pain meds earlier in the month. He hoped there was mint tea to be found nearby.
"That would be perfect. You take good care of me. I don't recall ever having such a weak stomach as I've had since my accident," Lizzy complained.
William laughed, "That's good to hear as I fear becoming an expert in handling this particular ailment." He tucked her back into bed and decided he should get himself organized for the day. Returning from his shower he was glad to see Elizabeth was sleeping peacefully. In the kitchen he found Georgiana sipping on orange juice and eating a bowl of rice crispies. "How was your night?"
"It was fantastic. I sleep so well in my old room. What's the plan for the day?"
"I'm going to pop out quickly to pick up some mint tea for Lizzy. The chicken vindaloo didn't agree with her and she's got a bit of an upset stomach. Once she's up and around I thought we'd head uptown towards the Met. I've made dinner reservations near the museum. How does that sound?"
"Sounds good. Do you think we might be able to go out and see a movie tonight? A couple of good ones came out over the holiday season and I've not really had much of a chance to see them."
"Let's see how Lizzy's feeling but if she's up to it, I'd love to go."
"Oh, ok. I'm going to get in a quick swim, if that's alright," Georgiana asked tentatively.
"You're glad to be here, back in your old haunts, aren't you," William observed.
"Yes." It was all she felt like saying in this moment. She was still sorting out her thoughts about spending time in this apartment. Being back in her childhood home had made her realize how much she didn't want to leave it again. It was easier to say little.
Elizabeth woke, feeling far better than she had earlier. Looking around the room her eyes fell on a bedside clock. 11:00! Where had the morning gone? Running through a shower, she finger combed her curls before slipping on a soft pair of cords and wool sweater. Her stomach was rumbling and she realized how incredibly hungry she was. Relieved her earlier upset stomach was a thing of the past, she was pleased to realize how much she wanted to eat.
"Hello sleeping beauty." Upon her emergence from their room, William looked up from the chair where he'd settled himself with his laptop. "Your color seems to have returned."
"Yes, that extra sleep seems to have done the trick and now I simply need to replace all of the food I tossed this morning. I'm heading to the kitchen to forage for sustenance."
"I popped out to a market nearby and picked up some things. Do you want me to join you in the kitchen?"
"No, I think I can fend for myself, unless you're hungry and need to eat too."
"It's getting close to lunchtime. I'll grab Georgie so we can all eat together before heading uptown."
It was nearing 1:00 before the three Darcy's were ready to head out. William had ordered a car to be waiting. He was looking forward to seeing Elizabeth's expression as they rode up Broadway, through Times Square and up towards Central Park East.
She didn't disappoint. While Lizzy's head was craned out the window looking up at the buildings and flashing lights of times square and Broadway, William and Georgie were taking in each of her reactions. Her pure joy at the sights and sounds, even mid-day on a Saturday in dreary January, gave them appreciation for how much she would relish each and every experience of being in New York.
"I know I've seen it all in the movies but to experience it first hand...its exhilarating. The mass of people crowding Broadway...you can barely drive through! Can we walk there tomorrow? I want to experience all of it," Lizzy gushed.
William decided to detour through the lower portion of Central Park before heading over to the museum so that Lizzy could get a feel for the city. Needless to say, he couldn't wait until it warmed and they could picnic in the park, visit the zoo and maybe take a ride in a horse drawn carriage. The idea of experiencing New York with Elizabeth gave him a sense of renewal he hadn't felt associated with the city in years.
Stepping from the black car, William handed his sister and Lizzy out of the car. Georgie raced ahead as William helped Elizabeth up the long stairs towards the front doors. "Lizzy, if all this walking gets to be too much, I can arrange for a wheelchair you know."
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "I'm much recovered. Please don't treat me like an invalid."
William could tell he had annoyed her and was pleased she never held back her true feelings. He was accustomed to pretension and appreciated all the more Lizzy's lack of it. "Well then, let's see the museum." Handing off their passes he collected their metal badges before directing them towards the coat check. The line was long so Lizzy and Georgiana left their coats in William's care while they sought out audioguides to carry along. Less than 5 minutes passed before William was standing alongside them.
"How did you get through that line so quickly?" Lizzy queried.
"We've been recognized." William said as he pointed to the broad smiling gentleman trailing behind him. "Mr. Kraft, allow me to introduce you to my wife Elizabeth and my sister Georgiana. Mr. Kraft works here at the museum and is here to see if we need any assistance."
"It is a pleasure to meet you ladies. Mr. Darcy is correct. Please let us know if there is anything we might do to make your visit more pleasant. For example, if you'd prefer a personal guide to the audioguide, I'd be happy to arrange for one of our docents to accompany you."
Georgiana's eyes quickly found the floor, uncomfortable with the attention paid by any man. Elizabeth sensed her tension. Quickly thanking Mr. Kraft, she assured him they'd be quite satisfied with the audioguides.
"Well then, I'll leave you to your touring. When you're ready to take a break, there will be a table waiting for you in the Patron's Lounge. Enjoy your visit." Mr. Kraft disappeared among the museum visitors almost as quickly as he'd appeared.
"I swear they must've implanted a chip somewhere in me," William mumbled.
Lizzy laughed, "Such service. Does this always happen when you come to the museum?"
"I'm glad you find humor in it all. Yes, this always happens but there is a pretty clear reason for it. When I was a young boy, I was fascinated with the exhibits on Egypt and the suits of armor. My parents and nanny could barely keep me away. The staff was incredibly generous with their time and as a result my parents made some significant gifts to the Museum in my name. Their generosity continued to grow with the addition of Georgiana's name when she became enamored of the Costume Institute. When my mother passed she had left an endowment to support children's programming at the museum. Now, if the donor relations people know we're in the building they seem to magically find us."
Lizzy had wondered why a 14 year old girl would be so eagerly anticipating a visit to an art museum. "I think I have a better understanding of why visiting the Met is important to you both. I can't wait to see your favorites. Which shall we see first?"
William led the small group to his favorite spot in the entire museum, the Temple of Dendur. He wasn't alone in his chosen favorite as was testament to a room overflowing with visitors. The audioguides were superfluous as William knew the exhibit as well as any narrator sharing tidbits he'd learned through the years spent following museum staff through the exhibit peppering them with questions. Time passed quickly and Lizzy was amazed to hear a rumble erupt from her stomach.
Clutching her stomach, Lizzy looked quickly around before admitting, "I guess we should visit the restaurant."
"Thank goodness! William could go on for hours in this exhibit." Georgie blurted out before clamping a hand firmly over her mouth.
"I was boring you to tears then sister?" William teased.
"Now don't give Georgiana a hard time. You're fascinating dear, truly but ninety minutes is plenty. Guide me to this restaurant where our table awaits," Lizzy laughed, then placed a kiss on his nose.
William led them upstairs to the Patrons Lounge where views of Central Park awaited them from a room filled with antiques. Afternoon tea was still being served and the three were led to a table overlooking the park.
"I'm surprised there are so few people waiting for a table given how busy the museum is."
"This room is reserved for members of a certain giving level. And, even within those limits, I think they always keep one or two tables set aside for those at the Patron and President giving levels," William answered.
"I guess I don't really want to know what those giving levels imply. I'll simply enjoy my tea and these adorable little sandwiches and ignore the rest." Lizzy shrugged once again adjusting to the knowledge that the other half truly experienced life differently. "So Georgie, are we going to hit the Costume Institute next? I expect a thorough dissertation to compete with William's review of the Egyptian exhibit."
"I'll do my best," Georgie smiled, happy to be included in their repartee. "I might even manage to make it interesting."
"William, I think your baby sister just issued a challenge. Are you going to sit there and take it?" Lizzy teased.
"I'm surprised you noticed Lizzy between inhaling the sandwiches and scarfing down the tartlets they provided." William teased her back. "At least I don't need to worry that you're not making up for the calories you lost this morning."
Lizzy blushed bright red before turning to Georgiana, "Now you see, your brother just violated the first rule of dating. Never comment on how much a woman eats."
"Thankfully the dating period has ended for us my dear."
"It only applies more forcefully once you're married. Aunt Sophia will be sure to straighten you out." Turning her attention to her sister-in-law, "For that comment I believe he deserves some extra time with the costumes. Georgie, I'm sure William can finish up here with the check and meet us at the exhibit. No fewer than two hours should be spent on the various costumes I'm sure." Elizabeth sent an evil look over to her husband before leading Georgiana out of the lounge.
The next two hours were in fact, quite fun. Once Georgiana warmed to the idea, she was an excellent tour guide providing all sorts of details on the various intricacies associated with the ornate costumes. A more informative time in the museum Lizzy had rarely spent, and in two exhibits she'd had little exposure to in the past. Finishing up their tour, Mr. Kraft was waiting to walk them out. Elizabeth was presented with her own membership card along with a list of events to which they were all invited. The trio were relieved to feel the bracing evening air as they walked to the restaurant.
"I'd always figured that New York was simply a bigger version of Boston. There really is no comparison though. Boston is a town, New York is a city in every sense. I feel like a country bumpkin here."
"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Georgie asked.
"I will always love Boston because it's where I grew up but after one day I love the energy of New York. Given this is where we'll be working after graduation I guess that's a good thing, right?"
William was smiling. Bringing his girls to New York had been the right thing to do. Yes, he thought to himself, his girls. Georgiana seemed the most relaxed she'd been in a year. Elizabeth was glowing. And they were all getting along so well together. He could, for the first time, imagine the next few years and a life beyond toiling away at Pemberley. In the past, New York had represented work. Now it represented life.
It didn't take long to reach the restaurant. A table was waiting and orders were quickly taken. "I've to to be honest William, a vegan restaurant is an interesting choice for you."
"I am quite adept at finding vegan options throughout the city. For a time, my dear sister was quite put out by the killing of animals for food and was a strict vegan around the age of 12. I think the tasty smell of bacon one morning at Aunt Sophia's is what ended that phase. Am I right Georgie?"
Georgiana blushed at first, remembering her early passion on the topic and how quickly she turned tail on the whole idea. Looking up at the smiling faces in front of her she pushed her rising insecurity down and decided to go with the banter. "Aunt was terrible. She couldn't imagine why I would forgo animal products, torturing me with barbecue, bacon, hamburgers, milkshakes, fluffy omelets...really anything that looked and smelled amazing and couldn't be made with plant only ingredients. I'd be sitting there eating my three-bean chili with vegan cheese and she'd go on and on about how amazing her brisket was. But I'll admit that while the smell of bacon was tempting, it was an adorable pair of flats that truly forced me to give up being a vegan. They were made of the most supple leather, dyed baby pink and I desperately wanted them. Aunt pointed out that as a vegan it would be pure hypocrisy to wear leather but not be willing to eat the meat that came from the animal. I decided there were too many trade-offs and that I'd find another way to save the planet."
"Do you still have the shoes?" Lizzy asked.
"Sadly, while I still love them, my feet grew and they no longer fit."
"I guess we'll have to find their replacement when we're shopping on Monday."
While dinner turned out to be quite delicious, they all agreed that dessert would be much better where cream and butter could be involved in its creation. The earlier notion of a trip to the movie theatre was forgone to hunt down something gooey and chocolatey to be brought back home.
Dessert consumed, the three Darcy's cuddled up on the couch to watch a movie. Georgiana took control of the remote, speedily typing in the keys to find her all-time favorite, Pitch Perfect. Catching onto her actions William dove across the couch in an attempt to wrest the remote from her fingers. He just about had it when Lizzy came at him from behind and began mercilessly tickling him.
"Ahhh. What are you doing? I almost had it from her." William yelled out in frustration between bursts of laughter.
"Didn't you know that, when it comes to movies, we girls have to stick together! You'll want some kind of action/horror combo," Lizzy protested.
William looked affronted, arms crossed, "I'm taking you to see Wicked tomorrow...on Broadway. I deserve some credit here."
Lizzy leaned over and kissed his pout and whispered, "Of course you do and I'll be sure to show you how much credit you get later tonight when we're alone."
Pulling back he saw the gleam in her eyes and tossed the remote back to his sister. He'd happily give over movie night.
I've really enjoyed your questions and my lips are sealed on the one question I keep getting asked. You know the one I'm referring to :) Thanks again to Cheichei 87 for the read through. I eagerly await your thoughts. Please place them below...