First Impressions: A Modern Pride and Prejudice Adaptation

Chapter 46

Neither Chip nor Darcy visited the day after the party. Jane waited by the living room window, refusing to eat and peeking through the curtains every time she heard a sound. When Cat came down for breakfast, she swore she saw Chip walking by the lake by himself, but by the time she was downstairs and looking through the back door, he was gone.

Liz leaned against the living room doorway and channeled her frustration from the last night into feeling angry for her sister. There had been so much promise, and here he was, dragging his feet again. She had half a mind to confront Chip, if it wouldn't embarrass Jane. Or, better, she could confront Darcy, which would only embarrass herself. She scowled at the rug and remained silent as Jane twitched the curtains open for the umpteenth time.

Mrs. Bennet was not one to sit still when there was still work to be done. She would allow motionless melancholy for only so long, and her threshold was very low that morning. It did not take her long before she marched into the room in movements akin to a drill sergeant and ordered her children back to the Longbourn to clean up from the party.

Cat and Liz stared at her, dumbstruck.

"Come on, come on, girls, don't act up. Make yourselves useful. I haven't heard a better offer and if you're just going to sit around, I'd rather give you a task." She made a little shooing motion with her hands, herding them towards the door. "Jane, you too."

"Mom..." Jane sighed and leaned her head against the window frame.

Liz reached out and took her hand, pulling her to her feet. "She's just hoping Chip will walk through the lobby, then we can jump him for you."

"Lizzie."

Mrs. Bennet didn't reply, but she did give Liz an approving nod and grin when Jane's back was turned. Liz pulled Jane and Cat out the door before their mother could start on the aggressive thumbs up.

They were not half way to the inn before Jane began speaking. She was not, as far as Liz could tell, looking for an active audience; she was merely looking for the floorspace to speak. Cat was texting, her fingers flying violently across the keyboard, and Liz was too focused on what she might say to Chip or his friend that she didn't register at first when Jane started talking.

Eventually, she looked up, finally able to hear Jane's words.

"—if he's just going to lead me on again. I mean, at this point I know it's silly to think there's something still there, but I guess I would hope that he would be blunt about it? Y'know? And every time I'm ready to just go and ask him, he disappears! And then I have to think about it for another 24 hours until I lose all my courage again. That's not really his fault but—"

Even if Liz wanted to comment, she couldn't find a pause to enter her thoughts. She let Jane continue to spill her words out into the universe as they walked up the steps and into the front lobby. Surreptitiously, Liz peered around, hoping to see either of her targets. She grumbled under her breath when neither conveniently appeared. She would have to chase them down individually, apparently.

In the ballroom, Jane pulled out a chair and continued speaking, staring almost unblinking at the composite wooden top of the round folding table. Liz began picking up loose pieces of foil and confetti from the ground while Cat fetched the broom. They worked their way around the tables until all that was remaining were the glittering streamers and garlands hanging from the light fixtures. Someone on staff would need to bring out the ladder again to reach the ceiling.

Liz balanced on a chair, reaching precariously for a stray loop of foil garland. She stretched her arm as far as it would go, throwing the other out for balance. Her fingers went numb as the blood pooled out of them, trembling as they stretched. As she panted, "Almost... Got it..." she wondered if she was losing her touch. How could she run a mile in 5:27 but grow out of breath trying to pull down party decorations? She promised herself she would get back to a regular running schedule starting that week. She planted her foot on the back of the chair.