"Love & Friendship", a new original story by Gratiana Lovelace, 11/26/12

"Love & Friendship", Ch. 11-13 (R rated): Lovers Revealed, 12/24/12

Robert:  “Alright.”   Then Robert lingeringly kisses Lydia on her lips again, just for good measure--to firmly establish to Leland that Lydia is his lady friend.  With a raised eyebrow, Robert nods at Leland and then he walks over to make up.

Leland:  “Good morning Lydia.”   Leland says smiling, not quite sure if Robert kissing Lydia on the lips is meant to wave him off.  It seems that other people are also not good at reading nonverbal signals.

Lydia:  “Oh, good morning Leland.  We have to talk.”

Leland:  “Uh oh.  That’s never good.   Did something come up and you have to reschedule our date?”   He asks hopefully to still get a chance to take Lydia out on a date.  Leland thinks that Lydia looks especially lovely this morning--if he only knew why.   Of course Leland wasn’t intending to make a pun—about ‘something coming up’--but Lydia blushes anyway.

Lydia:  “I’m so sorry Leland.  It’s just that …   Well, you see …  Robert and I … we  …”   She just can’t seem to get the words out.

Leland:  “Ah. … So, you and Robert finally broke the ice?”

Lydia:  “What do you mean finally?”   She wonders a bit shyly.

Leland:  “Well Lydia, it’s pretty clear from your writing how you feel about Robert.  And, truthfully, Robert has been a bit moony over you lately.  Actually, a couple of us have a friendly bet going on when you and Robert would reveal yourselves as a romantic couple to the rest of us.”

Lydia laughs softly at neither she nor Robert being able to hide their true loving feelings from others—his poker buddies, his parents, and their film set colleagues—though Robert and Lydia had not acknowledged their feelings to each other until last night, even though they’ve been living with each other for over a month.

Lydia:  Then she asks him quizzically.  “But Leland, if you and others thought that Robert and I were heading toward being a romantic couple, why did you ask me out on a date?”

Leland:  “Well, it has taken Robert this long to make his move, I just thought that I might have a shot with you in the meantime.”

Lydia:  “Thanks Leland.”  She says uncertainly.  “Ha ha ha!  I’ll try to take that as a compliment.”  She says laughing.  Then she says warmly.  “Thanks for understanding, Leland.”    Leland nods and he walks away to organize the props for the scene being set up for filming this morning.

***

Lydia gets coffees for she and Robert at craft services and takes their coffees to Robert in his dressing room.  He has been made up—face, chest, arms and back—for his love scene today.  He is not in his costume of trousers and a open collared white shirt yet so that he doesn’t crease it—nor get makeup on it.  So, Robert is wearing a terry cloth robe over exercise pants and his bare chest.  Lydia knocks on Robert’s dressing room door.

Robert:  “Come in.”  He says benignly since he doesn’t know who is on the other side of his door.

Lydia:  “It’s just me, Robert.”  Lydia says smiling at him warmly as she walks in and hands him his coffee.

Robert:   “There’s no just about it Lydia.”  He says taking his coffee, having a sip and then setting his coffee down on a nearby end table.  He holds out his arms to her and says smiling at her warmly.   “Come to me, my darling.”

Lydia also sets down her coffee on the nearby end table and she goes to join Robert on the couch.  Robert pats his lap and Lydia sits down sideways on his lap and he wraps his arms around her—and she wraps her arms around him—and they kiss each other adoringly for several minutes.