Lost in Austen: Reborn

Chapter 27 - Mind Over Matter

One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other. - Jane Austen

He walked out of the bedroom, closing the door. I sat on the edge of my bed and groaned, "Yea, I really need that drink right about now."

I looked at the dress I had tossed upon the bed. For the first time in my life, I had nothing to wear or nothing I wanted to be seen wearing. Reluctantly, I put the silver dress on with silver heels. It felt so strange to wear it after being in gowns and corsets. I looked in the mirror and a smile spread across my face. I looked good. However, I was convinced Darcy would have a heart attack when he saw my wardrobe. There was nothing wrong with my clothes. But, compared to nineteenth-century fashion, the lack of fabric was alarming. I looked down at my bare legs and snickered as I pictured his reaction. Gathering up courage, I opened the door and walked into the living room where Darcy was waiting.

He stood up and was about to bow when he caught sight of my outfit. His brow wrinkled, "Where is the rest of your dress?"

I sent him an awkward smile, "This is it."

He looked down at me, "And, you are going out like this?"

"Yes." Deciding I did not appreciate his tone, I crossed my arms, "This is the way women dress in the future. It was either this or pants."

"It does not seem appropriate."

I blushed and wished I had not left my room. I should have worn pants. Yes, pants seemed to become an ever more feasible option. I still had time to change. Pirhana and Michael would not be back for another half hour. No, I squared my jaw; I was not going to change. I was going to be stubborn. I would not change because Mr. Darcy of Pemberley thought my dress was inappropriate. He had not seen how other women dressed. My dress was nothing compared to what the other women would be wearing at the club. Darcy was in for a rude awakening.

The door opened, and Pirhana walked in with Michael. Pirhana huffed and glared at Michael, who was grinning delightfully. Once I looked at what he was wearing, I figured out why she was so angry. It was bad enough that Michael was wearing a t-shirt with jeans, but what irked Pirhana the most was that he was wearing a tie. A tie with a t-shirt!

"What?" Michael smirked, "It's a compromise."

"At least take the tie off," Pirhana pleaded.

"No way," Michael teased, "this is going to become my signature look."

Pirhana's nostrils flared, "Let's go."

All of us filed out of the condominium and into the elevator. Darcy sent me a curious look as he followed me. I smiled, "This is called an elevator. It takes us to various floors of a building without having to take stairs."

"Why are you going on as though he has no clue what an elevator is?" Michael asked.

"Because he has no clue what an elevator is," I smiled sheepishly.

"Wouldn't it have been invented by then?" Pirhana inquired, "I mean elevators are pretty old. They had one in Titanic."

Michael pulled his smartphone out and swiped the screen with his finger, "It was invented in 1880."

"So, no," I responded, "Mr. Darcy is from the early nineteenth century; therefore, he would not know what an elevator is."

Darcy looked at the phone in Michael's hand. He stood close to Michael and swiped the screen with his finger, "What is this contraption?"

"Oi!" Michael jumped back, "Personal space, man! Also, rule of thumb; never touch another man's smartphone especially when it's in his hand."

Darcy did not pay Michael any heed as he continued to look at the smartphone, "A smartphone?"

Michael nodded, "Yeah. It can pretty much do whatever a computer can do but, it's a phone."

"Too much information at once," I said angling a look at a confused Darcy. "Let's have fun tonight. We can teach him about the future, our world, tomorrow."

Was it too soon for him to see my world? Should we have holed up in the condo watching chick flicks while eating microwave popcorn and telling him about my world? Would it have been gentler to show him a car commercial and flash cards first? I could not help thinking I was throwing him into the lion's den when he knew nothing of my world. My world. I kept on saying that. But, it didn't feel like my world any longer. I felt so far removed from it as though my eyes had just opened. Had I lived my life tied to technology? Living without it proved just how dependent I was on my smartphone, my computer, my television, and even proper lighting! Once we walked outside, Darcy looked at all the cars whizzing past. I want to throw my arms around him, but I thought better of it. He looked so lost, and it broke my heart. I had no idea where we stood in our relationship if I could even call it that. We still loved each other, that much was certain, however, was it enough?

"Am I to assume these are similar to carriages?"

"Yes," I smiled up at Darcy, "and much faster."

"No horses needed," Pirhana piped up.

"Would it cut down considerably on cost to not have animal labor?"

Michael snickered, "Nope. Not at all."

"Why is that?"

"Cars run on petrol," Pirhana exclaimed, "Petrol is expensive."

Darcy politely inquired, "Why replace animal labor?"

"It's faster." Michael nodded towards a car that sped by and got on his motorcycle, "Case in point. See you guys there."

I watched Michael ride off and recalled how much it scared me whenever he got on his motorbike when we were together. Pirhana's features mirrored the same worried expression I used to wear. I glanced sidelong at her, and she straightened up and smiled at me. It did not take a rocket scientist, or in my case, a dimension jumper, to see there was something going on with those two. I was glad for them. It was a burden off my shoulders. If there was no relationship between them yet, I wanted to make sure there was and soon.

"Miss Pirhana," Darcy sent her a quizzical look, "it appears something is bothering you."

"Oh," Pirhana snapped, "n-nothing. Nothing at all." She giggled, "He called me Miss Pirhana! Hold me while I fall backward and faint."

"In that order," I laughed, "wouldn't you faint first?"

"I'm too swoony to know the difference."

"All right Miss Swoony," I snickered, "let's get in the car already. Pirhana, you're the designated driver."

"Aw, man." Pirhana pouted.

"Hey," I crossed my arms, "I've been sucked through a mirror twice. How many people can say that? I deserve a drink. That and Darcy can't drive a car."

"Okay, okay," Pirhana sighed, "fine."

Pirhana opened the driver side door and seating herself in front of the steering wheel, she smiled at me as she fastened her seatbelt. Reaching towards the radio, she turned the dial, and a song blasted through the speakers, the lyrics reminding me of Darcy. Once Darcy and I were seated in the backseat, I sidled up to him as close as I could and whispered, "You should buckle your seatbelt."

"Will you show me how?"

I nodded that I would and reached over him to pull the strap over his shoulder. My hair fell into my eyes, and Darcy reached over to tuck it behind my ear. I hesitated for a moment, afraid that if I moved, it would ruin the moment. Lingering there, I wanted to feel his touch, to feel his lips on mine. But, I knew it would be difficult to go back to the way things were but I was going to try very hard. I was going to work hard to earn his love back.

~~~

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