— date night —
April 16th, 1938
GISELLE WATCHED AS Will mowed the lawn, sweat clinging his white undershirt to the firm ridges of muscle that wrapped around his torso as he pushed the push-reel mower along the grass.
She knew she should look away and continue watering the plants like she was supposed to be doing, but she just couldn't tear her eyes away from him.
That action was becoming harder and harder to accomplish the longer she stayed at Dare Manor. It had been almost a month since she had been back, and something had begun to change between them. They spoke more often than normal, and stole glances at each other whenever they could, Giselle often catching Will already looking at her when she went to look at him.
It reminded Giselle of when she used to have crushes in school. Her heart pounded excitedly when she looked at him, and the fluttering sensation that took over her stomach when he was near almost made her giggle in elation.
Except, none of her past crushes were as intense as the one she had on Will.
Was this love?
"Quite the 'Peeping Tom,' aren't you?" Marguerite's melodic voice made Giselle jump and whirl around, her cheeks reddening in shame.
Marguerite grinned as she strolled into the conservatory, wearing a blush pink dress and matching heels, her hair was neatly curled and her cheeks were rosier than they had been at lunch only hours ago. Giselle also noticed the fresh red lipstick on her lips.
"Are you going somewhere?" she asked.
Marguerite's brows lowered. "I told you where I was going at lunch," she complained. "Remember?"
Giselle frowned, thinking back. The only memory she was able to retrieve was of Marguerite rattling on about men named Reuben Porter and Jim Ludlow while Giselle tried her best to block out the incessant chatter. "Oh yeah," she finally said, "aren't you going on a date with that Reuben guy? Or was it Jim?"
Marguerite pursed her lips. "Were you not listening to a word I said? I'm going with Reuben and Jim is going with some Welsh ninny named Enid," she said the woman's name in disgust, her upper lip curling into a sneer. "I don't know what he could possibly see about her that is appealing."
"So? Why are you so worried about her if she's going with Jim?"
"Because I'm trying to marry Jim!" Marguerite exclaimed, crossing her arms sassily. "Don't you ever hear a word I say?I've been trying to get his attention since I moved here. He's the most handsome eligible bachelor there is. And he's rich!"
Giselle frowned in distaste. "So you only like him because he's handsome and rich?" She shook her head. "Marguerite you're a gold digger."
Marguerite didn't burst into flames like Giselle thought she would at the comment. Instead, she lifted her chin and smiled. "No, I'm just a woman who knows what she wants."
"You don't want love?" Giselle countered.
"Not as much as I want the money." Her eyes narrowed on Giselle's disproving gaze. "Don't look at me like that," she hissed. "There's nothing wrong with what I want, and I'm sure I'll love him eventually. He is very charming, after all."
Giselle rolled her eyes and turned away, picking up her watering can to water the herb garden she liked to tend to. "Well good luck trying to bag this 'Jim' guy."
"I don't believe I'll need any luck," Marguerite said haughtily, absentmindedly rubbing the leaf of a hanging plant between her pointer finger and thumb. "I'm sure Will will be peckish after finishing his yard duties. You should go to dinner with him."
"He's not going to want to go out and eat. You know he likes to save money when he can," Giselle said, moving from her herb garden to water Selene's pink roses.
"He'll want to if you ask him, I'm sure," Marguerite told her. "You know that he is just as besotted with you as you are with him."
Giselle glanced out the window, her eyes spotting him instantly before a frown took over her face. He was hugging someone. A woman. Who looked just like—
"Selene?" Giselle breathed out. She turned to Marguerite. "Selene's here!"
Marguerite wasted no time darting to the window, smiling brightly when she saw the woman.
Giselle was the first to act, setting down her watering can to head downstairs, Marguerite following closely behind.
They just got off the stairs when Selene entered the house, a beaming smile on her face. Her eyes lit up when she saw the girls. "Oh, Marguerite, Giselle! I'm missed you two!"
She threw her arms around the pair, nearly cutting off Giselle's circulation with her strong hold.
"Missed you, too, Selene," Giselle wheezed out.
"It's been dreadfully boring without you," Marguerite said as Selene relinquished her hold.
"Ah, well I am the life of the party," Selene joked. "Now, where are my babies?" She looked around the room eagerly.
"They should be in the play room," Will said as he entered the house from the back door.
"Dorothy better not have forgotten my face," Selene murmured as she shot up the stairs.
Giselle watched her go with a smile, glad to see her cousin back to her happy self.
"She seems happy to be back," Marguerite commented.
Will nodded, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. He zeroed in on Marguerite's outfit. "Why are you dressed up?" he inquired.
Marguerite scowled. "Heavens! Does no one ever listen to me?! I informed you at lunch that I was going out with Reuben Porter tonight!"
A crease formed between Will's eyebrows. "Huh, I must've been preoccupied when you told me."
"You weren't," Marguerite said before looking over to Giselle.
Giselle watched as something twinkled in Marguerite's—something akin to mischief. The dark-haired girl smiled as she slid her gaze back over to Will.
"Giselle is actually going with me tonight," she said, earning a raised eyebrow from Will. "Steven Sandoval is joining us and needs a date—"
Will pushed off the wall and strode towards the girls. "What? No she's not!" He looked to Giselle. "No you're not! Absolutely not. Not with Sandoval!"
Although Giselle was just as surprised as Will by Marguerite's words, her anger overshadowed her shock.
How dare he tell me what to do, she seethed silently.
Giselle's hands found themselves on her hips as she angled a look at the man before her. "I'm afraid you have no say in the matter, Will." She glanced to Marguerite. "Will you help me pick out a dress?"
Marguerite smiled wickedly before nodding, looping her arm through Giselle's to guide her down the hallway to her room, Will hot on their heels. "Absolutely. I think I have just the dress for you. Though, it may be a tad bit revealing."
Will's eyes nearly bulged out of his head. "'Revealing?'" he all but growled out. "No. You're not wearing that."
Giselle glared at him over her shoulder. "Like I said earlier: you have no say in the matter." She and Marguerite entered Marguerite's room, shutting Will out and locking the door.
Will banged on the door. "This is a bad idea, Giselle," he called out. "Sandoval is a cretin. You don't need to be anywhere near him!"
"The only cretin I know is you!" Giselle spat back before turning to Marguerite in a low voice and asking, "What the heck is a cretin?"
Marguerite ignored her, opening up her wardrobe to pull out a red dress.
"What are you bringing that out for?" Giselle asked, keeping her voice at a whisper. "I'm not actually going out with Steven, am I?"
Marguerite shook her head. "No, my dear, this," she motioned towards the dress, "is just for fun and games." She handed over the dress. "Now put it on."
"What? No, this is too far. Will is going to have a conniption."
"Oh, he'll have one regardless, I'm sure. Now, please put it on," Marguerite pleaded. "Don't you want to see how Will reacts?"
Giselle looked over the dress, realizing that she would love to see the look on Will's face. "Okay, fine," she breathed out, setting the dress onto the bed as she began to slip out of her clothes.
Marguerite touched up her makeup at her vanity as she waited for Giselle to change, then helped to zip the dress.
"You look divine!" Marguerite complimented as she looked Giselle over. "Oh, but you need lipstick." She scurried back to her vanity, fishing around her drawers for the right shade of lipstick.
Giselle caught sight of herself in the mirror, her eyebrows rising in surprise. It was a revealing dress—in the 1938 sense, of course.
It hugged her body and showed off her shoulders, the neckline dipping lower than she was used to seeing in this time.
Marguerite intercepted her gaze by handing her a tube of lipstick, which she quickly applied. A pair of red heels were shoved in her sight next, completing the look.
Marguerite clapped her hands excitedly. "Oh, he's going to be so cross with you," she mused. "This is much too fun. We must do this more often."
Giselle scoffed. "Yeah, if he doesn't kill me."
"Oh, hush," Marguerite said, sidling up to Giselle and looping their arms together. "Now, let the show begin."
They walked out of the room, Giselle surprised to not find Will waiting for them there. They moved down the hallway, finally meeting him in the foyer where he leaned against the front doors as if guarding them, his large arms crossed over his chest.
His eyes immediately shot to Giselle. She could feel his gaze along her body as it slowly traveled up her figure, Will's jaw tightening once he reached her eyes.
"Over my dead body," he spat, pushing off the doors to stand in front of Giselle. "You are not going with him, Giselle. That is not happening."
Giselle took a step forward, glaring up at Will. "If I want it to happen, it will happen. You don't get to make decisions for me."
"That's doesn't mean I can't stop you from making bad decisions, and Sandoval is a bad decision."
"Oh, she's not truly going out with Steven, cousin," Marguerite chimed in. "I was only teasing before. She's actually going with Reuben's friend. Don't worry, he's a saint." She cocked her head, smirking at her fuming cousin. "You'll allow her to go now, won't you? Since Steven won't be there?"
Giselle stared at the girl, equally intrigued and alarmed by how Marguerite's brain worked. She was an evil mastermind.
Will visibly hesitated, his eyes darting back and forth between the girls. He finally stopped on Giselle.
"It's still a bad idea," he said gruffly.
"And why's that?" Giselle asked, narrowing her eyes at him.
He glanced at Marguerite. "Do you mind giving us some privacy?"
Marguerite grinned, sending a sly wink to Giselle. "Oh, I don't mind at all." She scurried off, going to stand in the hallway where she could easily eavesdrop, Giselle was sure.
"You time travel, Giselle," Will said, his stare unyielding. "It would be unwise to start a relationship in your situation."
"But what if I don't start a relationship with this guy? What if I just go out to dinner and enjoy my night with him?" Giselle countered.
Will grimaced. "That's still a bad idea," he hissed.
"I don't see how," Giselle said. "I won't be starting anything with him and I'll be getting free dinner." She narrowed her eyes at him. "It'll be like I'm going out with a friend. What's so wrong with that?"
"Plenty of things."
"What specifically?"
He kept silent, a muscle ticking at his jaw.
"You know, Will, it really sounds like you're jealous," Giselle said.
Will scoffed. "I can assure you that that is not true."
"Oh really?" Giselle challenged, drawing closer to him. "So you're perfectly fine with me going out on this date, right?"
He said nothing, silently fuming.
"Good," Giselle smiled, turning around, "I'll go get Marguerite—"
"Wait," Will called out, placing a hand on her arm. He gently pulled her to face him. "If you truly want to go out with a friend and get a 'free meal,' then I will go with you."
Giselle blinked at him, completely stunned. "I—uh—what? Um, okay."
"Stay here while I get properly dressed," he told her before leaving.
Giselle stood in place, mouth dropped open in shock as she replayed everything that just happened in her head, trying to deduce whether she was in a dream or not.
Marguerite popped out from the hallway to her left, her eyebrows to her hairline and mouth shaped like an 'o.' "Heavens," she whispered, "you're going on a date with Will!"
"Yeah, I am—I . . . what the heck just happened?"
"You're welcome," Marguerite practically sang. "This is all because of me, you know."
Giselle rolled her eyes right as a knock sounded at the door.
"Oh!" Marguerite jumped, smiling in excitement. "That should be Reuben! Shoo!" she exclaimed, shoving Giselle out of the room. "I need his eyes to only be on me!"
"Woah, calm down, I'll leave!" Giselle protested, wrenching out of Marguerite's hold.
"Tell everyone I said 'goodbye!'" Marguerite said before scurrying to answer the door.
Giselle walked to her room, hearing Marguerite's saccharine sweet voice drift down the hallway as she spoke to her date at the door.
"Nice one minute, annoying the next," Giselle said to herself as she entered her room, heading over to her suitcase to find the perfume Selene and Frank had gifted her for Christmas.
She was just about to spritz herself when she felt it.
"No," she murmured, her eyes snapping towards her window. She waited a few seconds, hoping that what she felt was only her mind playing tricks on her. But she knew it wasn't. "No no no no no . . ." She shook her head, closing her eyes tightly as she prayed to God that the tree would stop calling, that she could go out and enjoy her date with Will.
"Giselle?" Will's called out to her in the hallway, knocking on the door.
Giselle sighed, blinking back tears and collecting herself before exiting her room.
Will stood before her in a dark suit and tie—a red tie that happened to match her dress, a detail that she noticed immediately. He smirked down at her, holding out an arm.
"Are you ready?"
Giselle knew what she should tell him, what the correct answer was. No, I have to go.
But, instead, she said, "Yes," with a bright smile on her face. She looped her arm through his, letting him lead her out the door after informing the others of their departure.
By the time they were in the car and turning onto the dirt road in front of Dare Manor, Giselle's skin was crawling, pressure building in her chest as the distance between her and the tree grew. It was bearable, but definitely not pleasant.
"So, where exactly are we going?" Giselle asked, her voice light as she tried to ignore the way her limbs ached to jump out of the car and run to the forest.
"Kettleton's in Frobisher," Will told her, the corner of his mouth lifting as he glanced at her. "It has the best lamb I have ever had."
"Sounds good," Giselle commented. "So, will I be the first unlucky lady to accompany you there?"
Will laughed under his breath. "Yes, and I wouldn't say 'unlucky.'"
"Well clearly you haven't been on a date with yourself," Giselle quipped. "That lunch date we went on was absolutely terrible."
"Is that why you were laughing and smiling so much?"
"Those were pity laughs and pity smiles," Giselle lied.
"Mhmm," Will hummed disbelievingly. "Though I'm sure you would've implored real pity laughs and smiled if you had gone with Marguerite tonight."
"I don't know, I think I could've had a better time with Reuben's friend than you."
Will shot her a dark look, clearly agitated by her teasing. "I highly doubt that."
The look on his face made her laugh. She was laughing—until she was not. A sharp pain shot through her skull, making her close her eyes and press her hands to her temples as she waited for the pain to subside.
She barely felt Will pull off to the side of the road and stop the car, or when he scooted across the bench seat to place a hand on her back in comfort.
"What's the matter?" he asked. "Is it your head? Are you unwell?"
Giselle sobered up enough to sit up and answer him. "I—I did something really stupid."
"What?"
"Um, the tree started calling me right before we left and I ignored it—"
"Giselle!" Will admonished, sliding back over to his spot. "You can't do that!" He quickly started down the road again, finding a spot to turn around and head back to the manor, his foot heavy on the gas pedal in urgency. "Are you hurting terribly?"
"A little," Giselle hedged.
Will made a displeased noise in the back of his throat. "Selene told you what would happen if you ignored going home. Why would you do this?"
Suddenly angry, Giselle scowled at the man. "I did this because I wanted to enjoy my night with you."
"Well you can't bloody well enjoy it if you're crouched over in pain the whole time!" Will spat back before laughing humorlessly. "Of course this would happen." He shook his head to himself. "Of course."
"And of course you'd be a total jerk about this!" Giselle snapped.
"I'm only a 'jerk' because of your foolish decisions." He scoffed. "Honestly, maybe this is a good thing."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Maybe it's a good thing we can't go on our date," he grumbled.
"Why's that?"
"You know why," Will told her, avoiding her gaze.
"What? Because we both like each other?" Giselle was bold enough to question. "Is that why—" her mouth clamped shut when her head began to swim with nausea, the trees zooming by the car making her dizzy. She brought her knees to her chest, swallowing thickly as she tried to will the terrible feeling away.
She felt Will set a hand on her shoulder. "We're nearly there," he assured her.
Eventually, Giselle felt the car come to a stop and heard Will wrench open his door and run over to her side.
She sat up when he opened her door, her dizzy spell lessening as she took his outstretched hand and let him help her out of the car.
"Go to the tree," he told her. "I'll get your suitcase and tell the others."
She nodded, setting off into the woods to her right as Will ran inside.
The closer she got to the tree, the better she felt. The nausea and dizziness subsided, leaving her with the well of mounting pressure in her chest.
She had to resist the urge to run and touch the tree when she spotted it under the darkening sky. The fading sunlight glinted off the snail shells and shiny insect exoskeletons as they wound up the tree in perfectly uniform lines.
The birds and several squirrels in the branches stared down at her, watching intently as she strode forward.
The sight should be eerie to her, but only brought her comfort.
She heard Will before she saw him, his leather dress shoes disturbing the nature along the forest floor as he approached her.
"Here," he said as he handed off her suitcase.
She took it from him, letting it hang in her hand as she awkwardly bit her lip. She didn't know what to say to him, and from the way he looked around at everything but her, he seemed to be having the same problem.
Finally, she spoke, having had enough of the silence and the almost painful urge to touch the tree.
"Tell the kids and Selene that I love them, and tell Marguerite I'm sorry she won't be getting her dress back anytime soon."
Will nodded mutely, which only angered Giselle.
Her grip tightened on the handle of her suitcase as she stepped toward the tree. "I guess you were right," she said to him as she stuck her hand out, letting it hover over the bark. "It's definitely a good thing we didn't go on that date."
And then her hand made contact with the tree, leaving a scowling Will alone in the woods.
• • • • • • • • • • •
Word count: 3,405 words.
Question: What's your ideal date?
My ideal date is a lazy movie night where I don't have to put on a scrap of makeup or get dressed up and have to go out in public.
PLEASE VOTE AND COMMENT TO MAKE ME SMILE!!!