Layers
"Here they come!" whispered Lilian fiercely. Lita felt so sorry for her; with teeth almost on edge and eyes darting, she seemed more afraid than in tune with the possible.
Too soon after her latest breakup, perhaps; she straightened her spine and smiled blankly. Edge smiled right back at her, confidence in his eyes. She couldn't bear to look at Chris.
"So, Lillian..." Chris stammered, "Your dress is...nice." He blurted.
Lilian's face was a wooden parody of life, "Thank you. You're wearing a tie. It's nice too."
Lita's foot came stamping down on Lilian's, causing the blond to look sharply at her. TRY, Lita pleaded, and Lilian's expression softened. She took a deep breath.
"So, Chris...you like ice hockey?"
Chris' eyes lit up, "Only so much that I have a room dedicated to it in my house!" Chris then began to rhapsodize about the sport he loved too much; Lilian's question had been innocent, however. It was not an interest they shared.
"...And then his stick went right through the guy's teeth!!" He thrust his arm through the air, knocked a glass of red wine right onto Lilian's lap. Lilian groaned in dismay as Lita reached across the table, whining piteously. "Aww shit!" Chris blurted, then quickly backpedaled, "I mean, can I get you something to clean that up? Some club soda?"
"No," Lilian sighed coldly, "I can get it out in the ladies room." She rose to her feet and clomped there, heels clicking on the floor. Lita was at heel the entire time.
"Do you think it'll stain?" She sighed.
"Don't worry," Lita said, "No one will notice red wine on a dark dress." She tilted her head, "Lil, I know this is hard for you. You and Buh Buh dated for a long, long time..."
"Four years." Noted Lilian.
"...And maybe it's too soon; I mean, it's only been a week." Lita crossed her arms tightly over her chest, "I guess I pushed the two of you together." Their eyes met via the mirror, "But I don't think you're giving Chris a chance."
Lilian sighed, "I just don't have any patience for people, Lil. Not lately. But I'll try better with him." She sighed, "You're right; it's hard."
"You'll make it through," Said Lita cozily, "Edge and I think you'll be good for each other, in any case."
She laughed, "Either Edge lied to you about Chris' interest in me or Chris is good at faking things."
"I don't know," Lita smiled, "You're just not peeling back those layers of his well enough." Her gaze turned penetrating, "More accurately, every time he pops out you want to pop him right back in, right?"
Lilian dropped a lipstick she'd been fiddling with back into her purse, "I just don't know, Li. The best I can do is try."
Lita grinned, "Then try harder." The two women marched determinedly back to the dining room, where Chris was grinding his napkin into a whip-like cone from sheer nerves.
"I'll pay for the dress," Chris blurted.
Lillian shook her head, "No need to worry, Chris; my cleaner'll love the business."
They all laughed together; almost desperately.
"So...what do you like, Lilian?" He asked. "Music, I know, but what else are you passionate about?"
"Well..." Lilian thought. Then her face lit up, "I'm really into 'Passions'!"
"Passions?" Chris asked. Lita's face froze into panic, mouthing frantically to Lillian No, no no!
"Passions! There's a witch named Tabitha, and a doll named Timmy..well, he used to be a doll, and now he's a real boy..." She continued to rhapsodize about the soap....when she at last looked up from her praising, Chris, Lita and Edge had already eaten their meals. She blushed. "Hee." She offered Lilian lamely.
****
An hour later, Chris and Lilian stood at her doorstep.
"So..." Chris stated.
"So.." Echoed Lilian. The stared blankly at each other, trying to figure out exactly which words would get them out of that goodnight kiss. Lilian broke the ice, "I'm sorry this didn't work out, Chris." She sighed. "You're just..."
"...Too young?" Chris joked. Lilian gave him an odd look.
"Too gruff." She concluded. "We're not very compatible, I'm afraid."
"Yeah," Chris rubbed at the back of his neck, "I'm not much for speeches, Lil, but you're right." He tilted his head, "I did have fun, though. Even if that Witch-and-Puppet thing is the most preposterous thing I've ever heard of."
Lilian smiled, "Doll. But I won't pick bones with you." He watched her with his misty eyes and she realized that, somehow, he was relaxing. Sighing, "Oh hell." With both hands, she drew him to her, then placed a kiss upon his cheek...which slid Eastward. To his mouth.
The intimacy of the moment had a double-edged sensation of shock for them both; quickly, they drew apart.
"Yeah, I'm gonna go now." Chris blathered, "I'll see you at work, Lil..." But his eyes were trained on her form. Nearly backing into one of her hedges, he made his mistake.
Lilian tucked her hand into a pocket. It was all a matter of layers; Amy had been right. And there were more layers to Chris than one date could extract.
Perhaps another night would be in order. She'd lock up the wine.