Twice Over

Chapter 133 - Ensemble

ensemble
noun
1. a group of musicians, actors, or dancers who perform together.
2. a group of items viewed as a whole rather than individually - clothing.
3. (physics) a group of similar systems, or different states of the same system, often considered statistically.

My phone BEEPed me awake the next morning... afternoon. I was so groggy after a huge event and the start of the clean-up of the venue last night. I took one look at the message from Grant, read it, shoved the phone under my pillow and promptly went back to sleep, or tried to. It took a moment, then his message filtered through the layers of consciousness of my tired brain and I realised Grant was asking for help with choosing an outfit to go 'catch up with a friend.' I sat up abruptly and pulled my phone out from under my pillow again and called him straight back.

"You're going on a date?" I mumbled down the phone line, still trying to wake up.

"Not a date. Just, you know, hanging out with a new friend. Who is hot and tall and talks a lot..." He mumbled the last part.

"You're going on a date!" I spoke louder, then hung up on him, jumped out of bed and nearly fell flat on my face. I quickly stabilised myself, wrapped myself in a silk robe and scrambled out of my bedroom. I bumped into Eyva, all dressed in some other famous brand high end jump suit again. She looked really cute. Again.

"Woah, Lills, where's the fire?" She asked as I scrambled past her.

"No time. Grant's going on a date!" I yelled over my shoulder and kept running. When I made it to the second floor down the stairs, I realised my healing knee was twinging a little so I slowed down. I quickly knocked on the door to the Hepburn's apartment within the servant's section of the manor. Mr Hepburn opened the door and looked startled when he saw me.

"Ms Lily, what can I do for you today?" The older stocky man looked like he was about to head out for work on the estate.

"Hi Mr H. Is Grant home?" I asked while trying to catch my breath.

"Yes, he's in his room." I opened the door further. "Come in, Miss. His room is the last on the left."

"Thanks, Mr H." I called over my shoulder as I race-walked into the nicely decorated apartment and scrambled down the short hallway.

"Grant!" I screamed as I barged into his old room. Then screamed again as I realised the guy was lying on his bed, half naked. I quickly turned around – not before checking out his fit and firm figure - and covered my eyes, my face going really hot.

"Lily! Come on - this is my bedroom! You can't just barge in like that." Grant quickly got off his bed and put a shirt on. "I'm dressed now." I quickly turned around and jumped on him, wrapping my arms around his shoulders.

"You've got a date!" I giggled, then realised I was more excited about it than he was. "What's wrong?" I got off him and pulled him out into his parent's lounge. There were still societal rules and family etiquette to adhere to and me being in a man's bedroom, even if he wasn't interested in girls, would probably get me into trouble if Wallace found out.

He confirmed the appointment with a new guy/friend as left me on the settee and went to the kitchen to pour us both a cup of coffee as he spoke about the new guy in his life.

Well, it wasn't so much a new guy, as an acquaintance who had asked him out for coffee. Nice looking, talkative and friendly, but not personable. Like the guy still spoke like he was in work-mode.

"Oh, so not really a date." I frowned, sorry that I'd got all excited for nothing.

"Yeah, not really. He's the car salesman from the yard from where I collected the cargo vans last week." Grant shrugged.

"Oh, yeah. You know what they say about car salesmen." I took the hot coffee he offered as he sat beside me.

"'Even when they're not working... they're working.'" Grant answered. "But I think this will be a good chance to practice something like dating. I don't think this guy is interested in me in any way other than as a potential customer, but..." Grant shrugged a shoulder. "I never dated before and all my friends from school have moved on or gone to other cities for university. It will be a nice social outing, if anything."

He sounded slightly pathetic, even by my standards and I heard the loneliness in my best friend's voice. I put my mug down and took a hold of his hand and lay my head on his shoulder.

"You've still got me." I affirmed with a smile.

"Please don't promise you'll marry me if we're still single when we're, like thirty or something. Just, don't." Grant faked a shudder, as if the idea repulsed him. I hit him. He was being cheeky.

"Grant! That's awful! And I was thinking forty, not thirty. You have to take into account a girl's career before forcing her to settle down. Forty is the new thirty and dating is now the girl's prerogative." I sassed back at his sarcastic response. "Anyway, kissing you would be gross." I declared. "Like kissing a brother. Ew!" I gave him another fake shudder and we both laughed.

He squeezed my hand in thanks for cheering him up. We sat like that for a while, talking about his non-date and the clothes he should wear. We finished drinking our morning coffees then Mrs H arrived with a tray of lunch/afternoon tea goodies.

"You too haven't eaten yet. Come. Eat something, then get yourselves out to the back yard and help with the clean up."

"Yes, Mrs H/ Mum." We spoke together. Then giggled. The late lunch was yum, and this was the first time that I'd eaten a meal in Grant's family home. Their place was comfortable, and much more along the lines of where I was used to living. It was homely, and not filled with museum pieces or priceless pieces of art.

After an afternoon of cleaning and tidying the outdoor venue and the catering kitchen with the hired workers and estate staff, I was about ready to go home. Mum invited me to stay for dinner, but I declined her invitation, as I was all peopled out. I just wanted to go home again for rest and recuperation.

"Well, that's OK, Honey. I know you've worked really hard. Wallace wants to see you in his office before you leave." Mum kissed me, gave JacJac to me for a quick hug, then I collected my packed bag and went to find my step dad.