Posted on Friday, 13 July 2001
Author's Notes: I've been inspired by Tamsin's "To Dance in the Rain" and decided to write this short story. Hope you enjoy it. JoannaA young man who played the piano in the fashionable pub in Notting Hill was surprised by the small number of customers there this late afternoon. It was usually very busy at this hour but then maybe it was the beautiful weather that kept people in the parks rather than in a hot, no matter how fashionable pub. He noticed there was one young man, sitting alone at the bar sipping his whisky. His break came to an end and the pianist sat behind the instrument once again and began to play. At first the bars were slow but as soon as he started to sing the melody became even tearfully playful.
Drink with me to the days gone by
Sing with me the songs we knew
William Darcy took another sip of his whisky and replaced the glass on the bar. He sadly looked around the still empty bar and sighed. The words of the song made him smile knowingly. It's been three weeks since Elizabeth Bennet, his best friend yet never his girlfriend left town and moved to Scotland. They have been friends since high school, went to the same collage and finally graduated from Cambridge six months ago. They spent many an evening talking in various pubs, dancing in clubs and enjoying themselves in each other's as well as that of their friends' company. Now it all came to an end. He was about to start a flashing career in a city bank which was offering him horrendously good money and an outlined career path which in five years would make the him head of the investments department and earn him at least five-zero income a year.
"Hi there, cousin." Richard Fitzwilliam called placing his hand on William's arm.
"Hi, I haven't noticed you. How are you?"
"How are you, Darce? I should be asking. You look nasty. Has your new job sucked every bit of life out of you?"
"Let's say so," smiled William.
"I don't believe it. I know how you loved doing all that stuff. How you always wanted to do it. You're a poor liar. What is it that's bothering?"
Darcy shrugged.
"Okay, what are you thinking of?"
"Let's say that I'm thinking about the times gone by."
"That sounds depressing. I guess it's this song made you think about the times gone by," said Richard as the pianist continued his performance.
Here's to pretty girls who went to our heads
Here's to witty girls who went to our beds
Here's to them and here's to you
drink with me to days gone by
to the life that used to be
Darcy didn't reply.
"I certainly remember a few pretty girls and I can't say I have not met with the witty ones as well," remarked Richard trying to lighten up the atmosphere and cheer up his cousin.
Darcy smiled again and replied, "I certainly remember quite a number of your witty girls. How is, what's her name Shannon, Sherry..."
"Sharon. I wouldn't know. It's times gone by."
"Oh, right. So what's her name now?" asked Darcy.
"Charlotte. Gorgeous creature. Neither pretty nor witty but wonderful. We've gone go-karting on Saturday and..."
"Go-karting? Since when do you take your girlfriends go-karting? I didn't even know you liked it yourself."
"Neither did I, but Charlotte insisted so we went to the track in the morning and once I was behind the wheel I couldn't stop. We were racing all morning and then we went for lunch and returned to the track again. Have you heard anything from Elizabeth?"
"She wrote me an e-mail."
"Did she? What does she write?
"Nothing special. She enjoys it there. Says she is training in some gallery and hopes she'll get herself a place in France to study Continental porcelain and then to Sotheby's for their traineeship programme once her research is completed...in about three years."
"London Sotheby's"
"Yeah." Said William taking another sip.
Let the shrinal friendship never say die
let the winal frienship never uncry
drink with me to the days gone by
to the life that used to be
"Is it because of Elizabeth that you are so sour today?" asked Richard but he received no reply. "So it is that? You've realised that you didn't just like her as a friend. Darcy, we, all your friends knew it. You loved her for a long time but didn't realise it until today. Sad indeed."
"Something like that."
"She is not gone forever. You know that, don't you? Edinburgh is an hour away from here by plane. You can be there every weekend; that is, if you want."
"You bet I do."
"So what is stopping you?"
Drink with me to the days gone by
Sing with me the songs we knew
Here's to pretty girls who went to our heads
Here's to witty girls who went to our beds
Here's to them and here's to you.*
Darcy stared out of the window. It began to rain and a stream of people poured into the pub. The rain grew stronger. The thin and light silhouette of Lizzy flickered in the large drops of the rain. Nothing but himself was stopping him.