(no subject)

[beautiful_ann]

Christmas Eve in New York City is beautiful, particularly with the light snow falling tonight.

Ann is up in her room, touching up her makeup and nervously primping.

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[beautiful_ann]

". . . All right, you work in theatre. But for theatre, you're not that strange."

[jackdriscoll.livejournal.com]

He frowns. "I'm dissapointed! That means I'm not special."

And look, wouldn't you know? They're at his house.

[beautiful_ann]

She leans over and kisses his cheek.

Quiet -- "You're wonderful."

[jackdriscoll.livejournal.com]

Awww.

Jack's so flattered by the complement and warm from the kiss that he nearly forgets he's behind the wheel of a moving car. He remembers soon enough not to run into his neighbor's car.

[beautiful_ann]

She jumps when he brakes, and gives him a sardonic look.

"Maybe I should be a little more careful with those."

[jackdriscoll.livejournal.com]

"Maybe."

He carefully parks in the spot in front of his house. Before she can say anything, Jack's hopped out of the car, has run to her side and has opened the door for the lady.

[beautiful_ann]

"Thanks." She smiles up at him as she gets out, smoothing her coat and re-adjusting her hair.

[jackdriscoll.livejournal.com]

Jack closes the door and places a hand on her lower back as he escorts her to the front door. "So did you get me socks?"

[beautiful_ann]

"You don't expect me to tell you, do you?"

[jackdriscoll.livejournal.com]

"I'm dying from suspense."

He opens the door.

[beautiful_ann]

Ann abruptly looks nervous, but covers it up well. No need to be nervous, right? It's just Jack's family.

[jackdriscoll.livejournal.com]

Of course, the first person she's attacked by is not Else nor Jack's parents, but Jack's cat.

[beautiful_ann]

Which manages, quite nicely, to break the tension. Ann laughs, and bends down to give Pinot the attention she clearly feels she deserves.

[jackdriscoll.livejournal.com]

Pinot puurs.

Which may or may not distract Ann from the quickly approaching figure of Else.

"Miss Darrow?"

[beautiful_ann]

Ann straightens (with a final skritch for Pinot).

"Yes? I mean, that's me." She smiles. "You must be Else."

[jackdriscoll.livejournal.com]

She nods.

"I only have one sister," Jack says wryly to Ann. To Else: "Where's everyone else?"

"Dad's going through your books and mom's in the kitchen. I'd invite you both to sit in the living room but--it's his house."

[beautiful_ann]

"It's nice to meet you," Ann tells Else, and then gives Jack a sidelong smile. "That's your cue, I think."

[jackdriscoll.livejournal.com]

He blinks. "For what?"

Else merely raises an eyebrow.

[beautiful_ann]

Ann rolls her eyes.

To Else -- "Is there anything I can help with?"

[jackdriscoll.livejournal.com]

"No, we're fine. You should join dad in the library. He's dying to meet you."

To rush this inevitable meeting, Else yanks Jack by the arm and pulls him towards the library.

[beautiful_ann]

"Oh, really."

Torn between amusement at the look on Jack's face, and trepidation at the idea of meeting Jack's father, Ann follows.

[jackdriscoll.livejournal.com]

Somehow, propelled by Else's yank and push, Jack stumbles into his own library and barely avoids bumping into the chair where his father sits. He steadies himself and straightens his suit. "Uh, hi, dad."

[beautiful_ann]

Ann enters with a little more decorum (she's shed her coat, by now, and her dark green dress is on display) and pauses near the door.

[jackdriscoll.livejournal.com]

The bump from the back of his chair startles him, but Bill Driscoll doesn't jump or yelp. He calmly turns to see the perpatrator of the bump.

"Jack," he says, as if waiting for his son to say a secret code word. Jack opens his mouth to respond, but his father stands up too suddenly and too quickly for the words to come out. Evidently the person of Jack Driscoll himself was the secret code, and Bill Driscoll is now walking quickly in Ann's direction.

"You must be Miss Darrow!"

Jack remains by the chair, looking quite moritified.

[beautiful_ann]

"That's me."

Good lord, he's even taller than Jack. She cranes her neck a little, with an eager-to-please smile, and proffers a hand.