Gerald finished with her sisters’ pizza order just as the bell jangled again.
“Are you guys wanting these to go, or are you eating here?”
“Here,” Kat said, just as Lydia said, “To go.”
Jeff laughed at them, sliding an arm around each of their shoulders, but then his face froze as he caught sight of the group lingering by the door. “I think we’ll take them to go.”
Elsie looked at the door and smiled at Jane and Charlie, The Sunshine Twins, as she’d decided to call them. Will Darcy stood next to them, locked in a death stare with Jeff. She was used to seeing Will peeved, but this was peeved times infinity.
She handed the pizzas over to Jeff, noticing how his whole body screamed stress and discomfort. “What’s wrong?” she whispered, touching his wrist.
He put on a forced smile. “It’s nothing. But I do want that T-shirt. I’ll trade you for a story about Will. The truth shouldn’t be hidden behind an apron. You see right to the heart of people. That’s a special gift.”
He gave Denny a knowing look, and the two of them attempted to steer Lydia and Kat around the group at the door. Lydia, oblivious as always, would have no part of it.
“Jane! Aren’t you going to introduce me to your man? The two of you are adorable together.”
Lydia stuck out a hand, the bracelets on her wrist jingling a musical rhythm. “I’m Lydia, Jane’s baby sister.”
“Charlie Bingley. So pleased to meet you.” Charlie turned her wilted offering into a firm, friendly handshake and was as equally pleased to meet Kat. “You have so many sisters,” Charlie said with a laugh.
Jane nodded. “You haven’t met Mary yet, but that’s all of us. All five.”
“And all beautiful,” Kat added, with a giggle.
“Oh, I don’t know,” Lydia put in, ever so tactfully. “Mary’s kind of plain, especially now that she’d turned all emo on us. Jane’s always been known as the beauty, but I’m definitely the curviest.” With that, she gave a little shimmy and laughed overly loud.
Charlie beamed, but Will stared at the ceiling and ran a hand through his hair, obviously impatient to get the chitchat over with. Elsie shared his discomfort, but she also didn’t like seeing him judge her family.
Jane put out a hand to Lydia. “Aren’t you going to introduce us to your friends?”
“Oh, yes.” She turned, looking around for Denny and Jeff, who had suddenly become interested in a faded poster on the wall, it’s plastic covering smeared by little pizza fingers.
“Jeff. Denny. Come back over here!”
They obliged, hands in pockets, never taking their eyes off Will’s face.
“This is Denny Hanes and Jeff Wickham.”
Charlie’s smile faded a little and he looked at Will, finally catching onto the mood in the room. “Jeff Wickham?”
“You should leave,” Will said. “Now. We don’t need to be introduced.”
“Well, who are you, the Queen of Sheba?” Lydia said, immediately puffing up. “We’ll leave when we’re good and ready.”
Jeff pulled on her arm. “Let’s go eat our pizza, baby girl. Don’t worry about him. I never do.” He and Denny successfully steered the girls out of the restaurant.
***
Will could feel the blood rushing in his ears. He had so many things he’d planned to say to Jeff Wickham if he ever saw him again. Things he’d planned to do to him, like break his kneecaps. But the moment had come and all he did was stand there like a frozen corpse. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair garbage like Jeff got to go on with a normal life, while his sister had to—
“Will. It’s okay.” Charlie patted him on the back. “Let’s get some pizza.”
“I hate the pizza here.” He looked up when he said it, catching Elsie’s glare. She’d been touching that piece of trash, whispering with him. Who knew what kind of things Jeff might have said about him? Will could warn her, but she’d probably think he was lying and immediately run into Jeff’s arms. Jeff was good with women. Good at reeling them in and getting them to believe anything he said.
“How are you, Elsie?” Charlie drummed out a rhythm on the faded red counter top. Will could tell he was eager to put the tension behind them.
“Doing fine. What are the three of you doing here?” Her eyes flitted to Will for half a second before she turned her attention back to Charlie.
