Listen to your sweet voice all night long -- Fall 1999 (DONE)

Stephanie and I had broken up due to the Ministry moving me to the States.  It was a mutual decision since she ended up getting a great job herself.  I sat at a coffee shop in New York people watching while I caught up on some news.  I had the Prophet delivered to me along with the paper from the States -- the Post.  It was just a little lonely being in the States by myself, but I would manage.  I talked with my sister on a weekly basis and I could not believe that she was so far along already with her baby.  I was perusing some of the local news and saw that there was going to be this art gallery showing.  It was rather interesting to read the different artists that were going to be there... one name stood out to me.  I was pretty sure that Madelyn Black was Dean's long lost cousin.  I knew they lived in the States but I did not expect to come across them.  Perhaps I would go just to see what she did as an artist... whether it was drawings, paintings, charcoals... what have you.  I continued reading the details about the art show when coffee spilled all over the table, drenching The Prophet, but thankfully not myself.  I stood up quickly to back away as the liquid started spreading ovre the table and grabbed some napkins as someone else started to help me.

I could not believe I just did that.  I was just really stressing out about this art gallery my friends convinced me to submit my art... I never thought that they would actually like it.  To me, my drawings were my heart and soul on paper.  I never thought that people would actually want to buy them.  I drew everything... scenery, people, animals... so now the galla was tonight, I still had to find the perfect dress to wear and a date to take.  I was so behind.  "I am so sorry," I said, trying to help sop up the coffee that drenched the poor guy's newpaper.  I noticed that it was The Daily Prophet, though I did not see any moving pictures on the front page.  Once we got the mess cleaned up I looked at him and smiled.  "Too bad that's one paper I can't replace right away.  If it were The Post, I might have a chance," I told him with a smile.  I was hoping I was charming enough to at least have hiim not be mad at me.

I smiled at her and shook my head.  "Please, don't worry about it," I assured her.  I looked at her and realized that this was Madelyn Black.  "Oh, you're Madelyn Black," I said, unable to stop myself.  I probably would seem like a creep knowing her name.  I saw the look in her eyes and had to elaborate.  "I'm really good friends with Dean..."  I hoped that that was enough to ease her mind a little bit.  "My name's Jetty."

At first I was a little disturbed when he knew who I was.  Then it made sense.  Thank god he was someone that was goodnatured about this and whatnot.  "Call me Lyn, everyone does.  I try to avoid Maddie... how is Dean and his family?  I don't hear much about what happens in England or anything," I said, throwing away our mess of napkins and his newspaper.

"Do you even have any coffee left in that cup?  I can get you a new one," I said to her, feeling bad that hers spilled everywhere.  "And as far as I know, all is well.  Dean and Addison will be having a baby here within the next couple of months... Elena is pregnant.  Their parents are doing well."  I did not know much else beyond that.  I felt kind of bad for Lyn... she looked extremely frazzled.

I pushed some hair behind my ear and shook my head.  "I really didn't need it in the first place.  I just have a lot to do before tonight," I said, shaking my head.  "But thank you... that was really sweet to offer.  Besdies... It was my fault that it spilled all over your things!"  I laughed, so glad that he was being so kind about everything.   I felt like such a klutz.  I mean, I kind of was... Mum always said I was anyways.  Dad just followed me around when I was younger with padding because he knew I would end up falling at one point or another.  That was good to hear that my distant family was all doing well.  I just wished that I knew them all better.  And really, I wish that my life was as put together as theirs were.  I guess not everyone finds their one and only while in school.

I shrugged.  "It didn't hurt anything important," I said, not really thinking it was a big deal.  "Good luck with the art gallery tonight... I read that in the paper... I'm sure you'll be fine.  Is it an open gallery or private?" I was curious to go see everything.  I had a lot of free time here in the States while getting settled.  They let me have a few weeks without having to go to work to unpac and all of thta stuff.  I just needed something to do to be able to take u psoe of my time.

I smiled and was glad someone thought it would go fine.  "It's open... and my friends made me do it.  I'm freaking out because I don't think anything will be as big of a hit as everyone thinks it will be."  I shook my head and smiled at him again.  "I'm sorry... you probably don't want to hear about all of my frantic thoughts right now.  There's just so much I need to do that I've put off..."  I sighed shaking my head.  I really just needed to shut up.  There was no reason for me to keep talking about all of this with someone I did not even know.

I laughed and shook my head.  "Don't worry about it.  This might be forward, so forgive me if I'm overstepping, but I am in dire need of something to do.  If you need help with anything... work gave me too much time to get settled in and free time does not settle well for me," I told her, hoping that I was not being too forward by any means.  I did not know anyone and Lyn and I seemed to be hitting it off fairly well.  This could be hte start of a good friendship perhaps.

I was rather relieved that he did not mind me venting about my problems even though we were practically strangers.  I smiled at him.  "No, no you're fine.  Unfortunately the things I need to get done are all very feminine... like getting my hair done, nails done, picking out a dress," I said, shaking my head at him.  He seemed to look a little downtrodden and I felt bad.  Then I had a wonderful idea -- or perhaps it would make for an extremely awkward night... but taking a chance never hurt anyone.  "Oh!  But there is one thing that could be fun," I added.  I bit my lip, wondering how I should go about asking him to come.  He seemed like he was interested in the art show, though.  "I won't know anyone there and, annoyingly enough, my friends who forced me to go to this thing aren't able to go.  Would you like to go with me?" I really hoped he would say yes so that I way I would not feel like a complete fool for asking him.

I noticed that her cheeks became a little flushed when she said that.  I smiled at her and nodded.  "Yeah, that sounds great.  I'm going to assume it's a black tie event?" I clarified, thinking it would be horrible if I were over or under dressed.  "And we can meet there if it'd be more comfortable of a situation than me picking you up at your flat or something," I suggested.  I figured that it might be best for her to help make the redness come out of her cheeks.  This would be the first sort-of date that I had been on since ending it with Stephanie... so I was a tad nervous about doing anything like this in the first place.  Was it even a date?

I grabbed a napkin and wrote the address of the gala on it.  I already toured the place and knew right where I wanted to be when he first saw me in a gorgeous dress.  What was I thinking?  I just met this man... I handed the napkin to him.  "I have to be there early since I have pieces showing... they want to go over a couple of things.  Why don't we just meet there?  That way you don't have to deal with the boring information that will be gone over with the artists," I suggested, smiling at him.  I really hoped that I would see him.  But then this way if he got cold feet, he could just not show up.  This was really kind of forward for me.

I took the napkin from her and nodded.  "That sounds lovely.  I'll see you there," I said to her, thinking I needed to make sure that I had a tux/suit to wear to the event.  I bade goodbye to her since she definitely had a lot to do before the event and I wanted to make sure that I would look presentable.  I went to my new flat and searched my closet, grateful to find a nice black suit to wear there.  Unfortunately, I was not sure the color tie to wear... so I went with the boring black.  I would have preferred to add color, but I wanted to be on the safe side than the bold side.  Black looked well with anything, so no matter what it was not like I would clash with whatever she ended up wearing.

I was at the top of a staircase with a glass of champagne in my hands looking towards the doorway of the gallery.  I was wearing a floor length red dress that hugged my curves nicely.  It had been hard to find a dress that I thought would make me look gorgeous, but I found one.  I was chatting with a couple of people who actually liked my drawings that had put the gala together before a lot of the guests arrived.  People were already filing in through the door -- apparently they advertised this event well.  I glanced down at the door and saw Jetty walk in looking a little nervous.  I smiled and excused myself.  I caught his eye and I smiled at him as I started to descend the stairs, noticing that his eyes never left me.  We met in the middle and I could not stop smiling.  "You look great," I said to him, grabbing a glass of champagne for him from a passing waiter.

I could not take my eyes off of her as she walked towards me.  I shook my head at her compliment for me.  I was nothing compared to her.  "You are absolutely... gorgeous," I told her, unbelieving the feelings I was having.  This was ridiculous.  I offered her my arm because I was sure she was going to show me around the gallery.  She took it and we both had glasses of champagne as she started to show me different things.  I noticed she had not showed me her own drawings after walking around and chatting and looking at all the other paintings for the past hour.  I stopped her and smiled.  "Do I get to see what work you have here?  Or do I have to go hunt them down myself?" I asked her, knowing she was probably just self conscious about her work.