Teatime for Two Lovebirds {Jack}

[MARY ANNE SPENCER]

Mary Anne's heart was going all a pitter patter. She was feeling like she'd never felt before. She was feelings something an uncomfortable thought at the back of her head demanded was so wonderful it MUST be reserved only for the Lord, and yet she ignored that singular little niggle as though it didn't exist.

Mary Anne was experiencing, for the first time in her life, what it meant to be in love.

Of course, she'd had those silly litle crushes in her life before. She'd had feelings for boys before. Father Kelly was so attractive and well ersed in his biblical verses that she just couldn't keep herself from taking lingering glances at him during mass, but this was different. This boy hadn't been married to the church yet and he was so.... inspiring. Mary Anne had spent the last years in the hellish hole that was the City criticizing each and every male specimen she had come across. She had never met a singe one that could live up to all her standards for a perfect man.

Jack was different. He was... just like her. He was someone who had been thrust from the grace of God into this heathen society, trapped in a world where he was surrounded by heretics and close-minded fiends constantly hounding him for his ability to stay on the straight and narrow path. He was someone who understood how she felt each and every day, the way no one else could. Someone who understood her very real, very close bond with the Lord, someone who would respect her decision to stay celibate until marriage.

At least, that's all that Mary Anne had decided about him in the fleeting twenty minutes since she'd first begun talking with him in that mandatory freshmen biology 101 class. It had all been very romantic, like Moses coming to the rescue of Zipporah as she was harassed by those wretched, wretched shepherds! Mary Anne had been cornered by the godless beasts that populated her biology class, and they had taunted her, TAUNTED her, about how she had IMPROVED the textbook by placing helpful stickers over some of the less than tasteful depictions therein, so as to give the drawn men and women a bit of modesty. It was perfectly acceptable! What was she SUPPOSED to do, look at those vile anatomical parts every time she cracked open the book? No thank you!

Jack had saved her. He had beaten back the devils who had mocked her and taunted and teased her for such 'prudery.' He had valiantly protected her religion and beliefs and had staunchly supported them himself, opening his own book to reveal sharpied out people parts.

Mary Anne had felt a pang of love almost instantaneously.

Since then, her feeling of floating on midair, waltzing with seraphs and cherubs o'er the winds of the sky, hadn't diminished in the slightest. She was as lovestruck as ever, and growing more so by the moment. The journey to the local Starbucks for a spot of tea had been the most enjoyable she'd ever experienced. She had hardly noticed the filthy trash that littered the streets, asking for donations of money so it could continue its drinking habit. She had only eyes for the beautiful young man that had saved her.

Mary Anne looked up at the beautiful saintly figure that stood beside her in line to order their tea time beverages, overwhelmed with gratitude. "I know I must truly be bothering you by this point, but thank you. Thank you thank you thank you. You don't KNOW how many times a day I get abused for my belief. You're the only one who understands how truly awful it feels to be so discriminated against in society!"

outfit;;young love

[JACK SOLOMON]

Jack Solomon was by no means a ladies man. In fact, he had always been far too studious to really take notice of the fairer sex in a romantic sense. Thus, his meeting this English rose was by mere coincidence of faith. It would seem that someone had noticed she had censored her health book, which made perfect sense to Jack, as he had done the same. Why, just thinking that it had taken the entire hour and a half class to complete it made him blush a bright crimson. But it was a required class.

If he cooperated with the rest of the work, he could survive with a passing C, or perhaps even a B. As he had been getting ready to leave, he overheard his fellow peers berating a young lady for having done exactly what he had. It would have been improper for her to suffer alone, so he attested to human's natural modesty- given to us when Eve took the first bite of the forbidden fruit and became aware of her nakedness. And he revealed his own text book, and that if they had the mind to laugh at anyone, than would they be so kind as to do it to him, as it served no one for the lady to be upset. And she was so very upset, poor thing. Instead of turning on him like a Roman, they went on their way, leaving him to console the girl.

It was then that he noticed that she was very pretty. Beautiful really. He was not an artist, but he had a sudden urge to paint her. Shaking this off, and understanding that he- skinny and effeminate looking Jack Solomon- stood about as much chance as Judas getting into Heaven. So the invitation for a comforting cup of tea was only general kindness, and free from ulterior motives.

Her gratitude was heart melting. Jack couldn't help the blush that spread across his cheeks, and the way his eyes looked down, feeling this attention was undeserved. He had only done what any person should do if they see someone being hurt. "Oh, please, I really didn't mind, and you're certainly not bothering me Miss Spencer." He shuffled his feet, cleary blue eyes daring to flicker up to her. "You'd think Pontius Pilate was the mayor of New York, the way Christian's are treated these days. I have to wonder when it was us that became the minority."

He paid for the tea and escorted her to a table, feeling quite nervous. She was so very pretty. And there was a solace in the fact that he had found a like minded New Yorker. Though, she wasn't a New Yorker, was she? Her accent seemed to offer the information that she was a long way from home. This instantly crossed him, as those brutes- they had become brutes in his mind- had been teasing someone who was probably all alone.

Handing her her cup of tea, Jack smiled kindly at her. "Let's not talk about them anymore, Miss Spencer. In a way I am grateful to them, because had they not been so ignorant, I'd have never met you." Though he blushed, Jack did not look away for fear of seeming insincere. And this was perfectly true. "The best defense to them is to brush them off and speak of pleasant things." Sipping his tea, Jack did his best to mask the cringe. Not that it was awful, just not what he'd been hoping for when he ordered a cup of Earl Gray. Once again chain corporations had left him disappointed.

[MARY ANNE SPENCER]

Mary Anne didn't even mind the fact that they were seated in a crowded, noisy disgustingly tacky chain store for their afternoon tea. She didn't even worry about how the quality of the tea was most CERTAINLY going to suffer because it had been made by the hands of some poorly trained hack they had plucked right off the street instead of someone who had grown up immersed in tea culture. She didn't mind that it was in fact far too late to be a justifiable tea service and that Mary Anne was breaking the rules of teatime by just engaging in this tomfoolery and was most certainly going to spoil her appetite for later.

The only thing that mattered was the fact that she was spending time with Jack.

Mary Anne let loose a most girlish giggle at Jack's most accurate description of the awful bigotry and prejudice that existed against people of faith in the modern day. She couldn't really help herself. He had used a religious example, and it WORKED. She had never ctually been able to bring up scripture in conversation before and have people understand the parallel. Even Lizzie, poor, dim Lizzie, never seemed to fully get it. It was sad, really. Mary Anne had never had anyone to share psalms with or proverbs or someone with who she could discuss the relevancy of the Old Testament in the context of a Christian society.

The only thing Mary Anne seemed capable of doing was giggling rather foolishly and nodding a bit too vigorously to be considered lady-like. She didn't really know what else she could manage at the moment. She just wanted him to like her so badly. She had never really minded what people thought of her before. She'd always considered that one of the hazards of being religious in the modern era. You couldn't expect people to like you too often, and she'd found that if you just expected people to absolutely revile you from the get go then you were in for a whole lot less pain and let down. Here though, she wanted to impress him. She wanted to be girlish and flouncy and cute and attractive. She wondered, for the first time in her life, if she was actually good looking enough to have caught his eye. She'd never doubted her looks before. She'd always assumed it was perfect for the celibate lifestyle she wanted to lead. Now though, her mind flashed back to all those flashes of commercials she'd seen on television, all those ads she'd thrown out of her edition of "Christianity Today," all those stupid vain conversations she'd tuned out explaining just how one was meant to woo a man. Mary Anne wished WISHED she had paid more attention so she would have had some idea what to say in this situation.

"Too true, oh, too true..." Mary Anne laughed quietly as she took another sip of her tea. She knew that she needed to come p with a good conversation topic and fast. He would get bored of her if she only seemed interested in talking about how much she hated the agnostics and non-theists.

"So, um, Mister Solomon, what IS it that you find pleasant?" Mary Anne floated the question quite tentatively, worried that he would think she was stupid for such a strange question. She felt obligated to instantly follow it up with an explanation of some sort. "Because you know there's so MANY things people find pleasant, of course! Shoppin, bridal showers, warm sunny days curled up in a window seat with a favorite, well-worn copy of Pride and Prejudice, uh..." Mary Anne was floundering, looking for another example of something to bring up. "Uhh... Tea?" She held up her cup, displaying it like some kind of ditzy game show hostess and smiling like a buffoon.

[JACK SOLOMON]

She thought he was funny? Or, maybe she was just being polite. Still, her smile looked sincere enough. No one had ever really considered him funny before to be honest. Well, not funny ha ha. Funny odd perhaps. He couldn't help but blush deeper as she laughed, a little smile sitting nervously on his lips.

As he had directed, they began to speak of pleasant things. Unfortunately she wanted him to head the conversation. Oh, Gosh, he didn't even know what to say. He was so busy being shocked at even being here in the first place, with such a pretty girl telling him her likes. They were darling likes, they really were. Free from blogging and gossip and... what do girls like? Stickers...? Anyway, they were wonderful interests. Well, first thing first. "Oh, please, do not be so formal. I'm hardly a Mister Solomon. Um, James please." He never introduced himself as James. James was his Father. "Or Jack. Most people call me Jack." There was a sheepishness to him, as he tried to smoothly correct himself. She could call him Matt Damon, for all he cared.

"My sister Hannah enjoys Jane Austen quite a bit, though I've never really indulged much myself. Usually when I read, I'm studying." He explained with his modest mousish way of speaking. "I'm majoring in Theology, and it takes so much reading that when I do get some free time, I can't stand to see anymore text." Jack let out a nervous laugh, certain she would not find that really amusing at all. Oh, now he had to say what he did for fun, and she would find him boring and dull. Still, as they say, I am what I am. Jack had never made a point of hiding who he was. "Pleasant things though... I enjoy playing cards. And chess, though I'm not very good. On Sunday's I teach a Sunday School class for boys, aged twelve to sixteen. I enjoy that quite a bit, though numbers tend to dwindle." He stared into his cup, a fond smile on his face for the boys who stick around. "And magic! I enjoy magic."

One of his dorky little qualities. Mary Susana would tell him that he'd never find a lady doing magic tricks. That no girl wanted anything pulled from behind her ear unless it was a diamond. Mary Susana was rather unpleasant at times. And besides, Anna liked his magic just fine, and perhaps Mary Anne would to. As he considered this, a small smile crossed his face as he realized Mary Anne's name was a cross between his sisters, who had strong biblical names. He rather liked that.

"Of course, nothing heathen." He explained urgently, not wanting her to think of him as one of those New Age Hippie's who indulged in debauchery and orgies and danced naked under the full moon. Oh, dear lord, how awful. "Illusions. Like Harry Houdini. You know, most people don't know this, but he spent a great deal of time disproving so called psychics and dismantling seances. He learned there tricks so that he, himself, could not be fooled." With a pleased smile, he rather enjoyed that historical fun fact. "Though, I can't do anything of that caliber, of course. Just little parlor tricks."

[MARY ANNE SPENCER]

Mary Anne silently cursed herself for acting like some airheaded blonde floozy scrambling for topics of discussion based on what her pathetically feeble senses could detect in the nearest vicinity. It was sad and wrong that she had to turn to a blasted container of cheap tea in order to try and further the conversation between her and Mister Solomon - err... Jack.

Still though... he didn't seem to mind. Thankfully it seemed her brutal error was glossed over in the pursuit of both manners and having a congenial, well-meaning discussion in the hopes of getting to know each other a little better. Mary Anne was all the more attracted to him all the more infatuated with this mysterious manner of man by the fact that he seemed to be so eloquent and well-versed in appropriate behavior for every situation. he was brave and gallant when the heretics of the world were abusing the righteous and he was soft and delicate, a regular gentleman, when it came time to navigate the straits of modern conversation. Mary Anne had never before come across another with such skills. She was... enamored by it, caught by the spellbinding charm this man possessed.

For a moment she was sure, she was SURE, that she was having an out of body experience. The man taught a sunday school class! What more could she have asked for! He was like and Angel sent from the Lord in the Old Testament to test the men of Sodom and Gomorrah to find the righteous. Mary Anne knew that she could NEVER sacrifice this angel in disguise up to the ravenous, lustful crowds that would surely crave his body. She had to protect him. She had to get to know him better. He was just... so wonderful. The best man she had EVER met.

Mary Anne grinned in pleasant surprise and delight at the mention of magic tricks. Well, illusions, as he called them. of course, she had never doubted him for a second, but she was glad that he was so quick to disassociate himself from the wiccan sexual fiends who crawled in the darkest corners of the earth. It made him all the more valiant in her eyes.

"Oh Houdini!" Mary Anne squealed in delight, happy to be able to discuss something he had brought up. "One of the great, classic magicians, of course!" Her eyes lit up, like a little girl who had just been promised a delicious ice cream cone. She was sure she could convince him to do a little exhibition of his magicianship. Oh, it was be such fun! What a lark! "Oh, you MUST do a little demonstration! Please, it would be SO fun! I'm sure it's been years since I've seen any magic shows or tricks! I'm just so BUSY you know, I never have the time!"

With her big doe eyes trained steadily on him Mary Anne folded her hands daintily in her lap, placing the tea on the table between them. "Oh, you WILL do a little magic trick, won't you? Won't you, please? I would be SO happy!"

[JACK SOLOMON]

Oh, dear Lord!

Jack did rather loved how she spoke of Houdini! Though, honestly, Jack would rather enjoy anything she said. How did anyone focus with her gazing at them with those saucer like eyes? They were so brown and warm, and the eyelashes were so long. Why, Jack would bet she was barely wearing any make up at all. It was most certainly refreshing to say the least- a part of him wanted to call his Mother right now, to inform her there were nice girls in New York City. They weren't all transvestite ladies of the evening. Or gentlemen... He wasn't entirely sure what the correct definition was...

But then her voice- with that intoxicating accent was the prettiest thing he had ever heard- request a trick... He could have fainted. She was gazing at him, full of anticipation and hope that he would agree. How could he possibly say no? Still, he was caught off guard. What trick could she possibly want? Perhaps a card trick? But what if he got nervous and dropped all the cards everywhere!? She'd think he was a fool! And she'd certainly never want to talk to him again! The thought rather depressing to Jack, who felt as though he had found a kindred spirit of sorts. But it couldn't be too simple. Then she'd think he was even more foolish than if he bumbled.

Nodding, he gulped nervously, running his hair back in his lanky, brown, hair. His blue eyes watched her, anxious and excited, hoping to prove his younger sister wrong about girls not liking magic, lest they got something out of it. And in a way, Mary Anne was getting something out of it. Entertainment... he hoped.

Pulling out a shiny quarter, he held it up to eye level between his forefinger and thumb. "Keep your eye on it, okay?" He instructed, rolling it up and down his fingers tantalizingly in front of her. With the dexterity of a surgeon, he flipped the coin down the row of his fingers, the glinting coin catching the sunlight. The anxious quality had left his face, replaced by a zen like look of calm, eyes flicking from the coin to Mary Anne's beautiful honey eyes. With a sudden movement, he snapped his fingers, holding his hand out to reveal the coin was gone. Pouf. Magic. Reaching over to her, Jack brushed a lock of her hair- silky and smoothed and so well maintained he wondered how it smelled- and 'pulled the coin' from 'behind her ear'.

Pulling back, properly in his seat, Jack held the coin out as if it were a prized marble held by a child. Right down to the wide, mischievous, grin on his face. Quickly, he clapped his hands together, blowing into them quickly, holding out his hand to reveal the coin had been replaced by a perfect, red, origami, rose. "Voila." He chuckled, a modest blush touching his cheeks as the zen magic of the trick began to fade almost instantly. "For you. Please..." He encouraged, holding the paper flower out closer to her. He had always dreamed of presenting a girl with a paper flower. Something eternal, that would not die.

As perfect and lasting as the girl he presented it too.

[MARY ANNE SPENCER]

Mary Anne was positively tickled pink by this entire conversation. She felt like... She felt like Jane Bennet! Lovely Jane enamored with the suave and gentle Mr. Bingley. She felt like she was the only girl in the world just then, sharing a very special tea with a very special man. Oh, she could see it now. Years from now she would sit in her lovely English countryside abode, a bundle of knitting sitting on her lap and a gaggle of grandchildren at her feet, sitting eagerly waiting for a story. OH, how Mary Anne would regal them with the tale of how she first met their grandfather. How it had been such a different time then and Mary Anne had been forced to find the only man worth talking to in a city of heathens and miscreants. How they would look on in shock and horror when she told them how he had been forced to RESCUE her from a swarm of angry heretics! How they would laugh and giggle when they heard of their delightful conversation over tea. Oh, her granddaughters would PRAY that they would someday find such a man, and her grandsons would grow up knowing that they too would one day be just as gallant and kind as their patriarch.

Mary Anne sat forward in her chair eagerly as Mr. Solomon - Jack! She must remember he wanted to be called by the informal first name! - whipped a shiny coin from nowhere. Oh! How exciting! A coin trick! Mary Anne was positively delighted that he was going to entrance her with a bit of smoke and mirrors. This would be quite wondrous indeed!

He flipped the coin here and there. Oh, truly he had mastered his craft. He showed such proficient control over the coin. He showed such delightful concentration. Mary Anne was SURE there wasn't another out there who's skills matched that of Jack here. And look! He had made that coin vanish into thin air! It was absolutely stunning how he could make it just vanish. She wondered where on EARTH it could have gone-

Mary Anne sharply drew in a breath as he reached behind her ear. Oh, goodness. It was ridiculous that she should have made sch an unprofessional, unbecoming noise as he continued his trick, but she simply couldn't help herself! It was so intimate. It was so delightful. His touch had been so soft and gentle and such an alien experience for Mary Anne. It had been so unexpected! He should probably think her some sexual hussy, practically moaning so at the merest touch of the male hand. She cursed herself for such a disgusting, unwomanly bestial sound.

She was drawn out of her infinite self loathing by the production of an utterly gorgeous paper flower. Oh! How beautiful! Mary Anne once again let loose an unrequested noise originating from some impolite, animal place hidden deep within her. Her squeal of delight was something that had never escaped her before, but she couldn't care less. It was gorgeous! He was giving to her a flower of such craft! Such painstaking care must have gone into that one little blossom!

Delicately taking the fragile thing, Mary Anne was brimming over with grateful awe.

"Oh, Jack! Oh, you shouldn't have, oh, this must have taken so long and how could you ever have done that? This is... This is the NICEST thing anyone's ever done for me!" Her lip trembled a bit as she smiled at him, overcome with emotion. "First saving me and now giving me this? You are a wonder, truly." She slowly extended her hand, resting it atop his. "I am so glad I met you."

[JACK SOLOMON]

Jack could have watched her react to his tricks all day, though he made no comment save a gentle smile, as she seemed bashful about them. They were beautiful, so very innocent. Jack wished he could bottle them up and spill it into the drinking water, in hopes that it would spread like a blessed disease. Infecting people with love and hope. In his short time of knowing Mary Anne, she displayed all of the seven heavenly virtues, and then some!

Oh, but when she gushed about him. How could he do anything but blush and avert his gaze. Certainly she was putting him on, as they say. Having a go. Joshing him. "Oh, Miss Mary Anne..." He hoped she would not mind him using her name so informally. But, they were friends, weren't they? "It's only a paper flower. Though, I am glad you like it. It didn't take to long...." To a studious little virgin, what was three hours? Could it be the nicest thing that anyone has ever done for her? What a strange thought, for surely such a pretty example of God's love must have been showered constantly with affection. If not, than a great disservice had been done to her.

And looking at those brown eyes, Jack knew it was a disservice that he wished to remedy a great deal.

"I'm very glad I met you also, Miss Mary Anne." He spoke, his voice filled with sincerity. There was a somberness to him, as a resolve came over the generally docile young man. Because it was a great crime, after all, to find a gift from God and not accept it. God's gifts were personal and hand crafted like that of a child, yet with a skill for beauty of a master. Not just a master. THE Master. This girl had been sent into Jack's life for a reason. She, like him, did not fit in well in this city. She was far too virtuous and good. A sign from God that Jack was not forgotten. A partner to trudge along this path with.

Clearing his throat, Jack did something he had never in his life done before.

He grew a pair.

"Miss Mary Anne!" Oh, he did not mean to come across so excited. Still, he had already began. She would think him mad if he muttered some lame and half hearted excuse. Clearing his throat, Jack continued, his voice quieter and with a forced calm that barely contained his nerves. "If I may be so bold... May a call on you?" Perhaps he should not have read so many of his mother's romance novels when Dad wasn't' looking. That couldn't be how people talk. Yet, the old fashioned request hung in the air. "Nothing... distasteful of course. I know your parents are not in town, but perhaps you have a friend or someone who would not mind being in our company. So we won't be alone but it can be more-" Looking around the stiffly busy coffee shop, the red in his ears paid tribute to the disbelief in his next words, unable to quite meet Mary Anne's eye. "-intimate."

[MARY ANNE SPENCER]

This was the day that Mary Anne had never known that she'd been waiting for her whole life. She'd always thought that she was above the brutish love that others seemed to crave and go absolutely mad over. She'd always snobbishly thought herself to be superior to that sort of thing before she had reached adulthood. It had always been an assumption of hers that some day, some day far far in the future, she would be swept off her feet by a righteous knight of the lord.

Today, all those assumptions were finally put to rest.

Like Ruth, Mary Anne had finally found her Boaz. She had finally found her David. The perfect man, the one that must have been specially sent to her by the Lord, was here with her. He was like an angel. A fiery man who burned with the passion of the lord, with the righteous glow that all saints possessed. Finally Mary Anne had met someone who matched her religious fervor, her untamed love for The Almighty. It was like, for the first time, Mary Anne was TRULY living.

She held the paper rose close to her, still infatuated with the fact that it was truly hers. She had found a boy who was willing to give away something that he had lovingly made to her, because he saw something in her that no one else did. He was the one who could look through her admittedly off-putting harshness to see the beautiful soul that lived inside. Mary Anne was finally loved, or at least considered interesting and worthy of such a precious gift, for who she truly was. Jack was truly a one in a million kind of boy.

Mary Anne looked up at him, her doe eyes searching for any flaw, any sign that he was like the riffraff that tended to inhabit the city. She scrutinized him, body and soul, and came up empty without a single flaw discovered. He was, for lack of a better word, perfect. She shuddered to think what her life would be like if she hadn't had this short respite, this short tea time where she could just give up the rage and hatred that boiled inside her for a little bit. Since coming to the city her soul had been ablaze with the fire and brimstone of the Lord. Now, just as long as she was with him, she could let the wildfire of hatred dwindle to a docile ember. She could give up the fight and let her thoughts be turned to more gentle, more loving matters.

Mary Anne couldn't help but blush at his request. It was her only course of action. Never before in her life had a boy wanted anything to do with her on grounds to be considered 'intimate'. Jack had only known her a few short hours and already he was wondering if they could get to know one another more! It was... it was a beautiful quality in him that was ever so endearing to Mary Anne.

"Jack, I... I don't know what to say!" Mary Anne was stumbling over her words, trying to daintily work out how to accept without sounding too overeager. "I'm sure you'll think me some sort of airhead, but, well, the fact of the matter is I've never been, well, 'called on' before..." Mary Anne's furious blush was a source of unending embarrassment for her. "However, if you'd like to be the first, well, my sister is in town! She's my twin, you know, and I'm sure she wouldn't mind meeting you! In fact, I'm sure she would absolutely love it!" Mary Anne smiled at him, hoping against hope that he didn't mind meeting some of her family. It would bring her endless happiness to be able to show off this beautiful boy to her closest friend in the world.

[JACK SOLOMON]

Okay, he could convince her. That wouldn't seem audacious, would it? Of course it would. But he had to try! Mary Anne Spencer was like a breath of fresh air in a polluted city! He could pursue her, he really could. Jack's appearance may not invoke a great deal of confidence to those who look at him, but he could be a hunter if he so chose to be! And, if nothing else, he and Mary Anne could be friends! Two like minded souls, against the odds in a city full of atheist and agnostics... which was their right, of course, but it did get so lonely. And loneliness Jack Solomon could stand for himself, but for such a unblemished person like Mary Anne Spencer, he could not- would not!- stand for it-

Did she say she'd love too?

He couldn't stop himself. Jack gawked at her stupidly, mouth slightly ajar in shock at such an easy acceptance. Even more so at her claim that she had never been called on before. It took him a moment to get his mouth to function before he could disagree with this statement. "Oh, I couldn't believe that, Miss Mary Anne..." Jack said, her bright blue eyes lowered to contain his glee. She had said yes! "I'm certain they were only too shy to speak to someone so..." Perfect? Lovely? Glorious? Beautiful! She had said yes! "...genial." The compliment seemed so tame compared to his own thoughts. She had said yes!

At mention of this sister, Jack was delighted and- oddly- annoyed. Though, the latter emotion was buried deeply away, where he hoped to never find it. But there was of course a more concupiscent side of Jack who would very much like to have Mary Anne all to himself, alone and in his ar- Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body!! Oh, such evil thoughts that crept upon him! How could he think anything of the sort about such a sweet and pious angel? Pushing away his blush as best he could from his generally blanched face, he spoke over the sinful thoughts in his own mind. "I'm sure she's lovely, Miss Mary Anne! I can't wait to meet her!" The enthusiasm in his voice was high, forcing more truth out than lie.

Taking a drink of his tea, Jack could get past his own inadequacies enough to be pleased. She had said yes, and he would offer her all the dignities he could! Most of all the dignity of not being fantasized about! He wished he could ask for her forgiveness, but that would involve admitting his ideations. He doubted very much her or Miss Mary Anne could recover enough from the embarrassment to move past this, so he focued instead on the date. A REAL DATE! She had said yes! "Tell me, Miss Mary Anne, what you think you and your sister would enjoy doing? I would very much like to plan a day that will be pleasing to you both." Yes, Jack would be the epitome of a gentleman.

She had said yes!

[MARY ANNE SPENCER]

Oh, this was just so exciting! Mary Anne was having her very first gentleman caller. It was just too good to be true! Of course, they would take things slowly at first. it would be only proper to do so, anything else would be wretched and crass and best left to those who had already given up their souls to the devil in lieu of something hedonistic and 'fun'. THOSE sorts ran rampant throughout the city and Mary Anne was sure they would only be all too happy to have their wicked ways with a girl or boy on their very first outing!

This however, this was sure to be the start of a very sweet and very beautiful relationship. Mary Anne's poor girlish heart was all a tizzy, thinking of scenes that she had practically memorized from Pride and Prejudice and other Jane Austen classics. Mary Anne would be the perfect Elizabeth Bennet, a woman who wasn't afraid to stand up for her own sensibilities but who also would fall smoothly and lovingly into the arms of a man who was perfectly destined for her. They would be the perfect paiir, Mr. Solomon and Miss Spencer. They would be inseparable, Mary Anne could just feel it, deep within her.

See!? Wasn't he just the perfect man? Mary ANne had heard horror stories about other headstrong men who wouldn't have anything to do with the relatives of the women they intended to court. They wanted to cut the girl off from her family so she would be dependent on the man for everything. Jack was obviously not this sort of man however. It was his very idea to come see Mary Anne with her sister! Oh, Lizzie would be so pleased! It would be ever so much fun! The two of them would talk and Lizzie would get a chance to see the man that Mary Anne had found for herself and they would be all a twitterpated together and it would be truly a delight.

He truly was the perfect man...

"Oh, goodness, Jack! Anything with you would truly be a delight, I'm sure it would!" Mary Anne was just so overwhelmed with feeling to know that Jack wanted to do something with her. He wanted to please her! That much was evident! The excitement of the whole thing, the knowledge that there now existed someone on that big wide earth who lived solely to make Mary Anne happy, well, it just filled a girl all the way to the brim with lovely feelings! "You know, though, I've heard that the rose bushes are in bloom in Central Park! Wouldn't that be a delight? I'm sure that they're beautiful. The gardeners in this city really work their tails off to beautify all this grime and cement. It would be a shame if they went unnoticed, and I have just the perfect dress for it. What do you say? I'm sure it would be a heck of a lot of fun!" Mary Anne was gushing again, but golly, sometimes she just couldn't help it! She had let loose a bit of an expletive in there (Honestly, how could she say 'heck'!?) but she hoped that he wouldn't think her too crass.

He was just so so dreamy....