S21

      Meanwhile, Shawn had finally worked up the nerve to let himself into the women's bathroom. He pushed it open and knocked on it, the only response he heard was a dripping faucet.
"Belle?" he asked, confused at the silence.
"What Shawn" came her tired response.
"Can we talk? Please?" he asked, still pausing in the doorway.
"There's nothing to talk..." she started.
"Well, you don't have to talk. I'll talk and you just listen, alright?" he interrupted. There was a long pause and he waited with his breath held deep in his chest.
"Ok" her response finally came and he let out the breath.
"Are you alone in there?"
"Yeah" she answered, and he finally stepped throug the bathroom door. "Belle, I just wanted to thank...geez, it's nice in here! Are women's rooms always this nice?" Belle giggled as she watched him gaze around the entrance to the ladies' room, which had a nice carpet in front of the vanity, a couch, and a few cushioned chairs.
"In nice restuarants and places they are done like this" she answered.
'No wonder you girls spend so much time in here" he muttered, before throwing himself down on a couch. "But anyways, thank you for forgiving me"
"I didn't forgive you" she answered, the smile fading as she turned back to the mirror. "I said I would listen to you"
"Oh" he answered. "Well, I am sorry. Regardless of whether or not you accept it"
"Tell me, Shawn" she said, staring him down through the mirror. "What are you apologizing for?"
"Umm..." he faltered, digging his hands deep into the pants of his tux, as if to be searching there for the answer. "You know...for what I did"
"And what did you do?" she asked, taking her lip gloss from her purse and beginning to apply it.
"You know, out there in the lobby" he said, motioning to the doorway. "With those girls"
"You think I'm mad because you talked to some girls?" she asked.
"Well, yeah" he answered, watching her intently.
"Shawn, what right would I have to get mad at you for talking to some girls?" she asked, her hand paused in mid-air.
"Well, because you...I mean, because I was....well, you were my date" he said, stumbling over his words.
"Shawn, you can talk to whoever you want" she said, finishing up and smacking her lips together. "That's not why I'm mad"
*                  *                 *                    *                          *
"What are you talking about?" Chloe asked, watching as Philip began to fumble around on the ground.
"Just help me look" came his reply.
"Christ Philip" she suddenly exclaimed, completely exasperated. "First you blow me off for a six-pack of prostitutes, then you get hit by a car, now you're crawling around a parking lot! What is going on here?"
"It'll all make sense in a few minutes, just help me look!" he demanded. Too tired to respond, she too began looking for *something* on the ground.
"Is this what you're looking for?" she finally said, after a minute. Philip spun around to find her holding up a rectangle velvet box.
"Yes! Thank you" he said, rushing over to take it from her but she held it out of her reach.
"I found it, let me see what it is" she said.
"No, you can't" he said.
"Why not?"
"Cause it's a surprise so please, give it back and we'll go inside" Philip demanded. Sulking, she handed it to him and they began to walk back into the restuarant.
"Is that surprise for me?" she asked.
"Shush" was all he said.
"Philip!" she whined.
"Yes, it's for you" he said. "Now act like you forgot about it until I bring it up again"
"That won't work" she said, as they entered the lobby.
"Try!" he shot back.
*             *                    *                   *                     *                        *
"What do you mean?" Mimi asked. What did Jason mean, he had another girl?
"Well, I...well, not really" he said. "I had one mentally but never physically"
"You're making no sense" she said, pulling away from him to stare at him quizically.
"I know, I know" he said. "If you would just give me a minute to put my thoughts together"
"Can I use the ladies room while you think?" she asked, standing up.
"No!" he said, grabbing her arm.
"Why not?" she asked.
"Because...I have to tell you...I mean...nevermind" he said, defeated.
"Jason" she said, sitting down again when she saw the look on his face. "Look, I'm sorry...talk to me about what's bothering you"
"No, the moment's lost" he muttered.
"The moment?" she asked.
"Yeah" he answered.
"By what?"
'That" he said, nodding up and she looked up to see Philip and Chloe rush back into the restuarant.
*              *                   *                   *                  *                        *
"It's not?" he asked.
"Nope"
"Then tell me what you are mad about" he demanded.
"No Shawn" she said, turning on her heel and leaning back against the sink.
"Why not?" he asked.
"Cause I want you to figure it out for yourself" she answered.
"But what if I don't?" he asked, as she fluffed her hair in the mirror.
"Your loss" she said, turning to leave. "Actually, sad thing is, it's both of our losses. But I can deal"
"Belle!" he said, jumping up and grabbing her arm as she reached for the door. "I really want us to work this out"
"Me too, Shawn" she answered. "Me too" She turned to pull open the door again but instead, the door was pushed in on her. With a gasp, Shawn jumped to hide out of eyesight of the doorway as two elderly women stepped in.
"Good evening, dear" the one said.
"Evening" Belle answered, nervously trying to figure out how to get Shawn out.
"That's a lovely dress you have there" the other said.
"Thank you, I was at a costume ball" Belle answered politely. The began to push past her and Belle watched in horror as they stumbled upon Shawn's hiding place.
"Oh my..." was all she heard, as she closed her eyes. She opened them to see the women staring at Shawn as his face continued changing to different shades of red.
"Evening, ladies" he managed to squeak out. They both turned to look at Belle, who was laughing so hard that her hair tendrils were bouncing.
"And this was my date, Shawn." she said. "Also known as Prince Charming"
"How do you do" the one answered, stiffly.
"Well, Belle, we must be going" he said, hurrying to her and grabbing her arm. "Our table is probably ready" He dragged her out of the door but as soon as they were outside, she shook his hand off.
"Don't bother" she said, walking away from him. Mimi jumped up from her position from Jason and they both dragged Chloe away from Philip to walk up to where the hostess stood.
"So, how'd you do, bro?" Philip asked, casually placing his arm on Shawn's shoulder as they watched the three girls.
"Belle just said the strangest thing" he said. "She's not mad at me for talking to the girls"
"What's she mad about then?" Jason asked, joining the two.
"She won't tell me, she wants me to figure it out" he said, perplexed. Jason and Philip shared a knowing glance that Shawn caught. "What? Do you guys know what's going on?"
"Better listen to Belle and figure it out for yourself" Jason said, laughing as he walked away to join the girls.
"What?" Shawn asked, looking at Philip. "You gotta help me out here"
"No way" Philip said, also starting to walk away. "I had to figure it out for myself"
"Figure what out?" he asked, running after him and grabbing him to pull him to a stop. "What do I have to figure out"
"Look, it's not fair for me to come right out and say it" Philip said, looking around to make sure that no one was within earshot. "But here's a clue-the chase is on"