The date
Their date is scheduled a day right before they leave for the tour, which isn't practical, but it works. Marlene has the perfect date planned for them. She's going to take them to the art museum, dinner at a fancy restaurant, and then hopefully, get some sleep before the flight.
“Dorcas Meadows.”
“Killian, how are you?”
“I’m fine. You?”
“Actually, I’m on a date right now. Killian, this is Marlene McKinnon. Marls, this is Killian Jones, a family friend.”
Marlene smiles at him. “Nice to meet you.”
“Aren’t you that drummer from the Valkyries?”
“Guilty.”
“Funny how you’re all from the same small town.”
Marlene’s eyes widen and she turns to Dorcas. “You’re from here?”
Dorcas smiles weakly. “Kil, table?”
After they both order, Marlene brings up the question again. “You’re from here?”
Dorcas’s smile falters. “Alright, look, I didn’t want to tell you this on our second date, but, well, I didn’t have the best life growing up. I have a sister, Elizabeth. She was the favorite and always respected by anyone who saw her. Hell, you could even say she was more beautiful than I was and that’s why she got special treatment. But my problems aren’t my sister, they’re with my parents. Even though I was the oldest, I was never cared for. That’s what made me run away from my family. And Emma Vanity? She was my best friend for a long time, that’s who I ran to. We drifted apart after I became famous, and we haven’t spoken to each other since until the party.”
Marlene nods along to what she’s saying, letting Dorcas know she’s listening without interrupting.
“Killian is a family friend, but he’s much more than that. I was engaged to him the night I left.”
Marlene’s eyes widen in understanding.
“Killian understood, of course, but my parents and sister never did. Killian and I reconnected a few years ago and he told me after I left, Elizabeth and him got engaged and then he ran away, too.” Dorcas looks behind her at her friend. “I regretted running away because Kilian’s life was ruined after I clearly rejected him, and then him rejecting my sister wasn’t any better for either of their reputations.” Dorcas looks back at her, revealing regret in her eyes.
Marlene reaches for Dorcas’s hand, and she rubs circles over her hand. “It’s not your fault. Killian could have accepted the proposal, but he didn’t. He probably would’ve rejected yours if you hadn’t run away first.”
Dorcas smiles. “So, I heard you talking when we first met. You have your own issues with family.”
Marlene sighs, getting ready to explain her family history.
***
Dorcas gasps. “I’ve always wanted to go here, but I’ve never had the money and then I just forgot when I got it.”
“Well, we’re here now.” They walk in and are both awed by how much work is there. This museum is special to Windsor because these is filled with the village's art, not famous peoples. Dorcas looks around at all the statues and painting and stops at one particular one. “What?” Marlene asks, curious.
“This one looks like my sister.”
Marlene looks at the statue and considers it. “Looks like a pale ass statue to me.”
Dorcas laughs. “Maybe it isn’t her, but it damn well looks a little like her.” Dorcas backs up and grabs Marlene’s hand. “Come on. Let’s go look at other statues.”
-
Sirius groans from the sunlight filtering through the curtains. “Rise and shine, darling.” Remus’s chipper voice comes from the window. “Time to catch a plane.”
“Five more minutes.” Sirius groans.
“No, we have to go now, or we’ll be late.”’
“They’ll wait.”
Remus’s laugh fills the room and makes Sirius light up, just from hearing it. “No, they won’t. Come on.” Remus says, pulling up his fiancée.
Sirius groans and looks at the clock in the bathroom. “Remus John Lupin! It is only five am!”
Remus’s laugh comes muffled from the other room, probably from a pillow. “My bed now!”
-
James lazily walks into the terminal, Marlene behind him still tired from her date last night. “Marls!” Dorcas’s voice comes from the other side of the airport. Marlene’s head shoots up and she pushes James to get past him and runs to her.
“For someone who says they’re too tired to drive, you sure can run fast.” James says.
"It’s not my fault you don’t have a girlfriend, unlike me.”
“I don't need a girl.”
“No, you need a boy.” Lily says from behind him.
“Shut up, Lils!”
Lily laughs and walks to the seat by Mary and sits down. Dorcas and Marlene are sat behind them, Peter is sitting beside them, Pandora and Emmeline are beside Barty and Evan, and Sirius and Remus aren’t here yet, along with Regulus. Their flight number is called and they all board, still waiting for Remus, Sirius, and Regulus.
Chaos comes from outside the plane, then Sirius comes running up the steps in the plane. “We made it, motherfuckers!” Remus and Regulus come up from behind him and just start walking to their seats, ignoring his antics.
James hears Barty talking to Regulus. “Where have you been?”
“My idiot brother forgot to pick me up, so they had to turn back.”
“Remus didn’t say anything?” Evan asks.
Regulus scoffs. “No. Sirius didn’t tell him.”
Marlene walks up to James and flops herself down right beside him. “So, where are we going first?”
“New York.” James replies.
Marlene stands up and yells, “New York, here we come!”