Our story thus far: Charles Crafton has been dating Alina Stanton for some time, but is at the Symphony with another girl at his mother's behest.
"So, you are dating someone!" pretty Marissa Fairbanks said, smiling wryly. "And you don't want to tell your mother!"
Charles was quite shocked by her aplomb, by her easy manner and laughter at such a revelation in the midst of what could be termed a date.
"Well, yes," he agreed, "I've been dating Alina for quite a few months, and I haven't gotten up the courage to tell my mother about her!"
"Well, that's a relief!" Marissa laughed, her whole face lighting up. "I'm dating someone, only he's living in Southfield. Since I moved back I've been afraid to tell my mother!"
They laughed about being on a date together while they were dating other people, and how meddlesome their mothers could be.
"Our mothers are so very much alike!" Marissa said, and she began to regal Charles with some stories about her mother. Charles was laughing so hard he was almost crying when the lights went down and the orchestra started playing again.
After the Symphony was over Charles took Marissa to a fashionable cafe for coffee and pastries.
They discussed the music and how wonderful the violinist was, talked about their jobs and hobbies, and were laughing once more about their mothers, when Marissa got a thoughtful look in her eyes.
She leaned forward, her chin cupped in her hands, and said, "Why don't we humor them?"
"What?" Charles said, blinking.
"Why don't we humor our mothers for a little while? Pretend we're dating, pretend like we really like each other, and let them think they really did us a favor. But actually, you'll bring along Alina and I'll bring along Garner if he's in town, and then eventually you and I will have a spectacular fight and vow to never see each other again!"
Charles looked at her with great admiration in his eyes.
"That, my dear, is a capital idea! So sly, so sneaky!" He paused to take a sip of his coffee. "Are you sure you didn't study law?"
A few days after the Symphony, Charles could scarcely contain his good humor. Even the dullest, most frightening of his cases couldn't knock the smile off his face. His coworkers had commented on how happy he seemed; even Agnes, who was known to be a perpetual frowner, had been infected and was smiling.
Agnes was practically grinning as she ushered Alina into his office.
"What do you suppose she's so happy about?" she muttered crossly, twirling some of her red hair in her fingers. "And you, why you look positively glowing! Don't tell me you're all excited about this Marissa Fairbanks person!"
"Alina, dear!" Charles exclaimed, getting up to give her a kiss and hardly noticing her bad mood.
"The Symphony was so wonderful, and you'd never believe what Marissa was wearing!"
Without waiting for a reply, he rushed on. "She was wearing one of your dresses -- the beautiful green silk one!"
Alina couldn't help but brighten up about that. And she brightened up even further when Charles explained what they were going to do to their mothers; she was absolutely radiant when he produced a rose and escorted her off to a romantic picnic lunch.
