Our story thus far: Lawyer Charles Layton Crafton has been dating a clothing designer, Alina Stanton, for quite some time. The two met when they plowed their cars together. Charles finds himself in a predicament -- he has agreed to take his mother's friend's daughter, Marissa, to the Symphony.
Charles dressed that night with extra care. He wasn't sure why he agonized over each bit of clothing; he just knew that he normally did not dress too smashingly and knew he wanted to look nice for the Symphony.
He muttered to himself as he put on his tie, muttered as he ran a brush through his brown hair and muttered as he collected his keys and went out to his car.
He couldn't believe he'd let himself get into such a predicament -- his lovely Alina was staying home on a Friday night, while he took another woman to the Symphony.
"It's all my mother's fault!" he muttered as he put the key in the ignition and started the car. "I know she wants what's best for me, but sometimes..."
He carefully shifted gears, carefully pulled out of his driveway onto the busy street. He had learned his lesson about not watching where he was going -- Alina had only just gotten her car back from the repair shop!
By the time he reached the Fairbank's home, he had simmered into a slightly better mood; by the time he rang the doorbell, he was positively whistling.
"Hello, Mrs. Fairbanks!" he said when she opened the door. She ushered him into a sitting area and gushed on and on about how happy she and his mother were.
"We just knew you two would be compatible!" she was saying, and she turned her head and clapped her hands together as Marissa walked into the room.
"Don't you look lovely, darling?" she said, while Charles merely stared. The dress she was wearing was made of a lovely green silk, and had the stamp of Alina all over it.
And Marissa did look lovely; her golden tresses were bound up on her head, and the green made her eyes stand out.
He couldn't help but blurt out, "My, but that looks like an Alina Stanton creation!"
Marissa glanced at him, a puzzled smile on her face, and said that it was.
"I wasn't aware that lawyers were knowledgeable about clothing designers!"
He murmured something to the effect of that he knew just one, Christine Fairbanks took their picture like they were teenagers going to their first dance, and Charles saw her into the car.
At the Symphony everyone commented on Marissa's lovely gown, and Charles felt something like the Ugly Duckling ushering the Swan around the lake.
But the music was lovely and the guest violinist obviously had a great deal of talent, and eventually Charles found that he had relaxed and was enjoying himself.
He had quite forgotten his mention of Alina, so he was surprised when Marissa turned to him during the intermission and asked how it was that he knew Alina Stanton's work.
"Well," he said, taking in a deep breath and then plunging on, "I've been dating Alina for quite some time..."
To his surprise and horror, Marissa began to laugh.
