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Vanity bits and bobs
By thegirl20
3
Vanessa's minding her own business, eating breakfast with Charity at the kitchen table in the Woolpack, when a newspaper is thrust in front of her. Charity jabs her finger at it, grinning.
"Date night's sorted for this week, babe."
Vanessa leans over, squinting at the section Charity's finger is half covering. The words come into focus and she wrinkles her nose. "Oh. God. Charity. No."
Brow creased in confusion, Charity's grin fades and she looks at the paper. "Why not? It's Titanic!"
"Think you answered your own question there," Vanessa mumbles, shoving another spoonful of Rice Krispies in her mouth.
"It's a classic," Charity presses. "And it's, you know-" She rolls her eyes. "-all romantic and stuff. And Kate Winslet gets her baps out. I thought you'd be well up for it."
Vanessa can't help but smile at Charity's enthusiasm. And her reasons for thinking Vanessa would enjoy it. "You have awful taste in films," she says, fondly. "Why is it even on? It's ancient."
Picking up the paper, Charity shrugs. "Some James Cameron festival or something." She tosses the newspaper back on the table and leans back in her seat. "It's fine. Just thought you might fancy it."
Something twinges in Vanessa's chest; Charity's disappointed. "Well…I suppose I could be persuaded," she says, setting her cereal down and picking up the abandoned paper. "I mean, it's three hours alone in the dark with you, right? That definitely has appeal."
Slowly, Charity's smile reappears. She leans forward, elbows on the table. "I could book us seats in the back row?" She lifts her eyebrows. "Been a while since I had a grope in the pictures."
Vanessa laughs, rolling the paper up and using it to swat Charity's arm. "Hopeless romantic, you are."
Tilting her head, Charity smiles. "Oh, I dunno." She stands up and moves so that she's standing behind Vanessa's chair. She leans down and presses a kiss just below Vanessa's ear. "I'm beginning to understand why she gave up her seat in that lifeboat."
Vanessa's eyes fill with tears.