A classic good-news, bad news scenario

[suey_generis]

Sunday morning, coming down

How's this for a weekend to-do list?

Friday: get engaged. Saturday: catch your friend's boyfriend making out with the son of your best friend/lover and your mortal enemy. Sunday: Take Kara ice skating. Break the news to Kara about her cheating boyfriend

Comments

[tm_darla]

Darla hasn't read the news yet. Since Kara got an early visitor who whisked her away , Darla and Angel exploited the teenager free apartment situation and conveniently ignored the ringing phone during trying to find out just how Angel's new human status could be exploited in interesting ways. Kara still hasn't come back yet, though, and they're starting to get worried. Trying for some distraction, Darla picks up her cell phone and calls back. When she hears his voice, she teases, with a smile in hers:

And just what is it I'm going to read in the newspapers? Have you broken another champagne bottle on Tucker Wells, caro?

[suey_generis]

For the moment, he would just as soon ignore the question of which young people he may or may not have tussled with.

Funny story. I'm getting married.

At least, I got engaged.

That's a first for me.

You're invited, of course.

[tm_darla]

Oh.

Now theoretically, she should not miss a beat with a witty, friendly reply. After all, it's not like she's in love with him, or ever was. They are best friends with sexual benefits, that's all, and right now she's back with her darling boy anyway.

But as he said, it is a first, and thus her first, unguarded reaction, which might flatter his vanity as it shows she might feel a bit more than she's aware of for him, is just:

Oh.

Then she rallies, and gets back into teasing mode. She's happy, after all, and so should he be. Besides, Piper struck her as good company.

You realize you're going to break Alan's heart with this, don't you?

[suey_generis]

He notices her hesitancy and isn't sure what to make of it. He's never been one to make a big deal about ownership -- one of the reasons that Darla's whole 'darling boy' routine used to get under his skin (not the only reason of course). Therefore, he's not used to inspiring jealousy. . . if that is in fact what Darla's reaction indicates.

Rather than giving it much more thought, he defaults to a joke.

Who says Alan isn't involved in this engagement?

[kara_marie]

She sends an SMS in the end:

HI TODD, SORRY TO BE LAME BUT HAVE TO CANCEL. SICK. THANKS ANYWAY. XXX KARA

[suey_generis]

Oh great, she's sick. Well, he doesn't want to make her feel worse.

FEEL BETTER! CALL ME. I HAVE NEWS. WHEN YOU'RE BETTER. UNLESS I SHOULD TELL YOU NOW? WHATEVER YOU THINK. CALL ME.

Whenever somebody sends a long text message, Todd Campbell gets a little richer, so he doesn't bother to count his words.

[kara_marie]

IF IT IS GOOD NEWS TELL ME NOW. XXX K

[suey_generis]

Well, the Harry part isn't good news. He's not sure how she'll feel about the rest, but he gives it a shot.

I'M GETTING MARRIED. I WILL TELL YOU THE REST LATER.

[not_a_eunuch]

Angel receives the message and is puzzled by what Todd could be referring to. He's been distracted with dealing with his new humanity so he has no idea what could be going on. Deciding that it's probably best to return Todd's call with at least a bit of privacy, he enters the bedroom he shares with Darla and uses her address book to retrieve Todd's number. Once he locates the number he places the call.

[suey_generis]

By this point, he's already broken the engagement news to Darla, and he thinks she might have told Angel. But he did his best to keep anything involving Connor out of the conversation.

As soon as he recognizes Angel's number on caller-ID, the Immortal launches into a rant.

Seriously, Angelus, have you considered anger-management for that kid?

[not_a_eunuch]

Angel is taken back by the tone of Todd's voice that it takes him a minute to even register what Todd is saying. Anger-management for Connor? Well.

"What happened?" He asks and deep down he's maybe hoping Todd and Connor got into a fight. Of course he has no idea what really happened when Todd came across Connor in New York.

[suey_generis]

"He threw me across a room," the Immortal snaps.

He has debated whether to include this information, but hell, the kid has superstrength and he doesn't. There's no shame. However, he quickly adds, "Don't tell Darla." Not, of course, because it would make him look weak but because, "I don't want to upset her. She worries about the kid."

Then before Angel can get too superior, he adds, "Hey, I got a guy to snap some pictures of you in that hat. Want me to send them over?"

[alan_shore]

Once he's finished serving his contempt sentence, Alan's again at liberty to check his messages. All several hundred of them. Once he's perused the day's paper, he figures the news warrants a return call, so call back he does.

[suey_generis]

Seeing Alan's name on caller-ID, Todd picks up the phone and says cockily,

I assume you're calling to congratulate me.

[alan_shore]

Actually, I was calling to say it's not me, so it must be you.

[suey_generis]

As usual, you're too clever for me.

What??