Gordon goes to Virgil for advice on how to finally get the girl.
“Virgil, I need you.”
Gordon was standing in the open doorway, bouncing from one foot to the other. His brother looked up in surprise at the interruption, glancing at Brains as he did so.
“Sure Gords, what’s up?”
“Umm,” said Gordon, looking uncomfortably at Brains. “Personal problem.”
Brains took the hint, graciously picking up the tablet he and Virgil had been poring over together.
“Come on, M-MAX,” he called cheerfully over his shoulder. “We need to upgrade the kitchen p-programming.”
“See you in a bit, Brains,” called Virgil. He stood up straight, stretching out his shoulders and flopping down on the old and stained couch tucked into the corner of the workshop. Gordon follows suit and finds a mug of coffee pressed into his hands before he can say a word.
“Thanks,” he said.
“No worries,” said Virgil. “Now, seriously, what do you need?”
Gordon took a sip and pulled a face. He doesn’t drink coffee, finds the taste overpowering and bitter. It does have one advantage – it buys him a few moments to collect his thoughts.
“Okay, so Penelope kissed me,” he began, “and I thought it was just friendly, because she does that right? But I felt all weird about it and I told John and he says they aren’t dating and I needed to talk to Penelope and I can’t work out if he’s being obtuse or cryptic and now I keep thinking about every time we’ve talked and maybe she does and maybe she doesn’t, but fuck Virgil, what am I gonna say?”
So perhaps his thoughts weren’t very collected in the end.
Virgil considered for a minute, eyeing how Gordon ran his right hand through his hair, how his left knee hadn’t stopped bouncing since he sat down, and how his eyes were wide despite the way his brow is furrowed over them.
“So Lady Penelope and John aren’t dating?”
Gordon stares at him.
“How is that the only thing of value you got out of that? No, they’re not dating.”
“Excellent,” said Virgil, leaning back with a pleased smile. “Scott owes me fifty bucks. So yeah, that was pretty valuable, thanks.”
“Virgil!”
“Sorry, sorry!” He doesn’t sound sorry in the least, but Gordon is too impatient to draw attention to this fact.
“Okay,” said Virgil. “You like Lady Penelope, and you know she’s unattached, and now you want to see if she’ll go on a date with you?”
“Yes!”
“Have you considered talking to her?”
Gordon let out a pained groan. “Have I considered – yes, I’ve considered that! How, Virgil, how?”
“Well, I can help herd everyone away from you after dinner if you want to speak to her alone,” Virgil offered. “Tell everyone that Brains and MAX have made a new friction stir welder that can be used out in space? That’ll get Alan and John out of the way, and you know how Scott loves to play with new toys.”
“Yeah,” muttered Gordon, “yeah, that’ll work.”
“And then you just rip the band-aid off,” said Virgil, cheerfully.
Gordon pictured it in his head. He could see Virgil and Brains discussing gear over dinner, dropping hints that were really an expectation that the family should follow them to the hangar. The glint in Kayo’s eye as he held back, because if Virgil knew what was going on then Kayo would find out soon enough. Him calling softly to Penelope to stay behind. Only, he could see where this ended, Scott telling Gordon to hurry up, the family stopping to look back at them, feeling helpless and caught and embarrassed.
“Thanks Virgil,” said Gordon. An ice cold feeling had crept into his heart as he imagined the event and he shuddered slightly. “But yeah, no, that’s not gonna work for me.”
“Why not?”
“You’ll all know,” he said and just like that, he can feel the ice rising again. “I’ve sat on this for eighteen months Virg, and it’s been a secret this whole time.”
“And up until now it’s just been an idle fantasy with no real consequences?” asked Virgil shrewdly.
“Exactly!”
Gordon was leaning forward, staring down at his shoes, coffee long abandoned in favour for fidgeting fingers. Virgil shoved his knee lightly with his foot.
“Hey, listen to me,” he said, waiting for Gordon to look up at him. “I know this feels awful but it’s a good sign. Imagine if you went rushing into this without worrying, without caring. You know this is important, not just for you and her, but for all of us.”
“I just want it to be perfect,” said Gordon. “Prove to her this is for real, you know?”
Virgil nodded. “You know that she’s not expecting perfect, right? If she likes you back, then she’ll just want to see you have the courage to be vulnerable, to put yourself in her hands and trust her.”
“Well that’s horrifying.”
Virgil just laughed.
It happens like this.
Virgil and Brains corralled the family after dinner. Scott saw the way Gordon hung back, but was pulled away by their father before he could open his mouth. Kayo’s eyes did glint, but she wasn’t looking at him, staring delightedly at Penelope instead. He didn’t need to ask her to stay because she was already taking him by the hand and leading him outside.
“Gordon Tracy, we need to talk.” Penelope spoke first, decisive, calm, and with a warmth that collected in Gordon’s chest.
“Yeah, we do,” he said, suddenly shy and looking very deliberately at her nose instead of her eyes. He smiled as it crinkled and she gently tips his gaze upwards.
They stared at each other, both aware of the change their next words will bring but holding back all the same. The day seems too commonplace to Gordon, too ordinary to contain the grandiose of this moment.
“I spoke to John,” said Gordon at last. “Turns out you’re not together.”
“No, we’re not,” said Penelope. “I was rather thinking you would never catch on.”
“You must’ve thought I was a right idiot,” he said sheepishly, but Penelope shook her head.
“Not an idiot,” she said. “I simply never understood why you didn’t do anything when you were so obviously interested.”
"Was I really that obvious?”
Her eyes brightened and he saw for the first time the way she always ducked her head when she smiled.
“Gordon, darling, I think the only way you could have been more obvious would have been to write it in the sky.”
“Do you think Dad would let me borrow a plane? I’d give it a go.”
“Would you really?” Penelope asked, sounding entirely too pleased by the prospect.
“Heck Pen, I think I’d do just about anything you asked me,” said Gordon, his voice soft yet earnest.
“That’s a very dangerous idea to be sharing with me.”
“Don’t you know? Us Tracys always run towards danger.”
“Yes, you’re all very noble.”
“You love it though.”
“Yes,” said Penelope, looking thoughtfully at him. “I suppose I do.”
She shone in the evening sun and Gordon carefully reached out a hand to run his fingers though her hair spun like gold. She didn’t notice the slight tremble in his fingertips but instead lifted her own hand to meet his, guiding it down to rest upon her shoulder. She pulled him closer.
Gordon reached behind Penelope and plucked a flower from the overgrown shrub, branches hanging over the balcony. Gently, he tucked its long stem behind her ear.
“Oh,” she whispered, feeling for the flower with wide eyes.
“I’d like to take you out some time, Pen,” he informed her gravely. “Just name the date.”
He doesn’t relax until she smiles, bright and brilliant.
“Next Tuesday. I’ll be waiting.”
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