#50: The Second Proposal

Alice and Dude got home just after 11 on Friday night.  Alice had been promoted to Mixologist, and was on an emotional high.

"Hey, guys, I'm going to the Blue Velvet to practice bartending.  Wanna come?" she asked Dude and Derek.

"I'm in," said Dude.

"I'm out," said Derek.  "I want to get in a nap before Kelly comes back at 1:00 a.m.

Alice changed out of her work uniform, and she and Dude headed out.

 

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Once at the Blue Velvet, Alice went to the bar to talk to Robin, a fellow bartender,

and Dude found Zoe, whom he'd called in advance to tell her that he'd be there.

"Oooh, Dude!" she cooed.  "Soooo happy to see you!!!"

Dude excused himself to go to the men's room.  Zoe was elated--until she saw Alice, who was now behind the bar.

"What are YOU doing here???" Zoe demanded in a snooty voice.

"Just bartending for free," Alice replied, pretending not to notice Zoe's tone, "trying to be better."

"NICE outfit," Zoe sniped.
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Back at the Utopia House, Kelly came home just after 1:00 a.m., having been promoted to Caterer (which meant she was still one promotion behind Alice).

Since she was hungry, and not that tired, she immediately got to work making her required 4 meals, including an Excellent Grilled Cheese,

which she managed on her first try.

She finished making her other 3 meals and went to bed.
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"It was kind of funny, really," Alice reported to Regina and Peter later that morning.  "Kelly was SO flustered at seeing Derek in his underpants!"

"So now they HAVE to get married!" Peter deadpanned.

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Derek waited impatiently for Kelly to arise on Saturday morning.

"Kelly, I've got a BIG surprise for you--a GREAT surprise!  Please come with me!"

"Umm, okay," Kelly said, amused by his enthusiasm.

Alice smiled broadly, because she guessed what was coming.

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"Derek, what IS this place?" Kelly asked.

"It's the house I bought.  For us.  So that we can live happily ever after," Derek announced boldly.

"Derek, that's very ... ummm ... sweet," Kelly said.  "But didn't you consider that I might want some say in my own house?"

"Just please come inside and give it a chance," Derek begged.  "If you don't like it, I'll sell it and we can get something else.  Please--the guys have worked really hard helping me on it.  And Alice and Regina, too."

Derek led her inside. 

"Ta-da!!!" he said, showing her the kitchen.  "What do you think???" he asked, somewhat nervously.

"Derek, this is lovely!" Kelly cried.

"And--look," he said, pulling her by the hand, "here we could put in a fireplace,"

"and we could put a desk under this window, so you could write cookbooks, and look outside."

"And this is a temporary bathroom," he explained.

"Eventually, once we add a second story, we can put bathrooms up there, and we can change this into just a powder room."

"And this room is supposed to be the dining room, but for right now, I thought, well ...."

"Kelly, will you please do me the great honor of marrying me?" Derek asked, going down on one knee and offering her a ring.