Unwedded Bliss - What If? - Feb 15th
Feb. 15th, 2017 03:46 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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section7mfuThese What If? Challenges certainly conform to the word challenge :-)
Prompt - In the Concrete Overcoat Affair, What if Pia and Napoleon had actually gotten married?
..................................................................
Napoleon attracted the attention of the barman and ordered his second whiskey.
“You don’t seem to be yourself today, Mr Solo,” Lenny commented, as he poured the drink. “Wanna talk about it?”
“Thanks, Lenny,” Napoleon replied, as he accepted the glass. “But talking isn’t going to sort this problem out.”
The barman offered a sympathetic smile and left him to his own thoughts. Like all good bar workers the world over, Lenny was the sole of discretion. Napoleon looked at his watch a split second before the door opened. The man he was meeting was exactly on time.
“May I get you drink, Signor Stiletto?” he asked, as the man took the seat beside him.
Arturo Stiletto, better known as ‘Fingers’ to his friends and enemies, accepted the offer and waited until he received it before he said anything further.
“I’m pleased you agreed to meet me,”
“Can’t say no to family,” Napoleon replied unhappily.
“Indeed, and that is why I am here, fella.”
“I thought Pia might come.”
“She can’t bear to see you,” Stiletto told him. My niece likes you, but she doesn’t love you, and she doesn’t want to tie you down. The child believes it would be easier for all concerned if you didn’t see each other just yet.”
“That’s all very well, Signor, but we are married. That isn’t something we can ignore.”
“Well, yeah,” the Italian said, hesitantly. “Maybe we were a little hasty in forcing you both into wedlock.”
“I was found I her room,” Napoleon replied. “You were simply trying to protect her honour.”
“I know two things, Solo. Pia is a good girl and you are a good man. Pia has sworn to God that nothing went on and we believe her. Also, from what I have learned in your company, you are a man of honour. Therefore, I also take you at your word.”
Napoleon drained his drink and called for another.
“Pia is a sweet girl,” he stated. “But marriage isn’t for me and I simply don’t love her. My actions have trapped her and she deserves more than I can give her, but what can we do? Divorce wouldn’t harm my reputation but it could hurt Pia.”
“Annulment,” Fingers stated bluntly.
“Of course, why didn’t I think of that?”
It was such a simple solution for all concerned. Being married had made Napoleon face the prospect of early retirement from field duty. He wasn’t ready for that, but Waverly had said there would be no other option, unless Solo could find a way out of his predicament. Napoleon had thought of divorce, but hadn’t wanted to damage Pia’s reputation any more than he already had done. Besides, he figured the Stiletto brothers wouldn’t have taken too kindly to the suggestion.
“Forgive me for saying, Signor, but I wouldn’t have imagined you would be so accommodating over this situation. Especially given how keen you were for the wedding to happen quickly.”
Stiletto laughed heartily and slapped Napoleon on the back.
“I like you Solo, but I don’t really want you in my family,” he said. “Pia assures me that your relationship remains unconsummated, so an annulment should be easy to arrange.”
“I’d like to see her again.”
“Come to the restaurant opening,” Stiletto invited. “Bring your partner and your boss.”
“Thank you, Signor. I will.”
Fingers left the bar, leaving Napoleon feeling much lighter than he had.
“Another one, Mr Solo?” asked the barman.
“No thanks, Lenny,” Napoleon replied, paying for what he’d had and adding a generous tip. “Life has suddenly improved.”
.
Prompt - In the Concrete Overcoat Affair, What if Pia and Napoleon had actually gotten married?
..................................................................
Napoleon attracted the attention of the barman and ordered his second whiskey.
“You don’t seem to be yourself today, Mr Solo,” Lenny commented, as he poured the drink. “Wanna talk about it?”
“Thanks, Lenny,” Napoleon replied, as he accepted the glass. “But talking isn’t going to sort this problem out.”
The barman offered a sympathetic smile and left him to his own thoughts. Like all good bar workers the world over, Lenny was the sole of discretion. Napoleon looked at his watch a split second before the door opened. The man he was meeting was exactly on time.
“May I get you drink, Signor Stiletto?” he asked, as the man took the seat beside him.
Arturo Stiletto, better known as ‘Fingers’ to his friends and enemies, accepted the offer and waited until he received it before he said anything further.
“I’m pleased you agreed to meet me,”
“Can’t say no to family,” Napoleon replied unhappily.
“Indeed, and that is why I am here, fella.”
“I thought Pia might come.”
“She can’t bear to see you,” Stiletto told him. My niece likes you, but she doesn’t love you, and she doesn’t want to tie you down. The child believes it would be easier for all concerned if you didn’t see each other just yet.”
“That’s all very well, Signor, but we are married. That isn’t something we can ignore.”
“Well, yeah,” the Italian said, hesitantly. “Maybe we were a little hasty in forcing you both into wedlock.”
“I was found I her room,” Napoleon replied. “You were simply trying to protect her honour.”
“I know two things, Solo. Pia is a good girl and you are a good man. Pia has sworn to God that nothing went on and we believe her. Also, from what I have learned in your company, you are a man of honour. Therefore, I also take you at your word.”
Napoleon drained his drink and called for another.
“Pia is a sweet girl,” he stated. “But marriage isn’t for me and I simply don’t love her. My actions have trapped her and she deserves more than I can give her, but what can we do? Divorce wouldn’t harm my reputation but it could hurt Pia.”
“Annulment,” Fingers stated bluntly.
“Of course, why didn’t I think of that?”
It was such a simple solution for all concerned. Being married had made Napoleon face the prospect of early retirement from field duty. He wasn’t ready for that, but Waverly had said there would be no other option, unless Solo could find a way out of his predicament. Napoleon had thought of divorce, but hadn’t wanted to damage Pia’s reputation any more than he already had done. Besides, he figured the Stiletto brothers wouldn’t have taken too kindly to the suggestion.
“Forgive me for saying, Signor, but I wouldn’t have imagined you would be so accommodating over this situation. Especially given how keen you were for the wedding to happen quickly.”
Stiletto laughed heartily and slapped Napoleon on the back.
“I like you Solo, but I don’t really want you in my family,” he said. “Pia assures me that your relationship remains unconsummated, so an annulment should be easy to arrange.”
“I’d like to see her again.”
“Come to the restaurant opening,” Stiletto invited. “Bring your partner and your boss.”
“Thank you, Signor. I will.”
Fingers left the bar, leaving Napoleon feeling much lighter than he had.
“Another one, Mr Solo?” asked the barman.
“No thanks, Lenny,” Napoleon replied, paying for what he’d had and adding a generous tip. “Life has suddenly improved.”
.
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no subject
Date: 2017-02-15 03:59 pm (UTC)I'm posting mine later today, and it's more an overview of the Concrete Overcoat but still deals with Napoleon's dilemma. I ended up rewriting pars of the episode in a very abbreviated form. I just couldn't focus on it from a different angle the way you did.
no subject
Date: 2017-02-15 06:57 pm (UTC)I had tried several ways at which to come at this challenge, but not of them would work for me. This came to me over breakfast and I was worried I'd focused it a little too much.
no subject
Date: 2017-02-15 04:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-02-15 06:58 pm (UTC)No, I imagine being married to the law might hobble them a little.
no subject
Date: 2017-02-15 04:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-02-15 06:58 pm (UTC)I tried so many angles before this one came to me.
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Date: 2017-02-15 06:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-02-15 06:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-02-16 12:26 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-02-16 02:36 pm (UTC)It was quite a challenge this one.
no subject
Date: 2017-02-16 02:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-02-16 02:37 pm (UTC)Than you for another extremely challenging situation.