First Impressions: A Modern Pride and Prejudice Adaptation

Chapter 5

Liz had always been very particular about the way she packed. She would pair out each day's outfit in her mind, paring down the items until she had just enough to cover every day. While she did not often go on trips, she had certainly turned the prep work into a science.

Despite the exacting standards of Darcy and the sisters—or more likely because of—, Liz decided to bring some of the sadder pieces of hiking gear. Her oldest, most worn in boots, a high school cross country jacket, the Peter Pan baseball cap that her father had attempted to dispose of, which she promptly save from the jaws of the garbage dump, that had a tear along the back... If she was going to hike all over the state park, she would certainly do it in comfort.

Jane seemed a little more preoccupied. She kept pulling thing out of her drawers and putting them back again. When Liz saw her looking at earrings, she swiped the jewelry out of her sister's hands. "I know you want to impress everyone, but remember we're going hiking, okay?"

Jane looked a little crestfallen, but she did put them away. She had recovered by the next morning after she returned home, none the worse for wear, although Mrs. Bennet had put her on tea and dry toast until her stomach growled so loudly around dinnertime that Mr. Bennet could hear it in the next room over.

On Thursday morning, Chip was coming to pick them up. He had told them he rented a car large enough to fit the lot of them—him, his sisters, the Bennets, and Darcy—but Liz wasn't sure she'd believe the image of Darcy and Caroline in a minivan until she saw it. Although he said he wouldn't be there until the late morning, Jane set an alarm for 7 AM and wandered around their room anxiously until Liz woke up.

She yawned and watched her sister continue to pace. "Chip said he wasn't coming until ten." Jane said nothing.

Eventually, Liz got out of bed, stifling another yawn, and dressed. In the bathroom, she pulled the sleeve of her t-shirt up all the way so she could inspect the skin underneath. The burn on her shoulder had peeled a little, but after rubbing aloe gel on it for a few days, it seemed to be healing nicely. It was only a little red and no longer hurt when she put on a quick application. She carefully drew her hair up into a tight, high ponytail and pinned her bangs to the top of her head to keep them out of her face. At the last second, she also swapped out her contacts for her glasses. Even if they were staying in a cabin, she had yet to forget what happened last time she wore contact lenses on a hiking trip. Even with a cap that screwed on, mosquitoes were drawn to the tiny pools of liquid. She shuddered thinking about those long spindly legs near her eyeballs again.

In the kitchen, Mrs. Bennet was fussing over Jane. "Mom, leave her hair alone. It's not like we're going there for the fashion; it's the woods!" She picked up an apple from the fruit bowl on the counter.

Mrs. Bennet's glance was stormy. "Elizabeth Mae, I don't see you meeting any nice young men right now. Chip Bingley was very kind to invite you along, but if you—"

"Mom," Jane muttered, ducking out of Mrs. Bennet's grasp, "please."

Mrs. Bennet raised her hands to the sky. "Fine. Fine. You don't want my help. If Chip doesn't take you on a date when you get back, don't come to me for advice!" She bustled back towards the counter, picked up a knife, and began loudly chopping a pile of vegetables. There was silence other than the hard clunking sound of the knife against the cutting board for several minutes before Mr. Bennet came down to breakfast.

The newspaper was already sitting in front of his chair but he paused before picking it up. "How long are you gone again, Lizzie?"

"Just 'till Monday night, Dad."

"Hmph. The house is remarkably free of sense when you are gone." He snapped the newspaper as he opened it, in time with an increase in the speed of chopping behind him. Liz hid a grin behind her hand. Cat and Lydia stormed into the kitchen so loudly that Jane jumped, spilling cereal on the kitchen table.