Darryl opens up more to Abbie

Darryl sighed again, and dropped his head. "Yeah," he said abruptly. "Well, that ship has sailed, hasn't it."

Abbie took a step toward Darryl and put a hand on his shoulder. "You're just not with the right people," she said, comforting him.

Darryl looked up at her. "And who are the 'right people'? You?"

Abbie shrugged. "Sure. I mean, I'm here now, aren't I?"

"Yeah, you are." He looked around a bit. "But come on. Look at me."

"I'm looking." Her hand was still on his shoulder, which she squeezed gently.

Darryl stared at her. "You are." He paused. "No, I mean -- you really are. You're not just humoring me, you're really looking at me, aren't you?"

Abbie nodded. She began rubbing his arm.

"Like it's simple," Darryl continued.

"It is simple. What could be simpler? I'm just -- here."

Darryl stared at her for a while before he finally asked, "Why?"

Abbie looked at him. "Why not? Call me curious." She put her other hand on his other arm, slowly running her palms up and down. She kept her eyes on his.

"You're curious," he said. "But I'm confused."

"Confused about what?"

"About why you're wasting time with me. I'm sure you have other things to do, other places to be. You're a total stranger."

"We've met," Abbie said. "I'm Abbie, you're Darryl, and now we're not strangers anymore. Besides, we're here for the same party, celebrating the same people. Right?"

Darryl nodded.

"So there it is." Abbie patted his arms and let go, taking a step back again.

"There it is."

Abbie watched him for another moment, unconvinced that the conversation was over. And it wasn't.

"Abbie," he said.

"Yes?"

"Why did you ... I mean, why are you comforting me?"

Abbie shrugged. "You looked sad."

"So ... pity?"

"More like compassion."

Darryl gave Abbie a doubtful look. "You're concerned for me?"

Abbie smiled and looked up for a moment before turning back to Darryl. "What can I say? I care about people. I like to help."

Darryl sighed again, smiling tightly. "And it's that simple? I find a woman like you, and all the evils of the world will go away?"

Abbie laughed. "Well ... yeah!" She turned to face him directly. "Having someone to share things with -- that's what human connection is all about. If we don't connect, we don't understand, we don't grow."

"So the reverse is true. If we haven't understood, if we haven't grown -- then we haven't connected?"

Abbie nodded. "That makes sense."

"It's just math," Darryl said.

"Your specialty."

"Former"

"Former specialty. You retired."

Darryl chuckled. "You were listening." He paced away from her, then turned back. "I think what I would normally do would be to walk away, and probably wallow in more self-loathing for a while. But ... you're kind of fascinating."

"I am, aren't I?" said Abbie with a cute smirk.

"And so I'm not walking away." He took a few steps back toward Abbie. "You seem sincere. Honest. I clearly don't know you, and I swear, I don't typically take life advice from strange women who are forty years younger than me. But you're making me think."

"About what?"

"Do you think a woman like you, someone who can listen, who is compassionate, who is open-minded ... who is absolutely gorgeous, I hope you don't mind me saying ... do you think a woman like that exists?"