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Charlotte walked over to her daughter and wrapped her in a soft, loving hug. “No, Honey. For right now, let me enjoy having you here and spoiling you. Tomorrow, I’ll be over it and expect you to give me a hand around here.”
She patted her daughter’s face, gave her a peck on the cheek, and a sincere smile, then returned to the job of peeling potatoes and placing them in a pot of water to boil.
Elizabeth and her parents sat down to enjoy supper. No one talked for a while as they were too busy eating and enjoying the peace and quiet.
Jackson finally broke the silence. “So, not to get too focused on the future, but do you have plans for getting a job, Lizzy? We are so proud of you and love having you around; you can stay here as long as you need, but after working so hard to get that piece of paper, you need to put it to use.”
Elizabeth started with a small sigh and stared down at her plate. Finally, she looked up. “Dad, Mom, this last semester was difficult, and I had a lot of different things going on. I was hoping that I could relax at the boutique for a little bit, while I figure out my future.”
Disappointment swam over Elizabeth’s expression as she started to mindlessly push her green beans around on her plate. If they only knew how difficult things really became this semester. But she couldn’t tell them. Not yet—maybe not ever. Some things are better kept to yourself and dealt with alone.
“Dinner was delicious, Mom. If nothing else, your cooking makes being at home worth it. Keep cooking like that, and maybe I’ll never move out!”
Elizabeth sat back, chewed her last bite of meatloaf and potatoes, and finished off her Diet Coke as she tried to avoid the looks of concerned humor on her parents’ faces.
“Well, I do what I can to make you happy. I’m glad you are still easy to please, but let’s not go that far.” Charlotte exclaimed with a smile and light laugh. “I’m sorry you had a hard time this semester, but you got that degree, and you’re a smart girl! Get back to the boutique, enjoy your summer, and we will see what your future holds.” She set to work clearing the table and Elizabeth got up to help.
“Thanks for your understanding, Mom, and Dad.” Elizabeth gave her parents a small smile and received smiles in return from them both.
“Oh, by the way,” Elizabeth quickly changed the subject, hoping to catch her parents off guard a little, while their minds were on her troubles last semester. “Stacey, the neighbor, told me she was having a few friends over tonight, and asked if I would like to come and meet some people. If it’s ok, I think I’d like to go.” Elizabeth, not sure about what her parents thought of their young neighbor, asked a little apprehensively. Even though she is an adult, in the world’s eyes at least, they still tend to be overprotective of their only daughter and are picky about what she does and who she hangs out with.
“Sure. Go ahead, and have fun,” answered her dad. “We were planning on going out tonight anyway but weren’t sure if we were still going to go. If you have something to do, we will go out too.”
“Thanks. I’m going to finish getting ready. Tomorrow will be a family day after church, just like old times.” Elizabeth hugged her mom, gave her dad a peck on his cheek, happily skipped out of the kitchen, and up to her room.
She closed the door to her bedroom, let out a big sigh, and leaned her back against it. Shaking her head and trying to clear her mind of her thoughts, she went into her bathroom to finish putting on what little makeup she wore—mainly a little eye shadow, some blush, and of course, a little lipstick.
“Crap, I almost forgot.” Elizabeth grabbed her pack of birth control pills from the back of the drawer she threw them in and took her daily pill with a little water. She stopped, stared at the container, and tried to think for a minute. She shook her head because she was not sure of the last time one had been taken, shrugged her shoulders and zipped them back into the small black pouch and placed it at the back of the bathroom drawer where they would stay, away from any wandering eyes. She was not in the mood for questions.
Elizabeth’s parents yelled up that they were leaving. She yelled to them to have a good time, as she finished unpacking and organizing her things, adding to the growing pile on the floor of clothes to donate.
“Time for me to get out of here, also. I need to relax and have a good time. New friends, a clean slate, and new adventures. College is finally behind me, thank God. Time to forget that mess and get a real life!”
It was a crisp, beautiful, warm summer night when Elizabeth left her house and started across the yard for Stacey’s. The sky was clear, and the first star was already out. Maybe it was Venus; maybe it was Mars; she didn’t know, but she was in a positive mood. Something she had not felt in a while.
On the short walk across the well-manicured yard, Elizabeth couldn’t help but think back to the discussion she had with her parents, and how she struggled in school this year. Her priority had not been her classes. She had spent too much time partying and not enough time studying. Elizabeth hoped she could start getting away from the past. Make some positive changes and better decisions. Life is too short. She needs to focus on the future and stop living in the past. She’s young and she has a lot of life left to live.
Stacey’s backyard was beautifully kept. She did a good job making sure she had flowers in pots, and she even had some vegetables already starting to grow.
Elizabeth walked up the steps to the back deck. There were a couple chairs and a lounger with matching pillows to add a touch of color. She immediately felt the hominess of the space. It was somewhere you could relax after a long day and enjoy the outdoors.
Her pulse quickened and her eyes gleamed as she reached her hand toward the door and found herself contemplating the possibilities of the night before her. Elizabeth hoped she would be able to relax and have a good time. These people don’t know her or the choices she made in her past. She can start over, wipe the slate clean. Tonight, she can relax and enjoy everything without fear of judgment.
She took a deep breath, pushed back her shoulders, pressed the doorbell, and heard Stacey reply, “Come in, it’s open.”
Elizabeth stepped cautiously into the house and found that she had entered into a comfortable breakfast nook which led into the kitchen. The kitchen was filled with white floor-to-ceiling cabinets and butcher block countertops. It was cozy and usable, with nice modern appliances.
“Hey, Stacey, it’s Elizabeth. I got here a little early.”
She heard pounding on the wood floor, and Stacey peeked her head around the corner. Her eyes were wide and she was gasping, trying to catch her breath. “Elizabeth, glad you’re here. Make yourself comfortable. You’ll see some bags with sodas and chips on the kitchen counter. If you don’t mind, find some bowls in the cabinet, and start setting things out. I’d really appreciate it. I’m finishing getting dressed. I lost track of time while I was cleaning.”
“Okay,” Elizabeth answered cautiously as Stacey disappeared again and footsteps announced her retreat.
Elizabeth turned in place, looking around the kitchen. Not seeing any chips or drinks on the counter, she started opening closets and cabinets and finally found them in the pantry, then started her search for bowls.
Having a hard time finding what she needed, and getting a little frustrated, she wandered into the next room to see if she could find Stacey to ask for some help. Instead of seeing her neighbor, she saw a young man relaxing on the couch reading a magazine. He was leaning back with one ankle resting on his opposite knee.
This stranger was stunning, and Elizabeth found herself frozen in place. He had wavy, light brown hair and was wearing a light blue button up Patagonia shirt, and khaki shorts with Birkenstocks. She stopped and couldn’t help but stare.
