Beginning, Previous Section, Section IV
Jump to new as of January 16, 1999
Jump to new as of January 17, 1999
Jump to new as of January 19, 1999
Chapter 17 B
The Airport was empty as William waited for the ticket agents to come on duty. He sat with his hands folded in his lap, tired but not sleepy. William had stopped thinking an hour ago, and now just waited to go home.
Elizabeth had been running through the long corridors, and finally, at the end of the west terminal, when she had stopped because she was out of air, she found him sitting alone in an alcove of the Airport.
Quietly observing him, she saw the body of the man she had once been mad in love with, but his spirit was absent, and it was deeply disturbing to her to see him this way.
Pausing with her hand on her chest while trying to regain her she breath, she remembered William as he had once been…
The way they connected with each other from the beginning.
The conversation was so easy between them, and they moved from topic to topic without the usual awkward silence strangers often experience. William was the type of man who spoke with his hands, while Elizabeth used her eyes. Both found the other's trait rather charming.
How easily he accepted her diabetes.
As she held the insulin bottle in her hand, she thought back to his reaction in her office. He didn't flinch or get frightened away. He looked at her with concern at first, but not pity.
His first 'I love you'.
He loved her. Other men had mumbled those words to her in the past, but never had they been as sincere and genuine as they were when coming from his lips. He did not call them out in the thrall of passion, or use them to soothe her when she was angry. William said 'I love you' because he meant it.
The intense sensual energy they shared.
"Liz," was whispered as he kissed her deeply. William was trying to pour four days worth of missed opportunities into one two-minute kiss.
Later, when she figured out he had read the first part of the book, his reaction.
"I'm going to fly out to you. I'll call the airlines now."
Elizabeth took a deep breath and a good look around before she started walking in his direction.
A pair of legs came and stood in front of William, but they were not noticed. His eyes were open but he was not seeing.
"William," a voice said quietly, "I owe you an explanation."
He did not startle even though he had not been expecting it. The voice was intimate and warm, except for the slightly stronger accent it now possessed. He raised his eyes from his lap, and looked at her, but he could not meet her gaze.
"Elizabeth, I am so sorry for the way I have treated you." These were the words he had wanted to tell her earlier in the evening, but did not.
"Shhh." She placed her hand against his lips. "Let me talk first."
Elizabeth did not search the city for William to hear him give an apology. The past five hours for her had been full of agitation that grew into desperation as she called every hotel in the area. The airport was her last chance before she going to give up all hope of his still being in Memphis. Elizabeth had to find him because there were many things he deserved to know.
Sensing he was not going to look her, Elizabeth sat sideways on the seat next to William, sharing the same disheartened expression he wore.
"I can not let you leave. I have some explaining to do. I was going to tell you about Rome, I just hadn't found the courage to do so. It was my responsibility to inform you before you stumbled upon it yourself, and I failed on that account. I am sorry you found out the way you did."
He listened as she had asked him to do.
"William, may I ask you a question?" There was something Elizabeth wanted to know.
"Anything." William looked her fully in the face and gave her the answer he had given so many times during their relationship.
"On the Sunday David called my house, if I had told you what he had done…without giving you the gory details, would you have accepted my explanation until a time when I was comfortable enough to tell you everything? Could you have waited?"
"It would have difficult for me to wait, but…I trusted your judgment, so I would like to believe I would have honored your request." William's eyes dimmed as he pictured Elizabeth asking him to wait on that Sunday. Yes, at that point in time, he would have been able to wait.
"I would have done as you asked, Elizabeth. I still had control of my senses at that time. May I ask you a question?"
"Yes."
"Why didn't you tell me? Was it because we had been together for only a short period of time? Don't misunderstand me, I know you were under no obligation to tell me."
"In all honesty, I was hesitant because I did not want anything to change between us. I was afraid you would never look at me the same way, once you knew the entire story. I know that was very selfish of me."
"Why didn't you trust me?" He asked. "No, you don't need to answer that question, I have already proven why."
"No," Elizabeth could see that he was confusing her statement with his reaction after reading the book.
"What happened on the phone was not about my not trusting you. You were in shock—how could you not have been?"
"Tonight, when I started to think with a clearer mind, I began to understand your reaction. See, I had already had my shock over a year ago. When David sent an advance copy to me before the book was published, I read it and saw that he left very little out. Reading his transcript was…there is no word to describe it. I tried everything in my power to get him to change his mind about publishing it. It was too late; the books had already been printed and were ready to be shipped. Due to my pride, I was not willing to bring a lawyer in and expose my family and myself to the public embarrassment. Since that time, I have found myself carefully choosing what I tell others. It is not that I don't trust you William, but… I don't completely trust anyone."
William took her hands in his own, holding them as she continued.
"You should not have read the book without permission, William."
"I know."
"And, I should have not purposely kept so much of myself from you."
"I agree."
"I am sorry for the spiteful way I treated you tonight. I was still hurting and looking to take offense. I now know that I should have stayed in Chicago, and dealt with… William, I am sincerely sorry for any distress I caused you."
"I brought on the distress myself. I have no excuses to offer." Elizabeth squeezed his hands to give him reassurance. "I just know that it makes me sick to think about what I said to you that night. Elizabeth, will you please accept my apology?"
"I do." She reached up and touched his cheek like he had done at the club earlier. "Will you accept mine?"
"I do."
"I am unhappy due to my own hand. I do not wish to cause you any more pain, but I miss you terribly.
"William, would you like to stay in Memphis for a few days? We could spend some time together, and talk. I know the Inn I am staying at has a few vacant rooms." She paused, trying to get the next words out of her throat. Elizabeth knew that if she said them, there would be no turning back.
"I have missed you too."
The two lovers held each other in the vacant airport. In some ways they felt like strangers, uncertain of their words and afraid to offend. It would take them a while to get to the comfort level they had before, but they were old enough to understand that sometimes a kiss does not fix everything. What they needed was time.
"I would like that." William held her closer. He would take as much time off from work as was needed to spend it with her. He still loved her beyond description, and knew that if they could get through this, they could get through anything. Just having her close filled him with hope.
Elizabeth gave him a kiss on the cheek and pulled back awkwardly. The ease in which the old feelings were coming back frightened her a little. Part of her character had always been to protect her heart, but whenever William was close, it was a hopeless cause trying to keep him out.
"I'll call Rosey's and have them hold you a room. Laura is on duty tonight." She pulled her cell phone out of her knapsack and dialed the number from memory.
"Rosey's Bed and Breakfast. May I help you?"
"Hello, Laura. This is Elizabeth."
"How are you? Did you find him?" When Elizabeth came down to the desk earlier in the evening looking frantic, Laura calmed her down and called half of the hotels listed in the phonebook.
"Fine and yes. Do you still have a room available?"
"I do." Laura smiled to herself. "I will get it ready for you. Will he be checking in soon?"
Elizabeth covered the mouthpiece.
"William, would you mind if we just went to Rosey's tonight? It has been a long day, and maybe we could talk tomorrow?"
"Of course."
"Laura, I am at the airport. We're coming straight to Rosey's from here."
"Okay, I will have everything ready. I'm happy for you, Elizabeth."
"Thank you." She turned off her phone and put it away. "My Suburban is in short term parking. Shall we be off?" Elizabeth tried to give him a smile, but her emotions were a jumble of relief, fear and uncertainty.
William understood. He had had weeks since he discovered he still (always) loved her and this time allowed to come to the point where he was in regard to his feelings toward her. She only had a few hours. He was not going to overwhelm her with his expectations of returned affection, but let her to naturally come with terms with whatever was inside her.
Elizabeth slipped her hand in his as they walked through the airport. Other than a slight tremble in her knees, she contained herself respectably. While waiting for the automatic doors to open and let them outside, she wrapped her free hand around his arm. This old habit caused a memory from the past to show itself in her head...
It was a beautiful afternoon outside, and William had called her from his office around 4 p.m. to see if she could take off early for the day. They walked several blocks down to the shore of Lake Michigan and sat together, watching the waves come onto the beach. He had taken off his coat and shoes, and she did the same. Even with all of the noise of the people playing along the lake, and the traffic on Lake Shore Drive…it was peaceful between them. They did not speak while they were on the sand, but sat contentedly side by side, with her head resting on his shoulder.
As they were returned to the parking garage to drive home, she was holding his hand, and holding his arm in the same manner she was right now. He bent down and whispered in her ear 'I love you, Liz. Thank you for joining me today.' Then he kissed her in the middle of the sidewalk on Wacker Drive.
Elizabeth pulled back, as if spooked by something. She began digging through her knapsack, looking for her keys and hoping he did not notice.
She would not cry! Now was not the time or the place. Elizabeth had not cried since two days after the breakup, when she went to visit her father at the Institute. Instead, she bottled up all of her grief, and replaced it with fierce, stone cold impassiveness.
William watched as she turned her head so he could not see her. She looked so sad. Elizabeth thought she could fool him, but her eyes always gave her true feelings away, and right now, she was in pain. He gave her the privacy she obviously wanted and did not question her.
"I've found my keys. The car is over here." She led the way, wanting to put a little space between them. Elizabeth was certain that if she could make it to Rosey's, and into her own room, she would be fine.
The Suburban was easy to find since the parking lot was bare. She unlocked his door for him before getting herself behind the wheel.
"Are you too tired to drive?" .
"No, I'm fine. It isn't far from here." The short walk to the car had settled her enough to be able to look at him once again.
Elizabeth was on the highway in no time, and William looked over at her speedometer after noticing she was passing every other car on the road. The reading was 82 mph, so he reached over to the dashboard and turned on her radar detector.
Elizabeth saw what he did and made a face. Turning her eyes in his direction, she gave him a small smile.
"Where were you when I was getting stopped by the over-eager Texas Smokey Patrol?"
The smile on her face slowly fell, as the tears she tried so hard to contain started to fall. William was not with her when she was in Texas, or California, or Arizona. At the time, she knew he must have hated her, because when she checked her answering machine for messages, there was not one from him. She left Illinois on that cloudy day long ago, knowing in her heart that she would never see him again.
And Elizabeth had drove a thousand miles to forget him.
"Elizabeth, pull the car over to the side." William's voice was thick, and she did as he asked.
He placed the gearshift in park, while she turned toward her window and hid her face against her folded arms. Elizabeth cried like she had not cried in a long time. Even in her hotel room in California, after their phone call, she did not let everything out like she did now. Elizabeth had been through too much, too soon, and the emotions she had held deeply inside refused to be ignored anymore.
The ruined dreams and hopes were all she had left after he stopped caring. She had promised herself that she would never again love anyone as much as she did William. She would not become as attached, and she would not depend on anyone's comfort to make her feel complete. She would go out alone, and make peace with herself.
But now, here she sat, next to the man who could once again crush her with his words if he choose to. It was her heart who invited him in, but her mind was screaming that it was a foolish mistake. Elizabeth's sobs continued as she realized that she needed help--she could no longer deny her anxiety.
Help came from the source next to her. It was strong and composed, gently holding her close as she spoke her fears aloud. He did not say a word, but listened to every utterance that passed from her lips. Some of it shamed him, and some cut into his heart, but he remained mute. She vividly described every agony she had experienced while they were apart, and the hopelessness plaguing her even now. Elizabeth made it very clear to him that it was the uncertainty that was tearing her apart.
"All of our 'I love you's' were not to keep us together before, but…I can hardly stop myself from telling it to you again."
"Elizabeth, I remember the way you once looked at me—the way your eyes lit up when you said my name. I want it back. I want you to trust yourself and me because I cannot begin to express how much I love you. We can do this Liz, I know it. " His voice held no doubts.
"Did you know that you were the first man I ever told that I loved him? I am 28 years old, and had never come even close to falling in love before. What does that say about me? You know I still love you, Will, you must. I tried to stop…and for a while I had myself convinced that I did not care anymore, but it was all a lie. Do you really believe we can survive and continue on?"
"I do."
Elizabeth turned away from the window and faced him. His expression held not only determination, but also faith. He really did believe what he said.
"I was thinking earlier about how those old feelings come back too easily." She whispered.
"They do, Sweet Elizabeth," William enclosed her in his arms, "they do."
For several minutes, they sat together in the suburban saying nothing. William continued to hold onto her, and she accepted the comfort he offered with a newfound, but still unsteady, trust.
Elizabeth tilted her head back and looked him in the eye.
"William, we are Idiots."
Beneath all of the tears, and the painful confessions she had just admitted, Elizabeth could not stop herself as she began to grin. In a twisted sort of way, not only was her statement true, it was funny.
"The word I was thinking of was 'pathetic', but Idiots works too." He grinned back at her.
William was the first to break out into a laugh, and the car began to fill with the sound of two people letting go of the situation for a few moments and looking at themselves in different light.
William drove them the rest of the way to the Bed and Breakfast following the legal speed limit. Laura was waiting for them at Rosey's with a look of sly confidence on her face. She checked him in and slipped him his key without letting Elizabeth see the room number.
"You're upstairs." She told William as she went back into the office area. She was quite pleased with herself.
When the reached the top of the stairs, Elizabeth asked him which room he was in.
"Seven."
A knowing expression came across Elizabeth's face. She should have expected it.
"I am in six," she blushed, "and our rooms seem to adjoin. Laura! She is a hopeless romantic." Elizabeth smiled a real smile at him.
"Remind me to give her a big tip tomorrow." William laughed. He had no expectations about the sleeping arraignment. Elizabeth was not ready, and he was not going to ask.
"But dear, the door has locks!" She moved closer to him. "I haven't had a kiss 'goodnight' in ages. Would you?"
William lowered his head and kissed her. It was his intention to make it brief and safe, but the best intentions always seem to go astray.
William began kissing her like he did in the past. It was slow and passionate, with deliberate movements and tender pressure. All of the longing he had came out as his lips felt their way over hers, and the sensations created were electric and overwhelming. Her mouth was as soft and warm as he had remembered, and he could not get enough as he tried to replace the old memory with a new one. A throaty gasp from her urged him on, and he went deeper into her abyss as she countered every move he made. It was incredible the way she made him feel-alive. Yes, it was possible to make love to someone with only a kiss, and William was proving it.
Elizabeth lost herself in the moment. It came back! The butterflies like she felt the first time they kissed…they were back. She was afraid he would end it too quickly, but her fears were unfounded. He continued on and on until she could truly take no more, and then, she passed the limit and went further then she ever had before. She felt like he was inside of her working his way out, and if he would only give her one more minute, she would give him the same experience.
'No,' her mind told her in a patient tone, 'a kiss can not fix everything, but this is one hell of a start.'
"Elizabeth," he murmured while trying to catch his breath, "I love you."
William had to pull back, because… well, just because.
Elizabeth, who was also struggling to get the oxygen to her lungs, opened her eyes. Somehow she had ended up against the wall, and he was leaning on to it to hold himself up.
"Show me, William." She ducked under his arm and went to her door to unlock it. She put her knapsack inside the door and returned to him.
William looked at her, but still stayed where he was, partially out of a need to compose himself. He knew she was issuing an invitation.
"Elizabeth, I can't." William did not look at her.
"I have heard that before, and yes…you could." Elizabeth grinned at him, but he still did not look at her.
"What is it William?"
"If I made love to you, and you can not imagine how badly I want to, I think I would be taking advantage of you. I don't want to pressure you to be with me until you're ready, Elizabeth." He turned to see her expression. Elizabeth was staring at him, frowning.
"Elizabeth, what did I say wrong? I really don't know." William ran his fingers through his hair, looking at the wall in front of him.
"I am trying not to say or do the wrong thing." He admitted.
"Then please, don't become one of 'them'."
"One of who?"
"Those people who are constantly telling me what is good for me. They stand over my shoulder, watching me and protecting me from myself. One of my favorite things about you was that you always treated me like an adult woman of 28. William, when have you ever known me to do anything I really did not want to do?" Elizabeth put her hand on his back and he turned around to smile at her.
"What about after our first dinner at Mario's? You let me drive you home."
"I wanted you to drive me home, as long as it wasn't out of the way."
"Would it be all right with you if I just act like myself? Will you tell me if I am crossing the line or pushing you too far?" If she would, it would make it much easier for them to communicate like they one had.
"Sweetie, I always have before."
"I want to tell you something." He stepped toward her.
"Okay."
"I have been in Hell without you. You have haunted my dreams for so long now, that I can hardly fall sleep at night because I know you will be there"
"I know exactly what you mean." She had not had a good night's rest since she left for California.
William witnessed the faraway look in her eyes gradually change into the teasing sparkle he loved so much. His anticipation was great.
Elizabeth checked to see if anyone else was in the hall before she moved closer to him.
"Do you want to know what I dreamed about last night?" She was smiling from ear to ear.
"Yes." He answered slowly as he stepped even closer, lowering his head down to listen.
"Do you remember the time late at night at Mario's, when we were the only people in the dark room?" Elizabeth ran her finger along the inside of his shirt collar. She knew he remembered it…it was his suggestion. But, she continued on.
"It was when we mutually agreed that we could not sit on the same side of the booth anymore without the risk of being arrested?" Her eyes were almost dancing as she gave him an innocent look.
Oh, yes. William remembered it well. He almost had to pull off to the side of the road as they planned it on the way to the restaurant.
"I can't believe we didn't get caught." He laced his finger with hers. Elizabeth was the most amazing woman to him.
"It was pretty good the second time around in the dream, too." Elizabeth gazed warmly at him; he was the most incredible man she had ever laid eyes on.
"I love you."
"I love you, too. Now," Elizabeth touched his lips to hers. "Show me."
"You're not too tired?" He gave her 'the' look.
Elizabeth did not answer, but took his hand and led him into her room. She locked the door behind them.
Very late the next morning, William rolled over and felt for Elizabeth. She was not there, but a piece of paper was. He rubbed his eyes and sat up.
William,
I noticed that you did not have any luggage, so your clothes are getting washed downstairs. There is a robe for you in the bathroom.
I am running a few errands and should return soon.
Muffins and coffee await you on the dresser.I Love You,
Elizabeth
William smiled and lifted the covers to peek inside.
Yep, she had all of his clothes.
Conclusion
Leaving the door joining their rooms opened a crack, William went into his own room to shower. When finished, he stepped out and saw that Elizabeth had put newly purchased toiletries on the sink counter for him next to his clean clothes. On the electric shaver box, she placed a yellow post-it note with an explanation. Not your brand. Hope it will work. Hurry!
In five minutes, he shaved, dressed, and towel dried his hair. As he approached the door, he could hear her on the phone. Elizabeth saw him waiting to see if he could enter and motioned him inside.
"It sounds like you have two choices. You can either make friends with the dog, or use a cane."
She reached out her hand for William to hold as she continued listening on the phone.
"Dad, have you ever considered making friends with the pup? They are well trained animals, so I doubt he was really going to bite you." Elizabeth rolled her eyes as she shook her head.
"Okay, I agree. William is here now, so I am going to go."
"I will. I love you too, Dad. Call me if you need me. Bye." Elizabeth hung up the phone and turned to William. "He is having problems with his Seeing Eye dog. I'm afraid it is not going well. My dad is not an 'animal' sort of man."
"Which will win, in your opinion, the dog or the cane?" William asked as she led him to the loveseat in her room.
"The dog," Elizabeth replied confidently. "Dad has lightened up a lot lately, and he knows the dog will benefit him the most."
"Thank you for getting me setup this morning. When I left Chicago, I only had an hour to get to O'Hare. You were very thoughtful."
"It was my pleasure. William, I dying of curiosity and must ask. How did you find me?"
"I have new phones in my house, and they have caller ID. When you called on Sunday, I was able to retrieve the number…"
"I didn't call you on Sunday." She stopped him dead in his tracks.
"The number that came up was for this place."
"Let me think. Yesterday I spent the morning at an outside Southern Gospel concert. Mama has always been a closet gospel fan, and it made me think of her. So, when I came back to my room, I called her…but she wasn't home…and I noticed she had a new answering machine with a generic greeting. I hung up because I knew it would make her mad to get… William, did I dial your number?" Elizabeth's mouth fell open in surprise.
"You did." He wasn't sure why, but he felt a little disappointed by the fact that she had not called on purpose.
"How? You know how I am with numbers. You and Mama aren't even in the same area code." Elizabeth thought for a minute. "Do you think I did it subconsciously?"
"I don't know. I thought maybe you had received my check, and called to talk."
"I didn't get your message until after I came home last night." Elizabeth shifted in her seat, pulling her knees to her chest and her feet on the couch. William sat the same way.
"Is that why you came and found me at the airport? Did it change your mind?" His eyes were searching hers for the answers.
"Well, my sister Jane had a part in my waking-up. After I read your check, I noticed I also had a letter from her. She had some wise words to say in her letter, and I began to realize 'a lot' about forgiving and being forgiven. William, I had to find you right away, I didn't want one more day to pass without some sort of understanding between us."
"Elizabeth, can I ask you a question?" She shook her head in agreement. "Why did you quit your job?"
"I didn't quit, I was fired." Elizabeth started to chuckle, as William's eyes grew wide.
"Fired? By whom?" He could not believe that anyone would ever fire someone as talented as Elizabeth.
"My father!" She reached out and patted his hand. "It wasn't malicious. Two days after we broke up (She could hardly say the words broke up), I went to visit my dad. He could tell something was wrong, so I told him just enough to get him off my back. I then changed the subject to business, and told him all about the problems with the botched job with the state. My father may not be able to see, but he can hear quite well. I explained to him why I insisted on paying for Allied services myself, and he about lost is mind. After a heated discussion, he insisted I take a leave-of-absence and get my priorities in order. I refused, so he fired me.
"Okay, a couple of things. That seems pretty heartless of him."
"No, actually, it was one of the least selfish things he has done in a long time. I think he knew in the beginning that I was not happy working at Bennet Computer. But, at the time he was so obsessed with keeping the company in family hands, he refused to see it. He worked hard getting the company going, and did not want to see all go by the wayside. Now, it appears as if he has had a change of heart. He spent a good twenty minutes that day lecturing me on avoiding stress in my life. He said that he was afraid I will end up as him--living with the after effects of diabetes because I did not take proper care of myself."
"Why did you insist on paying for Allied services yourself?" This question had been on his mind since the first day in her office.
"Because the way I conducted the business was to know exactly where everyone was and what was going on at all times. When the video card problem passed by me, I blamed myself for not being able to stop it. I took the business too personal. Hence, the reason my dad was so upset. He ran the business exactly the same way."
"What are you going to do now?"
"I don't know. I haven't thought about it yet." Up until last night, the future wasn't an issue with Elizabeth. She only concentrated on one day at a time.
"Are you going to come home?" Please say 'yes'.
"Yes." Elizabeth leaned over and kissed his hand. "How long are you going to stay in Memphis?"
"I don't have to be back at any certain time. I called Martha today and told her to reschedule everything for this week into next week."
"Maybe we could return together after spending some time here? Memphis is really lovely at this time of the year."
"That sounds good." He gave her a warm, small smile.
"William, now I have to ask you something, and it is not a pleasant subject." Their conversation was going so well, but she wanted to understand. William nodded for her to ask.
"What happened on the night you read the book? What was going through your mind?" Elizabeth closely watched his eyes as he spoke.
"I was insanely jealous that another man was telling me about you, and there was one line in particular that sent me over the edge. It was 'Anyone who really knew her would be able to see that.' I allowed his words to make me doubt myself, and from that point forward, I began to wonder if I ever knew you."
"And now?"
"Now I see that the book was written from David's perspective. I'm not saying that I don't believe what he wrote, because you told me that it was all true. But, it is from David, and David knows you differently than I do. The Elizabeth I know doesn't want the burnt-red mums planted along her walk this Fall because they clash with her shutters, and she likes to take naps on Sunday afternoons, and she carries the world in her briefcase, and makes wonderful burritos from scratch, and I always know before she begins teasing me." William rested his head on her knees. "Most importantly, I know she loves me because she told me so."
"Thank you, William." Elizabeth felt a weight being lifted off her shoulders.
"My turn again. Why did you cut your hair? I must admit that I like it. It curls more, and bounces when you walk." William reached over and played with a long curl as it wrapped around his finger.
"I haven't had but a few trims done on my hair since I was a junior in High School." She slapped his hand away from the springy lock. "Stop making out with the hair, Will."
"Sorry." He tried to look guilty, but the grin on his face gave him away.
"Where was I? I became ill in April of that year, and the medicine they gave me made my hair become very thin and brittle, so I let it grow. Last week I passed by a beauty salon, and decided that I had let it grow for long enough. So, I had them take several inches off. My turn again."
"Okay."
"What did you want to be when you were younger?" Elizabeth was curious.
William rested his head against the back of the loveseat and thought about her question for a moment.
"I wanted to be a Writer."
Elizabeth's eyes flew open in mock shock, "OH, DEAR LORD! I can pick them! You haven't written anything about me, have you? I think I have to go home now, before the scandal hits the shelf." They both broke out laughing.
"No! Nothing I would ever share." William gave her a wink.
It was a few minutes before they were composed enough to continue. It seemed like every time one would stop laughing, the other would start up again.
"Okay, William, please continue." Elizabeth wiped the tears off her cheeks with the back of her hand. "Why or when did you change your mind about writing?"
"I don't really know. I took all of the English and Literature courses I could in college, but majored in Business. Don't get me wrong, I like what I do. I quit writing when I started at Allied. There wasn't any time or motivation to continue. As you know, running a business is consuming, but there are many rewards when it is successful, too."
"Have you ever though of trying your hand at writing, again?"
"Not until now. I don't know, Elizabeth. It has been a long time."
"Oh, and I suppose you are too old, or in too much of a rut to try anything new?" Elizabeth pulled herself up and wrapped her arms around his knees. They looked at each other for the longest time, happy to once again be in each other's company.
"Elizabeth, you have the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen. Is there a reason why you always look people in the eye when you speak to them?"
"Yes, there is," she answered softly. "I learned at a young age that you can tell what other people are really thinking if you look at them directly. At first, I did it out of necessity, but now I do it out of habit."
"What am I thinking right now?" William gave her the gentlest gaze, and Elizabeth recognized it instantly.
"I love you, too, William." She responded.
Five Months Later.
Elizabeth was waiting for him as he came into the back door. She could hardly contain her excitement.
"Well, how was your last day for one whole month?" She quizzed.
"Look." He opened his briefcase. "What do you see?"
Elizabeth pulled out one sheet of paper that had phone numbers on it. There was nothing else in the case.
"Smart Man! Just in case they run your company into the ground, you can call them at home." She was radiating from happiness.
"How much damage can they do in one month?" He took her hand in his and led her to the office. "I have been looking forward to this all day!"
William stood in front of the desk, facing a map of the United States on the opposite wall. Elizabeth climbed on the desktop, kneeling behind him.
"Now remember, William. Where ever this dart lands, that will be our starting point. The first three days we have to spend there, unless it is Illinois. Deal?" She handed him the dart.
"Deal!" He readily agreed.
Elizabeth put her hands over his eyes and waited for him to throw it. She was secretly hoping he would hit somewhere in the east.
The first throw landed on her wall, and she frowned as she looked at it.
"Not a good throw there, Will. Here is another dart. Try to aim for the map this time." She laughed against his back.
William lifted her hands to see how off he was. Too low.
"Here goes." The dart hit the map this time.
"All right! You hit it! Check it out and tell me where we are going."
William stepped over to the map.
"Montana." William said with little enthusiasm. He was not completely convinced Montana was where he wanted to go, he was thinking of something more exotic. "I was aiming for Louisiana."
"You weren't supposed to aim! I think Montana will be fine, and we can always leave after three days and go anywhere you want."
William removed the darts and came back over to her.
"Elizabeth Bennet," he said as he wrapped his arms around her, "you are an incredible woman." A month ago she had suggested the trip idea to him and an hour later they had the groundwork laid out.
"I know, sweetie," she sparkled back at him, "I have been telling you that for months now."
2 Weeks Later-Montana!
The past two weeks had been flawless. They had found a place that rented small, individual cabins on the outskirts of Billings. It was peaceful, quiet and private. William couldn't remember the last time he had been so relaxed. He also noticed how Elizabeth savored every minute. She had been working hard for the past several months running the Sales Department at Bennet Computer. This was her true calling, and the combination of her people skills and knowledge of the product worked to her advantage time after time.
William's eyes moved from the industrious bird back down to the laptop in front of him. The story he was writing was coming along quite well, and he was regretting putting a one-month limit on their vacation.
"William, William!" Elizabeth called as she came running out of the front door with a plate in her hands, careful not to trip over the long orange extension cord that connected his laptop to the cabin. She had something large in the center of the plate.
"Look at what I baked." She laughed like a school child. "My first loaf of bread, and it is perfect."
"It smells great, are we going to eat it for dinner, tonight?" It was perfect, just as he expected.
Elizabeth pulled the plate back protectively.
"Not a chance. I am going down to the hardware store tomorrow and buying a can of shellac. We are going to keep this loaf forever."
"Sit with me a minute?" William smiled up at her.
Elizabeth moved the notepads he had laid out in front of him, and put her plate down. While looking over at the laptop, she asked him a question.
"How is our poor suffering painter doing today? Has he come to his senses yet?"
"Not yet, my dear. I am working on a scene I would like you to look over later. The flow doesn't seem right."
Elizabeth looked at him with obvious pride. William had true talent. With his words he was able to realistically create an illusion full of color and emotion, a world in which she could feel what his characters were experiencing, and cry right along with them when they were in pain.
"Elizabeth, I was watching a bird before you came out. It was picking up small twigs and assorted oddities, and building a nest out of them. It was really interesting to witness the process."
"Where at?" William pointed out the tree to her.
"Oh, I see it." She quietly sat next to him and watched. "William, I like Montana, I'm glad you picked this place."
"I am too. What does New Orleans have compared to this?"
"Someday we'll go there, and walk down Bourbon Street. But, the timing of us being in this location seems almost too good for words."
"I read in the paper about some property that sounded interesting near here, and I started to really think about it. Would you be at all interested in buying a vacation home in this area? Then we would have a place to go whenever we needed a break."
"I would be interested in thinking about it." Elizabeth gave him a sweet kiss. "Let's look around before we leave for home."
"Let's."
One Week Later.
"It's not really what I would call a vacation home, but Liz, there is something about it that makes me want to go inside. Want to take a peek?"
"Wait, I'm visualizing." With a slow sweep of her head, Elizabeth took in her surroundings. The front yard was bare and in need of some trees and color, but the amount of empty space held unlimited possibilities. She could picture an old, large whiskey barrel under a downspout collecting rainwater for the wildflowers that would run across the front of the house. The mountains directly behind the house would naturally compliment a much needed stone path to the driveway, but the stones would have to be of the same type as the fireplace chimney and indigenous to the land. The wide wooden steps leading to the covered front porch would provide the ideal place to set large clay pots with flowering plants in them. There would also have to be a table outside for William to do his writing at, but she would need to see the back of the house before she would know the perfect place.
"I'm ready now. Let's go in."
Two Hours Later
Elizabeth was standing in the oversized living room examining the 2-story ceiling when William found her. The fireplace gained his attention as he spoke to her.
"Have you been out back yet?" He asked.
"I have." Elizabeth had found her place for the table for him out back. It was under a huge old oak tree.
"I want it." William did not waste any words in making his point.
"I do too. We would have to find someone to take care of the place while we were in Chicago, but that should not be very hard to do. Maybe, a house-sitter?"
"We could arrange that. Maybe we could start taking one four-day weekend a month and come here. We could fly into Billings without a problem."
Elizabeth lowered her eyes from the ceiling and observed him running his hand down the stone of the mantle. His face was so calm and serene, making him appear much younger than his thirty-one years.
William could feel her looking at him, and he joined her in the center of the room. Elizabeth was completely content as she began to make plans for their new home.
"Elizabeth, you will never understand how much you mean to me. If it were not for you, I would still be the same lonely man I once was." The sincerity in his voice made her heart ache for the time each day they were apart.
"William, you have taught me so much, it is I who is thankful." Elizabeth wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you."
William looked into her serious eyes. He had wanted to ask her a question for so long now, and this moment was the ideal time.
"We both know that we are going to be together for the rest of our lives, would you have any objections to making it official? Would you marry me?"
"I have not one objection or hesitation. I would be honored to marry you."
In the middle of their empty home, another piece of the puzzle fell into place as they sealed their shared fate with a kiss.
Five months later, they were joined in matrimony in a large Catholic ceremony in a church in Chicago. Although neither really wanted the fuss of a full candlelit mass, they did it for all of the people and relatives that had supported and loved them throughout their lives. Their honeymoon was spent in Montana, and they used their time building their nest a twig at a time.
Elizabeth was correct; William's talent was true. A year after he began his writing project, it was picked up by the same publisher that David had used for his book. Elizabeth thought of it as 'Poetic Justice' as she read the dedication William put on the first page.
For the only woman I have ever loved with all of my heart.
Elizabeth.
Two months after their third anniversary, William and Elizabeth welcomed their adopted son Trevor into their family. Elizabeth was quite able to have children of their own, but when they were discussing it with her doctor, William and Elizabeth came to the conclusion that a child did not have to be of their own flesh and blood to be loved by them. Babies are born safely everyday to women with diabetes, but with Elizabeth's extreme difficulty during her adolescence, they both held the fear she could suffer a setback if she put her body through the process.
The time spent in Montana grew longer with each passing year, and by the time their second son Seth joined the Darcy home, three and a half years after his brother, they were permanently settled in the Log Cabin. They still made trips back to their house in Hinsdale on a regular basis, but their home was several miles outside of Billings.
William enjoyed the rewards of many published works, but avoided the fame. He did not mix with the Literary Culture, but found contentment in playing with his boys, listening to his wife sing to him, and living the quiet life on his 70 acre ranch. He maintained ownership of Allied, and would keep it available if either of his sons would someday want to try their hand at Business.
Elizabeth blossomed. Her creativity was at an all time high and the poetry she produced reflected the peace in her life. She would never share it with the world, but held in reserve for the eyes of her family only.
These were the best of times for all involved, and as cliché as it may sound…they really did live happily ever after.
The End