It was their first night as husband and wife when Elizabeth went to sleep. She was so happy that everything was finally going right with her life and that she truly married the man of her dreams. This is something that normally doesn't happen to anyone and especially her. She had been dreaming of Jason since she was a teenager. The amazing thing was that he had also been having the same dreams or were they actually memories of past lives.
She woke up but realized that she was somewhere other than in her bed with her husband. She was scared at first but realized that she must be dreaming. She got out of her bed and realized that she was in another place and time. She looked out of her apartment window and realized that she was living in a large city, maybe New York or Boston. She got herself dressed when she heard a knock on her door.
"Lizzie, open up its freezing out here." Elizabeth let in her best friend, looking at Courtney, she realized that she was late for work.
"I am so sorry. I totally forgot about work. I must have slept in. Do you think I have time for a cup of coffee or tea to drink before going to club? I just need something to perk me up." Courtney looked at her friend and shook her head.
"Sorry, Lizzie but my brother is one tough guy to mess up with. I will see if we can get you something in the kitchen there before we go on stage. I know that you hope your friend shows up but I don't think that he will make it. I heard rumors that he runs with another gang and he won't be tolerated at the club. My brother would rather see him in the grave first before he touches one of his dancers. He has special plans for us when we retire. I know that I plan on saving enough money to make it to California. I hate New York but I heard that weather is perfect out west."
"Are you saying that Lucas won't see me dance? I promised him a special one if the money was right. He has a right to come in like everyone else. You know I adore him. What about you and the rich guy, Jake. I hear he is from another gang and he is allowed in to see us dance. Why is he so special?"
"Because I am in love with him. Sonny might be some things but he would never hurt his little sister. I just know that he will be the one to take me away from here. Just don't let my big brother find out." The two young women walked out of the apartment and down the street to Sonny's club. Elizabeth took a look in the mirror and noticed that she was a little different than she remembered looking. She was around seventeen years old. She was a little taller and her hair was very curly and had the fashion of a twenties dancer. Her clothes also looked like she was from the early 1920's. She loved this time period but she knew that this wasn't a dream but most likely a memory of hers.
Sonny met his sister and her best friend when they walked in. "I have some Irish Coffee for the two of you. I have a special favor to ask of you Lizzie. There is a special customer that is coming in a little early tonight. He will be here in about an hour. It will give you time to eat and get changed for your performance. He saw your performance the other night and wanted a special show for just him by you. I know that you could use the extra money. There is a fifty dollar tip attached to this dance." Elizabeth looked at him and then at Courtney.
"Why didn't Courtney get this chance? Why me. We both dance together on stage. I am not better than she is and I think that we should both be up there and split the money."
"Courtney and I both know that if you want to make money the customer comes first. His name is Richard something. I didn't get his last name. He has the cash and he wants you to dance. Please, this will help both of us. He has a lot of friends in high places." Elizabeth agreed to just one dance and that was it.
Courtney and Elizabeth went to get something to eat when some of the other girls started to come in. Emily, Robin and Kelly walked in and started getting dressed for their shows that night. "A little birdie told me that you are having a special show of your own, Lizzie. I am surprised that anyone even noticed you with all the crazy curly hair that you have."
"Shut up, Robin. What is wrong with you? You know that she is only doing this to help my brother. Just remember that you can always leave and go back to stripping down at the club in the Bronx. Everyone knows your name there. I think everyone has had you there both men and women."
"Real nice, Court. I thought you would be upset too with your friend here upstaging you. I thought you wanted out of here real soon. That money, Lizzie is making tonight would go a long way towards moving to California."
"It's just a one-time deal. I might be going with Courtney to California so maybe we can put the money in together." Courtney hugged Lizzie for saying that. Just then Sonny came back to the dressing room to speak to Elizabeth.
"Whenever you are ready for your dance. He is here right now." Sonny hugged Elizabeth and sent her out to the stage. The lights were turned down real low when the music started up. She had done this dance a thousand times but Courtney was always there. She knew that she could do it but she felt foolish for agreeing to something so scary. Not in a bad way but it was something that she hadn't felt before and then she realized that she liked it. The music picked up and she started to dance faster and sexier. Someone else was also watching the young dancer. Jake was there to see Courtney on stage but was memorized with the beauty of young Elizabeth. She was like an angel on stage. Her dance caught him off guard and he didn't realize that someone else was there watching her. All hell was about to break loose when the young dancer was about to find out about the second man in the club and what the first man had planned to do to the young dancer.
The hour was almost up when Richard went up on stage. He grabbed a hold of Elizabeth and kissed her. "You are mine, Lizzie. I bought you for the rest of the night compliments of your boss. Let's get out of here." Jake saw and heard what he planned to do to the young dancer and couldn't let that happen.
"Elizabeth, come here. I will protect you from this man and get you far away from here." Elizabeth was confused by what was going on but could see that Jake was there to help her and not hurt her. She had never met him before and didn't realize that this man was the love of her best friend, Courtney. She ran to him and the two took off
They didn't get very far when they heard someone shooting at them. Jake had Elizabeth duck into an alley where he had his motorcycle. He knew that they couldn't get far till they got some warmer clothing for Elizabeth. It was winter in New York City and she was in her outfit for her show. They found a shop not too far from the club and went in to get some warmer clothing.
"Mr. Smith, I see you need some help for the young lady. It sure is cold out there." Elizabeth couldn't stop shivering. Jake put his arms around the young woman to help warm her up.
Meanwhile all hell was breaking loose at the club down the street. Richard was more than pissed off that he didn't get his "angel". You promised me that she would go with me. You never told me that someone else would be watching too. He took off with her. He was trying to save her from me. The guy must be high or something to be that stupid. Doesn't he know who I am? I am the district attorney here in this city. I can have anything I want and I want her. She needs love and protection from guys like that and not from me. I would have given her anything."
"I told you to take it slowly with her. You don't listen. She is young and fragile. She is new here in this city and her family was killed in a fire a few years back. She met my sister and they are best friends. We have helped her get set up but I can tell you that whoever took her is not in the mob. The guy that took her is a friend of my sister's. I don't think that Elizabeth even knows Jake." Just then Courtney and the other young ladies walked into the middle of their conversation.
"Did I just hear that Jake took off with Elizabeth? I told her that I loved him. I know she probably doesn't even realize who she is with because she wouldn't do that to me unless she felt in danger of this clown right here."
"Who is this Jake character? He needs to be arrested for kidnapping Elizabeth. I will have my men out looking for her. She will be safe and sound with me before daylight."
"Who do you think you are? She doesn't know you and you think that she will just fall at your feet and want to stay with you. She is not a lost puppy. She is very strong for everything she has had to do since her family was killed. You never get over something like that and she is too stubborn to fall for anyone's lines." Just then Richard slapped Courtney in the face.
"Look, I know you are Sonny's sister but you can't talk to the DA like that. I have the power here and I will find her and take care of this Jake guy. Once I am done with him, he is all yours." Courtney looked at her brother for some help.
"You can't let this monster hurt my best friend and boyfriend? You have to help them. Please!" Sonny just looked at his sister and wondered what the hell he got himself into. Richard talked to a few guys from the police department and had them start looking for Jake and Elizabeth.
Jake and Elizabeth took off on his motorcycle heading south. His family had a home outside of Savannah, Georgia. They rode his motorcycle for a few hours at a time and then either just stretched their legs or got something to eat. The stayed at small hotels so no one would really take notice of them or what they were wearing. They finally made it to their summer place in Georgia. It was beautiful and was close to the river.
"I think that we should get married so we blend in here better. Two single people living together would not look right. It may make it harder for that guy to find you that way. I just want to protect you, Lizzie."
"You called me Lizzie. Do you know me? I mean I thought you looked familiar but now that we are out of danger I think I know who you are. You are Courtney's Jake? I can believe this. She is my best friend and I just took away the love of her life. She will never be able to forgive me."
"Courtney and I were never going to be a couple. We were just hanging out and having fun. She wants to go to California and I never promised to go with her. She might have thought that but I never promised her anything."
They stayed in Savannah for a couple of months. Jake and Elizabeth were married when they got settled in but Elizabeth knew that she had to make Courtney understand what happened and why it happened. She also needed to tell her best friend that she had fallen in love with her husband. The two took the bus back up to New York City. They were halfway there when Elizabeth got sick. They got off the bus and stayed at a hotel for a few nights before going again.
She also found out that she was pregnant. "Jake, you know that I went to that clinic down the street from our hotel. The doctor told me that I am pregnant. I am not sure how you feel about that but I think just as soon as we tell Courtney the truth that we need to figure out where we are going to live. Maybe we should go to Chicago where I am from or back to Boston and your family?"
Jake was stunned. He hugged his wife and decided that he was going to skip New York and go straight back to Boston. They took the bus and ended up in Newport, Rhode Island. It was a beautiful time of year and they found a nice little house on the beach there. He sent a letter to his family in Boston and they sent him some money to stay there till the baby was born. They told them about a great little cottage in Jamestown that belonged to the family and they could stay there. Elizabeth sent a letter to Courtney and told her about what happened and that they had gotten married. She was sure that she would never hear from her again but she was wrong. Dead wrong.
It took two months but Courtney got back at her best friend by marrying her Lucas. They decided to tell Richard where his precious "angel" was and that was how she would get back at them. They drove up to Jamestown and found Elizabeth alone hanging out clothes on the clothesline. She had just finished when she saw Courtney and Lucas get out of the car.
"Courtney, I didn't think I would ever see you again? I am so glad that you and Lucas are together." Courtney showed Elizabeth her wedding ring and then Richard stepped out of the car. She also noticed that he was carrying a gun.
"Well, tell me where Jake is and we will have a real party. I think that this a lovely place to live and die. Don't you Lucas. I can imagine that you talked my Jake into marrying you to protect yourself from big bad Richard. I should have been married to Jake and all his money, not you." Just then Jake walked out of the house after hearing all the commotion outside.
"We are all here for a good time. Let's go for a walk. I think that tonight would be a great time to see a lighthouse. I hear there is one on the island. It has a view to die for." Richard started pushing Jake and Elizabeth towards the lighthouse about a mile away from their cottage. Courtney went too because she wanted to see her best friend get what she deserved. She couldn't believe that her best friend got married to her man and was pregnant with his child.
"Jake, I am sorry. I tried to make things right. I thought she would understand. I promise next time I will listen to you. I love you, now and for always." Jake held her hand while the walked to what they knew were going to be their deaths.
"I love you too Elizabeth. Just know that, now and for always." Richard started getting mad and started pushing Jake. The two started fighting over the gun but Courtney was able to get it. Courtney forced the two of them to walk down the cliff's edge till there were almost at the water's edge. Jake and Elizabeth held on to one another and prayed. They kissed their last kiss and Courtney shot them both and their bodies floated out to sea.
Just then Elizabeth and Jason both woke up drenched in sweat. They both kissed each other and told each other; I love you, now and for always.