Forever Indeed
Looking up from the champagne glass, she found him kneeling beside the table. He held out his hand, requesting for "The ring." She raised an eyebrow, looking back down and into the glass of bubbly. A platinum ring shined within. She looked to him again and he smiled widely, asking again, "Sweetheart, please pass me the ring." Pursing her lips, she tipped the glass up. The champagne drenched her leftover salad, the ring falling atop a sodden tomato slice. He picked it up, using a napkin to wipe it dry. "Lizzie-beth," he began, holding out the ring, "Will you marry me?"
Lizzie-beth gulped, trying to suffocate the hysterical giggle that threatened to burst from between her red lips. The lipstick smeared away, as her teeth scraped and bit at her bottom lip.
"Lizzie-beth…" he tried to say more, but his voice cracked slightly with anxiety.
She looked from the ring to him. Gazing into his bright eyes, enthralled, she coyly whispered, "Yes."
He jumped to his feet, exclaiming, "Yes!" Grinning, he spun round, calling to the others in the restaurant, "She said yes!"
They clapped. Waiters brought along more champagne. Lizze-beth drew in a large breath of air, hands shaking. "Lizzie-beth, you've made me the luckiest man." He eagerly expressed, seizing her hand. He stroked her fingers, attempting to remember which it was that the ring should sit upon.
She laughed sharply, pulling her hand away and informing, "Sam, it's the other hand."
Sam laughed too and corrected himself. They sat back. Staring at one another, the pair shared a content smile. As Sam ordered her favourite desert for her, Lizzie-beth headed to the bathroom and promptly fell into a comfy chair nearby the sinks. As she stared into the mirror, watching her smile fade, she could not help but wonder why she had said 'yes' to a man she had known only for a month.
"Why?" she asked her reflection. Lizzie-beth gnawed at her lips again, eyes turning to stare at the ring upon her finger, "Elizabeth you stupid git." She quietly hissed, "Why would you say yes to him?"
Standing, she hastily checked her make-up and returned to the table.
"I'm expected home after this year is done." Samuel told her. Elizabeth nodded, as she scooped some ice-cream onto her spoon. He confidently stared at her, continuing, "I want you to come with me."
Spoon clattering into the bowl, Elizabeth's eyes widened. "What?" she gasped, grabbing her napkin and strangling it.
"I'm graduating, as you know, and my father expects me home to work for him." She nodded, confirming they had indeed previously discussed that. He sighed, "I know you want to stay here and finish university yourself too, but my parents will want to meet you. I aren't likely to come back here and… well I was hoping we could move there anyway – and what better place to move to over there than close to my parents."
Elizabeth dropped the napkin, reaching over and grasping his hands, murmuring, "Sam I know you want to move there – I've known for a while. You never stop talking about home." She bit her lip, pulling away and grabbing her glass of champagne, "I'm just not sure it's what I want."
He clenched his fist, glancing away from her and out the window. She watched his brows furrow and jaw tighten. Closing his eyes, Sam sighed and turned back to her. He took up her newly ringed hand and stared at the oval shaped, three stone Tiffany ring. "When we first got together you explained that your family is not really… a proper family. You aren't particularly fussed about your friends, considering the way they all are. Plus there's always the internet. You said that you've never known anything even remotely similar to what real love should be like either until I came around." He began, "I know you adore England sweetheart, but I don't think you could ever truly be happy here. I think my home – my family will make you so." He raised his gaze from the ring and looked into her brown eyes, "I know I can make you happy, but I can't do that if we're split between countries." His light blue eyes pierced through the maroon and yellow of her own and Elizabeth's lips widened a little, "We've got the time to sort everything out. We'll fill and file all the forms together. You'll move to America with me. We'll stay at my parent's new house whilst we save up for our own nearby. Come on Elizabeth – you always said you'd love to go to Vegas."
She laughed, nodding, "Yeah, for a quick holiday – not for the rest of my life."
Stroking her hand, Sam laughed a little himself, "True, but its only until we have the money to get our own place."
"What about getting married?" Elizabeth queried, looking at the ring that shimmered beneath the restaurant lighting.
"We'll get married there, whilst we're at my parents. A house will take a while, but my father has agreed to pay for our special day." Sam raised her hand and kissed her palm, bringing her attention back to him, "We'll be together forever."
Huffing, Elizabeth angrily mumbled as her shoes popped back out. She raked her hands down the side of the suitcase, between the clothes, and dragged up a belt with a clip at the end. Blowing some straw hair from her vision, she knelt onto the clothes in the suitcase and heaved the belt over the contents of the case. Forcing the stuff down further, Elizabeth heavily sighed, "Oh, please fit!" She jumped onto the contents, shouting, "You have to fit!"
Flinching, Elizabeth left the large pink suitcase and ran from the room. She slid across the kitchen floor and grabbed the counter, steadying herself. Picking up her mobile phone, she answered.
"What is this on Facebook?" A voice blared. Pulling the phone away, grimacing, Elizabeth slowly strolled back to her room.
"What is what?" She asked, placing the phone onto the desk and picking her shoes up from the floor.
"That notice thing you've put up! Why didn't you text me?" The voice demanded.
Leaning over the phone and peeking at the caller ID, Elizabeth retorted, "I'm sorry Stacy, I didn't think it would interest you. After all, we've not spoken in such a long time – what with you and Mike moving in together, you and your new best friend going to London for a lovely weekend of shopping and so on and so forth. I figured you were busy and I myself," she pushed the shoes down into the case, "I am busy now too."
"Elizabeth," Stacy groaned through the devices, "Don't be like that. You know Amy could never replace you. You shouldn't be surprised anyway since your university and mine are far from one another. I needed a housemate and Amy was perfect. It's just a happy coincidence that she's also turned out to be an awesome friend."
"Picking up the phone like you've just done, Stacy, isn't that difficult." Elizabeth complained, hissing as she trapped her fingers between her shoes and a bag of jewellery."
"Hey!" Stacy yelled, "You could have done that too! Seriously though, what is this about you getting engaged – I didn't even know you had a boyfriend… I thought you were gay."
Snorting, Elizabeth explained, "I met Samuel a while ago – a long while! We got together and we have fallen in love with one another-" Stacy barked out a laugh, unbelieving as Elizabeth continued more loudly, "He proposed ages ago and since then we've been working on getting ready to go to Lass Vegas."
"You're getting married in Las vegas – oh yeah, that's real love alright! Well done!" Stacy sardonically hollered, laughing.
"No!" Elizabeth squealed, brows drawn together and nose scrunched up, "His parents live there! We're going there so I can meet them."
"You haven't met his parents? Seriously, what is wrong with you Elizabeth – you never rush into things and you always ask for my opinion of the men you see." Stacy's voice quietened, "Are you sure about this man Lizzie?"
Fiercely biting her lips, Elizabeth stared at the rebellious suitcase as her now free hand pushed down upon the clothes.
"Elizabeth, are you still there? Are you okay?" Stacy nervously inquired.
Nodding to herself, Elizabeth drew back from the suitcase. She slammed the lid down and successfully, though a little haphazardly, zipped it shut. "I am sure." She determinedly said with her hands on her hips, staring at the shut case. She stomped her foot and turned to look at her phone, softly restating herself, "I'm sure."
"Okay then, but do take care of yourself and I am here… if you'll have me." Stacy told her, "Anways, I've got to go, so I'll talk to you later, yeah? Look, message me when you're in Vegas and settled. I want to be sure you are okay."
"Okay, bye." Elizabeth replied, moving towards the phone. A small smile teasing her pink lips, she hung up.
"I'm going to Vegas." She whispered to herself, staring around the almost empty flat. "We're going to Vegas – oh god!" she exclaimed, hand thrown up and smacking against the forehead, "I'm meeting his parents. What do I do? What do I say? Ugh, what am I supposed to do?"
Shuffling in her seat, Elizabeth groaned.
"Stop it," Sam chuckled, lightly squeezing her hand, "Just look out the window and suck on your sweets. You'll be fine."
Nodding, she did as told. It did not ease her mind. She was going to meet his parents. He was going to introduce her to them very soon. In only a few hours they would arrive at the airport and then get a taxi to his parent's new home.
"Where is it again?" She asked, swiftly turning to look at him. Still watching the screen above the aisle, Samuel replied, "It's just the suburbs sweetheart. There's no need to worry, we're outside the city. You won't even be able to hear the emergency services. Not like here."
Frowning, Elizabeth clarified, "I didn't grow up in the city you know. I only moved there because of Uni. Before that I was in the countryside – always." She turned her head away from him and stared out the small window at the empty plane parked opposite their own, "Now I won't even finish university."
Sighing, Samuel stoked her hand, tightening his grip, "You don't need to. Elizabeth you won't be working. I'll work for my father and then I'll take over when he retires." Moving closer, he whispered into her ear, her hair tickling his nose, "You'll never want for anything. Whatever you want: clothes, jewellery or a better house. I can give you that. There's no need for you to work, so no need for you to attend university." He brushed his nose into her light brown locks and inhaled the sea-salt smell of her shampoo and conditioner, saying as he drew away from her, "When would History have ever come in handy anyway? You can't get a real job with a degree like that."
Glaring out the window, Elizabeth snapped, "Economics, politics and Business isn't everything Sam."
"Sweetheart, your degree is more of a retiree's hobby than a qualification." He told her, letting go of her hand and picking up the magazine the netted sleeve of the chair in front of him.
It was cold. She had not anticipated that. Apparently, though deserts are hot during the day, at night they get just as cold. The heat dissipates through the night and the critters come out to feast. Spiders, scorpions and mice run rampant. All creatures do. Thankfully Sam's parents lived in the suburbs, so there were only really cats and dogs roaming the streets. After all, what creature would want to live amongst a multitude of humans?
As the taxi pulled up outside a house, which appeared to be of the same design as every other in the surrounding area, Elizabeth unfolded her arms and opened the back car door. The driver clambered out as well, heading to the boot of the car to retrieve the suitcases. Sam moved ahead and hastily rapped on the front door.
"Sam," Elizabeth growled, "Be quieter, people are probably trying to sleep."
He shrugged, gesturing to his parent's house, "How else will they hear us?"
Shaking her head and wrapping her arms round herself, attempting to stop shivering, Elizabeth glanced about the silent street. Row upon row of houses, newly built and most with their indoor lights turned off. She chewed on her bottom lip, looking at those nearby that still retained some light. A young man opposite Sam's parent's house had a desk lamp on, curtains wide open. He was writing at the desk, light beside him. A few houses down from that of Sam's parent's was another house with a few lights on. She could not see properly through the blinds of the windows, but the moving silhouettes suggested a gathered group. Elizabeth jumped, startled, as the driver dropped her suitcase before her. Ignoring her irritated visage, he dragged Sam's out and dropped that unceremoniously as well.
"Finally, it's about time Dad." She heard Sam exclaim.
"Sorry, your mother is trying to make herself: decent." His father replied, mockingly.
"She'll look fine," Sam said, trying to catch a glimpse of the inside of the house, "It's not like she's meeting the president."
Elizabeth smothered a laugh, as she grasped the handle of her suitcase. Her nose scrunched at the sight. Even in the dim lighting of porch at night the pink of her case seemed to glow. If it weren't or being useful, she would have binned it eons ago when her grandmother first bought it for her. She did not like pink enough to buy a pink suitcase. Whatever happened to a traditional black suitcase like Sam's?
"Lizzie-beth, leave them." Sam called, gesturing for her to join him and his father at the front door.
Pulling her suitcase behind her despite what he said. Elizabeth raised her right hand to his father, smiling and politely introducing herself, "Hiya, I'm Elizabeth. It's wonderful to finally meet you."
Chuckling loudly, Sam's father grasped her hand with both of his own and declared, "My you've gotten yourself quite a pretty thing Sam. Please, get inside! Don't want you getting sick flower – you're hands are freezing already!"
Wincing at the volume of his voice, considering the hush of the rest of the houses along the street, Elizabeth trailed her case through the warm hallway. The taxi driver hauled Sam's suitcase into the passage, leaving after being paid. Elizabeth left her suitcase by the living-room door and followed Sam and his father into the kitchen.
"It's brilliant to finally get a glimpse of you. I'm-"
"Bill, don't just stand talking at her! Get her a drink!" A shrill voice cried. A tall lanky woman entered, adorned by a pink dressing gown, forcing her wild black curls into a ponytail. The woman turned from her husband, huffing and shook Elizabeth's hand, "It's wonderful to meet you dear." Turning to her son, she asked, "Was the flight okay? Bill said that first class was already fully booked. I can't believe you had to get a regular seat with all those… other people."
"It was quite alright Mrs Grant," Elizabeth insisted, interrupting a stuttering Sam, "We're not strangers to regular travel."
Mrs Grant sniffed, nostrils flaring, "Still my dear, I am so sorry for that. We booked the tickets and didn't realise until afterwards. When we called up they said they didn't have any. Unbelievable, I know. We're not filthy rich, but we're not animals are we?"
"It's fine, really." Elizabeth anxiously twittered.
"Mom, Elizabeth is used to it and I've gotten used to it myself after all that time getting to and from university." Sam certified, going on to announce, "Elizabeth is actually the one to help me with all that. It is how we met isn't it sweetheart?"
Elizabeth giggled, "Yes, he looked so terribly sorry for himself."
He lightly nudged her in the side, laughing with her, "Hey, I wasn't that bad!"
"You had a ticket for central station, but were trying to get on a train that was going in the other direction. If that isn't lost I don't know what it is!"
"Ah, so you rescued him – how refreshing! I do like a modern love story." Mrs Grant expressed, pushing Bill away from the kettle. "I'll get that." She insisted, waving him away and pulling a few mugs from a cupboard.
"Right," Bill said, sitting down at a long wooden table and gesturing for the newly engaged couple to do the same. "Which one did you get her then?" he asked Sam.
"Ah, well when I went I didn't like the other one." He took Elizabeth's hand and showed the ring to his father, "I think we're both very pleased with this ring, aren't we?" he asked her. She nodded, watching the two men with a large smile.
His father whistled, "If she likes it, its money well spent son. Glad you're grandfathers inheritance came in handy for something. Now we've just got a wedding to plan – you'll be helping Elizabeth with that won't you Julia?"
"What? Oh, yes!" Julia abandoned the hot chocolates, settling besides Elizabeth at the table, "I've got tonnes of magazines for you to look through – I know that the styles in England are different. We can look through them together starting tomorrow."
"Yes, she's very excited. Julia's always wanted a daughter just for this reason." Bill chortled, as Sam got to his feet to tend to the drinks.
"Are you better warmed up dear?" Julia ventured, stroking Elizabeth's thin jacket sleeves.
"Yes, thank you." She replied, tugging the jacket closer, "I think I just need a warm bed and I'll be fine."
"Of course, you're probably very tired." Julia exclaimed, jumping to her feet. "Forget the drink Sam. I'll take Elizabeth up to the guest room you'll be having whilst you're both here."
"Alright, I'll be up soon sweetheart." He kissed her on the cheek and passed a hot chocolate to his father, "You pop off to sleep. I promise I'll be quiet when I come up."
Throwing the nightgown onto the bed, Elizabeth turned to the door and wished her soon to be mother-in-law a good night. After the woman had left, a giddy grin on her wrinkling visage, Elizabeth shut the bedroom door. She flicked the blaring light off and instead moved to the other side of the room and turned on the bedside lamp. It was much more accommodating to her tired eyes.
Picking up the nightgown, Elizabeth sat on the bed and stared out at the sky from between the blinds of the window. Quite a few stars gleaming, she was reminded of the countryside back in England. "Just like home." She verbally thought to herself.
Getting back to her feet she turned from the window and removed her jacket. She clawed at her grey t-shirt and undid the buttons of her light denim jeans. She folded the shirt and twisted round to leave it on the side table beneath the lamp.
Elizabeth stopped.
The shirt fell to the floor, crinkling.
She stared out the window.
At one of the houses across the street there stood a man.
Wiping her eyes, Elizabeth looked again. He was still there, shadowed by the darkness. His porch light was not on despite his presence. He remained there, seemingly gazing at the sky as she had moments before.
Shaking herself, Elizabeth reached down and snatched up her shirt. She tossed it onto the bedside table and hastily grabbed the cord for the blinds, shutting them.
Quickly changing, she brushed her teeth with a brush and toothpaste Sam's parent's provided in the guestroom en-suite. She got into bed. Her hand reached over to the lamp, halting a moment.
Elizabeth sat up in bed and stared at the blinds, wondering.
Instead of satisfying her curiosity she laid down again, turning out the light and rolling onto her side and fell asleep.