NOTE: I'm going to try to keep up with updates over the holiday season...but you know how it is. Hugs! Thank you all for all your support though this story! it keeps me writing!
Chapter Forty-seven
"Elizabeth, I need to thank you again." Asha gushed happily. "This is by far the most spectacular event we've ever had. How did you even find this space on such short notice?"
"We hold a lot of wedding receptions here, and the owner owed me a favor."
"Thank you so much for using it on us." Asha smiled warmly. "Seriously, you're a life saver. I've been working on this fundraiser for months and I honestly didn't know what to do when Asher Hall called to cancel on me! Not to mention all the other finishing touches that I would have never thought of."
"Did you ever find out why they couldn't host you tonight?
"They gave me the oldest story in the book about a mix up in dates and being double booked." Asha said rolling her eyes.
"You don't believe them?"
"Not really. Being a charity event they were giving us the space at a deep discount and I'm sure someone with money came along and wanted tonight. I can't really blame them, they are running a business after all."
"I can't imagine them doing that."
"Have you worked with them before?"
"A few times. Their space is a little larger and less intimate than what my clients usually are looking for."
"This place does have a much more romantic feel." Asha smiled as she looked around the warmly lit room filled with socialites. "Anyway, it doesn't matter why they backed out, I'm just glad you were here to save me."
"My pleasure."
"And thank you for coming."
"It's good for me to be out of the house." Elizabeth admitted. "Actually this whole week helping you has been a good distraction for me."
"I couldn't have done it without you. It really is perfect, you're really good at this."
"I should start a business." Elizabeth teased.
"You should." Asha mocked in return. "I'd hire you."
"Good to know."
"Alright, now that everything is in full swing and under control I'm going to go get us something to drink."
"Oh, no thank…"
"Elizabeth," Asha interrupted "the only answer I'm going to accept is 'red' or 'white'."
"Red."
"Excellent, I have a few people I have to say hello to and then I'll be back with some refreshments. In the meantime why don't you try a little mingling?"
"Asha…"
"And eventually you are going to have to come to one of our support meetings or I'm going to become personally offended."
"I know. I will."
"I'm gonna hold you to that." Asha said seriously as she walked off towards a group of businessmen and women.
Elizabeth watched as Asha infiltrated the group and seamlessly started a conversation about Light for the Lost in hopes of increasing donations. Watching her work Elizabeth could see that Asha had a true talent and passion for it. Although Elizabeth still didn't feel comfortable with the idea of going to the support group meetings she had benefited tremendously from her time with Asha. Helping organize the fundraiser after the original venue fell through had brought a measure of normalcy back to her life. It had also proven to her that she could still function at her profession. She had been giving serious consideration to selling her company worried that she wouldn't be able to arrange another wedding as long as Peter was gone, but now she saw that she could turn her talents on more events like this one.
"Mrs. Burke?"
Lost in thought Elizabeth jolted at the sound of her name. Turning around she took a hurried step back when she found Charles Walker standing behind her. She tried to hide the flash of apprehension that accompanied seeing the head of the charity, but the apologetic look in Walker's eyes told her that she had failed. Asha had tried to convince Elizabeth that her first impression of Walker had been tainted by all of the negative emotions of Peter's disappearance. Elizabeth had been starting to think that maybe she had been jumping at shadows, however upon meeting him again Elizabeth still had an instinctual distaste and fear of him. Attempting to be a gentleman Walker tried to reach out to take her hand but Elizabeth pulled away.
"I see I still don't have your forgiveness." York sighed. "I'm so sorry. Asha told me how much I upset you. Please understand that was never my intention. Now that I've had some time to think about it I can see how inappropriate it was. I do hope you reported me to your friends at the FBI to make sure I'm one of the good guys."
Not willing to tell Walker either way Elizabeth said nothing as an uncomfortable silence fell between them. She had talked to Hughes about him but as far as he could find there weren't any red flags. Elizabeth did feel a pang of guilt at the dejected look on Walker's face when she continued to regard him distrustfuly. Part of her knew she was judging him unfairly, but that didn't stop her heart from racing with anxiety when he was near.
"You don't have to answer that." York said putting his hands up in mock surrender. "I'm not going to salvage this am I? That's okay. Please just allow me to say I'm sorry and thank you for helping with tonight's event."
"You're welcome." Elizabeth replied out of politeness.
"I know how hard it is to…"
"Charles!" Asha's interrupted as she came up behind Elizabeth and stood at her side. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm not invited to my own organization's fundraisers any more?" York asked in an injured tone.
"You told me you couldn't make it tonight."
"I do have to leave, I just wanted to make a quick apperance and apologize to Mrs. Burke in person."
"That really wasn't necessary." Elizabeth said.
"I feel that it was. If there is anything I can do for you please don't hesitate to ask. Also make sure you send me an invoice for all the work you've done for us over the past week."
"What? No, this wasn't…"
"I insist." Walker interrupted before turning to Asha. "Asha, my Dear, make sure it happens."
"Don't you have somewhere to be?" Asha asked.
"I really do. I swear I feel like a rat trapped in a maze with all the running around I do." York chuckled.
"Good night, Charles." Asha said firmly.
"Yes, of course, I'm going, I'm going." York nodded. "Again, my apologies about my approach, Mrs. Burke, but I do feel it all worked out in the end. We are lucky to have you."
Still not willing to verbalize her forgiveness Elizabeth just offered York a tight lipped smile. She had been around Neal's genuine charm enough to spot when someone was trying too hard. York noted her continued coldness toward him and a she could swear a smirk touched the corner of his lips as if he either admired her stubbornness or perhaps was enjoying the game of trying to get back in her good graces. Either way her second encounter with the man had not improved her opinion of him. Admitting defeat for the night York gave her a shallow bow before retreating.
"I'm so sorry about that, Elizabeth, I didn't think he would be here tonight."
"It's okay."
"Clearly it isn't, I can see how upset you are. You looked about as happy as a wet cat talking to him."
"I'm sorry, I just get this…Peter would call it a gut feeling."
"I can understand, but Charles really does mean well even if he comes off as a little arrogant. He has done so much good with Light for the Lost. Just look around at all these people here tonight to support us."
"All I can see are the same rich, corrupt, entitled men that Peter used to arrest on a near daily basis." Elizabeth said bitterly as her mood darkened further.
"Then let's get out of here." Asha suggested.
"What? No, I'm okay."
"You're really not. This shindig can run without me, it was just my job to get it off the ground. The money guys are working the room, they don't need me. I thought being here would be good for you, but I can see it's too much too soon."
"I am feeling a little over whelmed here, but at the same time I don't really want to go home. To be honest I don't know what I want right now."
"That's perfectly normal." Asha said with sympathy. "What you really want is to feel better, but since your pain is inside you take it everywhere you go so no place feels right anymore."
Elizabeth just nodded, not trusting her voice as she feared she might be on the verge of tears all of a sudden. She had been doing better with her mood swings over the past few days but now that she was feeling a little stressed it was all flooding back. Asha was quick to pick up on the change and gently guided Elizabeth towards the exit.
"Come on, let's go. My office isn't far from here, it's a good neutral location and private."
"Thank you."
Elizabeth felt a little guilty having to be ushered away from the event that she and Asha had worked so hard together on. Knowing if she stayed she would only get worse she accepted Asha's invitation to leave. For as much as Elizabeth still distrusted Walker she had grown to depend on Asha's company. Asha stayed silently supportive on the short journey back to her office. She had a set of plush leather chairs with a small coffee table in between them in the corner of her crowded and messy office. Insisting Elizabeth sit down Asha got two bottles of water out a small fridge and offered one to Elizabeth before sitting down.
"We really do need to do something about the state of your office, Asha."
"Hey, I know where everything is…for the most part. The important things at any rate." Asha smiled. "However if you're offering to help I'm more than willing to take it on as our next project."
"I have a feeling that I'm your project at the moment."
"Is that a problem?"
"No, I need the help."
"You'll get there, Elizabeth." Asha said confidently. "You're a strong woman. I knew that from the first moment we met."
"I haven't felt very strong lately."
"And that's okay too. Even steel has a breaking point."
Elizabeth smiled as tears finally slipped down her cheeks. Demonstrating that she really did know where the important things were Asha reached down and pulled a box of tissues off a short stack of papers that were sitting on the floor. Dabbing away the tears Elizabeth sat in silence. At the start of the night she had felt almost normal and it was making the realization that everything was still wrong all the much harder to take. Feeling Peter's absence more acutely again Elizabeth fought against a true break down. Asha leaned forward and placed her hand gently on Elizabeth's knee.
"I'm sorry..."
"It's okay, Elizabeth. Recovery isn't a down hill slide," Asha said quietly "it's an uphill battle with occasional plateaus that make the climb seems all the more arduous."
"How do you always seem to know what I'm thinking?"
"Because I've been there."
