Chapter 3 – Elizabeth Goes Home
William Thatcher stood on his steps and watched the two young men who had brought Elizabeth home pull out and leave. He then turned and headed into the house to talk to Elizabeth. He was met just inside the door by his wife, Grace.
"William." She said. "Who were those young men? Why was Elizabeth crying? Where is Rosemary?"
"One question at a time." William said. "First, apparently Rosemary is still in the city. Something happened to Elizabeth at Central Park and those two young men brought her home."
"What happened?" Grace asked.
"Sounds like it was Charlie Kensington." William said. "I just don't know if I believe what they are telling me. Charlie has always been such a nice young man. I can't believe that he would put his hands on a woman. I think something else happened and Elizabeth is just thinking it was Charlie. I wouldn't doubt if it was one of those two young men who actually put their hands on Elizabeth. She has never liked Charlie, so I think one of those two did something to her and she is just blaming Charlie."
"I knew that you wouldn't believe me." Elizabeth yelled from the doorway to the kitchen. "Jack and Doug were nothing but gentlemen. Doug's father, Chief Burke, himself came down there and he even took me seriously about Charlie. I can't believe you."
Elizabeth headed upstairs to her bedroom without waiting for a response from her parents. She couldn't believe what she had heard. She thought at least her parents would believe her about what happened. After Elizabeth ran upstairs, Grace turned to her husband and just looked at him.
"I will talk to her." Grace said. "Let's just give her some time to calm down."
"I still don't trust those two young men." William said. "I am going to call this Chief Burke and see what he has to say. I think that there is more to the story and I am going to get to the bottom of it. I also want to look into those two young men. They looked older than Elizabeth and I am worried that she is going to fall into the wrong crowd. I doubt that either of those two young men could support Elizabeth as she deserves. If she were with Charlie, I know that he would be able to support her. He is already a wealthy young man and will inherit lots more."
"And if it was Charlie that hurt Elizabeth?" Grace asked. "Just remember, money isn't everything."
"I don't know." William said. "I already gave the senior Charles Kensington my word that Elizabeth was available for Charlie to date. He had suggested that it would be good for business. I didn't think that it would be a problem. He assured me that Charlie was a gentleman. I have never seen him be anything other than a wonderful young man. We agreed a marriage between the families was a good thing. We might have even signed a contract to the fact. I want my daughters taken care of. I don't want them to marry someone and then struggle all their life. I have worked too hard for that to happen. Why can't Elizabeth be more like her sister."
"William." Grace scolded. "You didn't. Well, I am disappointed in you. I thought we said we weren't going to dictate who our daughters should date. You need to fix this because if Charlie did hurt Elizabeth, I don't want him anywhere near her or this house. Just because Viola agreed to let you help choose her husband, doesn't mean that Elizabeth or Julie will agree to allow that."
William just sighed and headed to the study. He needed to think. Grace watched him walk away and then looked upstairs to where her daughter had gone. She shook her head and went to get some tea. Her head hurt thinking about what happened. She was upset at Elizabeth for yelling at them and she was also upset for the way that her husband had behaved. Grace was seriously reconsidering sending Elizabeth off to school at Columbia in the fall. Grace knew that Charlie Kensington was a student there. She worried that something could happen to her daughter. She wasn't sure what to do about her husband at the moment, but maybe he was just trying to do the best for Elizabeth. She didn't want to think he had ulterior motives.
Doug pulled back into Jack's and looked over at his friend. They hadn't said anything else on the entire drive home.
"Jack." Doug said. "Look at me. I am sorry for the way that I reacted. I am just worried about you getting hurt. I will admit that when you were talking to Elizabeth there was a spark in your eyes that I haven't seen in a very long time. Do you understand why I am concerned? Seriously Charlie Kensington?"
"I get it." Jack said. "I just don't know how to explain it. I never believed in love at first sight. And if I was honest, this, whatever it is, is so much deeper then that. It is like my other half. I am not worried about Charlie Kensington. He is the one that should be afraid of me."
"Soulmate." Doug said.
"What did you say?" Jack asked.
"Your soulmate." Doug said. "That is what my grandmother use to say. She said that it was rare that a person would meet their soulmate, but when they did, it was magic."
"I guess that is the best description that I have." Jack said. "I just hope that she is okay and that she calls me. I don't know what I am going to say to my family, but for now I know I am not saying anything. I want to see where this goes."
"Alright." Doug said. "I do suggest that we clue Lee in on what is going on."
"Yeah." Jack said. "Good point. I will talk to him before we leave. Your still coming for part of the time?"
"I wouldn't miss it." Doug said.
"Good." Jack said. "Not that I don't like my grandparents, but it is more fun when you are there. Tommy is no fun. I can't understand why he doesn't like horses and ranch work."
"Then why don't you sound happy?" Doug asked. "Tommy just doesn't like anything that has the word work in it. He is so spoiled. He is use to everyone do everything for him. He is your typical teenager who has been given everything he wants."
"I don't know." Jack said.
"Worried about Elizabeth?" Doug asked.
"Maybe." Jack said. "I don't like how her father got upset at her for calling the police. When she wasn't the one that called them. He didn't seemed bothered by the fact that she was hurt. I also don't like the way that he was looking at us, like we weren't good enough to be around them. I that is why I didn't want you to say anything about who I was. We can cross that bridge later."
"You and I both know." Doug said. "That some families have more problems then others. We were lucky to have parents that cared about us. Not saying that dumping us with nannies was right, but at least when we were injured or hurt, they listened and cared about what happened it us."
"I know." Jack said. "I just hope that she will be alright."
"Talk to her before we leave." Doug said.
"I will." Jack said. "She is suppose to call tomorrow. If she doesn't I will call her on Friday."
"Good." Doug said. "Now let's go see what you cook has for us to eat."
"Is that all you think about?" Jack teased.
"Mostly." Doug said. "My mother ordered our cook to not allow me in the kitchen twenty-four hours a day."
"Mine knows better." Jack said. "Mother said as long I still fit in my clothes she doesn't care."
"Cool." Doug said. "Let's go eat."
Jack and Doug headed around the house to the side door. They wanted to avoid their mothers and head straight for the kitchen since it was just after lunch time. They were in luck and found the cook. She gave them each a nice snack of sandwiches, cheese and fruit before sending them upstairs. Jack and Doug went up the back stairs to Jack's room. They planned on just hanging out for awhile. Lee wasn't expected until that evening after supper. He had some family thing that he had to attend. Jack and Doug were playing video games when Jack's phone rang. He was going to ignore it when he saw Elizabeth's name.
Grace Thatcher busied herself in the kitchen making some tea. Once the water was ready and she had the tea steeping, she climbed the stairs to her daughter's room. She wasn't sure that Elizabeth would listen, but she had to try.
"Elizabeth." Grace said knocking on her door.
There was no answer, so she tried again.
"Elizabeth." Grace said. "Please open the door. I made us some tea. Please come downstairs and talk to me."
Elizabeth debated ignoring her mother, but at the last minute she opened the door and followed her mother downstairs. Before they even reached the kitchen, Elizabeth had something to say.
"I am not backing down." Elizabeth said. "I will not drop the charges and I will not apologize. He hurt me and he needs to be held accountable for his actions."
"Please explain what happened?" Grace asked. "I have only heard bits and pieces from your father."
"I will explain." Elizabeth said. "If you promise to actually listen to me."
"I promise." Grace said.
"Fine." Elizabeth said.
Elizabeth poured herself a cup of tea and added some honey and lemon. She took a deep breath and looked at her mother.
"It all started when Rosie and I got to campus." Elizabeth said. "She thought she just had to drop something off, but they needed for something else. I didn't want to hang around the drama department, so Rosie agreed that we would meet at Central Park when she was done. I wanted to enjoy the day. As I was leaving the drama department, I saw Charlie. I wasn't sure if he saw me or not. I got into a cab and headed to Central Park instead of walking.
As I was walking on some of the trails and looking at some of the birds, Charlie and two of his frat buddies confronted me. I asked them to leave me alone. When I tried to step away, Charlie grabbed my wrist. I yelled at him to let me go. His two buddies surrounded me and as I was yelling, that was when Jack and Doug came up and confronted Charlie. As the guys were talking, I broke free from Charlie's grip and ran to Jack. Seeing they weren't going to get what they want, Charlie and his buddies took off. I started crying, I was so scared. Jack held me and helped me to a bench. Doug called his father, but there was no answer. Then two park police showed up. They tried to separated me from Jack and Doug. I refused to go with them, because they had come the way that Charlie and his buddies had run off.
Next thing I know, Chief Burke is there talking to me. He allowed Jack to stay with me as he talked to me. He was kind and gentle. He didn't push and he let me take my time telling him what happened. He asked to see my wrist and when he moved my sleeve he saw the bruises that were forming. He had one of his officers take some pictures. Chief Burke took my information and statement. He then was going to have an officer drive me. Jack volunteered him and Doug. Jack saw that I was scared and was trying to make things easier for me.
After Chief Burke left, we walked to Jack's Jeep. I texted Rosie and told her that I wasn't feeling well and was getting a ride home. We stopped to get some coffee and Jack got me my favorite drink and treat. Jack and I talked on the ride home as Doug drove. They made sure that I had their numbers and that I was okay. They told me that Charlie was skunk and that he had a reputation for taking advantage of young women."
"That is so hard to believe." Grace said. "Charlie has never been anything but a gentlemen. Are you sure those two boys aren't just jealous of Charlie?"
"That wasn't the first time that Charlie wanted to take me back to his frat house." Elizabeth said. "He even said that I could spend the night with him anytime I want. I have told him to leave me alone many times, he doesn't get that I don't want him around. Thank God, Jack and Doug were there. Neither of them seemed like the jealous type. They stepped in at great risk to themselves to help someone that they didn't know."
Grace just sat there and looked at her daughter while she drank her tea. She didn't know what to say. There was a part of her that wanted to believe her daughter, but what Elizabeth was saying didn't fit with what she knew about Charlie Kensington or his family. Elizabeth sat there watching her mother. She was trying to figure out if her mother believed her or not. She wanted nothing more then to be on her own, but it was going to be at least a couple of months before Elizabeth would be able to move into the small apartment with Rosemary. Even then, Elizabeth knew that she needed her parents support to attend Columbia. She wanted nothing more then to get away from her father and his unrealistic demands. Elizabeth wondered if it was too late to change her mind and go away to school. At least then she would be able to get away from her father and she also wouldn't have to worry about the Kensingtons.
As Grace and Elizabeth were sitting there each drinking their tea, thinking about what to say, William walked into the kitchen.
"Good." William said. "Elizabeth, you are down here. I talked to Chief Burke, you need to call him and tell him to drop this silliness. He said he needs to hear from you before he will dismiss the case. I have also talked to Charlie's father and they will be after seven this evening for an apology. Then we can put this behind us and move forward. You and Charlie can go out then you can attend Columbia together."
"I am not dropping anything." Elizabeth said. "I am not apologizing to the Kensingtons. If anyone needs to apologize, it is them and you for the way that you are treating me. I have a right to say who I go out with and I also have a right to say who touches me. Charlie put his hands on me after I asked him to leave me alone."
Elizabeth set her cup of tea down and ran back upstairs. She was upset with her father and she couldn't believe the way that he was acting. She shut and locked her door. Elizabeth looked around her room for a bit before, she grabbed a bag and started throwing things in it, thinking that she could just leave. But she didn't know where she could go. She knew that she didn't have enough money to go far. She also wasn't sure who she could trust. She knew that her father knew a lot of people and that he wouldn't leave this be. As Elizabeth was sitting on her bed, she looked at her phone and debated calling Jack. She didn't want to bother him, but he did say that he would be there for her if she needed anything. Finally she picked up the phone, pressed his contact info. It took another minute before she pressed send. She just prayed that Jack would answer.