See Part 1 for disclaimer.
After watching Elizabeth walk away from the Counter with Taggert Ric sat down beside Lucky and ordered a cup of coffee from Courtney.
"Here you go Ric," said Courtney setting then coffee down in front of him. She walked to the other end of the counter.
"Thank you," Ric said as he turned sideways in his seat. He wanted to be able to keep an eye on Elizabeth.
Lucky also turned to watch Elizabeth and Taggert. "I wonder what that is all about," he said to Ric.
"Taggert , needed to speak to Elizabeth. He said it was personal. Are they friends?" Ric asked looking worried as he forgot about the coffee and instead concentrated on watching Taggert and Elizabeth.
"Elizabeth needed some Help a long time ago and Taggert Helped her so they're kind of friends I guess," L He noticed that Ric was only really paying attention to Elizabeth anyway. "Hey, Don't let your coffee get cold, she'll be fine." Lucky said grinning. He was happy to see someone paying attention to Elizabeth.
"Oh.Ok," said Ric still watching Elizabeth and Taggert. He turned toward the counter and took a sip of his coffee before looking back over at Elizabeth.
After sitting down with Taggert Elizabeth smiled at him. "Ok Taggert what's up," she asked.
Taggert stopped and took the time to add creamer and sugar to his coffee then looked up and smiled. "Would you please call me Marcus?" he asked
"Ok, Marcus what's up?" Elizabeth asked grinning she found it a little funny to be calling Taggert Marcus. "How can I help you?"
"I wanted to check on you to see how you were doing." He took a sip from his coffee. " I heard you finally wised up and stopped seeing Morgan."
"I'm fine. I did stop seeing Jason our lives just don't work together." She didn't mind his comment. Taggert he had made it clear to her on several occasions that he really disliked her with Jason and in many ways he was right. When she left Jason it had hurt but it had been the best choice.
"So now instead of seeing Sonny's enforcer you're seeing his Mouthpiece instead? Elizabeth I thought you were smarter than that." Marcus commented Looking down at his plate. He waited for Elizabeth to let him have it.
"Actually I am seeing Ric who works for Carly not Sonny and I don't know why you would even care." Elizabeth asked angry now that taggert was going to lecture her yet again.
"I don't want anything to happen to you Elizabeth." Taggert said as he leaned closer to Elizabeth over the table. " Being involved with people who work for Sonny always leads to you being hurt."
"I'll be fine Marcus. I can take care of myself. Is this the only reason why you wanted to speak with me? To Comment on my poor dating choices?" she asked annoyed but still trying to be polite.
"Actually I wanted to let you Know that Tom baker has been released from prison." He as trying to break it to her gently.
"When?" asked Elizabeth her voice cracked even though she was trying to stay calm. She was amazed at how much the news upset her. She thought she had put it all behind her and was stronger than this. She thought it was all over.
"He was actually released two weeks ago. He received a traffic ticket on Walters Street yesterday that's how I found out." He hated to have to tell her this. He remembered her the first time they spoke about Baker when they came to the Police station all those years ago she had just been a sweet little girl who was so hurt that it broke his heart. He hated to be the one who was upsetting her now.
"Oh.Ok." said Elizabeth in a small shaky voice. She was getting very pale.
Taggert picked up his water glass and handed it to Elizabeth. "Here drink this."
"Thank you." Elizabeth said as she took the glass with a shaking hand and took a sip of water.
"I'm sorry Elizabeth." Taggert said. " I know how much this has upset you but Tom Baker is not a registered sex offender because he was never convicted of assaulting you. He can come and go as he pleases. If he hadn't gotten that traffic ticket I would have never know about his release. I came to tell you as soon as I could."
"Thanks for telling me Marcus." Elizabeth said a she took a couple of deep breaths and finished the water. She was slowly pulling herself back together.
"Elizabeth, please be careful. I don't have any reason to believe he would even bother you but its better to be safe than sorry." He reached into his shirt pocket and took out a business card. "All of my numbers are on here. If you need me for any reason even if your just worried please call me. Anytime." He reached across the table and smiled at Elizabeth.
Elizabeth takes the card from Taggert smiling. "Thank you Marcus. I'll be careful. Enjoy your coffee. Oh and if I need help I will call you. I promise,"
Elizabeth walked back to the counter and stood next to Ric and Lucky.
"Hey Elizabeth," said Lucky looking worried.
"Hi Lucky," said Elizabeth with a smile. She was still very pale and her hands were shaking so she put them in her pockets.
"Is everything all right with you? Did Taggert upset you?" asked Ric. He noticed that she upset and was really concerned he stood up and stepped closer.
"Everything is just fine. Taggert just wanted to give me some news about a friend of mine. That's all. I'm fine," said Elizabeth a little to brightly. Trying not to take a step back.
Just then Courtney walked over to refill Ric and Lucky's coffees. "So Elizabeth if it was no big deal with Taggert are you going to open the Box," she asked laughing. I know it's for you but the wait is killing me." She put the coffeepot back on the warmer.
"Oh, I almost forgot. Yes, I am going to open it right now before anyone else need me." Elizabeth said Laughing as she picked up the box. She removed the card and set it on the counter. " I want to see what it is and then I will read the card."
Elizabeth placed the box on the counter and removed the Lid. Opening the tissue paper she looks down into the box and saw some beautiful bright red fabric. Her hands shake and her mouth goes dry as she pulls out the short red formal dress. She grows pale as she remembers the last time she had on a red dress similar to this one. She sees herself in the Mirror when she first tried on the other dress and was so happy. Than she remember what Taggert and just told her. She thought about a walk through the park and all the pain that she thought she was over just came crashing down on her. The world started to get dark around the edges and he felt a little dizzy. In the distance she could hear the others talking.
"That's so pretty, Elizabeth you will look wonderful. Open the card so we can see who sent it," said Courtney.
Elizabeth stood there unmoving .She was silent and very pale.
"Elizabeth are you ok?" asked Lucky. He was concerned. He realized just by looking at the dazed look in her eyes that something was the matter.
"Elizabeth, What's the matter?" Ric asked. " Are you ok?"
Hearing Ric's voice snaps Elizabeth back to reality. "Oh My God." Says Elizabeth as she drops the dress back into the box. She can feel The panic rising in her and she is trying so hard to stay calm but The panic seems to be winning. She looks at the dress and the over to Ric trying to smile at him. " I'm O." before she can finish
Lucky reaches over to Elizabeth and touches her arm. " Elizabeth what's the matter?" he asked.
She jerks away from his touch and screams "NO!" Everything is just too much for her she something snaps. She pushes the box to the floor.
Boobie came running out of the Kitchen at her scream. "Elizabeth, honey are you Ok!" she asks very concerned.
Elizabeth Looks around and realizes that everyone I now looking at her. See Looks to Ric afraid of what she might see on his face but all she see is concern as the tears start to well up in her eyes. She panic's. "I Can't do this again." She knocks the box to the floor and starts to run to the door.
Looking form Elizabeth then down at the dress Lucky realizes what is happening. "Elizabeth Wait," he says. He turns to try and catch Elizabeth as she bolts out the front door. Before he can get to the door Ric stops him.
Continued
After watching Elizabeth walk away from the Counter with Taggert Ric sat down beside Lucky and ordered a cup of coffee from Courtney.
"Here you go Ric," said Courtney setting then coffee down in front of him. She walked to the other end of the counter.
"Thank you," Ric said as he turned sideways in his seat. He wanted to be able to keep an eye on Elizabeth.
Lucky also turned to watch Elizabeth and Taggert. "I wonder what that is all about," he said to Ric.
"Taggert , needed to speak to Elizabeth. He said it was personal. Are they friends?" Ric asked looking worried as he forgot about the coffee and instead concentrated on watching Taggert and Elizabeth.
"Elizabeth needed some Help a long time ago and Taggert Helped her so they're kind of friends I guess," L He noticed that Ric was only really paying attention to Elizabeth anyway. "Hey, Don't let your coffee get cold, she'll be fine." Lucky said grinning. He was happy to see someone paying attention to Elizabeth.
"Oh.Ok," said Ric still watching Elizabeth and Taggert. He turned toward the counter and took a sip of his coffee before looking back over at Elizabeth.
After sitting down with Taggert Elizabeth smiled at him. "Ok Taggert what's up," she asked.
Taggert stopped and took the time to add creamer and sugar to his coffee then looked up and smiled. "Would you please call me Marcus?" he asked
"Ok, Marcus what's up?" Elizabeth asked grinning she found it a little funny to be calling Taggert Marcus. "How can I help you?"
"I wanted to check on you to see how you were doing." He took a sip from his coffee. " I heard you finally wised up and stopped seeing Morgan."
"I'm fine. I did stop seeing Jason our lives just don't work together." She didn't mind his comment. Taggert he had made it clear to her on several occasions that he really disliked her with Jason and in many ways he was right. When she left Jason it had hurt but it had been the best choice.
"So now instead of seeing Sonny's enforcer you're seeing his Mouthpiece instead? Elizabeth I thought you were smarter than that." Marcus commented Looking down at his plate. He waited for Elizabeth to let him have it.
"Actually I am seeing Ric who works for Carly not Sonny and I don't know why you would even care." Elizabeth asked angry now that taggert was going to lecture her yet again.
"I don't want anything to happen to you Elizabeth." Taggert said as he leaned closer to Elizabeth over the table. " Being involved with people who work for Sonny always leads to you being hurt."
"I'll be fine Marcus. I can take care of myself. Is this the only reason why you wanted to speak with me? To Comment on my poor dating choices?" she asked annoyed but still trying to be polite.
"Actually I wanted to let you Know that Tom baker has been released from prison." He as trying to break it to her gently.
"When?" asked Elizabeth her voice cracked even though she was trying to stay calm. She was amazed at how much the news upset her. She thought she had put it all behind her and was stronger than this. She thought it was all over.
"He was actually released two weeks ago. He received a traffic ticket on Walters Street yesterday that's how I found out." He hated to have to tell her this. He remembered her the first time they spoke about Baker when they came to the Police station all those years ago she had just been a sweet little girl who was so hurt that it broke his heart. He hated to be the one who was upsetting her now.
"Oh.Ok." said Elizabeth in a small shaky voice. She was getting very pale.
Taggert picked up his water glass and handed it to Elizabeth. "Here drink this."
"Thank you." Elizabeth said as she took the glass with a shaking hand and took a sip of water.
"I'm sorry Elizabeth." Taggert said. " I know how much this has upset you but Tom Baker is not a registered sex offender because he was never convicted of assaulting you. He can come and go as he pleases. If he hadn't gotten that traffic ticket I would have never know about his release. I came to tell you as soon as I could."
"Thanks for telling me Marcus." Elizabeth said a she took a couple of deep breaths and finished the water. She was slowly pulling herself back together.
"Elizabeth, please be careful. I don't have any reason to believe he would even bother you but its better to be safe than sorry." He reached into his shirt pocket and took out a business card. "All of my numbers are on here. If you need me for any reason even if your just worried please call me. Anytime." He reached across the table and smiled at Elizabeth.
Elizabeth takes the card from Taggert smiling. "Thank you Marcus. I'll be careful. Enjoy your coffee. Oh and if I need help I will call you. I promise,"
Elizabeth walked back to the counter and stood next to Ric and Lucky.
"Hey Elizabeth," said Lucky looking worried.
"Hi Lucky," said Elizabeth with a smile. She was still very pale and her hands were shaking so she put them in her pockets.
"Is everything all right with you? Did Taggert upset you?" asked Ric. He noticed that she upset and was really concerned he stood up and stepped closer.
"Everything is just fine. Taggert just wanted to give me some news about a friend of mine. That's all. I'm fine," said Elizabeth a little to brightly. Trying not to take a step back.
Just then Courtney walked over to refill Ric and Lucky's coffees. "So Elizabeth if it was no big deal with Taggert are you going to open the Box," she asked laughing. I know it's for you but the wait is killing me." She put the coffeepot back on the warmer.
"Oh, I almost forgot. Yes, I am going to open it right now before anyone else need me." Elizabeth said Laughing as she picked up the box. She removed the card and set it on the counter. " I want to see what it is and then I will read the card."
Elizabeth placed the box on the counter and removed the Lid. Opening the tissue paper she looks down into the box and saw some beautiful bright red fabric. Her hands shake and her mouth goes dry as she pulls out the short red formal dress. She grows pale as she remembers the last time she had on a red dress similar to this one. She sees herself in the Mirror when she first tried on the other dress and was so happy. Than she remember what Taggert and just told her. She thought about a walk through the park and all the pain that she thought she was over just came crashing down on her. The world started to get dark around the edges and he felt a little dizzy. In the distance she could hear the others talking.
"That's so pretty, Elizabeth you will look wonderful. Open the card so we can see who sent it," said Courtney.
Elizabeth stood there unmoving .She was silent and very pale.
"Elizabeth are you ok?" asked Lucky. He was concerned. He realized just by looking at the dazed look in her eyes that something was the matter.
"Elizabeth, What's the matter?" Ric asked. " Are you ok?"
Hearing Ric's voice snaps Elizabeth back to reality. "Oh My God." Says Elizabeth as she drops the dress back into the box. She can feel The panic rising in her and she is trying so hard to stay calm but The panic seems to be winning. She looks at the dress and the over to Ric trying to smile at him. " I'm O." before she can finish
Lucky reaches over to Elizabeth and touches her arm. " Elizabeth what's the matter?" he asked.
She jerks away from his touch and screams "NO!" Everything is just too much for her she something snaps. She pushes the box to the floor.
Boobie came running out of the Kitchen at her scream. "Elizabeth, honey are you Ok!" she asks very concerned.
Elizabeth Looks around and realizes that everyone I now looking at her. See Looks to Ric afraid of what she might see on his face but all she see is concern as the tears start to well up in her eyes. She panic's. "I Can't do this again." She knocks the box to the floor and starts to run to the door.
Looking form Elizabeth then down at the dress Lucky realizes what is happening. "Elizabeth Wait," he says. He turns to try and catch Elizabeth as she bolts out the front door. Before he can get to the door Ric stops him.
Continued