The next morning Elizabeth woke up in a most unfamiliar place. She was in a living room, surrounded by rich looking furniture and Bruce's strong arms. Elizabeth breathed a sigh of relief, We fell asleep watching T.V. she remembered, settling deeper into Bruce's arms. Mmmm, he smells good, she thought inhaling the scent of sea mist that lingered around them. I wonder what time it is. She looked over at the big grandfather clock in the corner of the room, Nine o'clock, I wonder how I'm going to get out of here without everyone seeing me. Oh well, everyone sleeps late on Sundays, besides it's not like I did anything wrong. She thought, her eyelids growing heavier, soon she drifted back into the newfound sweetness of her dreams. She still had to settle things with Tom, to leave them on good ground, but that mission was for another day, today was for her and Bruce.
Elizabeth woke up for a second time about an hour later, but Bruce wasn't with her this time. She yawned and attempted to smooth out her wrinkled clothes when he came through the front door. "Honey, I'm home!" Bruce said loudly with a laugh and a dopey, lovesick smile on his face.
"Morning Bruce," she smiled, giving him a kiss on the cheek.
"Hey Liz, I'm sorry about last night, I didn't mean to fall asleep, but I was exhausted."
"It's all right, but I don't know how I'm going to get out of here without everyone seeing me."
"Well, maybe you don't have to get out of here, you can stay here for as long as you want," He said with a smile as he slipped his arms around her waist.
"I would love to but I have classes tomorrow," she said regretfully.
"Oh, that's right, Monday, I forgot," Bruce's face fell.
"Well, we have today and we will do something tomorrow night."
"Yeah. What do you want to do today?"
"I don't know, we could just go to the beach."
"That sounds like a good idea."
"I have to change clothes, and I'm sure I will have a great deal of explaining to do, I should have called Jessica I guess, she must be terribly worried."
"We can go now if you like."
"All right."
Elizabeth went into the dorm rather quietly, so not to wake Jessica. She was closing the door, when a loud voice interrupted, causing her to jump, "Elizabeth! Where have you been? I've been worried sick! I was up half the night and when I woke up this morning, you still weren't home!"
"Shhhhhh! Jessica, you are going to wake everyone up!"
"Well, where have you been?!"
"Bruce and I fell asleep watching a movie. I know I should have called, but I was planning to come home last night, but I didn't wake up until like nine this morning."
"What happened? How did everything go last night?"
"Umm, it was good and bad."
"Huh?"
"Well, first we went to dinner at that new Italian place, then we played mini-golf, and then we went to the old movie house and saw 'Breakfast at Tiffany's', then Tom caught us kissing, and then we went up to Miller's Point, and-"
"WHAT? Whoa, Liz, back up. What do you mean 'Tom caught us kissing'? Why were you kissing Bruce in the first place? So much for 'just friends'," Jessica grunted.
"Jessica! Why do you care? Anyway, I didn't mean for it to happen, it just did."
"And then what happened?"
"Not much. Tom said that he wasn't interested in my lies and he walked off."
"Well, didn't you go after him?"
"No, I figured maybe it was better this way, if he wouldn't even give me a chance to explain, then, well Jess, isn't it obvious? You're into all of that astrology stuff, doesn't it seem like fate is sending me signals? I'm meant to be with Bruce, I know I am."
"Hmmm...well, I guess it does seem that the cosmos are telling you something, but since when do you believe in that stuff?"
"I don't know. All I know that something is happening. Probably something for the better."
"Maybe so. Anyway, it's none of my business, just follow your heart, Liz. I'm going shopping." Jessica gave her sister a quick hug, grabbed her purse, and flounced out of the dorm.
Elizabeth sighed. I have to go, Bruce is waiting, she reminded herself.
By the time she climbed back into the Porsche, the sky had clouded over. "Looks like it's going to rain," she commented.
"Yep. But we could still go to the beach for a while."
"Sure."
The rest of the ride was silent and Elizabeth let her mind wander. She knew that it wasn't good to go from relationship to relationship, but she hadn't meant to. Bruce had been there for her, he cared about her. This was one relationship that wasn't a mistake. This was one relationship that was meant to be.