ON THE WAY DOWN
Chapter 7
Green eyes started into blue in silence, both unsure of whether or not they were really looking at who they thought they were.
"Who are you?" Lizzie finally asked, knowing it couldn't be true.
At the same moment, he also spoke. "Lizzie."
The name had rolled off his lips barely even in a whisper, but she heard him even over the thunder and rain outside. All she could do was stare, until her brain kicked in again and she hurried to get him a towel.
"Oh, my goodness, you're probably frozen… come with me," she directed, taking him by the arm and leading him to the bathroom. She started a hot shower for him, then grabbed two huge fluffy bath towels from the closet right outside the bathroom. The man looked at her gratefully and she smiled at him.
"I'll find something dry for you and I'll leave it on the table right outside the door for you to grab when you're ready, okay?" she asked. He nodded, and she walked out of the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. For a second, she just leaned against the door and her thoughts ran away for a second. 'This just does not happen,' she thought. She pinched herself, hard. "Ow!" Definitely awake. 'Maybe it does.'
Lizzie looked through her closet and then her dresser and did manage to find a pair of boxers Matt had left at her place the last time he'd visited. She also found a pair of his sweatpants in another drawer, and fished a large hooded sweatshirt out of her closet. It was huge on her, so it was bound to fit him. He'd just have to get over the fact that it was pink and had a huge hibiscus flower on the front. She left the clothes on the table outside the bathroom, then retreated to the couch to sit in the darkness and listen to the storm continue outside.
A little while later, the man wandered into the living room. While he'd been in the shower, Lizzie had found a battery-operated lantern in the garage and brought it in. The room was lit dimly, and he could see that she was curled up on the couch, staring at him. He stood there silently, looking around, and glancing back at her a few times.
"You can sit down, you know. The furniture's not going to bite you," she said. He gave a nervous laugh, and sat down on the edge of a reclining chair. Silence bathed the room again, with the exception of an occasional clap of thunder."So… what are you doing here? How'd you know where to find me?" Lizzie asked incredulously.
"Actually, I wasn't looking for you. I live a few minutes away, and I was on my way to go somewhere but my car broke down a little ways down your street. You were the first person who answered the door. I knocked on like six other doors," he said.
"You live here?" was all Lizzie could say.
"Yep. Well, I actually live just on the other side of the city limits, right inside of Jacksonville, but yeah," he responded.
"Wow… that's just… amazing," Lizzie breathed.
"It's been a long time, Lizzie. I've missed you," he stated.
Lizzie smiled warmly at him. "I've missed you, too, Gordo."
