Chapter 5
Kelly's was quiet when they walked in. It was almost closing. Emily was behind the counter wiping it down. "Hey you guys! How's everything with the perfect couple?"
"We're great, Emily," Lucky answered. "I heard you moved in." They both took off their coats and sat at the counter.
Emily smiled, "Yep, I've declared my independence. It's going to be great. I've moved into the empty room beside Elizabeth and as soon as this trial is over and Zander is free, we're going to find a place together."
"Emily, are you sure you know what you're doing?" Elizabeth couldn't stop the anxiety from building up in her. "What about school? Your family?"
"We've already talked about my family. They don't trust me, and they don't believe in Zander. I don't want anything to do with them."
"You say that now, but what about later?" Elizabeth didn't want Emily to make the biggest mistake of her life. She needed to see that she was moving too fast.
"There won't be a later. Elizabeth, you know the Quartermaines, they don't change. Look a Jason. It's been years since the accident and they still haven't gotten over it and moved on. They could have a relationship with Jason. Even a small one, as much as he would allow. But all they see is the past. They can't see the present Jason. It's the same with me. They don't see me as I am now. They just see the little girl they took in who needs to be sheltered. Well, not anymore."
Elizabeth could see she wouldn't win the family argument with Emily. "What about school? You haven't finished high school yet. And you always wanted to go to university and become a lawyer."
Emily wasn't happy. Elizabeth was supposed to support her not talk her out of it. She, more than anyone, knew what being in love was all about. "I'm going to finish high school. I only have one semester to go." She laughed, "University is now out of the question. I still want to go, but now I won't be able to afford it. Not on the money I make here at Kelly's."
"I'm sure your parents would still pay for university."
Emily laughed again. "Not if Grandfather has any say. He'll use it as a bargaining chip to keep me away from Zander."
"You don't know that." Elizabeth was feeling desperate. She didn't want Emily to ruin her life and that was all she could see from this discussion to live with Zander.
"Yes, I do. Elizabeth, you don't know the Quartermaines like I do. They would use anything. Ask Jason, he'll tell you."
Lucky had remained quiet throughout their conversation. "Elizabeth, why are you so against this?" Elizabeth was shocked. She knew he didn't like Zander either. "Emily loves Zander. Now I may not think he's the greatest person in the world. But if she loves him and he loves her, then they have a right to be together. Just like us."
"Thank you, Lucky. I knew I could count on you," Emily leaned over the counter to kiss him on the cheek before going into the kitchen to clean up.
Elizabeth stared at him for a moment. "Zander's dangerous. Remember what happened last summer? Remember what he put her through? If she stays with him he'll get her killed one day."
"Yes, I remember. But I also know that Emily has the right to love who she wants to love. I may not like it but it's her right."
Elizabeth didn't know how to argue with that. He was right. She didn't have the right to dictate to Emily about who she could love even if it was going to hurt her. Before she could say anything else, Emily returned counting her tip money.
"Emily, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have attacked you about Zander. I just don't you to forget about your dreams. You deserve to have your dreams come true."
"It's okay, Elizabeth. I understand. I still want to go to university and become a lawyer. I'm not giving up on that dream. It's just that sometimes dreams change for the better. Being with Zander is my dream now." She hugged her. "You deserve to have your dreams come true, too."
Elizabeth returned the hug. What Emily said stuck in head. Sometimes dreams change. "Oh, Emily, I have something for you." She reached into her coat pocket and retrieved the money Jason had given her. "Here, this is for you."
"Oh my God! Elizabeth, where did you get this money? Did you rob a bank?"
"Sonny. I saw him after I talked to you, and he wanted you to have it."
"This is great!" She went around to hug her. "I was worried I wouldn't have enough money until I got my first pay check. Now everything is going to be wonderful." She hugged Elizabeth one more time and then went back into the kitchen.
"When did you see Sonny?"
Elizabeth was expecting the question. "After the meeting I came to Kelly's and saw Emily. We talked and then I went to my studio. On the way there, I met Sonny on the pier. We talked, I mentioned Emily, he gave me the money and then I continued to the studio."
"You didn't go to his penthouse?" She could hear the accusation in his voice.
"Why would I go to his penthouse?"
"I don't know, you tell me? To find out about Jason?"
Elizabeth was shocked. "Jason? What does Jason have to do with anything?"
"I don't know. Why else would you be talking to Sonny if not about Jason?"
"Lucky, Sonny is my friend. I don't need to talk about Jason to talk to him."
"Sonny isn't your friend. He isn't anyone's friend. Neither is Jason. They'll only get you killed." He was getting upset. His face flushed.
Elizabeth couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Sonny has helped me a lot. He has been there for me many times when you were dead. He is my friend. And I am his friend. When his baby died, I was there to comfort him."
"Comfort him! You mean have sex with him," he accused.
"What!" She was speechless. Where had that come from? "I did not have sex with Sonny. He is married to Carly. They love each other. How can you think this about me? That I would have an affair with a married man?" She stood and walked to Kelly's entrance to lock the doors. She needed to do something normal. This conversation was becoming crazy.
Lucky grabbed her hand before she could walk past him to the stairs. "I'm sorry. I don't think that."
She turned back around and faced him, "But you said it. If you said it, you must be thinking it."
"I'm not. I'm sorry. I just don't like when you talk about the time I was away. Sonny helped you when I couldn't be there. How do you think that makes me feel? I'm the one who should be comforting you not some else."
Looking into his eyes, she began to calm down. "Sonny is my friend. He was there when you couldn't be, but that didn't mean I didn't want you there. That was why he helped me. Because he knew how much I needed you. I love you."
"Okay, but I'm here now. You don't need his help anymore," he insisted.
"He is still my friend. And yours, too. He would help us if we ever needed anything."
"He's dangerous. He'll get you killed one day."
"Wait a minute," Elizabeth said not quite believing her ears. "I said the same to Emily not 5 minutes ago and you said it was her choice."
"Yeah, but Emily isn't my girlfriend. I don't want anything to happen to you."
"Nothing's going to happen to me just because Sonny Corinthos is my friend."
Lucky ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "You don't know that. You can't guarantee you won't get hurt. I don't know what I would do if I lost you, Elizabeth. When I was taken from you, I almost lost my mind. I didn't know what had happened to you. For a while I thought Helena had killed you. I am nothing without you." He wrapped his rams around her and held her in a tight hug.
"Lucky," she tried to break the hug. He was holding her to tightly. She couldn't breathe.
He released her just enough to look into her eyes. "Just promise me – promise me nothing bad will happen to you."
She stared at him. He looked so worried. He had never really talked about his experience with Helena. Elizabeth could only imagine what she must have put him through. She didn't want to add to that. She didn't want Lucky to hurt anymore. "Nothing is going to happen to me. I promise."
He smiled and kissed her. She returned the kiss but not with her whole self. "Let's go upstairs." When she nodded, he called out to Emily. "Em, we're going upstairs."
Emily popped her head out of the kitchen. "Okay, I'll see you guys tomorrow."
They walked hand in hand up the stairs and stopped at her door. He kissed her again. She knew he expected to come in with her. Even though they had two separate rooms, he spent most of the time in her room. But she didn't want him to come in. "Lucky, I'm really tired. So much has happened today. I'd like to be alone for tonight. I need to reflect."
"What do you mean? What's there to reflect about?" He was angry again. It didn't seem to take much for that to happen these days. It seemed that everything she said made him upset.
"Nothing, I'm just really tired. I just want to crawl into bed and go to sleep. Okay? I'll meet you downstairs tomorrow for breakfast, okay?" She didn't wait for a reply. She opened her door and went inside leaving Lucky standing in the hallway. He stood by her door for a while. She could see his shadow under the door. She was worried he would ignore her and let himself in with his key. But after a few minutes he moved on to his room. She could hear his door open and close and him moving around inside. She sighed in relief. She hadn't been lying. She really was tired. It was exhausting always being on, having to keep track of all the lies she was telling and reassuring Lucky every minute that she wasn't going to leave him. She got ready for bed and was asleep before her head hit the pillow.