Chapter Three: A Fact about Elizabeth Grayson
Ryan walked into the kitchen in search of his mother. It was Thursday afternoon and Justin had gone out with his friends. Ryan on the other hand wanted to hear more about his mother's past. More importantly, he wanted to know just who this Lizzie chick was.
"Hey Mom," Ryan said, gaining his mother's attention. "So, are you ready to tell me the next part?"
"You tell me what happened to day in school and I'll tell you what happened." Emma replied.
Ryan sighed. "Nothing much. A quiz in third period. Izzy and Jack have their usual love-bouts. They argue and then they're friends." Ryan answered. "So, can you tell me what happened next?"
Emma sighed. Though the extremity of persistence was different in both twins, there was no doubt in her mind that her sons were stubborn. Whether she blamed herself or Sean, it would not matter. She was stubborn. Sean was stubborn. Their sons were stubborn. It was a family curse.
"Alright. I'll tell you. But you have to promise not to tell J.J until I do." Emma said. Ryan nodded enthusiastically. "Alright, well, after I met up with Lizzie again, I remember telling her about a plan…"
Emma and Lizzie sat at a small café- Lizzie had opted for somewhere other than The Dot- and ordered a latté. The waiter walked off while the two girls sat in semi-quietness.
"So," Lizzie said. "What did you want to talk about?"
"Are you still looking for a roommate?" Emma questioned. The look on Lizzie's face told her more than she needed and she ended up laughing. "Yeah! I talked to my mom and she said that it would be a good idea. Good experience is what she called it."
"Oh Emma! This is the best news I've heard all day!" Lizzie said gleefully.
"What's the worst?" questioned Emma.
"…"
Emma had become quite accustom to Lizzie not spilling her entire life out on a silver-platter every single second of the day. The girl was open about a lot of things, but when it came to a few specific details, she was more tight-lipped than Liberty talking about her son.
"Well?" Emma pushed on.
Lizzie sighed. "Some guy saw one of Jake's spars and wants to make him into the St. Pierre of boxing." Lizzie flicked a piece of brown hair out of her face. "Didn't even care when I said that I was moving out."
"You told him and he didn't budge? Lizzie, I know I may be sounding a bit hypocritical, but don't you think that he's putting too much time into his boxing?" Emma stated. "Even though a few days I told you that you shouldn't think too much about it, but now I'm saying panic."
Lizzie gave Emma a smile. "I'm not going to panic Emma. Besides, when are you going to tell your 'best friend' that you're knocked up?"
"I thought about telling her today, but for some reason she's hanging around this loser named Jay Hogart." Emma said as the waiter returned with their drinks. "Thank you."
The man gave her a smile before walking off.
"Pedophile." Lizzie muttered before sipping the hot drink. "But back to what you said earlier. You'll be willing to move in with me?"
"That such a bad thing?" Emma questioned.
Lizzie shook her head, her curls bouncing on every movement her head made.
"No, no. I was just wondering… You know, I don't have the best family in the world and my boyfriend isn't that big of a stretch ahead of them."
Emma nodded, though she wanted Lizzie to speak more. Emma soon realized that this was one of those things that Lizzie would be tightlipped about, so she chose to dance around the topic, this time.
"My family's not the biggest supporter of teen pregnancies either." Emma said. "So welcome to the club."
Lizzie smiled. "I bet."
"Well, how about we-"
The doorbell rang again, interrupting the story. Ryan nearly gave a feral growl at the interruption. What was happening next?
"Stay right here. I'll go see who that is." Emma said walking out of the room.
Ryan sat at the kitchen table, tapping his finger on the wood impatiently before Emma returned with one of the most stunning looking women he had seen in his life. Out of all the friends his mother had brought over; the chick that went to Africa, the professor at Smithdale, and the actress from Montreal, this one was easily number one.
Her dark brown curls put Manny's to shame, no doubt, and her green eyes were even more exotic looking than Stacy's. She had a curvy, yet petite, build and her olive skin seemed to glow behind his mother.
"Ryan, I'd like you to meet Lizzie." Emma said with a smile.
Ryan's jaw was on the verge from detaching itself from his face. This was Lizzie? He had pictured her as some nerd with long hair, but no. No! This woman here looked like a model from…
"Well? Aren't you going to say hi?" Emma asked, her annoyance about rude children showing.
"H-Hi." Ryan said. "S-so you're th-the one from the story."
Lizzie frowned. "Story? Emma, are you talking about me?"
Emma shrugged, moving back to her spot behind the L-shaped island in the kitchen.
"I'm telling him and J.J about our last year in high school." Emma said. Lizzie made an "O" with her mouth before smiling, nearly causing Ryan a heart attack. "I was at the beginning. You know, the day I told you I was moving in with you."
"Oh! Well, you haven't passed the good parts yet!" Lizzie said, joining Ryan at the table. "So where were you at?"
"I was at the part where we go talk to my mom." Emma said.
Lizzie giggled. "That was so much fun!"
Ryan wanted to melt right there. This woman- no- goddess was in his presence. For once, he was glad that Justin was the popular and he was the stay-at-home type. If he would have missed Lizzie's arrival, he would never live it down.
"So may I?" Lizzie asked.
"Go ahead." replied Emma. "We were right at the part where we were getting ready to leave."
Lizzie thought for a moment. "…Okay. I know where we were at." Lizzie's eyes met Ryan, causing him to fight a blush. "Are you ready?"
Ryan, not trusting his voice, nodded. His mother on the other hand simply rolled her eyes with one simply thought.
Boys.
Lizzie smiled. "I bet."
"Well, how about we get out of here and see the place?" Emma asked.
"It's a bit of a drive away." responded the other girl. "Plus, it's only two bedrooms."
"You have enough money for a two-bedroom apartment? How much have you been saving?" Emma nearly yelled.
Lizzie blushed, looking at the people now looking at the hysterical blonde.
"Emma… Can you keep it down?"
"Oh… Sorry." Emma said in a quieter tone. "Now, how much have you been saving?"
"A lot, okay? I always wanted to move to Paris when I was a little girl, so every time I got any amount of money, I always stored half of it." Lizzie explained. "I've been doing this for the past twelve years of my life."
Emma could only think of one word that slipped her mouth accidentally.
"Damn."
Lizzie laughed at the statement. Emma hardly used profanity, only if the time really called for it. And when she did, it came almost spontaneously. Lizzie herself did not curse everyday either. But unlike her friend, Lizzie only did it when she was extremely pissed off. And there was only one person that heard her.
"Let's go." Lizzie said standing.
Emma slowly stood with her and put a tip on the table before walking out.
The two girls made it to Spike's van and got into it. Emma had no clue on what Lizzie was thinking now, but from her facial expression, Emma could tell that it was seriously bothering Lizzie.
"So," Emma stated, gaining Lizzie's attention. "Jake's really doing this boxing thing, huh?"
"I guess." Lizzie said. "It's not like he's just going to up and tell me about any deal he gets. He's been kind of secretive for one reason or another."
Emma frowned. "Really? I thought all the things he's told you was it."
"I wish." replied her friend quite hotly. "I went by his coach's office one day and found out that he had been having these 'not legal' fights after school and winning money from them. He's been telling me that he's been in lower-ranked fights and that's where the scars were coming from."
"I'm missing something." Emma said. "The money is good, right?"
"It's not the money Emma." Lizzie said. "If the cops were to bust into one of these fights, the guys in the ring are the first to go." Emma gave a silent "Ah" of acknowledgement. "Some nights I wish he were more like Sean and just went to the military if he wanted to do something death-defying."
"Why? At least you get to see him."
"When?"
"Well…" Emma paused. She had been around Lizzie more times than Jakes has. In fact, Emma has never even seen the boy, though she has talked to him on the phone once. "Okay, so maybe you have a point. But you see him more than I see Sean."
"Doesn't feel like it." Lizzie said a tad sadly. "Oh, turn right."
Emma did what she was told and that was how the rest of the drive went. Lizzie sat silently, staring out of the window, only speaking her mind when Emma had to make a turn. And in return, Emma asked no more questions for fear that Lizzie would eventually either snap or break down.
When the two arrived at the apartment complex, Emma was a bit surprised. She was expecting a rundown place with guys standing by the corner, little kids running about in their diapers, and some old woman shouting about the noise. But this was nearly perfect.
"Wow." Emma said as she parked in a spot near the front building.
"I know. When I heard about it I was thinking of some rundown place." Lizzie said undoing her seatbelt. "Are you coming?"
"Sure." Emma said.
The two stepped out of the car and Emma followed Lizzie into the front office. The office was nearly empty, save for Emma, Lizzie, and the woman leaning on the counter reading a magazine and chewing bubblegum.
"Can I help you two?" the woman asked unenthusiastically as she casually flipped the page.
"Yes." Lizzie said. "I'm Elizabeth Grayson. My grandfather called here earlier."
"Uh-huh…"
Lizzie's eyes narrowed. "Bryan Grayson, my grandfather, called here earlier about a room."
The woman paused. Bryan Grayson sounded so familiar.
"Ah! Ms. Grayson!" a man with a fishing hat said, emerging from the door on the wall behind the woman. "Don't mind Shelly here. She'll be outta here as soon as possible."
"Sir, I-"
"Whatever." interrupted the man before grinning at the girls. "Now, when your grandfather called, he said that you wouldn't be here in a few weeks. Your room was set up for you and…"
"Oh. Emma Nelson." Emma said after she realized that the pause was to gain her name.
"Ms. Nelson." he said extending his hand. "I'm Pete McDaniel." Emma shook hands with the man. "Nice to meet you."
"Likewise." Emma replied.
"Okay, so let's see that condo."
Emma's mind did two backflips after that statement. It was bad enough that her name had "magically" been put on the lease or whatever, but now she was told that the reasons these were so nice was because they were condominiums!
"This way Emma." Lizzie said, giving Emma the 'I'll explain later' look.
Following Lizzie and ignoring the man, Emma subconsciously put her hand on her stomach, a thing that was starting to become a habit now. She could not explain why she did it, but she did. And what was worse was that people were starting to notice this habit. Thankfully no one was able to piece it all together.
Yet.
"Here we are. Your room." said Mr. McDaniel as he put a key into the bolt lock and twisting it before putting the same key into the doorknob lock and twisting it, the door opening.
Emma stood floored. Fully furnished. Fully powered. Fully everything! This two-bedroom 'condo' had more than her three bedroom house!
And the thought of her home brought Emma to another problem. She had not really run it by to either Spike or Snake that she was moving out. In fact, they thought it was just a hypothetical question that their daughter had made spontaneously while bored. This was Emma Nelson, such thoughts were expected.
"…So what do you think?" Emma blinked. She had missed the entire tour, standing in the living room. But now, her eyes connected with Lizzie's and the other girl had a hopeful look. "You'll stay? Please?"
"Uh, yeah." Emma said.
"Yay!" Lizzie squealed as she hugged Emma tightly. "Thank you thank you thank you!"
"I'll let you two look around," Pete said laying the keys on the coffee table. "I hope you enjoy your stay here."
"Thanks Pete." Lizzie said as he left the room.
"Spill it."
Those were the only two words Emma had to say to get a nervous smile from her newly made friend. Lizzie backed away from Emma and sat on the couch with a huge sigh.
"My grandparents are some rich English people living in the countryside of Ireland." Lizzie said. "My dad moved down here where he met my mom and he then became a senior at the law firm he's at now."
"And this place?" Emma asked. "I thought you said you were saving up."
"I am! I really am! It's just not what you think." Lizzie said. "See, my dad and his dad aren't really on talking terms, so I have like two allowances. While my dad teaches me the 'value of a dollar' my granddad usually just gives me what I want and sends me on my way." Emma began to understand. Lizzie was rich beyond belief! "So while I know where to get money, I usually don't spend it and save it for later in my bank account." Emma's jaw dropped. "Yeah… I guess I should've told you that earlier, huh?"
"It would've helped!" exclaimed the blonde, throwing her hands in the air. "Come on Lizzie, you told me almost everything and this slipped your mind!"
"I'm not allowed to tell people this unless I know that they're not after my wealth. Sorry." Lizzie said apologetically.
Emma sighed. "I guess I can forgive. As long as you forgive me."
Lizzie stared at Emma. "You never told your mom, did you?"
"No." Emma said with a meek smile.
Lizzie smiled. "Then let's go-"
"…I'm so sorry." Lizzie said looking at her ringing cell phone. "I have to get a move on. I didn't plan on staying this long."
"Oh no problem. We'll just pick up where we left off the next time you're off." Emma said before the two women hugged. "I'll see you later."
"Same." Lizzie said before answering her cell phone. "Stacy, what is so urgent?"
Ryan was in an utter stupor. One, and foremost, Lizzie was gorgeous. Beyond gorgeous, she was… Was… Words did not start to describe her. And second, she was rich! Filthy rich and really beautiful. If only he met a girl like that.
"I guess that's a good part to leave off, don't you?" Emma asked. "Now, I want a more in-depth story about your day. And tell me something that has to do with you."
"Well," Ryan said. "There's this girl that I like… But I'm sure she's more into J.J, like usual."
"Oh? What's she like? I don't even want to know her name." Emma said.
Ryan sighed. He knew that tomorrow, he would hear the rest of this tomorrow and be able to see Lizzie again. But in exchange, he must explain Stacy to Emma. What a bittersweet moment this was.