AN: So here's chapter two. A little more plot info, and a little more introductory stuff. Now I have to go finish my psychology paper. This is much more fun to write.
To My Reviewers:
Browneyedswimmer: Thanks! Dreamer 3097: Thank you. luvinNaley7413: Thanx for reading! Lady Zarobiti: I don't usually write anything but TP, but this plot bunny attacked me the other day (he was hiding under my bed, disguised as a dust bunny) and I had to write this. Thanks for reading. a: Thanks for reading! x17SkmBdrchiczxx: Thank you so much for the complement. I hope to post another chapter of HCFW within a week or two. 4-eyedDragon: Thanks!!
Strength
Chapter Two
"I'm sorry I missed practice, Dad," Elizabeth said as they walked home.
"Well, if Mrs. Grier thought that detention was a better way for you to spend the afternoon, who am I to argue?" he said, stuffing his hands in his pockets. He remembered the teacher well.
"At least it was educational- how else would know that the purple fish in the musical has exactly three-hundred and eighty-five scales?" Troy chuckled, looking towards their house. A gray SUV was in the driveway.
"Uncle Chad and Aunt Taylor beat us," Elizabeth observed.
"It looks like they made themselves at home," her father added, watching as the Danforth boys ran about in the backyard. Jack, the older boy, was eight years old, while Baby Jacob was only 18 months. Elizabeth liked to play with the boys and they were close as cousins. She'd been calling Taylor and Chad her "Aunt" and "Uncle" since she learned to talk.
Troy went into the house to get dinner started, but Elizabeth opened the gate and entered the backyard. Jack ran up to her, yelling her name excitedly.
Baby Jacob toddled over, following his brother's example.
"Izzie!" Elizabeth grinned, settling Jake on her hip.
"I got a new video game. Do you want to see it?" Jack said excitedly. Elizabeth agreed and Jack took her free hand, pulling her over to the back deck. She set the baby free and talked to Jack about his new game for a few minutes, then settled into a chair next to Taylor.
"Hi, Lizzie," she said, giving her a hug. "How are you today?"
"I'm great. A couple more weeks and we have our championship game. The team is so pumped; we're ready," she replied. "Hi, Uncle Chad."
Chad was busy fiddling with the grill, so he only waved. Troy came out and joined him. Soon the delicious aroma of steak was filling the backyard. Taylor cooked up some baked potatoes, sautéed mushrooms, and green beans to go with the meat.
They all sat around the outdoor table. Elizabeth, Chad, and Troy talked about college basketball, and Taylor was occupied with feeding Jacob his supper, and making sure that Jack cut his steak into small bites. They were another aspect of Elizabeth's family, but as she gazed around at the people that she cared about, she couldn't help but feel that something was missing.
When the phone rang, Elizabeth stood.
"I'll get it," she said, reaching inside the back door to pick up one of the receivers. "Bolton residence."
"Hello, my name is Susan Hilliard. I'm a RN at the Highland Clinic. May I please speak to Troy Bolton?"
"Just a moment," Elizabeth said politely. Then she called "pass!" and tossed the cordless over to her father as if it were a basketball. He caught it easily. "It's for you, Daddy. Some nurse."
Troy looked at the handset warily. "Did they say where they were from?"
"A clinic that started with 'h'… Highview? Highland?" Elizabeth watched the color drain from her father's face. Taylor and Chad looked at him, surprise obvious.
"Answer it, Troy," Taylor scolded. Troy went inside and closed the sliding glass door. From the outside, Elizabeth could hear the rumble of his voice, but couldn't make out the words he was saying, especially over the babbling of Little Jacob. Adding the stricken attitudes of Taylor and Chad to her father's shock, Elizabeth began to get the feeling that something was dreadfully wrong.
Troy came back outside, now carrying his keys. He spoke in short, crisp sentences, hurrying to get his point across.
"They need me. Can you stay?" Taylor stood.
"Of course. Don't worry about Lizzie. Is everything okay, Troy?" She asked. Troy sighed.
"I don't know." He hurried out of the door, even forgetting to give Elizabeth her kiss.
Chad stood up. "Homework time," he announced, clearing plates.
"Mine's done," Elizabeth said softly, watching around the side of the house as her father's Honda CR-V disappeared down the driveway.
"Ooh! Good! Then you can play Kingdom Hearts with me!" Jack said excitedly. Elizabeth smiled half-heartedly. As she set up the game and tuned the television to the correct channel, her mind was plagued with questions about her father's odd behavior.
Before she and Jack started their game, Elizabeth went into the kitchen to get each of them a Gatorade. Taylor and Chad were doing dishes and speaking in low tones. They didn't notice Elizabeth at first.
"I can't believe he just rushed off without even saying a word to Lizzie," Chad said. "Maybe we should let her know what's going on."
"No, Chad. It's not our place to tell her. We have to leave that to Troy."
"I know, but if I were-"
"What's going on, Aunt Taylor?" Elizabeth interrupted, making her presence known. Taylor sighed and dried her hands on a dishtowel. Then she gave the girl a brief hug.
"Honey, your dad will explain everything when he gets back," Taylor said.
"That's hardly a satisfactory answer," Elizabeth said.
"Why don't you go back to your game? I'll make you a sundae to help take your mind off of things," Taylor offered. Elizabeth gave weak smile, then wandered back out into the living room, thoughts of Gatorade far from her.
In her absence, Jack had began the game without her, and she knew from experience that he wouldn't easily give up the controller. Instead of trying to concentrate on watching him and giving helpful advice, Elizabeth slipped out into garage. That room was not a place to park the car, as in most houses, but a place to play ball. She picked up the basketball closest to her.
The ball was pink and white, with flowers and the word "Elizabeth" on the sides. It was a birthday gift from her grandmother. Elizabeth started shooting hoops. Exercise always helped her focus when her mind was cluttered. When she was on the court, she never thought about anything except the game. She'd been exposed to basketball for as long as she could remember. She knew the plays and the bodily movements in her very core, and this allowed her to come into an almost mediation-like state. She found it very relaxing.
When she finally came back inside, Elizabeth had worked up a good sweat. Taylor was leaning over a sleeping Jack, taking the controller from his hands, and covering him with the couch's throw. She smiled at Elizabeth.
"Your ice cream is in the freezer," she whispered. "I didn't want to disturb you; You looked like you were concentrating."
She thanked Taylor, then went into the kitchen. Chad was sitting at the counter, a dish of Neapolitan and the sports page in front of him. Elizabeth checked the college basketball scores, downing a bottle of water.
"You okay?" the man asked.
"I'm fine, Uncle Chad," Elizabeth said, sitting down across the counter from him with her sundae. "I'm just a little confused. My dad never acts like that."
"He did when you were born," Chad said with a chuckle. "I've never seen him so nervous."
"Really?"
"He drove halfway to the hospital before he realized he'd left your mother standing in the driveway."
"He apologized at least twenty times," Taylor said. "He always gets this way like when someone he loves is in pain or distress."
"So this is about someone Dad cares about?" Elizabeth said thoughtfully.
"We can tell you that much," Chad said.
"Well, thanks for that at least, and the ice cream. I'm going to go take a shower." Elizabeth went up into her bathroom.
Her father was an only child, and her mother's family was gone. Elizabeth had a limited number of people that her father could be visiting. She pondered this as she took a shower, using nearly half a bottle of her favorite stress-relieving aromatherapy shampoo.
When she was dressed in her favorite pajama shirt, Elizabeth climbed into her bed. Bradley the black cat curled up next to her, and Elizabeth fell asleep to the sound of his purring.