Disclaim any and all recognizable traits, features, characters, and settings recognizable in any way shape or form. This story and others in my collection are merely a way of showcasing my love for the genre, show, and all that may or may not lay in between those verified lines. Reviews are always appreciated and greatly welcomed in all forms as long as they prove to provide actual assistance in furthering the story's potential in every way possible. Thank you in advance for taking the time to read and, hopefully, review.
Believe in Me
She had been aware of Emily's impending return, but she hadn't expected to be personally invited to the estate by the younger woman. Uncertain of what awaits her at the family house, Elizabeth drives as close to the speed limit as possible, all the while imagining what could be expected when she arrives. The more she thought about it, however, the slower she drove. Making her arrival nearly an hour after ending the call with Emily.
"Hey." Jason greets her on the doorstep as she makes her way up the pathway to the front door. "I was starting to worry."
"Sorry..." she sighs, walking into his arms for a brief hug. "She kind of made me nervous."
"I know." he smiles slightly. "She can have that affect on a lot of people."
Without another word spoken, Jason guides her into the house to get some dessert, certain that Cook has made a fresh batch of dessert just for her. Though Cook has a stern handle on the family, ensuring that they all eat as healthy as possible, she has a soft spot for Elizabeth. No matter what she has made for the family, Elizabeth can always count on a fresh platter of fudge brownies and vanilla ice cream whenever she's over for dessert.
"Elizabeth, hi." Emily greets Elizabeth as she gets her dessert from the platter. "Glad you could make it over."
"Didn't really have much choice." she counters while holding up her dessert. "Cook's dessert is to die for."
"Ain't it?" Emily laughs before shaking her head. "Anyway, I'll let you guys talk, I'm pretty sure Jason has a lot he wants to say."
"Emily." Jason states. "Don't you have a boyfriend to tend to."
"Right." Emily smirks before shrugging her shoulders. "Have fun you two."
"What was that about?" Elizabeth questions when Emily walks away from them to join a man she could only assume is the boyfriend Jason mentioned.
"Patio or roof?" Jason questions, trying to ignore the look of confusion on her face as he blatantly changes the subject.
"Roof." Elizabeth replies, allowing him to steer off topic for the time being. "Less chances of your family interrupting us."
"Roof it is then." he says as he places his hand at the small of her back to guide her out of the room. "How was dinner with your Gram?"
"Exactly how you think it went." Elizabeth admits sadly. "I won't be seeing her off."
"I'm sorry." he sighs. "I know that its hard on both of you to say goodbye."
"She's where I get it from." she agrees. "I'll be okay, though, I always am."
"I know."
Holding her dessert for her as she climbs through the window on the top floor, Jason takes a deep breath to control his nerves. He had initially intended to come right out with it and tell Elizabeth how he felt, but now he just didn't know how to come about it. Thanks to his well meaning sister, his entire plan on how he was going to admit his feelings is no longer viable. Something he'll have to pay her back for without a doubt. Maybe he'll give O'Brien a little sneak peek into the life of Emily Quartermaine before puberty took hold.
"So, why did you want me to call you?" Elizabeth questions curiously. "More good news about your business?"
"Nothing new on that front just yet." he assures. "What about you? Anything new with school?"
"Actually, yes...but you'll probably want to brace yourself for this."
"Why?" he looks at her confusedly. "What happened?"
"My dad has chosen to support me."
"Seriously?" he definitely didn't see that coming. "Did you threaten his precious certificate collection or something?"
"No, nothing that extreme." she laughs softly, having thought about doing just that on occasion. "My gram wore him down and now its on me to make sure he doesn't regret it."
"You can do it." he voices confidently. "I have all the faith in the world that you'll make everyone believe in you the way I do."
"I hope so." she smiles softly. "So, if you didn't want to talk about your business, why did you want me to call you?"
Before he could say much else, Elizabeth's cellphone buzzes, causing her to pull it out of her pocket to see who was sending her a text. With a shake of her head, she sends a quick text back before shoving the device back into her pocket. From the way she was fixing her outfit, he could tell that she would soon be leaving.
"That was my brother." she explains, finishing off her dessert before turning to him. "Dad wants me home."
"You should go then."
"Not until you tell me why you wanted me to call." she says firmly. "It seemed important."
"Nothing that can't wait." he assures. "Come on, I'll walk you to your car."
"Don't you mean your family's car?"
"No, its yours." Jason admits, helping her back into the house. "Or it will be, anyway."
"What do you mean?"
"Grandmother has the family lawyer transferring it to your name." Jason explains. "By the end of the week, the car will legally be yours."
"This was supposed to be temporary."
"I know that." he says simply. "If you want, you can tell Grandmother not to do it."
"Oh, right, because I have the guts to deny your Grandmother anything she wants."
"Something she's banking on."
"Whatever." she sighs, knowing there was no getting around it. "I should be getting home. Tell your grandmother I said thank you."
"Sure." he smiles slightly. "Drive safe."
Waiting long enough for her to get into the car and drive off, Jason plops down onto the front step, needing a moment to himself before he finds himself back into the thick of it with his family. If he was the type of person that believed in signs from the universe, he'd believe that maybe telling her how he feels just isn't what's best.
"Hey." Emily's voices as she plops down beside him. "How did it go?"
"It didn't."
"What?" she looks at him in disbelief. "What do you mean it didn't?"
"She's needed at home."
"Jason, seriously, it doesn't take even five seconds to tell her you love her."
"Do me a favor and just stay out of it." he says as he rises to his feet. "If its going to happen, it'll happen on its own accord."
"And what if it doesn't?"
"Then it doesn't." Jason states. "I'm going to bed. Tell the family I said goodnight."
"Oh, its gonna happen." Emily mutters to herself once Jason closes the door behind him. "Even if I have to make it happen myself."
While Emily begins her scheming, Elizabeth is making her back to her family's home. It had been strange for her father to request her presence at home, seeing as he has never done it in the past, regardless of how late the hour is. For him to do so now made her more than a little curious. After the conversation they had earlier in the day, she couldn't fathom what would happen next.
"What's going on?" Elizabeth questions her brother when she enters the living room to find him alone. "Where's father?"
"In his study with the family lawyer." Steven looks at her as if expecting her to tell him something he doesn't know.
"Don't look at me like that." she states seriously. "I have no idea why he'd be meeting with the family lawyer this late."
"None of this is adding up." Steven throws his hands into the air. "First mother and Sarah go back to Boulder, of all places, and now father is meeting with the family lawyer."
"You don't think..." Elizabeth couldn't hardly bring herself to say it. "Do you think they'll get di...?"
"Don't even speak it." Steven snaps before gaining control of himself. "That can't be it...so don't speak of stuff like that."
"Sorry." she voices sincerely. "I just don't understand what's happening right now."
"Until father tells us, its all just speculation." Steven reminds her. "So, lets just wait until he's done."
"Okay." she says in a soft tone, knowing that her brother feared the same thing she was afraid of, only he wouldn't be the one responsible.
It would be another half hour before her father walks out of the study, showing the family lawyer to the door before making his way to stand before them. The look on his face didn't give either of them much relief. If anything, it made them that much more fearful of the situation they have found themselves in. Though her brother didn't want to hear it before, he's the one to ask the question on both their minds.
"Are you and mother getting divorced?" Steven blurts out, needing the answer more than he could ever explain.
"Not at the moment." Jeff assures. "Right now we're in what could only be described as a trial separation."
"But you will eventually get divorced?" Steven pushes forward as Elizabeth sits stunned.
"That's not clear at this point." Jeff replies carefully. "For now, I just want you both aware of the state of this family. Your mother and I will do our best to work on keeping this family together, but we make you no promises."
"Is this because..." Elizabeth looks up at her father with tears in her eyes. "Is this..."
"No." Jeff assures his daughter before she could voice what she was thinking. "This is not because of that. Though we've done our best to hide it, your mother and I have been drifting apart more and more these last few years."
"But you still love each other, right?" Steven questions, trying to understand what's going on. "Isn't that enough to keep fighting for your marriage?"
"I love your mother with every fiber of my being and I will continue to fight for my marriage until there's nothing left to fight for." Jeff states firmly. "I just don't want you getting your hopes up that we'll make it back to each other. As hard as it is to believe, love isn't always enough to fix what's broken between two people. Now off to bed you two, you both have an early morning tomorrow."
"Father..." Elizabeth voices once Steven storms up to his room. "I know you said it wasn't...but I need to know. Is this because of me?"
"No matter what anyone says, this wasn't your fault." Jeff says seriously as he sits down beside her. "Your mother and I...we're just at different places in our lives. We'll do what we can to find our way back to each other, I can assure you on that, but even if we don't make it...just know it wasn't your fault. Okay?"
"Okay." she whispers, allowing her father to wrap his arm around her as she lays her head against his shoulder. "I'm so sorry, daddy."
"Everything will be okay." he assures her. "No matter what happens, this family will always be okay."