Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize.
A/N: I'm so, so sorry for the long wait! Life has been crazy and I've been extremely busy. Thank you so much for all those who have reviewed, and those who have kept reading! Your positive comments are always appreciated. Enjoy chapter 18!
Lizzy hated that January 2 had come so fast. Too fast, in her opinion. It had been just a few days ago that she had met up with her family; now, she was standing in the airport saying her goodbyes to them. She knew it would only be temporary--she'd be returning in April for spring break--but it was one of the hardest things she had had to do in her seventeen years of life. Lizzy had gotten so comfortable here in New York, in the company of her parents, aunts, uncles and cousins. She had become accustomed to all the little things that now made her smile--Michelle chasing little Max around, the sound of JoJo and Jimi's guitars playing in harmony together, her uncle Max's antics, the smell of charcoal and cigarettes that she would always associate with Jude, Lucy's maternal instincts kicking into overdrive, and countless other things. She didn't want to leave.
Lucy pulled her daughter in for a hug once Lizzy had gone down the line, giving her family members their own personal goodbyes. Lucy placed a kiss onto Lizzy's cheek, trying desperately not to break down into tears. Her daughter was leaving them for the second time--it was almost unbearable. The only fact that kept Lucy from crying was that she knew her daughter would be back in a few months. She would leave then, too, but she would return after graduation and stay with them permanently.
"I'm going to miss you," she told the teenager, "I love you."
"I'm gonna miss you, too, Mom. I'll see you in a few months."
"A few months is way too long." Lucy mused, half-whispering.
"I know." Lizzy agreed, reluctantly breaking from the hug. She approached Jude, wrapping her arms around him.
"I'll see ya, love," he said. "Keep up the artwork, all right?"
"I will."
Lizzy stepped back and picked up her carry-on bag, slinging it over one shoulder. It hurt her to stare back at her group of family members gathered among the crowds of other people moving around them. The expressions on their faces were making her sad. She realized that this was how they must've looked when she departed from New York with the Harrisons for the first time all those years ago.
"Ready?" Mrs. Harrison asked. She stood next to her husband, a few feet behind where Lizzy was, with Paul a little off to the side. Lizzy was surprised that the Harrisons were being so civil toward him, even paying for his plane ticket home. But then again, things had begun to change for the better between Lizzy and the Harrisons.
"It's time to board." Mr. Harrison stated after Lizzy didn't answer. She nodded in reply, smiling to her family again.
"Bye!" she called, waving to them as she and Paul started toward the terminal with the Harrisons. Jude, Lucy and the rest of the tight-knit family waved back, shouting out their own goodbyes. They walked down the terminal and boarded the plane, taking their seats. Paul and Lizzy sat together in front of Mr. and Mrs. Harrison, and held hands for the entirety of the plane ride. Lizzy stole the window seat, and watched out the window as the snow, skyscrapers, and taxis of New York disappeared, soon to be replaced by sun, sand, and palm trees.
Lizzy had been grounded by Charlie and Maggie Harrison the day she returned to Florida. Two weeks of no television, no hanging out with Paul after school or on the weekends, and no phone calls. It was the minimum price she had to pay for "borrowing" Charlie's luxury sports car and then ditching it in the middle of nowhere. And, she had run away from home to go to New York without letting them know about it first. Lizzy took the punishment well, happy that at least she and the Harrisons were on good terms now. They could understand her now; they didn't try to suppress her differences and creative abilities. They could have civil conversations together without it turning into a screaming match. Lizzy had even discussed her plans to attend the School of Visual Arts in the fall with Charlie, and Maggie suddenly became interested in her artwork.
But best of all, they got to know Paul. After her grounding was over with, of course. They invited Paul and his mother to dinner one night and from then on, he was a welcomed guest in their house. Lizzy figured that they felt bad about judging him earlier, when they didn't really know him or his mother. They had probably learned through this whole experience--with Lizzy and her family--that someone didn't need money to be happy. Money couldn't buy love, either, as Lizzy had pointed out.
The teenager was excited that she and Paul could hang out more often at her house; she felt better not having to sneak out or tell lies every other night.
A few weeks later, the two of them were sitting on the couch in Lizzy's living room watching a movie together. Paul was sitting with his back against the arm of the couch, and Lizzy was cuddled up beside him, her head on his chest and his arm warpped around her shoulder. It was February 9--Lizzy's birthday, actually. Even though she was turning eighteen, she didn't want to have this humongous celebration. All she really wanted to do was spend the day with Paul at her house, and maybe have some cake and ice cream later with him and the Harrisons. She liked simple things; she felt like she didn't need extravagant celebrations for her birthdays, especially since she hit her teens. She liked to be very laid-back.
Mr. Harrison had been in his study for the past two hours talking to his lawyer, trying to get the details worked out with Lucy and Jude's lawyer so that they could once again have legal custody of their daughter. It was a tedious process with lots of paperwork and such. Mrs. Harrison, on the other hand, had been in the kitchen with Paul's mother--the two women had become friends, weirdly enough--baking a cake for Lizzy's birthday. They had also decorated the house with balloons and signs early this morning before Lizzy woke up.
At the moment, Lizzy wasn't paying much attention to the movie they had been watching. She hadn't exactly known what it was from the beginning, anyway. Right now, she was relishing in the fact that she and Paul were still dating. She was well aware of his touch on her arm as he gently brushed his fingers along her skin--it was quite nice. The boyfriend/girlfriend thing wasn't so awkward anymore.
The teenager was about to ask Paul what was going on in the movie when the phone rang. Lizzy bolted upright immediately, hoping it was a call from New York. She had been talking to her family frequently, calling them once or twice every other week. She always anticipated whether they'd call her. Lizzy jumped off the couch and dashed over to the phone, (nearly sliding across the floor) swiping it off the wall in the kitchen.
"Hello?" she asked.
"Happy Birthday!" Lizzy's entire family shouted back.
"You're legal!" she heard Max yell.
Lizzy couldn't help but laugh. She didn't have a chance to reply, because suddenly everyone on the other line started to sing and she heard JoJo's guitar wailing along with the song.
"You say it's your birthday
It's my birthday too, yeah
They say it's you birthday
We're gonna have a good time
I'm glad it's your birthday
Happy birthday to you
Yes we're going to a party, party
Yes we're going to a party, party
Yes we're going to a party, party
Take a cha-cha-cha-chance (birthday)
I would like you to dance (birthday)
Ooo, dance, yeah
I would like you to dance (birthday)
Take a cha-cha-cha-chance (birthday)
I would like you to dance (birthday)
Ooo, dance
You say it's your birthday
It's my birthday too, yeah
They say it's you birthday
We're gonna have a good time
I'm glad it's your birthday
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you!"
Once the song ended, Lucy got on the phone. "Happy birthday, sweetheart. How does it feel to be eighteen?"
"Good?" Lizzy asked in a questioning tone. She didn't feel that much different.
"We just wanted to wish you a very happy birthday. We were going to send your presents over, but we thought it would be better to give you them personally. Think you can wait 'til April?"
"Yeah, that's fine," Lizzy said. "It's just nice hearing from you all."
"Okay. Hold on, your dad wants to talk to you," Lucy told her. "I love you Lizzy; talk to you soon."
"Bye Mom…I love you--tell everyone I said thanks for the song." she laughed.
"Will do."
There was a rustling noise as the phone was passed over to Jude, then his accented voice echoed in her ear. "Happy Birthday, love," he said brightly. "How are ya celebratin' over there? Lots of cake and ice cream, I hope."
"Yeah, Maggie is busy making a cake with Paul's mom." she informed him.
"Ah…good. Well, listen: enjoy your day, all right?"
"Uh-huh. Thanks, Dad."
"Love you."
"Love you, too," he replied. "I'm gonna hand the phone over to Max."
The rustling noise filled the other end of the phone again, then Max shouted, "Lizzy! How the hell are ya?"
Lizzy laughed again. "I'm good, Uncle Max. How 'bout you?"
"I'd be better if my niece was here." he said, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
"I'll be there soon." she reminded him.
"Yeah…" he trailed off briefly. "Well, you're an adult now, so when you come on back to New York, I'll take you out and teach you how to party like an adult."
"Okay--but I'm holding you to it." she giggled.
"All right," he chuckled. "Gotta go. Talk to ya soon. Bye, squirt."
"Bye, Uncle Max."
The rest of Lizzy's family yelled another "Happy Birthday" to her, mixed with a few "goodbyes", then whoever was holding the phone hung up. Lizzy stood there with the phone still in her hand, smiling to herself. She missed them all so much. To her--and the rest of the gang back in New York--the spring break in April couldn't come fast enough.
A/N: It's a bit short, but it's something, right? LOL. Anyway, points to whoever knows the significance of February 9 (Lizzy's birthday) in relation to The Beatles…