You have probably noticed that my pace has slowed a bit. A combination of life, and trying to figure out where I want this story to go from here - and how it will all resolve - is forcing me to take my time. That said, ODC are never far from my mind and I hope you're still interested in their development. Back from vacation and I did find some time to write. It was positively lovely to sit in the Luxembourg Gardens in France and work on this entry...Hope you enjoy it too!
He'd know that sound anywhere. It wasn't as robust as it usually was but the gentle tinkling of her laugh was the surest sign he'd left New York behind and was truly home. Following the sound of women's voices, William walked into their modified sitting room to find four women sitting and laughing over a game of cards, piles of pennies arranged in front of them. Standing quietly in the doorway, he watched his wife and sister interacting with his aunt and substitute mother. The sight filled him with a level of content he'd not felt since before his father passed. He didn't want to disrupt the scene and yet found himself longing to join in their reverie. Finally, after few minutes passed and his longing to join was greater than the pleasure received by watching he spoke up a smile lightening his words, "I leave for two days and the place turns into a gambling den."
Heads turned to face the direction from which the sound emerged. "William, you're back!" Lizzy beamed. She wanted so much to jump up to throw her arms around him. Two days had felt like an eternity and the ball of tension that had been sitting in her belly finally eased.
"I certainly appreciate the warm welcome. Let me strip out of this suit and refresh myself and I'll be back to greet you properly." Lizzy was a sight for sore eyes. Sure the bruises and scrapes still adorned her face but the brightness had returned to her beautiful green eyes and her smile was easier. Reaching over he placed a gentle kiss on her lips before giving his aunt and sister a hug. Mrs. Reynolds stood to say hello, giving her boy a hug as well, before heading off to the kitchen to check on dinner.
Lizzy's eyes followed William until he closed the bedroom door behind him. Sighing, she was frustrated she couldn't join him in that shower but knew she should wait patiently for his return. Looking back at the table she noticed that Sophia and Georgie were packing up the card game and the pennies. With a quirk to her brow she looked questioningly at Sophia. "Go to your husband dear. Dinner will be served in about an hour. We'll see you both then."
The two women carefully helped Lizzy to stand and watched her hobble towards the bedroom before departing to separate parts of the house. Entering the room, Lizzy looked at the tall bed wondering how she was to get herself launched onto it without use of her right hand or leg. As she stood pondering the situation, she didn't realize William had entered the room.
"What are you doing!" William yelled as he ran over to her sweeping her off her feet.
Before she could respond, Lizzy found herself placed onto the bed, William's blue eyes glaring down at her. It was difficult to take him seriously with his hair dripping and towel laying on the floor near his feet. Restraining a giggle, she began,"Uhm, William, I think you lost something."
Looking down, William quickly grabbed his towel and placed it around his waist again. "Well at least I haven't lost my mind. What were you thinking walking over here?"
Crossing her arms she looked up at her husband, "I'm not a child and I don't care to hear you speaking to me that way."
Chagrined, William sat down on the bed next to her. Quietly he asked,"Are you really ready to be walking around like this? I don't want you to push yourself. I'd gladly carry you anywhere you want to go."
The adorable pout on his face gave her pause. Realizing he was perhaps upset she could manage a bit without him she softened her stance. "I appreciate your concern but honestly, I'm glad to be finally able to manage a few steps. I know I'm weeks away from managing an entire staircase easily but the twenty steps from one room to the next is not overly taxing. Now, how I'm to get myself up on this bed is an entirely other question I was trying to puzzle out when you found me. Of course now that you've taken care of that issue, perhaps I've no need to go anywhere at all?" Lizzy looked up at William, her bright eyes twinkling and any thoughts of getting off of the bed were pushed aside for them both.
Having accomplished his first goal of coming home, William gently caressed Lizzy's arm, pulling her close. He felt an urgent need to express all of the thoughts and emotion he'd been holding in over the past few days. "I missed you so much, it's hard to imagine how I'll manage with a longer separation Lizzy. I thought of you nearly constantly while I was trapped in meetings, lunches and dinners. The only way I could focus was the thought of coming back to you."
"Coming back to me or coming back to me in this bed?" She slyly asked.
"You've figured me out Elizabeth."
"It's a good thing it didn't take us very long to get here then. Did any other thoughts pervade your thinking? Matters of business perchance?" Lizzy teased.
"Oh I was focused enough. At least enough to realize how much I prefer spending time with you rather than with my business colleagues. Now, I know you don't want to hear them, so please tell me what you've been up to these past few days." William asked.
"I would love to hear about your meetings William. Perhaps you simply don't want to discuss them?"
"You've probably got the right of it Lizzy. I'm anxious to know however, how things have been with Georgiana," William asked softly.
Lizzy had thought a lot about what and how she wanted to share her impressions and realizations regarding his sister. Ever direct, there truly was only one way in which her conclusions might be shared. "Would you be satisfied if I told you we are working hard to find common ground?"
Wrinkling his brow, William wondered about this statement. What had he missed? "Can you explain to me what you think are the hurdles?"
Sighing, Lizzy knew she should be open and honest but she didn't want to disturb their peace. And William would be disturbed no matter how she phrased her next statement. "I will if you insist. But I'd rather Georgiana and I attempt to work through this ourselves."
"It's not that I don't trust you, it's just a mystery to me as to what needs to be worked through." The tension was building as he said the words and Lizzy knew he would continue to work himself up over this.
"Let's get ourselves re-dressed and I'm glad to share with you what has transpired." A few minutes later, Lizzy and William found themselves back in their sitting room, stretched out on the chaise lounge, with Lizzy resting in her husband's embrace. Taking a deep breath, she started with her observations. "Georgiana is a very conflicted and hurt young woman. There are few she trusts and one person, above all, that she has placed upon a pedestal. That person is you and it is quite clear to me that her idea of the proper spouse for her illustrious brother is certainly not me. That said, I think she even holds herself in disdain, as not good enough to be your sister. A few things she has said in the past two days have led me to that conclusion so I take no offense for her irrational judgments." Lizzy looked up to see William's eyes focused on her and every word she uttered. He was attentive so she continued. "Until my accident I have let you and your family deal with your sister. And while Georgiana is not directly responsible for my injuries, she does bear some responsibility. I've made it clear to her how I believe she is responsible and she hasn't disagreed with me. Given that, I have told her that I will judge her on her actions alone, from now on, and expect every action to be helpful not hurtful. There is truly nothing you can do to repair our relationship. And there is little I can do either. She needs to show me that she wants a good - sisterly - relationship. If she does, I'm here for her. If not, I can't do anything. She has to want this."
William had suspected his sister had a role in Lizzy's injuries and was frustrated by the vague responses he'd received thus far. It was clear through the tension in his body and the tone of his voice when he spoke. "Will you not disclose anything of her actions on the mountain? As her guardian, and you're husband, I really need to know. I don't want secrets between us - even if it's difficult."
Equivocating a bit, Lizzy knew she would need to share her story. She just hadn't wanted to hurt him and didn't want to make this a choice between two people he loved. Lizzy knew, however, that William would continue to press her until the full truth came out. Why not tell him now?
He could see the wheels turning and needed to press again."Please Lizzy."
"I know William. It's just that I'd rather not burden you with this but also realize you won't let it rest either. You must know that my accident was truly an accident. It was no one's fault and I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. How I got to that place was a bit of stupidity on my part and some culpability on Georgiana's." She took another breath, and looked up at William again. He was waiting for her and she knew she needed to tell him, so she plowed forward. "When you left, we followed a pattern whereby I would follow Georgiana down whatever run she chose. They had all been blues and greens to that point and Georgiana expressed some boredom and a desire to go to another set of runs. She always patiently waited for me and I thought I was acquitting myself well. I may have even remarked as such to her before we left that first mountain. Perhaps I shouldn't have been so cocky." Lizzy remarked, a bit ruefully. "We made our way to the new chair lift and rode up in silence. At the top, Georgiana quickly took off and by the time I had myself oriented, I thought I saw her riding off to the left. I didn't even look around. I just followed her, racing to catch up. Before I knew it, I found myself about 50' down a double-black diamond. I realized then I was never meant to follow her and began working my way back up to the top, sidestepping like you taught me. It was then that I was confronted by another snowboarder and lost my balance, sending me down the trail. Had I checked the map, I would have known better than to follow Georgie. I could have gotten down safely. I just blindly followed rather than taking care of my own safety. I should never have relied on a 15-year old for my own care. That was foolish of me."
By the end of her tale William was gripping her tightly. His jaw was clenched and fury was radiating from him. "I will kill her. She will not see the light of day for years for what she has done."
"Did you listen to me? It is partially her fault, but not entirely. I've talked to her. We know where we stand with one another. Do not make it more than it is."
"How can you make light of this? Her negligence has caused you unimaginable pain and the prospect of surgery! The consequences of her lack of care will continue for months. She needs to learn to be responsible for her actions...as if she hadn't caused enough trouble already." He was exasperated, despondent about what he could possibly do, and angry.
Reaching up to him, she pulled him close. "I know you're angry and hurt but, do you trust me?"
"Of course I do," he snapped.
"Then leave be and let me handle this. Your sister is leaving tomorrow to spend the next week with your aunt, working in a women's homeless shelter. We will return and she will be forced to help care for me. She knows she's wrong. She's apologized. Let her begin to earn her way back. Don't make it impossible." Lizzy continued to hold him close pressing kisses on his face and neck willing him to calm before they all were faced with sitting civilly at a table together. "It's almost time for dinner. Shall we move to the sitting room?"
"I will help you there but then I need a word with my aunt. She needs to know everything so that she handles the next week properly. I won't say anything to Georgie, for now, but Aunt Sophia needs to be aware of what Georgiana is capable." William urged.
"Fine. I understand." Placing one more kiss on his cheek, she allowed William to carry her to their sitting room. She understood his need to protect her in this moment and wouldn't fight it, for now.
The conversation between William and his aunt guaranteed that dinner was an awkward and somewhat silent affair. Lizzy surmised that this outcome was unavoidable given the large elephant sitting in the middle of the room. As it was Lizzy attempted to keep the conversation flowing but she was still prone to forgetfulness, often finding it difficult to pull the right word out of her brain. These moments only served to increase the awkward silences around the table while her dining companions waited patiently for her to continue her anecdotes. By the end of dinner, Lizzy had a fierce headache and begged off to bed.
The sight of Elizabeth in obvious difficulty and pain left them all discomfited. Georgiana was near tears with her newly realized sense of culpability. William may have felt some relief at this if he wasn't so distracted by Lizzy's distress. Having seen her off to sleep, William returned to the dinner table for a brief moment, "Excuse me. I need to make a call and then will be turning in myself. It's been a very long day. I'll see you tomorrow before you two leave for Boston."
"I could sit with Elizabeth in case she wakes before you return," Georgiana tentatively offered. William wasn't sure what to make of this offer but decided to take it at face value, as Lizzy would encourage him to do.
"Thank you. Please come get me if she wakes or is having any difficulty." With this statement, William quickly retreated to his office. Once settled, he pulled up the number for his personal physician. He needed to understand what was going on with Lizzy, her memory and her headaches. After explaining the events of the past few days, William listened for the worst.
"It sounds to me that your wife had a very good knock on the head. It's common with concussions for there to be difficulty with word finding for a period of weeks. Headaches are also common. Make sure she's drinking lots of fluids. Also, keep the stress level down if possible. It can aggravate headaches. There's really nothing else you can do. It should resolve with time. Now, if her headaches seem to worsen, take her to an ER to be evaluated."
"How do I know if they're worsening?"
"Well, you said she fell asleep easily and found a bit of relief from taking two Advil. That sounds like a level of headache that's within the expected range."
"Alright, thank you Dr. Daniels. Can I have you see Lizzy next week when we return on Monday?"
"Of course. I can come by around 4:00 if you'd like. Can you arrange to have her films sent to me as well?"
"Will do. Thank you." Resting in his chair, he knew he wouldn't truly relax until next Monday, when hopefully his doctor would declare Lizzy on the road to recovery. It had been so hard to listen to his witty Elizabeth struggle to share a simple story. She'd tried to make a joke of it all but there was simply no humor in her forgetfulness. And once again, his sister was behind Lizzy's difficulties. Raising himself up from his chair he made his feet carry him towards their room. Upon entering, he saw his sister, shoulders slumped, mumbling to herself as she stroked Elizabeth's hand. He couldn't hear her words but hoped her demeanor and concern represented some genuine regret. Perhaps Lizzy was right and that this truly represented a turning point in their relationship and possibly, finally, Georgie might be taking responsibility for her actions. He would ask his aunt to watch her attitude and demeanor closely.
Sophia Fitzwilliam and Georgiana left shortly after breakfast ensuring they'd miss the morning traffic into Boston. Lizzy's headache had resolved and she was able to make her way to the family room where she and William settled themselves by the fire. It had been days since Lizzy had read a newspaper or anything else and so William read aloud the interesting bits from the prior day's New York Times. The morning found them incredibly relaxed and Lizzy wondered aloud if such continual passive activity would spoil her for anything requiring effort.
William laughed, "I find that incredibly unlikely my love. I'm impressed you've been such a good patient but if you were truly made for laziness I'd expect to see you flipping through People Magazine or Us Weekly while still in bed sipping tea, rather than discussing recent world events with some level of vehemence. Even in your laziness you are actively engaged."
She had to laugh at this picture of herself. "I guess you've figured me out. Well, I still feel as though I have much to learn, especially of you." Turning her sparkling eyes on him, Lizzy decided to ask some questions she'd longed to ask, but had never found the right moment. "Will you tell me more about Pemberley Enterprises?"
"You don't need to pretend an interest in such a boring subject. I'm sure we can find many more interesting topics to discuss."
Lizzy was surprised by his reaction and realized he probably didn't suspect her genuine interest. "William, you have spent the last four years of your life, likely longer, preparing yourself to take over this business and will spend the rest of your life working for its perpetuation. How could I not be interested? Also, I hate to be ignorant and this is a topic I should know something about if I am ever to reasonably accompany you at any business event. I should have asked long ago but so many other topics have intruded it seems."
He looked surprised but realized he really shouldn't be. He appreciated her interest in many things and if she would, by extension include what would be his life's work in her knowledge base than he was truly fortunate. He thought for a few minutes about how to share his family's legacy. He decided the beginning was likely the best place."Pemberley Enterprises is basically a collection of luxury products, all based on superior craftsmanship and elegance, in whatever product we offer. It all began in the 1600's with vineyards in France. The D'Arcy family began the production of fine wines, champaign and cognacs. At some point in the late 18th century, Elise D'Arcy, married an English Lord and, uniting with members of this wealthy British family and using their landed wealth, began producing fine leathers, wools and cashmeres. The combined family continued to expand the collection of luxury products through wise investments. My french ancestors pushed towards Africa and the orient. In Africa, they developed gold and diamond mines and in Asia developed silk techniques which when combined with some of our wools and cashmeres supported high end fashion lines. Our English relatives further expanded the number of products by moving into fine china and crystal in Ireland. The company has always been privately held and is one of the largest owners of premium products and high-end brands in the world with a history dating back over 500 years. There have been ups and downs of course, world wars, the Great Depression, and other challenges and we've had to shift course a few times to support a different agenda driven by these events but we've always maintained our roots and an understanding of our mission. I would say the biggest challenges we face in this century are environmental awareness and the rise of China. China is, of course, a huge opportunity and we've been working hard to establish ourselves with the right partners, one's who won't try to simultaneously copy our products and sell the imitations under our noses. I think the steps we're taking to mitigate environmental concerns will be helpful to us in the long run. And we have long taken steps to make decisions with long-term sustainability in mind, avoiding short-cuts. But it's required us to make some unplanned investments over the past few years."
This explanation was followed by an hour of quizzing and discussion and Elizabeth realized she needed to rest for a bit. Her mind was swimming with the implications of how vast and complex Pemberley was and the range of issues with which William would need to content. Nestling in his arms, another question popped into her mind. "Will this require a lot of travel in the future? I imagine it will."
Sighing he pulled her a bit tighter, "I wasn't ready to think of it yet, but yes, there will be a lot of travel in my future. I probably need to go to Asia for ten days sometime in the next four to six weeks. That realization was delivered to me during the board meeting and only made me want to come back home faster," William admitted.
Placing a small kiss on his chest, Lizzy sighed. It had been truly lovely over the few months they'd known one another. His life after school had rarely intruded. At least he'd managed to keep his fairly compartmentalized. "I guess we'll have to get used to separations although I'm very glad this first trip was only for two days. Why do you need to go all the way to Asia? And so soon?"
"I hope you know I don't want to go. I'd much rather not, or at the very least, I'd love to bring you with me," placing another kiss on the top of her head before continuing. "The Asian markets are our fastest growing. The market for premium brands and status symbols in Asia is almost insatiable and that is our prime business. We need to be successful in these markets to recoup our investments over the past few years. It was suggested that I should meet with the heads of our major distributors before I assume control of the company. The board determined a tour this winter, and then another to follow up after graduation, would secure the transition.
"I wish I could join you but it won't be possible for awhile."
"You will, maybe this summer you'll be able to," William said as he twisted his fingers in hers.
"I'd love that. Fingers crossed that everything with my visa goes smoothly." Yawning, Lizzy snuggled down a bit more on Williams chest. "I think I'm going to close my eyes now."
"Sweet dreams, my love."
The last thing he wanted to do was wake Elizabeth but his need to use the bathroom was becoming urgent and he was certain he would disturb her when he moved. He'd awoken thirty minutes ago from his nap, napping being an unusual occurrence for him in any situation, to find Lizzy still nestled comfortably on him. The first ten minutes were pure enjoyment looking over his beautiful petite wife. He hadn't noticed previously her painted toes, pink, yellow and white, on alternating toes. He found the lighthearted and slightly silly token of her spirit had amused him immensely. These small thoughts could only provide momentary distraction and he was finally required to disturb her peace. Edging himself out from underneath her, he quietly slid off the couch finding himself seated on the floor. 'Only for Elizabeth,' he thought. He hoped he'd escaped the room without waking her but upon re-entering found her sitting up against the couch looking only a bit disheveled.
"I'm sorry if I woke you Lizzy."
"No worries, I likely needed to wake."
"Truly, for what purpose?"
Wrinkling her nose, Lizzy teased, "I should probably bathe. It's been almost two days and I can't imagine you'll want me near you if I don't deal with it soon."
"You're not such a burden as all that. Can I help you?"
"That would be helpful. My wrist prevents me from properly washing my hair."
"I'll only help if you tell me what has happened to your toes."
"My toes? What's wrong with them?" She asked worriedly. Maybe in her pain she hadn't noticed another injury.
"The nails are multiple shades and I don't recall ever seeing such a rainbow of color."
"Oh you're attempting to tease me. I hadn't realized. Clearly you need more practice," she teased again.
William's face took on a mock look of seriousness, "Your toes madam."
Blushing a bit, Lizzy laughed to herself before explaining. "You've discovered one of my weaknesses. When Jane and Charlotte heard of my accident they conspired together to send me a collection of OPI nail polish. I have a bit of an addiction to nail polish and when I'm down will treat myself with a new bottle. Adding a little color to my toes is one of my little indulgences. Although, given they sent me over a dozen little bottles of my favorite brand of nail polish, I think I will be all set for awhile."
He loved learning these little things about her. "So pink, yellow and white? Are these your favorite colors?"
"No. Not really. But I loved the names of the colors on the polish. You see, the company gives their nail colors all kinds of creative and unique names. I usually pick the colors I wear by the names of the polish." Lizzy was blushing furiously, admitting this peculiar little habit after portraying herself as serious and educated was a tad embarrassing.
"I'm all ears Mrs. Darcy."
"For what?"
"The names. What did you chose to adorn your lovely toes, for I must know." His serious mien could not hold up much longer and he held back the laughter to his best ability.
"Aphrodite's pink nightie, The IT Color and Funny Bunny. Satisfied Mr. Darcy?"
William could no longer restrain his laughter. Once he calmed, he took to more closely examining her toes. Placing a kiss on each of her pink toenails, he declared, "I'm definitely most pleased with Aphrodite's choice but the others I could do without. Can I choose the next colors you wear?"
"I guess I can grant you the next choice as I do love all of them. But you'll likely have to paint them as well. Georgiana had to do the honors yesterday as my right hand is rather useless."
"Georgie painted your toes?" William was surprised his sister would do something so nice for Elizabeth.
"We had a...a helpful talk. She's been very attentive since I made things clear to her. I think you should take that into consideration William."
"I should've never doubted you. You are very skilled aren't you."
"Let's just say sisters are not always nice to one another. I'm very experienced in the ways of dealing with younger sisters." Lizzy assured him with some confidence.
Placing a kiss on her lips, William took hold of her arm to help her to stand. "Alright. I trust you. Let's get you into that bath. I'd much rather think about how to get you clean right now than anything else."
The rest of their days in Maine passed in similarly quiet and mundane ways. Each day Lizzy recovered a bit more and she looked forward to returning to Boston where they could make plans for the next semester and for her continued recovery. She recognized William's anxiety and desire for her to see his doctor. Hopefully he would finally relax!
It was so nice to be home. Even if home was someplace she'd only spent the sum total of two weeks, it was were she and William were building their newly married life and she appreciated the comfort of something familiar. Stretching out on their couch, Groucho the cat curled up on her lap, Lizzy felt at peace.
"Lizzy, I've got a bit of work to catch up on from my meetings last week. If you need anything just call ok?"
"Groucho and I are pretty comfy here on the couch. We're going to watch a movie for now. We should be fine."
Lizzy had figured out pretty quickly that William was not good company with chick flicks. He'd get antsy and jumpy whenever there was any sign of romantic tension. His cat was a much calmer movie viewing companion in situations such as these.
William settled down at his computer, scrolling through the never ending slew of daily emails. He'd always been included in all of the Pemberley board emails but following the recent meetings in New York, he'd been added to the distribution lists for the executive and operating committees as well. He hadn't figured out an organization or screening strategy yet and so two to three hours each day were spent reading and sorting emails from Pemberley. His concentration was broken by the sound of Lizzy's laughter. She was enjoying her movie and he was a bit envious that Groucho got to curl up on her lap and enjoy it with her. Yes, he was jealous of a cat. Looking at the clock he realized he was behind his goal of finishing email before Dr. Daniels arrived. Refocusing he continued to plow through.
The phone rang disturbing them both, Lizzy from her nap and William from his work. Looking at the clock it was 4:00 already and Dr. Daniels was expected. A few minutes later William was greeting him at the elevator, trying to grab a few moments with the doctor before meeting Elizabeth.
"She's doing much better but is still sleeping a lot more than is normal for her."
"I'm not all that surprised, given what you told me of her accident. Allow me to examine her and I'll be able to give you a better idea of what to expect." Dr. Daniels reassured. William was typical among his patients. Used to being in complete control, illness and injury had a way of superseding any sense of routine and predictability. The vast majority of his patients were businessmen who thrived on being in control.
The young woman who greeted him was not at all what Dr. Daniels had expected. "Thank you so much for coming to see me here. I tried to convince William we could easily go to your office but he wouldn't hear of it. I hope we didn't bring you out of your way."
"No actually. I had finished with my other patients and your apartment is on my way home. I'm happy to see you here, especially given everything you've been through this past week." Dr. Daniels was a good natured man who enjoyed the personal relationships his private concierge medical practice allowed him to develop. "Why don't you tell me about yourself, your personal health history, and any medical issues you've confronted. I've seen your medical records already and, aside from some injuries likely incurred from an active childhood, and your most recent adventure, you seem fairly healthy."
"I'll try but I have to admit that doctors make me extremely nervous. My mother tells me I used to try to bite the nurse whenever getting my shots. At one point I apparently succeeded and they were forced to switch offices as a result."
"Well that explains the switch to the clinic at Dimock from the Brigham at the age of 5 I noted in your records."
"Yes, I don't think my mother will ever let me live that one down," Lizzy said ruefully.
He laughed, "I promise my tetanus is up-to-date, as is yours. Even better there is absolutely no need for shots today."
Lizzy shared all she knew about her medical history and her familial history. There wasn't much to tell given she knew little about any relatives beyond her parents and sisters. She was well versed in her father's cardiac issues and was able to provide that information in tremendous detail. Gently he examined her thoroughly paying special attention to her ribs, wrist and knee, explaining in detail what she'd done to herself and the likely path for her recovery. Given how ill she'd been in the early days of her accident, she appreciated the review now. Finally, they discussed her head injury. The word finding issues had been quite stressful for her but soon it became clear that William's reaction to her headaches and issues were the larger problem. She was so concerned about him and his reaction that it would often spark the difficulties in themselves. Dr. Daniels assured her she would fully recover in time especially if she kept herself well hydrated and sleep as much as she felt like. He would call her later in the week with information on an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon to which he'd accompany her. For her part, Lizzy was dumbfounded that the doctor would join her at her appointment but apparently this was common in William's world so she wasn't going to complain. Doctors had always made her nervous and this was the first time she'd ever felt comfortable in a visit.
"It's been a true pleasure to meet you Mrs. Darcy although I hope that once we get past this incident, we don't need to meet often."
"As much as I liked meeting you, I couldn't agree more." Lizzy said, her bright smile demonstrating he'd won her over.
Leaving her in the living room, Dr. Daniels found William in his office. It was no surprise to find the young man staring blankly at the computer screen, clearly unable to focus on much of anything while awaiting the doctor. As the doctor closed the door, William jumped to his feet anxious to hear his findings.
"William, please, sit." The two men sat in chairs next to one another, William's leg bouncing with nervous energy.
"So?"
"Congratulations on your marriage William. Elizabeth is lovely and seems to care very much for you." Dr. Daniels had never witnessed such a bright smile on the young man's face. It was clear how devoted they were to one another. "I guess I'll start with the headline. She's going to be fine. It's just going to take a little time."
"Did you talk about her difficulty remembering things and the headaches?"
"Yes we did. It's disconcerting, of course, but should resolve over the next few weeks. I'm curious as to how you think you're reactions are impacting her recovery," Dr. Daniels asked gently.
"My reactions? What are you implying?" William asked warily.
"I'm not implying anything actually. I will simply tell you. It's clear to me how much you both care for one another. That is a very good thing usually. In this case however, your anxiety is impacting your wife. She sees how you react to her headaches and forgetfulness and it increases her stress level, making the situation worse. All I ask is when these situations present themselves, don't react. Help her and move on. If you're calm, she'll be calm. It will be better for both of you."
William heard the words but needed a few minutes to process them. He was making things worse for Lizzy? How awful. He appreciated that the good doctor was willing to tell him what he didn't want to hear. 'I guess that's what I'm paying him for,' he mused.
After fully taking these words into account, William shook his head and looked up at the doctor, "Alright. I hear you." Reverting to his general business-like demeanor, William needed to know the plan. "Can you discuss with me the next steps?"
Dr. Daniels canvassed the discussion he'd just had with Elizabeth for Darcy's benefit giving him specific details as to the surgeon he planned to contact and the arrangements he'd like to make. Lizzy would likely be eligible for knee surgery in a few weeks, and would require physical therapy before and after to help her recover. Everything that should be done would be done and William was indeed much calmer now that they had a plan.
Despite her best attempts, Maria hadn't been able to visit Lizzy until Wednesday. School had restarted right after the new year and she'd been slammed with hours of work. Her twice daily calls had helped and Lizzy had repeatedly told her not to worry but there was no replacing actually seeing her sister.
"Lizzy!" Maria all but launched herself onto her sister embracing her in a tight hug.
"Be careful, her ribs are still recovering." William exclaimed, seeing the wince of pain cross Lizzy's face.
"Oh no. I'm so sorry. I'm such an idiot!" Maria was on the verge of tears as she quickly pulled away.
"You know I'm tougher than that Maria. I'm so happy you're here. I can only imagine how hard it is to break away during the week. Please sit down," Lizzy urged.
Maria sat tentatively on the edge of the couch unsure how close she could get and still worried she'd truly hurt her sister.
"So as you can see, I'm still a bit of a klutz. Thank goodness mama isn't here to see me. I'd never hear the end of it!" Lizzy teased, trying to lighten Maria's mood a bit.
Maria smiled and rolled her eyes. "She'd probably just gush about how you've gotten such a handsome man to wait on you hand and foot. And then in the next breath tell you to get off your bottom and get back to serving him so that he doesn't leave you."
"I think you've got the right of it. Now tell me please. Have you brought over any goodies from the restaurant? This stupid wrist has me unable to cook or chop anything and I've been dying for a little food from home."
"I convinced Billy to make you papa's chicken in mole sauce for dinner tonight. There are enchiladas, rice and beans, and of course, chicken posole soup in the bag as well. I figure that should hold you over for a few meals. William had mentioned you've been ordering in since you left Maine so I knew just what to bring." Maria smiled a bit, happy to do something to help her injured sister. She'd felt helpless stuck in Boston since she'd heard the news of Lizzy's injuries and yet, was worried she'd be in the way up in Maine. Things were so complicated with William's sister and she thought it might be better to stay out of the way.
"You know just how to make a sister happy. By the way, do you know where William ran off to?" Lizzy asked.
"He mumbled something about giving sisters time alone and warming dinner I think." Maria offered.
"Oh perfect. I'm starving. Can you help me up from this couch? I'm still a bit awkward with all of these injuries."
"Um sure." The two women managed to get Lizzy into an upright position.
"Nice toes Lizzy. I guess some things never change," Maria giggled.
"You know me well little sister. I got a whole package of new colors from Charlotte and Jane when they heard about my accident. William chose this color because he liked the name so much, Chick Flick Cherry, a wanted to tease me a bit about the marathon movie binge I've been on lately."
"Are you pulling my leg?" Maria was incredulous.
"Oh no. Apparently William was quite amused by the brilliant marketing scheme of nail polish and is trying to think of a way to incorporate a similar concept in one of his own businesses. At any rate, we spent one night going through my entire collection of nail polish and he determined this one to be his favorite, at least for this week."
Shaking her head, Maria murmured, "I can't imagine."
Slowly the girls made their way to the dining room to wait on dinner. As they sat waiting, Maria filled her in on all of the gossip in the neighborhood. Apparently Billy had a new girlfriend which actually seemed to make him calmer and more focused. Mrs. Lopez was thrilled with the young woman and all seemed right in their little corner of the world.
Over the course of dinner, Maria shared that she'd heard from their papa but didn't tell him about Lizzy's accident. She knew it would have worried him and there was nothing he could do. They all agreed that was likely wise, especially considering his heart condition. Papa had never been one for long discussions and the call had been short, simply checking up on the restaurant and Maria's school progress. She had no notion of where the rest of their family was living or what they were doing. The discussion was always one directional with little information shared.
The trio also discussed Maria's college applications, due in a week. Boston College was her first choice and she felt as optimistic as one might given her good grades, scores and excellent recommendations. William offered to call a board member at BC who was close with his family to put a good word in for her. Maria was dumbfounded and a bit in awe that he had such connections but then, she'd already realized she really didn't know much about her brother-in-law. After thanking him profusely, Maria wondered once again, what it would be like to be married to someone like William.
So? Thoughts, comments, reactions? I'd love to hear from any of you out there following along with me. It truly inspires me. I've made some progress on an additional chapter but not sure when I will post that one. Hope this one keeps you all going for a little while :)