by Jera
RECAP: Liz and her dad had a talk concerning her rape, later Liz and Lucky shared a romantic evening in front of the fire.
Lucky awoke to the aroma of fresh coffee in the air. He shifted in the couch, remembering that he should get up for school. He stretched after getting out of the couch, trod into the kitchen rubbing his eyes. He jerked his head up at the unfamiliar voice that greeted him.
Jeff: Good morning.
Lucky was momentarily lost until he quickly remembered that Liz's father was here. In the house.
Lucky: 'morning, Mr. Webber.
Jeff: I'm used to getting up early because it's the only time I'll have to myself in a day. I hope you guys don't mind that I just kind of made myself at home here in the kitchen.
Lucky: Oh, not at all. Please do make yourself at home.
Jeff: Thank you. You want some coffee?
Lucky: Um, no. Thank you. I'm not really a coffee drinker.
Jeff nodded. Lucky walked over to the counter by the refrigerator and opened the cabinet above. He grabbed a box of cereal and milk out of the refrigerator.
Jeff: Frosted mini wheats, huh? I believe that's Lizzie's favorite.
Lucky smiled as he poured cereal and milk into a bowl.
Lucky: Yeah, I know. It's mine, too. I didn't know that Elizabeth likes it as well until a few weeks ago.
Jeff: When she moved in?
Lucky: Yeah.
Jeff took a sip of his coffee as Lucky sat down in a chair across from him.
Jeff: I.....want to thank you.
Lucky looked up at Jeff.
Jeff: I wanted to thank you for being there for Lizzie throughout everything. It meant a lot to her, and to me.
Lucky: She's done the same thing for me. It's a two-way street.
Jeff: That may be. But she had you with her when she needed someone the most. I wished I could have been here, but I'm very grateful that she had you.
Lucky: Well, I wanted to be there. In a way, I think I needed to be there.
Jeff took another sip of his coffee as Lucky dug into his cereal once again. Jeff stared at Lucky for a second.
Jeff: She's.......I mean, you are very important to her.
Lucky: And she is to me. The most important person in my life.
Jeff looked down at his coffee, hesitated for a few moments before he spoke again.
Jeff: You love her?
The spoon Lucky was holding stopped in midway to his mouth. He looked up at Jeff, and saw the concern in his eyes.
Lucky: I love her more than my own life, Mr. Webber.
They kept their eyes on each other for a moment. Jeff finally nodded his head.
Jeff: I believe you. I had to ask though. After all she's been through, I don't want her getting hurt again. And I'm certainly going to try to prevent anything like that from happening.
Lucky: I understand that. I'm thinking about the same thing all the time. I won't let anyone hurt her. I won't.
They sat quietly finishing their coffee and cereal without a word for a while. Jeff looked at Lucky once in a while, and Lucky could feel himself being observed. Lucky finished his cereal, took the bowl over to the sink, rinsed it, put it in the dishwasher, and went back to his chair with a determinate look on his face.
Lucky: Mr. Webber, I know you don't really know me, but please believe me that I love Elizabeth, and I will never ever hurt her. I'll protect her with my own life.
Jeff: I know that. But......
Jeff put his coffee mug down on the table and looked straight into Lucky's eyes.
Jeff: Lucky, I have no doubt that you love Lizzie, and that you will try to protect her as best as you can. But Lizzie is still very young. And so are you. I know what it's like to be crazy in love when you're young. I've been there. However, sometimes things change when you grow older, feelings could change just like that. It's not anybody's fault if that happens. I'm not saying that it will happen in you and Lizzie's case, but....
Lucky's piercing gaze on Jeff didn't go unnoticed by him. Jeff sighed as he continued.
Jeff: I know this isn't what you want to hear, but I have to say it. You and Lizzie are so in love right now that you feel you are going to be together forever, am I right?
Lucky raised his eyebrows, and answered the question with an almost invisible smile.
Jeff: Yes, of course you do. I've felt that way when I was your age. But that's certainly not the person I'm married to right now. What I'm trying to say is that you and Lizzie are young, and the condition you fell in love under isn't exactly the usual circumstance. What if that bond you have because of the extreme situation wore off over time? You might think that would never happen, but I'm just saying what if here.
I just hope that you give Lizzie and yourself time, and take everything slow. In fact, very slow if I might add especially now that you live under the same roof. If you are indeed going to be together for a long time, it won't matter how cautious you are.
Lucky: Mr. Webber, I understand your concern. First of all, yes, we are young. Yes, we fell in love under extreme circumstance. However, it was just an opportunity that had been given to us to get to know each other so well, and for us to find out how much we like---and love each other. It's not the only thing that bonded us if you are worrying about that. There is so much more in our relationship that doesn't just come from Elizabeth's rape and my being there. We took our time. We were friends for a long time. We know each other's thoughts. We can talk to each other. We can feel each other. We are honest with each other. That's a lot more than I can say about some relationships between people that are twice our age. I know Elizabeth's your youngest daughter, I have a little sister, and I think maybe I do understand a little bit of your concern for her. I just want you to know that Elizabeth and I have been taking things slow, and we will continue to do so. And, Mr. Webber, I don't feel we are going to be together forever. I know we are.
Jeff looked at Lucky without a word for a moment. Before he had a chance to say anything more, Liz walked into the kitchen. She saw the two men in the kitchen facing each other silently, and felt the tension in the air.
Liz: What's going on?
Jeff and Lucky exchanged an understanding look, and both turned to look at Liz with smiles on their faces.
Jeff: Oh, I was just telling him about some things I've experienced in my life.
Liz looked over from one man to the other, not sure she believed her father.
Liz: You mean like in Africa?
Jeff: Yeah, like in Africa. Are you going to get some breakfast?
Liz: Yeah, um, Lucky............
Lucky got up from his chair, and gave Liz a peck on her cheek.
Lucky: I'm gonna go up and take a shower. We gotta get to school.
Lucky left the kitchen before Liz could ask him anything. Her gaze followed Lucky for a few seconds, and turned back to her father who was smiling at her. Liz decided that she wasn't going to get anything out of her father anyway, so she smiled back and had breakfast while she waited for Lucky.
Lucky didn't say much on the way to school. Liz had been observing him the entire time, and she knew for sure Lucky's silence had something to do with whatever he and her father were talking about that morning. She started to ask him a few times, but decided against it. Lucky had never kept anything from her before, perhaps this was one of those "man to man" talks that she wasn't supposed to know? She wanted to know what it was about, but she wasn't going to pry it out of Lucky. Not yet, anyway. Maybe Lucky would decide to tell her later and save her all the trouble. Liz smiled, and held on to Lucky's hand a little tighter as they walked into school and ready for a whole day of classes.
Lucky didn't exactly concentrate on what the teachers were saying in classes that day. He and Liz had three classes together, and he tried to maintain his usual self with Liz during those classes. At the other classes, he tented to be off in his own world, thinking about Jeff's words that morning. The fact is, while he was defending Liz and his position, Jeff's words hit on a sore spot. Some fear that he hadn't realized he had before even though they might have came across his mind a few times. He had certainly been an important part of Liz's life this past year. She had depended on him, and looked to him for comfort and peace. He'd done the same. There were times he thought Liz was the one thing in his life that was keeping him sane. When exactly did Liz fall in love with him? She'd had a crush on him before the rape, he knew that. Throughout the aftermath of the rape, they've mainly been concentrating on getting Liz's life back, and hoped to catch the guy that raped her. He knew how much Liz appreciated his friendship, and how much she trusted him, and counted on him. But did she fall in love with him because he was always there for her, and listened to her, gave her a shoulder to cry on? If it had been somebody else that had found her that night, and somebody else that had stood by her this past year, would she have fallen in love with him just as she fell in love with Lucky? Did it have to be Lucky? Or just whoever that was right beside her throughout the healing process? Did they really fall in love only because they'd shared those horrifying experience? If nothing like that ever happened, would they have fallen in love just as they had? Lucky heard the voice telling himself over and over again:" Of course you still would have fallen in love!" Yet, it didn't seem to calm him down much. The same questions kept bothering him that day.
Lucky and Liz had the last class together, when the bell rang, all the students were out of the classroom in the speed of light. Even the teacher wasn't wasting any time to get out of the classroom. Liz looked over to Lucky who was still deep in his own thoughts. She had collected her books and had been watching him for about 10 minutes now. She was certain that Lucky didn't even hear the bell rang or noticed the empty classroom. What could be on his mind? Lucky was usually so alert, it would have to be something serious to have disturbed him like this. Could it be the conversation he'd had with her dad that morning? But what could dad have possibly said that would bother Lucky so much? He said he wasn't here to take her back to London already. He couldn't have lied about that.
Liz stood up, and leaned down in front of Lucky's face. Lucky started as if he had just woken up from a deep sleep. He looked around the classroom, and fount it empty except for Liz and himself.
Lucky: Um, how long has the class been over?
Liz: I'd say about 15 minutes.
Lucky gathered his books and stood up.
Lucky: Sorry, I was thinking about something.....ready to go?
Liz raised one eyebrow, and not moving.
Liz: Sure, after you tell me what's been bothering you all day.
Lucky looked at Liz for a minute, and looked away.
Lucky: It's nothing important. Don't worry about it.
Liz: Nothing important? I don't believe this. Lucky, you have been staring into space all day long, you think I didn't see it? You tried to pretend for my benefit, but I know you, did you forget that?
Lucky: Elizabeth, just don't worry about it. It's nothing. I'll be fine tomorrow.
Liz looked at Lucky in disbelief. Lucky was hiding something from her. For the first time they've been together, Lucky had something he didn't want to tell her about. She chewed on her lips for a moment while Lucky was busy avoiding her eyes.
Liz: Fine. Whatever you say.
Liz grabbed her books angrily, and started for the door without waiting for Lucky.
Inserts from" Smoke gets in your eyes" By Platters
"They asked me how I knew,
My true love was true,
I of course replied,
Something here inside,
Cannot be denied.
They said someday you'll find
All who love are blind,
When your heart's on fire,
You must realize,
Smoke gets in your eyes."
TO BE CONTINUED................
