Secrets

The party had finally ended and all the guests had gone back home. All but Nick and Elizabeth, who had arranged to spend the night at the hotel where the party was held. They had just arrived at their room and were both quite tired from a day full of partying and weeks of preparing. As Nick was loosening his tie and the buttons of his shirt he saw that Elizabeth wasn't looking as happy as he had thought she would on a day like this. "Whats wrong Liz? You look a bit down." They had hurt enough people on their road to finding each other to know that holding things back and keeping secrets is how people get hurt along the way. So, Nick and Elizabeth had made a pact from the very beginning that they would tell each other whatever was on their mind no matter the situation or what it was about. Back then the pact was made because Elizabeth had to learn to trust Nick and this was the only way she saw how, if he would tell her all. Good and bad. Since, secrets had a way of coming out and when they do you have no control over how they come out, they believed it's best to tell the other person yourself from the beginning so that you prevent it from sowing distrust between you and those you care about.

Though by now the trust was there, their habit from the pact had remained. So, disregarding where she was and what day this was, Elizabeth said, "I'm not feeling down. I'm worried. Worried about Jenny and my mother. She seems to be holding a grudge against Jenny and I am afraid that it will create trouble. Though Jenny said she doesn't mind, I am afraid that it will cost me my friendship with her and I don't know how to stop it. I have told my mother over and over again that Jenny is my friend and that I no longer have feelings for Jason, but she can't let this go for some reason. At first I though that she just needed some time to get to know you to see that you are what makes me happy and that you are just as good or even better than Jason. And even though she has warmed up to you and has accepted you as her son-in-law, she continues to hold onto these feelings of hate towards Jenny. Though I don't exactly know why, I know it is about more than her not liking Jenny's background. I don't want her to become collateral damage to my mother's misguided feelings of hate."

Nick sighed as he stepped closer to Elizabeth and grabbed her by her shoulders. Once she looked up and met his gaze he said, "Don't worry about her. Jenny is a strong girl. She was able to handle you, me AND Jason all by herself. I think she will be fine with handling your mother. Just have another talk with your mother and believe in Jenny. Even she herself said that she will be fine. She isn't one to leave her friends behind over the actions and words of their parents. Okay?" Elizabeth nodded. Nick had managed to calm her down, like he always did. He was right. Jenny had managed to take her out of the picture in just a few days without any damage to herself, where others didn't succeed after months and years of trying. She would reason with her mother once more and if that didn't help, then she would simply have to protect her friend from any true home and believe that she was strong enough to stand up for herself and not let her mother's words get to her. When Nick saw that Elizabeth was feeling better he said, "Now, enough talking about other people. If we are going to have a pre-wedding then we should also have a pre-wedding night!" With that he kissed Elizabeth and they fell onto the bed.

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Meanwhile, Jenny and the Westwoods were in a car on their way back to the Westwood mansion and they too were talking over the events at the party. "Jenny dear, what was going on between you and Elizabeth's mother? It seemed like there was some kind of altercation." Jenny didn't want to worry her mother-in-law. So, she shook her head and said, "No, it's nothing mother." However, Jason wasn't planning on letting her sweep it under the rug and said, "It wasn't nothing." Jenny pulled Jason's arm as she tried to stop him, "Stop it, Jason. It's all in the past now. No need to make it into a bigger thing than it was." Jason replied sternly. "No Jenny. I already didn't turn it into a bigger thing when I let it go during dinner. There is no need for you to hide these things from my parents. They understand people like her better than anyone." Jenny was still feeling somewhat reluctant when Susan gave her a little push.

"He's right dear. Whatever is going on between you and Elizabeth's mother can only stem from choices we made when we asked you to be our daughter-in-law. So, it is only right that we help you solve the problems that our decision caused. The same goes for Jason." After hearing that Jenny looked over at Stephen, who gave an affirming nod. Jenny sighed and with that gave her reluctant approval, making Jason turn back to his parents as he recapped what had happened. "Her mother was making a big deal about Jenny having some appetizers as her main course, but started singing a different tune when I became involved. Using some nonsensical reason as the appetizers running out as a reason for picking a fight. Calling Jenny uncultured and arrogant, but when I said that I was the one who had ordered them she played the 'good elder' card. She is such a fake woman. If it weren't for her being Elizabeth's mother, I wouldn't have let her off with just a simple warning." Susan forced herself to keep up her smile to make sure Jenny wouldn't get worried, but deep inside she knew what she needed to do.