16 Chapter 15

It was ten pm, when everyone excused themselves out of the barbecue promising to meet again at Lake Evershore. Elizabeth thought the Founder’s Day celebration halted at the barbecue, but apparently there was more. She did not have it in her to ask as she figured out it would be downright annoying, asking the townspeople about every single sweet tea flavor, holiday and celebratory activity. Vivian urged Elizabeth to head over to lake Evershore with Ruby and Jack, but Elizabeth stubbornly remained behind to help clean up the front yard. The crowd had emptied as they headed towards the lake and Nolan did his part of helping the drunk home as he trudged to his truck with the drunk floral shirt guy and Billy on either side, leaning against him.

While Elizabeth tipped the empty cups into the trash her usual sharp eyes, spotted a difference in Sage. The girl who was hiding behind herself now looked brighter than the brightest angel on seventh heaven.

Savannah was performing her duties as usual, but Sage was dwelling in her own world of lightness and smiles though she seemed busy with a broom on the porch.

“She seems quite out of reach doesn’t she?” Vivian asked joining Elizabeth with a bag of empty cups

“She does,” Elizabeth replied smiling at the girl.

“But she’s happier than I’ve ever seen her,” Vivian’s voice lowered to a whisper and laid a hand on Elizabeth’s shoulder. “Thank you.”

“For what now?” Elizabeth laughed in confusion.

“You can stop being modest. Sage ranted to me how she was soon going to sing the way the pretty lady in room six taught her.”

Elizabeth remembered the eagerness in Sage as she had made a complete fool of herself which had happened to be pure magic to the girl’s eyes.

“All I did was have a bit of fun, but all that—” Elizabeth nodded at the glowing Sage, -“that right there are the results of a leap of faith she took herself.”

Vivian nodded her head appreciatively and took the bag of trash from Elizabeth’s hands.

“It’s time we head to the lake,”

“Okay I’ve kept it in long enough so I’m gonna ask anyways- what’s going on at the lake?”

“Now what kind of a boring inn keeper would I be if I can’t hold a surprise for my guest?” Vivian laughed lightly and went up the porch into the cottage.

Elizabeth shook her head vainly, with a soft adoration for the Woods’ siblings at their broad ways of holding surprises for her.

*****

The Miller-Woods’ along with Elizabeth in their jeep reached the lake an hour before midnight. Davis parked the Kaiser, as he called his jeep, which had been passed on to him by his grandfather, which much to Elizabeth’s astonishment remained held up regardless of its rackety hisses.

As the jeep rattled to a stop the twins who were knocked out during the whole ride over, stirred awake excited and jumped out of the vehicle. Elizabeth stared in awe at the gazebo which was lit up as the bright fairy lights brought out the soft colours of the fabric twirled around it. The whole shore was crowded with people and instead of torches, as all the lamp posts at the dock were switched off, each adult and youngster had a thick candle lit up in their hands.

Davis grabbed the jittery twins and walked to the docks while Vivian tagged along with Elizabeth.

“Just wait for it Liz,” she winked and pulled Elizabeth along with her towards the docks. When she reached the docks, she saw people passing out paper lanterns which were piled up in a cabana to one another.

Elizabeth smiled at the sight in wonder as Vivian disappeared into the cabana. While she gazed at the townsfolk pick up their lanterns and head towards the lake, a soft tap on her shoulder made her turn hazily.

“Hey there,” Nolan smiled holding two lanterns and a candle stick in his hands, “didn’t make you jumpy this time.”

Elizabeth swore she heard his voice waver, was he nervous?

“No, you did good,” she smiled in return and eyed the paper lanterns.

“Come on,” he said and motioned her to walk up along the shore. Elizabeth stopped halfway and took off her Doc Martens, allowing the glossy lake water lap lightly against her ankles as Nolan walked beside her quietly. In most occasions Elizabeth hated awkward silences among guys she had not taken to heart that she could not resist the urge to blurt out words as the whole quietness made her perceive how poor her dating skills were. But walking beside Nolan, knowing she had impulsively kissed his face a few blurry hours ago did not make her feel any traces of regret, just homely and a tingly sensation along her spine, which she realised was a strange, novel combination of emotions.

The crowds bobbing by the pier and the dock seemed far away, even though they were basically on the same shore. Nolan paused halfway and pulled his phone out.

“Alright its time,” he said and gave Elizabeth a paper lantern. He didn’t know what he waited for her to ask, if he was even aware of ‘what’- nothing felt clear ever since he stood up to dance with her- but she asked nothing, instead she patiently waited for him to light the lantern held in her palms, while the laces of her Docs twirled around her wrists, making them dangle down her hands. While she did so her eyes followed the glow of multiple lanterns lighting up in low flames, one by one and no sooner a blanket of orange glows were bobbing over the shore, pier and the dock.

“On founders day we send a beacon to the outsiders,” Nolan began as if he’d read her thoughts while concentrating at the flame rising slowly in his lantern, “a sign for the lost, because that’s what old Wroth wanted Chelseaville to be- a place for everyone and maybe no one.” He smiled to himself, his eyes sparking from the flames.

Elizabeth did not know what about his speech that touched her, but she felt her eyes tearing up, but she could not shy away as the lanterns, at that very moment were lifted up to the sky.

The vague starry night that felt like it was missing something greater was now beginning to glow brightly like a magnified version of glow worms. She tilted her head up at the sky which was now transforming into a sheet of orange glow and a small smile cracked in her face unknowingly. Nolan watched at the view beside him as Elizabeth’s eyes glinted like that time at the town square, but now he realised that it was not just the eyes, but her whole self that radiated a warmth far sultrier.

Oh, you’re trouble, he thought helplessly. Before his thoughts could venture further he caught the lamp, which was still in her hands, waiting.

“Come on, it’s time for yours,” he said. Elizabeth looked down at her lantern burning impatiently. Nolan laid his hands beneath hers under the lantern and slowly pressed them upwards, lifting it up and as she let the string slip from her fingers she immediately panicked at the thought of it crashing into the lake, but it didn’t. The lantern floated up and lifted itself higher and higher until it was indistinguishable amongst the other lanterns.

Elizabeth let out a laugh of relief and ecstasy and in her excitement she turned to Nolan who was now smirking as usual.

“What?” She asked her tone soft with light.

“I don’t know Liz,” he shrugged nonchalantly and looked up at the lit up night sky “it sure is something’ to watch someone gaze at the sky waiting to take her up along with it,” he said as a matter of fact and turned abruptly to join the others much to her annoyance as he’d expected.

“Hey whoa, you can’t just say stuff like that and walk away!” She said and trudged after a sharp frown lining her forehead.

*****

The night was not over, and Elizabeth was only glad. She did not want the night to end- the best she had ever had in months. With the lanterns floated away, the lake was lighted up with a rising bonfire at the centre of the shore, where music, shrimps and cocktails were meant to be devoured till whenever the heart felt like it.

As Elizabeth sat on a rock by the shore sipping her umpteenth southern slammer, which she had taken into quite fast, her phone buzzed vigorously against her jacket pocket.

She saw Maya’s caller ID. In a violent spin she was pulled back into the real world, so fast she almost dropped the phone into the lake.

“H-hey Maya,” Elizabeth mumbled, the familiar guilt creeping up her skin, and after a longer grace period of bliss, the guilt felt too raw and to her horror the bitter truth dawned upon her that very moment on how she hadn’t even thought of calling Maya the whole time she dwelled in this fantasy town.

“Elizabeth freaking Hartley!” Maya screeched on the other side, but only this time she sounded elevated.

“Maya?” She asked worried.

“Okay first and foremost are you okay? Did you do the deed? Was the town spun right out of a fairy tale like you’ve always secretly hoped?”

“O-

“No, Wait don’t tell me,” Maya cut in abruptly, “I want a full detailed report when you come back.”

Elizabeth shook her head comprehending how much she had missed her roommate.

“So, listen up, Designer’s Den called back and, I know you hate work and conformity and blah and more blah but, listen to me when I say they want you. They do! They loved you Elizabeth, so much that they’re looking forward to meet you next Monday!” Maya squealed on the other end and Elizabeth rarely heard Maya squeal in excitement.

Monday was two days from today thought Elizabeth and she knew this news was supposed to mean nothing to her like she’d always felt, but deep down she knew she had to embrace the dark cold truth- the job was the only way she could regain a mother she could never speak right with.

Then her mind uncontrollably flipped back to the letter which was still lying undisturbed in her bag.

“Maya I can’t leave at least for a few more days,” Elizabeth stammered, “I haven’t…even given the letter yet.”

“What-what are you doing then?”

Elizabeth bit her lip at the half empty cocktail in her hand as the past few days flew into her head.

“No, Liz you wanted to start new,” Maya’s voice raised a bar in annoyance.

“I know, but I can’t just leave yet,” she turned mechanically towards the dock and saw Jasper seated at the cabana with a beer in his hand as he looked across the lake, at nothing.

“I can’t leave yet.” She repeated.

“Elizabeth, you seriously want me to accept the fact that you’re letting this opportunity go. You want to start new, better what can’t you give yourself a chance?” Maya sounded hurt and Elizabeth shifted her attention to the phone as her chest twitched at Maya’s pained voice. She did not want to hurt anyone again or disappoint the ones she loved again, and the only place she had felt at least a sweet second of it was in this town, among these people who saw her very differently. But as Maya’s voice reverberated in her ears she looked away at the lake descending ahead into the darkness. She knew this fantasy was about to dim out like every single one she’d try to escape to only to be pulled back faster than the first.

“Liz? You still there?”

“Uh yeah,” Elizabeth felt the tears of resentment teeming up, “I’m sorry Maya I’ll try to make it there before Monday.”

“Liz…

“I’m going to make it.” Elizabeth said and hung up before Maya worked up again.

The moment Maya’s voice died down, she felt numb as if she was being awakened from a long anesthetic sleep. She had to get back to her life. The real one. She left her Collins glass on the rock and rushed up to the crowd, she couldn’t tell if it was Maya’s words, the uncountable amount of southern slammers which she thought she could handle and clearly failed or the real sardonic turn of events, but she was confident enough to know she was raged. Maddeningly.

She regretted rushing up the shore that fast after the amount of unsupportive liquids she had in her as her eyes began to blotch the view every few seconds and everything around her began to feel hotter than a sauna in summer. Elizabeth knew she was drunk and should stay put but her mind was encouraging her rage rather than her senses.

It was not hard to spot the figure when she remembered where it was. She made it past the pier and the dock without catching any attention and hurled into the cabana like a storm.

“I’m giving that letter,” Elizabeth said her voice ranging between a slur and a snap.

“What in the bl—

“No Jasper, don’t say anything,” Elizabeth cut in, incapable of handling another voice in her ears, “I can’t wait any longer for you to snap out of your arrogance.”

The latter made her voice rise above the music and heads began to turn towards the secluded cabana at the end of the dock.

“You’re drunk aren’t you?” Jasper asked pitifully, the exasperation evident in his eyes, “and to even imagine I’d let you get close to my father.”

“Okay stop that-that holier than thou attitude would you? Your father is perfectly capable of looking after himself- if anything you should stay away from Harrison. He will never know what he’s missing because of you, you inflexible asshat!” Elizabeth lashed out like she had never before, her voice breaking along the way which made her eyes sting. By now the cabana was surrounded by a curious crowd with wide eyes but Elizabeth was not aware.

“I’m gonna let this go for now, because you’re not in your right mind,” Jasper quietened as people crammed the entrance of the cabana with intent ears.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, which she instantly regretted as she felt everything spin around her vigorously than it already was and glared at Jasper.

“Oh go—

“Okay we’re done here,” Nolan seeped into the cabana in time and stood between Jasper and Elizabeth, “alright people, move along now, there’s nothin to see—

“I’m not done yet,” Elizabeth snapped and walked past Nolan and she wasn’t usually the sort to terrify anyone, but Jasper involuntarily stepped back. Nolan walked up to her calmly before she could reach Jasper for whatever she intended to do and stepped right in front of her blocking her view. He held her shoulders lightly and looked her in the eyes.

“Yes, you are Miss Hartley,” he whispered in a low tone and turned her around slowly.

“But I’m not done yet,” she muttered in confusion, her mascara stained face frowning. When Elizabeth bought her attention to the entrance of the cabana, the fairy lights stinging her eyes with light, she spotted a row of mortified faces before her- Ruby with pursed lips, Vivian was scrunching her brows awkwardly -Davis and the girls weren’t there, much to Elizabeth’s relief- and Hailey, who had guilt and worry flashed across her face.

Nolan felt Elizabeth shaking lightly and he led her right out of the crowd and the shore towards his truck.

Maybe it was the alcohol that made Elizabeth look serene and still, but as Nolan helped her into the truck, her body felt rigid and lifeless against his as if she were in a state of paralysis. He strapped her in and got onto his side and drove the truck out of the shore and eyes that followed them into Oak street.

Elizabeth’s eyes were still and dull as she leaned against the window, which was icy against her cheek, and stared into nothingness, while her chest was heavy and light at the same time.

The drive was quiet except for the low hum of Sunny Afternoon that vibrated through the truck, the rattle of the engine and the tires rolling through the gravelly pathway.

“That’s cruel,” she murmured.

“What?” Nolan asked shifting his gaze to Elizabeth, glad to find her responsive.

“The Kinks aren’t helping me brood,” she slurred, her eyes focused at the night sky. Nolan nodded quietly and turned the volume down. She went back to hide herself, unable to shake off the weighty feel of lost hope as the looks of disappointment from the crowd at the shore pinned her down. She had always had a ray of sunshine in her and she knew it because every time the world tried to say ‘No’ there was a massive ‘Yes’ rummaging through her that she knew was what kept her going, but that moment in front of the strangers who chose to have faith in her, looked at her as if she was delusional, made Elizabeth feel so lost as if she was straying away from her physical existence.

“Who was I kidding?” Elizabeth slurred and Nolan slowly turned to look at her who was still focusing on the outside. “Trying to run away from—look for…when it’s something you can’t run away from anymore.”

Nolan could tell she was zoning out and to his amazement he realised he was too keen on learning what she was running away from. He tried to search her hazel eyes, but she would not look and decided to listen to her hazy streak which was not meant to be shattered now that she was speaking.

“The way they looked at me…a crazy girl from the city trying to prove what exactly? That true love exists from an old paper?” Elizabeth laughed vainly and shifted her gaze to the lit street ahead of her, her brows drawing away, “how can I do any of that…when all I do is hurt and I don’t want to hurt.”

“No you don’t, that’s the booze talkin’,” Nolan said, but his tone was suddenly tight with exasperation as he watched her trod over herself recklessly.

“Nolan while I appreciate you for being such a darlin,” Elizabeth mocked, “don’t tell me you don’t see me as the frenzied bitch in town,”

“I won’t disagree,” he narrowed his eyes at the road ahead, which made Elizabeth look at him in surprise which instantly turned his face into a smirk.

She blurted out a laughter and the air changed in a spur as he saw her face crease into bright ‘smile lines’ as Sage would say.

“But—

“Nope, don’t start on the impossible,” Elizabeth shook her head smiling vainly, and breathed in heavily as if she was short of breath and turned back to the view outside, “how can I even consider the impossible when people have forgotten to smile at the stars and whim on miracles every now and then.” She closed her eyes lightly and nestled up against the crook of the seat.

While the truck rattled up the empty street lit decoratively with red, yellow and white lights’ Nolan turned to look at her lying there lost, confused and pained like an unattended infant, and something broke within him in a split that he almost felt him losing his grip on the wheel, but it was short held because when he looked at her again, looking utterly peaceful as if she had dropped out deeply after a long haul, the shallow hollow was rekindled with a fiery flame of affection for the girl next to him.

*****

After Elizabeth’s eyes closed and darkness took over, she did not expect them to open ever, she didn’t want them to. But as Nolan halted his truck in front of the BnB and the ignition died down Elizabeth’s eyes fluttered open lightly, but it was too heavy to keep them open and everything felt heavy as if weights were holding her down. She heard Nolan open and shut his side of the door. In a second he was on her side of the truck and put his right arm around her shoulder to which she groaned at the feeling of being moved and gently helped off the truck onto the sidewalk, as she leaned against him unaware. What he did not expect was for her to wobble, that the moment Elizabeth’s feet touched the ground it was as if her knees gave away and she took him down with him. She felt herself on the gravelly sidewalk with sand pricking her naked knees while she heavily leaned against Nolan who was also now on his knees. A light laugh vibrated off him as he gripped her arms as if she were a puppet and hauled her up to her feet in a swift motion.

“Crap my head,” Elizabeth groaned once she was on her feet again, her eyes and brain giving up every second she moved or talked.

“I’m gonna have to carry you in, is that alright Miss Hartley?” he asked slipping an arm around her.

Elizabeth could not hear his words as everything sounded slurry but the words “carry you away” rung in her head and she panicked.

“Wha-no…you can’t carry…

“And I’m questioning a woozy lady,” he said to himself feeling stupid and bent down and lifted her up in his arms before she could slur more. She felt a rush of air and then strong arms under her torso and knees. She looked to her side as her forehead slanted onto the crook of his neck. Elizabeth tried to squirm away as he started to walk but she was too tired, and she knew if she stirred further she would throw up. Giving up her efforts she let her head fall to where it was and as she laid her head back her nostrils caught a light whiff of vanilla and wood smoke or just plain smoke from his shirt.

By the time Nolan had kicked open the doors and made his way into her room she had already passed out. For a chaotic drunk who had tumbled a night she sure slept like a baby. He shook his head amazed, took off her boots, pulled the blanket over her and left the inn. He had never attempted to take care of any drunk guest, there was way too many around him, or any guest before, but there was a lot about Elizabeth that made him not want to see her as just a guest residing at the Woods’ BnB, and as he pulled out into the night the truth lurked nearer enough for him to see.

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