Two Steps Behind

Part 15

 "So, I met with the manager yesterday, and I start next week," Elizabeth told Eddie.

She had brought him lunch and they were sitting at a picnic table a few doors down from his store. This was becoming a regular thing. With her not having a job currently, she had a lot of time to kill and there was no one she enjoyed spending time with more than him. So, they would eat lunch together most days. Sometimes she would pick up take-out and sometimes she would make something, but it was quickly becoming her favorite part of her day.

"That's awesome," he said, eating a french fry. "So, you're doing this for now until the teaching job starts?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "I mean, I need something. One, I am beginning to lose my mind with so much idle time. Mom works and you work and I have a lot of alone time. It just leaves me too much time to dwell on things and there's only so much tv to watch or books to read. Plus, I can't live with my mother forever. I need money so I can get my own place. I don't want to be a thirty year old loser for too long."

"You're not a loser," Eddie stated, shaking his head. "You're in a tough spot and you need some help. That's okay. You are not the only person who's ever had to move back in with their parents because life dealt them a difficult hand. It doesn't make you a loser. In fact, I think you're one of the strongest people I know."

Elizabeth looked away from him, watching a kid on a bike pedal up the street. It was sweet of him to say but she didn't feel strong. She kept feeling like David was watching her, and she didn't know if she was being paranoid or not. It had definitely been him who'd left the ring but was it him all the other times? She didn't know. The truth was, she knew what he was capable of and it would not be beyond him to find amusement in fucking with her mind, playing the long time. Torturing her into insanity before he finally struck.

"Elizabeth, it takes a strong person to not only deal with what you've gone through, but to survive it and come out the other side," he continued. "You walked away from a toxic situation even though it scared the hell out of you. And look, you've got not one, but two jobs lined up and a plan for your life. That's the definition of one kickass woman if you ask me."

"You're sweet," she smiled. "Thanks. It's hard to feel proud of myself when I feel like a walking disaster. I feel like I am so damaged, I may never recover. I mean, I'm probably going to be a lonely old lady with a bunch of cats for company because what guy would ever sign on for this shitshow?"

"Jesus..." Eddie muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"What?"

"How do you not see yourself the way everyone around you does?" he asked, sounding slightly annoyed. "You are not a disaster. You are a wonder. You are beautiful and smart and strong and one of the most amazing people I have ever known. Any guy who doesn't see that is an idiot. David is an idiot and a complete dick. Thank god you two never had kids. That would have made all of this so much more complicated for you. And you don't need that bastard's genes running around."

Elizabeth audibly gasped, his words spearing her with a sharp pain. Her eyes filled with tears and she quickly jumped up from the table, turning her back to him. Son of a bitch. She didn't want him to see how his words affected her, the way they constricted her heart, squeezing like a vice until it felt they would shatter it.

"Elizabeth?" he asked, and she felt him coming up to stand behind her. "Hey..." He gently placed his hands on her arms and turned her so she was facing him. He saw the tears on her face and he wanted to kick himself because he realized he said something that had caused them.

"It's fine," she assured him, wiping her face with the back of her hand, wanting to change the subject, to talk about anything but that. "It's fine, just forget it. Let's just finish lunch."