Dressing Up

Chapter 8: Pick Yourself Up

An hour later, Lizzie found herself seated at a bus stop. She stared vacantly at the traffic as it drove by. Car after car made a rhythmic pattern that was almost soothing. She didn't have the energy to think anymore. Her belongings were in her suitcase next to her, courtesy of her mother. She had well and truly been shown the door. Lizzie felt numb. It was one thing to predict rejection, but living through it was a lot harder.

When Mitchel had answered the door, he had been red faced and had raged at her for daring to be late for their family meal. Lizzie couldn't help it. She had thought, well it can't get much worse than this and she had walked into the family dining room and announced her news in front of all of them. Jenny had dropped the plate she had been cleaning and it had smashed on the lino floor. The twins had looked to their father who had turned almost purple; then the screaming had started. The twins had been sent to their room and the screaming continued for the better part of an hour. Lizzie hadn't really listened to Mitchel, she had instead watched her mother walk around the kitchen, cleaning and completely avoiding her. After a few minutes Lizzie had sat down and looked at the floor. Mitchel called her the whore of Babylon and lectured her at length about all the ways in which God was going to punish her. She hadn't really noticed him. Everything she’d needed to know was told by her mother’s body language. She was on her own. 

In time Mitchel reached that part of his lecture as well and he ordered Jenny to pack ‘the whore’s bags and remove her from their sanctuary'. Her mum had left the room and Lizzie had followed her. She had tried to talk to her but Jenny never said a word. When her bag was packed, Mitchel had taken Lizzie by her arm and thrown her out the front door, along with her suitcase. His parting words were a warning to never darken their door with her shame again.

Lizzie had sat on the front porch in shock. She hadn't expected to be physically thrown out the door. She had thought they would have given her a few days- time to make a plan maybe. And the actual physical throwing of a pregnant woman -that was a new low for Mitchel. After a few minutes Lizzie began walking down the street, towing her heavy suitcase behind her. She looked at her phone -there was a bus to Hamilton that left soon. From there she could get to Auckland. Cyth would help her find her feet; help her find Tom. 

Lizzie pulled her hair into a ponytail. Time to start organising her life. She texted Tish first, apologising that she would have to give her notice, as of immediately. Considering her situation, she knew Tish would understand. She kept her message brief and left out the worst of the drama. No point in making Tish worry.  Next she texted Cynth. How to start? She stared at the traffic as it went by. She settled on, "Guess what? I'm knocked up! Got kicked out. Can I come to yours for a few days?"

She pressed send and then sat back. Within seconds her phone started to ring. She looked at the photo of Cynth and wiped away a stray tear. Time to be brave, she thought.

The journey to Auckland flew. Lizzie still couldn't quite believe it was all happening to her. She looked out at the dark countryside and felt like she was in a deam. Or was it a nightmare? At 9pm she arrived at the Sky City bus terminal. Lizzie stepped down onto the sidewalk and took a deep breath of the cool night air. The streets were busy - it was a Friday night after all. People were heading out to the restaurants and pubs that littered the downtown area. A blond girl walking with a small group of people tripped and bumped into Lizzie. Lizzie stumbled slightly 

“Oh my god. I’m so sorry.” The girl stopped and put a hand to her mouth in embarrassment.

Lizzie smiled, “Don’t worry about it.” The girl gave her a beaming 10 watt grin and Lizzie felt a moment of slight recognition. 

“Cheerio” The girl said as she turned and rushed to catch up with her group. Lizzie watched and wondered if they had shared a class at uni. The girl had looked vaguely familiar. Lizzie went to the side of the bus and collected her suitcase.  As she picked it up and dragged it over to a quiet spot by a concrete wall, she thought about all the people she had forgotten. She had made lots of acquaintances while she had been doing her masters, but she had never really gotten close to any of them. Adam took up so much of her time. She mused that most of their relationship she had actually spent waiting for Adam, rather than spending time with him. He was always so busy and she was always left in the side wings.