The Prodigal Daughter

The Prodigal Daughter - Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Richard was steamed. How dare she defy him. Claire knew all about Elizabeth, she had from the start. It was Claire's idea to get Elizabeth involved at the company. Anyone that met her was drawn to her, she was not only sexy, she made it seem like you were the only one she cared about. Even clients and business associates told him how special she was. "Trust me," he would say. "I know!"

But, now she left not only the company, but HIM. After all he did for her. This was unforgivable. She could not get away this easy.

Not to mention, Mr. Windham. What was he going to do? He had specifically said he wanted to spend time with Elizabeth when he came to close the deal, or NO DEAL!

He had to bring her back, at any cost.

Monday, MaryBeth had told Joey just about everything. Not in great detail, but he knew the kind of person she had become. The kind of person he could never be with. But, as he brought her back home after hearing all the stories of her sordid past, he acted like nothing bothered him. And to him, the truth about her past was not as important as his nightmare of her leaving again. He loved her, no matter what.

After spending the afternoon in Crystal River walking on the beach, they returned to her parents house close to supper time. They were sitting in the car talking still, that was always easy for them to do, they use to spend hours on end talking and dreaming about the future.

"So, what's next?" Joey asked.

"I really don't know. I need to see a doctor at some point. Richard hit me in the stomach several times after he found out I did not get the abortion. Then he sent his goon the next day to drag me to the clinic. I am pretty sure the baby is still OK, but I need to get with a doctor soon anyway."

"Bastard!" Joey muttered and it shocked MaryBeth, in their small town, that was considered a curse word and something you would never hear a pastor say. "Sorry," he said. "I just can't believe someone would treat you like that."

"Wait, Joey. I am as much to blame for my problems as anyone. I could have walked away at any time and I didn't. I blame myself."

"But, you did not force him to hit you. Any man who lays a hand on a woman, in my book is scum."

"And I am a slut. I get it. I would have never pictured my life to turn out this way. I can't change the past. It is who I am."

"No it is not." Joey said taking her hand, "It is not who you are."

"It is who I became. I don't like it, but I can't change it. And you need to realize that now rather than later."

"Don't talk like that. It might be who you were, but you are home now, that person you were in LA is not the Lizzie that I know and love."

"Joey, you love who I was eight years ago. You can't love me now. I am damaged goods, a slut, whore, pregnant with the child of the man that used me for the past eight years. You need to get it in your head that I am no good for you. Find someone that can love you, without all this baggage."

Joey sat quietly thinking and praying. He had always loved her. But now she was basically pushing him away, and it hurt. What hurt worse was the way she was talking about what she had done. She had such low self-value that she told herself all she was good for was sex. 'God, give me the words, guide my thoughts, my words, my actions and my footsteps.'

After a few minutes of silence, he heard her car door open. He reached over and grabbed her hand pulling her back in the car. "Lizzie," Joey said quietly. "Don't do this."

"It's done."

"No, don't leave. Please."

"I don't know what I am going to do, but you need to let me go and move on with your life. No matter how much I loved you and you loved me, it just won't work now. I screwed up." Tears began filling up her eyes. Joey reached up and wiped the tears streaming down her face away with his thumb.