Defying Science

Helizabeth

I look at Henry, "You can't be serious, Henry. You have an important job and sleeping on the couch is rough." I say, looking in his eyes.

"Always worried about me." Henry smiles, taking a hand and rubbing it on my cheek. "I'll be fine. I promise. Please, I can't imagine you staying in a hotel. Plus, you get free meals and a comfortable bed."

"Just take it, Elizabeth!" I hear Abe yell from downstairs.

"Okay." I say, nodding.

Henry smiles and stands up holding out a hand, "Let's go get your stuff." I place my hand in his and stand up. He and I walk down to Abe's store and out the door.

I look up the street and then at Henry. He nods and I hail a cab. As it pulls up I look at the cabbie. I recognize him from somewhere, way back when. He looks to be as old as Abe, maybe a little older. His gray hair in a cap and glasses upon his face. As Henry and I climb in, I ask, "Do I know you from somewhere?"

The cabbie looks up at me, "I'm not sure, where are you from?"

I look at Henry and shrug, "Waverly. I just moved down this way."

"This your father?" He asks, looking at Henry in the mirror.

"No, he's just a friend if mine. He lives beside me." I say, secretly taking his hand in mine for support.

"That's right, she's an.... old friend of mine." Henry says, squeezing my hand.

"I know where I know you from. You used to date my grandmother way back when. Right?" I ask, realizing that I had dated him for a month or two when I was here last.

"Who was your grandmother?" He asks looking up at me.

I think for a moment of all the names I had used, "She called herself Lizabeth Lively then, I do believe."

"You're Lizabeth's granddaughter?" He asks. I nod real quick before looking at Henry. "You look so much like her."

Henry stifles a laugh and looks at me, "Yeah, that's what my family says."

"So, where are you going?" He asks, not setting the meter.

"WestHouse Hotel." I say, looking back at the cabbie, named David.

"It's a fancy hotel. May I ask how you could afford one night there?" David asks, as he drives Henry and I.

"I've saved some money up from my childhood. I had went to Oxford University-" I stop myself before I hung myself. So to speak.

"What she was saying is, she was planning to pay for her tuition with this money but she couldn't go because they didn't accept her into the college." Henry recovers for me. "She had the brain for it but she didn't live in England."

I nod as we arrive at the hotel. "Well, it was good meeting you." David says, as Henry and I get out of the cab.

"Nice meeting you too." I say, closing the door. I sigh and put my head in my hands.

"So, Lizabeth Lively?" Henry asks, making me look at him. I frown at him and he laughs, "Come on, Elizabeth. Smile. Show me that beautiful smile." I notice all the weird looks people was giving Henry and I. And I could understand them, sort of. I smile and look down. "Ah, there it is!" Henry smiles, putting a finger under my chin and lifting my head up.

My smile grows, "Come on, Henry, let's get my stuff." I say, as Henry's smile drops. I laugh at him.

"Henry?" I hear a voice say from behind me. I turn around and see his partner, Jo. I smile and wave at her. "And Elizabeth. What's going on here?"

Henry looks at me then at Jo, "She's moving in with Abe and I. She was going to stay here; but, I asked her to move in with us." I nod at Henry's words. And see Jo look at us weird.

"Right." Jo says.

I look up at Henry then at Jo, "Would you care to join us?" I ask, sticking my hands in my pockets.

"I think I'm good." She says, nodding. "I have to be at the station here soon to go over some things." She says, crossing her arms.

I raise my eyebrows and look at Henry then back to Jo, "Pardon my attitude here, but don't you drive?"

"Yes. I just thought I'd walk." Jo says, looking at me.

I nod, "Okay, seems reasonable. But, I really have to go get my stuff." I say, turning to walk into the hotel.

"I better go with her." I hear Henry say to Jo. In an instant there's a hand on the small of my back.

"Henry." I warn, looking up at him.

"Just go with it." He says, as we walk into the hotel.

A/N: I feel at this point that I should mention that I am working a full tme job and going to church almost every night.