Fading With Time

Chapter 10

Freaky Accidents

                By the time Clayton came over the two of them had been laying in wait for a half an hour.  They decided against sending a box careening down the stairs as they couldn’t control if it hit him or not.  A little disappointed that her plan was foiled she helped Jan set up the landing near the ladder to look as if they couldn’t wait for him to start.  They actually did take a few of the smaller things up just to make it that much more believable.  Jan also helped her rig up a small bucket of water above the door to be tipped when he came in.  It was juvenile at best but it was the only revenge Jan would allow her so she would have to settle for that.  Jan sat next to Elizabeth on the landing of the second floor.  Elizabeth was watching through the banister as Jan had her camera in hand waiting to take a picture of the aftermath.

                It didn’t take long before the rattle of the door handle alerted them that someone was entering the house.  At the last-minute Elizabeth briefly thought of the workers that were in her back yard and worried that it was one of them instead of Clayton.  There was no time to second guess the prank as the door began to open.  It faltered a moment as the water sloshed loudly inside the bucket.  Elizabeth and Jan glanced at each other in apprehension.  If they could hear the water up on the second floor they were sure that whoever was on the other side of the door could as well.  The two of them watched with bated breath nervous for what was about to happen.  As the door continued opening Elizabeth sighed in relief as Jan brought her camera up ready to click away.  Much to their surprise however the bucket began to tip in the opposite direction.  From the way it was tipping it was clear that the prank was going to be a bust.  The bucket would spill behind the door leaving Clayton dry as a bone.  Disappointment rested on Elizabeth’s shoulders as she slumped against the banister.  It wasn’t like it had been a world class revenge plot, she wasn’t Courtney after all, but still it was disheartening all the same that it wasn’t going to work.

                Elizabeth looked glumly at the floor below waiting to hear the bucket make contact with the hardwood.  She was startled to hear the pouring of water followed by the shouts of two people.  Her eyes shot up to find a very soaked Clayton and Elliot.  The bucket lay at Clayton’s feet while Elliot held a long stick in his hand still pointed upward.  Surprise was written all over their faces.  Elizabeth looked to Jan who had been snapping pictures from beside her.  Jan’s mouth hung open in disbelief while her finger still pushed the button out of reflex.  Elizabeth had obviously missed something.  She poked at Jan bringing her out of her daze.  The camera stopped clicking as she came back to her senses and turned to face Elizabeth.

                “Did you see that?”  She asked her in amazement.  Elizabeth shook her head and frowned.

                “I was sure it was going to backfire, so I had looked away.  What happened?”  Jan stared at Elizabeth for a moment not quite knowing how to explain what she had seen.  Instead of speaking she went into the memory on her device bringing up the succession of pictures she had just taken.

                “You’re going to have to see this to believe it.”  She stated turning the camera so they could both see the screen.  The two men on the first floor were forgotten as Jan flipped through each picture.  Elizabeth watched as the bucket somehow got righted and tipped over onto their victim.  The stick in Elliot’s hand clearly stated that they too had heard the sloshing and figured out what was going on.  It appeared that Elliot had retrieved one of the broken branches that littered Elizabeth’s property with the purpose of pushing the bucket off the door away from them.  How it had backfired on him and ended up working like Elizabeth had intended was a mystery.  From everything Elizabeth was seeing in the pictures it was clear that the object should have fallen the way it was pushed.  They flipped back and forth between the pictures trying see if they could figure it out.

                “What are you two looking at?”  Came Clayton’s voice from above them causing both of them to scream in fright.  Clayton chuckled at their reaction while Elliot was full out laughing at them.  Elizabeth stood up offering Jan a hand to help her, so she didn’t drop her camera.

                “We were trying to figure out how the two of you still ended up soaked.”  Jan responded repentantly.  Elliot in retaliation shook himself like a dog sending water droplets to land all over the girls.  Jan squawked in dismay turning her body slightly to protect her electronics from the assault.  Elizabeth shook her head at his childish behavior.  Once he was done Elizabeth took a hold of Jan’s arm moving the two of them towards the pile of boxes near the attic ladder.

                “Now that all the fun is done let’s get back to work.”  Jan glanced at Elizabeth from the side of her eye catching on to what her friend was doing rather quickly.  She smirked at the slight frown that marred Clayton’s features as he watched them walking away.

                “Sounds like a plan to me.”  She chirped back following Elizabeth’s lead.

                “What have you two been doing?”  Clayton asked halting them in their steps.  Elizabeth motioned to the supplies they had stacked up.

                “Loading what we need up into the attic.”  She answered innocently as if they hadn’t expected the reaction they were getting.  To Elizabeth’s surprise however Clayton folded his arms across his chest as he glared at the two of them.  His gaze zeroed in on Jan who merely quirked her eyebrow in challenge.

                “I told you I would be over to take stuff up.”  He ground out obviously not happy.  Jan handed her camera to Elizabeth then placed her hands on her hips squaring off with him.

                “I don’t know why you’re so upset.  I can see if it was just Elizabeth trying to carry things up since she tends to be a bit of a walking disaster at times.”

                “Hey!”  Elizabeth cried out offended by the statement.  All three of them turned to her chiding her with their expressions.  She gave up fairly quickly though since it was no secret that she was a bit clumsy at times.  “Fine, I give.  Carry on.”  Dismissing her outburst, the two of them went back to arguing.  Elizabeth watched the pair in wonder.  It was the first time she had ever seen the normally easy-going Clayton so worked up.  Elliot gently took Elizabeth’s arm drawing her attention to him.  He gave a jerk of his head in the direction of the attic stairs indicating she follow him.  Elliot led the way into the attic as they left the couple behind to quarrel.  Once inside Elizabeth turned to him.

                “What is going on down there?  I don’t think I’ve ever seen Clayton like that.”  Elliot smiled as he glanced down at the floor below them.

                “Not much gets to Clayton really.   He’s always been a ‘go with the flow’ kind of guy.  I think at first that’s how he was treating his relationship with Jan too.  After her outburst on our mini vacation however I’m fairly sure he’s done some thinking.  Looks to me like he decided he cared a lot more about Jan then anyone thought.”  Elizabeth’s eyebrows shot up into her hairline as she too glanced through the opening in the attic floor.  While their voices were slightly muffled the couple could still be heard having an argument below them.

                “Doesn’t sound like he’s handling it well.”  She pointed out making Elliot chuckle.

                “Believe me none of us do in the beginning.  This is all relatively new to him.  Once he gets used to the way he feels for her he’ll settle back down.  Until then I think we can all look forward to a few more outbursts.  I can’t wait to tell Addison.”  Elizabeth gasped exaggeratedly as she lightly tapped him on the arm.

                “Elliot, you are such a gossip.”  She teased while he turned a brilliant smile her way.

                “Let that forewarn you.  Anything I find out I tell Addison too.  Besides how else is she supposed to know what all is going on when she’s at home with the baby?”

                “That reminds me, shouldn’t you be at home helping her with your daughter?”  Elliot sighed at her question giving her a hang dog look.

                “Apparently I was smothering them and driving Addison crazy.  She kicked me out of the house for the day.”  Elizabeth laughed.  She could picture the scene vividly in her mind.

                “So, you decided to hang out with us for the day?” 

                “Nope, I actually came over for a reason.”  Elliot quipped smiling proudly to himself.

                “Oh?”  Elizabeth asked slightly unsure she wanted to hear the answer.