Fading With Time

Chapter 20

Wild Imagination

                Elizabeth was reluctant to hear her response after seeing Annabel’s shift in mood.  She slowly nodded her head fully aware that if she hadn’t wanted an outside view point she wouldn’t have unburdened herself.

                “First, I would probably be wary of going through my family’s things as well.”  Elizabeth stumbled as they began to cross the street.  Annabel kept moving along making her quicken her pace.

                “You would?”

                “Quite.  It would feel like I was disregarding their privacy.”  Elizabeth stared at Annabel with wide eyes.  It was as if she had reached into her mind and produced the very words she had been feeling.  While she knew part of her reluctance was her grief the other part was in fact guilt.

                “Exactly.”  Elizabeth breathed the word on a sigh of relief.  Annabel nodded her head sagely as she continued.

                “I can understand where…. what was his name again?”

                “Mason.”

                “Ah yes, Mason.  That is such a lovely name for a man.  I rather like it.  Anyways, I see what he was talking about truly.  He will never know what it is like to be the youngest girl in a family.  My two older siblings would become incensed if I so much as appeared to be looking at their things.”  Elizabeth chuckled remembering the times her own brother would come unglued if she even set one foot in his room.  It had been annoying then.  Now though it was nostalgic.

                “I can definitely relate to that.”

                “Of course, you can.  Then there is your parent’s bedroom.  That is generally where they keep all the items of importance or sentiment.  One does not simply barge in and snoop around in there.  It just is not done.”

                “Sounds about right.”

                “When your family’s belongings arrive that is where you should begin your search.”  Elizabeth gasped at Annabel’s suggestion.  She hadn’t expected them after her little speech on decorum.

                “Do not act so surprised Lizzy.  I said it would be rude not that I would not do it myself if the opportunity arose.”  Elizabeth shook her head in exasperation.  That was the Annabel she had come to know.

                “I’m sure you’re not the only person who has ever thought of doing so.”  She assured her causing Annabel to laugh.

                “Now about your beau.”

                “My what?”

                “The man in your life.”

                “What about him?”  Elizabeth tried to be nonchalant even if she felt anything but.

                “I need further details before we discuss your dilemma.”  Elizabeth snorted at her friend.  She didn’t believe for one moment that it was purely to better solve her problem.  Boy talk was apparently done no matter what the time period was.  She had no difficulty divulging everything she knew anyway.  If anything, it brought a sense of normalcy to her otherwise bizarre new life.  Annabel listened raptly to her every word as if soaking up every tidbit.  Elizabeth enjoyed the time while it lasted.  By the end Annabel’s brow was creased in slight dissatisfaction while tapping her chin.

                “I agree with your assessment.  Although it would be a relief to know what had really happened to my father, not being in contact with him must be trying.  Especially with your courtship being so new.  Then there is his past love appearing before him once again.  It sounds like a dime store novelette.”  Elizabeth would have laughed at Annabel’s over romanticized recounting if she hadn’t been picking at her insecurities.

                “You really didn’t need to rehash all that.”  She gritted out finding the whole thing uncomfortable.  Annabel waved her warning aside warming up to the subject.

                “He sounds absolutely dreamy as well.”  She turned wide eyed to Elizabeth with a horrified expression.  “What does his old love look like?  Have you seen her?”

                “We haven’t met face to face if that’s what you mean.”  Annabel threw her hands up in exasperated dramatics.

                “Of course, it is.”

                “Does it really matter at this point?”

                “How will you know if her beauty will sway his heart or not?  You did say they ended on good terms.  It would have been preferable if there had an irreparable lovers quarrel.”  At that turn of conversation Elizabeth gave up trying to get Annabel to leave the subject alone.  Perhaps if she let her run with it long enough the story she was spinning would no longer resemble her love life.

                “I did.”  Annabel snapped her thumb and forefinger together ending with the latter pointed at Elizabeth.

                “Precisely.  He is a handsome scholar far from his home and the woman he loves.”

                “I wouldn’t go as far as to say he loves me.”

                “Oh, hush you.  Now where was I?  Ah yes, he has found himself away from the woman he cherishes.  And who should be at his side during his loneliest hours?  None other than the mysterious beauty from his past.  The woman whom he lost when their passions in life separated them.  They are now reunited again because of those same passions that have now brought them back into each other’s arms once again.  What does the woman back home do now?”

                “I don’t know.  What?”  Elizabeth deadpanned the response not that she thought staying silent would stop Annabel anytime soon.

                “Falling into the arms of a soul wounded solider from the distant past.  He was lost to the horrors of war.  She was heartbroken from loss and had a hole in her heart.  She was stranded in time with nary a companion.  She was ripe for the picking and helped to distract him from his memories.  They found solace in each other.”

                “Okay.  I think you’re getting off topic here.  On another note, have you ever considered writing?”  Annabel giggled unfazed by Elizabeth’s abrupt interruption.

                “I could never.  Not only is it frowned upon but my heart lays elsewhere.”

                “Oh?  A man of your own perhaps?”  Annabel beamed a smile before linking her arm with Elizabeth’s.

                “Heavens no.  Parish the thought dear Lizzy.  It is motion pictures that call to me.  Imagine my name on the big screen.”  Elizabeth chuckled being able to conjure Annabel as an actress very clearly.  She wondered briefly if she ever made it.  It was one more curiosity she would love to have the answer too.  As she watched the woman beside her Elizabeth decided to make it her mission to find out.  Ryan could search the ocean for the missing Bennett patriarch.  She would busy herself with Annabel’s future.

                “You never gave a clear answer on Ryan.  Am I just being silly here or should I worry?”

                “Goodness I suppose I was a bit lost in the iteration.”  She answered sheepishly.

                “Maybe a little.”  Elizabeth agreed with a smile.  Annabel threw back her shoulders before voicing her opinion.

                “Obviously, you should trust him.”  Elizabeth tripped a bit while giving her a sideways glance.

                “I didn’t see that coming.”

                “Really?”

                “Really.”  Elizabeth parroted morosely causing Annabel to shrug.  She would probably never understand how Annabel’s mind worked.  She wasn’t sure she wanted too anyway.

                They were distracted from their conversation as a rag tag group of children ran across their path.  Elizabeth and Annabel stopped short, so they didn’t tumble over the lot of them.  Elizabeth watched them in mild curiosity at the familiarity she felt but couldn’t place.

                “Who are they?”  She didn’t even realize she had spoken out loud until Annabel answered her.

                “That my dear friend is a group of children that are entirely too mischievous for most people’s taste.”  Elizabeth’s casual glance turned more scrutinizing as she watched them vanish into the bushed of a yard one by one.

                “Are you one of those people?”  She asked her while observing them.

                “Not in the least.  Shall we go see what they are up to today?”

                “You mean spy?”  Elizabeth gasped in mock offense.

                “You make it sound so tawdry.  I merely think it our duty as adults to check on them.”

                “For their own safety.”

                “Naturally.  And of course, the safety of others.”

                “Lead the way.”  Elizabeth coaxed having a sneaking suspicion of what they would stumble upon.  Or perhaps more like who.