Chapter 6 - New City, Same Disaster
1327 Words
Newhaven was loud.
Very loud.
Elsie discovered this approximately three minutes after stepping out of the taxi.
Cars honked.
People rushed past her.
Someone was arguing with a delivery driver.
Another person was talking loudly into a phone while walking directly toward her.
Elsie stepped aside.
The stranger stepped the same way.
Elsie moved left.
So did he.
She moved right.
He moved right.
They stared at each other.
“Sorry.”
“Sorry.”
They both moved again.
Elsie finally stopped.
“You go.”
The stranger nodded.
“Thank you.”
He walked away.
Elsie watched him disappear into the crowd.
“Excellent start.”
She looked down at the two suitcases beside her.
One large.
One slightly smaller.
And one handbag hanging from her shoulder.
She checked her phone.
“Apartment 4B.”
She looked up at the building across the street.
“Easy.”
She grabbed the handle of the larger suitcase.
It didn't move.
Elsie pulled harder.
Nothing.
She pulled again.
The suitcase remained firmly attached to the pavement.
She stared at it.
“You have got to be kidding me.”
A passerby glanced at her.
Elsie smiled politely.
“It's fine.”
She pulled again.
The suitcase suddenly moved.
Too quickly.
It rolled directly over her foot.
“Ow!”
She hopped backward.
The smaller suitcase tipped over.
Her handbag slipped from her shoulder.
Her phone fell out.
And somehow, one of her socks landed on the pavement.
Elsie stared at the sock.
She slowly looked at the suitcases.
“I packed you.”
She pointed at them.
“You were supposed to behave.”
The suitcases remained silent.
“Clearly, I raised you wrong.”
Twenty minutes later, Elsie finally stood inside her new apartment.
She was breathing heavily.
Her hair was a mess.
One shoelace was untied.
And she had absolutely no idea how she had managed to get inside without losing anything important.
She looked around.
The apartment was small but cozy.
A little living room connected to a compact kitchen.
One bedroom.
A narrow balcony overlooking the busy street.
It wasn't luxurious.
But it was hers.
Elsie smiled.
“Okay.”
She placed her handbag on the counter.
“New life.”
She took one step forward.
Her foot caught the corner of a cardboard box.
She stumbled.
Caught herself.
Looked down.
“Right.”
She pointed at the box.
“We're going to have boundaries.”
A knock sounded at the door.
Elsie brightened.
“Livia!”
She hurried toward the door.
Then stopped.
She looked down at herself.
Her sweater was wrinkled.
Her hair looked like it had survived a small hurricane.
She shrugged.
“Close enough.”
She opened the door.
Livia stood outside holding two paper bags and wearing the widest grin imaginable.
“You made it!”
Elsie immediately hugged her.
“I made it!”
Livia pulled back and looked her over.
“Barely, apparently.”
“What does that mean?”
“You look like you fought your luggage.”
“I did.”
“And?”
“The luggage won.”
Livia laughed.
“I brought food.”
Elsie's eyes widened.
“You're officially my favorite person.”
“I thought I already was.”
“You were competing with pastries.”
Livia stepped inside.
She looked around.
“Oh, this is cute.”
Elsie smiled proudly.
“I know.”
Livia looked at the boxes.
“Have you unpacked?”
Elsie paused.
“No.”
“Have you eaten?”
Another pause.
“No.”
“Have you even changed your shoes?”
Elsie looked down.
“No.”
Livia sighed.
“You've been here for what, half an hour?”
“Thirty-seven minutes.”
“You counted?”
“I was bored.”
Livia shook her head.
“This is going to be a long year.”
They carried the food into the kitchen.
Elsie opened one of the bags.
“What's this?”
“Pizza.”
She opened the second.
“Coffee.”
Elsie stared at her.
“You understand me.”
“I've known you since university. I understand your survival requirements.”
They sat on the floor because Elsie's dining table was still buried beneath boxes.
Elsie took a bite of pizza.
Then another.
“This is amazing.”
Livia smiled.
“Tomorrow is your first day.”
Elsie froze.
She slowly lowered the pizza.
“Tomorrow.”
“Yes.”
“Westbridge International.”
“Yes.”
Elsie swallowed.
“Oh.”
“What?”
“I suddenly remember that I'm supposed to be a professional adult.”
Livia laughed.
“You'll survive.”
“What if I embarrass myself?”
“You will.”
“Livia!”
“But you'll do it confidently.”
Elsie groaned.
Livia leaned back against the sofa.
“Seriously, Elsie. You're going to be fine.”
Elsie looked around the apartment.
For the first time, the excitement was mixed with nervousness.
Tomorrow wasn't just another day.
It was the beginning of everything she had worked for.
New city.
New job.
New people.
A completely different life.
Her grandmother's voice suddenly echoed in her mind.
Eat properly.
Elsie smiled.
“I should call Grandma.”
“Do it.”
She picked up her phone.
The moment she unlocked it, three missed calls appeared.
Elsie's eyes widened.
“Oh no.”
Livia laughed.
“What?”
“She already knows I'm alive. Why is she calling?”
“Because you're her granddaughter.”
Elsie called.
Her grandmother answered immediately.
“Elsie!”
“Hi, Grandma.”
“Did you arrive?”
“Yes.”
“Did you eat?”
“Yes.”
Livia looked at the untouched pizza in Elsie's hand.
Elsie glared at her.
Livia covered her mouth.
Her grandmother continued.
“Is the apartment safe?”
“Yes.”
“Are you alone?”
“No.”
“Who is there?”
“Livia.”
“Oh, good.”
Livia leaned toward the phone.
“Hello!”
“Take care of her.”
“I will.”
“And make sure she eats.”
Livia looked at Elsie.
“I'll force-feed her if necessary.”
“Livia!”
Her grandmother laughed.
“I knew I could trust you.”
After another five minutes of questions, warnings, and reminders, the call finally ended.
Elsie dropped the phone onto the sofa.
“My grandmother interrogated me like I had crossed an international border.”
“You basically did.”
“I crossed a city.”
“With your packing skills, that's an international achievement.”
Elsie threw a cushion at her.
Livia caught it.
“Violence already?”
“You deserve it.”
“Probably.”
They spent the next hour unpacking.
Or, more accurately, Livia unpacked while Elsie created new piles.
“This goes here.”
“No, there.”
“That's not where that belongs.”
“I like it there.”
“Elsie, that's the bathroom.”
“I know.”
“Why is your calculator in the bathroom?”
“I was organizing.”
“You were losing your mind.”
“Same thing.”
By the time they finished, the apartment looked almost presentable.
Almost.
Elsie stood in front of the mirror that evening wearing a simple nightdress, her hair tied messily behind her head.
Tomorrow.
She would walk into Westbridge International.
She would meet new colleagues.
She would finally begin the career she had worked so hard for.
She smiled at her reflection.
“I can do this.”
From the living room came Livia's voice.
“You're talking to yourself again!”
Elsie called back.
“I'm motivating myself!”
“Tell yourself to go to bed!”
Elsie smiled.
“Good advice.”
She switched off the light.
Tomorrow was her first day.
And for the first time since leaving Willowbrook, Elsie felt ready.
Or at least—
Ready enough.
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