Page 28 of More Bite than Bark

##Mama: You have a lot to answer for young lady.How dare you do this to me?Can you imagine what is being said?

##Mama: Call me as soon as you get this.We have to talk.What are we going to do to salvage our reputation?

##Mama: I’m glad your safe but we need to talk about this.Call me when you get this.

##Mama: It’s morning, have you turned on your phone yet?Call me.

##Mama: It’s been nearly a full day.I’m starting to get worried about you.Please call.

Elizabeth stared at her mother’s messages wondering what to say and if she was ready to deal with all of this.After a moment she decided it wouldn’t get any easier by waiting.She hit the button to dial Mama and then speaker, and set the phone on the counter before propping her head in her hands and staring down at the screen while she waited for Mama to answer.

“Elizabeth?”Mama’s voice sounded stressed.“Thank God!I was so worried.I was ready to call the police.”

“I told you I was fine.I just turned my phone back on.”Elizabeth tilted her head back and looked at the ceiling as she struggled with patience.

“How could you do that to me?To Michael?How will we ever recover?”As usual, Mama was worried more about appearances than facts.

“I had a lot of reasons for walking away yesterday,” Elizabeth kept her voice soft and her tone even.“You know I didn’t love him.”

“I told you that would come with time.Is that why you threw away your future?”Mama sounded exasperated that Elizabeth wasn’t falling into step with her plans.

“I didn’t throw away my future, and it was part of it, but not even the biggest reason.And given what I’ve learned since then, I’m glad I walked out.If I’d known then what I know now, I never would have accepted Michael’s proposal, and that’s before we even get to the reason I walked out.”

Elizabeth heard Mama take a deep breath and let it out slowly, as if she was trying to calm down and not anger Elizabeth more than she already had.

“First, tell me why you left.What was so important that you had to walk out then and there.”

Elizabeth stared at the phone screen for a moment as she tried find the best way to say what she had to say.Did she blurt out that she’s pregnant?No, Mama would assume it was Michael’s and that would just strengthen her determination that Elizabeth should have married him.

“Did you know that despite being engaged for most of the last year, Michael insisted that we wait until after the wedding to sleep together?”

“So what?He’s a gentleman.”

Elizabeth forced herself to take a slow deep breath and tried not to lose her temper.

“I could see that if either of us were virgins, but we’re not Mama.Anyway, I thought it was weird, but went along with it.There were a lot of little things that felt off, but not enough to make me run.”

“Then what was it?I wish you would just spit it out, Elizabeth and stop with all this dithering.”

“Are you home?Can I come see you?”

“No, I’m not home.I’m not going back to my apartment right now.Michael has a key and I don’t want to deal with him yet.I’m going to stay where I am for now.”

“Where are you?Do you need anything?Can I bring you anything?”

“I’m not ready to tell anyone where I am yet, Mama.I need a few more days I’ll tell you everything soon.I’ve got everything I need, but thank you for offering.”Part of what she wasn’t telling Mama was about moving.She couldn’t because how could she be moving in with Kevin if she didn’t know where he was and hadn’t told him about the baby yet?She settled on the sofa as she finished the conversation.

It took her a few more minutes of talking to Mama to get her off the phone, then she sat on the sofa and stared at the device in her hand, the screen dark and showing her only a dark reflection of herself.Elizabeth stared at that reflection wondering what she was doing with her life.Was she screwing everything up beyond repair?Tears pooled in her eyes, she ignored them and soon they streamed unchecked down her cheeks.That was where she was when Kevin walked in the door.

Chapter Seventeen

ThelastthingHexexpected to find when he arrived home was Elle sitting on the couch, sobbing.He stood for a moment, wondering what the hell was wrong and who he’d have to knock some sense into then went to her and pulled her into his arms.He knew no one had been to see her, Ryan had been sitting out front since Hex left, and he’d spoken with the prospect before sending him back to the clubhouse.

He had no idea what was wrong, and she was in no condition to tell him, not at the moment, he picked her up, set her in his lap as he took her spot on the couch and just held onto her while she cried.He didn’t know if it was stress or hormones, but eventually she would get all of this out and be able to tell him what was going on.

They sat for several minutes, Hex rubbed one hand up and down her back, not telling her everything would be okay, not pushing for answers, just letting her get it all out while still being there just in case she wanted or needed anything.

It took roughly fifteen minutes before her crying subsided.Elle lay curled and seemingly exhausted in his lap, her head resting against his shoulder as he kept his arms wrapped around her.