Come with Me (Let It Be Me #2) (5 page)

“Sounds great,” Jack said, though a bit tiredly. Jack was handsome in a typical ivy-league-slash-frat-guy kind of way. He had blond hair with some natural dark streaks, a pointed nose, a strong chin and brown eyes. He wasn’t very tall – he was five-eight – but he took care of his built. He went to the gym in their building regularly. She was drawn to him as soon as she met him a couple years ago, because he could be quite charming if he wanted to. And he was really smart. That was very important to her. 

“They have a treehouse, a jungle gym, a soup kitchen and a library,” Liz enumerated. “And oh! I’m going to volunteer in the library. They don’t have enough people to run it yet.”

“Volunteer?” Jack asked, raising his eyebrows. “But your work itself is the next thing to volunteering already.”

“I just want to help out until they get enough volunteers,” Liz said adamantly. “I’ll also be establishing a system so the users can take books out. Once that runs smoothly, I can limit my time there.”

Jack didn’t debate further since he seemed tired, and maybe he didn’t want to fight. “As long as it’s only temporary,” he said. Liz wanted to respond, but she decided to let it slide. 

Deciding to change the subject, Kayla asked, “Is work still busy?” 

“Still is,” he confirmed. “But it’s going to pay off. I’ve gotten hints that I’m being considered as a junior partner.” 

“That’s great!” Liz exclaimed, but a thought immediately followed. If he made junior partner, he would be busier than he already was. But as soon the thought crossed her mind, she tried to ignore it. She should be supporting him.

“Oh, I spoke to my mom this afternoon,” Liz said, remembering. Her mom called her before Liz left work. “She’s inviting us for dinner Sunday night next week. Should I confirm for the two of us?”

“Of course, I’ll go with you,” Jack said, taking her hand. Jack got along with her parents, especially with her dad, since they were both lawyers and knew a lot of the same people. They’ve already played golf together a few times.

Liz squeezed his hand, and thought that maybe things between her and Jack were going back to normal. Life was becoming close to perfect.

Chapter 8

Liz

It was Saturday afternoon and it was the first day Liz was going to volunteer at the library. Her schedule was for two o’ clock, but she’s been looking forward to it since the morning. She took the train to Brooklyn and walked from the station. She called Jack while she was walking.

“Hey babe,” he greeted. 

“I just wanted to remind you about tonight,” Liz said. The dinner with her parents was already that evening.

“Of course, I’ll pick you up at seven,” he said. 

“Okay thanks, I’ll see you,” she said. 

She made it to Stone Homes a few minutes before her turn, walking directly to the library. She knew Corinne was before her.

“Hi Corrine,” she greeted softly as she entered. As it was a weekend, there were three other people in the library. Liz recognized Sam, the boy still reading Harry Potter, and two other adults who probably had no work for the day.

“Liz! It’s good to see you again,” she greeted also in a soft volume. They didn’t want to disturb the readers. 

“I’m filling in some hours over the weekend,” Liz explained. “So we don’t have to kick these people out.” She gestured towards the current library users.

“God bless you, dear,” Corrine said.

“Thank you,” Liz replied. “So who do I pass the keys to after my schedule and there’s no volunteer after me?”

“Just look for Nell at the kitchen,” Corrine said. “She handles all the keys to all the common rooms here.”

“Okay got it,” Liz said. 

Five minutes to her time slot, Liz brought out the laptop she brought with her. Steve emailed her a copy of the inventory of books. She wanted to check which categories were covered.

When the hour was up, Corrine gave her the keys and waved goodbye. 

Liz logged into her Facebook account and posted a status message, “Calling for book donations! All types! Message me if you have any, and I will arrange for them to be picked up.”

She logged into her Twitter account and posted the same message. 

Within just ten minutes, she got pledges from a few friends over both media. She was ecstatic. Some said they wanted to clear old books since they were running out of space, while one said it was the perfect timing since he was moving apartments and didn’t want to transfer so many books.

She was responding to someone’s comment in her Facebook status when a pop-up window appeared.

bbbrian: where are you?

Brian didn’t work Sundays so he was probably home. She quickly replied.

Liz_hatton: at the library in stone homes :) first day of volunteering!

bbbrian: you sound more excited on your first day volunteering than when you met alexander stone!

Liz silently laughed. She called him the day she met Alex Stone for the school design meeting. Brian shrieked in excitement, and got mad at her for being next to indifferent.

Liz_hatton: haha! sorry if i’m being such a geek! :P so how was your second date with dave last night? ;)

bbbrian: oh liz, i think i’m in love!

Liz_hatton: you know this after the second date?

bbbrian: but we’ve known each other for years now. it’s like we just picked up from where we left off. and we’ve been talking every night!

Liz_hatton: then i’m happy for you bri :) 

bbbrian: thank you! 

Liz_hatton: when can we meet him??

bbbrian: soon! how’s jack?

Liz_hatton: seeing him tonight. dinner with parents.

bbbrian: his or your parents?

Liz_hatton: my parents.

bbbrian: hmm

Liz_hatton: what’s that hmm?

bbbrian: just glad you’re seeing each other

Liz felt Brian meant something else, but talking about it over chat wasn’t the best way. She let it go for now.

Liz_hatton: ok thanks. anyway gotta go. talk to you later?

bbbrian: of course! ciao babe!

Liz got more pledges over Facebook and Twitter to her delight. 

She’ll go around the city next Saturday to collect the books. 

When her social media accounts got quiet an hour later she looked up to see it was only Sam left in the library with her. 

She decided to approach him. She took one of the seats in the same table where he was seated. She didn’t sit too close so as not to scare him. She lightly tapped him on his shoulder with her index finger.

He turned to look at her curiously.

“Hi Sam, I’m Liz,” she said smilingly. “I’m a friend of Corrine’s.”

“Hi,” he said shyly. He had sandy brown hair, freckles on his face, and a gap between his two front teeth. He was adorable.

“Sorry if I’m disturbing you from your reading. I just wanted to get to know you since I’ll be in this library a lot from now on,” she explained.  “So how old are you?” 

“I’m eleven,” he said.

“And looks like you’re already in book four,” Kayla said, peaking at the cover of the book he was holding.

He smiled shyly. 

“Okay, I’ll leave you to your reading,” she said, thinking she has learned enough from him for the day. She didn’t want to intimidate him.

Liz looked through the shelves and picked up a couple books -- “A Wrinkle in Time” and “The Giver” --- two of her childhood favorites. She browsed through them to read her favorite scenes. 

She was engrossed until her phone beeped to alert her that her time was up.

She got up and approached Sam.

“Sam, I’m sorry I have to close up,” she told him regretfully. But Sam obediently stood up and placed the book back into the shelf. 

“I’ll see you again soon,” she said before he left.

She watched him leave, just totally amazed by him. 

He was a reminder of why she was doing all this.

* * *

“Elizabeth,” her dad greeted as he opened the door, enveloping her into a hug when she and Jack arrived at her parents’ apartment that evening. They were a few minutes early.

“Hi, Dad!” she greeted back. 

Her dad and Jack shook hands, and briefly discussed about work as they walked into the living. Her dad quickly shifted back to Elizabeth, resting his arm on her shoulders.

“You’re okay with your new job?” he asked, resting his arm around her shoulders.

Liz nodded. She’s already spoken to him and her mom for the past days about her work, but she guessed he wanted to hear it in person. “I’m really loving it, Dad. Everyone’s great. The projects are great.”

“That’s great, hun,” he said, squeezing her shoulder.

Her mom then arrived, and Liz broke away from her dad to give her mom a hug. “Liz, so great to see you,” her mom said. Her mom also gave Jack a hug.

“Let’s go eat, the food is ready,” her mom said. “Liz, you can tell us about your work.”

Over dinner of prawns and salad, Liz told them about it. She told them about the plans for the school project – she didn’t give too much detail as she wasn’t sure how much information she could already divulge at that stage. 

“We will be organizing the first fundraising dinner for the school this May,” Liz informed them. “Let me know if you’d be interested in attending.” She didn’t want to pressure her parents, but she knew that her parents have always been supportive of good causes.

“Of course,” her mom said eagerly, looking at her dad, who nodded.

“That would be great,” Liz said. She ate some more. “The prawns are really delicious, Mom.” Even if her parents had a cook, Liz knew her mom still did most of the cooking and was very good at it.

“Thanks, sweetheart,” her mom replied.

“Do you need anything, Elizabeth?” her dad asked. “Anything for your apartment? We can have Caroline go to your place once a week to clean or prepare food for you.” Caroline was their housekeeper.

Liz, shook her head, smiling in assurance. She’s been living in one of her parents’ properties since after she got her journalism degree. When her parents asked her then which apartment she wanted to stay in, she chose the simplest one, which was in Murray Hill. She didn’t want to impose since they didn’t ask her to pay any rent.

“I have all that I need,” she reassured. “But I’d like to ask for a favor. If I can borrow Charlie and the car Saturday morning?” Charlie was her mom’s chauffer. Her dad had his own.

Her mom nodded. “I think I only have a breakfast meeting Saturday morning. It should be done by nine. You can have the car the rest of the morning. I will have Charlie go to your apartment right after.”

“Thanks, Mom,” she said.

“What do you have Saturday morning?” Jack asked her.

“I’m collecting some books my friends are donating to the library,” Liz informed him. 

Jack looked at her like he wanted to say something else, but he didn’t.

It was on their way back to her place that he said something.

“You could have asked me to drive you around Saturday,” he said as he drove.

It was only when he said it that Liz realized that maybe she could have. But she knew immediately why she didn’t. “You’ve been so busy lately. Didn’t think you’d have the time to go around New York to collect the books and bring them to Brooklyn with me.”

Jack was quiet. Maybe he saw her point.

“Then how about next Sunday?” Liz asked. “Our office has a Family Day at Irvington. Maybe you could pick me up when it’s done then we can have dinner?” She thought of it not just to appease him but she also wanted to make an effort for them to go back to the way they were.

“Sure, sounds great,” Jack said, turning his head for a while to look at her. Liz was actually surprised he agreed.

It’s just been difficult lately with him so busy; she could only hope they see each other once a week. 

As Emily has asked her, for how long could she take it?

Chapter 9

Liz

The people in the office have been so amped up for the Family Day that when the day finally arrived, she was excited herself.

She dressed in leggings, a college shirt and her running shoes. She brought a hoodie with her in case it would get cold. She also packed a backpack with clothes to change into for her dinner with Jack.

She arrived at the Irvington High School field forty minutes early, so she only saw some of her colleagues so far.

“Hey Liz,” Will Huffman greeted, when she approached him. He was fixing the sound system. He was the one who worked with Sarah in organizing the family day.

“Hi Will! Are Sarah and Dana here?”

“Sarah is checking the food station. Just go straight that way,” he said pointing.

“Thanks, see you later!”

She made her way to the food station to go and help Sarah, getting stopped on the way by other colleagues who introduced their families. She suddenly learned so much about them. Among them, she met Miranda’s husband, teenage daughter and nine-year-old boy. And she didn’t know that Steve had twin girls! 

She finally made it to the food station where Sarah was coordinating with the caterer. 

“Hey Sarah, need help?” Liz asked.

“Hi Liz!” Sarah greeted as they hugged. “We’re good here, thanks! Later though we might need some help in the kids’ activities.”

“Sure, I’d be happy to assist,” Liz said.

“Hey, Dana and her family are here!” Sarah exclaimed.

Liz looked back and saw Dana holding the hand of her little boy Adam. Next to them must be her husband.

Sarah and Liz walked over.

“Liz! This is my husband Maron, and our little boy Adam!” Dana introduced excitedly. 

“Nice to meet you, Maron,” she said, shaking his hand. He was an attractive African-American who was also tall. He seemed very friendly. Liz then squatted down. “Hi Adam! I’m you’re mommy’s new friend!”

He looked up at her shyly. He had closely cropped hair, large round eyes, and a cute button nose. He was so adorable!

“We should be starting soon,” Sarah said. “Let’s head to the stage.”