Little Bit of Truth

“So you’re telling me that you ate breakfast at that café for an entire four months? You didn’t even think of going anywhere else?” Noah asked.

“No, why would I go somewhere else when they made the best pancakes in the entire city?” Eliza asked with a serious expression on her face.

“You’re an odd one, Lie.” Noah said.

“What can I say? You sure know how to pick them, Noah.”

The pair was currently seated in the back of the limo as Thomas, the driver, crossed the Triboro Bridge. The two of them had walked a great deal and were tired and jet-lagged. Eliza had insisted that they walk to every destination and so they had literally walked from Times Square to Battery Park and then had taken a ferry to the Statue of Liberty. While the two of
them were tired beyond belief, Lillian was furious beyond comprehension.

Two hours after of their set arrival time, Lillian contacted Thomas who informed her of Ms. Barnes’ change in plans. Upon hearing this, Lillian had visible steam leaving her ears. She was furious and Eliza was the cause. What a surprise, excuse the sarcasm.



Noah and Eliza’s conversation died down as they hit the state limit and entered Connecticut. Their eyelids were becoming heavy and yawns escaped their lips. Eliza lay curled on the seat with her head in Noah’s lap as Noah stroked her hair. The two of them were sleeping soundly as they passed Stamford, Connecticut. When Thomas entered a service station to get gas, he looked back to ask the two if they were hungry only to be met by the two of them curled in one another.

“What a cute couple.” Thomas thought to himself.

Thomas parked the car in front of the Barnes’ lighthouse at nine o’ clock that night. Eliza and Noah left the car with bleary eyes and wrinkled clothing.

“Noah, I want to go to bed.”

“Lie, I want to go to bed too. Look at that, we agree on something.”

“Noah, I’m letting you know now, we probably won’t sleep for a while. My mother will put you through interrogation as if you’ve got some terrorist plot under that head of crazy hair.”

“Lie, why can’t we just sleep?”

“’Cause my mother’s crazy.”

The pair walked up the steps of the lighthouse and Eliza took a deep breath before knocking twice. A woman who must have been the maid opened the door.

“You must be Ms. Barnes and Mr. Evansson. Follow me.”

Eliza and Noah walked into the house and as Noah marveled the grandiose beauty of the house, Eliza merely followed the maid thinking of ways to irritate her mother. They were led into a small den whose only source of light was a fireplace.

“Mother knows how to set the mood.” Eliza mumbled.

“Eliza, is that you?”

“No, Mother it’s the Cookie Monster. Who else could it be?”

“Eliza, two seconds in and you are already being a sarcastic nuisance, what a surprise.”

“Mother, a whole lifetime and you’re still a stuck-up snob.” The two were glaring at one another.

“Hello, I’m Noah, Mrs. Barnes.” Noah said interrupting in hopes of quelling the brewing storm.

“Noah…” Lillian said as if it were a bad taste on her tongue. “Come, take a seat.”

“Can we just head to bed, Mother? Can the third-degree wait until tomorrow morning? I’m quite tired and Noah is too.”

“Well, I’ll have Marianne show you to your separate rooms.” Lillian said emphasizing the separate.

“Noah will sleep in my room.”

“He will not.”

“Yes he will. He and I sleep together in London so why should your house be any different?”

“Eliza.” Lillian said with an unspoken warning in her voice.

“Mother, he will sleep in my room and there shall be no question of it.” Eliza said before grabbing Noah’s hand and saying “Marianne, my room please.”

Lillian was left in the flickering of the fire as she watched the bane of her existence exited with an unruly looking fellow. This Noah did not suit Lillian’s fancy. He looked like the exact opposite of what a man should be. She could only wait until the next morning to figure out or sure whether he was as incompetent as she assumed he was.

While Lillian thought of ways to upset Eliza, Noah walked with Eliza with a questioning look on his face. Marianne stopped on the third floor and opened the door to the right revealing a large room with a queen-sized bed and large windows that were open and a light breeze went around the room. Marianne left the two of them in the room and headed to her quarters.

“Why did you insist on rooming with me, Lie?”

“My mom. She doesn’t want me to room with you which was why she said separate rooms. I do everything I can to spite her.”

“Well, you’ve managed to spite her but what about our sleeping situation?”

“Don’t be such a prude; I don’t mind sharing a bed with you.”

“What if I mind?”

“Well, that doesn’t matter. You’re here doing me a favor so you need to stop your complaints.” Without a word, Eliza went to her suitcase, grabbed an oversized-t and went to the bathroom. After a quick shower, Eliza went into her room to find Noah already asleep on the covers in nothing but a pair of boxers.

In the darkness of the night, Noah’s skin was a luminous pale, white. His dark tattoo on his bicep greatly highlighted his fair skin. He was a good-looking guy and as Eliza moved him about so she could place the covers over him rather than under him, she realized that and blushed. Never before had she thought of it this way. Eliza was about to hop into bed with quite a good-looking English musician. In all honesty, she was living every American girl’s dream. She fell asleep that night with Noah’s arm draped across her waist and a smile permanently etched onto her face.