Little Bit of Truth

A rather loud banging at her door was what woke Eliza. The clock on the wall told her it was only seven in the morning. A frown came onto Eliza’s face as her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Who was at her door and why were they waking her up so early? Eliza left her bed and sleepily made her way to the door. The banging was still in full swing and did not cease until Eliza swung the door open.

A bright-eyed, scowling Ivy glared at Eliza.

“We need to talk.” Ivy said as she made her way into Eliza’s apartment.

“I just woke up Ivy, thanks to you. Give me a few minutes to…”

“No, we’re talking now. Sit.” Ivy said cutting off Eliza and giving her a stern look.

“Alright. Rude much?” Eliza said as she took a seat on the sofa. The same sofa she and Noah had slept on. Eliza scolded herself then. For the past week, since she had left Noah in the pouring rain, she had connected everything around her to Noah.

“We need to talk.” Ivy said.

“Yea, you already said that. If this has anything to do with Noah then I’m going to voluntarily ignore you.”

“Eliza, this has to do with more than just Noah. It has to do with your own happiness.”

“Oh, don’t feed me that bullshit where you tell me Noah is my happiness. I just woke up, spare me the sap.”

“I don’t understand you. The boy adores you and I know you feel the same way. What in the world could make you not want to say yes to him? I’m absolutely confused. What the hell is wrong with you Eliza?” Ivy said getting angrier with each word. She was confused as to why her brother and her friend did not agree to one another.

“Ivy, this is nothing you need to worry about.”

“On the contrary, Eliza dear, this has everything to do with me. My older brother is moping and quite upset and my close friend is quite set on becoming a reserved, isolated individual. I don’t want to see the people I love unhappy.”

“How do you know I’m unhappy?” Eliza shot back. Her argument was weak though. It was obvious both she and Noah were wallowing in their misery. One could not understand why the other would not say yes and one was haunted by the demons in her past. Those very demons were keeping her from Noah and everything else that came alongside Noah.

“Oh, come off it love. You and I both well know that you’re lying through your teeth right now. Look at you. You look like the walking dead and don’t tell me its cause you just woke up because there’s a difference between bedhead and what you look like.”

“Ivy, I’m in no mood for this.”

“Why not? Is it because you know I’m right?”

“Why are you so hell-bent on getting your friend and brother together?”

“I want to see the two of you happy. You make each other happy. I saw you two at the pub and every time I mention you, his face lights up.”

“You’re making him sound like a lovesick puppy.”

“Eliza, avoid it how you wish but you two need to talk this through and get together.” Ivy said giving her a defeated look.

“Is that all?”

“Oh, come out with me tonight? We can go watch a film and do some shopping.”

“Not tonight, some other time, maybe. Tonight I need some time to myself.”

“Alright, go shower. You look like proper shit.”

“You’re a laugh, Ivy. Leave.”

“I’m going. But please, think of what I said. He’s feeling proper miserable and you look like you’re on your way there as well.”

Ivy looked Eliza in the eyes for a moment and then left. If the two wanted to ruin their lives and chances at happiness, who was she to deny them that?

Eliza sat on the sofa long after Ivy’s departure thinking over her words and the rainy night. Eliza had looked Noah in the eye and said

“Noah, you don’t need me. No one needs me and that’s the truth. You don’t like either. You’ve merely convinced yourself to like me because you feel bad for me. It’s alright, it was expected.”

“Eliza, I like you. I don’t know how else to convince you of it and what about you? You like me too. If you didn’t you wouldn’t have kissed me.”

“My feelings aren’t important. Goodbye Noah.” And without giving him a chance to stop her, she ran away from Noah and her own happiness. It was what Eliza did, run. It was the only thing she was ever good at.

Eliza wanted to be with Noah. She truly did. However, how could she be so cruel as to bring Noah into her life, her odd, tangled life? He did not deserve that. Sweet, caring Noah deserved a diamond, not some lump of coal.

Eliza’s phone rang and snapped her out of her own pitiful thoughts and notions. The number was not one to place a smile on Eliza’s face. As a matter of fact, it only deepened her frown.

“Hello, Mother.” Eliza said shortly.

“Eliza, dear, we need to have a talk.”

“Ok?” Eliza answered. Her mother never said dear, especially if it was Eliza who was being addressed.

“I was thinking and I have a question. When was the last time you thought of Louis?”

“Mother, if you have merely called me to speak to me in a pitiful manner about the past then I have every right to hang up at this moment.”

“No, Eliza. I mean it. When was the last time you thought of Louis?”

“Mother…” Eliza started.

“Eliza, answer my question.”

“I just had a nightmare about that night. And I was thinking about him last night, about how life would be so much more different if he was still here. Will that suffice, Mother?”

“I’m sorry.”

Eliza was sure she had misheard her mother because the only thing that eloquently left her mouth was “Huh?”

“I’m sorry, Liza. I am so very sorry for how I’ve treated you for the past six years. I had no right to do that to you. I needed to blame someone and you seemed like such a logical scapegoat. I was not thinking at all. How could you have known that a truck was coming when you stopped for coffee? You couldn’t have. I know six years of horrific treatment can’t be accounted for with a simple I’m sorry, but I really am so apologetic.”

“Mother, I don’t … I don’t even know how to answer to this.”

“I don’t want you to forgive me. What I did was unforgivable. But, at least give me a chance.”

“Mother, you’re forgetting you’re my mother. There will never be a day in my life when I will not forgive you. I’ve spent six years without a brother and a mother. If I have the opportunity to have one of those people back, why would I be as stupid as to deny it?”

“Oh Liza, I love you, dear.” As her mother said those words, a stray tear fell down her cheek. Life was looking up.

“I love you too, Mother. I have a question though.”

“Yes? Ask away, my dear.”

“Why the change of heart?”

“I’ve been thinking about it since that fight over the tiara. But, Noah was the one who really put the thoughts in my head and got the ball rolling.”

“Noah?” Eliza asked.

“Yes, Noah. That boy is quite the catch my dear. You’ve done well.”

“Noah? What do you mean?”

“He came to me the morning after our fight. He said he didn’t think a mother could be so hell-bent on hating her own child. That really hurt me. I thought it over and over. I’m sorry, dear. I don’t think there are enough apologies in this world that will suffice for my treatment.”

“It’s alright, Mother. You’ve realized you were wrong and now we shall move on.”

“I wish to visit you sometime, dear.”

“You can come whenever you want. Mother, at the moment, I have to do something. I’ll talk to you later. Bye, Mummy.” Eliza said using her childhood name for her mother.

Lillian laughed before saying “Goodbye, Liza.”

When Eliza dropped the call, her mind was operating at a speed of a mile a second. Her mother had apologized. It was as if her mother’s approval was all Eliza needed. She didn’t think Louis’ death was Eliza’s fault and that realization allowed Eliza to see the truth as well. How could she have known that truck’s brakes would fail? She looked up to the ceiling of her room and said

“I miss you, Louis. But, even in death, you manage to make my life. If it weren’t for you, I’d never be where I am today.”

As her mother’s apology passed into the recluses of her mind, Noah took center stage. He had spoken to Lillian on her behalf. He cared for her enough to speak about something that he was not even completely aware of. He was the most amazing guy she had met in a while. He was her caring, song-writing, sympathetic, adorable, cocky, affectionate, English musician. He was hers.

“Oh Noah.” Eliza whispered.

She did not know when it happened or how, but a half hour later Eliza was in the same position Ivy had been in earlier in the day. She was knocking on Noah’s flat door and hoping he would answer. Suddenly, the thought of seeing him settled in her mind. What was she going to say to him? What if… She could not finish her thoughts because a boxer-clad, half-naked Noah answered the door.

“Lie?” He asked sleepily.

She smiled to herself. Of course, Noah would be sleeping at one in the afternoon. Not knowing what to say, she decided actions spoke louder than words and crossed his flat’s threshold and kissed him.