Disclaimer: All characters and places belong to Francine Pascal.
Reminder: The Wakefield Home is already finished.
Next morning was Saturday and time for Liz's brunch with Todd. She
dressed and by the time she was ready to leave, Todd was already waiting in
his car.
"Hey Liz! How are ya?" Todd said sounding very excited.
"Fine Todd. You?" Elizabeth asked.
"Great. Ready to stuff yourself with all this croissants there?" Liz
replied with a nodd, "Great, than let's go." Todd drove into the parking lot
and parked. They got out of the car, and walked into the restaurant. When
the two sat down, Todd ordered six buttered croissants for both of them.
"So, Liz, how is school so far?" Todd asked making easy conversation.
"Good. except for creative-writing class with Quigley, makes me think
really hard."
"Make any new friends?"
"Sure. Tia Ramirez, Andy Marsden, Megan Sandborn, and a lot more."
"I heard your dad mention you were living with Conner McDermott."
Elizabeth paused while the friendly waitress placed their croissants in front
of them.
"Not anymore." Liz said quietly.
"Obviously. But you were." Todd said in a confirming voice than more in
a question type manner. < If I didn't know better, I'd say Todd was jealous. >
Elizabeth thought to herself.
"Yeah. You know him?"
"No, not really. Heard of him though. Didn't hear good things."
"What did you hear?" Elizabeth asked.
"He uses girls. Dates one...at the most two weeks." Todd informed.
"Oh really? I re-" Elizabeth was cut off by Todd.
"I saw something Liz."
"What?"
"You guys kissing in the hall."
"You did." Liz said as a statement.
"I don't want you with him Liz. I want you with me."
"What?"
"I want to start going out again." Todd cleared up.
"I-I can't. I have so many things to work out." Liz stammered.
"Once you're done then."
"I can't."
"Why not?"
"Because..."
"Because what Liz?"
"Because I have to think." She finished lamely.
"But Liz..."
"I gotta go Todd. Thanks. I'll pay you back." Liz stood up and left
Todd behind.
Conner almost always ate by himself. Except today was different. As soon as SHE walked through the door, he had been hiding in the booth behind her and boy wonder. When Todd brought up what he had heard about him, Conner was smiling, but when Liz was told they had been caught kissing his smile disappeared. Then a frown when Todd Wilkins asked her out. But he was surprised with her answer.
Wonder Boy went to the bathroom, when Conner left. He got to his car and drove down, and slowed down when he saw Liz. Liz hadn't seen him today.
"Liz, get in." Conner said.
"Really?"
"Yeah, come on."
"Okay." < Beautiful. >
"Why are you walking?"
"Felt like it." < She wants to lie now. > Conner thought.
"Oh. Where are you going? Your house?"
"Yeah."
"You haven't told anyone about my mother right?"
"No, of course not." Conner pulled in Liz's driveway.
"That's up to you." Liz got out of the car, and walked to the front door and opened it. She walked in and shut the door behind her. Conner sat back in his seat, and started out of her driveway. The whole drive home, Conner thought of what he was going to do with his mother.
Tia sat in her bed Saturday morning. Her and Liz had stayed up late the previous night, and was very tired but couldn't go back to sleep. She heard a small knock.
"Tia dear. Time to get up. I know you were out late, but please get up.
"She didn't feel like arguing, she cleaned herself up, and went downstairs. The aroma of blueberry pancakes, eggs, and bacon woke Tia up immediately. Tia settled down, and helped herself. She nibbled on the pancakes.
"Tia, Conner called earlier,. He said he would meet you at Andy's at 11:30." Tia's mother informed her. Tia looked up at the clock, 10:45. < Goodness. It's early. > Tia thought. < Oh well. > Tia finished her breakfast amd ran up stairs. She pulled on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt and checked herself in her small mirror, and ran out the door. < Wait a minute. I'm not going to walk. I'm going to call Conner. > Tia ran back inside and dialed Conner's house. Conner's sister answered.
"Hello?"
"Hey Megan. This is Tia, is Conner there?"
"He's almost out the door. If you hold on, I'll get him for you."
"Okay." Tia held on. Megan shouted Conner's name. She heard footsteps, then someone greeted her.
"Hey Tia." Conner said, "What's up?"
"Nothing. You told me to meet you and Andy at Andy's at 11:30 right?"
"Right. I was just on my way now."
"Good. Can you pick me up?"
"Sure. Be there in five. Bye."
"Bye." Tia said and hung up. She waited for four minutes, and Conner was already there. Tia said bye to her mother, and ran out the door to meet Conner.
"Hey!" she smiled.
"Hey, Tia." Conner greeted, and sat back in his seat while Tia got settled and made herself coomfortable. Then they were on their way.
As soon as they got to Andy's house, Conner jumped out of the car, and
ran to the front door. "Hey guys!" Andy answered. Obviously Conner had already rung the
doorbell, "Come in." They all filed into the den after Andy had closed the
front door.
"So Conner, why did you call a meeting at my house?" Andy questioned.
"I need to ask you guys something." Conner began.
< All because of Conner McDermott.> Todd thought, and drove home from
brunch with Liz.
Jessica plopped down on the couch, after eating breakfast alone. Liz had
brunch with her ex-beau, Todd Wilkins. Jess heard the front door open.
Liz's head popped out.
"Hey Jess." Liz greeted. Liz's eyebrows knitted together. "Are you
okay? You look kinda pale."
"Thanks Liz. That makes me feel so much better." she replied
sarcastically.
"No. That's not what I meant!" Liz covered up,"It's just that you don't
look so well..."Liz went on. Jessica's eyes went up. "Oh. Um. You looked,
you know...bored."
Jess was very amused at her sister. Jessica changed the subject. "How
was breakfast?"
"It was okay. Todd wanted to get back together."
Jess stood up not believe what she heard, "What!?"
"He wanted to get back together. I turned him down. Then I walked out."
Liz explained.
"Who drove you home?" Jessica asked curiously.
"Conner." she replied bluntly, and walked out of the den. Jess didn't
bother to follow her agitated sister. < At least I know I am. Well,
sort of. Liz has boy problems also. So I guess I'm not the only one. >
Jess walked over to the kitchen and prepared herself a snack, and sat
down and ate it.
As she chewed it, she thought of Jeremy and Will. What am I going to
do?> Jessica cleared up, and trudged up along the stairs.
"What on earth am I going to do?" Jessica thought out loud.