– 12 –
That was intertwined in the tragic fabric of our dreaming
‘Cause tail between your legs, you’re leaving
I still can’t believe it
—
She’d done it.
Even as her grandmother had begged her to reconsider, Elizabeth had packed as many of Cameron’s clothes as she could manage, as much as she could of her own, and she’d loaded the car. It had taken three trips, and then she’d lifted Cameron, started from his nap, into his arms, and he’d started to cry.
Maybe she was insane. Certainly, she was impulsive. She likely could have taken a day, talked to Jason, but she was so terrified that she’d crumble, that she’d wilt beneath her grandmother’s disapproval but certainty. Audrey would always be there, even if it was with strings and conditions.
Jason…
Well, she would give him a chance. She wouldn’t walk away from him this time.
Except now she found herself in the lobby of Harborview Towers, a fussy infant in her arms, and the reality of her situation setting in.
She had no home. No place for Cameron to sleep, a way to feed him, and very little money to her name. And everything rested on how Jason reacted to her just showing up — the very action she’d discarded this morning.
But she needed to know. She had to know where they stood.
She stepped up to the front desk, smiling tremulously at the guard behind the counter. He didn’t look familiar, and she hoped that wouldn’t be a problem. “Um, can you call up to Jason? Tell him Elizabeth — ” She looked down at Cameron’s miserable face, then back at the guard. “Elizabeth and Cameron are down here.”
The guard furrowed his brow, then picked up the phone. “He’ll know who I’m talking about?”
“Yes.”
The guard was quiet, waiting for the call to connect. “Mr. Morgan, I’ve got an Elizabeth and Cameron in the lobby for you. Should I send them up—” He stopped, nodded. “All right.” He set the phone back down, looked at her. “He said he’ll be right down.”
She exhaled slowly, forced a smile, then turned away, hoping that her reaction didn’t show in her face. Of course he wouldn’t send her up — not with the circus he’d described in detail — the one she’d seen evidence of in the park when Carly had attacked her. But Sonny and Carly had to know some time, didn’t they?
And Sam. Sam was pretending to have Jason’s child. If she could be upstairs, why couldn’t Jason’s actual son?
Her hands were trembling, and she readjusted Cameron again, stroking his back as he fussed again. “It’s all right, baby.” She kissed the top of his head. “We’ll figure this out. Mommy — she’ll figure it out.” Maybe there was a credit card she hadn’t used or even — there was always Emily. It would be galling to ask for a loan, but for her son—
She heard the soft ding of the elevator, and turned back to see Jason hurrying towards her, his features creased in worry. “What happened? Are you all right?” he asked, approaching them. He lifted his hands as if to reach for Cameron —
And then let them fall to his side, with a look around to see who was watching. Her courage, her stupid impulse evaporated. “This — this was a mistake. I’m sorry. I’m sorry to bother you. We’ll go.”
—
Jason caught Elizabeth by the elbow when she turned away. “Wait. Wait. Tell me what’s wrong?” Why was she here? Was Cameron sick? Had Audrey said something?
Elizabeth’s lower lip quivered as she faced him, and she bit down hard. “I need to know where you stand. I—I can’t do this. I can’t sit and wait and be in the dark—”
He held up a hand, and she closed her mouth. “Did I miss something?” he asked, bewildered. “We talked about this earlier—”
“And my grandmother came home, and she—” Elizabeth let out a short breath. “I was planning a life in California. A good one. I had a job and apartment, and Cameron had somewhere to sleep, and I knew what all my tomorrows looked like. I was ready to be a single mother, to make sure my son had everything he wanted. I could have done that.”
“I know—” He curled his hands into fists at his side. “Is—is what you want? To go back?”
“No. God.” She huffed. “No. But I can’t do this. I was going to let you figure this out in your own time because I can’t stand to be one more person begging you to do something. To demand something from you, and if it was just me, I wouldn’t bother. But it’s not. It’s my son. And he deserves the best I can give him. I thought—I still think that should include you. But he shouldn’t have to wait while you fix your life. He shouldn’t take the backseat.”
“No, he shouldn’t—”
“So we’re going to decide right now how it’s going to be so I can make decisions for what tomorrow looks like. I need to know if you’re going to be here or if you’re just going to be a voice on the phone to him.”
“I—”
“Jason.”
He turned at the sound of his name, the gratitude for the interruption fading immediately when he saw Sonny by the elevators. The other man looked at the two of them, staring at Elizabeth for a long moment, before focusing on Jason. “We have to talk. Now.”
Jason grimaced, then looked back to Elizabeth, and the suggestion to her that they finish this later died on his lips when he saw the way her eyes had dropped to the ground, the way her shoulders had tensed. Bracing for the impact of what she knew was coming.
What always happened when he was standing with her, and someone else called. If he told her to go home, or even to wait in the penthouse for him to deal with Sonny, she might listen. She might even let him finish the conversation. And they might even be able to move on from it.
But there would always be this moment. If he sent her away now to deal with Sonny, even if it was just to get rid of him —
He would never be able to take it back.
“You have my number,” Elizabeth said, forcing the words out. “When you know—”
He caught her elbow again—reached out almost desperately to stop her. “Wait. Don’t go. Don’t go,” he repeated when she looked at him, her eyes tremulous, hopeful. “Don’t go,” he said a third time. “I can do this.” He reached out, and she carefully transferred Cameron into his arms, and Jason carefully adjusted him against his shoulder, stroking his son’s back. Cameron fussed, still not used to him —
“Jason, what’s going on?” Sonny demanded, striding towards them. “I’m sorry, Elizabeth, if something’s wrong, it’s going to have to wait. Unless it’s life or death. Jason and I have to talk—”
“No, we don’t.” Jason looked at Sonny, at his oldest friend. “I’m busy. Tonight. And tomorrow. And for the rest of the month. And after that. ”
Sonny furrowed his brow, shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “What?”
Jason turned so that Cameron was visible. “I want you to meet Cameron. My son.”
THE END
The original ending for this story was always going to be tragic because, well, that’s the song. But at the time I was writing it, we started to get those promos of Jason seeing that person in the airport, and I was like, you know what? No. Happy endings.
So the happy ending was written and posted. And it survives as a choose your adventure 😛
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