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Elisabeth sat up quickly, a loud pounding on her door dragging her out of a dreamless sleep. Looking around her room, she remembered that Joshua had been there when she got home. Suppressing her groan, she cleared the sleep from her voice and mumbled a quick “Come in.”

“Good to see you’re awake,” Joshua said and tossed a box on the bed beside her. “Put that on and get ready. The kids and I will be waiting downstairs.”

“What time is it?” she asked not moving.

“Dinnertime. Now get ready.”

Elisabeth waited until Joshua was out the door before she opened the box. Inside was a black dress. Pulling it out of its package, she examined it closely. It was long with spaghetti straps and an asymmetrical hem. The slinky material was sure to be form fitting. Slowly, Elisabeth got up and shed her clothes. She didn’t want to go out with Joshua, but she knew she didn’t have a choice. This was what he wanted. He had control now.

After about twenty minutes, Elisabeth had her make-up done and her hair was pulled loosely up with a few curled strands grazing her neck and shoulders. Grabbing a pair of strappy black sandals from her closet, she slipped them on and took a look in the mirror on the closet door. I hope we don’t run into Nick tonight, she thought sadly, desperately wishing she could call him. Okay, it’s now or never…

“Well, don’t you look ravishing?” Joshua met her at the bottom of the stairs and placed his lips on hers.

Quickly breaking the unwelcome kiss, Elisabeth looked at her mother. “We’ll be home early.”

***

Nick walked into his bedroom and checked his messages. Elisabeth told him she would call sometime during the afternoon and he had looked forward to coming home to a message from her. However, there was only a message from Graham. She’s just busy with her kids.

Flopping down on his bed, Nick let out a tired yawn and threw his arm over his eyes. He had been up the better part of the night making sure Elisabeth was comfortable and when he finally got to sleep it was dawn. Needless to say, he didn’t sleep long.

“Nicky, we’re home,” he heard Winnie call from the kitchen.

Meeting her in the hallway, Nick smiled and kissed his grandmother’s cheek. “Everything was cool at the shop.”

“That’s good darlin’,” she smiled and walked into her bedroom. After a moment she appeared back in the hallway. “What would you like for supper?”

“I’m not all that hungry-” Nick started before Winnie cut her eyes at him. “It doesn’t matter.”

“Okay, well, in that case we’ll have barbeque chicken. David’s out by the grill.”

“Alright,” Nick said and stretched a little before heading out to the back yard to help David. “What can I do?”

David turned to Nick, a pleasant smile on his face. “Well, we need some lighter fluid. Would you mind going to get some?”

“Nope, don’t mind at all,” he grinned.

***

Elisabeth sat in Joshua’s rented Mercedes and let her mind wander. She could hear Kaitlyn and Jacob arguing over something in the backseat, but they weren’t hitting one another yet, so she didn’t intervene. They were sitting in the parking lot of Food Lion, the only grocery store in town, because Joshua saw someone he knew. He had gone inside and she couldn’t see who he was talking to; when she asked him, he simply told her it was none of her business.

“Mommy, Katy hit me,” Jacob said as tears sprung to his eyes.

Elisabeth turned around to look in the backseat. “Kaitlyn, don’t hit your brother. You’re old enough to know that you don’t need to be forceful with him.” Switching her gaze to her son, she reached back and wiped his cheeks.

“So, what?” Kaitlyn cried throwing her arms up. “He’s a big baby and he only acts that way because you treat him like that.”

“Kaitlyn,” Elisabeth was in no mood to put up with one of Kaitlyn’s temper tantrums. “Sit back there and be quiet. I don’t want to hear another word from you.”

Huffing loudly, Kaitlyn crossed her arms over her chest and directed her attention out the window. “Bitch,” she grumbled under her breath.

***

Nick walked into the grocery store and was glad to see that it wasn’t packed with people. As he walked by the Deli/Bakery he decided he would provide the dessert for tonight as well.

After getting a chocolate cake, Nick rounded the corner to find the lighter fluid and ran into Graham who was talking to an older man. “Hey Graham,” he smiled and gave a polite nod to the man who simply looked at him with disinterest.

“Hey, bud,” Graham smiled and patted Nick on the back. Glancing at Joshua he motioned to his friend, “This is an old friend, Josh.”

“Nice to meet you, man,” Nick said and extended his hand.

Blowing off the handshake, Josh cocked his eyebrow and sized Nick up before directing his attention back to Graham. “Remember what we talked about. I’ll see you around.”

Nick watched, slightly amused, as Josh stalked off towards the front of the store. “What the hell was that about?”

“Nothin’,” Graham laughed. “He’s uptight sometimes.”

“Yeah, I noticed that.”

“So, what are you doing here?” Graham asked, changing the subject. “Thought you would be on a hot date with Elisabeth.”

Nick smiled at the mention of Elisabeth’s name. “Nah, she’s busy tonight. David is grilling out tonight so we’re having a family dinner. You’re welcome to come if you want.”

“That’s okay. I won’t intrude,” Graham smiled. “I think I’m gonna meet up with Chase and Joylyn. We might head down to the beach. Baja is supposed to be hot tonight.”

Nick rolled his eyes at the mention of the club. The last time he had gone to Club Baja with Chase and Graham, they had gotten him drunk and then on stage in a men’s boxer contest. How he had ever lived that one down he didn’t know, but he did know that he would never go back. Not with them, anyway. “Have fun.”

“What? You don’t wanna come?” Graham grinned and slapped Nick’s shoulder. “I heard they’re having a boxer contest tonight.”

I knew that was coming. “No, I’m gonna stay in tonight,” Nick forced a smile. “You have fun though, okay?”

Graham just laughed loudly as Nick rolled his eyes again and set off for his lighter fluid.

***

Elisabeth looked at Joshua as he got back into the car. He didn’t say anything to any of them, just cranked the car and sped out of the parking lot. Staring out the window, Elisabeth smiled as she thought about Nick. She was supposed to have called him, but she knew he would understand. She would explain everything tomorrow.

“See something you like?” Joshua’s deep voice forced its way into her thoughts.

“I just love it here,” she said with a sigh.

“Oh, yes, you have to love a small town that is going no where,” he mocked her.

“Well, not everyone is cut out for the big city,” she snapped back quickly, anger filling her eyes.

Joshua let out a laugh that only made Elisabeth more furious. It’s not the town she’s staying for, he thought sardonically. “This place is for bumpkins and you know it. You belong in the city as much as I do.”

“No, Joshua, I don’t,” Elisabeth countered and turned her attention back to the quickly passing scenery.

Almost half an hour later Joshua was pulling the car into the parking lot of a fancy Italian restaurant. Wordlessly, he got out and opened the door for Elisabeth with a sickly sweet smile.

She tried her best to shrug his hands away from her body, but he was adamant in touching her somewhere. She smiled when she felt Jacob take hold of her hand.

Once inside the slightly crowded restaurant, they sat silently looking over menus. Every now and then Jacob would point to something and lightly poke Elisabeth in the arm to ask her what it was. Soon a waiter was there filling up Joshua and Elisabeth’s glasses with red wine.

Breaking the silence that had suddenly settled on the table, Joshua lifted his glass and offered up the same sugary sweet smile as before. “I just want to make a toast. To family.”

Elisabeth looked at her husband in disgust as his lips turned down when she didn’t lift her glass with his. “You really should have been an actor,” she stated flatly and saw the corners of his mouth tugging upward.

“Well, I should say the same thing about you,” he retorted. “You should win an Oscar. You’re almost convincing with the “I love this place” act. But really, Lizzie, you aren’t convincing me.”

Elisabeth watched as his hazel eyes clouded over with fury and he placed his glass back down on the table.

“Kids, I just wanted to bring us all here together as a family. I’m very upset about this, and I don’t know how to break it to you, but your Mother doesn’t love me anymore; she wants to be with another man,” Joshua’s voice broke with fake emotion.

“Joshua,” Elisabeth’s voice was low and full of rage. “What are you doing?”

“Why, Lizzie, baby, don’t you think that the children should be aware of what’s going on? They deserve to know. You have been leaving them alone since you’ve been here; I know you haven’t bee spending time with them because you’ve been with another man.”

Elisabeth opened her mouth to say something, but quickly stopped. Whatever I say will be turned against me, she thought as her anger began to rise.

“The first night you didn’t come home you were with him down here at the beach,” Joshua continued. “And you’ve stayed out all night twice; obviously with this guy. Why else would you stay out all night knowing your children are at home wondering where their mother could be? I could sit back and watch this all unfold, but how would that be fair to me?”

Suddenly Kaitlyn’s voice rang out loudly silencing everyone nearby. “I knew it! I knew you were cheating on Daddy with Nick!!!”

“Katy, hush,” Elisabeth said furiously. “People are staring.”

“SO?” Kaitlyn’s voice grew louder. “You’re a liar and I hate you! See, Jake? I told you!”

Elisabeth looked over at her son. His brow was furrowed and confusion was written on his angelic face. She could only guess that he didn’t fully understand what was going on. Without a word, she stood up and leaned down to give Jacob a kiss on the forehead. Her heart broke when he grabbed her hand.

“Mommy, where are you going?”

“I’m just going for a walk, sweetie,” she said and reached down to place a kiss on Kaitlyn’s forehead.

“Don’t touch me,” her daughter said harshly as she backed away.

Fighting back her tears, Elisabeth looked at her husband who was smiling at her. “I want you gone,” she said to him before turning and leaving the crowd of people that was still stealing glances at them.

***

Elisabeth handed the cab driver the fare telling him to keep the change and then stepped out of the cab. She took a deep breath of warm, salty air and made her way to the sand. Stopping long enough to take her sandals off, she tossed them down by the large blue trash barrel and half expected to see the pair of shoes she had left there the night she had been with Nick.

She wasn’t sure exactly what time it was, but she knew it couldn’t be very late. It had only been a little after 8 when she left the restaurant and that hadn’t been that long ago.

Letting out a sigh, Elisabeth walked to the water and let it wash over her bare feet. Not caring that she might ruin her dress, she sat down in the water and hugged her knees tightly. Tonight had been hell; that was the mild description. She didn’t understand how Joshua could know every move she was making when he had been in Chicago. Surely he wouldn’t believe Kaitlyn? He knew about her night on the beach with Nick, the night they spent at Madison Inn, and just the night before at Hurricane.

Because I know people in this town as well, or did you forget that? Joshua’s words sliced into her mind suddenly. “He has people watching me, but who?”

She glanced back up at the sky, admiring the millions of stars that were twinkling brightly. I wonder what Nick’s doing? she thought.

Nick… It was amazing how just thinking his name could send a rush of emotions through her body. Happiness, excitement, hope, love… He was all that and more. He made her feel alive again; unlike Joshua who always made her feel completely worthless.

“How did I get here?” she questioned aloud as the waves washed up over her legs.

As much as she hated Joshua, she suddenly realized he was to thank for her situation. If it wasn’t for him, she would never have met Nick and she would never be this happy. She would never be in love…

Standing up, Elisabeth turned and headed away from the water. “Thank you, Joshua…thank you.”