Escaping the Past

“I’m sure he would have done the same thing for anyone else.” Lou replied, taking a sip of her tea.

“No, Lou.” She shook her head vehemently. “He wouldn’t. He did it for Sarah because he feels something for her.”

“What do you mean?” Lou asked.

“You don’t see it, do you?” Elizabeth asked. “She’s an extension of you. It’s you he would have hurt if something had happened to her. That’s why he fought the way he did. You don’t get that desperate look on your face unless you really care about something.”

“I fail to see…”

Liz cut her off. “And you won’t see until you feel the same way he does.”

Brody breezed back into the house, John beside him and Elizabeth’s dad bringing up the rear.

“We better get home if you want to go out tonight, Liz.”

“Oh,” Elizabeth took one last sip of her tea. “I almost forgot about that. I’m going dancing at The Pour House tonight.”

Brody smiled. “The Pour House, huh? That place is still open? I haven’t been there in years. Do you remember that time we…” Brody’s voice trailed off as he caught Lou’s curious look. “Never mind,” he muttered.

Lou crossed her legs and regarded him coolly. “No. Please continue.”

“We went there a lot the last year before I left.” He chuckled again. “Boy, those were the days.”

She pointed to Liz and then to Brody. “You guys went there together?”

“Well, yeah,” Liz replied uncomfortably. “That was a long time ago.”

“Yes, it was,” Lou agreed.

John piped in. “Well, I’m going. That’s where all the good-looking ladies end up on Sunday nights.” He grinned bo

yishly. “You guys know how much I like to follow the ladies.”

“You can barely walk, much less dance.”

“I sure can sit a bar stool just fine.” John puffed his chest out. “I might just get some sympathetic attention.” They all laughed.

“Did you want to go, Brody? For old time’s sake?” Liz asked hesitantly.

“Only if Lou goes, too.” He regarded her quizzically.

“Oh, no. You guys go ahead. I have some things I need to get done here,” Lou said.

“What kind of things?” Brody asked.

“Just some work,” she lied.

“I guess we’ll have to take a rain check, Liz. Lou’s a fraidy cat,” Brody provoked her.

“I am not!” Lou protested loudly.

Liz stood up and walked toward the door. “It was good to see you again, Lou.”

“You, too, Liz. Thanks again for last night.”

“No problem. Someone might need to help my daughter like that someday. You guys are sure you don’t want to go tonight?” Liz asked one more time.

Lou heard him say to Liz quietly. “Lou’s not like you, Liz. She’s a quiet sort of girl.”