Bittersweet Chapter Four
Liz awoke with a jolt the next morning, a knock coming from the door downstairs. Wiping at her eyes, she sat up in bed and looked at the clock, it was going on nine in the morning.
Sighing, she got out of bed and slipped a robe on, going down the stairs and walking to the door. Opening it she raised an eyebrow when she came face to face with her nanny Eleanor. She was visibly upset and crying.
"Eleanor?" she asked moving aside so she could come in. Liz had never seen the woman so distraught before.
Eleanor came inside and wiped at her eyes, "My boyfriend and I got into an argument," she said hiccuping some as she spoke. "He kicked me out of the house and I just don't know where else to go," she frowned.
Liz frowned as she listened to Eleanor speak. She knew Eleanor had no family here, all her family was in North Carolina. "You can stay here," she smiled as she shut the door and put her arms around Eleanor, leading her to the couch.
"Sit," she said soon pushing Eleanor down. "I'll make you some coffee."
Eleanor just nodded and watched as Liz went into the kitchen.
Going in the kitchen, Liz found the coffee pot she had used for Taylor yesterday and she plugged it in, soon starting it. After it was started she looked around for some food for the girl and frowned only finding pop tarts.
Holding the package of pop tarts in her hand she walked into the living room, "I hope pop tarts are okay food wise. Apparently they are all I have," she laughed knowing that she'd have to get groceries today at some point.
Eleanor graciously took the pop tarts from Liz and opened the package, "Thank you Liz," she smiled as she looked at her, her brown eyes hopefully showing just how gracious she was. "I, hopefully I want be here long," she said hoping that her boyfriend called her soon and apologized.
Liz shrugged, "It's fine Eleanor," she said smiling as she turned and went to check on the coffee. Seeing it was done, she got done a mug and poured the coffee in it, soon taking it into the living room and handing it to Eleanor.
"Stay here as long as you need," she said sitting down beside Eleanor. "Did you bring any clothes with you?" she asked curiously. If she hadn't, Liz was sure she could buy some when she went to get groceries later.
"They are in my car," Eleanor answered Liz when she asked about clothes. Taking a sip of coffee she smiled, not sure if she could survive without caffeine. "I don't even know what started the argument, just Bobby got so mad at me this morning for no reason," she frowned.
Liz frowned as well and reached a hand over, rubbing the woman's back. Eleanor had been her children's nanny since Jude was a year old. She had grown attached to the woman over the last four to five years. She treated her like family now.
Eleanor smiled feeling Liz rubbing her back, "Bobby gets mad all the time, but this was the worst I have seen him," she sighed taking another sip of her coffee.
"I don't know why you put up with his shit," Liz said honestly as she shook her head. She knew Eleanor took too much shit from Bobby. Hell she was half sure that Bobby also abused her too. It was just something in the way Eleanor acted.
Eleanor chewed on her bottom lip and looked down in her coffee cup, away from Liz's glance. She couldn't take Liz judging her. "Because I love him," she said honestly as she ran a hand through her red hair which was greasy. "After I finish my coffee, I may borrow your shower."
Laughing, Liz nodded, "borrow away," she said as she stood from the couch. "I am going to go back upstairs and try to get another hour of sleep before the kids get up," she said as she smiled. "You know the place well enough to make yourself at home Elle," she said using Eleanor's nickname.
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A few hours later, Liz awoke again with a jolt as she heard a scream coming from downstairs. She knew the scream belonged to Eleanor. Moving from the bed again, she put on her robe and hurried downstairs just in time to see Eleanor coming out of the bathroom followed by Taylor.
Taylor who had just came out of the bathroom behind the redhead with a towel on, blushed when he saw Liz, "I didn't hear her in the bathroom," he said trying to defend himself.
"Bullshit you didn't," Eleanor growled as she held the towel over her and glared at this man. "Who the hell are you anyway and why are you here?"
Liz raised her eyebrow as she crossed her arms over her chest, "Eleanor that is Zac's brother Taylor," she said introducing the two. "Though I am wondering what you are doing in my house without my knowledge," she said as she turned her gaze right to Taylor.
Blushing even more, Taylor looked down, "I found the spare key hidden under the mat," he confessed as he looked up. "And I came by to see if you could fly with me to California. I have to go there for some business meetings and I really don't want to go alone Liz."
Eleanor looked at Taylor skeptically when she heard he was Zac's brother. He was the one who had been infatuated with Liz at one point. Liz had told her the full story numerous times.
"I can't go to California with you Taylor," Liz said almost half amused that he would even ask such a dumb thing. He had to know she couldn't just leave her children behind on such short notice. "I have my kids to worry about and also Eleanor is now staying here."
"They can come too," Taylor blurted out feeling almost desperate. He hated flying alone so he would do anything even invite his niece and nephew and the woman who was now looking at him skeptically.
Hearing his offer, Liz sighed as she ran a hand through her hair and looked at Eleanor, "Do you want to come Eleanor?" Liz asked as she crossed her arms.
Eleanor shrugged, "I guess California could do me some good," she nodded and watched as Liz soon turned to go upstairs and get the kids up and ready. After Liz was gone, Eleanor looked at Taylor, "I don't trust you," she said coldly as she walked towards the stairs. "I don't trust you with Liz or the children," she said as she glared at him and then walked up the stairs to help Liz.
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Liz smiled as she got off the plane several hours later. With Eleanor's help they had been able to get the kids ready in no time and Taylor had been able somehow to get tickets for all of them. "Which hotel are we staying at?" Liz asked as she picked up Emerson and held her on her hip. She was getting cranky and Liz knew it was because she had been on the plane for so long.
"That one that Zac's band always stays at," Taylor offered hoping Liz would know which one it was.
Liz just nodded and looked at Eleanor seeing her glaring at Taylor. Letting Taylor get ahead of them she looked over at Eleanor, "Are you okay?" she asked before looking down at Jude who was holding onto Eleanor's hand nervously. This was the first time either child had traveled via airplanes.
"I don't trust him," Eleanor whispered as she watched Taylor go to baggage’s and get all their luggage. She wasn't sure how Taylor had managed to carry all of them but he had.
Hearing that Eleanor didn't trust Taylor, Liz raised an eyebrow, "You don't trust him?" she asked as she held Emerson tighter around her. She could hear some paparazzi calling out Taylor's name and she sighed. The band had been broken up for years yet they still get attention from the paparazzi.
Eleanor shook her head and made a face as they reached the paparazzi and started getting photographed too. Apparently they recognized Liz as Zac's wife. "No I don't," she whispered again. "I think him wanting you here was fishy," she sighed as she walked ahead of Liz and reached the taxi that Taylor had gotten.
Liz stayed silent as she followed Eleanor out. Getting to the taxi she looked at Taylor knowing not all of them could fit in one taxi, "How are we going to do this?" she asked finally speaking, trying to ignore the paparazzi that had followed them outside.
Looking down at Liz, Taylor sighed, "Eleanor and Jude can take one and you, Emerson and I can take another," he said as he smiled and helped Eleanor and Jude in the first taxi. Truth was he just didn't want to share a taxi with the annoying redhead.
Staying silent after Taylor spoke, Liz watched as he helped Eleanor and Jude and then the taxi pulled away. Not long after that, Taylor flagged down another taxi and soon he had helped her and Emerson in before getting in as well.
"You know," Liz spoke after Taylor gave the driver directions. "Eleanor doesn't trust you and she finds it fishy you wanted me to come with you."
Taylor laughed as he heard Liz's words, "Does that bitch know our history?" he asked forgetting that Emerson was in the car with them.
Nodding, Liz glared when he cussed in front of Emerson.
"Then she thinks I still love you," he laughed. "Which I don't darlin," he said informing Liz that he had moved on. Yes, a part of him would always love her but after nine years he had moved on. He had actually fallen for Natalie until she ripped his heart out by telling him she was a lesbian.
Liz laughed some, "I knew that honey," she said after he had called her darlin. She knew he had moved on. It was the same way for her too.
Liz awoke with a jolt the next morning, a knock coming from the door downstairs. Wiping at her eyes, she sat up in bed and looked at the clock, it was going on nine in the morning.
Sighing, she got out of bed and slipped a robe on, going down the stairs and walking to the door. Opening it she raised an eyebrow when she came face to face with her nanny Eleanor. She was visibly upset and crying.
"Eleanor?" she asked moving aside so she could come in. Liz had never seen the woman so distraught before.
Eleanor came inside and wiped at her eyes, "My boyfriend and I got into an argument," she said hiccuping some as she spoke. "He kicked me out of the house and I just don't know where else to go," she frowned.
Liz frowned as she listened to Eleanor speak. She knew Eleanor had no family here, all her family was in North Carolina. "You can stay here," she smiled as she shut the door and put her arms around Eleanor, leading her to the couch.
"Sit," she said soon pushing Eleanor down. "I'll make you some coffee."
Eleanor just nodded and watched as Liz went into the kitchen.
Going in the kitchen, Liz found the coffee pot she had used for Taylor yesterday and she plugged it in, soon starting it. After it was started she looked around for some food for the girl and frowned only finding pop tarts.
Holding the package of pop tarts in her hand she walked into the living room, "I hope pop tarts are okay food wise. Apparently they are all I have," she laughed knowing that she'd have to get groceries today at some point.
Eleanor graciously took the pop tarts from Liz and opened the package, "Thank you Liz," she smiled as she looked at her, her brown eyes hopefully showing just how gracious she was. "I, hopefully I want be here long," she said hoping that her boyfriend called her soon and apologized.
Liz shrugged, "It's fine Eleanor," she said smiling as she turned and went to check on the coffee. Seeing it was done, she got done a mug and poured the coffee in it, soon taking it into the living room and handing it to Eleanor.
"Stay here as long as you need," she said sitting down beside Eleanor. "Did you bring any clothes with you?" she asked curiously. If she hadn't, Liz was sure she could buy some when she went to get groceries later.
"They are in my car," Eleanor answered Liz when she asked about clothes. Taking a sip of coffee she smiled, not sure if she could survive without caffeine. "I don't even know what started the argument, just Bobby got so mad at me this morning for no reason," she frowned.
Liz frowned as well and reached a hand over, rubbing the woman's back. Eleanor had been her children's nanny since Jude was a year old. She had grown attached to the woman over the last four to five years. She treated her like family now.
Eleanor smiled feeling Liz rubbing her back, "Bobby gets mad all the time, but this was the worst I have seen him," she sighed taking another sip of her coffee.
"I don't know why you put up with his shit," Liz said honestly as she shook her head. She knew Eleanor took too much shit from Bobby. Hell she was half sure that Bobby also abused her too. It was just something in the way Eleanor acted.
Eleanor chewed on her bottom lip and looked down in her coffee cup, away from Liz's glance. She couldn't take Liz judging her. "Because I love him," she said honestly as she ran a hand through her red hair which was greasy. "After I finish my coffee, I may borrow your shower."
Laughing, Liz nodded, "borrow away," she said as she stood from the couch. "I am going to go back upstairs and try to get another hour of sleep before the kids get up," she said as she smiled. "You know the place well enough to make yourself at home Elle," she said using Eleanor's nickname.
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A few hours later, Liz awoke again with a jolt as she heard a scream coming from downstairs. She knew the scream belonged to Eleanor. Moving from the bed again, she put on her robe and hurried downstairs just in time to see Eleanor coming out of the bathroom followed by Taylor.
Taylor who had just came out of the bathroom behind the redhead with a towel on, blushed when he saw Liz, "I didn't hear her in the bathroom," he said trying to defend himself.
"Bullshit you didn't," Eleanor growled as she held the towel over her and glared at this man. "Who the hell are you anyway and why are you here?"
Liz raised her eyebrow as she crossed her arms over her chest, "Eleanor that is Zac's brother Taylor," she said introducing the two. "Though I am wondering what you are doing in my house without my knowledge," she said as she turned her gaze right to Taylor.
Blushing even more, Taylor looked down, "I found the spare key hidden under the mat," he confessed as he looked up. "And I came by to see if you could fly with me to California. I have to go there for some business meetings and I really don't want to go alone Liz."
Eleanor looked at Taylor skeptically when she heard he was Zac's brother. He was the one who had been infatuated with Liz at one point. Liz had told her the full story numerous times.
"I can't go to California with you Taylor," Liz said almost half amused that he would even ask such a dumb thing. He had to know she couldn't just leave her children behind on such short notice. "I have my kids to worry about and also Eleanor is now staying here."
"They can come too," Taylor blurted out feeling almost desperate. He hated flying alone so he would do anything even invite his niece and nephew and the woman who was now looking at him skeptically.
Hearing his offer, Liz sighed as she ran a hand through her hair and looked at Eleanor, "Do you want to come Eleanor?" Liz asked as she crossed her arms.
Eleanor shrugged, "I guess California could do me some good," she nodded and watched as Liz soon turned to go upstairs and get the kids up and ready. After Liz was gone, Eleanor looked at Taylor, "I don't trust you," she said coldly as she walked towards the stairs. "I don't trust you with Liz or the children," she said as she glared at him and then walked up the stairs to help Liz.
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Liz smiled as she got off the plane several hours later. With Eleanor's help they had been able to get the kids ready in no time and Taylor had been able somehow to get tickets for all of them. "Which hotel are we staying at?" Liz asked as she picked up Emerson and held her on her hip. She was getting cranky and Liz knew it was because she had been on the plane for so long.
"That one that Zac's band always stays at," Taylor offered hoping Liz would know which one it was.
Liz just nodded and looked at Eleanor seeing her glaring at Taylor. Letting Taylor get ahead of them she looked over at Eleanor, "Are you okay?" she asked before looking down at Jude who was holding onto Eleanor's hand nervously. This was the first time either child had traveled via airplanes.
"I don't trust him," Eleanor whispered as she watched Taylor go to baggage’s and get all their luggage. She wasn't sure how Taylor had managed to carry all of them but he had.
Hearing that Eleanor didn't trust Taylor, Liz raised an eyebrow, "You don't trust him?" she asked as she held Emerson tighter around her. She could hear some paparazzi calling out Taylor's name and she sighed. The band had been broken up for years yet they still get attention from the paparazzi.
Eleanor shook her head and made a face as they reached the paparazzi and started getting photographed too. Apparently they recognized Liz as Zac's wife. "No I don't," she whispered again. "I think him wanting you here was fishy," she sighed as she walked ahead of Liz and reached the taxi that Taylor had gotten.
Liz stayed silent as she followed Eleanor out. Getting to the taxi she looked at Taylor knowing not all of them could fit in one taxi, "How are we going to do this?" she asked finally speaking, trying to ignore the paparazzi that had followed them outside.
Looking down at Liz, Taylor sighed, "Eleanor and Jude can take one and you, Emerson and I can take another," he said as he smiled and helped Eleanor and Jude in the first taxi. Truth was he just didn't want to share a taxi with the annoying redhead.
Staying silent after Taylor spoke, Liz watched as he helped Eleanor and Jude and then the taxi pulled away. Not long after that, Taylor flagged down another taxi and soon he had helped her and Emerson in before getting in as well.
"You know," Liz spoke after Taylor gave the driver directions. "Eleanor doesn't trust you and she finds it fishy you wanted me to come with you."
Taylor laughed as he heard Liz's words, "Does that bitch know our history?" he asked forgetting that Emerson was in the car with them.
Nodding, Liz glared when he cussed in front of Emerson.
"Then she thinks I still love you," he laughed. "Which I don't darlin," he said informing Liz that he had moved on. Yes, a part of him would always love her but after nine years he had moved on. He had actually fallen for Natalie until she ripped his heart out by telling him she was a lesbian.
Liz laughed some, "I knew that honey," she said after he had called her darlin. She knew he had moved on. It was the same way for her too.