Elizabeth Harrison's Hope For A Better Tomorrow

60: Leo Meets Fred.

Leo couldn't see Elizabeth before he left for Chicago again – a part of him was embarrassed for acting so needy the night he was drunk and a part of him wasn't ready to say goodbye to her just yet. Jennifer has been very quiet since she came to know about Fred and Elizabeth's past. She would zone out from time to time. Leo didn't feel like bothering her so, he let her be – he wasn't a complete douche – he could talk to her but about random stuff – nothing about her ex-fiancé. Leo dropped Jennifer at her mother's house – where she has been living since she separated from Fred. Jennifer thanked her with a smile that didn't reach her eyes and went into the house. Leo felt awful that he yelled at her before – she clearly didn't know about Fred and Elizabeth either.

Leo came back to an empty apartment – his father once again decided to stay with Maria and Charlie – this time he stayed for Charlie – he didn't feel like leaving them just yet. Leo couldn't deny that he hated living alone – he doesn't fancy living alone like he used to. He sighed and put her single hand carry in the corner of the room and lay on the bed. He blew his cheeks out and placed his hands on his stomach as he stared at the ceiling of the darkroom. He wasn't sure how to feel – a part of him feel betrayed because the time he and Elizabeth were together – she never brought Fred up – especially when he was living right across the hall of her building. And a part of him was upset because he couldn't see Elizabeth again. Leo felt stuck – he wasn't sure what to do and what not to do. He wasn't moving anywhere – he was just stuck in the present and he hated it. It wasn't easy living away from Elizabeth – he loves her too much for that. It was late at night and Leo was already exhausted – he doesn't want to go to work tomorrow morning either – he didn't feel like doing anything and with that thought, he closed his eyes and drowned in a dreamless night.

Elizabeth sat in Charlie's room with a scowl on her face – she was bothered. Charlie who had just completed feeding her daughter looked at Maria who was already looking back at them – they both were concerned for Elizabeth. They could clearly see that she was upset. Maria licked her lips and looked at Elizabeth, "Lizzy, are you okay?" She asked her carefully. Elizabeth looked at Maria and sighed. She wasn't okay but she didn't want to tell Maria about what was bothering her. It was her brother – he left without seeing her. How can he leave like that – with that – that Jennifer? "Yes, I am. Why?" She asked. Charlie glanced at Maria before she replied, "Nothing, you just seem very cheery today, that's all." Charlie replied to Elizabeth. Maria chuckled and Elizabeth rolled her eyes before she sighed, "It is nothing – it is just – I am bored. I don't like sitting at home all day and do nothing," she replied.

Maria shrugged, "Then maybe you should return to Chicago and resume from where you left," She suggested. Elizabeth wasn't stupid – she knows that Maria wasn't just referring to her work back in Chicago – she was pointing towards her brother as well. Charlie nodded along, "You know what, I agree. You should think about it," She added. Elizabeth looked at both of them before she blew her cheeks out and smashed her lips together, "I don't know." She mumbled before she shook her head and changed the topic – she was too upset to think straight at the moment.

Leo woke up by the sound of his alarm on his cellphone that was on the bed beside him – he was so tired that he didn't shower, change or eat anything before he lay on the bed and fell asleep. He exhaled and switched off the alarm on his phone. He blew his cheeks out and rubbed his face – he honestly didn't want to show up for work – he wanted to sleep but he couldn't take more off days so, he forced himself to get up and dragged himself to the washroom – he really needed a long shower. All the time when he was in the shower – all he could think about was Elizabeth and how she never told him about her and Jennifer's ex-fiancé. Even though he didn't want to think more about it – it was all he was thinking about. He recalled all this time when he was at Elizabeth's place or that one time in the hospital when Fred came to see her and he couldn't help but rewind the look on Fred's face in his mind.