Chapter Twenty-Nine - Nora - Fresh Air at a Cost

A weekful of books being read reread, and needlework being done- I must have mended just about every garment within the house- and I was about to go stir-crazy. There was only so much time before a person had to go outside for some fresh air.

Elliot hadn't shown up since the day he'd came to check on me. Of course, for his reputation's sake cards and flowers had been sent almost daily, although they hadn't been touched by me. My sisters though, had fawned over them when they arrived, but within seconds threw them back to the ground, bored.

Sighing, I decided to pick up another book, hoping I hadn't read this one too many times to remember the ending.

"Good news Nora! The doctor says you can take a light walk outside today." My father grinned, entering the parlor and interrupting my reading.

"Thank the heavens above." I sat up, relief flooding through me. A walk was a walk, even if it had to be short. I'd take what I could get, and besides, it was a well awaited break from reading.

"And I made a call to Mr. Samuelson this morning." My father danced over to the couch, his legs quickening his pace and making him seem antsy. As soon as he sat, his hand darted out and grabbed mine.

"Oh?" I had an inkling I wasn't going to like his next few sentences.

"He agreed to come over later this afternoon to assist you in walking around the yard." My father watched my face carefully, trying to gage my reaction.

"Wonderful." I slumped back, my excitement knocked down a few notches. Maybe I didn't need a walk afterall- I'm sure I could find something that needed mended....

"Nora! He is your fiancé. Why don't you just give him a chance? Besides, you're ungrateful; he is the one that graciously carried you home after you twisted your ankle, afterall." My father tsked and I felt like laughing.

"Yes, I suppose I am being a bit ungrateful, but he would have been doing me a service if he'd have left me to myself on the side of the road." I thought aloud, recalling the embarrassing memory.

My father gave a small chuckle. "Why you prideful little thing! Mr Samuelson tries to do you a service and you mark it off as a punishment from him." I opened my mouth to protest but my father saw and cut me off before I begun. "I want no more arguements. You will allow Mr. Samuelson to help you this afternoon Nora. And please, give the man a break."

I sighed, but stayed silent.

*

"Ehem." Elliot cleared his throat, trying to bring my attention to his thrust out elbow, that he probably thought he was gracious in offering me, and I turned my head the opposite direction, hoping he would take the hint.

He didn't. He tried again. "Ehem!!" This time the throat clearing was loudly obnoxious and very obvious.

It made me laugh under my breath, at the ridiculous of it all, although Elliot couldn't see because my head was still turned. Since he took the obvious route, I decided to do the same, and save him the trouble of embarrassing himself further.

"Mr. Samuelson, no matter how far you thrust out your elbow, or how loud you try to get my attention, there is nothing in this world that would make me take your elbow for support. I am absolutely fine walking on my own." I insisted, even taking the nerve to walk a few steps ahead of him.

"Oh. Alright then." Elliot dropped his hand, and caught up to me in only a few strides.

We were only suppose to walk around our property once or twice, but I wanted to make sure Elliot knew I was healthy and perfectly fine, so I already had my mind set on walking as far and as much as I possibly could, leaving no doubt in his mind that I needed his or anybody else's help.

"How is Nelly?" Elliot asked, hoping it to be a neutral topic.

"Fine." I stated, unsure where he wanted this topic to go. There wasn't much to add.

"Great." Elliot gave a small nervous laugh, realizing his mistake. And there, the conversation ended. We walked on, in an uncomfortable silence, me trying to enjoy the peace of the outdoors, and Elliot, racking his brain for something suitable to talk about.

I decided to help him, scanning his face as he pannicked over what to say. With one hand he lifted his hat, with the other he ran it through his blonde cropped hair, his face scrunching and unscrunching as he ran thoughts through his brain. He was so caught up, it was as if I wasn't even there. And actually, it was quite amusing to watch him, but I knew it would be better to ease his misery.

"Have you found a way out of the situation yet, Mr. Samuelson?" He broke his trance, as I pulled him out of his own thoughts.

"About that-" I looked over at him, and he couldn't make eye contact; his eyes went anywhere but me. His hand went from running through his hair to tugging at his collar.  

"Don't tell me you haven't found a way out of all this." I stopped walking, hoping it wasn't true.

"Well, I just need more time. I can't just come up with a solution overnight!" Elliot protested, holding his hands up defensively.

I shook my head and began to stalk off, angrily. He was just biding his time. He had had all the time in the world, spending it frolicking about instead of coming up with a serious plan.

"Wait!" Elliot clambered to catch up, huffing and puffing as I hurried my footsteps. "Where are you going?"

Stopping yet again, I swivelled around, facing him head on. "I knew I shouldn't have left the thinking to you."

"Hey!" He frowned. "I am quite capable of thinking up a solution-"

"Oh really? Then why haven't you found one yet?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's a lot more complicated than it seems, Nora." Elliot began walking toward me, and I turned around, my back to him.

"The longer we drag it out, the more complicated it will get." I stated, my arms crossed against me. I started walking too, not really having a destination or direction in mind.

"I-" Elliot started then closed his mouth. "I promise I'll find a way out of it- I just need a little bit more time." He said, and I could hear hesitancy in his voice.

I sighed and then stopped suddenly, for a third time. Looking around, I realized I didn't recognize any of the landmarks or landscape around us. "Elliot- please tell me you know where we are." I stated, my voice strained with worry.

Elliot paused too, finally taking in our surroundings. "No, but I'm hoping you do."

My frown increased. We were lost, and the worst part, we had only each other to figure out how to get back.

There was very little to hope for either of us.