I paid the horseman and took my bags, feeling unsure what to expect, or where to go. Sure, I could go to my family, but I'd only get the lecture of how right I was to walk away from Elliot when I had the chance, and I certainly didn't want to hear that.
I knew I wanted to find Elliot, if only for an explanation, only I had no clue where he would be. I thought for a fleeting moment to go and find Charles, maybe ask him where Elliot might be, but that meant risking running into his family, which could get a little complicated.
I tried to think of friends Elliot could have gone to, but none came to mind. Frowning, I realized Elliot was about as friendless and desperate as a man got. Unfortuately, my new found sympathy for him helped me in no way in the search to find him.
Sighing, I clutched my suitcases even closer to me as I began my walk into town. No doubt today was going to be a long day.
*
"I don't know, the lazy lout. I fink I mig't of sawn 'im 'eaded that way." The gruff shop owner pointed, interestingly enough towards my house, causing me to perk my eyebrow in surprise.
"Are you sure it was him?" I asked, keeping my voice down to a conspiratoral whisper.
"Of course it was 'im! He's all this town 'as been talking about the last few days!" The man growled, getting a little defensive I questioned his testimony.
"Well thank you." I gave a small curtsey and headed the way he pointed, only hoping this lead wasn't as false as the rest.
I had no idea what to do, or why I was so intent on finding Elliot. Perhaps it was something about his letter. Certainly he hadn't seemed to earn my forgiveness yet, although being hated by everyone in town was somewhat of a start. And yet, here I was, searching half the town over in hopes of finding the man.
Just as I begun to mutter to myself how utterly hopeless all of this was, I heard a russling to my left, and I turned my head on impulse. And there he was, frozen in his seat underneath the tree Hodges' and I called our own. He looked utterly horrified, and in such a state of disarray, I was almost unsure whether to approach him as I had in mind, or keep on walking, if only for the sake of his mental health.
It took me no more than a second to realize I had to talk to him, and so I set my suitcases down and walked over to him, my hands already on my hips, as I felt a lecture coming on.
"I'm sorry Nora. I can't tell you how sorry I am. I'm just-"
"Sorry, I know." I surpressed the lecture, knowing it would do more harm then help. Instead, I took a seat next to him, as his inqusitive face spoke volumes about his wonder and amazement. "The letter kind of took care of that."
"Oh." And for the first time in Elliot's life, he had nothing more to say. I would have laughed had the conditions been right. Unfortunately, we were both in difficult positions, and the time for joking was past.
"I came looking for you, but not to tell you off, or to tell you how angry and betrayed I feel or felt. I came to ask how you are. How you're dealing with all of this." I looked him over, realizing he wasn't doing to good without him even having to answer.
"Well on the one hand, the whole town hates my guts. And on the other, I've ruined all chances of ever cleaning my name financially. And that's not even touching on the subject of how I came close to soiling your name and reputation. Odds aren't in my favor, and the outcome isn't looking to grand from where I'm sitting." He slouched, defeated and overwhelmed.
"Elliot, you can't give up that easily." I frowned, wondering why it was that I felt the urgency to comfort him. Perhaps it was that I was his one true friend right now, and he had no one else to turn to. "The Elliot I was engaged to wasn't a quiter, and most certainly didn't hide from his problems either. He would have found another way, taken action to fix everything."
Elliot shook his head, not even daring to look in my eyes. "Don't you see Nora? That's the problem. I'm not that Elliot. That Elliot was a sham, nothing but charm and fancy clothing. It was all a lie."
I paused, thinking hard. "What if that's not true? What if that Elliot and the Elliot sitting in front of me are the same person? They both look the same, sound the same, and who's to say they don't act the same?" Without thinking, I moved my hand until it was over his, and I squeezed his hand, hoping to give him some kind of encouragement.
I could tell the gears in his head were turning, trying to figure something out, or maybe just processing what I said. Suddenly, he lept up, and I stood up too, in alarm.
"I'm going to make everything right Nora, just you wait and see." He gave me no time to move, but leaned in and kissed me softly on my cheek, before taking off towards the parsonage "You won't be sorry you said those things. I'm going to prove you right!" He yelled, excitement laced through his words. He gave a final wave before he took off in a run, cap and all.
This time I did laugh out loud, letting a smile of amusement light my face. I knew Elliot would have something up his sleeve, and it would only be a matter of time until I found out what.
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