ONLY YOU (BOOK 5)

Almost midnight

Narrator POV

The lights are off. Everyone is asleep. Nora closed the car and walked up slowly and quiet not wanting to wake anyone up.
She knows exactly where to place her steps so that the wooden floor beneath her won't make any sound.

She locked the door from the inside and placed the keys aside. She took off her shoes and jacket. As she wanted to walk up the stairs which are connected with the open kitchen and living room a light got turned on.

Nora froze not minding to turn around immediately because she knows exactly who is sitting in that big brown leather armchair.

„Lizzie it is almost midnight. You are probably just as tired as I am. Why don't we just go to bed and fight tomorrow if that is what you want." Nora let out a big sigh while giving Lizzie that offer.

„Oh so you think I know what I want?" she replied while pointing at her self.

„Well I am not really down for any guessing games but y'know. It's just my intuition talking." Nora fired back and turned around now facing Lizzie.

„Wow did have a clown for lunch?" Lizzie questioned as she heated that sarcasm seep out of Nora.

Nora let her head fall back and moved to the kitchen. She opened a shelf and got herself some wine. She didn't even bother to get herself a glass. She doesn't give a flying fuck about that now. All she wants is to take some sips and go to bed.

„So you're gonna ignore me now?" Lizzie asked as she got up from the armchair.

„Ignore? I just found it irrelevant to answer that sarcastic question of yours." Nora replied as she sipped on the bottle again. Her nose scrunched and Lizzie narrowed her eyes as she saw this.

„You didn't eat anything today did you?" she asked her now with a bit worried undertone.
Nora opened her mouth wanting to say something but Lizzie interrupted her instantly.

„Cigarettes and coffee combined with some chewing gum after is not a real meal Nora!!" she practically pulled the words out of her mind knowing exactly what her habit is.

„You remember?"

„How could I forget. I saw you smoking with Beth on campus with coffee in your other hand and when you were walking through the hallway you were the one making flicking noises with your gum."

„Bad food habits I guess." Nora replied dry and pulled her wine bottle up again but before the red wine touched her lips she was stopped by Lizzie's hand. This time she didn't grab her wrist to stop her but she slid her hand into the inner side of her arm till she reached her elbow.
Even though she was worried, mad and angry... she kept her gentle side just so that Nora wouldn't fall back into another flashback.

„I left you a plate in the oven. If you really want to drink do it at least after you ate something." she told her seriously yet in a thoughtful way.

Nora didn't reply while they kept intense eye contact. She dropped the bottle and closed it to move to the oven. She bend over and pulled out the plate.

„Here." Lizzie handed her a fork and Nora leaned back against the kitchen counter to ear her breakfast/lunch/dinner.

Lizzie sat down on the kitchen island with crisscross legs and watched her girlfriend closely as if she wanted to unpuzzle what she was up to today. But she has a feeling that she already knows what it is.

„Nora can you please say something? Anything? This silence between us is dreadful."

„I am not silent."

„The sound of your fork colliding with the plate is not considered as a sound that leads to a conversation."

„What do you want me to say?" Nora asked monoton. She kept on eating.

„You sound extremely unbothered of the situation we have right now. I've never seen that side of yours. As if you don't care." Nora's eyes switched between the plate in her hand and Lizzie's silhouette. The dimmed lights give them both a darker surrounding.

„Yes you are right. Maybe I should stop bothering.
Maybe I should stop bothering myself over the fact if you will ever stop lying to me? Elizabeth everything you kept from me could have been communicated in a friendly environment. We wouldn't even be standing here now IF YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN HONEST!!"

„So forgive me if i come off as „unbothered". Because I don't know what to feel or think anymore. Tell me Olsen. Please I want to understand it desperately. Why are you lying to me? Is it a habit of yours? Are you being threatened that when you tell the truth bad things will happen? Is it because you are ashamed? Or do you think I couldn't handle the truth? Tell me. What is it?"

„Months after Robbie was imprisoned I received a letter. Saying that I am allowed to visit if I want because legally I am still his wife."

„Yeah this wife thing makes me wanna vomit that you are still with him on paper." Nora interrupted her but she let her talk on after.

„I got a lawyer. A different one not Ruby because she is your lawyer too I know she'd tell you immediately."

„So I made my appointments. Back and forth. Till I got my divorce papers. When I did I went to visit Robbie immediately."

„You could have done it through mail. I bet your lawyers could have done it too. Why you? Why did you have to go and visit him?"

„I wanted closure. I know I can't close up completely when I don't see his miserable ass one last time. See it as a reward."

„How classy of you. So revengeful." Nora's sarcasm took over once again.

„But two things don't add up in my mind. No pardon me three. Why did you see him so often? For months? Why were you dressed up so fucking hot the last time?? And why didn't you tell me?"

„I didn't. It wasn't months! I only saw him three times. I was dressed this way the last time to show him what he lost. I know it sounds dumb but I also thought he'd sing quicker when he'd see me this way."

„Well that definitely made things worse."

„And i didn't want to drag you into this. I wanted to come up to you with great news that I handled the divorce on my own so I can be finally freed from him and we can move on."

„You could have told me. I would have helped you. We could have tried to find a way and a solution so it would be easier for you."

„Now he refuses to sign and he would only do it under certain conditions and-." Nora told her as she rubbed her forehead making Lizzie see her bruised hand.

„What did you do? What happened?" Lizzie asked as she took Nora's hand in hers.

„He got on my nerves."

„You were there?"

„Where did you think I'd be? Drinking coffee with your lawyer who made that divorce contract?" she asked in a joking way but no one really laughed.
That is Nora with her inappropriate jokes she try's to drag into every situation.

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