by Michael Vu
“What group were you with then babe?” asked Chloe.
“He used to get into a lot of fights,” interrupted Elizabeth quickly. “Isn’t that right Noah?”
Noah attempted to conceal his embarrassment. He turned his back and headed towards the kitchen. He shouted:
“What happened to Scottie and the other guys anyways?”
“Oh you didn’t hear?”
“No.”
Elizabeth turned to Chloe. She whispered: “These boys used to pick on Noah a lot in school.”
Chloe nodded her head with excitement and waited for more details. Noah returned to the dinner table and sat down. Elizabeth continued:
“They’re all living in Illinois still. Well, not sure if you would say Scottie is quite living it up in Illinois.”
“Why, what happened to him?” asked Noah.
“He got arrested for trying to burn down a building. Supposedly, he was trying to get back at some girl who dumped him. Everyone back home is talking about it. It was all over the news for days, as if they didn’t have anything better to report.”
Elizabeth enjoyed spending time with the couple, even though she felt a bit ill when she saw how affectionate Noah was towards his girlfriend. It made her feel lonely, absent, and a bit envious.
Chloe and Noah had lived together now for a number of years: three to be exact. Through Chloe’s mannerisms and energetic eyes, Elizabeth came to the conclusion that she was well taken care of. Elizabeth could see that the couple was madly in love.
It made Elizabeth feel even lonelier. She felt a sense of guilt for feeling such a way. It was not that she could not find a date or admirer of her own; this was not the problem. Many in her path have made it known that they would like to be considered a candidate of her affection.
She fancied nobody. The men she did date had no lasting impression. The relationship would begin strong, and then always end up in a bitter fashion or in solidarity that they as couple were better off as friends.
She wanted deeply what Chloe had: Someone who was dedicated, charming, and thoughtful towards her. Noah treated Chloe always in such a fashion.
Over time, Elizabeth was surprised how fond of Noah she had become. The feelings were so clear and immense; it was no longer a choice of hers to deny her disposition. She was falling in love with Noah.
She fancied in her daydreams that she spotted Noah decades ago, and was able to secure his affection during their younger days at Glenview Middle School. Then and there, she would love him and care for him. They would plan a wonderful life together and eventually, move to the city. She imagined what their children would look like and gave them names and characteristics.
The thought both hurt and soothed her.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Noah wanted to hit Mitchell Schlossberg right in the mouth. Oh how Noah wanted to shut up that cunning son of a bitch, who was so pompous, dull and so conniving of a bastard.
“Would you like so more tea Mitchell?” Noah asked kindly. He even managed a smile.
“Lovely. I would love another cup.”
The afternoon sunshine blasted its light all over the city. It was a pleasant day for company and tea. So on this particular Saturday afternoon, Chloe invited their closest couple of friends for conversation.
Chloe and Elizabeth were engaged with Mitchell in a light and fun conversation. When Noah returned to the dinner table with a warm cup of tea, he noticed that Elizabeth’s hand was slipped underneath Mitchell’s.
The couple, still in the beginning stages of their relationship, was energetic and youthful. This meant that everything they did and said was fresh, new and exciting. Noah, who was bothered to the point of jealousy, noted the display of affection.
But he was a man with an ability to conceal his emotions. He was like an actor emoting happiness and cheerfulness when really deep down inside he wanted to reach over and strangle the other man until his face represented the color purple.
Mitchell observed the apartment.
“You have a nice place here. May I ask what you two pay for rent in this neighborhood?”
Chloe and Noah, by sheer luck, found a decent size one bedroom in the Forest Hills area in the Queens Borough. The apartment was located near a park Chloe fancied right off Seventy-third Avenue between Austin Street and Queens Boulevard.
It was a six floor pre-war building, so the ceilings were high. The walls, painted by Noah in the middle of a heat wave, were of a mocha color. Black and white photographs of men and women, taken by Chloe, hung on the walls.
The apartment was fully furnished. A large couch sat in the living room. Single chairs and lamps surrounded the sofa. A coffee table sat in front with photography magazines Chloe read to improve and update her photography skills. She was a freelance photographer with over five years of experience.
As Chloe gave Elizabeth and Mitchell a tour, Noah followed quietly behind. He observed Mitchell. He had dark black hair, a thin nose, and delicate lips. His brown darting eyes betrayed his face; it gave one the impression that he was holding back information.
He was a tall man who just reached his third decade of age. He had just spent many weeks in Asia, which is where he received his tanned skin.
Mitchell was particularly interested in the home. He asked thoughtful questions and sought advice from Chloe. This in turn gave Chloe a sense of pride; she in return answered his questions to be useful. Mitchell asked:
“Do you know if any apartments are open in your building by chance?”
“We don’t know, but I am sure there are openings in this neighborhood. Oh, how wonderful it would be if you both lived near us! We could dine out together all the time!” exclaimed Chloe with a huge smile. “Don’t you think that would be great babe?”
“Yes, lovely.”
Elizabeth stood in the living room embarrassed. She had never lived with another man before. But it was safe to assume she would one day venture such a thing. Elizabeth had an idea and asked:
“Shall we all dine out tonight? There’s a restaurant on Austin Street I heard about.”
And so several weeks pass. Elizabeth and Noah continued to see one another during their lunch breaks. Elizabeth spoke of Mitchell often. Noah was reluctant to hear new news of him, but did not want to be disagreeable to their friendship. He listened to Elizabeth with darting eyes and spotty nerves.
“Mitchell is so lovely. But the poor man is always busy with work. We have dedicated nights though, you know, to see each other.”
And of course Noah knew what she meant.
Elizabeth paused and chews on lettuce. And then she continued talking about the man she was falling in love with.
He listened, but the gaiety in Elizabeth’s voice scratched his ears like an ear swab penetrating too deep.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Elizabeth was in love with Noah. She could no longer deny the fact. She grew agitated with Chloe’s presence. When Noah talked about her, she wanted to vomit. Better yet, she thought she would hit Noah in the face and tell him to hush immediately whenever he discussed matters around his partner.
She decided it was best to come forth about her emotional state towards Noah. She was open to discussing her feelings during their lunch engagements, but many lunches would pass without a word of the truth.
With Noah, Elizabeth was shy on only this topic. But she thought it would be easy to speak such feelings; after all, the two were acquainted all the way back to junior high school. It was perhaps destiny that the two were reunited here in New York. If only she could muster enough courage to reveal her heart to him, then and only then, would she be able to resolve the pang in her heart, thought Elizabeth.
One morning, Elizabeth woke up refreshed. Her thoughts were clear to her as if she were born with a new brain. She decided immediately that she would tell her feelings to Noah that day when she met him for lunch.
When Elizabeth had her coffee, she noted how it tasted sweeter and stronger than usual. Her commu
te on the train was light; she even managed to get a seat. She hustled through the morning tasks with excitement. All the work was done quickly, yet with care and efficiency. She was having a good day.
Elizabeth looked at the clock: still one more hour until her lunch hour with Noah. The nerves in her fingertips made her hands shake. She wanted to see Noah. He swarmed her thoughts like a bee hovering next to its hive.
Elizabeth picked herself up to visit the ladies room near the copier room where Noah sat. She often did this when she wanted to see him. She slowly strolled along the hallways to allow a few minutes to herself. She wondered if Noah knew she often went to this bathroom just to spy on him. Oh, how embarrassing if he knew, she thought.
He never seemed to notice. Though, when she did pay a visit, he consistently matched Elizabeth’s cheerfulness. At times, Elizabeth believed that Noah was indeed in love with her too. But she was never sure. The passion that surrounded her heart confused her logic; it was as if Noah had the ability to make an English sentence seem foreign. Her love consumed her body to the point where she didn’t know if she was in love with Noah or the idea of being in love itself.
In the bathroom, she quickly dried her hands, adjusted her hair and walked out. She found Noah bent over fixing a damaged computer. She stared at him in silence briefly and admired how precise and detailed he was in his work. She watched his long fingers take charge of the computer hardware. Noah was so into his work she wondered if a fire alarm could stop him from working.
His clothes, though nothing out of the ordinary or spectacular, fitted his body well. He was someone who knew his body type, and dressed his outerwear in accordance that showed one he was conscious of his physical structure. It annoyed her a bit to stand next to him, for he was several inches shorter than she. Though, in a way, it was comfort to know that if the two were ever to get into a physical altercation, her height may tip in her favor and she would come out victorious. Elizabeth often daydreamed of this physical altercation. At that particular moment, she imagined pinning him down.
“Hey buddy!” Elizabeth never called him buddy. She was nervous. What a stupid thing to say to someone when you were on the cusp of revealing your true feelings. She reminded herself to never call him her best friend.
“Hi Elizabeth. What are you doing in this neck of the woods?”
She loved the way he said her name. His tone of voice enunciated her name in way that made her feel regal or of someone in possession of authority. She had got in the habit of him calling her Queen Elizabeth. She asked:
“We still on for lunch?”
Another stupid question, for they both knew that their lunch hour was always designated for each other. It was a sacred hour. Diarrhea wouldn’t even come between their engagements, which last week Elizabeth had the misfortune of having, though, did not prevent the two from having a meal together.
Noah looked up at her with gleaming eyes.
“Of course Elizabeth. I wouldn’t miss it.”
She stood there for a bit staring at him. He stared back into her deep blue eyes. The two were comfortable with each other, even in moments of long dull quietness. It was like standing in front of an ocean with a neighbor; the tone of the water hitting the rocks was all that needed to be said and would be said.
“Okay. See you then Noah. Bye.”
“Bye Elizabeth.”
Elizabeth gave Noah a sharp glance and smirk. Noah returned her smirk with a pair of tender eyes. He watched her turn her back and walk away.
As Elizabeth made her way back to her desk, she stopped by the water cooler for a fresh cup. She was too excited to return to work. She filled a small cup turned when someone slammed into her body.
Water spilled all over her chest. Elizabeth observed her beige silk blouse and grey skirt. Her mouth was open in shock as the cold water soaked the lining of her clothing.
“I am so sorry Ms. Here let me help you!”
Elizabeth looked up to find a man slightly taller than her. He ran to the counter and retrieved napkins.
“Here you go.”
“Thank you.” Elizabeth was not amused. She started to dry herself.
“You are Ms. Elizabeth Little, are you not?” asked the man.
Elizabeth was shocked to hear her name spoken on the stranger’s tongue. She looked up and observed the man. He was dressed nicely in a dark grey suite. He was clean-shaven man and his hair was combed nicely. He looked formal and ready for a big business meeting.
“Yes I am. And who might you be?”
“I was just hired here for consulting work in the accounts department. I’ll be here for a few months to help out with the books. Or until they are sorted.”
“I wasn’t under the impression our books needed assistance.”
“They don’t necessarily. But it doesn’t hurt to have a third eye check it over.”
The man looked at Elizabeth deeply. His gaze was strong; it made her feel nervous and excited at the same time. His stare forced her to shift her weight and look in the other direction. He made her anxious. The water accident was a bit embarrassing and increased her vulnerability towards the new acquaintance.
“Can I make it up to you?” he asked while pointing his eyes to the spilled water on her chest.
“How might you make it up to me? Should I spill water on you?”
The two chuckled for a bit. Co-workers entered the area and placed their bags of lunch at a table near the water cooler.
“You can if you like. But I was thinking of dinner tonight.”
Elizabeth smirked and her eyebrows extended upwards.
“You are a bit forward.”
“I don’t see why I should hold back.”
Elizabeth stared into his deep brown eyes. She glanced at his shoes, then to his waist, and back to his eyes. She answered:
“I’m sorry, but I just met you and I don’t date co-workers.”
Elizabeth started to walk away when she heard:
“Then lunch, as co-workers. You can get me up to speed to how things work here.”
Elizabeth turned to him.
“Okay. But you didn’t tell me your name yet.”
The man walked up to Elizabeth and extended his right hand. He smiled.
“My name is Mitchell Schlosberg. It’s nice to meet you Elizabeth.”
CHAPTER NINE
Noah waited for Chloe to fall asleep. She was the type of sleeper who fell asleep quickly, and once in a state of rest, was hard to wake. Her breathing was heavy. Noah kissed her cheek and slowly crawled out of bed.
It was a warm, pleasant evening. The neighborhood was silent. Noah walked towards Forest Hills Gardens. When inside, Noah had the impression he escaped the city. Inside were many trees and large houses. It reminded Noah of his home state of Illinois.
Noah was always curious about what people did during their free time. Back in Illinois, as a child, he would sneak out and spy on other people. He often found, much to his dismay, that there were no particular interesting elements to how humans lived. Often, he watched them watch television. And now, presently in the secluded part of the city, at eleven o’clock, he found many residents doing the same.
Noah thought his neighbors looked ghoulish. In the large dark living room, nicely decorated, sat a lonely human being on the sofa with his or her face illuminated by the bulbs of the television.
Noah grew agitated. He left Forest Hills and ducked under the subway station.
The city was still loud. He arrived near Grand Central Station. Noah spotted an interesting couple walking away from the train station. He tailed them. It was apparent they were fighting about something, but Noah couldn’t hear because the noises from the moving trains were loud.
When on the streets, he stalked them further. Noah learned that the woman was upset with the man because he had behaved poorly at a dinner party: An engagement at her mother’s house, which they had just returned from.
Noah followed them up to Bryant Park. He watched as
they made their exit down a street and up into to a high-rise building when suddenly, Noah saw a familiar face.
Coming out the adjacent building was Mitchell! He was not alone! He strolled along the street with a female companion, who matched his height and age.
“It’s a late hour to be out,” said Noah to himself.
He wanted to investigate. He followed the pair for several streets. At first their engagement showed no indication of what their relationship might mean. Their mannerisms only showed as if they were friends just leaving a cocktail party together.
But then Mitchell puts his arm around her waist. She accepted his gesture without a hitch. Noah followed them to the Grand Central Station.
Mitchell and the woman stood together. He leaned in and kissed her lips. They hugged and off she was. Mitchell turned and walked all the way back to Bryant Park. Noah was curious to see where he would go next. From a distance away, he sat at the park for a few moments watching with sharp eyes. Mitchell stopped, took out his phone and made a few phone calls. He must have been speaking to Elizabeth, thought Noah, and was about to return to her studio apartment, which was not far.
The thought of his lips touching Elizabeth’s made his fists clench. He imaged himself jumping from out of the dark to attack the cheater. But instead, Noah lurked closely behind and then eventually out of sight. He chose to do nothing, for now.
CHAPTER TEN
Elizabeth tossed and turned in bed. Her studio apartment was quiet and still. She imaged something dropping in the kitchen or someone knocking on the door so that she might feel less lonely.
To help ease her nights alone from Mitchell, he surprised her one evening by returning to her studio with a small kitten. They named her Miles.
But Miles could not comfort her tonight. She wanted to be in Mitchell arms. He was nowhere to be found. She knew about his work assignments, which oddly at the moment were not desperate for his time.
From her fifth floor window, she scanned the streets to see if she could get a glimpse of his head. She wondered where the man was at the hour. If only she could feel the warmth of his body next to hers so that she could calm her nerves and sleep immediately.
