Page 63 of Learning Little Lizzie

At first she’d hated the medicine. She hadn’t felt like herself at all. But Dr. Williams had encouraged her to stick with it and after a few tweaks to the dosage, eventually she’d lost the cloudy, “not myself” feeling. And for the first time in her life, she felt like she could focus.

Not to say she didn’t still have her moments. She was still forgetful and sometimes her emotions still got the best of her. But for the most part, she no longer felt like she was struggling just to complete day-to-day tasks. It was a relief, but some days she found herself wondering why she couldn’t just be normal, without the medicine.

Today was definitely one of those days.

“Eliza!” Her mother burst from the house at a fast walk, wiping her hands on the apron around her waist before throwing her arms open with a beaming smile. “We thought you’d never make it.”

“Because I’m always late?” she asked as she accepted her mother’s embrace, and she swore she could feel her Daddy’s disapproval at her snarky tone.

Ugh.

“Because I miss you, honey,” her mother replied without any hint of censure in her tone. “I know it’s only been a few months since your last visit but it feels like forever. Let me get a good look at you.” Stepping back, her mother held her by the shoulders, a radiant smile lighting her face. “My sweet Eliza. I swear you get more beautiful every time I see you.”

“I seriously doubt that.” But it made her tummy flutter a bit, in a good way, to hear it.

“It’s true. And Samuel! Oh my gosh, it’s been ages.” Laughing, Lydia Bennett released her daughter and pulled Samuel in for a much more conservative hug. “I still can’t believe you and Eliza. She’s not at all who I imagined for you.”

Eliza tensed, bracing herself for the insult.

“But I imagine she’s good for you,” her mother continued. “You always were a bit too stuffy for your own good. I’m sure my Eliza has helped you loosen up.”

Mouth open with shock, Eliza could only stare as her Daddy threw back his head and laughed. “She’s been very good for me, actually. I like to think I’ve done her some good as well.”

“Isn’t that the point?” Lydia beamed at both of them. “Finding someone who makes you a better version of yourself?”

Glancing over at Eliza, Daddy smiled. “I certainly think so.”

The entire thing was so surreal, she found herself at a complete loss for words as they followed her mother back into the house. Where a similar scene repeated itself when they joined her father in the living room, which was decorated wall to wall and floor to ceiling for the holidays, as usual. Her father welcomed them both with open arms just like her mother had, before passing her a glass of wine and Samuel a tumbler of Scotch.

She watched from the sidelines as Samuel proceeded to win her parents over without breaking a sweat, for which she was grateful. The last thing she wanted was to fight with her parents over her choice of partner, especially when that partner had done more for her in three months than they had in over twenty years.

But the longer she sat, watching and listening to them discussing all the kinds of things intellectual types like them enjoyed talking about, the more she felt like she didn’t belong.

Which was unsettling since this was her childhood home. But then, she’d spent a fair bit of time feeling like an outsider here growing up. Why should it be any different as an adult? Just because her Daddy accepted her as she was didn’t mean her parents were magically going to change.

This whole thing was a huge fucking mistake.

Rising to her feet, she slipped from the room without a word, making her way to the kitchen to pour a second, much larger glass of wine. She’d gulped it down and was pouring a third glass when his arms came around her, pulling her back against him.

“I think my Big Girl is getting a bit carried away,” Daddy murmured in her ear. “Put the wine down, Eliza.”

Ignoring him, she put the bottle down and lifted the glass to her lips.

“Naughty.” His low growl sent a shiver up her spine. “Do I need to take you to the bathroom, little girl?”

“No. I’m fine.”

“You don’t seem fine.” Plucking the glass from her hand, he set it off to the side, well out of her reach before turning her to face him. He gripped her chin, tilting her head back in that way he had that never failed to turn her into a puddle of subbie goo at his feet. “What’s wrong, baby?”

“Nothing. I told you I’m fine.”

“That’s ten when we get back.”

Shock and need fluttered in her tummy. “What? I didn’t even do anything!”

“Ten,” he repeated, his expression hard and unrelenting. “For lying to Daddy.”

“I’m not?—”

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