Disclaimer: I don't own Lizzie McGuire, Disney does.
Hi, this is my first fan fiction so don't be too mean! This is really the prolouge and I know its really long, but I wanted to get the background stuff in one chapter, so sorry! Well I hope you enjoy!
Chapter 1- Prologue
"Gordo, please don't do this!" 22-year-old Elizabeth "Lizzie" McGuire begged of her boyfriend of eight years David Gordon "Gordo". It was an unseasonably warm night in New York City but in Lizzie and Gordos apartment, located just blocks from NYU where Gordo had just graduated from film school; there was a definite chill in the air.
"Please don't leave, what about me, what about us?"
Gordo stopped his packing for a moment and turned to face her, his intense blue eyes flashing with hurt and anger.
"Lizzie, its only for four or five months, I'm not abandoning you or us, I'm following my dream, I'd hoped that of all people you would understand"
"I thought I was your dream" Lizzie whispered, her brown eyes welling up with tears that she was trying to hold back. She looked down at the small diamond ring on her left hand and felt a few of the tears start to slip out.
" What about our wedding? We haven't even set a date and we've been engaged for almost two years and living together for three years, how long are we going to wait?"
"We'll plan it when I get back, I have to do this Liz, it'll be great for my career. A real documentary, they want me to assist, and I've only been out of film school for a month, why are you being so difficult about this?"
It's not just this Gordo, you've changed the last few months, you're distant, all you care about is films and getting discovered, all I am to you now is an item on your daily list of things to deal with… I'm a habit you can't get rid of"
Gordo stared at her silently for a moment and they stood in face off letting Lizzies last comment hang in the air. Gordo spoke first
"Do you really think that little of me, do you really think that I feel that way about you, and do you think that little of my dream of becoming a director, you used to support me" Gordos voice rose as he went on until he was almost yelling.
Lizzies eyes went from hurt and sad to angry very quickly and then she exploded
"How dare you call me unsupportive, I have supported you from day one. May I remind you that I picked up my whole life to move here with you, I gave up the school that I wanted to attend to come here with you." Lizzie was really screaming now and it felt so good to let some her anger and frustration out.
" I busted my butt at community college so that I could get into Columbia and stay near you and I have attended every student film festival in the tri-state area to support you. And I have played second fiddle to your movies for the last year so that your final project would get you the "recognition you deserve" in your words. Well you got your recognition Gordo, you get to go to China for five months and make a "real" documentary. What about me, I'm graduating too, and you're going to miss it. Lizzies voice dropped and she took a deep breath before continuing, quietly now.
"I've worked so hard, and you won't be there. So who's being unsupportive?"
Lizzie finally stopped and waited expectantly for his reply, hoping that maybe he would change his mind, maybe he would break down, apologize and say he loved her and that they would get married and never be apart. Instead he opened his mouth and said
"Nobody said that you had to come"
Lizzie stared at him like she had been slapped in the face and punched in the stomach at the same time. She searched for words to reply to that
" Gordo, what…"
"I'm sorry I said that Lizzie, I didn't mean it, I…"
"No" Lizzie cut him off, her voice shaking
"You meant it, and I understand now, you never wanted me here, I am just a habit you put up with, but… why did you propose" tears were flowing freely down her face by then, "why?"
"Liz, I did-I mean I do want to marry you, but I have to do this, why don't you understand that?"
Lizzie was silent for a moment; she knew the truth as hard as it was to accept, before taking a deep breath and summoning all of her courage.
"Fine, go to China, do your documentary, but if you walk out that door, you don't have to bother coming back." And with that Lizzie slid her beloved engagement ring off of her finger and set it on the coffee table and walked into their bedroom closing and locking the door behind her.
"Lizzie, come on" she heard Gordo call after her
"Please don't be like this… Liz…LIZZIE"
Lizzie was already crying softly in their bedroom and hearing him call after her was making it worse so she went into the bathroom turned on the water in the bathtub as loud as she could and cried herself to sleep on the bathroom floor.
When Lizzie awoke the next morning she was in the bed under a blanket. The water had been turned off and the apartment was dead silent. The last thing she remembered was crying on the bathroom floor after her fight with Gordo. Wait where was Gordo? She had locked the bedroom door, how had he gotten in? And how did she get in bed? Lizzie looked around the room and saw that the doorknob had been removed, Gordo must have taken it off to get in, and then he must have put her in bed. Lizzie smiled
"He must have stayed!" she thought to herself, but if he stayed, where was he?
Lizzie stumbled out of bed and went to look for him in the apartment, but all she found was emptiness, all of his clothes and movies and books and even his toothbrush was gone. All she found was a note on the kitchen counter
I don't know what to say Liz…
Good-bye
Lizzie stared in disbelief, she didn't know what to do, she couldn't breathe or think, she felt frozen, and then she ran for the bathroom and threw up.
Twenty minutes later Lizzie was still hanging over the toilet throwing up every few minutes, she had know idea what she was throwing up, she hadn't eaten much the past few days, she had been too upset about Gordos announcement that he was running off to China for five months to work on a documentary. Now he was gone, after being best friends for 22 years, and dating for the last eight of those years, with a brief 2 month split junior year after a silly argument that neither remembered what it had been about, he was gone, out of her life. Lizzie literally did not know how to function without him there, she had never had to, he was always there, loving her, protecting her, and encouraging her. He had encouraged her to apply to Columbia, to indulge in her love of writing and get major in English and minor in journalism. Now she was graduating and had several offers from various newspapers and magazines around the country to choose from, but she had no Gordo. The thought made her ill all over again and it was almost ten minutes later before she felt that she had nothing left in her stomach. She staggered to her bed and collapsed in a fit of tears, made worse when she attempted to sit up and found herself face to face with a picture of her and Gordo taken last winter in Central Park. He looked so cute, with snowflakes sprinkled in his dark curly hair, he had grown a bit and was now noticeably taller than Lizzie, and he had filled out a bit but he still very slim. He had his arms wrapped around her in the picture and they both had huge grins on their faces. The memory made Lizzie cry even harder, if that was possible, and soon she had passed out into a deep dreamless sleep.
The phone ringing brought Lizzie out of her sleep. She squinted at the clock by her bed that had read 9:30am the last time she had looked at, right before she had passed out, it now read 5:30pm. Lizzie fumbled for the bedside phone and somehow found the energy to croak out
"He-hello"
"Lizzie? Is that you, what's wrong?" Lizzies best friend Miranda Sanchezs voice rang out through the phone. Miranda had recently graduated from the University of Texas in Austin with a degree in communications and she planned to go into event coordinating for major companies. She had just moved to Boston to be with her long time boyfriend Larry Tudgeman while he finished his degree at MIT and began work on his masters degree in some math science space thing that Lizzie could never remember.
"LIZZIE" Miranda said again,
"Whats wrong you sound awful"
"Gordo", Lizzie mumbled
"What about Gordo, is he okay?" Miranda was starting to sound panicked
"He left" Lizzie whispered still not believing it and feeling like she was in a horrible dream that she couldn't seem to wake up from
"He went to China to film a documentary and I told him if went to not come back, so he- he went, he left me."
"He what?" Miranda gasped, she knew that things had been a bit strained the past few months but she never dreamed that they wouldn't work it out, they always did, they were Lizzie and Gordo. They had come back from Rome eight years before officially a couple and had practically shared the same breath since then, with the exception of that bizarre 2 months junior year, Miranda had never understood what that was about. Now they were done? It didn't seem right; there must be a mistake.
"Miranda" Lizzies small quavering voice brought Miranda back to reality
"Miranda I'm scared, I don't know what to do"
"I'm coming there Lizzie, don't worry we'll figure this all out"
"No you just got there and you and Larry are finally in the same state after 4 years, stay there with him, I'll be okay"
Miranda didn't believe her for a moment, she sounded horrible, and barely coherent and Miranda was scared of what she might resort to.
"Not another word, I'll drive down right now and be there as soon as I can," Miranda paused and then added "hang in there Lizzie, we'll figure this all out."
After they hung up Lizzie attempted to find some food, but found herself without an appetite, so she wandered aimlessly around the apartment for a while until she fell on the couch in exhaustion. She tried turning on the T.V. but the sound hurt her ears, same with the radio, and besides any song she heard seemed to make her think of Gordo, and what they had shared, so it was better quiet. Finally she settled for flipping few the photo albums, trying to remember what it felt like when they were happy. She was okay for about half an hour but then the memories once again became too much and for the third time in two days she cried herself to sleep.
KNOCK KNOCK… KNOCK KNOCK
"LIZZIE…. LIZZIE ARE YOU THERE, OPEN UP"
It took Lizzie a minute to realize that she wasn't dreaming, and that Miranda was banging at her door at… 1:05am
"I'm coming" Lizzie called stumbling for the door and fumbling with the lock. By the time she got it open Miranda looked very worried. The worry gave way to shock when she saw Lizzie standing there in two day old clothes, her normally shiny, full blonde hair matted against her face and her brown eyes almost swollen shut from crying.
"Oh my god" Miranda whispered
"Lizzie?"
"Hey Miranda" Lizzie attempted a smile, but couldn't quite make it.
"Come in" she said standing to the side and letting Miranda come in.
"I'm sorry that you had to come all this way"
"No Lizzie, I'm glad I came, you look horrible"
Miranda had expected Lizzie to be upset, but she looked almost incoherent, and Miranda could only guess how long it had been since she had eaten last. Well she would take care of that, as well as getting Lizzie a shower and some real sleep. It wouldn't be easy though, Lizzie had already gone back to curl up on the couch and was looking about ready to cry again, maybe what she needed first was a hug. Miranda walked over to the couch, sat down and put her arms around Lizzie and let her cry.
" Lizzie, what happened?"
"I don't know" Lizzie sobbed, he was offered this great job assisting on this documentary in China, for five months… and I asked him when we would start planning our wedding and he said when he got back… and I said he didn't love me anymore and I was just a habit, and he said I was crazy, and I said that I dropped everything to come with him and he said… he said that I didn't have to come and then I told him if he left to never come back and… and I gave him the ring back…and the next morning he was gone and he had left me this" She pilled the note out her pocket and gave to Miranda.
"He's gone Miranda, he left me all alone here"
Miranda still could not believe it, especially the note, it was so short and cold, not like Gordo at all, he had always been so considerate of Lizzie and gone out of his way to make her happy, and now to walk out like this, it didn't seem possible. Miranda sighed and looked at the clock, almost 1:30 in the morning, she was exhausted and knew that she would have a busy few days getting Lizzie back to human form and through her graduation ceremony, which was in two days, and her parents were supposed to fly in for it, which would mean more explanations and tears. Luckily Miranda didn't start her new job in Boston for a month and Larry was busy with summer school so she wouldn't be missed too much. She was also formulating a plan to get Lizzie to come back to Boston with her and look for a job there. Miranda knew that Lizzie had been offered a job at a Boston publishing company as an editors assistant and at the Boston Globe as some kind of research assistant, which had the possibility to lead to a position as a featured writer for the paper. Both would be great for her right now, and hopefully help her gain some confidence back. For tonight though, Miranda decided the main goal should be to get Lizzie into clean pajamas and a decent night sleep. This took some work, but finally Lizzie was in bed, and with the aid of a sleep sedative, hopefully about to get decent nights sleep.
For the next couple days Miranda worked to keep Lizzie eating and out of bed, and Lizzie worked at keeping the food down. She really was trying, but she just kept getting sick, it was really bad in the mornings and late afternoons. Lizzies parents made it in time for her graduation and were shocked to learn of the break up. At first they tried to convince Lizzie to come back to Hilldridge with them and work in L.A, but in the end they agreed with Miranda that a new city might be a good idea, and Boston sounded like a good place to start. She already knew some people and there would be no memories haunting her at every turn.
It took some time, but three weeks later Miranda returned to Boston with Lizzie, who had given up her apartment, sold what she could of the furniture, put the rest in storage and was one final interview away from having a job at the publishing company. She was till pretty down most of the time, cried at least once a day, and usually threw up once a day as well, which was starting to worry her a bit, but her overall outlook had improved somewhat and she was excited about getting a "real job" as she put it.
Two weeks after that she was just starting her new job and was really enjoying it. She still missed Gordo like crazy and as much as part of her wanted to just curl up and die without him she was trying to stay focused on finding an apartment so that she could move off of Larry and Miranda's couch and give them some privacy, and well the couch was nice, but she missed sleeping on a bed. Lizzie was also getting concerned about why she was still throwing up almost every day. She had been so upset and distraught over Gordo leaving that she hadn't even noticed how long it had been going on. Almost two months had passed since Gordo had left that she finally decided to go to the doctor; she got Miranda to go with her, just in case it was bad.
Lizzie was prepared for the worst, but not for what the doctor told her.
"Miss McGuire" Dr. Davis said looking at her seriously
"Yes" Lizzie stammered praying that it wasn't too bad
" You're pregnant, it looks like you are about 2 ½ months along"
Lizzie stared at her like she had just told her that the sky had turned purple and was beginning to fall down on earth?
"Pregnant?"
"Yes, pregnant" the doctor noticed Lizzies bewildered expression
" I take it this was not planned" she asked, Lizzie shook her head, not saying a word. Lizzie was surprised, but Miranda really wasn't, she and Larry had suspected it for several weeks but hadn't found a way to bring it up to Lizzie yet.
The doctor went on for a few minutes about Lizzies options, but warned her that she needed to decide quickly because she was almost at the end of the first tri-mester.
Lizzie finally found her voice and thanked the doctor and she and Miranda left. Neither one spoke for the first few minutes of the trip home, but Miranda spoke first.
"So do you know what-"
" No" Lizzie cut in.
" Oh well I guess its Gor-"
" Yes" Lizzie answered shortly
" So there was no one-"
" No" Lizzie answered.
Miranda got the hint and they were silent the rest of the way home.
When they reached the apartment Lizzie headed straight for the bathroom, and Larry came in to the living room where Miranda had flopped on the couch to think.
"So is she-"
" Yes" Miranda replied tiredly
"And its-"
"Yes" Miranda said
" Should I say-"
" No" Miranda said and gave him a " I mean it" look
" Gotcha" he said, gave Miranda a quick kiss and returned to the bedroom to work on the computer, where he figured it was safe.
Lizzie finally left the bathroom; she had changed into a pair of jeans and some sneakers and grabbed a sweater calling over her shoulder
" I'm going for a walk" on her way out the door.
It was several hours before she returned and Miranda had started to worry. Lizzie looked tired but was calm and asked Larry and Miranda to come into the living room. She didn't waste any time getting to the point
" I've decided to keep the baby"
Miranda and Larry both nodded in approval
"We completely support your decision" Miranda told her
"Completely" Larry chimed in
"And we'll do anything to help" Miranda added
"Anything" Larry echoed
" Thanks, I've also decided that I'm not going to tell Gordo."
Miranda looked confused
" You mean until he gets back from China, right"
" No" Lizzie said firmly
" Not ever, I don't want him to know, or anyone else for that matter, including my family. I'll tell anyone who asks that I hooked up with some guy right after we broke up when was on the rebound, that it was a one night stand and that I don't know how to get a hold of him, which isn't a total lie, I don't know how to get a hold of Gordo, he didn't leave a number"
Miranda and Larry were silent for a moment and then spoke at once
" Lizzie, I don't think-"
" Are you sure this is-"
They looked quickly at each other and Miranda continued
" Lizzie I don't think this is a good idea, he deserves to know, so do your parents, and his parents, and your friends…"
" He doesn't deserve anything, not after what happened, and I don't want my parents to know because they'll tell him, and you two are my closest friends and you know so I don't see the problem"
"Lizzie" Miranda tried again " I really think-"
" Miranda I've made my decision and I hope that you'll support me, that both of you will support me, you're practically all I have"
There was a long pause, but finally Larry spoke up
" You're right, it is your decision and we'll support you in it, won't we Miranda"
Miranda looked at him surprised, and they had a brief conversation with their eyes, but finally Miranda gave in.
"Yeah we support you"
Lizzie got up and gave them both big hugs
"Thank you so much, this means a lot to me"
Miranda nodded, she still didn't think that this was the right thing to do, but Lizzie was her best friend and she would support any decision she made.
"I'm going to go on and take that apartment I looked at yesterday, so hopefully I'll be out of your hair soon"
" It's not a big deal Lizzie, stay as long as you like" Miranda offered
" No, it'll be better this way, besides it's a block away, you'll see me plenty!"
Two weeks later, Lizzie moved into the small one bedroom apartment. Even though it wasn't very big, it was warm and cozy and in a relatively safe part of town so Lizzie was okay with it.
"Well little baby" Lizzie said on her first night in her new apartment
" Its just you and me now, but don't worry we still have Aunt Miranda and Larry near by, and Grandma and Grandpa are just a phone call a way, so… we'll be okay"
She looked out the window and found herself thinking of Gordo; she wondered where he was and what he was doing, and if he ever though about her, and she wondered what would happen if he ever found out.
Hi, this is my first fan fiction so don't be too mean! This is really the prolouge and I know its really long, but I wanted to get the background stuff in one chapter, so sorry! Well I hope you enjoy!
Chapter 1- Prologue
"Gordo, please don't do this!" 22-year-old Elizabeth "Lizzie" McGuire begged of her boyfriend of eight years David Gordon "Gordo". It was an unseasonably warm night in New York City but in Lizzie and Gordos apartment, located just blocks from NYU where Gordo had just graduated from film school; there was a definite chill in the air.
"Please don't leave, what about me, what about us?"
Gordo stopped his packing for a moment and turned to face her, his intense blue eyes flashing with hurt and anger.
"Lizzie, its only for four or five months, I'm not abandoning you or us, I'm following my dream, I'd hoped that of all people you would understand"
"I thought I was your dream" Lizzie whispered, her brown eyes welling up with tears that she was trying to hold back. She looked down at the small diamond ring on her left hand and felt a few of the tears start to slip out.
" What about our wedding? We haven't even set a date and we've been engaged for almost two years and living together for three years, how long are we going to wait?"
"We'll plan it when I get back, I have to do this Liz, it'll be great for my career. A real documentary, they want me to assist, and I've only been out of film school for a month, why are you being so difficult about this?"
It's not just this Gordo, you've changed the last few months, you're distant, all you care about is films and getting discovered, all I am to you now is an item on your daily list of things to deal with… I'm a habit you can't get rid of"
Gordo stared at her silently for a moment and they stood in face off letting Lizzies last comment hang in the air. Gordo spoke first
"Do you really think that little of me, do you really think that I feel that way about you, and do you think that little of my dream of becoming a director, you used to support me" Gordos voice rose as he went on until he was almost yelling.
Lizzies eyes went from hurt and sad to angry very quickly and then she exploded
"How dare you call me unsupportive, I have supported you from day one. May I remind you that I picked up my whole life to move here with you, I gave up the school that I wanted to attend to come here with you." Lizzie was really screaming now and it felt so good to let some her anger and frustration out.
" I busted my butt at community college so that I could get into Columbia and stay near you and I have attended every student film festival in the tri-state area to support you. And I have played second fiddle to your movies for the last year so that your final project would get you the "recognition you deserve" in your words. Well you got your recognition Gordo, you get to go to China for five months and make a "real" documentary. What about me, I'm graduating too, and you're going to miss it. Lizzies voice dropped and she took a deep breath before continuing, quietly now.
"I've worked so hard, and you won't be there. So who's being unsupportive?"
Lizzie finally stopped and waited expectantly for his reply, hoping that maybe he would change his mind, maybe he would break down, apologize and say he loved her and that they would get married and never be apart. Instead he opened his mouth and said
"Nobody said that you had to come"
Lizzie stared at him like she had been slapped in the face and punched in the stomach at the same time. She searched for words to reply to that
" Gordo, what…"
"I'm sorry I said that Lizzie, I didn't mean it, I…"
"No" Lizzie cut him off, her voice shaking
"You meant it, and I understand now, you never wanted me here, I am just a habit you put up with, but… why did you propose" tears were flowing freely down her face by then, "why?"
"Liz, I did-I mean I do want to marry you, but I have to do this, why don't you understand that?"
Lizzie was silent for a moment; she knew the truth as hard as it was to accept, before taking a deep breath and summoning all of her courage.
"Fine, go to China, do your documentary, but if you walk out that door, you don't have to bother coming back." And with that Lizzie slid her beloved engagement ring off of her finger and set it on the coffee table and walked into their bedroom closing and locking the door behind her.
"Lizzie, come on" she heard Gordo call after her
"Please don't be like this… Liz…LIZZIE"
Lizzie was already crying softly in their bedroom and hearing him call after her was making it worse so she went into the bathroom turned on the water in the bathtub as loud as she could and cried herself to sleep on the bathroom floor.
When Lizzie awoke the next morning she was in the bed under a blanket. The water had been turned off and the apartment was dead silent. The last thing she remembered was crying on the bathroom floor after her fight with Gordo. Wait where was Gordo? She had locked the bedroom door, how had he gotten in? And how did she get in bed? Lizzie looked around the room and saw that the doorknob had been removed, Gordo must have taken it off to get in, and then he must have put her in bed. Lizzie smiled
"He must have stayed!" she thought to herself, but if he stayed, where was he?
Lizzie stumbled out of bed and went to look for him in the apartment, but all she found was emptiness, all of his clothes and movies and books and even his toothbrush was gone. All she found was a note on the kitchen counter
I don't know what to say Liz…
Good-bye
Lizzie stared in disbelief, she didn't know what to do, she couldn't breathe or think, she felt frozen, and then she ran for the bathroom and threw up.
Twenty minutes later Lizzie was still hanging over the toilet throwing up every few minutes, she had know idea what she was throwing up, she hadn't eaten much the past few days, she had been too upset about Gordos announcement that he was running off to China for five months to work on a documentary. Now he was gone, after being best friends for 22 years, and dating for the last eight of those years, with a brief 2 month split junior year after a silly argument that neither remembered what it had been about, he was gone, out of her life. Lizzie literally did not know how to function without him there, she had never had to, he was always there, loving her, protecting her, and encouraging her. He had encouraged her to apply to Columbia, to indulge in her love of writing and get major in English and minor in journalism. Now she was graduating and had several offers from various newspapers and magazines around the country to choose from, but she had no Gordo. The thought made her ill all over again and it was almost ten minutes later before she felt that she had nothing left in her stomach. She staggered to her bed and collapsed in a fit of tears, made worse when she attempted to sit up and found herself face to face with a picture of her and Gordo taken last winter in Central Park. He looked so cute, with snowflakes sprinkled in his dark curly hair, he had grown a bit and was now noticeably taller than Lizzie, and he had filled out a bit but he still very slim. He had his arms wrapped around her in the picture and they both had huge grins on their faces. The memory made Lizzie cry even harder, if that was possible, and soon she had passed out into a deep dreamless sleep.
The phone ringing brought Lizzie out of her sleep. She squinted at the clock by her bed that had read 9:30am the last time she had looked at, right before she had passed out, it now read 5:30pm. Lizzie fumbled for the bedside phone and somehow found the energy to croak out
"He-hello"
"Lizzie? Is that you, what's wrong?" Lizzies best friend Miranda Sanchezs voice rang out through the phone. Miranda had recently graduated from the University of Texas in Austin with a degree in communications and she planned to go into event coordinating for major companies. She had just moved to Boston to be with her long time boyfriend Larry Tudgeman while he finished his degree at MIT and began work on his masters degree in some math science space thing that Lizzie could never remember.
"LIZZIE" Miranda said again,
"Whats wrong you sound awful"
"Gordo", Lizzie mumbled
"What about Gordo, is he okay?" Miranda was starting to sound panicked
"He left" Lizzie whispered still not believing it and feeling like she was in a horrible dream that she couldn't seem to wake up from
"He went to China to film a documentary and I told him if went to not come back, so he- he went, he left me."
"He what?" Miranda gasped, she knew that things had been a bit strained the past few months but she never dreamed that they wouldn't work it out, they always did, they were Lizzie and Gordo. They had come back from Rome eight years before officially a couple and had practically shared the same breath since then, with the exception of that bizarre 2 months junior year, Miranda had never understood what that was about. Now they were done? It didn't seem right; there must be a mistake.
"Miranda" Lizzies small quavering voice brought Miranda back to reality
"Miranda I'm scared, I don't know what to do"
"I'm coming there Lizzie, don't worry we'll figure this all out"
"No you just got there and you and Larry are finally in the same state after 4 years, stay there with him, I'll be okay"
Miranda didn't believe her for a moment, she sounded horrible, and barely coherent and Miranda was scared of what she might resort to.
"Not another word, I'll drive down right now and be there as soon as I can," Miranda paused and then added "hang in there Lizzie, we'll figure this all out."
After they hung up Lizzie attempted to find some food, but found herself without an appetite, so she wandered aimlessly around the apartment for a while until she fell on the couch in exhaustion. She tried turning on the T.V. but the sound hurt her ears, same with the radio, and besides any song she heard seemed to make her think of Gordo, and what they had shared, so it was better quiet. Finally she settled for flipping few the photo albums, trying to remember what it felt like when they were happy. She was okay for about half an hour but then the memories once again became too much and for the third time in two days she cried herself to sleep.
KNOCK KNOCK… KNOCK KNOCK
"LIZZIE…. LIZZIE ARE YOU THERE, OPEN UP"
It took Lizzie a minute to realize that she wasn't dreaming, and that Miranda was banging at her door at… 1:05am
"I'm coming" Lizzie called stumbling for the door and fumbling with the lock. By the time she got it open Miranda looked very worried. The worry gave way to shock when she saw Lizzie standing there in two day old clothes, her normally shiny, full blonde hair matted against her face and her brown eyes almost swollen shut from crying.
"Oh my god" Miranda whispered
"Lizzie?"
"Hey Miranda" Lizzie attempted a smile, but couldn't quite make it.
"Come in" she said standing to the side and letting Miranda come in.
"I'm sorry that you had to come all this way"
"No Lizzie, I'm glad I came, you look horrible"
Miranda had expected Lizzie to be upset, but she looked almost incoherent, and Miranda could only guess how long it had been since she had eaten last. Well she would take care of that, as well as getting Lizzie a shower and some real sleep. It wouldn't be easy though, Lizzie had already gone back to curl up on the couch and was looking about ready to cry again, maybe what she needed first was a hug. Miranda walked over to the couch, sat down and put her arms around Lizzie and let her cry.
" Lizzie, what happened?"
"I don't know" Lizzie sobbed, he was offered this great job assisting on this documentary in China, for five months… and I asked him when we would start planning our wedding and he said when he got back… and I said he didn't love me anymore and I was just a habit, and he said I was crazy, and I said that I dropped everything to come with him and he said… he said that I didn't have to come and then I told him if he left to never come back and… and I gave him the ring back…and the next morning he was gone and he had left me this" She pilled the note out her pocket and gave to Miranda.
"He's gone Miranda, he left me all alone here"
Miranda still could not believe it, especially the note, it was so short and cold, not like Gordo at all, he had always been so considerate of Lizzie and gone out of his way to make her happy, and now to walk out like this, it didn't seem possible. Miranda sighed and looked at the clock, almost 1:30 in the morning, she was exhausted and knew that she would have a busy few days getting Lizzie back to human form and through her graduation ceremony, which was in two days, and her parents were supposed to fly in for it, which would mean more explanations and tears. Luckily Miranda didn't start her new job in Boston for a month and Larry was busy with summer school so she wouldn't be missed too much. She was also formulating a plan to get Lizzie to come back to Boston with her and look for a job there. Miranda knew that Lizzie had been offered a job at a Boston publishing company as an editors assistant and at the Boston Globe as some kind of research assistant, which had the possibility to lead to a position as a featured writer for the paper. Both would be great for her right now, and hopefully help her gain some confidence back. For tonight though, Miranda decided the main goal should be to get Lizzie into clean pajamas and a decent night sleep. This took some work, but finally Lizzie was in bed, and with the aid of a sleep sedative, hopefully about to get decent nights sleep.
For the next couple days Miranda worked to keep Lizzie eating and out of bed, and Lizzie worked at keeping the food down. She really was trying, but she just kept getting sick, it was really bad in the mornings and late afternoons. Lizzies parents made it in time for her graduation and were shocked to learn of the break up. At first they tried to convince Lizzie to come back to Hilldridge with them and work in L.A, but in the end they agreed with Miranda that a new city might be a good idea, and Boston sounded like a good place to start. She already knew some people and there would be no memories haunting her at every turn.
It took some time, but three weeks later Miranda returned to Boston with Lizzie, who had given up her apartment, sold what she could of the furniture, put the rest in storage and was one final interview away from having a job at the publishing company. She was till pretty down most of the time, cried at least once a day, and usually threw up once a day as well, which was starting to worry her a bit, but her overall outlook had improved somewhat and she was excited about getting a "real job" as she put it.
Two weeks after that she was just starting her new job and was really enjoying it. She still missed Gordo like crazy and as much as part of her wanted to just curl up and die without him she was trying to stay focused on finding an apartment so that she could move off of Larry and Miranda's couch and give them some privacy, and well the couch was nice, but she missed sleeping on a bed. Lizzie was also getting concerned about why she was still throwing up almost every day. She had been so upset and distraught over Gordo leaving that she hadn't even noticed how long it had been going on. Almost two months had passed since Gordo had left that she finally decided to go to the doctor; she got Miranda to go with her, just in case it was bad.
Lizzie was prepared for the worst, but not for what the doctor told her.
"Miss McGuire" Dr. Davis said looking at her seriously
"Yes" Lizzie stammered praying that it wasn't too bad
" You're pregnant, it looks like you are about 2 ½ months along"
Lizzie stared at her like she had just told her that the sky had turned purple and was beginning to fall down on earth?
"Pregnant?"
"Yes, pregnant" the doctor noticed Lizzies bewildered expression
" I take it this was not planned" she asked, Lizzie shook her head, not saying a word. Lizzie was surprised, but Miranda really wasn't, she and Larry had suspected it for several weeks but hadn't found a way to bring it up to Lizzie yet.
The doctor went on for a few minutes about Lizzies options, but warned her that she needed to decide quickly because she was almost at the end of the first tri-mester.
Lizzie finally found her voice and thanked the doctor and she and Miranda left. Neither one spoke for the first few minutes of the trip home, but Miranda spoke first.
"So do you know what-"
" No" Lizzie cut in.
" Oh well I guess its Gor-"
" Yes" Lizzie answered shortly
" So there was no one-"
" No" Lizzie answered.
Miranda got the hint and they were silent the rest of the way home.
When they reached the apartment Lizzie headed straight for the bathroom, and Larry came in to the living room where Miranda had flopped on the couch to think.
"So is she-"
" Yes" Miranda replied tiredly
"And its-"
"Yes" Miranda said
" Should I say-"
" No" Miranda said and gave him a " I mean it" look
" Gotcha" he said, gave Miranda a quick kiss and returned to the bedroom to work on the computer, where he figured it was safe.
Lizzie finally left the bathroom; she had changed into a pair of jeans and some sneakers and grabbed a sweater calling over her shoulder
" I'm going for a walk" on her way out the door.
It was several hours before she returned and Miranda had started to worry. Lizzie looked tired but was calm and asked Larry and Miranda to come into the living room. She didn't waste any time getting to the point
" I've decided to keep the baby"
Miranda and Larry both nodded in approval
"We completely support your decision" Miranda told her
"Completely" Larry chimed in
"And we'll do anything to help" Miranda added
"Anything" Larry echoed
" Thanks, I've also decided that I'm not going to tell Gordo."
Miranda looked confused
" You mean until he gets back from China, right"
" No" Lizzie said firmly
" Not ever, I don't want him to know, or anyone else for that matter, including my family. I'll tell anyone who asks that I hooked up with some guy right after we broke up when was on the rebound, that it was a one night stand and that I don't know how to get a hold of him, which isn't a total lie, I don't know how to get a hold of Gordo, he didn't leave a number"
Miranda and Larry were silent for a moment and then spoke at once
" Lizzie, I don't think-"
" Are you sure this is-"
They looked quickly at each other and Miranda continued
" Lizzie I don't think this is a good idea, he deserves to know, so do your parents, and his parents, and your friends…"
" He doesn't deserve anything, not after what happened, and I don't want my parents to know because they'll tell him, and you two are my closest friends and you know so I don't see the problem"
"Lizzie" Miranda tried again " I really think-"
" Miranda I've made my decision and I hope that you'll support me, that both of you will support me, you're practically all I have"
There was a long pause, but finally Larry spoke up
" You're right, it is your decision and we'll support you in it, won't we Miranda"
Miranda looked at him surprised, and they had a brief conversation with their eyes, but finally Miranda gave in.
"Yeah we support you"
Lizzie got up and gave them both big hugs
"Thank you so much, this means a lot to me"
Miranda nodded, she still didn't think that this was the right thing to do, but Lizzie was her best friend and she would support any decision she made.
"I'm going to go on and take that apartment I looked at yesterday, so hopefully I'll be out of your hair soon"
" It's not a big deal Lizzie, stay as long as you like" Miranda offered
" No, it'll be better this way, besides it's a block away, you'll see me plenty!"
Two weeks later, Lizzie moved into the small one bedroom apartment. Even though it wasn't very big, it was warm and cozy and in a relatively safe part of town so Lizzie was okay with it.
"Well little baby" Lizzie said on her first night in her new apartment
" Its just you and me now, but don't worry we still have Aunt Miranda and Larry near by, and Grandma and Grandpa are just a phone call a way, so… we'll be okay"
She looked out the window and found herself thinking of Gordo; she wondered where he was and what he was doing, and if he ever though about her, and she wondered what would happen if he ever found out.