The Outcast

Chapter 40

Elizabeth's POV 

My body jerked awake at the loud knocks coming from the door. I glanced around realizing that I was still sitting by the dining table, my embroidery wool and needles scattered around the small table. When did I fall asleep? 

Another sharp knock at the door brought me out of my thoughts. I quickly stood to my feet and I threw down whatever it was that I was knitting then I quickly made my way to the door. A small smile pulled onto my face when I opened it and Michael came into view.

"Oh thank God. I was just about ready to break in. I thought something had happened to you." He held his chest dramatically and let out a breath then smiled widely at me.

"Oh my, I'm sorry. I dozed off." I replied sheepishly. Michael chuckled.

"You must be tired then, do you want me to come another ti-"

"No no, it's quite alright. Please come in." I said and moved to the side. Michael nodded and stepped in. He took off his hat and coat and hung them onto the small rack over to the side.

"Lovely home as usual. I don't know how you manage to keep this big ole thing so clean." He bumped my shoulder. I shoved him playfully and let out a small laugh. 

"The work keeps me occupied so I don't mind it." I smiled up at him. Believe it or not, but I liked having Michael around. You could say, I enjoyed his company. He was easy to talk and joke with and he was incredibly good with Valerie. In a way, he reminded me of Marcus and I felt like that was what made me so drawn to him.

He shrugged. "You women and your housework." He smiled down at me, to which I returned. We stood there for a few seconds in a kind of awkward silence with him just staring at me. Although I was pretty comfortable with him by now, there were some times when it got a bit uncomfortable, moments like this, where he'd just stare at me.

"Uh tea?" I asked and clapped my hands in an effort to relieve some of the awkward tension.

"Yes right, uh that's what I came for...the tea." I watched as his face seemed to flush. For a very tanned man, his face sure got red pretty easily.

"Please have a seat, I'll be right back." I said and waited for him to sit comfortably then I made my way to the kitchen. I took out two porcelain teacups. They were from a set that I was gifted from his mother not too long ago. I poured some black tea from the kettle. Then I placed both on a tray, along with some sugar cubes and a few biscuits, then I carefully made my way back to the living room.

"Here you go." I smiled and placed the tray onto the small table.

"Ahh thank you Lucy." He said and took the cup from the tray.

"Sugar?" I asked and pointed to the cubes.

"No, that's alright." I nodded at him and added two cubes of sugar to my own cup,  then we both sat and silently drank out tea.

"So...the library?" I began, wanting to get the conversation over with.

"Right right!" Michael took another sip before placing the cup on the tray. "Yes, the owner is a good friend of mine, she goes by the name of Agatha. Very lovely lady. As I told you two days ago she did say that she needed some help so the job was yours-" Michael went along to relay everything that the woman had told him the day before. It was mostly having to do with my work hours and my salary, which must I say, was pretty good for a starting job. Then before I knew we both ventured off into multiple other conversation.

_

It's been two months since I've started my job at the library and I must say, it's been a pretty easy job so far. The library only got a few customers each day which mostly consisted of some elderly folks who came everyday and students who would come to borrow different books for study.