Elizabeth Harrison's Hope For A Better Tomorrow

36: Mia And Elizabeth.

Elizabeth gets on the elevator alone while taking out her car keys from her bag as Fayette left earlier for work. Fayette had to submit the results, therefore, she left before dawn and Elizabeth was going at her usual time. The elevator dropped her off at the parking area where she walked towards her car. She checked her cellphone once again to see that Leo had not answered her text yet. They are going to dinner tonight and she texted him to confirm but he didn't answer her back – maybe he was busy. She was about to get into her car when she heard footsteps coming closer to her. She randomly turned her head around to see the person and froze when she saw Fred walking towards her with his head down. She hasn't seen him or his fiancée, Jennifer in a few days. Elizabeth was in no mood to talk to him, so she tried to get in the car without him noticing her – but of course, that didn't happen. Fred lifted his head to see Elizabeth and called out her name, "Oh – hi, Elizabeth." He greeted.

She sighed and closed her eyes briefly before she turned around slowly to look at him. She bobbed her head, "Hey," She greeted back. She was about to get back into the car when Fred's next words stopped her, "Your boyfriend isn't picking you up?" She could hear the smugness in his voice. Elizabeth rolled her eyes. He was making unnecessary conversation with her and she didn't like it. She looked at him and offered him a fake smile, "He will," she nodded her head and continued, "For our date tonight." She added. Elizabeth doesn't know why she told him that but the smile that slipped off his face gave immense satisfaction. Elizabeth chuckled and shook her head before she said to him, "Have a worse day," she wished him before she got into her car and put her keys in the ignition, "I hope you pick me up for dinner tonight, Leo, or else I am going to kill you," she mumbled to herself before she started the car and drove away.

As usual, Elizabeth didn't have breakfast at home. Since Fay had to leave early – she didn't make breakfast. Elizabeth stopped at the coffee shop she usually comes to for breakfast, "Elizabeth, you really need to learn how to cook," she said to herself as she got out of the car and closed the door behind her. The place was like a second home for her – she comes here in detail to buy coffee. She walked in and was welcomed by the rich smell of coffee with the hint of the sweet smell of muffins, cookies, pancakes, and whatnot. She was not hungry and the little appetite she had for a muffin was now gone – all thanks to Fred. That guy really brings out the worse of her. Why did she have to see him so early in the morning? Now her day will be ruined.

The place was thankfully not crowded – that is another reason why she comes to this place. She stood in the line to order and after a couple of people, her turn came. The barista looked at her and smiled, "Hey Elizabeth, usual?" She asked. Elizabeth smiled and nodded her head before she took the money out of her bag and paid for a coffee and a muffin. When the barista gave her the receipt and asked her to for her order – Elizabeth thanked her and turned around and let other people behind her get their turn to order. She was placing her wallet back into her bag and didn't see who was coming when she was bumped into someone and let out a shriek as she felt something extremely hot coffee run down her stomach. "Oh my God, I am so sorry!" she heard a female voice as Elizabeth pulled her now stained white blouse away from her skin. "I am so sorry," the woman added again as she tried to clean the coffee stain from Elizabeth's blouse with a napkin.

"Madam, Are you alright?" An employee of the coffee place rushed to see Elizabeth. Elizabeth hissed as she could feel the burn on her stomach but looked at the employee and nodded her head, "Yes – yes, it is okay. I am fine." She replied to him. Everyone in the coffee place was looking at her. She mashed her lips together and looked down at her now ruined blouse. She clicked her tongue as took the napkin from the employee and started to clean her blouse. "I am truly sorry – I didn't see you coming," The woman that knocked her hot coffee on Elizabeth apologized once again. Elizabeth lifted her head to look at her and to tell her that it was okay when she realized that the woman looked familiar. Elizabeth knitted her eyebrows together, "Oh – Mia?" She called her name. She vividly remembers this woman walking into her and Leo in the hospital washroom.