Plans

I made my way into the hall and grabbed my phone on the fourth ring. "Hello mom." I wasn't worried when she called. The hospital called about emergencies, her calling meant she felt good enough to talk, which had been rare lately.

"Hey sweetie. Did Matthew show you the surprise? I hope it's okay. I gave him and his sister permission. I just thought that with how hard you are always working you should get a nice gift now and then. Besides, it looked too incredible to stay in some closet. Be sure you put it up somewhere nice!" I could hear the smile behind her exhaustion.

"It was amazing mom. Thank you. I'll be down after some cleaning to see you. Get some rest." Of course she had told him it was okay. She was always thinking of me.

"Okay baby, don't rush, I'm feeling much better today." I heard the relief in her voice.

"That's great." I was ecstatic; that was probably my favorite phrase from her. "I love you mom and I will be there as soon as I can. I have to thank your doctor." It had been a long time since she was feeling better. It had been a slow pace of the same every day, if not worse. Improvement was something I would gladly settle for right now.

"I love you too." I heard the phone go quiet as she ended the call. I knew I had Matthew waiting in the other room, but I also knew I had cleaning to get done so I could go see my mother. The sooner the cleaning was done, the sooner I could see her. As I sat the phone back on the table I realized my hand was still wet from the rain, as was the rest of me.

"Would you like some help cleaning?" I heard his voice from down the hall.

"That would be great. I need to get changed before I catch a cold. You can help yourself to anything in the fridge." I walked towards the stairs to head up to my room.

"No problem." He walked into the kitchen and as I reached the edge of the hall he handed me the painting from the table. "You should probably put this upstairs. We wouldn't want it getting messed up." I smiled as I took the painting and headed up the stairs at the edge of the hallway.

Matthew had been in my house before, not this house but at the last town he had come over to help with homework a few times. It wasn't unusual having him home with me, but the gift was a new addition. He probably only did it because he didn't have anything else on his mind to paint that day. That must be it. I opened my door to my room, it was a dark purple room with a black comforter and violet sheets on the bed. I had a desk with a laptop on it and a dresser. I never decorated too much since we usually only stayed in one area for a few months at the most.

I sat the painting, which was larger than I remembered from the park, on my desk and leaned it against the wall. It was about the size of my torso. I never saw any of his paintings, but I could have never guessed how good of an artist he really was. I didn't let my mind wander for too long. I wanted to make it to the hospital tonight since my mother was feeling so well. I switched to a pair of jeans and a simple tank top.

I saw him smile as he handed me a bottle of water and an apple. "I thought you might want a snack, before going to see your mother."

"Thank you, Matthew. I have to do some laundry before I can go though. Besides, she should have a home-cooked meal tonight." I started biting into the apple and as I did I suddenly remembered how little I had eaten at lunch. I had been too distracted waiting for them to show up to eat.

"I figured you would say that." His smile told me he had a trick up his sleeve. I couldn't help but look at him curiously. He laughed, my face obviously giving me away. "My mother is cooking a meal and bringing it to the hospital for all of us." He walked to close the space between us.

"Of course she is." I couldn't help but smile. His mother was sweet and it wasn't the first time she brought me a home-cooked meal at the hospital.

"By the way, I hope you don't mind, I already started the laundry." Now I was surprised, I think my mouth was actually hanging open. "Well, I figured we could either work on homework or you could read until it was ready for the dryer."

"How'd you know I needed to do the laundry?" Did he just know everything about me?

"Well, it's Thursday. You always bring your mother clean clothes on Thursday, and you always spend Friday nights at the hospital. So since I know we would work on homework Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, that leaves Thursday for laundry." Okay, so he did just know everything. I couldn't help but smirk, "What?" His smile faded, though not entirely.

I felt like he was teasing me about something. "I feel like I have a stalker. You know my schedule better than I do." I threw my finished apple's core in the trash while I was talking. More so I wouldn't have to look at him as I said it, otherwise, I probably would have been too distracted to think straight again.

I felt a hand slide around my waist as he turned me to face him. "If I was to stalk you, I promise you wouldn't have caught me." He took a step back and let go of my waist, "I just spend a lot of time with you, and I pay attention. I wanted to know you, and how better to learn than pay as much attention to you as possible." His aquamarine eyes were hypnotizing me again. I wasn't sure if I could breathe or not.

"So what did you pay attention to?" I managed to stutter out of my breathless mouth.

He smiled in that mischievous smile he got, the one that made me think of a secret he was keeping to himself. "Well, your weekly schedule is pretty repetitive. You like beef, but hate chicken and pork. You only like green vegetables, no carrots or corn, not even potatoes. You prefer snacks to be fruit or sweets if it's Saturday. You always have a movie night on Saturdays; it's the night your mother is most likely to be home. I'm assuming that's a tradition and you try to keep it alive even if she isn't able to partake."

He continued, "You spend every Friday night at the hospital to catch your mother up on all the latest events in your life. You bring her dinner at least twice a week, and order or make her breakfast every Saturday. On weeks she can't take part in your movie night you always call her to explain the movie. You have a reading day, and personal time on Sundays. The only time your schedule shifts is if your father makes you go all the way to him for a visit instead of meeting you here or somewhere closer, and you always come back annoyed. That's when you usually read or lay out in the sun. You love gold jewelry, but you don't care for silver as much."

I was shocked, not that he had learned all that, but that he had bothered too. "Is that all?" I asked sarcastically.

"Not quite, but I think I'd like to tell you the rest later. Otherwise, I might scare you." His lips curled up into that mischievous half-smile that made my heart skip and then speed up.

"I think I'll read the book I am supposed to have finished for English by Monday." I was trying to change the conversation to get my mind a little more focused.

"What book is it?" I sighed with relief that he was playing along.

"Pride and Prejudice, it's not bad actually." I started walking to the living room, passing the laundry room as I did. I saw the washer running; he had started laundry, just like he had said.

"I like that one." I hadn't heard him pass me, but he was by the couch when I came into the living room. I should really ask him how he does that.

"How do you do that?" I asked as I grabbed my bag and sat on the couch.

"Do what?" He asked me innocently. I caught the slight sarcasm; he knew exactly what I meant.

"Move so quietly."

"Quietly or quickly?" I hadn't thought of that.

"Whichever it is." I shrugged as we both took a seat on the couch. I noticed he kept some space between us. Although I still felt the electric pull of his as I always did. I wonder if he ever felt it or if it was just on my end. It was most likely my imagination.

"Well," he shrugged.

"Maybe you'll tell me one day?" I guessed with a rather smart face.

"Exactly. See you know me better than you think." I gave him a smile.

"Hey, maybe I know you better than you think." I added trying to win this mini battle of words.

"Oh really?" he smirked and I instantly regretted my own statement.

"Yeah, maybe." I could at least pretend I won.

"Okay then." He turned sideways to face me from his side of the couch. "Fill me in on myself."

"What?" I hadn't expected that.

"You heard me Elizabeth. Either admit defeat, or tell me enough about myself to win."

"Okay, give me a second." I wasn't one to let go so easily. So I thought back on all the times we hung out, when we first met, and things I noticed from my own slightly idiotic staring.

"Okay then. Well, you're very good at hiding your anger or frustration. Instead of taking it out on someone, you smile, but usually end up breaking whatever you have in your hand at the time. You are very good in school, almost too good. School seems like a bit of a waste on you. You don't like most other girls, or at least you never talk to them unless it involves a sibling or class assignment."

I smiled as I continued, "You live with your aunt, although you never considered her your aunt. So that means either you weren't very close to your biological mother, or you understand the concept of loving two caring women figures without worrying it could ever take away that love for your mother. I personally believe it's the second. You have a very big temper when it comes to your family, or my family."

I felt like I was winning this game. "Your family always moves around the time I do, and you almost always end up in my classes. So either you are secretly following me, or your father is somehow related to the cancer my mother is fighting. I know you never eat school food, but love your aunt's cooking. You hate silver, you like painting with acrylic and oil paints, but have very low tolerance for water colors. I also know you somehow trick me into telling you every secret I have. I blame your amazing ability to dazzle and damn near hypnotize me."

I had not just said that! Okay back to information about him, and not myself! "I know you go out every Friday night after leaving the hospital with your siblings. You don't usually come back until Saturday night, or later. You say it's a camping trip, but I doubt that. Oh, and your eyes seem to get darker the longer we hang out." That was all I had, mainly a lot of either or scenarios. Nothing as concrete as his list for me. My list was longer, but his was more accurate.

He smiled and shook his head. "You do pay attention, what else do you know?"

This time his eyes caught me and I couldn't seem to help my mouth and the words that came out of it. "You are obviously in shape, you tense up around me. You seem to have a big secret you won't tell me. You are absurdly good at surprising me and showing up wherever I am. You have much better hearing than I do. You are stunning and I can't control my own heart or breathing around you." Had I really just said all of that? I wanted to run away from embarrassment and lock myself in my room until he forgot I existed.

However, he didn't even flinch. His eyes never left mine, though I saw his smile widen. "Very good, now why don't you ever ask me instead of just wondering?"

Once again almost against my will my mouth moved, "I assume you will tell me when you want. Although, I'm a little concerned about some things. Like how I can't control my own mouth around you, about how you know so much about me, about how your family has so much money but keeps moving around.

He kept his smile as he lowered his eyes and I felt like I had somehow been released as I looked down at my hands. "Sorry, I didn't mean to ramble so much."

"It's okay, I'm glad to know more about what you are thinking." He slid over and put his hand in mine. "You really want to know some of the answers to your questions?"

I wasn't sure, did I? Would it change anything? I couldn't imagine it would, since I couldn't stay away from him. He always seemed to find me anyway. What if he was hiding something bad? What if he was hiding something I didn't want to know about? I looked down at our hands, and saw his ivory skin next to mine.

I felt his cold hand that sent a warm sensation up my arm. I felt his grip tighten, obviously worried about what I would say. I couldn't picture not having him where I was. I couldn't picture not seeing his face, not having his company when I'm in my next town. I realized, watching his soft and cold hand grasp tightly to mine that I didn't really care about the answers. I just wanted to know him.

"Yes, but you don't have to tell me." I was looking at our hands still not sure if I could look in those mesmerizing eyes again without losing my breath. I felt his other hand tilt my face up.

"I'll tell you everything this weekend, if you come to dinner with my family." Dinner? With all of the Tennisons? That already sounded like so much fun. Katherine and him would be there! Marcus and his parents too of course, so that actually means I'll meet his father too! Plus, he'll answer my questions. Where was the downside?

"That sounds lovely actually. Although it'll have to be Sunday night, since you already know my next two days' schedule. Plus I am thinking of popping in to the barbecue for Nick. It was nice of them to invite me." I shrugged, my going was less about feeling glad they invited me and more to avoid further attempts.

"I can manage that." The washer sounded for the clothes to be switched to the dryer. I turned to the direction of the laundry room.

"Want me to get that? It'll give you time to start your book. Besides, it's quicker if I do it." Why would it be any quicker for him? My expression must have given me away because he smiled at me before I could ask. "It's one of the things you'll find out on Sunday. In the meantime, you read." He handed me my book and then got off the couch. I watched him walk away, watched how he went confidently to my laundry room.

I sighed and picked up Pride and Prejudice and opened it to start reading. I was only on chapter two when the next test went up to chapter six. I'd probably have to read it in the hospital tonight. I'd gotten a few sentences in when I heard the dryer start. About half a sentence later Matthew was next to me. I didn't jump, I was trying to concentrate. Although he must have known I was surprised, "Sorry, how's the book?"

"About the same as it was three sentences ago." I didn't hide the sarcasm. He opened his text book for History and began working. I'm assuming it was to try and prepare for tomorrow's test. Although I was certain he would be able to have it excused since he was new. I'd glance at him from the corner of my eye from time to time. He must have noticed because he'd have a little smirk on his face every time.

We sat there quietly for the full hour the clothes spent drying quietly doing our assignments. I'd gotten to chapter four pretty much right when the dryer sounded. I put the book down, "I got it." I got up and headed to the laundry room. Once I finished emptying the dryer into the basket it was lifted over me. "I said I had it." I turned around smiling at Matthew. "Just because you are half a foot taller than me doesn't mean you can do that." I couldn't help but smile.

"Well, I finished my assignment." He turned to take the clothes to the living room. Once I met him at the couch I began to pick out clothes for my mother and set them aside."We better be heading over to the hospital. Is that all you need?"

"Yeah, I just needed to get the bag for these and pack up my schoolwork. Hold on, two seconds." I ran up to my mom's room and grabbed the clothes bag I always used. As I headed to go back down the stairs I expected to see Matthew at the bottom of them, I wasn't disappointed. He handed me my bag already packed with my books from the weight and a bottle of water on its side. I couldn't help but smile and shake my head, "Thank you." With that, we were out the door.

It was a quick drive to the hospital. It was a pleasant ride but I couldn't wait to get to my mom's room and see how she was doing. When we reached the hospital the receptionist recognized me and printed out my visitor badge quickly. She asked Matthew for his name and seemed surprised when he answered, but she didn't explain why. She printed out a pass for him and stumbled a bit as she told him to have a good evening. I was curious what that was all about, but it didn't matter right now. It was time to see mom.

When we reached her room I was greeted by a familiar sight. My mother, pale and weak, her stunning green eyes a pool of youth in her otherwise fragile frame, her hair thinned and light as it hung down her chest. Her sweet smile lit up her face as soon as she saw me. For that second the IV machine, needles and tubes, the hospital bed with its thin scratchy sheets, and the bland white walls almost seemed nonexistent. For in that brief innocent smile, I could almost see my mother as she was before the illness. At that moment my heart always felt full.

"Mom!" I ran over and carefully placed my arms around her. She had grown so thin I could use just one arm and wrap it around her. Her skin looked like a sheet being pulled on a mattress that was one size too large. Yet her eyes and smile never showed any sign of weakening. Their brilliant green shone brightly even through her illness. It made the room disappear for a moment. The same green eyes I saw every day in the mirror, but they never managed to be as peaceful as hers. I felt a wave of peace rush over me as those eyes looked into my own.