The weight on his chest was a very welcome one. He loved times like this. But it was late for Hunter, and he was already dozing off. Justin searched blindly for the remote control that was lying on the floor beside the couch he was laying on and turned off the TV that was playing Chicken Run. Justin was happy they were watching that movie. He thought it was quite humorous, so they were both able to thoroughly enjoy the movie.
He held on to Hunter tightly and sat up on the couch.
"Daddy..."
"Shhh." Justin whispered and stood up and carried Hunter to his room.
Once Hunter was tucked in, Justin walked back into the couch with every intent on laying on the couch and channel surfing until his eyes got droopy. But he...he was bored, and lonely. Frankly he just needed someone to talk to, anyone.
He thought maybe Chris or JC would be online, but highly doubted it considering both of their busy schedules, but he thought to try it anyway.
While AOL took its time connecting and signing on, Justin went to get him something to drink and came back in a sat down.
No one was online.
But he did have mail.
Subj: Hi Again
Date: 2/23/2008 7:39:29 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: Drliztn
To: LakeJ0321
weird eh? You're son gets sick, you freak and the next thing you know we are sending emails back and forth. I have to say this is a welcome thing.
Being alone in a city you've never been to before and working for the first time and being completely on your own the first time is quite a scary and lonely thing. So this is cool that I have someone that I can send emails too besides my sisters. I bet I've annoyed you to death. You can just stop sending them whenever you desire.
Ok, I think I'm going to go watch a movie with Muffy, my cat. Later Alligator...
-Lizzie
Justin smiled and hit reply.
------------
So her sinuses were better, but her mood was dampened. Saturday at 9:30 and she was munching on a Triscuit with cheese and watching You've got Mail with Muffy.
She didn't really like the movie, for reasons she didn't like to think about. She really didn't know why she was putting herself through this torture. She was lonely. Very lonely. Being in your late 20s and not having any friends or any love interest was a depressing thing.
So depressing that now the movie was still playing, Muffy was curled up in her spot on the couch, but Liz was on the other side of the room, in front of the computer, searching chat rooms.
"If damn Meg Ryan can do it, so can I. I'm quirky, I'm cute, this sucks."
"You've Got Mail."
"I have got to turn that movie off." She mumbled, hearing the phrase again.
But when she closed her eyes in a yawn and opened them again she saw that in fact that phrase had come from the speakers to her computer. She had mail.
She sighed and put her mouse on the mailbox and clicked enter.
Subj: Re: Hi Again
Date: 2/23/2008 9:34:02 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: LakeJ0321
To: Drliztn
No, this is cool. It gives me something to do and someone to talk to, um..kinda. I just watched half of Chicken Run with my son. I love that movie. It just cracks me up.
Anyway, you will find your place in whatever city you are in. I know what its like to go to a place you have no idea about, and I know what its like to be alone. This is cheesy as hell but if you ever need to just get your frustration out, feel free to email me or whatever.
Oh god, now I sound like a Hallmark card. I need to go finish watching Chicken Run, quick. I'm 27 years old, is this healthy?
Later
-LakeJ
Elizabeth smiled at the screen. She liked this guy. He seemed really cool. She hit reply and began typing a response. But before she was done with her first sentence a bling hit her ears.
LakeJ0321: Eh, What's up, Doc?
She was a bit startled that he would be so bold to IM her. Email had some sort of safety to it. She couldn't really say what it was but she felt much more vulnerable using Instant Messenger. There was a reason why, but she didn't like to think about that. She didn't even want to remember that.
But she did.
LakeJ0321: Hope you don't mind me IMing you. I'm bored out of my mind. I'll leave ya alone if you wish.
Drliztn: You have a 5 year old, how can you be bored?
LakeJ0321: He is asleep right now. I'm usually thankful for the quiet times but, they just seem so...useless.
Drliztn: Welcome to my world. My apartment is constantly quiet unless I have Dave playing or something.
LakeJ0321: Dave ?
Drliztn: Dave Matthews Band? Ya know. You could say I'm sorta obsessed.
Justin stared at the screen, stunned. He couldn't move. He should have noticed before, her name being Liz and all, but...He dismissed the thought thinking it was just a mere coincidence. This couldn't be his Liz.
LakeJ0321: That's cool. I'm a Jackson (Michael and Janet) fan myself. And others too, I like that pop/r&b stuff.
Drliztn: You have Britney posters on your wall don't you?
Liz giggled and got out of her chair. She turned off her movie and picked up the remote for her stereo and pressed play so that one of her random DMB CDs would play. She plopped back down in her computer chair, Indian style, looking up at the screen, waiting.
Justin on the other hand rubbed his forehead. 2 things were running through his mind. One, his ex-wife. If only this girl knew. But then again, this girl, this Dr. Liz person, that's EXACTLY what HIS Liz would say.
He really didn't know how to reply to that.
Thankfully for him, he didn't have to.
Drliztn: Personally, I like Christina better. I cant really believe they are both around, popular and stuff. But oh well. I really don't like either of them...but anyway...
LakeJ0321: Yeah, Christina is cool. So where do you live Dr. Liz?
Drliztn: Memphis.
Justin's eyes widened. So this wasn't his Liz, but it was kidna weird they were in the same place.
Drliztn: Just moved from Maryland.
Justin's heartbeat quickened. "Oh my..."
Drliztn: What about you?
He didn't know what to type. This was just getting way too weird for him. It couldn't be HER. It just couldn't. That would be like...fate.
LakeJ0321: It's strange but I'm right outside of Memphis myself.
Drliztn: Weeeeirrd. How long have you lived here?
LakeJ0321: I grew up here, but moved away in my teens. Moved back a few years ago.
Drliztn: That's cool. Ugh..I'm in one of those twenties chat room. (Don't laugh) don't you HATE it when people are like a/s/l? That's so damn annoying. I've ALWAYS hated that. I gotta get out of this place.
Justin immediately pushed the rolling chair away from the computer like touching it would severely harm him.
"No..this is..no..."
He reached for the edge of the desk and pull him and his chair back to it. He pulled up her profile, staring at the screen, nibbling at his lip, hoping he would stop shaking.
Member Name: Dr. Liz at your service
Location: once Baltimore...now Memphis
Sex: Female
Marital Status: no...with my luck..never.
Hobbies: Little kids, Muffy my cat (wait those aren't hobbies...) Umm, I like Dave Matthews Band of course. I like hanging out with my cool niece Lisa, you rock girlie!! I despise yachts, Disney World, Billy Joel, and boybands (I have my reasons).
Computers: Got one, but I want a new one
Occupation: Pediatric Doctor
Personal Quote: "Guys Suck. Don't trust them, they only run away...with your heart." -That's a quote by me
Drliztn: tap. tap. tap. you there kid?
Justin took a deep breath. It just HAD to be her. With the Lisa comment and...he...he...He just had to make sure.
LakeJ0321: Sorry, looking at your profile. :) Why do you hate yachts, DW, and Billy?? and boybands? the horror...hehe
Drliztn: To make a long story short...my ex took me to "DW" in 2002, sang a Billy to me..and then I caught him fucking another girl on his yacht. boybands...lets not get into that.
Justin sighed. He had no idea that's what had happened when they were at Disney World. It started to click. How he had been leaning there again the car, and watching her sobbing, crying...coming from the docks. He couldn't believe that that bastard Trevor would do that to her; would leave her like...
...almost like he had.
LakeJ0321: Sorry didn't mean to bring up bad memories.
Drliztn: Well Trevor messed up my head for a while, but I'm over it now. OR...trying to get over it. :D
That was it. That was the last straw for him. It was her. It was his Liz, Elizabeth Meyers, the Internet chick. It was HER.
It was scary to him, that SHE had been thrown back into his life, for the 3rd time. It was like destiny, or fate, or something like that.
The last time she was forced into his life he was a body of shock, confusion, and terror, but now...it was different. A bright smile reflected back to him in the computer screen, and a quiet, low chuckle sounded his ears and the only thing he could think was...
She's back.
------
Moments passed and he hadn't IMed her back. She kinda wondered if something she had done had scared him off. She hoped not. She really liked the fact that he was willing to talk to her. She missed just pointless chit-chat. But it really wasn't all that pointless. It was comforting, like a big warm blanket.
For 10 minutes, she had a friend, a companion, an acquaintance, someone to talk to other than Muffy the cat. She missed this, she longed for it, and secretly she hoped that whoever this LakeJ person was would continue chatting with her, at least for the night.
But then something pulled at her heart.
She had been down this road before and had seen where it ended...alone, needy, and hopeless. But this was just for one night, one night of pointless chit-chat.
LakeJ0321: I guess we have something in common. I'm trying to forget about my ex wife, and you your ex boyfriend. How lovely.
Drliztn: Seems like after 6 years I'd be over it huh?
LakeJ0321: Well when you give someone, everything that you can..you heart, body...soul...it really hurts when they reject it, and throw it back to you all beat up and used.
Liz smiled, he seemed to know EXACTLY how she felt. That little person on one of her shoulders told her that this was wrong, that she shouldn't do this because she would get hurt, she shouldn't pretend this LakeJ screen name was the answer to all her problems. She had talked to him a good 10 minutes, online above all things, for all she knew he could be 50 years old and 250 lb.
But the other person on her shoulder told her that it wasn't wrong. This was the outlet she had been needing, wanting, and hoping for. This was a way for her to bitch out the world, and not give a damn about what someone else said, yet at the same time getting feedback. The problem was, she didn't know which one was the angel, and which one the devil.
She went with whatever side of her though that this could be the prayer she had been asking God for every night.
Just someONE to talk to.
Drliztn: What's your name LakeJ? I feel so impersonal calling you that.
She waited...and waited..and waited. And with a sigh, she realized she had lost her one prayer. It have been at least 3 minutes, 4 minutes, and now 5 minutes and he had not said a WORD back to her. Maybe she was jut impatient, but she then lost all hope.
And then 6 minutes later, right when she had claimed defeat and moved her mouse to the sign off box, her hope was restored.
