out from him forever. He clearly wanted to see you and talk to you.” Renee agreed and told her that she just didn’t think she would ever be ready for that. Genevieve said to her “Word to the wise. Stop beating yourself up for what happened when you were a child. You might find things easier to handle then.” Renee knew that she was right, but she just could not get past it at this point.
Elliott arrived home to find that Ben and Lena were not there. They left a note stating that they were at the market and would be back shortly. Elliott slumped down in the recliner in the living room. It seemed to him that New York held one surprise after the other for him. As he was standing up to go to the kitchen to get a glass of water, his door bell rang. It was E. “Hey, man. Elizabeth called and told me what happened. I don’t know what to say.” Elliott said “Yeah, I just got back, and I don’t even know what to think anymore. So, you and Elizabeth . . . Liza, have known Renee since she got here?” E told him the same thing that Liza had said earlier about how they met Renee. “Yeah, she and Liza met at a doctor’s appointment when they were both pregnant. I remember when I first met her, she was so young and scared, you know? She and Liza became fast friends, and after she had Kayla and Matt, we knew she would need all the help she could get. Her aunt, uncle and dad did all they could financially, and we watched the kids while she worked and went to school.” Elliott told Joe that he really wanted to talk to Renee about everything. “When I tried to apologize to her for the things that I said to her, she just told me that it was okay and that I didn’t have to apologize. I know she feels bad. But she seemed like she just wanted to get me out of her office.” Joe nodded and said “Liza told me that Renee was speechless when she realized that we know you, and that I have known you for years.” By this time, Ben and Lena were walking into the kitchen with groceries. Elliott told them about what happened that day. “So let me get this straight,” said Lena. “Joe, you have known Renee since she moved here? She and your wife are best friends?” Joe answered, “Yes. It’s true what they say. It’s a small world.” They all sat in silence for a while until Ben said, “Well, honey, I guess you’re going to arrange another lunch with Renee?” Lena smiled at Ben’s suggestion and said, “No, not me. Elliott. Elliott needs to talk to Renee.” Elliott told Lena that Renee seemed less than eager to see him or talk to him. “Well, you’re just going to have to find a way.”
Later that night while Elliott was sitting in the reading area off the bedroom, he replayed the events of the day. He had been completely taken off guard when he saw E’s wife sitting in Renee’s office. He had known E since they were undergraduates at University California San Francisco and through law school. E’s actual name was Joseph Elias Black, but practically everyone called him E. After graduating from law school, E decided to move to New York, and Elliott had returned to LA. Even though they had stayed in contact over the years, they never really talked too much about their personal lives, and certainly not to any extent that would reveal that E and Liza had known Renee. Renee’s leaving had prompted Elliott to attend school in San Francisco as opposed to staying in LA. He felt the need to get away, so he stayed there throughout his college and postgraduate years, returning to LA after he passed the state bar exam. Elliott never mentioned Renee to E. Never mentioned to him that he had been hurt so badly by a woman. Now, after all this time, everything was out in the open. He couldn’t tell which stunned Renee more, the fact that he knew E and recently met Liza, or the fact that he showed up at
Elliott arrived home to find that Ben and Lena were not there. They left a note stating that they were at the market and would be back shortly. Elliott slumped down in the recliner in the living room. It seemed to him that New York held one surprise after the other for him. As he was standing up to go to the kitchen to get a glass of water, his door bell rang. It was E. “Hey, man. Elizabeth called and told me what happened. I don’t know what to say.” Elliott said “Yeah, I just got back, and I don’t even know what to think anymore. So, you and Elizabeth . . . Liza, have known Renee since she got here?” E told him the same thing that Liza had said earlier about how they met Renee. “Yeah, she and Liza met at a doctor’s appointment when they were both pregnant. I remember when I first met her, she was so young and scared, you know? She and Liza became fast friends, and after she had Kayla and Matt, we knew she would need all the help she could get. Her aunt, uncle and dad did all they could financially, and we watched the kids while she worked and went to school.” Elliott told Joe that he really wanted to talk to Renee about everything. “When I tried to apologize to her for the things that I said to her, she just told me that it was okay and that I didn’t have to apologize. I know she feels bad. But she seemed like she just wanted to get me out of her office.” Joe nodded and said “Liza told me that Renee was speechless when she realized that we know you, and that I have known you for years.” By this time, Ben and Lena were walking into the kitchen with groceries. Elliott told them about what happened that day. “So let me get this straight,” said Lena. “Joe, you have known Renee since she moved here? She and your wife are best friends?” Joe answered, “Yes. It’s true what they say. It’s a small world.” They all sat in silence for a while until Ben said, “Well, honey, I guess you’re going to arrange another lunch with Renee?” Lena smiled at Ben’s suggestion and said, “No, not me. Elliott. Elliott needs to talk to Renee.” Elliott told Lena that Renee seemed less than eager to see him or talk to him. “Well, you’re just going to have to find a way.”
Later that night while Elliott was sitting in the reading area off the bedroom, he replayed the events of the day. He had been completely taken off guard when he saw E’s wife sitting in Renee’s office. He had known E since they were undergraduates at University California San Francisco and through law school. E’s actual name was Joseph Elias Black, but practically everyone called him E. After graduating from law school, E decided to move to New York, and Elliott had returned to LA. Even though they had stayed in contact over the years, they never really talked too much about their personal lives, and certainly not to any extent that would reveal that E and Liza had known Renee. Renee’s leaving had prompted Elliott to attend school in San Francisco as opposed to staying in LA. He felt the need to get away, so he stayed there throughout his college and postgraduate years, returning to LA after he passed the state bar exam. Elliott never mentioned Renee to E. Never mentioned to him that he had been hurt so badly by a woman. Now, after all this time, everything was out in the open. He couldn’t tell which stunned Renee more, the fact that he knew E and recently met Liza, or the fact that he showed up at
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