A few days passed and Zorell settled into her routine at the hospital, but Saturday had come soon enough and it was moving day. She had a bought a few things for her room at the boarding house, including some new curtains. She found a small shop that sold handmade items and one of those things was window coverings. She also bought some matching bed sheets and a tablecloth. She packed them in with the rest of the things that she brought from home.

She didn't have much, but it was a plus seeing the room she was renting wasn't that big. Leland was still at the hospital so she waited for him to come back and drive her over to the boarding house. It would take her the rest of the weekend to get settled, and she also wanted to stop by the hospital on Sunday to see Shanee. She improved greatly, but Doctor Moses hadn't seen fit to release her from the hospital.

She was about to call the hospital when she heard a knock at the door. "Coming," she called out and put the telephone down and raced to the door. "Leland, did you lose your key again?" she asked, while opening the door but was surprised when she saw that it wasn't him.

"You know you shouldn't open the door without asking who it is first." She found herself staring into these familiar dark eyes that belonged to Gavin Lorio.

"What are you doing here?" she asked. She was holding onto the door ready to close it, when he used his hand to force the door open.

"Leland asked me to drive you over to your new home," Gavin said as she let go of the door.

"Oh really," she said as he stepped inside. "So why didn't he say anything to me about it?"

"Because I ran into him at the hospital and told me he was leaving to help you out today, so I volunteered so he could spend more time with Shanee."

"And you have nothing better to do then chauffeur me around," she said teasingly.

"I can't think of a nicer way to spend an afternoon," he said and smirked. "So where are your bags?"

"Just three," she said and pointed to a large truck and two smaller bags.

"That's it, aye?" he asked looking astounded. "Most women had a lot more things even when traveling for a holiday weekend."

"I travel light," she said, not wanting to reveal that she had actually ran off in the middle of the night with Leland and leaving many of her precious things behind.

"I'll take the big trunk," he said and walked towards it and picked it up. It took some doing, but he was able to lift it onto his shoulder and carry it out. Zorell picked up the other two bags.

She left the apartment and locked the door behind her. She was going to be sure to return the key to Leland when she saw him next.

She was forced to take that dreaded elevator again, but she couldn't expect Gavin to carry that heavy trunk down several flights of stairs. After they stepped inside that traveling box, he put the trunk down and let out a breath.

Since it was the weekend there was no elevator operator that day.

"What do you have in here, bricks?" he asked as she entered with her two carry-on bags.

"No, genius, books and other things," she said, and he laughed as he closed up the gate so the elevator could start. "What is so funny?"

"You said you travel light, but you carry a trunk full of dead trees," he said teasing her. She turned away from him not wanting him to see the blush on her face. "So, you like to read?"

"Yes, doesn't everyone?" she asked. She had almost forgotten she was even on an elevator, the thing she feared the most.

"No, they don't," he said, which surprised her that he would say such a thing.

"You don't read?" she asked, and he looked like he was about to make a confession that he didn't want to.

"Only when I have to," he said and she turned away not trying to laugh. "What is so funny?" He grabbed her arm and turned her around. Her face was blood red, and she couldn't contain her hysterics.

The elevator stopped, and Zorell realized that they were on the first floor. He came over to the door of the elevator and slipped it open. Zorell stepped out first and realized something. She didn't panic once while on the elevator. Gavin had been a good distraction, and she felt for the first time that she might be able to conquer her fear.

They walked out to his car on a still warm summer day, and Zorell felt a weight lifted off of her. She seemed content when she entered Gavin's car. He turned to her in fascination, and she wondered why he was staring at her at that moment in particular.

"What is it?" she asked, wondering why he hadn't started up the car as of yet. "Do I have something on my face?"

"No, it's just that you seem different," he said and thought back to their elevator ride. Why hadn't she gone into a panic attack or in the least sweated out the ride in petrified silence as she always did when she was forced to use that form of so-called modern convenience?

"Oh, that," she said and turned away with a chuckle. "It was the elevator. I hate them."

"I don't like them much either, but it's quicker than taking the stairs, especially with your truck full of bricks." He laughed out loud which made her burst into hysterics.

"It's more than that," she said, trying to become more serious. "I'm terrified of elevators. I hate being closed in like that with no way to escape."

"So, it's more about not being in control, aye," he said and she knew that he had hit the hammer on the nail. She didn't like not being in control, but she didn't like admitting that she didn't like it.

"For the first time in my life I have it," she said, having this forceful determined look in her eye.

He looked quite impressed and gave her a coy smile. "I like that in a woman, but... it's not weak to lean on someone else when needed."

"I wouldn't know," she said and sat back in her seat. She didn't want to admit that she did like the idea of leaning on him.

There was an uncomfortable silence, until it was broken when Gavin started the car. She was glad he didn't insist on conversation on the way to the boarding house. She wasn't planning on seeing him today, but fate had other ideas, not that she was all that upset about it.

"We're here," he said once he stopped the car near the entrance of the large house.

It seemed like it took an eternity since they drove off from Leland's apartment building, but now it seemed like they didn't have long enough time alone.

She was so much in a daze that she hadn't really heard what he had said only that he had said something.

"What?" It was the only word that escaped her lips, and she wasn't aware that she had said it until it was too late. "Oh," he said as he looked around and realized where they were.

"Are you alright?" he asked and she looked at him puzzled. "You just seemed a little lost."

"It's just the first time I've been on my own," she said as she stared at that big house. She was terrified but also excited. Her only fear was that someday her father would come and take it all away. "Well, I think we should get this stuff inside. I told Miss Kastor I would be here by two, and it's almost three."

"Don't worry about that. Old Pearl won't mind. Right now, she's probably serenading her cat," he said and she burst out laughing.

"Is that really true?" she asked looking skeptical.

"Not first hand, but I...uh... I used to go around with her niece, and she told me."

"Oh?" she said more like a question than an inquiry.

"She left me and married someone else," he said and didn't look very broken up about it. "It was a long time ago."

"Zorell tried to hide her jealousy, even if it was just a momentary feeling. "It's none of my business," she said and picked up one of her carry-on bags, the smaller one.

She couldn't say whether or not it was on purpose. She walked up to the porch of the house not looking back at Gavin, but she was sure he was watching her every move.    

I finally got this part finished, and another one is coming today. I also included a picture of Gavin.

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