Chapter 4
CHAPTER 4
Lizzie and Gabby loved London Calling, and did manage to get two episodes in before Peter got home. They were all hanging out on the couch relaxing when Lizzie’s phone rings.
“It’s Jack, I’m going to run upstairs, night guys,” she says as she answers her phone, “Hey, I was going to call you,” she says, happy to hear from him.
“Well good thing I saved you all that effort,” he teases. “How’s your night going?”
“Tell him we say hi,” Peter calls after her as she heads upstairs.
“Dad and Mom say hi,” she says as she climbs the stairs.
She walks into her room and closes the door. “My night’s been good, I ate soup and popcorn and watched a new show with Mom, I’m pretty much living the hermit dream,” she says, getting cozy on her bed. “What about you?”
“Nothing too exciting, ate some ramen, and am honing and editing my presentation for tomorrow night. I can’t believe how nervous I am!” he says.
“Oh! I almost forgot! I have an idea for a name,” suddenly she feels nervous and wonders if it’s any good. She sits up on her bed and clears her throat. “Okay, you ready?”
“Uh, yeah, I need a name like yesterday!”
“‘Terra Marique,’ it means ‘land and sea’ in Latin.” She’s quiet, waiting for a response. “You still there?”
“Yeah, I was just writing it down, It’s m-a-r-i-q-u-e?” I love it! It might take people a bit to not call it Terra Marquee which would be a very different place, a land and theater situation,” they both laugh. “But no, I love it, it has a certain gravitas to it that I like.”
“It was my mom who suggested looking at some Latin words, and I loved the way it sounded,” Lizzie says, relieved that Jack likes it. It may be his project, but she feels so invested as well. She has to maintain some distance given her role at the newspaper, but it’s personal, not just because of Jack, but because of what it could mean to the town. “I’m so glad you like it!”
“It will be good to go in there with an actual name they can hang their hats on, like it’s actually something, not just an idea.” He lets out a huge sigh. “Thanks so much, sweetie, I really appreciate this.”
“Hey, we’re a team, remember? The Gazette might not even be here anymore if it wasn’t for you bringing in your angel investors, so we help each other, right?” she says, feeling so lucky to have that partnership with him. She’d kissed a few frogs in her lifetime and was very happy to have found her way back to her swan. She never thought in terms of princes, but swans, who mate for life? She could get behind that.
“Are you coming to the meeting tomorrow night?” Jack asks, they hadn’t actually firmed up that plan.
“I keep going back and forth, Stan’s going to cover it, but I worry that it might muddy things up a bit for you if I was there. Would they be reminded of us being a couple and think we’re biased because of that? That’s partly why Dad asked Stan to cover it. Small town politics are so hard because everyone knows everyone, but this is a bit more than just knowing each other, we’re…” she stumbles a little not really knowing what to call them, they’re not married, not engaged… “Uh, since we’re-”
“A couple?” Jack says, filling in the blank.
“Yeah, a couple” She shakes her head, feeling so silly. “Anyway, I don’t want to do anything that might screw it up for you. And on the other hand, the non-professional part of me feels terrible about not being there for you for something so important. So I do want to come.”
“Lizzie, I understand. And all those same thoughts went through my head too, it’s okay. Whatever you and your Dad decide is cool.”
“You sure? I feel like a jerky girlfriend being hesitant.”
Jack laughs, “Hey you just named the place, you’re not a jerky girlfriend. Don’t worry about it. Though I know telling you not to worry about something is futile. Worrying is your superpower.”
“Ugh, I know! Why couldn’t I have gotten flying or invisibility?” She laughs knowing he’s exactly right, and also comforted at how well he knows her, and accepts her, just as she is.
“Do you want to practice your presentation on me? We could FaceTime, or Zoom? Or you could come over?” Again, feeling like a jerk she’s kind of hoping he’ll say no because it’s after 10 and she’s really tired. But she’d rally if he needed her.
“No, thanks, I'm good. I think I’m going to head to bed pretty soon and try to get some sleep. We’ll see how that goes.”
“Rub some of that lavender cream I got you at the farmers market on your wrists, it’s supposed to help you relax,” Lizzie says knowing there is no way he’s going to rub lavender on himself.
He laughs, “Yeah, I’ll get right on that.”
“Yeah, I had a feeling that was a ridiculous suggestion as soon as I said it. Maybe if you put some dirt in it too it will feel more manly?” she jokes.
“Hey, I’m not some Neanderthal kind of guy, I did those Korean face masks with you, I can do skincare and relaxing, I just don’t really think some lotion is going to help me stop thinking about how I have the chance to either make everything I’ve been working for come together tomorrow, or it can all just, well, float out to sea. I’m feeling just a little bit of pressure and performance anxiety.”
“Which is why I know I have to be there. I just decided. To hell with what anyone thinks. I’m a Cranberry Harbor resident as well as co-editor of the town paper.” Lizzie says, now feeling like the lotion was a stupid suggestion when he’s got so much on the line. “There are so many people who believe in this project, it’s going to happen. And if there’s any glitches or questions from the town, we will deal with them, but they have to know we need to do something now. The climate is changing, our shores are eroding, we’re losing young people in droves, and average people can’t afford to live here. If they push back I’d ask them, ‘what’s your plan then?’”
“I know you’re right, we just have to hope that there is enough foresight on the board to see that this is not a drill, we’re at DEFCON 3, headed quickly to 2, and not far from 1 if we don’t act,” Jack says.
“Use that! The older guys on the board will relate to that,” Lizzie says. “And remind them that the beachfront property so many covet here will be in the ocean if we don’t start taking climate change seriously.”
“Let’s change the subject, this isn’t helping me relax, how was yoga?”
“Oh it was good, relaxing, and a good workout, a tough combo to find. I feel so grateful to have found friends to do things with. It’s not easy here,” Lizzie says, feeling grateful for her crew.
“Yeah, I’m feeling a little bit of a loss not having Ben and Sean to hang out with now that they’re parents. I need to find some guys to go mountain biking with and stuff like that,” Jack says, sounding a little lonely.
“I know Matt loves that stuff too, but between his solar business and his family, he’s not free much either.”
“I love your brother, but yeah, he’s never free.” They’re quiet for a minute. “I’m probably crazy to even think about this because if this goes through I’m not going to have any free time, so it’s pretty moot.”
“I should let you get to bed, and I’m going to try to get to sleep myself.” Another silence. “It’s going to be okay, Jack, it really is, no matter what. I will be there silently backing you up.”
“I know. I just keep going back to my past failed attempt here to do a start up and don’t want to let anyone down again. I love this town and really want to help solve some of its problems. I know I can’t fix decades worth of mistakes in zoning, climate and opportunities for locals, but I want to use my skill set to at least try.”
Lizzie wishes he was there so she could hug him and reassure him. “I love that about you. It’s actually one of the things I love most about you. How much you care. We’re in this together. Sink or swim. Okay?”
‘Okay. I love you too Elizabeth Jane Martin,” he says. Making her smile as she’s curled up in her bed.
“We’ll talk in the morning, okay? Get some sleep. And don’t discount the lavender lotion,” she teases.
“I will not. Talk to you tomorrow, love you,” he says.
“I love you too.” Lizzie puts her phone down on the nightstand and stares up at the ceiling and quietly says a little prayer that it all works out for Jack, and for Cranberry Harbor.