Love Is Only A Feeling, Chapter 9.
Chapter 9.
As much as Geoff tried to let go and enjoy the massive, incredible event he was part of, he couldn't; too much went through his head, making it impossible for him to relax and admire what unfolded before his eyes. After all, how many movies demanded two theatres to be premièred? It was an unstoppable, overwhelming parade of stars, fans, cameras and flashes, and although the party of the century was taking place around him, all Geoff could see was the look of pure terror in Zowie's face.
It was an image that made his heart twist with fear every time, and his urge to help Zowie took on a whole new dimension after what Matt's sole presence did to her. He shook his head, puzzled. Why did Zowie put up with that? The girl he knew would have never taken that kind of attitude and behaviour from anyone, and she would have stood her ground no matter what. But that had changed now and instead, nothing but fear showed on her face at the sight of her boyfriend.
He hadn't heard from her ever since. Geoff had considered giving her a call, but had the feeling it would only bring her trouble. It killed him, since he had the feeling he was wasting some precious time that he was risking her in a way he couldn't even imagine.
In the meantime, Geoff had busied himself coming up with the most appropriate strategy to follow, and although there weren't that many options to begin with, one thing was clear: he had to take Zowie away. Something was killing her spirit, killing her essence, and that something had a name: Matt. The only way Zowie could return to her old self was get away from that guy, and Geoff was ready to forcefully drag her away if necessary.
But there had been another issue going around in his mind since that eventful afternoon in the café: should Geoff let William know what was going on? Responsibility ordered him to; after all, he had the right to know what was wrong with his daughter. Nevertheless, Geoff knew that doing that would turn Zowie against him. She had opened up to him, no matter how little, and he didn't want that door to slam closed. Did Geoff really want to lose that, lose her in the hands of an abusive guy? Geoff almost shook his head. William would hate him for keeping him in the dark, but in that instant, Zowie was much more important than her dad.
But to make his plan come to life, Geoff needed help and for that, he needed to convince the right people that his plan wasn't as insane as it seemed. That taking Zowie with him while he was away working could actually be done.
When hired for 'Kingdom of Heaven', Geoff had been given the chance to form his own work team. He had gathered people he had met in the several productions he had been working in since arriving in the country, but there was still room for another person or two if he presented it to the producers the right way.
And there was where Zowie came in. She might not have the same experience the others did but she was, without a doubt, far more skilled than Geoff himself; she could catch up in no time. It solved two problems at once: on one hand, it completed Geoff's team and on the other, it took Zowie away from Los Angeles and from Matt to a place and a situation that could only benefit her. She loved sword fighting and Geoff was willing to bet she would begin to improve the moment she held a sword in her hand. And if none of that worked to convince her, there was always the Orlando factor, which would surely be enough to at least lure her in.
Thinking of Orlando brought Geoff back to the matter at hand, and he threw a careful look around. Convincing the producers was vital, but so was enlisting Elijah and Orlando on his side. Elijah was the friend Zowie had always been able to trust in and hopefully, he could still work her magic on her. Geoff wasn't worried about Lij; unless he had changed drastically, he expected to count him in his venture right away.
Orlando, however, was a completely different matter. So much had changed for him since Rings had taken place that Geoff couldn't be entirely sure the young actor was still the same guy he had met. Elijah had been in the business all his life and little surprised him anymore, but Orlando... no one could have the kind of success he had had in such a short period of time and remain the same. Could Geoff count on him to vouch for Zowie with the producers of 'Kingdom of Heaven' should the need arise? And, above all, did Orlando remember Zowie at all? How many other girls had come to his life after her? Geoff only hoped Orlando did, and that he acted accordingly. If only, for old times' sake.
But there was so many people coming and going around Geoff, so many flashes that blinded him, so many screaming fans deafening him to almost everything around him, what if he missed the actors? He cast another look around, his brown eyes dark with worry. He tried the area where the actors met with the press, but it was even worse there; a sea of personal assistants, press agents and countless other people made it impossible for him to even reach the red carpet. A light of desperation began to flicker to life inside Geoff, for he knew very well that, should he miss the actors there, his chances of seeing them again soon were slim. Even Orlando, he would only be meeting him in about two weeks time, and that was too long considering what he had witnessed. Geoff forced himself to take a deep breath and shake the desperation off of his shoulders as he took another careful glance around. They were there; he just needed to look more attentively.
“Geoff? Geoff Grant?”
The hustle around him hadn't allowed Geoff to hear anyone approaching him, but the second that voice reached his ears, a relief so big flowed inside him, he felt his knees going weak. He would recognise that voice anywhere!
“Elijah!” Geoff exclaimed when he spun on his heels to meet the younger man's smiling blue eyes. Before Elijah could even utter an answer, however, Geoff had taken him in his arms for a strong hug and a pat in his back that made the actor shake a little. Geoff was almost incapable of holding himself back at the sight of the man before him. “How are you? Isn't this... well, mess incredible?”
Elijah laughed at Geoff's choice of words. It was a mess indeed; a well thought and organised one, but a mess nonetheless.
“It sure is! I'm still not quite sure what how I', supposed to deal with this whole thing. Wellington was amazing and I really enjoyed it, but this... this is crazy.” Elijah's eyes were wide, showing his obvious delight at meeting the colleague he hadn't seen in such a long time. “I'm great, Geoff. I'm really enjoying myself even if I haven't had a proper night sleep in, like, a week.” When Geoff smiled, Elijah patted his arm. “It's been ages, man! How are you doing? Last time I was in New Zealand for some pick up shots, Peter told me you had moved to Los Angeles. I didn't know where to find you; otherwise I would have contacted you. How long have you been here?”
“I moved here little over a year ago.” Geoff explained. “I had a great time in New Zealand and I got jobs all the time, but I thought I'd give Hollywood a try.”
Elijah nodded.
“How did it go?”
“Great so far. I've been lucky to enough to be working ever since. In fact, I have this big project coming, and I'm travelling overseas in a few weeks.”
“I'm really happy for you, Geoff.” Elijah said, a sincere smile on his lips. Then, his eyes taking on a curious shade, he added. “How's everyone in New Zealand doing? I mean William and everyone else.”
Had Geoff tried to find a way to bring Zowie into the conversation, he would have never achieved one as smooth as this one. Now it would be the chance to see if he could count him in.
“William is good. He's still working in Wellington, and with so many people wanting to work in New Zealand after Rings was released, I'm sure he's quite busy right now.”
“That's got to be it.” Elijah mused, more to himself than in Geoff's benefit. Then, when reading the curious expression in the older man's face, he explained. “I thought I'd see him in Wellington a few days ago, but I was told he was away working.” Then, as if a sudden thought had just struck him, Elijah looked up at Geoff with a questioning look on his face. “Have you heard from Zowie? We used to email each other all the time, but I haven't heard from her in ages. I too hoped to see her in New Zealand, but she wasn't there.”
There was an answer Geoff hadn't quite been expecting to get: to find out that Zowie had never mentioned being in Los Angeles in the emails she had exchanged with Elijah. Why?
But although he was full of new questions, Geoff knew this was the moment he had been looking for. It wouldn't be easy to bring such a delicate topic up with thousands of people around them, with flashes going off and cameras and screaming fans, but Geoff would have to make do nonetheless; dire matters demanded dire actions.
“Actually Elijah, Zowie's here. In Los Angeles.”
Eyes widening, Elijah's lips parted with shock. Zowie, in Los Angeles?
“You mean she's here? Tonight?” He went as far as standing on his tiptoes as he looked around for her.
“Not tonight, Lij... sorry.” Geoff explained with sincere regret, hating to bring down the young man's hope. “I mean she's been living here for quite some time. Almost three years now.”
The look of surprise in Elijah's face would have been funny hadn't William had more pressing concerns in his mind than simple amusement. If he had needed a confirmation that Zowie had indeed kept her moving to Los Angeles a secret from Elijah that was it.
“Three years? But then... she was here without even telling me!” Elijah exclaimed. “I can't remember exactly when was the last time I heard from her, but I know for a fact that we emailed each other almost every day for quite some after Rings ended. It must have been almost a year, and she never told me she was here...”
Elijah and Geoff shared an intrigued, confused look, their sources shared by both men, although taking different forms in each of them. While Elijah wondered why Zowie had never told him they were living in the same city, as well as he once again tried to understand why she had stopped writing him, Geoff couldn't help but question himself what had made Zowie act that way. Why had she lied to Elijah all along? Why had Zowie kept such an important fact secret from him, considering how close they were? What did she want to prove, what did she want to achieve before telling him she was nothing but a few miles away from him? He had gone as far as looking for her in Wellington nothing but two days ago, which meant he still cared about her. What else did Geoff need to understand that he had been right when thinking Elijah was the right one to help him with Zowie?
Throwing a quick look around, Geoff cursed the horde of people around them. He hated bringing Zowie to discussion this way, but also knew there was no time to waste, so lowering his voice so no one but Elijah could hear, Geoff turned to the younger man with Elijah with a determined expression on his face.
“Look, I wish there could be a nicer, smoother way to bring this up, but there isn't.” He said, and the change in Elijah's face at his tone was obvious. “I've seen Zowie. She pretends to be fine, but I can see through her façade. She needs help, Elijah, and she needs it now. I hate to bring this up right here, right now, but I need to get to her, I need to get her out of Los Angeles and fast, and for that, I need your help.”
No other words were needed for Elijah to understand the deep seriousness of the matter. Geoff's expression had changed as drastically as a bright day turned into the darkest, moonless night, and a shiver of uneasiness coursed him.
“What's wrong with her, Geoff?” Elijah asked, his face suddenly clouded with concern. “Is Zowie alright?”
“Honestly? I don't know.” Thoughtfully rubbing the back of his neck, Geoff sighed before briefly filling Elijah in all the details he needed to know. It was only fair of him, since if Elijah agreed to help him, he might as well be embarking on something that could end up being very problematic. “I need to get her away from that guy, Elijah... She's not safe with him and even now, as we speak, only God knows how she's doing.” Looking down, Geoff sighed once again. “He was ready to hit her, Elijah. I'm sure that, hadn't I been there, he would have done it, even in front of everyone.”
Elijah's face paled at Geoff's revelations. It was too much, too intense... too much to try and work his head around it, to even begin to comprehend. Zowie? The girl he knew wasn't anything like the girl Geoff was talking about, and it made it even more difficult to grasp.
“I shouldn't have brought this up, Lij. Not right now.” Geoff's said with his voice full of regret. He honestly wished there had been another chance, another way to bring the topic up, but he knew there wasn't time to waste. Nevertheless, guilt rose inside Geoff when realising he had probably ruined what otherwise should have been an unforgettable night for Elijah.
“Oh no, no... I'm glad you brought this up, Geoff.” Elijah hurried to add, his blue eyes staring at him with honest sincerity. With a frown that showed his concern, he then asked. “Do you know how she's doing? I mean, have you talked to her or anything?”
Geoff's loud sigh was enough of an answer for Elijah.
“I haven't. I'm afraid it will only cause her even more trouble.” His shoulders lowered, a heavy burden on them. “Maybe I should wait until Zowie contacts me herself, I don't know. I've thought about it, but every time I do, I can't help feeling that I'm wasting time. What if it's too late? Or even worse, what if she tries to protect Matt like she did in the café?”
Elijah nodded thoughtfully, understanding each and every bit of Geoff's concern and hesitation for the same emotions ran wildly inside him, clouding his mind with the most varied and dreaded scenarios. Yet, at the same time, confusion coiled up inside him. Why had Zowie lied to him? They had gone through a lot together and she had always relied on him. She hadn't been in her best shape when he left New Zealand, but that didn't explain her behaviour. There had been a nagging suspicion back then, Elijah now remembered, that now pushed itself forward once again, one he wasn't sure he should share with Geoff. He remembered Zowie at her lowest, remembered her sudden, unexplainable joy in a club one night, how he had thought that couldn't be possible without external aid. Elijah had seen it plenty of times before in other people and recognised it right away, but had always refused to believe Zowie could do something like that. Could Zowie truly be doing drugs?
Elijah sighed when thinking of Zowie. Why was it that men always ended up hurting her? Her dad had kept a whole other side of his life hidden from her. Orlando had hurt her far more than he could even imagine, from the minute he had let her believe something other than a friendship could ever exist between them, to the moment he had broken Zowie's heart when she realised he didn't even remember making love to her. And now with her boyfriend being physically abusive towards her, it was a surprise she even trusted men altogether.
That was enough for Elijah to make his mind up. He was very aware that he and Geoff were probably getting themselves in far more trouble they could handle, but they owed it to Zowie. Geoff had known her all her life, and Elijah would never forget everything that they had shared in New Zealand, as well as the bond that had existed between them. If Zowie was in any danger, then the least he could do was offer her a helping hand.
“I'm in, Geoff.” He stated, a look of sheer determination on his face. “Count me in.”
A slow smile spread Geoff's lips, and although some of the heavy weight lifted from his shoulders at knowing he wasn't alone in this endeavour, he still couldn't shake off the feeling that told him time was slipping between his fingers like sand, and that they couldn't wait much longer.
“I want to take her out of Los Angeles, Lij. I want her as far away from this place and that guy as possible. You and I... we both know how stubborn Zowie can be. If she is convinced that there's absolutely nothing wrong with the way she is living, then pretty much nothing will be able to convince her. Then is when you come in. If we fail, however, I still have an ace up my sleeve.”
At those words, Geoff's face took on the slightest hint of slyness, becoming plain for Elijah to see that, whatever that secret weapon he had was, Geoff was more than certain that Zowie would never be able to resist it.
“An ace up your sleeve?” Elijah couldn't repress his curiosity any longer. “What are you talking about, Geoff?”
Geoff didn't answer. Instead, something over Elijah's shoulder caught his attention. With a small smile playing on his lips, Geoff's index finger pointed to the distance, a gesture Elijah couldn't ignore and glancing over his shoulder, Elijah's eyes met those of a person who, with a wide smile, approached them with quick, agile steps.
Orlando.
As much as Geoff tried to let go and enjoy the massive, incredible event he was part of, he couldn't; too much went through his head, making it impossible for him to relax and admire what unfolded before his eyes. After all, how many movies demanded two theatres to be premièred? It was an unstoppable, overwhelming parade of stars, fans, cameras and flashes, and although the party of the century was taking place around him, all Geoff could see was the look of pure terror in Zowie's face.
It was an image that made his heart twist with fear every time, and his urge to help Zowie took on a whole new dimension after what Matt's sole presence did to her. He shook his head, puzzled. Why did Zowie put up with that? The girl he knew would have never taken that kind of attitude and behaviour from anyone, and she would have stood her ground no matter what. But that had changed now and instead, nothing but fear showed on her face at the sight of her boyfriend.
He hadn't heard from her ever since. Geoff had considered giving her a call, but had the feeling it would only bring her trouble. It killed him, since he had the feeling he was wasting some precious time that he was risking her in a way he couldn't even imagine.
In the meantime, Geoff had busied himself coming up with the most appropriate strategy to follow, and although there weren't that many options to begin with, one thing was clear: he had to take Zowie away. Something was killing her spirit, killing her essence, and that something had a name: Matt. The only way Zowie could return to her old self was get away from that guy, and Geoff was ready to forcefully drag her away if necessary.
But there had been another issue going around in his mind since that eventful afternoon in the café: should Geoff let William know what was going on? Responsibility ordered him to; after all, he had the right to know what was wrong with his daughter. Nevertheless, Geoff knew that doing that would turn Zowie against him. She had opened up to him, no matter how little, and he didn't want that door to slam closed. Did Geoff really want to lose that, lose her in the hands of an abusive guy? Geoff almost shook his head. William would hate him for keeping him in the dark, but in that instant, Zowie was much more important than her dad.
But to make his plan come to life, Geoff needed help and for that, he needed to convince the right people that his plan wasn't as insane as it seemed. That taking Zowie with him while he was away working could actually be done.
When hired for 'Kingdom of Heaven', Geoff had been given the chance to form his own work team. He had gathered people he had met in the several productions he had been working in since arriving in the country, but there was still room for another person or two if he presented it to the producers the right way.
And there was where Zowie came in. She might not have the same experience the others did but she was, without a doubt, far more skilled than Geoff himself; she could catch up in no time. It solved two problems at once: on one hand, it completed Geoff's team and on the other, it took Zowie away from Los Angeles and from Matt to a place and a situation that could only benefit her. She loved sword fighting and Geoff was willing to bet she would begin to improve the moment she held a sword in her hand. And if none of that worked to convince her, there was always the Orlando factor, which would surely be enough to at least lure her in.
Thinking of Orlando brought Geoff back to the matter at hand, and he threw a careful look around. Convincing the producers was vital, but so was enlisting Elijah and Orlando on his side. Elijah was the friend Zowie had always been able to trust in and hopefully, he could still work her magic on her. Geoff wasn't worried about Lij; unless he had changed drastically, he expected to count him in his venture right away.
Orlando, however, was a completely different matter. So much had changed for him since Rings had taken place that Geoff couldn't be entirely sure the young actor was still the same guy he had met. Elijah had been in the business all his life and little surprised him anymore, but Orlando... no one could have the kind of success he had had in such a short period of time and remain the same. Could Geoff count on him to vouch for Zowie with the producers of 'Kingdom of Heaven' should the need arise? And, above all, did Orlando remember Zowie at all? How many other girls had come to his life after her? Geoff only hoped Orlando did, and that he acted accordingly. If only, for old times' sake.
But there was so many people coming and going around Geoff, so many flashes that blinded him, so many screaming fans deafening him to almost everything around him, what if he missed the actors? He cast another look around, his brown eyes dark with worry. He tried the area where the actors met with the press, but it was even worse there; a sea of personal assistants, press agents and countless other people made it impossible for him to even reach the red carpet. A light of desperation began to flicker to life inside Geoff, for he knew very well that, should he miss the actors there, his chances of seeing them again soon were slim. Even Orlando, he would only be meeting him in about two weeks time, and that was too long considering what he had witnessed. Geoff forced himself to take a deep breath and shake the desperation off of his shoulders as he took another careful glance around. They were there; he just needed to look more attentively.
“Geoff? Geoff Grant?”
The hustle around him hadn't allowed Geoff to hear anyone approaching him, but the second that voice reached his ears, a relief so big flowed inside him, he felt his knees going weak. He would recognise that voice anywhere!
“Elijah!” Geoff exclaimed when he spun on his heels to meet the younger man's smiling blue eyes. Before Elijah could even utter an answer, however, Geoff had taken him in his arms for a strong hug and a pat in his back that made the actor shake a little. Geoff was almost incapable of holding himself back at the sight of the man before him. “How are you? Isn't this... well, mess incredible?”
Elijah laughed at Geoff's choice of words. It was a mess indeed; a well thought and organised one, but a mess nonetheless.
“It sure is! I'm still not quite sure what how I', supposed to deal with this whole thing. Wellington was amazing and I really enjoyed it, but this... this is crazy.” Elijah's eyes were wide, showing his obvious delight at meeting the colleague he hadn't seen in such a long time. “I'm great, Geoff. I'm really enjoying myself even if I haven't had a proper night sleep in, like, a week.” When Geoff smiled, Elijah patted his arm. “It's been ages, man! How are you doing? Last time I was in New Zealand for some pick up shots, Peter told me you had moved to Los Angeles. I didn't know where to find you; otherwise I would have contacted you. How long have you been here?”
“I moved here little over a year ago.” Geoff explained. “I had a great time in New Zealand and I got jobs all the time, but I thought I'd give Hollywood a try.”
Elijah nodded.
“How did it go?”
“Great so far. I've been lucky to enough to be working ever since. In fact, I have this big project coming, and I'm travelling overseas in a few weeks.”
“I'm really happy for you, Geoff.” Elijah said, a sincere smile on his lips. Then, his eyes taking on a curious shade, he added. “How's everyone in New Zealand doing? I mean William and everyone else.”
Had Geoff tried to find a way to bring Zowie into the conversation, he would have never achieved one as smooth as this one. Now it would be the chance to see if he could count him in.
“William is good. He's still working in Wellington, and with so many people wanting to work in New Zealand after Rings was released, I'm sure he's quite busy right now.”
“That's got to be it.” Elijah mused, more to himself than in Geoff's benefit. Then, when reading the curious expression in the older man's face, he explained. “I thought I'd see him in Wellington a few days ago, but I was told he was away working.” Then, as if a sudden thought had just struck him, Elijah looked up at Geoff with a questioning look on his face. “Have you heard from Zowie? We used to email each other all the time, but I haven't heard from her in ages. I too hoped to see her in New Zealand, but she wasn't there.”
There was an answer Geoff hadn't quite been expecting to get: to find out that Zowie had never mentioned being in Los Angeles in the emails she had exchanged with Elijah. Why?
But although he was full of new questions, Geoff knew this was the moment he had been looking for. It wouldn't be easy to bring such a delicate topic up with thousands of people around them, with flashes going off and cameras and screaming fans, but Geoff would have to make do nonetheless; dire matters demanded dire actions.
“Actually Elijah, Zowie's here. In Los Angeles.”
Eyes widening, Elijah's lips parted with shock. Zowie, in Los Angeles?
“You mean she's here? Tonight?” He went as far as standing on his tiptoes as he looked around for her.
“Not tonight, Lij... sorry.” Geoff explained with sincere regret, hating to bring down the young man's hope. “I mean she's been living here for quite some time. Almost three years now.”
The look of surprise in Elijah's face would have been funny hadn't William had more pressing concerns in his mind than simple amusement. If he had needed a confirmation that Zowie had indeed kept her moving to Los Angeles a secret from Elijah that was it.
“Three years? But then... she was here without even telling me!” Elijah exclaimed. “I can't remember exactly when was the last time I heard from her, but I know for a fact that we emailed each other almost every day for quite some after Rings ended. It must have been almost a year, and she never told me she was here...”
Elijah and Geoff shared an intrigued, confused look, their sources shared by both men, although taking different forms in each of them. While Elijah wondered why Zowie had never told him they were living in the same city, as well as he once again tried to understand why she had stopped writing him, Geoff couldn't help but question himself what had made Zowie act that way. Why had she lied to Elijah all along? Why had Zowie kept such an important fact secret from him, considering how close they were? What did she want to prove, what did she want to achieve before telling him she was nothing but a few miles away from him? He had gone as far as looking for her in Wellington nothing but two days ago, which meant he still cared about her. What else did Geoff need to understand that he had been right when thinking Elijah was the right one to help him with Zowie?
Throwing a quick look around, Geoff cursed the horde of people around them. He hated bringing Zowie to discussion this way, but also knew there was no time to waste, so lowering his voice so no one but Elijah could hear, Geoff turned to the younger man with Elijah with a determined expression on his face.
“Look, I wish there could be a nicer, smoother way to bring this up, but there isn't.” He said, and the change in Elijah's face at his tone was obvious. “I've seen Zowie. She pretends to be fine, but I can see through her façade. She needs help, Elijah, and she needs it now. I hate to bring this up right here, right now, but I need to get to her, I need to get her out of Los Angeles and fast, and for that, I need your help.”
No other words were needed for Elijah to understand the deep seriousness of the matter. Geoff's expression had changed as drastically as a bright day turned into the darkest, moonless night, and a shiver of uneasiness coursed him.
“What's wrong with her, Geoff?” Elijah asked, his face suddenly clouded with concern. “Is Zowie alright?”
“Honestly? I don't know.” Thoughtfully rubbing the back of his neck, Geoff sighed before briefly filling Elijah in all the details he needed to know. It was only fair of him, since if Elijah agreed to help him, he might as well be embarking on something that could end up being very problematic. “I need to get her away from that guy, Elijah... She's not safe with him and even now, as we speak, only God knows how she's doing.” Looking down, Geoff sighed once again. “He was ready to hit her, Elijah. I'm sure that, hadn't I been there, he would have done it, even in front of everyone.”
Elijah's face paled at Geoff's revelations. It was too much, too intense... too much to try and work his head around it, to even begin to comprehend. Zowie? The girl he knew wasn't anything like the girl Geoff was talking about, and it made it even more difficult to grasp.
“I shouldn't have brought this up, Lij. Not right now.” Geoff's said with his voice full of regret. He honestly wished there had been another chance, another way to bring the topic up, but he knew there wasn't time to waste. Nevertheless, guilt rose inside Geoff when realising he had probably ruined what otherwise should have been an unforgettable night for Elijah.
“Oh no, no... I'm glad you brought this up, Geoff.” Elijah hurried to add, his blue eyes staring at him with honest sincerity. With a frown that showed his concern, he then asked. “Do you know how she's doing? I mean, have you talked to her or anything?”
Geoff's loud sigh was enough of an answer for Elijah.
“I haven't. I'm afraid it will only cause her even more trouble.” His shoulders lowered, a heavy burden on them. “Maybe I should wait until Zowie contacts me herself, I don't know. I've thought about it, but every time I do, I can't help feeling that I'm wasting time. What if it's too late? Or even worse, what if she tries to protect Matt like she did in the café?”
Elijah nodded thoughtfully, understanding each and every bit of Geoff's concern and hesitation for the same emotions ran wildly inside him, clouding his mind with the most varied and dreaded scenarios. Yet, at the same time, confusion coiled up inside him. Why had Zowie lied to him? They had gone through a lot together and she had always relied on him. She hadn't been in her best shape when he left New Zealand, but that didn't explain her behaviour. There had been a nagging suspicion back then, Elijah now remembered, that now pushed itself forward once again, one he wasn't sure he should share with Geoff. He remembered Zowie at her lowest, remembered her sudden, unexplainable joy in a club one night, how he had thought that couldn't be possible without external aid. Elijah had seen it plenty of times before in other people and recognised it right away, but had always refused to believe Zowie could do something like that. Could Zowie truly be doing drugs?
Elijah sighed when thinking of Zowie. Why was it that men always ended up hurting her? Her dad had kept a whole other side of his life hidden from her. Orlando had hurt her far more than he could even imagine, from the minute he had let her believe something other than a friendship could ever exist between them, to the moment he had broken Zowie's heart when she realised he didn't even remember making love to her. And now with her boyfriend being physically abusive towards her, it was a surprise she even trusted men altogether.
That was enough for Elijah to make his mind up. He was very aware that he and Geoff were probably getting themselves in far more trouble they could handle, but they owed it to Zowie. Geoff had known her all her life, and Elijah would never forget everything that they had shared in New Zealand, as well as the bond that had existed between them. If Zowie was in any danger, then the least he could do was offer her a helping hand.
“I'm in, Geoff.” He stated, a look of sheer determination on his face. “Count me in.”
A slow smile spread Geoff's lips, and although some of the heavy weight lifted from his shoulders at knowing he wasn't alone in this endeavour, he still couldn't shake off the feeling that told him time was slipping between his fingers like sand, and that they couldn't wait much longer.
“I want to take her out of Los Angeles, Lij. I want her as far away from this place and that guy as possible. You and I... we both know how stubborn Zowie can be. If she is convinced that there's absolutely nothing wrong with the way she is living, then pretty much nothing will be able to convince her. Then is when you come in. If we fail, however, I still have an ace up my sleeve.”
At those words, Geoff's face took on the slightest hint of slyness, becoming plain for Elijah to see that, whatever that secret weapon he had was, Geoff was more than certain that Zowie would never be able to resist it.
“An ace up your sleeve?” Elijah couldn't repress his curiosity any longer. “What are you talking about, Geoff?”
Geoff didn't answer. Instead, something over Elijah's shoulder caught his attention. With a small smile playing on his lips, Geoff's index finger pointed to the distance, a gesture Elijah couldn't ignore and glancing over his shoulder, Elijah's eyes met those of a person who, with a wide smile, approached them with quick, agile steps.
Orlando.