Chapter 4

Elizabeth stood for a long time just looking at the door after her parents and sister had left, she was really upset, they wanted her to be Mrs. Suzie homemaker, with drooling kids all over her, they already had one daughter who was the epitome of the professional woman, so they expected Elizabeth to fill the second position and provide them with grandchildren. she had decided years ago that she was just not the motherly type, she didn't like kids, she thought them annoying, obnoxious, and as a rule stayed away from them.

Pulling on her boots, she put on her jacket and gloves, then told Taipei that she was going for a long walk, ran her finger down his snout and left, she needed to work off her anger and upset and she had always found walking did the job. She certainly couldn't draw when she was in this mood, it always came out badly and had to be redone. Taipei waited and waited, he paced, he sat and waited longer, sitting on the scaffolding against one wall he watched out the windows, still she didn't return, day turned to night and night to day, still she didn't come home. He watched the sun set and the moon rise in the sky, remembering another time another place, he had belonged to an elderly couple in the Canton province, he had been with them many years, he brought them prosperity, they brought him peace and tranquility. One day they had left to visit their son, they never returned, their family came and packed their belongings, Taipei found himself packed away for many years, it was a time of deep despair, mind numbing loneliness, he was trapped, he could not become the true dragon that he was as long as he was confined within something, it had been the curse of the old emperor for loving one of his concubines.

He listened to the door buzzer, several people came and went, some he recognized some he didn't, the phone rang, people left messages on her machine, still she didn't return. On the third day, just before sundown, he heard the key in the door and felt a relief so great it almost brought him to his knee's, his exquisite one had returned. It wasn't Elizabeth, it was the sister Amanda, he watched her go upstairs, then come back down a small bag in her hand, she headed for the door then turned, she had a look of annoyance on her face. She walked over to him "Beth told me to be sure and tell the jade dragon, that there had been a slight accident and that she will be home tomorrow or the next day and that your supposed to be good." Amanda turned and went out the door, saying Beth really needed a pet, perhaps a nice bird or cat.

It was Daryl and Tom that brought Elizabeth home, they helped her sit down on the couch, then went and fixed her a cup of coffee, Daryl fussing all around her. Tom brought her a cup of coffee, a pitcher of water and a glass, he opened the bag and took out the medicine the doctors had sent home with her. They all jumped as the door buzzer went off, Tom went to see who it was, he turned and motioned Daryl, Daryl took one look at who it was, and buzzed Sophie in.

"What the hell is going on? I've been calling for days, where's Elizabeth?" snapped Sophie as she walked in the door, Daryl grabbed her arm before she could go charging into the main room. In a quiet voice he told her about what happened, that Elizabeth had gone for a walk and someone had hit her with his or her car and just drove off, that they had just brought her home from the hospital. Giving her a stupid look, Daryl said "umm I'm glad your here, she should be in bed in her nightie, and I wasn't gunna help with that, Amanda won't be here until later and she can't stay long." Swearing under her breath, Sophie went in to see Elizabeth, she went and sat down next to Elizabeth, got her take her pain meds, told Daryl to go upstairs and get her a nice warm nightie and some socks, frowning she shook her head, there was no way Elizabeth was going to make it up the stairs to bed, and that mattress on the floor was to low, it just wouldn't cut it. She gave Elizabeth a kiss on the cheek "let me make a few phone calls, sweetie, then we'll get you all settled." Elizabeth just wanted to lay down and be left alone, she hurt so bad, just getting home had seemed like such an effort. She knew she had been lucky, she could of been hurt a lot worse. She had lots of cuts and bruises, a broken left wrist, several broken ribs, a bruise that ran from above her left knee to her hip, the impact had thrown her against the windshield of the car then she rolled off hitting her head on something causing a concussion, she had been unconscious for over 24 hours they told her. She leaned her head back on the couch and closed her eye's, she could feel the tears behind her eyelids burning her already swollen eye's.

Sophie got off the phone with a satisfied nod, took the nightie and socks from Daryl, told the two guys to go take a quick turn around the block, then helped Elizabeth stand up, Sophie undressed her as carefully as possible, frowning when she saw the bruises on her leg and hip, then pulled the nightie over her head. "Hon, you need to go to the little girls room? before you settle in." Elizabeth nodded, trying not to let the tears fall, she hated feeling so helpless, so dependent on others.

Sophie had just gotten Elizabeth settled back on the couch when the door buzzer rang, she let Daryl and Tom back in and right behind them, the two men delivering a new mattress, box springs and bed frame, Sophie told them to put the bed where the old mattress was, they hauled the old mattress away when they left.

Taipei could only sit in frustration, he could feel the pain radiating off her body, he could sense the emotional pain and wanted to wrap her in his wings and send the pain away but there was nothing he could do while there were other people around her. His fury knew no bounds that someone had hurt his exquisite one, they would certainly pay dearly. Sophie looked through the kitchen, Daryl and Tom got told to take a walk to the grocery store after being given a list. Daryl winked at her "I love it when your assertive" Sophie chuckled "and I love it when your a good boy and do as your told." Looking at Elizabeth, Sophie started to swear under her breath, Beth had fallen asleep, she hated to wake her up to get her in bed, but she couldn't leave her on the couch like that, it would only make her stiffer and hurt more. Sophie was suddenly lifted aside, she wanted to scream but not a sound came out of her mouth, the creature put a finger over his lips and made a "shhhhh" noise at her, she watched it lean down and gently pick up Beth, he looked at Sophie then at the bed, she heard a voice "put coverings on the bed, she cant rest on it bare as it is, you must be quick before the other's return." Shaking her head as if coming out of a trance, Sophie quickly got sheets and blankets and made up the bed, she kept looking over her shoulder, the creature had Beth cradled in his arms, making soft crooning purring noises to her.

Taipei had only debated for a second before showing himself to the woman Sophie, his exquisite one had to be put to bed, her pains eased. He carefully laid her on the bed, his large paws as gentle as a mother with a newborn, he softly nuzzled her neck, purring to her as he eased her pain. She opened her eye's and smiled at him, touching his cheek with her fingertips "Taipei" then she was sleeping a soothing dreamless sleep. Taipei pulled the covers up over Elizabeth, turning he looked at Sophie. Sophie looked at the dragon with her most winning smile and waved her fingers at him, as she backed up. Taipei grinned at Sophie "My exquisite one will now rest, her pain gone for the time being." Sophie heard the door buzzer, looked at Taipei then at the door, when she looked back he was gone.

Sophie let Amanda in. Sophie didn't like Amanda, she found her to be humorless, rigid, married to her profession. Sophie knew that Amanda loved her sister and tried very hard to understand her and get along with her, but she had a hard time occasionally with Beth's after work carefree lifestyle. Lets see thought Sophie, if I tell Amanda that a very large green dragon just put her sister to bed and that it appeared the two were well acquainted, will she think I'm high on drugs or will she call and have me put in the funny farm, nahhhhh I'm not going to say a word, I know I didn't imagine the whole thing but there is always that off chance it was a momentary hallucination. Amanda looked Elizabeth over, checked the medication the doctors had sent home with her, Sophie and she chatted quietly for a short time, as she sat drinking a glass of water, Amanda asked Sophie, "did Beth mention Frank at all? at the hospital she was insistent that it was Frank who tried to run her over, which is highly unlikely but the two had a slight argument and she may have just gotten Frank confused in her mind with the person in the car." Sophie responded that Elizabeth had come home and gone straight to bed, that it wouldn't surprise her at all if it had been Frank, that as far as she was concerned he was a certifiable nut case and had been telling Beth to dump him for months. Of course this had Amanda frowning and the two got into a lengthy discussion about why Sophie would say that about Frank, ever obliging Sophie filled Amanda in on a few of Frank's odd habits, including the things Beth had told her about Frank's sexual activities or lack of. Sophie told Amanda that she would be staying with Beth for a least a week, there was no way Beth should be alone right now, giving the jade dragon statue a look.

Daryl and Tom finally returned hauling two huge bag of groceries, as they put things away, Daryl explained to Sophie that she had not specified what type of soup, the clerk where Elizabeth always shops told them that she usually bought tomato soup but if she was feeling under the weather there was nothing better for a person then chicken noodle soup, so they got some of both, and a few other things that weren't on the list, since they needed to eat also while they were talking care of Elizabeth. Sophie informed Daryl she did not cook, that's why god had invented delivery service and take out. Amanda left saying she would be checking back on Elizabeth from time to time, if they needed anything just call. While Daryl, Tom and Sophie got into a rather heated debate about who was going to take care of Elizabeth and when. It was finally decided by Sophie that the two could fill in when she needed to go out or needed to just catch some extra sleep. While Tom and Daryl fixed dinner, Sophie sat watching them and checking on Beth from time to time. Daryl and Tom finally left, saying they would be back tomorrow.

Sophie went upstairs, washed up, put one of Elizabeth's nightgowns on, then with a pillow and blanket went back downstairs. Turning the most of the lights off, leaving just a few on so she could check on Elizabeth, Sophie fixed herself a bed on the sofa, rummaged around until she found a decent book to read, keeping an ear open incase Elizabeth needed her, she sat down to read. Sophie woke up hearing her name being called, she looked towards the bed to see it empty, with a exclamation she jumped up then stopped, The dragon was holding Beth in his arms, he was standing in front of the bathroom door, Sophie rushed over as the dragon set Beth on her feet, his paws steadying her. When they came out, he once again picked her up and carried her to the bed and carefully tucked her in. Sophie came back with Beth's medication and stopped as the dragon shook his head at her, "I will ease her pains and sooth her into sleep, there is no need for those, use them only if she needs them, when other's are here, sleep now, I will call for you if she needs your assistance." Sophie watched the dragon curl his body around Elizabeth like a protective cocoon.

Elizabeth lay against Taipei, just listening to him breathing, she felt the tears slipping down her cheeks, things had been going so well, with her job, her art, now this. She knew it had been Frank, she had seen his face when she had been thrown against the windshield, she'd never forget the look of insane glee on his face, he had wanted to hurt her, kill her, she saw it on his face. No one had believed her, the car had been stolen, no one had gotten a good look at the driver, the doorman at Franks apartment had not seen Frank leave the building after he had come in.