Elsewhere(57)

"It reminded me of here," Liz replies.

"In what way?" Aldous prompts.

"You sound like a schoolteacher," Liz admonishes him.

"Well, thank you very much. I used to be one, you know. You were saying, Elizabeth?"

Liz thinks for a moment. "Well, there's this fairy world, and then there's the real world. And the way Shakespeare writes it, there's really no difference between the two. The fairies are just like real people with human problems and everything. And the human people and the fairies live side by side. They're together and they're apart. And the fairy world might be a dream, but the real world could be a dream also. I liked that." Liz shrugs. "I've never been much good at this English stuff. My best subjects used to be biology and algebra."

"Fine subjects, indeed."

"I'm reading Hamlet now," Liz says. "But I can already tell I don't like it as much as Midsummer."

"No?"

"Well, Hamlet's so obsessed with dying, like that's gonna solve anything." Liz shakes her head. "If he only knew what we know."

"If he only knew!" Aldous agrees.

One day, Curtis Jest visits.

"Lizzie," Curtis says in a more serious voice than Liz has ever heard him use, "I must ask you a question."

"Yes, what is it?"

"It's about Betty," Curtis whispers.

"What about her?" Liz asks.

"Has she any gentleman callers?" Curtis's whisper grows even sorter.

"No, I don't think so, and why are we whispering?" Liz asks.

"Is there a Grandpa Betty in the picture?" Curtis continues to whisper.

"No, Grandpa Jake is remarried and lives on a boat near Monterey, California."

Curtis takes a deep breath. "So you're saying I might have a chance?"

"Curtis, a chance at what?"

"A chance with Betty."

"A chance with Betty?" Liz repeats loudly.

"Liz, lower your voice. For God's sake, I am telling you this in confidence." Curtis's eyes dart around the room. "I find your grandmother a most delightful creature."

"Curtis, are you saying you like Betty?" Liz whispers.

"I am a bit smitten with her. Yes, yes, you could say that."

"Isn't Betty a bit old for you?" Liz asks. "She was fifty when she died, you know. And she's around thirty-three now."

"Yes, exactly! She has so much wisdom! And warmth! And, for now at least, I am twenty-nine years old myself. Do you think she will find me too immature?"

"No, Betty's not like that." Liz smiles. "Tell me one thing. Does she know yet?"

"No, not yet, but I was thinking I might write her a song."

"Curtis, I think that's a wonderful idea." Liz smiles again. "Oh, and if you run out of things to say, compliment her garden."

"Yes, yes, her garden! I shall, and I thank you very much for the tip, Lizzie."

When Liz is allowed to return to Betty's house, she passes the days lazily in Betty's garden and continues to recover. Liz reclines on the hammock while Betty tends to her garden.

Without meaning to, Betty makes frequent stops just to check that Liz is still in the hammock where she should be.

"I'm not going anywhere," Liz assures her.

Betty inhales sharply. "It's just I thought I had lost you forever."

"Oh, Betty, don't you know there's no such thing as forever?" Liz swings in her hammock, and Betty returns to her gardening. Five minutes later, they are interrupted all over again by Curtis Jest.

Curtis is strangely attired in a white suit and dark round sunglasses.

"Hello, Lizzie," he says stiffly. "Hello, Betty," he says softly.

"Hello, Curtis," Liz mimics his tone.

Curtis winks at Liz. Liz rolls over in the hammock and pretends to go to sleep. Sadie curls up behind Liz. Since Liz's return, Sadie has stayed as close to Liz as possible.

"My, Betty," Curtis says, removing his sunglasses, "you do have a lovely garden!"

"Thank you, Mr. Jest," Betty replies.

"Would you mind if I stayed a while?" Curtis asks.

"Liz is asleep, and I was just going inside."

"Oh, do you have to?"

"I do."

"Maybe some other day, then," Curtis stammers. "Good day, Betty. My regards to Lizzie."

Betty nods. "Good day."

"Oh, Betty," Liz says as soon as Curtis is out of earshot, "you were very cruel to Curtis."

"You were the one who fell asleep as soon as he arrived."

"I think he came to see you," Liz admits.

"Me? Why on earth?"

"I think he had, um" Liz pauses "come to court."

"Court!" Betty laughs. "Why, that is the most perfectly absurd thing I've ever heard! Curtis Jest is a boy, and I'm old enough to be his "

"Girlfriend," Liz finishes. "You're only about four biological years apart actually."

"Darling, I'm through with romance, and I have been for some time."

"Saying you're through with romance is like saying you're done with living, Betty. Life is better with a little romance, you know."