Family

Liza paced back and forth in her office. She could see Jonathan working on some files and was sure that if she left now, she won't have to face Jonathan. Initially, her office had been at the opposite end, however, on the insistence of Leslie she had to shift her office in the room next to Jonathan. Their office was now divided only by a glass wall and some flimsy blinds.

Liza had tried to avoid Jonathan every day but somehow she always ended up talking to him at least once, whether it was due to some client or due to some other editorial work. She was getting tired of this game of cat and mouse. She had been worrying over Jonathan ever since he came to the office and had barely spent any time with Carson and Melissa. Hell, she had even forgotten that Alex would be returning tomorrow from Paris.

She cursed herself silently as she saw Jonathan catching her in the act of watching him. Her cheeks blushed red as he smiled at her and got back to his work. Her body had yet to learn not to respond to Jonathan's actions. However, unlike before her heart didn't skip a beat and her mind didn't fumble on being caught. It wasn't the shyness that triggered the blush but the embarrassment of being caught doing something which she shouldn't have done. She had been unable to understand her to resolve to avoid Jonathan instead of facing him. Hadn't she sworn that she would never change or let her life revolve around Jonathan or any man again? Then why was she trying so hard to avoid him?

Jonathan could see Liza pacing in her office. She had a frown on her face and he badly wanted to remove that frown. However, he stayed put. He had thought that once he got her to shift in the office next to him, it wouldn't be so difficult to talk to her, but he couldn't have been more wrong. Somehow Liza had always managed to avoid him. Most of the paperwork was now sent to his office via Liza's assistant Francine. Francine was Liza's second assistant and unfortunately was very different from Rachel, Liza's personal secretary. While Rachel was professional, Francine had behaved anything but professionally with him. He was here to show Liza that he had changed and Francine was making it difficult by constantly trying to flirt with him. He was afraid that Liza might get the wrong idea and he never wanted to do that. He remembered the last four years he had spent without Liza and shuddered at the memory. He thought back to the day he had met Liza at Krista's wedding and how his world had instantly brightened up.

Liza always had that effect on him. Even when they were in college and Alice had introduced her. He had been drawn in by her aura. He remembered how broken he had felt when he had finally realized that Liza was never going to come back. He had cried for hours, he had neglected his company, his family, his everything. It wasn't until his parents had returned from the trip that he had broken out from his shell. The initial reaction of Grace, his mother, was to slap him. He knew that his parents adored Liza and he knew that they would be disappointed in him. Somehow Alice had gotten in contact with their parents and had informed them about the split. Grace and George had flown down from Mexico to New York in an instant. After the slap Grace had realized the position Jonathan was in and had hugged him. Grace was aware that Jonathan loved Liza but she also knew that what Jonathan had done was wrong.

Slowly Grace had brought her son back from his shell. Since that time Jonathan had thrown himself in his work. Barely thinking about anything else and barely feeling anything else. The only time he smiled or cried was when he read the letters written by Liza. He hated himself every single day. He was aware that Alice was still in contact with Liza but he restrained himself from asking anything about her. He knew that he had to let her go, that he had caused her enough pain so he sat quietly and endured the torture of not knowing anything about her. He had taken Liza for granted and it was only now when he had lost her did he realize what a luxury having her love had been.

Jonathan snapped out from his reminiscence and looked at the clock. It was 9 pm already and almost everyone had left. He peered into Liza's office and was disappointed to find her gone. It was Friday and he wondered if she had any plans tonight, maybe a date with a guy who didn't cheat on her. He shook his head. He couldn't afford to think that way, especially not if he hoped to win her love back.

Liza knocked on the dark wooden door of Carson's apartment and waited for him or Melissa to open the door. She knocked on the door again, this time a little louder. She was getting impatient and was about to knock again when the door was opened by a panting Melissa. "I am sorry" she panted "I was in the middle of something". Liza took in her disheveled state. Her hair was open and messy, her top was a bit askew, she could see the sweat on her forehead. Liza rolled her eyes and entered the apartment.

"Has he been acting up again?" she asked. "Yeah" Melissa replied "He is getting worse by each day" Liza was about to say something when someone jumped and hugged her waist. She looked down to see Keith hugging her.

"Hello Aunt Liza" he spoke in his small childish voice. Liza bent down and ruffled his blonde hair. "Hey, Keith". Melissa and Carson had adopted Keith two years back. He had straight blond hair and the greenest eyes. He was the most adorable kid Liza had ever seen. ''Were you harassing mommy again, Keith?" Liza asked in a mock stern voice. "No auntie, I promise," Keith said with an adorable frown and Liza fought hard to contain her smile that was threatening to spill.

"Are you sure about it Keith?" She asked again, picking up Keith and placing him on her hip. "Yes auntie, it was mommy who was harassing me" Keith replied innocently. Liza finally let go of her laughter, while Melissa shook her head. "Come on now, eat up Keith" Melissa urged Keith. Keith got down from Liza's hold and ran to Melissa, hoping to please his mommy.

"Where is Carson?" Liza asked Melissa as she fed a spoonful of oatmeal to Keith. "Oh, he is still sleeping.

Liza rolled her eyes and went to wake him up, grumbling about him being man child. "Hey, you oaf" Liza said shaking Carson. Carson opened his eyes and sat up. "Oye, I am a perfectly well-formed human" he protested.

"No you are half gorilla" Liza stuck out her tongue. Carson suddenly tackled Liza and began tickling her. "How is that for a half gorilla, huh?" he teased while tickling. While Liza started screaming and laughing at the top of her lungs "No... No... Please stop. I will take it back, I will take it back" she panted in between her laughs. At this Carson stopped tickling and caught his breath. They looked up to see Melissa and Keith standing in the doorway enjoying the show. Melissa was smiling at the siblings while Keith was cheering for Liza.

Liza smiled at the sight and realized that this was how she wanted to live. Jonathan's return had caused her to once again focus on him even though it was not in the way it had been back then. Maybe it was because she was afraid that he will try to win her back and she would give in. So she decided, to stop avoiding him and face him head-on. To prove that she really had no place in her heart and her life for him. To prove that she had grown stronger and had finally become the person she wanted to be.'