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A Simple Act of Kindness	By : Demona_Andariel Category: -Movies Misc > Het - Male/Female Views: 1897 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Texas Chainsaw Massacre, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Why did she ask to go outside?
The question kept circling in her brain, beating herself up. She'd figured things out. She'd made her life easy, simple. All she did was tailor her mentality to accept her fate. She made the best of a bad situation for her own sanity, survival. By becoming and accepting the fact that she was going to be Thomas's lover and eventual mother of his children. Not getting attached, keeping her emotions surface level was easy. But the other day, she said something and thought something she never expected. And it had sunk her into a contemplative mood.
Elizabeth sat at the kitchen table, wearing a sleeveless dress that showed the scars on her arms. Henrietta sat to her right, Luda Mae was in front of her, and Luda Mae’s sister was to her left. Elizabeth had no idea what the woman’s name was. When they were first introduced she’d been so surprised by the woman’s weight she’d completely missed her name. By the time she realized it the conversation had moved on. It was far too embarrassing to ask.
Did she care? Not really. She'd just taken to calling her "The Tea Lady" in her own head and "ma'am" out loud. The nickname fit her as they had tea every time she visited. Which had become almost an every other day visit. Elizabeth couldn't help but feel like there was another motive behind the visits. She'd been living with the Hewitts for well over a month and a half. Going on two? The only outside person she met was the doctor when she'd gotten sick. She didn't even know Thomas had an aunt or cousin. The two started coming over with some frequency. But it was Henrietta that Elizabeth had spent a lot more alone time with, besides for Thomas.
Elizabeth glanced over at Henrietta. It was hard, not ascribing motives behind the woman's questions and her "friendliness". The woman was soft spoken, somewhat shy and seemed to be affable. The problem was she was a Hewitt. And, other than Thomas, Elizabeth couldn't trust the family. She still felt as if she were on thin ice.
There was little doubt in her mind that the Tea Lady and Henrietta were aware of what had happened to Elizabeth. Which meant, in a way, both condoned the actions that had been taken.
It's in the past, Liz, she reminded herself as her heart started to pick up its beat with fear. It was hard, pushing herself past the traumatic physical and emotional events that she'd been put through over a month ago. She didn't blame Thomas completely. It was his family she blamed. They raised him. They encouraged him. She even lumped in his aunt with Luda Mae, Hoyt, and Monty. Henrietta, she wasn't quite sure about. It was hard to pinpoint the woman's true personality.
Thomas was a lot easier to read and figure out. A simple man. He loved and cared about his family with a fierceness so strong he was willing to kill for them. And they, in turn, were willing to protect him as well. It was so strange. For as violent and morally reprehensible as they were, the Hewitts were a close knit family. They relied on each other and cared about each other. And, as far as she could tell, they weren't abusive towards each other.
That was a surprise. Once she realized what kind of people they were, she figured their cruelty would extend to their inner lives as well. But it didn't. And that puzzled her. There was a part of her, albeit a small part, that yearned to be accepted. That wanted that kind of loyalty. That didn't want to feel like the only person she could rely on was herself. Thomas, well, she could trust that she was safe with him. But, rely on him?
But, how could she earn the trust of people she didn't trust herself? Thomas was easy. Accepting her role as his pseudo wife was what won him over. It was basically just sex that kept him happy. And the fact that she'd have his children one day. If he was interested in her as a person, truly to get to know her, he never made any hints. That helped. It helped that no one tried to get to know her. That they basically made decisions for her. It kept her emotions in check. Or so she thought.
And then, Handsome Jack had to come into the picture.
"Would you like to go outside with me, Lizzy?" Henrietta asked, interrupting her thoughts.
Elizabeth grounded her teeth for a moment. She hated it. She hated that they took the liberty to call her Lizzy without her permission. But, she also didn't want to voice out her frustration. In the grand scheme of things, it was a relatively small issue. And they probably wouldn't stop anyway. Not like they even bothered asking her anything.
Elizabeth smiled, nodding her head. "Sure," she replied automatically as she got up. She didn't want to. In fact, she wanted to be left alone. She wanted to think, to figure things out. To return her state of mind back to where it was. Unfortunately, even though she seemed to be given options, Elizabeth felt like they were there as a pretense.
Henrietta opened the front door and the two walked out onto the porch. The hot Texas heat wrapped around them. The house was a little bit cooler than the outside thanks to the fans.
“I heard you met Handsome Jack,” Henrietta said softly.
Elizabeth looked at her with a raised eyebrow. The woman’s voice came out all dreamy and wanting. “Yes,” Elizabeth said with a nod of her head. He was true to his name. Quite a handsome man about her age.
Yet, the moment her eyes landed on him and his friends her defenses raised. They were there to check her out. There was little doubt that one of the locals noticed the new girl in town and word quickly spread. Which Jack confirmed that he heard about her from his grandfather.
“He is rather handsome, ain’t he?” Henrietta asked, her cheeks reddened at her words and she looked down for a moment in embarrassment.
Elizabeth titled her head to one side. Was that a trap? “Pretty to look at, but ugly inside,” Elizabeth answered, shrugging her shoulders.
Anger zapped through her, making her clench her fists. Jack didn't insult Thomas. He didn't have to. He insulted the store, but that was an object. It was the way he smiled and laughed as his friends threw out the insults. But worst of all, Jack saw Thomas. She was pretty sure no one else noticed Thomas standing in the corner, just barely within view. If they did, they probably wouldn't have said what they said. However, Jack did. She saw it in the man's eyes. For a brief moment he looked scared. But, when Thomas disappeared into the backroom Jack laughed the loudest.
Elizabeth grounded her teeth in annoyance at herself. On more than one occasion she'd picked a fight with someone who dared to make fun of her brother. She used to be good with her words, good with her actions, good at humiliating people. She lost that somewhere and that frustrated her.
Henrietta sighed. “You give me hope, Lizzy,” she said, staring out at the yellow grass.
"Hope?" Elizabeth asked. Interruptions were good. She was starting to feel sorry for herself.
Henrietta sat in one of the rocking chairs and Elizabeth sat on the bench beside her.
"Yes," Henrietta said with a nod of her head. She gave Elizabeth a small, half smile. “If my cousin can have someone like you fall in love with him, then maybe I could get someone like Handsome Jack,” she said wistfully.
Love. That word.
"You don't want a man like, Jack," Elizabeth stated, a bit of rage sparked through her again. She should have gone to Thomas and kissed him, just to shut those fools up. It wasn't about jealousy. It was about making a statement. Expectations be damned.
"You think I can't get a man like him?" Henrietta asked. Even though her voice was soft, there was something there, a bit of anger perhaps?
Elizabeth shook her head. "It's not that, Henrietta. It's you don't want a man like him. He's not… How do I say this. I've known guys like him. He'll be with you long enough until you're boring and then move on. You don't want that. You want someone who will be there for you. Take care of you when you're sick. Jump to protect you from harm. Accept you for who you are. Let you be you."
"Then a man like Thomas but with your looks," Henrietta said with a smile.
Elizabeth let out a light chuckle. Like Thomas? The man raped her, forced her to stay, watched her every move. And yet he was the same man who protected her, even from herself. He clearly loved and adored her. He was, without a doubt in her mind, devoted to her. In his eyes, she was family. She saw that. She saw that in the way he acted, in what he did for her. In the concerned looks he shot at her if he thought she was upset with him. But Thomas didn't know her. And she was fine with that. It helped her kept that line between them.
At least, that's where she thought it did.
Then Handsome 'fucking' Jack had walk into the general store with his little group of friends. And they had to remind her of that part that was in her. The part that she thought had died when her brother did. Her overprotective nature to defend someone she cared about. They went after Thomas with their words and she, for the first time since her brother's death, wanted to get violent. And that's when she realized her feelings weren't shallow anymore.
"You must be pretty excited," Henrietta mused, interrupting Elizabeth's thoughts yet again.
"For what?" Elizabeth asked, focusing her attention on the woman.
"To have a baby, of course," Henrietta stated as if that were the only answer.
"Yes. We are all very excited," Luda Mae interrupted, walking out of the house to join them on the porch. Her sister waddled out behind her, gasping for breath before plopping down on a chair that somehow held her weight.
"Very excited," she wheezed.
A baby. That's all the Hewitts talked about when she was around. Even Thomas would touch her belly a couple times a day, just in case.
"Have you bled recently?" Henrietta asked.
The hairs on Elizabeth's arms stood on end. "No," she said. "But!" she quickly added as Henrietta and the Tea Lady let out a little squeal. She gave the women a cautious look. "I haven't been here long. And, it takes time. And, I'm not exactly regular."
"You're not?" Henrietta asked in surprise.
"You should have Dr. Hawkins take a look at the girl," the Tea Lady said to Luda Mae as if Elizabeth wasn't there.
"I'm fine," Elizabeth snapped. Her heart pounded in her chest. The doctor would for sure find her IUD. And she wasn't sure if he'd let her keep it and lie for her or not. Either way, she didn't want to find out.
The women stared at her and she forced out a smile, shrugging her shoulders.
"I've already seen a doctor about it. It happens. He said I don't have to worry. I can have kids."
"Just the same maybe Dr. Hawkins should take a look at you," Luda Mae said. There was something about her voice that put Elizabeth on edge. "We wouldn't want to jeopardize the baby by having you work hard if you are pregnant. The way you two have been going at it, I'd be surprised if you weren't." She let out a light chuckle.
Elizabeth stared at the grass, her brain jumping for any sort of excuse. What would they do if they found out? Maybe the doctor wouldn't tell them, but even then she'd be in serious trouble. She wasn't ready to be pregnant. A baby. The ultimate price to pay to be accepted into the family.
A frown crossed her brow. But would it?
"Of course," she said softly, nodding her head. "The baby." Her voice was flatter than she wanted, but she couldn't put any emotion behind the word. It had never been about her. She knew that. It wasn't about who she was. It was about what she could give. Her uterus. A child for them to dote on.
"-weddin'," the Tea Lady's chortle interrupted Elizabeth's musing.
"I'm sorry, what?" Elizabeth asked.
"Must have been a nice weddin'," the Tea Lady repeated. "It's unfortunate you felt the need not to invite family.
"I believe it was more to escape her family than to harm ours. Isn't that right, Lizzy? Although, she is right," Luda Mae said with a little nod of her head.
Escape. Escape her grief was what it was. She ran away to not have to think about her brother's death. She still hadn't dealt with that. It was still back there, urging her to confront it. She hadn't had the time or energy. She had used that numbness on life to her advantage, dealing with her abduction. But now, it was going away. And the emotions she thought she'd nicely locked up were beginning to tangle themselves in her life again.
"The way you two eloped didn't allow the family to celebrate properly your marriage."
Eloped. Marriage. Her mind took her back to that horrible night. She didn't want to relive it. She tried to put it behind her. But, it came back, hitting her hard. Her fear, the off-white old wedding dress she wore. Thomas's clear intent. Her desperation to get away. His insistence, his claim.
Her mouth felt dry and her palms were sweaty. The women's laughter broke through her mind again.
"I don't see why not," Henrietta exclaimed. "How excitin'!"
Elizabeth clenched her fists she needed to pay more attention, stop thinking. Just, let go. Become the object the family wanted. The three women stared at her again, expectantly.
"What?" she asked.
"How'd you like a real large Texan celebration of your marriage?" the Tea Lady said as Luda Mae opened her mouth.
How would she like? The question repeated for a moment in her head. Would she like? They didn't know: Who she was, her likes, her dislikes. Did they really want to know?
She looked at the woman, eyes carefully examining each of their expressions. No. They didn't. She could tell them what she wanted and they'd do things their way. Her opinion didn't matter. She didn't matter. She frowned at the women.
The world suddenly expanded and flattened. Handsome Jack's face popped into her head, the way he winked at her. Then Hoyt, how he leered at her when he could. Luda Mae, Henrietta, the freaking Tea Lady, excited and expectant for the baby to come from her. Thomas. Her parents. The kids in high school. Jason. They all wanted one thing in the end. Yet none of them wanted to get to know her.
"He doesn't even know me," she stated.
She got off the bench, pushing herself away from them and stepped onto the dirt road. The sun beat down on her body and in the background she heard her name being called, but she ignored them and kept walking.
After about a minute, she stopped and stood still. There was a slight breeze, but it was hot and humid. No comfort there. There was nothing in front of her. No town, no house, no civilization. Just grass, a dirt road and the forest in the distance. A vast emptiness and a smoldering heat.
The sun irritated her skin. She should have worn sunblock. But, she didn't care. She embraced herself, suddenly feeling horribly lonely and used.
Everything was going great. Had been going great. She'd been able to successfully fool herself, repressing her feelings. But now… She had attached herself to him. It was clear to her. Her heart had gotten involved at some point. She wanted him to want her, not just because she could have his baby. She wanted his family to accept her. She wanted to stop feeling that with one wrong move she'd find herself in big trouble again.
She should never have asked to go outside. She wish she'd never met that Handsome Jack.
Something pressed on her head, making her look up. Thomas arranged a straw hat to cover her from the sun. He smiled, looking proud then his smile disappeared as he looked at her in concern.
"I'll be alright," she stated, focusing on nothing. "I'm not going to run away."
He nodded, but didn't move. Instead, he stood beside her and waited patiently. His large body shielded her from the sun as best as he could.
Her protector. Even from herself.
"Thomas?" she finally asked, looking up at him again. He cocked his head to one side. She opened her mouth, half tempted to say what was on her mind. "Never mind," she muttered.
He cupped her chin, turning her face to look at him. He gave his head a short nod.
What?
"Do you think?" she paused. Her heart thumped hard in her chest. She uncrossed her arms and gently examined his face. He cringed a little at her touch, probably always would.
Yes, she very much cared about him.
"Your family wants to celebrate our apparent marriage," she said lightly, massaging one cheek with her hand.
His face shifted ever so slightly and she saw the shame wash over him. Thinking about their first night? Good. That made her feel a little bit better.
She searched his face, watching his expression. He told her once, the day her life official shifted for the better, that he saw her as a person. He wasn't a liar, the man couldn't really lie even if he wanted to. He wasn't a manipulator.
My protector, she thought. Dare she? She did her best not to talk about herself because it was just about survival. True feelings, her heart, weren't supposed to get involved.
"You don't know me, Thomas." She dared.
His eyes widened and he shook his head as if to disagree with her.
"You don't know what I like or dislike. What I love or hate. What makes me happy or afraid," she continued. "I don't know you too well either. And you want a baby. You want it soon. You won't have time to get to know me once a baby gets here."
She let his face go and turned to stare out at nothing, crossing her arms over her chest. "I can get past it. I think. I mean. I have to. I mean, I will," she stammered, trying to collect her thoughts. She sniffled, scoffed then growled at herself.
"Sorry," she muttered, wiping her eyes. "I'm such a baby right now. I never used to be. I just had this moment. Bah." She forced a chuckle, wiping her eyes again before waving her hand in the air in dismissal. "I'll get over it," she said with a shrug. Always one to push her true feelings back to pretend she was alright.
Thomas placed his hand under her chin to make her look up at him. His brow had shifted to worry as he stroked her face.
He leaned down, pressing his lips on hers in a gentle kiss. She kissed him back.
The wind picked up for a moment, forcing her hat off her head, making Thomas cry out in distress while she laughed. It was entertaining, watching him struggle to pick up the hat as the wind played with it. A welcome distraction. A way to get herself back under control.
Finally, he managed to snatch it as the wind picked it up again. He walked back to her, dusting it off before placing it back on her head.
She smiled up at him, giving him another kiss. "Thank you," she said.
He beamed down at her then placed his arm around her shoulders, leading her back to the Hewitt home.
She glanced up at him for a moment.
I think I love you.
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A Simple Act of Kindness