Page 8 of Statler

Right. Eliza had been keeping a closer eye on things these days, and had found a number of…anomalies she’d been documenting.

Just in case.

Eliza knew you weren’t supposed to hate your father.

But she did.

The CEO of the factory in which nearly everyone in town worked, was a controlling bastard, and it seemed that these days—or maybe for longer than she’d realized—he was weaving his evil tendrils around everything. Herself included.

When her mother had been alive, that strong woman had stood up and advocated for Eliza, because Abigail Flazer had never been weak. Some said it was a fluke that William had ever married Abi, but Eliza, seeing their dynamics in the home, knew that Abigail’s concrete backbone and how she dared stand up to her husband like no one else, had been part of the draw.

William had actually worshiped Abigail.

That wasn’t the case where Eliza was concerned.

Eliza had once been an artistic, head-in-the-clouds child; encouraged by her mother to follow her dreams and passions.

William, however, had different thoughts. But like in other things, Abigail had prevailed much of the time over the way Eliza’s creative flair had been nurtured. For the first eighteen years of Eliza’s life, she’d been semi-indulged, protected by the matriarch of the family, only rising to her father’s expectations when provoked, because she’d actually never been out from under her father’s thumb.

He’d won the biggest battle over the trajectory of Eliza’s life.

William and Abigail had argued endlessly over whether Eliza would leave town to attend college to pursue her artistic passions, but…

She’d ended up stuck in Liminal, at the age of eighteen, working at the goddamned factory.

She’d been her father’s acting secretary, bookkeeper, and Girl Friday for the last fourteen years, and during that time—at least in the office—she was always at his temperamental mercy, learning very quickly to keep her head down and do what the autocrat wanted. It was the easiest way to survive.

Her one rebellion to date? A life-changing encounter that had received the full backing of her mother, and eventually even her conniving father. At least for a while.

Holden.

That wonderful, gregarious boy. He’d moved to town during their senior year of high school, and as improbable as it seemed, Eliza had fallen instantly in love.

Why had he come to such a small, backwater town?

Holden’s parents had thought that relocating to Liminal, in the wilds of Maine, would give them a chance to breathe after residing in New York City for their entire lives. Neither had to work any longer; having made plenty of money—employed by an investment firm—to exist extremely comfortably for the rest of their days.

So, they’d settled in.

But they’d also wanted their son to learn the value of an honest day’s work. Hence, Holden beginning his tenure, part time, at Flazer Industries for the initial year after his family arrived.

Eliza had been acutely aware of everything Holden did during that time; not actually following him around like a puppy, but certainly keeping close tabs.

Handsome, sociable, and funny, Holden was everything she’d ever dreamed of in a man. And she saw in him the one who could finally take her away from Liminal.

But he hadn’t ever noticed her lingering in the wings. He’d been too busy settling in, playing sports, finishing up his high school degree, and learning the ropes at the factory.

Eliza might as well not have existed. Not that she was surprised. She knew she was…plain. Her mousy brown hair and large rimmed glasses weren’t exactly attractive. And her body, which she actually knew measured up to those of all the “pretty girls” in school, was inevitably, completely covered up by the sack-like dresses her father demanded she wear.

She’d spoken to her mother about those clothing requirements, hoping to get something into her closet that would accentuate the best of her assets, but Abigail had wisely told Eliza that she needed to pick her battles with her father carefully; that choosing the right ones, really mattered.

In the big scheme of things, what Eliza wore was, regretfully, near the bottom of a very long list.

Much to her disappointment and anguish, in the summer following high school, Holden had decided to join the Navy and see the world. His parents had encouraged him, proud that he was making his own way, but according to gossip, they subsequently missed their only son. Shortly after his enlistment, they’d up and moved back to the city and their old friends, having come to the realization that country living was really not for them.

To Eliza, it was as if the entire family had never even existed, and she mourned what might have been with Holden.

Eliza’s father, however, was not one to easily let go of his employees; especially the ones he’d personally groomed. He’d clearly seen potential in the bright young man that was Holden, and decided to make a play for the boy’s future. The day before Holden left for boot camp, William told him that a position at Flazer Industries would be waiting for him, along with an exorbitant salary, if and when he ever got tired of sailing the seven seas.