Lily and Rick rushed downstairs, they were completely overturned. They had
no idea of what to think or do. They were too dam confused.
"Rick? What are we gonna do about them? I'm just-, I can't- I-", Lily confusedly asked, non-stop walking around the living room. "I don't know.", Rick snorted in disappointment. "All I know is I can't go back to L.A. I'm gonna call Mr. Haddad and call off our meeting." * * * Jake was still in bed when his phone rang. He got up, walked to the phoned then picked it up while Tiffany milked Maddie. "Yes. Lily, are you okay?", Jake's face fell in concern at the moment her heard her speak. "But Lily- Lily what is going on? ---- Okay, okay. I'll be there in fifteen minutes.", as Jake hang up the phone Tiffany stared him with a puzzle face. He quickly grabbed his clothes, got dressed without saying a word to her. "Jake? Where you're going?", she asked. "Lily called. She's not in L.A, she's home. She want me there right now. I don't know what happened but I guess it's not very hard to figure.", Jake explained. "Grace and Eli.", Tiffany breathed out in concern. "That's what I thought.", Jake nodded. "I'm going with you.", Tiffany got up, got ready and when they were about to leave Zoe get ups and got to talk to them. "Dad? What's going on? Where are you going so early?", Zoe questioned still a little asleep. "Listen, honey. Your mom called. And, well, something happened with Grace and-" "Mom found out about Grace and Eli?", Zoe got out, surprising her father and Tiffany. "Um, um. you know about them too?", Tiffany said. "I wanna go with you, daddy", Zoe announced. "But honey, I don't think-", "She's my sister. I wanna help. Please?!!", Zoe sweetly insisted. "Alright. Go get ready.", Jake snorted then after a few minutes they took off. *
*
*
Karen was having breakfast and Henry was coming out of the shower at the moment her phone rang. "Hello?!", she answered. "Oh! Hi, Rick.", the expression on her face turned into some kind of panic and concern as she listen to his words. "Rick? Rick? Come down. You gotta tell me what happened. Rick?--- Why?--- I'm on my way.", she hang up the phone. Karen stood there, frozen in time and place with the phone in her hand. After a while Henry came down and she was still like a statue. "Karen? Karen?", he called, stepping towards her. "They know.", she only got out in shock. "Rick called. He said something happened. He didn't explain what but he told me to be there as soon as possible." "Wasn't he supposed to be in L. A?, Henry remarked. "Well, yes but he's not. I gotta get there before something really bad happens.", she seriously put it. "I need you to go with me." "But Karen? I'm not-", "Please? I need you there.", she shrugged and he agreed. "JESSIE!!!" *
*
*
"Um. you look very handsome for someone going in a business trip." Judy teased Sam, putting her arms around his shoulders then kissing him. "You know, if you keep on doing this, I'm sure I won't be able to leave this apartment.", Sam slightly kidded then the phone rang. "Yeah? Hey, Rick. I'm leaving in - What?", Sam questioned frowning. His word caught Judy's attention. "But why did you do that? Rick? Rick? What is going on but-" "What happened?", Judy's brow furrowed. "He called our meeting with Mr. Haddad. He's not in L. A, he's home.", Sam informed her, still asking himself *why*. "What?" "I'm as surprised as you are, Judy.", he said taking a seat on the couch. "Something really bad is going on or he wouldn't have cancelled our meeting. He didn't say anything but. I never heard him so angry like I did today, I mean, it seems like-", "Oh my God!", Judy burst out, realizing what happened. "Come on. We have to go there." "Go where?", "Lily's. I'll explain in the way there. Just - let's go.", Judy and Sam gathered their coats really fast then headed out. *
*
*
"I can't believe this is happening, Rick.", Lily desolately hummed, burying her face in her hands. "Eli crossed all the limits this time. I mean, how come he did this to me. What did I do wrong to deserve such a thing?", Rick desperately tried to understand the *reason why* Grace and Eli were together. *
*
Minutes later, Karen, Jake and Sam parked at almost the same time next to the Manning/Sammler's sidewalk. They got out of their cars, looked at each other in self-consciousness then hurried to the house. lily and Rick were in the living room at the moment they invaded in. "Where are *they*?", Jake impatiently asked. "Rick, you have to agree with that *they* didn't do anything wrong.", Karen stumbled out loud. "Li? Please don't do anything you will regret later. I mean, *they* are just kids.", Judy pondered. Rick and Lily got surprised with the other's reaction and they were observing them as they talked. "Wait a minute.", Lily shouted, making them shut up. "What are you talking about? Who said anything about *they*? And who are *they*? And what the hell are you doing here, Judy?" As Lily finished her questioning, the others for an instant thought they'd made a mistake, that the whole situation wasn't about Grace and Eli. Rick and Lily watched them all embarrassed and confusedly, self-consciously looking at each other not knowing what to say. "You know, don't you?", Rick bitterly figured. "I didn't know until this morning.", Sam clumsily remarked, trying to save his *ass* but Judy slapped his left arm, stopping him to say anything stupid. "I can't believe you knew about them all along and you didn't tell us. What ere you thinking?", Lily angrily attacked them. "It wasn't our secret to tell and besides, they aren't blood related.", Karen reminded them in a loud tone. "That's why I don't why you're so mad." "You don't know why we're mad? Karen, are you nuts?", Rick yelled at her. "Guys! Please, let's discuss this like civilized people.", Judy tried to bring their tempers down with no success. "Civilized? Civilized people don't *sleep* with their step-sister.", Lily annoyedly disputed.. *
*
*
*When you love someone, you'll do anything You do all the crazy things that you can't explain You'll shoot the moon, put out the sun When you love someone.*
Grace was all wrapped up to herself, sitting in one of the corners of her room, desperately crying while she listened to all the yelling that came from downstairs then Eli appeared on her window and snuck in. She abruptly stood up and they embraced each other real tight as their lips met in a desperate and desolate long kiss. "Eli, what you're here?", Grace breathed under her tears, parting from him. "I love you. You understand that. I love you.", Eli stated, cupping her face. "I love you too.", she replied, still crying. "Eli?. I'm scared." "Me too. But nobody will make us apart. Nobody.", he held in his harms, trying to give the comfort that himself was trying to find. "You trust me? You trust me?" "Eli, what's going on? You're scaring?", she quizzed. "You trust me?", he once again asked, looking deeply into her eyes.
*When you love someone, you'll deny the truth, believe a lie There'll be times that you'll believe you can really fly When you love someone, you'll fell deep inside And nothing else can ever change your mind When you want someone, when you need someone When you love someone.*
Grace saw the seriousness in his eyes as he looked at her, waiting for an answer. "Of course, I trust you. I trust you.", Grace got out and he squeezed her hand tightly at that time his eyes spoke words that only she could understand. Their eyes agreed in something that none of their parents thought they were able of.
*When you love someone, you'll sacrifice You'd give it everything you got and you won't think twice You'd risk it all, no matter what may come When you love someone.*
*
*
* "STOP! STOP! STOP!!", Zoe crazily screamed and they all made silence, looking at her in surprise. "Why don't you just let them be? Why mom? Why can't you let them be together?", tears fell from her innocent eyes. "Oh, sweetie!! I, I, I-", Lily's heart broke into a thousand pieces again when she heard her little girl say those things. "Because it's wrong.", Rick coldly answered. "Who are you to say what's right or wrong, Rick?", Karen strongly insinuated. "Karen!!?", Lily warned. "What they did. in this case. what they did is just, is just-", Lily kept moving her mouth, trying to find the right words to describe the situation but she couldn't. "They're doing this to punish us.", Rick snorted, no believing in his own words./ "And why would they punish you for?", Jake inquired and everybody else in the room turned their attention to Lily and Rick, who remained in silence. "Maybe they're doing this because you two kept them from destiny.", bravely stated Judy. "What's this crap you're talking about?", Lily got even more confused and angry that she already was. "I mean, Grace and Eli met each other before you two did.", Judy began. "And if you're together now, I guess you have to thank them, right?", Karen came out of her two seconds silence. "Are you crazy?", Rick once more raised his voice, attempting to intimidate the others. "First you agree with this insanity and now you start nonsense babbling about the past? I can't believe it!" "No, Judy and Karen are right.", Jake was the one leading now. "I remember now. you two met because of them. Not only because they attended to the same school but because they were in the principal's office at the same time." "That's, that's right. I heard Eli and Jessie talking one night. Eli was telling her how you met *the mom*, Rick.", Karen had flashbacks from the past. "If I remember correctly, Eli said Grace had twisted her ankle and that she and Lily were waiting for Jake to pick them up." "What it has to do with what's going on now?", Lily impatiently asked. "Everything.", Tiffany *accidentally* got out, figuring what has happened from that day on. Lily and Rick gave her such killing glares so she excused herself and went to the kitchen. "Tiffany is right. You're feeling guilty now because you know exactly what happened. You always knew.", Judy accused them this time. "I'm not feeling guilty. Why would I feel guilty?", lily tried to defend herself. "This is not about us, Judy.", Rick mumbled. "No. It is. It's always about you. From the very first beginning.", Jake shrugged. "If you hadn't acted like teenagers and recklessly began your relationship, maybe the real teenagers wouldn't have had to deny their own feelings just not ruin what whatever was going on between you two at the time.", Karen finally said what everybody in there wanted to say but didn't have the courage to. "I'm not going to stand here hearing all these craps.", Lily didn't let them say another word about the past. "This is not about the past. This is about my daughter sleeping with her step brother. And you know what? I want them out." As she said all those eyes stared her in amazement. "What do you mean? You're kicking them out?", Jessie who still hadn't opened her mouth, spoke. "I want the, out of here. Jake I want Grace to stay with you and Eli to stay with you Karen.", Lily went on. "And they can not see each other." "But for how long?", Jake quizzed. "How long it takes for us to figure out what to do." "Figure out what? There's nothing to figure here.", Karen burst out in disbelief. "Shut up, Karen!", Rick ordered, yelling. "Don't tell me to shut up, Rick. He's my son too.", Karen yelled at him. "Zoe. Go and tell Grace to get ready. Tell her she's going to go with Jake and Tiffany.", Lily ordered and Zoe went up. "Jess, could you-", Rick was about to ask Jessie to go talk to Eli too but she figured and interrupted him. "Okay. I'll tell him.", Jessie headed out to the garage. They waited there, in the living room then Zoe came down screaming. "MOM!? MOM?!" "What Zoe?" "Grace is not there. Grace is not there.", Zoe informed, out of her breath. "But-", Lily frowned. "Eli's gone and is his car.", Jessie announced, running into the room. Rick and Lily got desperate, Lily rushed up to Grace's room and Rick hurried out Eli's. The other's stayed there, figuring what they had done. "Her clothes. They're not there.", Lily stated, her voice filled with fear. "His guitar, his CD's, his clothes. aren't there either.", Rick snorted. "They ran.", Judy gasped, very sure of what she was saying. "They ranaway."
.
"Rick? What are we gonna do about them? I'm just-, I can't- I-", Lily confusedly asked, non-stop walking around the living room. "I don't know.", Rick snorted in disappointment. "All I know is I can't go back to L.A. I'm gonna call Mr. Haddad and call off our meeting." * * * Jake was still in bed when his phone rang. He got up, walked to the phoned then picked it up while Tiffany milked Maddie. "Yes. Lily, are you okay?", Jake's face fell in concern at the moment her heard her speak. "But Lily- Lily what is going on? ---- Okay, okay. I'll be there in fifteen minutes.", as Jake hang up the phone Tiffany stared him with a puzzle face. He quickly grabbed his clothes, got dressed without saying a word to her. "Jake? Where you're going?", she asked. "Lily called. She's not in L.A, she's home. She want me there right now. I don't know what happened but I guess it's not very hard to figure.", Jake explained. "Grace and Eli.", Tiffany breathed out in concern. "That's what I thought.", Jake nodded. "I'm going with you.", Tiffany got up, got ready and when they were about to leave Zoe get ups and got to talk to them. "Dad? What's going on? Where are you going so early?", Zoe questioned still a little asleep. "Listen, honey. Your mom called. And, well, something happened with Grace and-" "Mom found out about Grace and Eli?", Zoe got out, surprising her father and Tiffany. "Um, um. you know about them too?", Tiffany said. "I wanna go with you, daddy", Zoe announced. "But honey, I don't think-", "She's my sister. I wanna help. Please?!!", Zoe sweetly insisted. "Alright. Go get ready.", Jake snorted then after a few minutes they took off. *
*
*
Karen was having breakfast and Henry was coming out of the shower at the moment her phone rang. "Hello?!", she answered. "Oh! Hi, Rick.", the expression on her face turned into some kind of panic and concern as she listen to his words. "Rick? Rick? Come down. You gotta tell me what happened. Rick?--- Why?--- I'm on my way.", she hang up the phone. Karen stood there, frozen in time and place with the phone in her hand. After a while Henry came down and she was still like a statue. "Karen? Karen?", he called, stepping towards her. "They know.", she only got out in shock. "Rick called. He said something happened. He didn't explain what but he told me to be there as soon as possible." "Wasn't he supposed to be in L. A?, Henry remarked. "Well, yes but he's not. I gotta get there before something really bad happens.", she seriously put it. "I need you to go with me." "But Karen? I'm not-", "Please? I need you there.", she shrugged and he agreed. "JESSIE!!!" *
*
*
"Um. you look very handsome for someone going in a business trip." Judy teased Sam, putting her arms around his shoulders then kissing him. "You know, if you keep on doing this, I'm sure I won't be able to leave this apartment.", Sam slightly kidded then the phone rang. "Yeah? Hey, Rick. I'm leaving in - What?", Sam questioned frowning. His word caught Judy's attention. "But why did you do that? Rick? Rick? What is going on but-" "What happened?", Judy's brow furrowed. "He called our meeting with Mr. Haddad. He's not in L. A, he's home.", Sam informed her, still asking himself *why*. "What?" "I'm as surprised as you are, Judy.", he said taking a seat on the couch. "Something really bad is going on or he wouldn't have cancelled our meeting. He didn't say anything but. I never heard him so angry like I did today, I mean, it seems like-", "Oh my God!", Judy burst out, realizing what happened. "Come on. We have to go there." "Go where?", "Lily's. I'll explain in the way there. Just - let's go.", Judy and Sam gathered their coats really fast then headed out. *
*
*
"I can't believe this is happening, Rick.", Lily desolately hummed, burying her face in her hands. "Eli crossed all the limits this time. I mean, how come he did this to me. What did I do wrong to deserve such a thing?", Rick desperately tried to understand the *reason why* Grace and Eli were together. *
*
Minutes later, Karen, Jake and Sam parked at almost the same time next to the Manning/Sammler's sidewalk. They got out of their cars, looked at each other in self-consciousness then hurried to the house. lily and Rick were in the living room at the moment they invaded in. "Where are *they*?", Jake impatiently asked. "Rick, you have to agree with that *they* didn't do anything wrong.", Karen stumbled out loud. "Li? Please don't do anything you will regret later. I mean, *they* are just kids.", Judy pondered. Rick and Lily got surprised with the other's reaction and they were observing them as they talked. "Wait a minute.", Lily shouted, making them shut up. "What are you talking about? Who said anything about *they*? And who are *they*? And what the hell are you doing here, Judy?" As Lily finished her questioning, the others for an instant thought they'd made a mistake, that the whole situation wasn't about Grace and Eli. Rick and Lily watched them all embarrassed and confusedly, self-consciously looking at each other not knowing what to say. "You know, don't you?", Rick bitterly figured. "I didn't know until this morning.", Sam clumsily remarked, trying to save his *ass* but Judy slapped his left arm, stopping him to say anything stupid. "I can't believe you knew about them all along and you didn't tell us. What ere you thinking?", Lily angrily attacked them. "It wasn't our secret to tell and besides, they aren't blood related.", Karen reminded them in a loud tone. "That's why I don't why you're so mad." "You don't know why we're mad? Karen, are you nuts?", Rick yelled at her. "Guys! Please, let's discuss this like civilized people.", Judy tried to bring their tempers down with no success. "Civilized? Civilized people don't *sleep* with their step-sister.", Lily annoyedly disputed.. *
*
*
*When you love someone, you'll do anything You do all the crazy things that you can't explain You'll shoot the moon, put out the sun When you love someone.*
Grace was all wrapped up to herself, sitting in one of the corners of her room, desperately crying while she listened to all the yelling that came from downstairs then Eli appeared on her window and snuck in. She abruptly stood up and they embraced each other real tight as their lips met in a desperate and desolate long kiss. "Eli, what you're here?", Grace breathed under her tears, parting from him. "I love you. You understand that. I love you.", Eli stated, cupping her face. "I love you too.", she replied, still crying. "Eli?. I'm scared." "Me too. But nobody will make us apart. Nobody.", he held in his harms, trying to give the comfort that himself was trying to find. "You trust me? You trust me?" "Eli, what's going on? You're scaring?", she quizzed. "You trust me?", he once again asked, looking deeply into her eyes.
*When you love someone, you'll deny the truth, believe a lie There'll be times that you'll believe you can really fly When you love someone, you'll fell deep inside And nothing else can ever change your mind When you want someone, when you need someone When you love someone.*
Grace saw the seriousness in his eyes as he looked at her, waiting for an answer. "Of course, I trust you. I trust you.", Grace got out and he squeezed her hand tightly at that time his eyes spoke words that only she could understand. Their eyes agreed in something that none of their parents thought they were able of.
*When you love someone, you'll sacrifice You'd give it everything you got and you won't think twice You'd risk it all, no matter what may come When you love someone.*
*
*
* "STOP! STOP! STOP!!", Zoe crazily screamed and they all made silence, looking at her in surprise. "Why don't you just let them be? Why mom? Why can't you let them be together?", tears fell from her innocent eyes. "Oh, sweetie!! I, I, I-", Lily's heart broke into a thousand pieces again when she heard her little girl say those things. "Because it's wrong.", Rick coldly answered. "Who are you to say what's right or wrong, Rick?", Karen strongly insinuated. "Karen!!?", Lily warned. "What they did. in this case. what they did is just, is just-", Lily kept moving her mouth, trying to find the right words to describe the situation but she couldn't. "They're doing this to punish us.", Rick snorted, no believing in his own words./ "And why would they punish you for?", Jake inquired and everybody else in the room turned their attention to Lily and Rick, who remained in silence. "Maybe they're doing this because you two kept them from destiny.", bravely stated Judy. "What's this crap you're talking about?", Lily got even more confused and angry that she already was. "I mean, Grace and Eli met each other before you two did.", Judy began. "And if you're together now, I guess you have to thank them, right?", Karen came out of her two seconds silence. "Are you crazy?", Rick once more raised his voice, attempting to intimidate the others. "First you agree with this insanity and now you start nonsense babbling about the past? I can't believe it!" "No, Judy and Karen are right.", Jake was the one leading now. "I remember now. you two met because of them. Not only because they attended to the same school but because they were in the principal's office at the same time." "That's, that's right. I heard Eli and Jessie talking one night. Eli was telling her how you met *the mom*, Rick.", Karen had flashbacks from the past. "If I remember correctly, Eli said Grace had twisted her ankle and that she and Lily were waiting for Jake to pick them up." "What it has to do with what's going on now?", Lily impatiently asked. "Everything.", Tiffany *accidentally* got out, figuring what has happened from that day on. Lily and Rick gave her such killing glares so she excused herself and went to the kitchen. "Tiffany is right. You're feeling guilty now because you know exactly what happened. You always knew.", Judy accused them this time. "I'm not feeling guilty. Why would I feel guilty?", lily tried to defend herself. "This is not about us, Judy.", Rick mumbled. "No. It is. It's always about you. From the very first beginning.", Jake shrugged. "If you hadn't acted like teenagers and recklessly began your relationship, maybe the real teenagers wouldn't have had to deny their own feelings just not ruin what whatever was going on between you two at the time.", Karen finally said what everybody in there wanted to say but didn't have the courage to. "I'm not going to stand here hearing all these craps.", Lily didn't let them say another word about the past. "This is not about the past. This is about my daughter sleeping with her step brother. And you know what? I want them out." As she said all those eyes stared her in amazement. "What do you mean? You're kicking them out?", Jessie who still hadn't opened her mouth, spoke. "I want the, out of here. Jake I want Grace to stay with you and Eli to stay with you Karen.", Lily went on. "And they can not see each other." "But for how long?", Jake quizzed. "How long it takes for us to figure out what to do." "Figure out what? There's nothing to figure here.", Karen burst out in disbelief. "Shut up, Karen!", Rick ordered, yelling. "Don't tell me to shut up, Rick. He's my son too.", Karen yelled at him. "Zoe. Go and tell Grace to get ready. Tell her she's going to go with Jake and Tiffany.", Lily ordered and Zoe went up. "Jess, could you-", Rick was about to ask Jessie to go talk to Eli too but she figured and interrupted him. "Okay. I'll tell him.", Jessie headed out to the garage. They waited there, in the living room then Zoe came down screaming. "MOM!? MOM?!" "What Zoe?" "Grace is not there. Grace is not there.", Zoe informed, out of her breath. "But-", Lily frowned. "Eli's gone and is his car.", Jessie announced, running into the room. Rick and Lily got desperate, Lily rushed up to Grace's room and Rick hurried out Eli's. The other's stayed there, figuring what they had done. "Her clothes. They're not there.", Lily stated, her voice filled with fear. "His guitar, his CD's, his clothes. aren't there either.", Rick snorted. "They ran.", Judy gasped, very sure of what she was saying. "They ranaway."
.