PART 14
Grace looked out the window and watched as Zoe, Sunny and Alex played. They were running all over the place, catching each other, all of them laughing. She smiled at the sight. She turned around to see her baby brother in play pen by the television. Soon he and Holly would have a whole different life. One containing friends, relationships, and troubles. She never wished that upon anyone.
Brian turned his head toward her and gave her one of those adorable smiles. All Grace could do was laugh. He had Eli's smile. It was a gift and a soon to be curse on the girls. That smile could get him anywhere. It did for his brother. Grace climbed off the window cill and picked Brian up from his play pen.
"Jess?" Grace said as she walked into the kitchen. Jessie turned around, holding Holly in her arms. "When are they supposed to start walking? And talking? Because I think Brian here is going to be a little heart breaker. We should really sow his mouth shut now."
Jessie laughed and gave Brian a tickle on his stomach and he laughed. "Ah, I think you're right. That smile could kill a girl's heart." She looked at Holly. "This one, she's going to be a cheerleader. Boys will just die if she says no to them when they ask her out. Won't they?" She started to tickle her little sister. "Yes they will."
Grace placed Brian on the counter, still holding him up. "So, what happened with Katie?"
"I haven't talked to her in a week," Jessie said. "Everytime I call Heather just tells me she's out. I know Heather's protecting me, it's obvious in her voice."
"What about Ralf?" Grace asked.
"We've been hanging out everyday," Jessie answered. "He always knows what to say. I've only known him for a week, so that must be something important." Grace took a glass of water and took a sip. "I just wish Katie would talk to me. I really want to work it out, you know. Should I?"
Grace shook her head. "Stop calling her! You're the one upset not her. She has to call you and tell you she's sorry. Not the other way around."
*~B&W~*
*~Jessie nods. "Everyone says that's the thing to do."~*
"I know, I know," Jessie sighed. "But I always feel as if I have to fix it."
Grace put the glass up to Brian's mouth and let him take a sip. "But, that's the thing. She's going to make you suffer for a while. You're going to keep calling, keep wanting to work things out, and she's not going to answer anything. Then you're going to plead for her to talk to you. Next comes pleading for forgiveness. Then, she gets you back and you become misserable again."
"That's a pretty good acusation," Jessie balanced Holly on her hip.
"I have a gift," Grace said.
"So I should call her anymore. I should just let it slip. I'm not supposed to want to work this relationship out."
"Jessie!" Grace yelled. "Listen to me! She might not be the love of your life! Hell she just might be your high school sweetheart who graduated and left you behind. You and Katie have become two different people in a year." She lowered her voice. "You're still in high school. She's in college. Soon she will meet someone in college and you, you'll still be wondering what happened. Get a new high school sweetheart."
"Yeah," Jessie said quietly. "Because it's that easy."
"Who said anything about easy?" Grace said, picking Brian up. "Nothing's easy. But, it's time you moved on."
Eli walked in the back door with a smile. "Hey."
"Hey, E," Jessie put on a fake smile.
"I have to go to Coops for a while," Eli said. "He's actually moving to New York so he needs help packing." Jessie seemed upset making him stop. "Okay, what happened?"
"Nothing," Grace answered before Jessie could speak. "Just go, have fun, and be back before dinner."
"Okay, now I know somethings wrong if you're trying to get rid of me," Eli said.
Grace rolled her eyes, grabbed his hand a drug him out of the kitchen and to the front door. "Okay, listen. Jessie is going through a really tough time," she told him. Then she peaked to make sure Jessie wasn't listening. "Just leave me to do some repairing. Go say goodbye to Coop. Pack boxes and all that other moving stuff."
"Okay, I'll go," Eli said and kissed her quickly. "See ya. Bye, Brian." The baby giggled. He walked out the door.
Grace let out a breath and started back into the kitchen. "He's gone."
*~B&W~*
*~Grace is sitting on the stool with her head down. "Jessie is confused. I know she is. And she's been trusting me to help her out through everything. As much as I love to be doing this for her. I don't think she's ever really felt the hurt of a shattered relationship the she was in."~*
"Well, I'm going to the shop," Jessie said and handed Holly to Grace.
"Oh yeah, leave me with the kids!" Grace yelled after her. She looked down at the babies. "I have to do this everyday. Just me, you two, and the devils themselves." She started toward the living room. "So, what do you want to watch. Rugrats? Rolie Polie Olie? Help me out here."
"No!" a playful laugh came from the front door. Zoe and her friends walked in and prepared to go upstairs.
Grace put Brian and Holly in the play pen and walked over to them. "Hey, guys, hold on!" she stopped them. "I need you guys to go over to another house. Other wise, I'm going to die. So you think you can go and come back by dinner or whatever."
"Sure," Zoe said. "Come on, guys." With that, the three of them ran from the house.
Grace smiled and walked into the living room. "This makes things a lot easier. Okay, next, call Judy ask her to watch you guys, and have the house to myself all day!"
Lilly walked in the front door with a smile planted on her face. "Hey, Gracie," she said. Grace rolled her eyes and then turned around to see her mother. Lilly walked over to the play pen and kissed the twin on their forheads. "Hi, guys." She turned to Grace. "I have nothing to do today. So, I'm going to stay here with these two. You can go out-"
"Great!" Grace said with sarcasm. "I'll be in the garage."
She walked through the kitchen, out into the yard, and into Eli's room in the garage. She sat on his bed and lay down on his pillow. She grabbed the remote to his stereo and pressed power. Music blast through the speakers making Grace have to turn it down. She let out a huge sigh. How did her life become so boring and non-exciting. She sat up and looked around. How did she get to that place in her life where she wanted to be alone?
Eli got home a couple hours later. He walked into the garage to see Grace sitting on his bed. She liokked up from her notebook and smiled at him. He put his jacket on a chair and sat on the bed next to her.
"What are you doing in here?" he asked.
"I wanted some alone time," Grace said and looked at the alarm clock on the side of his bed. "Guess time is up."
"What are you writing?" Eli asked, pointing to the notebook.
Grace looked down at the notebook. "I was sitting in here and got this sudden urge to write something. So, that's what I'm doing. It's going to be a story. I only have the begining but I think it's going okay." She picked up the remote to the radio and turned it off. She turned so that she was facing him. "So, how did it go at Coop's?"
Eli smiled. "I have some news."
"Okay, what?" Grace asked.
He took her hand. "I'm moving out."
"What?" Grace asked with confusion.
"Coop is giving me his appartment. He knew I was stuck in my dad's garage and told me that because I'm twenty it might be good to get my own place. So, that's what I'm doing. And..." he said then he realized the way Grace was looking at him. "And, what's wrong?"
"Huh? Oh, nothing," Grace said and put on a smile.
"No, what is it?" Eli asked.
"Well, if you move it's going to be harder for this relationship thing we have going on," Grace told him. "Just, you know what, forget it. It's stupid. I can still come over to the appartment when I get some time. If I get some time."
"Are you trying to talk me out of this?"
"No... Yes. I'm sorry."
Eli laughed. "It's actually very flattering," he said and pushed a stranded of hair behind her ear. She let out a slight laugh. "It'll probably be easier if we tell everyone about us. And um, maybe you can move in with me. It's not to different from what we have now-"
"Whoa," Grace said and pushed his hand away. "Hold on, honey. Moving in together? Where is this coming from? How did it go from helping Coop move out to us living together. E, that's a big step I'm not sure we're ready for. We've only been together for less then three months."
"I know," Eli said and moved closer to her. "But I really think that it will be great."
Grace stood up. "Hold on. You want to tell them we're dating and want to move in to Coop's appartment all at the same time. I think we should give this relationship a little bit longer. I'm not ready to move into a house with JUST you right now. But, I will be soon." She knelt on the bed and kissed him. "I love you."
"I love you to," Eli smiled.
"So, you understand what I'm saying?" Grace asked
"Yeah, sure," Eli said, acting depressed.
Grace smiled and kissed him softly. "So, um, I can always come over," she said, and then kissed him again. "Then, we don't have to hide in this garage anymore."
"Sounds good to me," Eli smiled. He took her by the waste and pulled her down onto the bed beside him so that they were both laying down. "So, how often would you visit?"
"Every day," Grace said and kissed his nose.
Grace looked out the window and watched as Zoe, Sunny and Alex played. They were running all over the place, catching each other, all of them laughing. She smiled at the sight. She turned around to see her baby brother in play pen by the television. Soon he and Holly would have a whole different life. One containing friends, relationships, and troubles. She never wished that upon anyone.
Brian turned his head toward her and gave her one of those adorable smiles. All Grace could do was laugh. He had Eli's smile. It was a gift and a soon to be curse on the girls. That smile could get him anywhere. It did for his brother. Grace climbed off the window cill and picked Brian up from his play pen.
"Jess?" Grace said as she walked into the kitchen. Jessie turned around, holding Holly in her arms. "When are they supposed to start walking? And talking? Because I think Brian here is going to be a little heart breaker. We should really sow his mouth shut now."
Jessie laughed and gave Brian a tickle on his stomach and he laughed. "Ah, I think you're right. That smile could kill a girl's heart." She looked at Holly. "This one, she's going to be a cheerleader. Boys will just die if she says no to them when they ask her out. Won't they?" She started to tickle her little sister. "Yes they will."
Grace placed Brian on the counter, still holding him up. "So, what happened with Katie?"
"I haven't talked to her in a week," Jessie said. "Everytime I call Heather just tells me she's out. I know Heather's protecting me, it's obvious in her voice."
"What about Ralf?" Grace asked.
"We've been hanging out everyday," Jessie answered. "He always knows what to say. I've only known him for a week, so that must be something important." Grace took a glass of water and took a sip. "I just wish Katie would talk to me. I really want to work it out, you know. Should I?"
Grace shook her head. "Stop calling her! You're the one upset not her. She has to call you and tell you she's sorry. Not the other way around."
*~B&W~*
*~Jessie nods. "Everyone says that's the thing to do."~*
"I know, I know," Jessie sighed. "But I always feel as if I have to fix it."
Grace put the glass up to Brian's mouth and let him take a sip. "But, that's the thing. She's going to make you suffer for a while. You're going to keep calling, keep wanting to work things out, and she's not going to answer anything. Then you're going to plead for her to talk to you. Next comes pleading for forgiveness. Then, she gets you back and you become misserable again."
"That's a pretty good acusation," Jessie balanced Holly on her hip.
"I have a gift," Grace said.
"So I should call her anymore. I should just let it slip. I'm not supposed to want to work this relationship out."
"Jessie!" Grace yelled. "Listen to me! She might not be the love of your life! Hell she just might be your high school sweetheart who graduated and left you behind. You and Katie have become two different people in a year." She lowered her voice. "You're still in high school. She's in college. Soon she will meet someone in college and you, you'll still be wondering what happened. Get a new high school sweetheart."
"Yeah," Jessie said quietly. "Because it's that easy."
"Who said anything about easy?" Grace said, picking Brian up. "Nothing's easy. But, it's time you moved on."
Eli walked in the back door with a smile. "Hey."
"Hey, E," Jessie put on a fake smile.
"I have to go to Coops for a while," Eli said. "He's actually moving to New York so he needs help packing." Jessie seemed upset making him stop. "Okay, what happened?"
"Nothing," Grace answered before Jessie could speak. "Just go, have fun, and be back before dinner."
"Okay, now I know somethings wrong if you're trying to get rid of me," Eli said.
Grace rolled her eyes, grabbed his hand a drug him out of the kitchen and to the front door. "Okay, listen. Jessie is going through a really tough time," she told him. Then she peaked to make sure Jessie wasn't listening. "Just leave me to do some repairing. Go say goodbye to Coop. Pack boxes and all that other moving stuff."
"Okay, I'll go," Eli said and kissed her quickly. "See ya. Bye, Brian." The baby giggled. He walked out the door.
Grace let out a breath and started back into the kitchen. "He's gone."
*~B&W~*
*~Grace is sitting on the stool with her head down. "Jessie is confused. I know she is. And she's been trusting me to help her out through everything. As much as I love to be doing this for her. I don't think she's ever really felt the hurt of a shattered relationship the she was in."~*
"Well, I'm going to the shop," Jessie said and handed Holly to Grace.
"Oh yeah, leave me with the kids!" Grace yelled after her. She looked down at the babies. "I have to do this everyday. Just me, you two, and the devils themselves." She started toward the living room. "So, what do you want to watch. Rugrats? Rolie Polie Olie? Help me out here."
"No!" a playful laugh came from the front door. Zoe and her friends walked in and prepared to go upstairs.
Grace put Brian and Holly in the play pen and walked over to them. "Hey, guys, hold on!" she stopped them. "I need you guys to go over to another house. Other wise, I'm going to die. So you think you can go and come back by dinner or whatever."
"Sure," Zoe said. "Come on, guys." With that, the three of them ran from the house.
Grace smiled and walked into the living room. "This makes things a lot easier. Okay, next, call Judy ask her to watch you guys, and have the house to myself all day!"
Lilly walked in the front door with a smile planted on her face. "Hey, Gracie," she said. Grace rolled her eyes and then turned around to see her mother. Lilly walked over to the play pen and kissed the twin on their forheads. "Hi, guys." She turned to Grace. "I have nothing to do today. So, I'm going to stay here with these two. You can go out-"
"Great!" Grace said with sarcasm. "I'll be in the garage."
She walked through the kitchen, out into the yard, and into Eli's room in the garage. She sat on his bed and lay down on his pillow. She grabbed the remote to his stereo and pressed power. Music blast through the speakers making Grace have to turn it down. She let out a huge sigh. How did her life become so boring and non-exciting. She sat up and looked around. How did she get to that place in her life where she wanted to be alone?
Eli got home a couple hours later. He walked into the garage to see Grace sitting on his bed. She liokked up from her notebook and smiled at him. He put his jacket on a chair and sat on the bed next to her.
"What are you doing in here?" he asked.
"I wanted some alone time," Grace said and looked at the alarm clock on the side of his bed. "Guess time is up."
"What are you writing?" Eli asked, pointing to the notebook.
Grace looked down at the notebook. "I was sitting in here and got this sudden urge to write something. So, that's what I'm doing. It's going to be a story. I only have the begining but I think it's going okay." She picked up the remote to the radio and turned it off. She turned so that she was facing him. "So, how did it go at Coop's?"
Eli smiled. "I have some news."
"Okay, what?" Grace asked.
He took her hand. "I'm moving out."
"What?" Grace asked with confusion.
"Coop is giving me his appartment. He knew I was stuck in my dad's garage and told me that because I'm twenty it might be good to get my own place. So, that's what I'm doing. And..." he said then he realized the way Grace was looking at him. "And, what's wrong?"
"Huh? Oh, nothing," Grace said and put on a smile.
"No, what is it?" Eli asked.
"Well, if you move it's going to be harder for this relationship thing we have going on," Grace told him. "Just, you know what, forget it. It's stupid. I can still come over to the appartment when I get some time. If I get some time."
"Are you trying to talk me out of this?"
"No... Yes. I'm sorry."
Eli laughed. "It's actually very flattering," he said and pushed a stranded of hair behind her ear. She let out a slight laugh. "It'll probably be easier if we tell everyone about us. And um, maybe you can move in with me. It's not to different from what we have now-"
"Whoa," Grace said and pushed his hand away. "Hold on, honey. Moving in together? Where is this coming from? How did it go from helping Coop move out to us living together. E, that's a big step I'm not sure we're ready for. We've only been together for less then three months."
"I know," Eli said and moved closer to her. "But I really think that it will be great."
Grace stood up. "Hold on. You want to tell them we're dating and want to move in to Coop's appartment all at the same time. I think we should give this relationship a little bit longer. I'm not ready to move into a house with JUST you right now. But, I will be soon." She knelt on the bed and kissed him. "I love you."
"I love you to," Eli smiled.
"So, you understand what I'm saying?" Grace asked
"Yeah, sure," Eli said, acting depressed.
Grace smiled and kissed him softly. "So, um, I can always come over," she said, and then kissed him again. "Then, we don't have to hide in this garage anymore."
"Sounds good to me," Eli smiled. He took her by the waste and pulled her down onto the bed beside him so that they were both laying down. "So, how often would you visit?"
"Every day," Grace said and kissed his nose.