Elizabeth looked at the textbook in front of her, lamenting at her poor excuse for studying, as she realized she had read the same paragraph twice, without much of the content sinking in. She walked over to her computer, tempted to begin editing her article on the wonders of her recent trip abroad, her second honeymoon, the celebration of her first year of marriage. The thought of writing about and reliving her recent experiences was a lot more enticing than reading her communication in business journalism chapter. Her professor had agreed to her time off from his lectures, as long as she was willing to put in the extra credit on her return.

Her boss had allowed her an added week of her yearly allotment of vacation days, providing that she give a detailed report of the wonders of her recent travel, one that was sure to appeal to Cityscoop's jet set readers. Thanksgiving was just around the corner, and Elizabeth and Nicholas would be staying closer to home for the holiday, as they both had a lot of catching up to do. She grasped the diamond horseshoe at the base of her throat, remembering when it was first put there. She smiled dreamily, envisioning the lakes, mountains, magnificent medieval towns, old world architecture, and quaint fairy tale charm that was still fresh in her mind.

Overall, upon her musing, she realized that the best part of the entire week away was sharing the time with and being in the embrace of the most amazing man…..

After a year of marriage, he still thrilled her, still charmed her, and she had forgotten what her world had been like without him in it. The experience had been everything Nicholas had promised her, from the time he had vowed to take her there, long before they were married. As perfect as it was, the beginning was not without potential chaos.

Her mind reflected on the day they left New York after deciding to arrive at the airport separately. A meeting at work had taken longer than expected, and Elizabeth's plan was to meet Nicholas at JFK. She had packed lightly the night before, with just a week's worth of clothes, and then left her apartment at the waterfront, ready to take on the long lines at the area's most crowded transportation hub. She had gotten to the terminal late, an accident on the Grand Central Parkway had caused a traffic jam that stretched for several miles.

Almost in tears, she had cleared security and had arrived at the departure lounge just as they were about to close the flight , where she and Nicholas would be boarding a jumbo jet to Europe. They ran down the walkway and made their way to the upper deck of the massive plane, where their luxurious, extra spacious seats in the first class section awaited them. After seven days, which Elizabeth could only begin to describe as magical, they boarded the plane four hours late at Geneva's international airport, landed in New York, and made their way to Greenwich, arriving mid morning, long after the sun arose.

The black out curtains in their master bedroom, and the quietness of Belle Haven made it easy to ignore the fact that it was daytime, and they had gotten into bed, exhausted after their long ride home. Elizabeth was visualizing the Matterhorn, somewhere between slumber and awakened bliss when a noise alerted her, causing her to open her eyes. In the darkness of the room, a moving figure caught her attention, and she tried to focus, not quite sure if she was dreaming. She watched in confusion as it moved to the left and entered through another door, away from the suite's main entrance.

Nicholas!

Hmmmmm?

There's someone in my dressing room! Nicholas, wake up,! she whispered as her sleepy brain began to process that there was an intruder in their house.

Hmmmmmm, Nicholas opened one lazy green eye and stared at the door. I don't see anything. He kissed her cheek, and shut his eyes, pulling her closer, his hand traveling up her naked thigh.

I know I saw her, Elizabeth insisted, startled and bewildered, wondering if she was imagining things. After a couple of minutes, the figure came out again, having left the light on and the door slightly ajar, and this time, an alerted Elizabeth got a better look. She was short, stout, and middle aged, with thick greying hair. On closer notice, Elizabeth could see that she was wearing a maid's uniform, a plain navy shift, with a white starched apron.

Nicholas,! Elizabeth whispered again, as the woman exited through the bedroom door, leaving it open. After a few moments in her state of perplexity, Skye barged in and Nicholas' eyes snapped open, immediately taken aback at his mother's sudden appearance.

Well well, what a surprise, she greeted, looking down at them.

Mom! Nicholas began, annoyed at her brash intrusion. Do you mind?

Elizabeth tightened the covers around her body, and pulled her nightshirt down, her face red. But there was little time for embarrassment.

Darlings, Skye greeted, leaning over to kiss Nicholas, ignoring the scowl on his face. I've missed you so!

Mom,! Nicholas said, obviously not thrilled with Skye's intrusion. What are you doing here?

Well….Syke straightened her posture….I thought you'd be going to the city after arriving, so I came yesterday. I was in Westport visiting Eleanor last night, and just arrived. Have you been here all night?

We got in late, just a couple of hours ago, Nicholas explained. We decided to come straight here from the airport.

And who is that? Nicholas lowered his voice as the strange woman discretely entered the room, this time walking into his own dressing room at the other side of the spacious chamber. Don't tell me you hired a maid behind our backs,? he said sternly.

Skye put her hands on her hips, and stared down at her son.

Well, you couldn't expect me to clean this house by myself did you? I was only thinking of the two of you. Think of all you have to catch up on, she insisted craftily, her large dark eyes the epitome of innocence. And your father is coming in a few days, so we can spend the holiday together. And your grandparents might be coming from Boston. We need someone to take charge of this house. What will your father's mother say when she sees that Elizabeth has no help!

Nicholas shook his dark head. That is not the point, you should have told us…

Eleanor and I decided on her, Skye interrupted, incensed at Nicholas' irritation at her meddling. And she was referred to us by Monica, she continued, attempting to shift some of the blame. Monica misses working here, she would jump at the chance to come back to this house. She eyed her son, changing her tactic, appealing to Nicholas' senses. You wouldn't want to leave your poor old aunt without her maid would you? Sylvia…..Skye cocked her head….her name is Sylvia…. has Monica's seal of approval. And so….. if Monica approves….

Nicholas opened his mouth to continue his protest when, as if on cue, Vixen dashed into the room and jumped straight into the large bed, beyond ecstatic at seeing her master and mistress after a week away from her. She planted herself in the middle of the mattress, wagging her tail and yelping in excitement, her pink tongue swinging as she tried to kiss Nicholas. Elizabeth giggled as the dog planted her paws firmly into Nicholas' stomach, his surprise and irritation at Skye forgotten as he ran his hand over her creamy fur.

Sylvia, Skye addressed the woman, who emerged from Nicholas' dressing room, a stash of silk ties draped over her arm. This is my son and daughter in law…

Sylvia greeted them politely and with very few words, and Elizabeth detected a hint of a British accent, not quite sure of the region of origin. Elizabeth observed her and smiled shyly, not quite knowing how to react. She had a pinched, but pleasant face, with large light brown eyes that exuded confidence and professionalism. If she was uncomfortable with barging in on them while in their private quarters she didn't show it, she carried on like a seasoned trouper, as if accustomed to seeing her employers in various states of undress.

And so it began, Elizabeth mused…..her having her own servant, someone to mop the antique parquet floor, wash the windows and make her bed, something she had been doing for most of her life. She watched as Sylvia emerged from the laundry room in the basement, with a freshly brushed pale blue mohair sweater, a new addition to her wardrobe, one of the many articles of clothing she had purchased while abroad. There were plenty of new clothes, a lot more expensive than she was used to, that she had been forced to buy while she was away. The alternative was to wear Nicholas' clothes, and he was only too happy to spoil her by escorting her to several luxury boutiques since hunting for bargains was just not an option in the high end shops that surrounded them.

A sudden ringing of the phone alerted her and she picked it up.

Please hold and the next agent will be with you shortly, the recording promised, as she held on to the line, listening to the annoying hold music coming out of the receiver…

Elizabeth Morrow please,? she heard after five minutes.

Yes? This is her.

Mrs Morrow, we're pleased to tell you that we've found your bag, the friendly male voice announced. He went on to explain that due to her last minute check in, the cargo hold in the plane had already been closed, hence the reason why her luggage was put on another flight. After explaining the bag's excursion to Leipzig and then it's time spent on a custom's rack at Frankfurt's airport, the airline had tracked the piece and would be sending one of their drivers to her front door to deliver it personally. He apologized profusely for the mix up and gave her the standard drivel about her flying with them again.

After assuring him that she wasn't soured on the airline, Elizabeth hung up the phone, cracked open her book and resigned herself to two hours of study. But the distraction of her memories persisted. On their first morning in Switzerland, after getting out of bed, showering and wrapping herself in the finest silk weave robe provided by the resort, Elizabeth had looked at her scant belongings, not knowing whether to laugh or cry at her situation.

The only thing she had managed to bring to the hotel with her was her handbag. It contained her passport, some cash, her wallet, a book filled with work from Switzerland's most famous poets, and her Swiss German translation guide. After getting off the plane the night before, she and Nicholas had stood at the luggage carousel for almost an hour waiting for her bag, when finally, one of the attendants told her that it had been put on a different flight.

She closed her eyes, a smile brightening her features as she recalled the early hours of her anniversary. She and Nicholas had woken up the morning of the third, silently removing their rings and replacing them, words unnecessary in the reiteration of their vows and bond to each other…

She got up, drank a glass of water, and moved again to the first page of the chapter. Just about the time the information was finally sinking in, the phone rang again, startling her. Elizabeth was determined to tell whoever it was that she had no time to chat, but changed her mind on hearing her best friend's familiar voice.

Liz, I'm engaged,! Enid gushed over the receiver. Ray proposed,! she continued, her enthusiasm contagious. We're finally doing it. And there is no way I'm having this one out of wedlock, she declared, referring to the impending arrival of her daughter. My mother would kill me! I'm already five months along, and not too big yet. So, I was wondering…

Yes, ? Elizabeth laughed, already knowing what her friend was going to ask.

What are you doing in December?

December?

December twentieth to be exact. You have any plans? I know it's weird, right around the holidays. We opened up the calendar, closed our eyes, put our hands together and pointed. And we ended up on that date. So you'll come? You and Nicholas? And your parents? Please say yes, I want you to stand up with me.

Of course we'll come, Elizabeth assured her, her heart speeding at the thought of flying to California again. And Sweet Valley. Her beloved home town with its soft sand beaches, palm trees, warm weather…Jessica.

Jessica…

Do you think I should choose it? It hides my belly really well, or should I go with a higher waistline? Enid babbled on about her wedding plans, her dress, the church, the cake she wanted, and Elizabeth only listened with half an ear.

Ummmm, the cream one, it would go better with your hair color, she answered, hoping that Enid wouldn't notice her distracted tone. The thoughts of being in the vicinity of her sister, possibly having to talk to her, and to see her face to face sent a shot of rage through her body. Even worse was the thought that Jessica would somehow get into her heart, under her skin, remind her of what used to be their unbreakable devotion to each other, and manipulate her forgiveness.

Stop it Elizabeth! Why should I act like I'm afraid of her? I don't have to see her. I didn't see her last time I was home. And what if I do? I will not show her any mercy! She won't make me love her again!

Yes we'll come, Elizabeth said again, this time, with more determination in her voice. Now what were you saying about my dress?….


What do you think of this one Jake? Jessica held up her bedroom black khol eyeliner, and motioned to her recently turned two year old toddler, who was flitting around her room after dumping a set of brightly colored lettered blocks on her bed. She put her hands on her hips, as her young son ignored her, his attention now focused on the soft, oversized basketball that Todd had recently gifted him with. He threw the ball on the bed, and she watched as he climbed up to it, making his way to the center of the mattress where the large, orange sphere lay. Jessica turned back to the mirror, making a special attempt to line her eyelids in a dramatic, sophisticated fashion. A palette of color was laid out in front of her, and Jake looked up, watching in fascination as she applied her newest eyeshadow, a pale tangerine that enhanced the green in her eyes.

I'm supposed to be a bit of a witch, Jessica giggled, as her son clapped his hands while she got up and twirled on her heels. A very sexy witch, I must say. Not that you know what a witch is! Mommy will soon be on TV. Won't that be wonderful? You'll be in preschool soon enough. And all your friends will be jealous. And rightly so!

She whirled around, the hem of her already short skirt flying above her slender mid thighs. The couple of hours she spent by the pool earlier had ensured a perfectly bronzed skin tone that was sure to make her glow on film.

I'll become the biggest thing on that show, and soon I'll have lots of money to buy you anything you want. Her brow wrinkled in annoyance as she thought about her husband. I won't be stingy like Todd. We'll go on vacations, cruises, the best hotels…..

Amidst her thoughts, Jessica frowned at the recollection of the events a year ago. The best hotel she had stayed at was about as grand and luxurious as hotels could be, but the experience had been ruined. And it was all Elizabeth's fault!

Elizabeth isn't the only one who'll have the best, she said aloud. I will too! She turned and eyed her son, who was staring confusedly at his mother's swift change in mood.

Your Aunt Elizabeth is mean and selfish. Can you say selfish Jake? Right at that moment, the phone rang. It was Julia, Marve's secretary, reminding her that she was due on the set that afternoon. I'll leave right now, Jessica promised, trying to keep her cool.

Excitement didn't begin to describe what she was pumping from her heart, working it's magic through her veins. She was lightheaded, thrilled with her new role, feeling like she would burst with happiness. While on the phone, Jake had run out of the room and soon reentered with one of his favorite story books. It was made of a soft foam, filled with colorful pictures, mostly of a mischievous monkey named Jackanapes, who, to his infantile mind, was a hero.

Todd read the book to him on most nights he was home, and Pilar, his nanny, often read it during the day. It was only Jessica, his beautiful mother, who never seemed to have the time to read it to him. She would toss it aside, and always promise that she would do it later. He held the book up to Jessica. There was an apologetic look on her pretty face as she kissed him goodbye and called Pilar into the room.

She breezed out of the front door, her son unfazed by his mother's disappearance as his nanny led him to the living room, and pulled him onto her lap for story time.

Marta walked into the large master bedroom, already knowing she'd have to give it a second cleaning for the day. If there was one thing about her mistress that was predictable, it was the mess she usually made. She had been in a wonderful mood this morning, singing and dancing all around the house, which told the maid that she had important plans. And important plans usually meant going through her massive wardrobe and finding something to wear. Marta rolled her eyes and shook her head as she walked into the dressing room. There were clothes strewn over the carpet, and as usual, Miss Jessica had left all her makeup lying in front of her vanity. A damp bikini top decorated the bathroom floor, and Marta was in no mood to go searching for the bottom. She began with picking up a pile of mini skirts, frowning as she began to smooth and lay them into the drawers, but her spirits perked up when she remembered Mr Todd had promised her a raise for next year, and a bonus for Christmas…..

Jessica drove down Valley Crest Drive, her heart quickening at the thought of being seen by her boss. She had learned from Lila that Georgie had gotten the sniffles, and her usually active little brother had been sleepy and irritable all morning. Her best friend had given her the perfect excuse for once again missing work. She told Lila that Jake was also out of sorts, slightly feverish, and likely caught whatever it was from Georgie two days before when they had a play date.

It was perfect,! Jessica grinned to herself. Lila's mom could hardly expect her to show up at work, not when she had a sick toddler at home! Especially when it was her own son that made poor Jake sick! Except that he wasn't.

But Grace didn't know that. Grace would be spending most of the day at home keeping an eye on her young son, and as the devoted mother that she was….so was Jessica.

She sighed in relief as she got onto the freeway, further away from Sweet Valley and in the potential sight of Lila's mother. In the off chance that Grace would leave Fowler Crest, it would be risky for her to be caught outside of her own home where she was supposed to be, nursing her child back to health. Whatever guilt she felt at not spending time at work was quickly extinguished as a man in the truck next to her gave her a seductive wink, obviously impressed with the lovely vision alongside him. She glanced at him, saw that he wasn't worth getting to know, with his bald head and nerdy glasses, and started laughing as he blew kisses at her.

She pressed on the gas and managed to move ahead of him. The rush of wind swooped through her golden locks and Jessica smiled saucily at him through her rear view mirror as she made her way north. He wasn't exactly her type, far from it. But any male attention was good. Things were finally falling into place for her. And today. Today was the day that the magic would happen. Christmas had definitely come early this year!