"None of their friends know where they might be.", Lily stuttered in
desolation.
"I'm going to call the police.", announced Rick, reaching for the phone.
"There is no need for that, Rick.", Karen muttered and Rick and Lily looked
at her oddly.
"How can you say that, Karen?", Lily questioned. "They're out there. God
knows where. Bad things might happen to them. I don't-", stammered Lily in
fear.
"Nothing is going to happen, Lily.", Jake calmly put it.
"I agree with Jake.", Judy said, taking a seat on the couch.
Lily nervously glared at them then she asked, "I don't understand you. How
can you be so calm in a situation like this?"
"Because they're together.", Jake interrupted Lily before she could start
another sentence full of anger and despair.
"Jake, I love Eli. He's my son. But the truth is that everything he touches
dies. he got arrested, he's completely irresponsible. And if he's not in
trouble, he's about to get in one. So my question is: How come you're not
even worried?", Rick quickly dissed his son.
"because he loves Grace.", Jake firmly stated and everybody in the room
looked at him, amazed by his answer. "I saw it in his eyes. He truly loves
her. That's why I say there is nothing to worry about."
"Thanks, Jake.", said Karen, moved by his words.
"Love??", Rick quizzed. "Eli doesn't know anything about love. And so
doesn't Grace.", Rick turned away and exhaled. All the ones in the room
couldn't believe in his bitter words.
Everybody made a pause so an awkward silence filled the place. It lasted a
quite while until one of them had the courage to speak again.
"May I say something?", Henry politely asked and their worried and curious
eyes stared him. "I know I'm not a member of this family and that I pretty
much don't know the whole story behind all this mess but there is something
I've realized from this short period of conversation or discussion or
yelling or whatever you wanna call it. . I've realized that you, Rick and
Lily, that you knew about them. You always knew but you'd rather ignore it
because it was easier.", Henry cautiously began. "You made this very
convenient decision when you saw that your children subconsciously had
chosen to put aside their own feelings just to make you happy."
"Like you said yourself, Henry.", Rick was close to lose his mind as he
said it. "You're not part of the family and you do not know our story. So
if I were you, I'd keep my mouth shut."
"Henry know what he's talking about, Rick.", Karen defended her boyfriend.
"Jessie, I want you to tell them everything you know about Grace and Eli.
And I do mean everything."
Right after Karen's words everybody's attention turned to Jessie. She felt
very uncomfortable with the situation, specially because her brother's and
her step-sister's *future* depended on what she had to reveal.
"Well, I guess I should start from the very beginning. Right?", Jessie
stuttered, standing up then walking to the center of the room. "When I
first noticed there was something different about Grace's and Eli's
relationship was when Grace started tutoring him. ."
*
*
*
"Eli?", Grace called. "Where are you taking us?" "I don't know.", Eli replied. "I don't like this, Eli. I'm scared. We shouldn't have left.", she expressed her fears I a weepy voice. "And what, Grace? Stay there and let them decide what's the best for us or should I say, what's more convenient to the.", he lightly screamed. "They would've kicked me out. They would've forbidden us to see each other. I couldn't let that happen." "I know.", she softly hummed as a tear rolled down her cheek. "I love you." "I love you too, Grace. And. everything is gonna be fine.", he tried to ease her fears and desperately tried to convince himself that what he just said was true. *
*
*
". . Eli used to say that Grace was brilliant. That she was funny, deep, sensitive. It seemed to me at that time that he put her in a pedestal like she was some kid ofa God.", Jessie went on. "I remember that I kinda hated her because I thought she was stealing my brother from me but then something happened and he stopped talking about her *that* way. Then Carla came in and it was weird. you know. There was something about their relationship that just didn't fit. But I was too young to understand those things. So it wasn't until we moved in, that I once again started to notice there was still something *odd* about them. On the wedding day, when I went up to Grace's room to tell them you had called it off, I had this weird feeling that I had walked in on them. right when they where about to kiss. .", when Jessie confessed the *almost kiss* , flashbacks from the wedding day came to Lily's mind. She remembered Grace crying in her room and when she thought the reason why her daughter was crying was because she was getting married, Grace stopped her and said it was because she was all alone. But now lily knew the real reason for all that drying. ". I even mentioned to Eli that I knew he had feelings for Grace but he denied it so I just dropped the case and pretended I didn't see their mild-flirting. And I-" "Stop it!", Lily ordered. "I don't wanna hear those stupid things. Nothing justify what they did." "Not even love?", Karen quizzed. "Oh, come on! They are not in love with each other.", Lily one more time refused to believe the truth that was right before her eyes. "Truth is Eli and Grace never really wanted our marriage.", Rick also denied the truth as he poured a glass of vodka. "They've been causing us nothing but trouble since we got married. And trouble is exactly what they're-", Lily tried to support Rick's theory but she was cut by Judy. "That's enough!", Judy exclaimed really loud and everybody got confused with her action. "Enough! I can´t stand this anymore. Lily, answer me something. Why can´t you accept Eli´s and Grace´s relationship?", Lily kept moving her mouth, attempting to say something but she felt like there was nothing to say. "I ask that because *you* were supposed to be the one to help them, to understand them.", Judy went on. "What do you mean?", Lily frowned. " Oh, look at us, lily! This family is a * freak show * !", Judy´s words brought enormous questions marks to everyone´s faces at that moment. No one could figure what she was talking about. "I see that you didn´t get my point here. So I´ll explain.", Judy started walking, she passed by each person that was standing there and as she it, she carefully observed the expression on their faces. She stopped, looked down, ironically smiled, lifted her face and eyes then went back explaining. " * Freak Show *, that´s right. I mean, how can you say that is normal and acceptable that your new best friend is the woman that your ex-husband used to cheat on you with? Or that your husband and your ex-husband had somehow become almost friends? Or that your sister is the new best friend of your husband´s ex- wife and that she, your sister, is having a romantic relationship with your husband´s best friend who used to be married to your husband´s ex-wife´s best friend? Oh?! No even mentioning the fact that your sister and your ex- husband are running a bookstore-café together and that your step-son is working there!!" As Judy ironically exposed their not very common situation, Lily and Rick began to fell small and completely wrong about everything. All of the others started feeling the same. It was like common sense was filling the air and their hearts. "So tell me, Lily. How is so easy for you to accept all those * not meant to be * relationships and so hard to accept the love between Grace and Eli? I mean, I don´t think their love is going to make this family less ordinary because, you have to agree with that this family is not ordinary at all." * * * Eli parked the in a motel. He and Grace checked in then they went to the room to rest and maybe think of their situation. "I guess, we can crash here tonight.", said Eli locking the door. "Whatever.", Grace mouthed, sitting on the bed. "What´s wrong, Grace?" "What´s wrong? I told you, Eli. I don´t like this.", Grace snorted. "We can´t run forever." "I know that.", Eli burst out. "But I don´t see another way we can be together now. Let´s wait a few days. Wait them to calm down. Wait them realize we´re not kidding about this." "No, Eli. This is just gonna make things even worse.", Grace reasoned. "What you expect me to do, Grace? There´s no other way. You know that." "I wanna go back.", she confessed. "What??" "I wanna go home, Eli. I can´t skip school days. The finals are here. I can´t miss them. And your work. You might lose your job.", she pleaded. "I can´t believe you worried about those things.", Eli couldn´t believe her words but he knew she was right. They couldn´t hide forever. "You what´s going to happen if we go back, don´t you?" "No, I don´t.", she softly whispered. "All I know is that you and I are going to face them. We´re going to make them understand. And the truth is that I don´t really care if they will or will not approve our love. Because I know that nothing and nobody in this will ever make us apart." Eli´s eyes were filled with tears. Tears that he´d been holding back since they got caught. He had to be strong, that´s why he couldn´t let them flow but Grace had this power over him, when he was around her he felt he didn´t need to be strong. He knew she´d understood him. So his tears streamed down his face and Grace held him with all the passion there was in her soul then their lips met in a bittersweet kiss. *
*
* There was a silence right after Judy spoke. No one there knew what to say. Things were so confused and at the same time so clear that they felt unable to speak or even think. "Grace and Eli have been through a lot in these past three years.", Judy was still the only one brave enough to keep on talking. "They tried to deny it, they tried to forget it. They even tried to fall for someone else. But their love was stronger. It survived everything. So now, I'm asking you, lily, Rick. Please, don't be selfish. Don't take away from them this precious thing called love. Again silence filled the room. Lily sat on the couch, her face in her hands. Rick let go og the vodka glass and exhaled. "God! What have we done?", Lily breathed under her shame. "I fell like a heartless monster.", Rick hesitantly confessed, also in shame. "How could we be so selfish?", Lily desperately cried, feeling the cruelest person on Earth. "We had no right to do those things. No right to judge them." "They must hate us now.", Rick snorted lowly. "And I don't blame them. I'm so sorry." "We know.", Judy spoke for the others in there. "So, what happens now? I mean, what are we gonna do now?", Lily asked as her tears rolled down her face. "Wait.", Jake finally said something. "They'll come back. I know.", Karen bittersweetly added. *
*
*
The parents waited for Grace and Eli to call or come back but the night came and still there was no sign of them. Jake and Tiffany went back home and so did Karen, Henry, Judy and Sam. None of them could sleep that night. They were in the expectation that Grace and Eli would call but they didn't.
Sunday morning came and soon Jake, Tiffany, Karen, Henry, Judy and Sam were back to Lily's and Rick's. They spent the whole morning there, waiting for some news. Rick even wanted to call the police but the others convinced him not to. "Rick? They're not coming back.", Lily mouthed fearly. "Don't say that." "May Rick is right. maybe we should call the police. It's been more than 24 hours that they're missing.", Karen couldn't stand the tension anymore. "I don't know. maybe we should-", Jake was about to express his thoughts but he was cut by the sound of the front door opening. Everybody's hopes went up to the sky when they heard that sound. They were frozen in time, hoping, expecting, praying. until that Grace and Eli slowly made their way in. For an instant they couldn't believe in their eyes. Rick and Lily subconsciously torn their eyes from Grace's and Eli's faces to their hands which were squeezing each other, seeking for strength and courage.
*
*
"Eli?", Grace called. "Where are you taking us?" "I don't know.", Eli replied. "I don't like this, Eli. I'm scared. We shouldn't have left.", she expressed her fears I a weepy voice. "And what, Grace? Stay there and let them decide what's the best for us or should I say, what's more convenient to the.", he lightly screamed. "They would've kicked me out. They would've forbidden us to see each other. I couldn't let that happen." "I know.", she softly hummed as a tear rolled down her cheek. "I love you." "I love you too, Grace. And. everything is gonna be fine.", he tried to ease her fears and desperately tried to convince himself that what he just said was true. *
*
*
". . Eli used to say that Grace was brilliant. That she was funny, deep, sensitive. It seemed to me at that time that he put her in a pedestal like she was some kid ofa God.", Jessie went on. "I remember that I kinda hated her because I thought she was stealing my brother from me but then something happened and he stopped talking about her *that* way. Then Carla came in and it was weird. you know. There was something about their relationship that just didn't fit. But I was too young to understand those things. So it wasn't until we moved in, that I once again started to notice there was still something *odd* about them. On the wedding day, when I went up to Grace's room to tell them you had called it off, I had this weird feeling that I had walked in on them. right when they where about to kiss. .", when Jessie confessed the *almost kiss* , flashbacks from the wedding day came to Lily's mind. She remembered Grace crying in her room and when she thought the reason why her daughter was crying was because she was getting married, Grace stopped her and said it was because she was all alone. But now lily knew the real reason for all that drying. ". I even mentioned to Eli that I knew he had feelings for Grace but he denied it so I just dropped the case and pretended I didn't see their mild-flirting. And I-" "Stop it!", Lily ordered. "I don't wanna hear those stupid things. Nothing justify what they did." "Not even love?", Karen quizzed. "Oh, come on! They are not in love with each other.", Lily one more time refused to believe the truth that was right before her eyes. "Truth is Eli and Grace never really wanted our marriage.", Rick also denied the truth as he poured a glass of vodka. "They've been causing us nothing but trouble since we got married. And trouble is exactly what they're-", Lily tried to support Rick's theory but she was cut by Judy. "That's enough!", Judy exclaimed really loud and everybody got confused with her action. "Enough! I can´t stand this anymore. Lily, answer me something. Why can´t you accept Eli´s and Grace´s relationship?", Lily kept moving her mouth, attempting to say something but she felt like there was nothing to say. "I ask that because *you* were supposed to be the one to help them, to understand them.", Judy went on. "What do you mean?", Lily frowned. " Oh, look at us, lily! This family is a * freak show * !", Judy´s words brought enormous questions marks to everyone´s faces at that moment. No one could figure what she was talking about. "I see that you didn´t get my point here. So I´ll explain.", Judy started walking, she passed by each person that was standing there and as she it, she carefully observed the expression on their faces. She stopped, looked down, ironically smiled, lifted her face and eyes then went back explaining. " * Freak Show *, that´s right. I mean, how can you say that is normal and acceptable that your new best friend is the woman that your ex-husband used to cheat on you with? Or that your husband and your ex-husband had somehow become almost friends? Or that your sister is the new best friend of your husband´s ex- wife and that she, your sister, is having a romantic relationship with your husband´s best friend who used to be married to your husband´s ex-wife´s best friend? Oh?! No even mentioning the fact that your sister and your ex- husband are running a bookstore-café together and that your step-son is working there!!" As Judy ironically exposed their not very common situation, Lily and Rick began to fell small and completely wrong about everything. All of the others started feeling the same. It was like common sense was filling the air and their hearts. "So tell me, Lily. How is so easy for you to accept all those * not meant to be * relationships and so hard to accept the love between Grace and Eli? I mean, I don´t think their love is going to make this family less ordinary because, you have to agree with that this family is not ordinary at all." * * * Eli parked the in a motel. He and Grace checked in then they went to the room to rest and maybe think of their situation. "I guess, we can crash here tonight.", said Eli locking the door. "Whatever.", Grace mouthed, sitting on the bed. "What´s wrong, Grace?" "What´s wrong? I told you, Eli. I don´t like this.", Grace snorted. "We can´t run forever." "I know that.", Eli burst out. "But I don´t see another way we can be together now. Let´s wait a few days. Wait them to calm down. Wait them realize we´re not kidding about this." "No, Eli. This is just gonna make things even worse.", Grace reasoned. "What you expect me to do, Grace? There´s no other way. You know that." "I wanna go back.", she confessed. "What??" "I wanna go home, Eli. I can´t skip school days. The finals are here. I can´t miss them. And your work. You might lose your job.", she pleaded. "I can´t believe you worried about those things.", Eli couldn´t believe her words but he knew she was right. They couldn´t hide forever. "You what´s going to happen if we go back, don´t you?" "No, I don´t.", she softly whispered. "All I know is that you and I are going to face them. We´re going to make them understand. And the truth is that I don´t really care if they will or will not approve our love. Because I know that nothing and nobody in this will ever make us apart." Eli´s eyes were filled with tears. Tears that he´d been holding back since they got caught. He had to be strong, that´s why he couldn´t let them flow but Grace had this power over him, when he was around her he felt he didn´t need to be strong. He knew she´d understood him. So his tears streamed down his face and Grace held him with all the passion there was in her soul then their lips met in a bittersweet kiss. *
*
* There was a silence right after Judy spoke. No one there knew what to say. Things were so confused and at the same time so clear that they felt unable to speak or even think. "Grace and Eli have been through a lot in these past three years.", Judy was still the only one brave enough to keep on talking. "They tried to deny it, they tried to forget it. They even tried to fall for someone else. But their love was stronger. It survived everything. So now, I'm asking you, lily, Rick. Please, don't be selfish. Don't take away from them this precious thing called love. Again silence filled the room. Lily sat on the couch, her face in her hands. Rick let go og the vodka glass and exhaled. "God! What have we done?", Lily breathed under her shame. "I fell like a heartless monster.", Rick hesitantly confessed, also in shame. "How could we be so selfish?", Lily desperately cried, feeling the cruelest person on Earth. "We had no right to do those things. No right to judge them." "They must hate us now.", Rick snorted lowly. "And I don't blame them. I'm so sorry." "We know.", Judy spoke for the others in there. "So, what happens now? I mean, what are we gonna do now?", Lily asked as her tears rolled down her face. "Wait.", Jake finally said something. "They'll come back. I know.", Karen bittersweetly added. *
*
*
The parents waited for Grace and Eli to call or come back but the night came and still there was no sign of them. Jake and Tiffany went back home and so did Karen, Henry, Judy and Sam. None of them could sleep that night. They were in the expectation that Grace and Eli would call but they didn't.
Sunday morning came and soon Jake, Tiffany, Karen, Henry, Judy and Sam were back to Lily's and Rick's. They spent the whole morning there, waiting for some news. Rick even wanted to call the police but the others convinced him not to. "Rick? They're not coming back.", Lily mouthed fearly. "Don't say that." "May Rick is right. maybe we should call the police. It's been more than 24 hours that they're missing.", Karen couldn't stand the tension anymore. "I don't know. maybe we should-", Jake was about to express his thoughts but he was cut by the sound of the front door opening. Everybody's hopes went up to the sky when they heard that sound. They were frozen in time, hoping, expecting, praying. until that Grace and Eli slowly made their way in. For an instant they couldn't believe in their eyes. Rick and Lily subconsciously torn their eyes from Grace's and Eli's faces to their hands which were squeezing each other, seeking for strength and courage.