~A Once and Again series~
Life is what you make of it
Chapter Six// A mother can tell
"I think Grace has a boyfriend," Lily said as she climbed into bed with Rick.
"Hmm." Rick leaned in for a kiss and saw the look on Lily's face. She was in a talking mood. He came up with a different response, "What makes you think that?"
"She's been distracted lately. She's here, but she's not."
"That could be anything. She could be thinking about golf for all we know," Rick said.
"No, a mother can tell. She's been thinking about a boy."
"So, she's thinking about a boy. That doesn't mean she has a boyfriend. And if she did, would that be so bad?" Rick asked.
Lily shrugged and began to turn off the light. Her hand paused next to the switch. "I just wish she'd tell me. We used to be so close. Now she has a boyfriend she doesn't want me to know about."
"You don't know that. Besides she's been doing the play for the past few weeks, when would she have time to get a secret boyfriend?"
"You're right, you're right." Lily turned off the bedside lamp. A moment later she flipped it back on. "Jessie said in the car Thursday night that Grace's makeup was smeared."
"So?"
"I looked-it was smeared. Like she had been kissing someone. She told Jessie that it was because she had been itching her face, but it wasn't that, I'm sure of it. She had kissed someone yesterday after the play."
"Okay, so she maybe does have a boyfriend. What are you going to do about it?"
Lily sighed, "Nothing. Nothing. I just wished she'd tell me. I bet he's in the play."
"Who?" Rick's voice was heavy with sleep now.
"Grace's boyfriend. That's how she was able to get a boyfriend when she was so busy with the play. He must be one of the cast. Oh, NO." Lily put a hand over her mouth.
"Huh?"
"I bet it's Tad."
"Tad?"
Lily grasped Rick's arm tightly, "Tad! The one who went out with Jessie. That's why Grace can't tell anyone. She's afraid Jessie will be mad."
"Oh."
Lily smiled, "It all makes perfect sense now. I just hope Jessie doesn't still have feelings for Tad. Things could get even worse between them."
"Jessie doesn't have feelings for Tad," Rick said.
"Did Jessie tell you that?"
"No, fathers just know these things." Rick said seriously, but then he cracked a smile.
"Oh, Rick!" Lily laughed and hit him with her pillow. Then she reached over and turned out the light for good.
* * *
Grace woke up Saturday morning feeling better than she had the whole last week. She and Augustus had finally figured a way to have some time alone together. She was going to go to Augustus' house on Sunday and they would have a whole day together. They wouldn't have to worry about anyone seeing them together. It would be pure bliss!
But, that was tomorrow. Tonight they had another performance. Last night's performance had gone even better than Thursday's performance and Augustus had been very pleased with the cast. Grace hadn't been able to snag any alone time with him though, but she could live with it since they would have their Sunday together. Her father and Jessie's mom had come to last night's performance, but Eli hadn't. Jessie had been disappointed. And (ok) Grace admitted to herself that she had been a bit disappointed. But there was still two more nights for him to come. Grace just hoped she acted as good in the final two shows as she had done in the past two shows.
Grace laid in bed for a while, just enjoying doing nothing but thinking. Finally as the clock turned on ten thirty she pulled herself out of bed. She made her way downstairs, where the smell of bacon was drifting from the kitchen. She expected to see her mother making a late breakfast for everyone, but it was Eli's back she saw at the stove. She watched him for a while, as he turned over the bacon in the pan. He put the bacon on a plate, alongside some eggs and turned off the burner. He turned and saw her. "Hi."
"Hey." Grace said, and she got some orange juice out of the fridge. She poured herself a glass and joined Eli at the table. She picked up the paper that was lying in the middle of the table.
Good morning sleepy heads! Rick and I are taking Jessie over to Karen's for the day and then we're going shopping with Zoe. We'll be back in the afternoon. See you later! ~Lily
She showed Eli the note. He nodded, "Yeah, I read it. Which is why I made breakfast for myself this morning."
"You seemed to know what you were doing over there. I didn't know you could cook."
Eli shrugged, "Eggs, bacon and toast isn't exactly rocket science." He took a bite of his food and then looked up at Grace, "Did you want me to make you some?"
Grace shook her head, "I'm not hungry."
"Oh, okay." Another pause as Eli ate some more of his food. "What are you going to do today?"
"Uh, nothing, I guess. I have the play tonight, but I don't have to be there till six. Are you coming to the play tonight?" Grace hated how her voice came out all needy. "I mean, I was just wondering. You don't have to come tonight, there's another performance Monday night. Or you don't have to come at all. It really doesn't matter. But Jessie would be disappointed if you didn't come."
"Grace, I'm coming to the play," Eli assured her.
"Tonight?"
"Yeah, tonight." Eli smiled a slightly amused smile.
Grace smiled back at him and finished her orange juice. "So, uh, what are you doing today?"
Their eyes met. Eli smiled, "Nothing until the play tonight."
Grace busied herself putting her glass away. She wanted to think of something she could do with Eli. It had been so long since they had hung out. She couldn't think of anything. Grace glanced over at Eli, he was still eating. Grace sighed and racked her brain. What could they do? Would Eli even want to do something with her? Grace hadn't come up with an idea yet, so she kept busy by putting away the dishes Eli had used to make his breakfast. Why couldn't she think of something they could do together? Well, she could think of things, but they were dumb, like watching TV. Not very exciting.
"You don't have to do that." Eli was standing right behind her, his breath on her hair. Grace felt her heart pause and then began to jump madly. She could smell the cologne he was wearing. It smelled so nice, heavy but light, musky but sweet. Perfect.
Eli's hands fell on her shoulders and he moved closer. Grace felt like her body was betraying her. How could it react this way to Eli when she was supposedly in love with Augustus?
"Grace," Eli whispered in her ear and his lips were so close. Her body heat seemed to have tripled. His hands slid down her shoulders and down her arms until they reached her waist. So warm and gentle. Grace wanted to turn around and face him, but at the same time she was afraid it would break the spell. Then, there was Augustus. Grace didn't want to betray him, but this felt so right.
Eli's lips moved down from near her ear and softly kissed her neck. Grace stopped trying to fight her feelings. This felt right. She'd worry about the repercussions later. Right now all she wanted to do was kiss Eli. She began to turn around in his arms, when a door opened. Immediately they drew apart.
"Oh, hi Grace, and Eli! Brrr, boy it's cold out there. Is Lily here?" Judy came in the kitchen. Eli had walked all the way by the table and was clearing his plates from it.
"Uh, no. She went shopping with Rick and Zoe." Grace said, surprised at how calm her voice was. Who would imagine that just seconds ago she had been about to kiss her stepbrother?
"Oh, well, I was just going to drop off some papers anyway. Grace, you were amazing in the play last night. Jessie was too." Judy opened her bag and pulled out some papers and put them on the table.
"I didn't even know you went last night. I didn't see you." Grace said.
"Oh, yeah, I went with a friend of mine. We sat more towards the back." Judy smiled and Grace knew.
"You went with Sam?"
"Yeah, with Sam," Judy smiled, "Anyway, I have to get back to the bookstore. Make sure your mom sees the papers, okay sweetie?"
"Of course," Grace said.
"Bye Eli, nice to see you again." Judy waved at Eli who had backed away into the furthest corner of the kitchen. "Bye Grace."
"Bye." Grace and Eli said together. Grace watched her go. Finally, after the front door clicked shut, Grace managed to turn towards Eli. But he wasn't there. He must have slipped into the garage. Grace sighed and tried to get a hold of her thoughts. How did a morning where she woke up feeling great get so complicated?
* * *
Life is what you make of it
Chapter Six// A mother can tell
"I think Grace has a boyfriend," Lily said as she climbed into bed with Rick.
"Hmm." Rick leaned in for a kiss and saw the look on Lily's face. She was in a talking mood. He came up with a different response, "What makes you think that?"
"She's been distracted lately. She's here, but she's not."
"That could be anything. She could be thinking about golf for all we know," Rick said.
"No, a mother can tell. She's been thinking about a boy."
"So, she's thinking about a boy. That doesn't mean she has a boyfriend. And if she did, would that be so bad?" Rick asked.
Lily shrugged and began to turn off the light. Her hand paused next to the switch. "I just wish she'd tell me. We used to be so close. Now she has a boyfriend she doesn't want me to know about."
"You don't know that. Besides she's been doing the play for the past few weeks, when would she have time to get a secret boyfriend?"
"You're right, you're right." Lily turned off the bedside lamp. A moment later she flipped it back on. "Jessie said in the car Thursday night that Grace's makeup was smeared."
"So?"
"I looked-it was smeared. Like she had been kissing someone. She told Jessie that it was because she had been itching her face, but it wasn't that, I'm sure of it. She had kissed someone yesterday after the play."
"Okay, so she maybe does have a boyfriend. What are you going to do about it?"
Lily sighed, "Nothing. Nothing. I just wished she'd tell me. I bet he's in the play."
"Who?" Rick's voice was heavy with sleep now.
"Grace's boyfriend. That's how she was able to get a boyfriend when she was so busy with the play. He must be one of the cast. Oh, NO." Lily put a hand over her mouth.
"Huh?"
"I bet it's Tad."
"Tad?"
Lily grasped Rick's arm tightly, "Tad! The one who went out with Jessie. That's why Grace can't tell anyone. She's afraid Jessie will be mad."
"Oh."
Lily smiled, "It all makes perfect sense now. I just hope Jessie doesn't still have feelings for Tad. Things could get even worse between them."
"Jessie doesn't have feelings for Tad," Rick said.
"Did Jessie tell you that?"
"No, fathers just know these things." Rick said seriously, but then he cracked a smile.
"Oh, Rick!" Lily laughed and hit him with her pillow. Then she reached over and turned out the light for good.
* * *
Grace woke up Saturday morning feeling better than she had the whole last week. She and Augustus had finally figured a way to have some time alone together. She was going to go to Augustus' house on Sunday and they would have a whole day together. They wouldn't have to worry about anyone seeing them together. It would be pure bliss!
But, that was tomorrow. Tonight they had another performance. Last night's performance had gone even better than Thursday's performance and Augustus had been very pleased with the cast. Grace hadn't been able to snag any alone time with him though, but she could live with it since they would have their Sunday together. Her father and Jessie's mom had come to last night's performance, but Eli hadn't. Jessie had been disappointed. And (ok) Grace admitted to herself that she had been a bit disappointed. But there was still two more nights for him to come. Grace just hoped she acted as good in the final two shows as she had done in the past two shows.
Grace laid in bed for a while, just enjoying doing nothing but thinking. Finally as the clock turned on ten thirty she pulled herself out of bed. She made her way downstairs, where the smell of bacon was drifting from the kitchen. She expected to see her mother making a late breakfast for everyone, but it was Eli's back she saw at the stove. She watched him for a while, as he turned over the bacon in the pan. He put the bacon on a plate, alongside some eggs and turned off the burner. He turned and saw her. "Hi."
"Hey." Grace said, and she got some orange juice out of the fridge. She poured herself a glass and joined Eli at the table. She picked up the paper that was lying in the middle of the table.
Good morning sleepy heads! Rick and I are taking Jessie over to Karen's for the day and then we're going shopping with Zoe. We'll be back in the afternoon. See you later! ~Lily
She showed Eli the note. He nodded, "Yeah, I read it. Which is why I made breakfast for myself this morning."
"You seemed to know what you were doing over there. I didn't know you could cook."
Eli shrugged, "Eggs, bacon and toast isn't exactly rocket science." He took a bite of his food and then looked up at Grace, "Did you want me to make you some?"
Grace shook her head, "I'm not hungry."
"Oh, okay." Another pause as Eli ate some more of his food. "What are you going to do today?"
"Uh, nothing, I guess. I have the play tonight, but I don't have to be there till six. Are you coming to the play tonight?" Grace hated how her voice came out all needy. "I mean, I was just wondering. You don't have to come tonight, there's another performance Monday night. Or you don't have to come at all. It really doesn't matter. But Jessie would be disappointed if you didn't come."
"Grace, I'm coming to the play," Eli assured her.
"Tonight?"
"Yeah, tonight." Eli smiled a slightly amused smile.
Grace smiled back at him and finished her orange juice. "So, uh, what are you doing today?"
Their eyes met. Eli smiled, "Nothing until the play tonight."
Grace busied herself putting her glass away. She wanted to think of something she could do with Eli. It had been so long since they had hung out. She couldn't think of anything. Grace glanced over at Eli, he was still eating. Grace sighed and racked her brain. What could they do? Would Eli even want to do something with her? Grace hadn't come up with an idea yet, so she kept busy by putting away the dishes Eli had used to make his breakfast. Why couldn't she think of something they could do together? Well, she could think of things, but they were dumb, like watching TV. Not very exciting.
"You don't have to do that." Eli was standing right behind her, his breath on her hair. Grace felt her heart pause and then began to jump madly. She could smell the cologne he was wearing. It smelled so nice, heavy but light, musky but sweet. Perfect.
Eli's hands fell on her shoulders and he moved closer. Grace felt like her body was betraying her. How could it react this way to Eli when she was supposedly in love with Augustus?
"Grace," Eli whispered in her ear and his lips were so close. Her body heat seemed to have tripled. His hands slid down her shoulders and down her arms until they reached her waist. So warm and gentle. Grace wanted to turn around and face him, but at the same time she was afraid it would break the spell. Then, there was Augustus. Grace didn't want to betray him, but this felt so right.
Eli's lips moved down from near her ear and softly kissed her neck. Grace stopped trying to fight her feelings. This felt right. She'd worry about the repercussions later. Right now all she wanted to do was kiss Eli. She began to turn around in his arms, when a door opened. Immediately they drew apart.
"Oh, hi Grace, and Eli! Brrr, boy it's cold out there. Is Lily here?" Judy came in the kitchen. Eli had walked all the way by the table and was clearing his plates from it.
"Uh, no. She went shopping with Rick and Zoe." Grace said, surprised at how calm her voice was. Who would imagine that just seconds ago she had been about to kiss her stepbrother?
"Oh, well, I was just going to drop off some papers anyway. Grace, you were amazing in the play last night. Jessie was too." Judy opened her bag and pulled out some papers and put them on the table.
"I didn't even know you went last night. I didn't see you." Grace said.
"Oh, yeah, I went with a friend of mine. We sat more towards the back." Judy smiled and Grace knew.
"You went with Sam?"
"Yeah, with Sam," Judy smiled, "Anyway, I have to get back to the bookstore. Make sure your mom sees the papers, okay sweetie?"
"Of course," Grace said.
"Bye Eli, nice to see you again." Judy waved at Eli who had backed away into the furthest corner of the kitchen. "Bye Grace."
"Bye." Grace and Eli said together. Grace watched her go. Finally, after the front door clicked shut, Grace managed to turn towards Eli. But he wasn't there. He must have slipped into the garage. Grace sighed and tried to get a hold of her thoughts. How did a morning where she woke up feeling great get so complicated?
* * *