~A Once and Again Series~
Life is what you make of it
Hey, thanks for reading and all the reviews! Don't you all worry out there, things aren't exactly over for Grace and Dimitri, nor are they for Grace and Eli. That's the fun of having two guys and a girl.. there's lots of drama! And since I love Grace and Dmitri together and also love Grace and Eli together, even I don't know which way I'm going to go!!!
Chapter 18// I had to talk to you
Eli leaned closer to Grace on the couch. Grace smiled at him and quickly checked the living room for any witnesses. They were alone. Grace leaned and they kissed briefly. Footsteps descended the staircase and they reluctantly pulled apart. They turned back to the television.
"What are you watching?" Jessie asked.
"Uh, Animal planet," Eli provided after a pause.
"Oh, what show is on?" Jessie came closer to where they sat.
Eli and Grace looked at each other, waiting for one of them to come up with the answer. On the TV, the commercials ended and the show came back on. Eli looked at the screen and then his sister, "Pet Psychic."
"Oh," Jessie began to sit down next to Eli and Grace, but the telephone rang and she bounded off after it. "That's probably Katie!" Grace heard her calling to Lily.
Eli turned to her again, but they didn't dare sneak another kiss. Instead he reached out and took her hand. They smiled at each other and Grace opened her mouth to speak, but Jessie came back in the room, phone against her ear. They pulled their hands apart and watched as Jessie continued through the room and up the stairs, talking excitedly. Eli reached for her hand again.
"Hey Grace?" Lily called and they pulled apart.
"Yeah, mom?" Grace called back. Lily entered the living room with a bowl of dough in her hands.
"What sounds better: chocolate chip cookies or chocolate chip and almond cookies?"
"I don't know," Grace said with a shrug, "Does it matter?"
"Hmm, maybe chocolate chip and peanut butter chip cookies?"
"Yeah, that sounds good," Eli said.
Lily smiled, satisfied. She turned to go back to the kitchen when the front doorbell rung. She set her bowl of dough on the end table next to the couch and went to answer it.
Grace and Eli looked at each other and smiled. Grace heard her mother's words as she stared into Eli's eyes.
"Hi," Her mother greeted the guest, "It's good to see you again.. How are you?.. That's good.. Yeah, hold on.. Grace!"
Grace's eyes widened in surprise and she got up. She didn't know who would be coming to her house on a Sunday. She walked into the entrance hall and her mouth dropped. "Hi, Mr. Dimitri."
Augustus stood there next to her mother, looking out of place and uncomfortable. He was wearing a long dark gray coat and his red hair was tousled slightly from the wind. He gave Grace a smile as he saw her and she was too shocked to smile back. "I had to talk to you, Grace."
Lily smiled, and took Augustus' coat from him, "Isn't that nice? Most teachers don't care enough about their students to see them outside of school."
Grace was speechless. She could tell by the look in Augustus' eyes that he wasn't here to talk about her last quiz grade or even her short stories. No, he was here to talk about something more important. And, even worse, Grace heard Eli getting up from the couch. Pretty soon he'd come into the hall and see Augustus here.
"Yeah, well, it was important to talk to Grace." Augustus said to Lily.
Lily nodded, "Well, why don't the two of you go in the living room, oh wait Eli was watching TV in there. You should just go on up to Grace's room. It would probably be the quietest place in the house."
Grace almost laughed at her mother's suggestion. If her mother knew about Mr. Dimitri's relationship with her, Grace doubted she would send him into her room, behind closed doors. Grace probably would have loved to take Augustus up into her room alone only a few weeks ago, but things had changed. Especially after yesterday, with Eli.
"No, uh, nothing good was on anyways," Eli said from behind them, "They can talk in the living room." Grace saw the confused and angry expression on Eli's face that he was trying to hide. She knew he was wondering what Mr. Dimitri was doing here. And Grace knew Eli didn't like the idea of her and Augustus up in her room.
"Okay," Lily smiled at Augustus, "Let me just get my dough from the living room and then you two can talk. Grace reluctantly followed her mother into the living room. She felt the presence of Augustus just steps behind her, she could even the musky sweet cologne he wore. The one she loved.
Lily picked up her bowl of dough and Grace sat uncomfortably in the easy chair as Augustus sat on the couch. Lily exited the living room and Grace heard the door to the garage slam shut. Eli.. Grace thought with unease. She looked at Augustus questioningly. "Why are you here?"
Augustus sighed, "I know I shouldn't have come here, but I've been doing a lot of things I shouldn't be doing lately. I never wanted to hurt you Grace. I was just so afraid of getting hurt myself, that I pushed you away. I made a mistake. I never meant those words I said. I still love you."
"Oh," Grace said, merely because she couldn't think of anything else to say. How could this be happening? How could the man she had loved so much, be telling her he made a mistake? Grace knew she had never gotten fully over Augustus, even after all that happened yesterday with Eli. And now here Augustus was, telling her he still loved her. Did that change anything? She couldn't let it change anything. She loved Eli, she did. She couldn't hurt him and she knew this would. She couldn't let anything Augustus said change things. He was too late and she had given herself to Eli. She couldn't go back now.
"I think we should go ahead and try to tell your mother, but just your mother, if that's what you want," Augustus added. "She might understand. She might not. But if that's what I have to do to be with you, then I will, Grace. I will."
Grace shook her head. Augustus didn't understand. He didn't know that she was with Eli now. But she didn't want to say the words aloud. She didn't want to hurt him. Instead, she thought of yesterday, when she had tried to see him. Just yesterday, she had been wanted to be with him. She had wanted him to take her back. But, instead she had seen him with that blond woman. She had seen them kiss. And then she had come home and she had gone to Eli and they had made love. Grace wondered now if she hadn't wanted to have sex with Eli just to spite Augustus. Maybe, but Grace didn't believe that. She thought that that might have been a tiny reason in the back of her head, but when she had told Eli she loved him, she had meant it.
"Grace?" Augustus asked, leaning towards her. He looked confused to why she wasn't happy about all this. "I thought that you'd.."
Grace interrupted him, "What about that woman I saw you with yesterday?"
"What woman?" Augustus asked in surprise.
"That pretty blond one. I came to see you and instead saw you and her. I saw you kiss her!"
"What?" Augustus laughed, "Blond, wearing a black dress and a coat?"
"Yes!" Grace angrily gripped the arms of the chair.
"Grace, that was April, my sister. I might have kissed her on the cheek, but that was all." Augustus smiled, amused.
Grace lowered her eyes, thinking about exactly what she saw. She had seen Augustus lean in and she had assumed they had kissed on the lips, because the woman's- April's- hair had fell over their faces. Grace looked back up at Augustus, "Oh, I didn't realize."
"Oh, Grace," Augustus said, his voice heavy with love. "Now that we got that settled, why don't we try and tell your mother? Right now."
Grace gasped, "No, we can't!"
"Why not? I thought this was what you wanted?"
Grace turned her head from his stare. She didn't know how to say it. She didn't know how she could crush him with the news she was with Eli. Finally, she sighed, "It was what I wanted, but things changed."
"What changed?" Augustus asked, "Did you decide you don't want to tell her?"
Grace looked at him, it was so hard, "No, it's not about that. Augustus, I.. I.. Eli and I.."
At the mention of Eli's name, Augustus began shaking his head, "No, no, no. Grace, no, please, no. Don't tell me you and him.."
"We're together now, I'm sorry." Grace watched as Augustus stood up, "Wait!"
Augustus shook his head, "No, I was stupid. I pushed you away and expected you'd still be waiting for me when I decided I still wanted you. I was stupid! Of course you and him are together now. You two make sense together, more sense than you and I could ever make together. And you can tell your mother about him! Even though he's your stepbrother, she'd probably be more accepting of you and him than of you and me. I hope he makes you happy, Grace. You deserve happiness."
Grace watched him go, her eyes lined with tears. She heard him put his coat on and the door quietly shut. Grace sighed unhappily, and hurried upstairs before her mother could see crying. She knew she shouldn't be crying, she had decided yesterday that things were over with them, and she had moved on to Eli. But she couldn't help it and seeing the sadness on Augustus' face as he left hurt her to the core. Grace knew she should go to Eli and talk to him. She knew he was angry about Augustus being here. But Grace couldn't be the good girlfriend to Eli right now. Right now all she wanted was to be alone.
* * *
Life is what you make of it
Hey, thanks for reading and all the reviews! Don't you all worry out there, things aren't exactly over for Grace and Dimitri, nor are they for Grace and Eli. That's the fun of having two guys and a girl.. there's lots of drama! And since I love Grace and Dmitri together and also love Grace and Eli together, even I don't know which way I'm going to go!!!
Chapter 18// I had to talk to you
Eli leaned closer to Grace on the couch. Grace smiled at him and quickly checked the living room for any witnesses. They were alone. Grace leaned and they kissed briefly. Footsteps descended the staircase and they reluctantly pulled apart. They turned back to the television.
"What are you watching?" Jessie asked.
"Uh, Animal planet," Eli provided after a pause.
"Oh, what show is on?" Jessie came closer to where they sat.
Eli and Grace looked at each other, waiting for one of them to come up with the answer. On the TV, the commercials ended and the show came back on. Eli looked at the screen and then his sister, "Pet Psychic."
"Oh," Jessie began to sit down next to Eli and Grace, but the telephone rang and she bounded off after it. "That's probably Katie!" Grace heard her calling to Lily.
Eli turned to her again, but they didn't dare sneak another kiss. Instead he reached out and took her hand. They smiled at each other and Grace opened her mouth to speak, but Jessie came back in the room, phone against her ear. They pulled their hands apart and watched as Jessie continued through the room and up the stairs, talking excitedly. Eli reached for her hand again.
"Hey Grace?" Lily called and they pulled apart.
"Yeah, mom?" Grace called back. Lily entered the living room with a bowl of dough in her hands.
"What sounds better: chocolate chip cookies or chocolate chip and almond cookies?"
"I don't know," Grace said with a shrug, "Does it matter?"
"Hmm, maybe chocolate chip and peanut butter chip cookies?"
"Yeah, that sounds good," Eli said.
Lily smiled, satisfied. She turned to go back to the kitchen when the front doorbell rung. She set her bowl of dough on the end table next to the couch and went to answer it.
Grace and Eli looked at each other and smiled. Grace heard her mother's words as she stared into Eli's eyes.
"Hi," Her mother greeted the guest, "It's good to see you again.. How are you?.. That's good.. Yeah, hold on.. Grace!"
Grace's eyes widened in surprise and she got up. She didn't know who would be coming to her house on a Sunday. She walked into the entrance hall and her mouth dropped. "Hi, Mr. Dimitri."
Augustus stood there next to her mother, looking out of place and uncomfortable. He was wearing a long dark gray coat and his red hair was tousled slightly from the wind. He gave Grace a smile as he saw her and she was too shocked to smile back. "I had to talk to you, Grace."
Lily smiled, and took Augustus' coat from him, "Isn't that nice? Most teachers don't care enough about their students to see them outside of school."
Grace was speechless. She could tell by the look in Augustus' eyes that he wasn't here to talk about her last quiz grade or even her short stories. No, he was here to talk about something more important. And, even worse, Grace heard Eli getting up from the couch. Pretty soon he'd come into the hall and see Augustus here.
"Yeah, well, it was important to talk to Grace." Augustus said to Lily.
Lily nodded, "Well, why don't the two of you go in the living room, oh wait Eli was watching TV in there. You should just go on up to Grace's room. It would probably be the quietest place in the house."
Grace almost laughed at her mother's suggestion. If her mother knew about Mr. Dimitri's relationship with her, Grace doubted she would send him into her room, behind closed doors. Grace probably would have loved to take Augustus up into her room alone only a few weeks ago, but things had changed. Especially after yesterday, with Eli.
"No, uh, nothing good was on anyways," Eli said from behind them, "They can talk in the living room." Grace saw the confused and angry expression on Eli's face that he was trying to hide. She knew he was wondering what Mr. Dimitri was doing here. And Grace knew Eli didn't like the idea of her and Augustus up in her room.
"Okay," Lily smiled at Augustus, "Let me just get my dough from the living room and then you two can talk. Grace reluctantly followed her mother into the living room. She felt the presence of Augustus just steps behind her, she could even the musky sweet cologne he wore. The one she loved.
Lily picked up her bowl of dough and Grace sat uncomfortably in the easy chair as Augustus sat on the couch. Lily exited the living room and Grace heard the door to the garage slam shut. Eli.. Grace thought with unease. She looked at Augustus questioningly. "Why are you here?"
Augustus sighed, "I know I shouldn't have come here, but I've been doing a lot of things I shouldn't be doing lately. I never wanted to hurt you Grace. I was just so afraid of getting hurt myself, that I pushed you away. I made a mistake. I never meant those words I said. I still love you."
"Oh," Grace said, merely because she couldn't think of anything else to say. How could this be happening? How could the man she had loved so much, be telling her he made a mistake? Grace knew she had never gotten fully over Augustus, even after all that happened yesterday with Eli. And now here Augustus was, telling her he still loved her. Did that change anything? She couldn't let it change anything. She loved Eli, she did. She couldn't hurt him and she knew this would. She couldn't let anything Augustus said change things. He was too late and she had given herself to Eli. She couldn't go back now.
"I think we should go ahead and try to tell your mother, but just your mother, if that's what you want," Augustus added. "She might understand. She might not. But if that's what I have to do to be with you, then I will, Grace. I will."
Grace shook her head. Augustus didn't understand. He didn't know that she was with Eli now. But she didn't want to say the words aloud. She didn't want to hurt him. Instead, she thought of yesterday, when she had tried to see him. Just yesterday, she had been wanted to be with him. She had wanted him to take her back. But, instead she had seen him with that blond woman. She had seen them kiss. And then she had come home and she had gone to Eli and they had made love. Grace wondered now if she hadn't wanted to have sex with Eli just to spite Augustus. Maybe, but Grace didn't believe that. She thought that that might have been a tiny reason in the back of her head, but when she had told Eli she loved him, she had meant it.
"Grace?" Augustus asked, leaning towards her. He looked confused to why she wasn't happy about all this. "I thought that you'd.."
Grace interrupted him, "What about that woman I saw you with yesterday?"
"What woman?" Augustus asked in surprise.
"That pretty blond one. I came to see you and instead saw you and her. I saw you kiss her!"
"What?" Augustus laughed, "Blond, wearing a black dress and a coat?"
"Yes!" Grace angrily gripped the arms of the chair.
"Grace, that was April, my sister. I might have kissed her on the cheek, but that was all." Augustus smiled, amused.
Grace lowered her eyes, thinking about exactly what she saw. She had seen Augustus lean in and she had assumed they had kissed on the lips, because the woman's- April's- hair had fell over their faces. Grace looked back up at Augustus, "Oh, I didn't realize."
"Oh, Grace," Augustus said, his voice heavy with love. "Now that we got that settled, why don't we try and tell your mother? Right now."
Grace gasped, "No, we can't!"
"Why not? I thought this was what you wanted?"
Grace turned her head from his stare. She didn't know how to say it. She didn't know how she could crush him with the news she was with Eli. Finally, she sighed, "It was what I wanted, but things changed."
"What changed?" Augustus asked, "Did you decide you don't want to tell her?"
Grace looked at him, it was so hard, "No, it's not about that. Augustus, I.. I.. Eli and I.."
At the mention of Eli's name, Augustus began shaking his head, "No, no, no. Grace, no, please, no. Don't tell me you and him.."
"We're together now, I'm sorry." Grace watched as Augustus stood up, "Wait!"
Augustus shook his head, "No, I was stupid. I pushed you away and expected you'd still be waiting for me when I decided I still wanted you. I was stupid! Of course you and him are together now. You two make sense together, more sense than you and I could ever make together. And you can tell your mother about him! Even though he's your stepbrother, she'd probably be more accepting of you and him than of you and me. I hope he makes you happy, Grace. You deserve happiness."
Grace watched him go, her eyes lined with tears. She heard him put his coat on and the door quietly shut. Grace sighed unhappily, and hurried upstairs before her mother could see crying. She knew she shouldn't be crying, she had decided yesterday that things were over with them, and she had moved on to Eli. But she couldn't help it and seeing the sadness on Augustus' face as he left hurt her to the core. Grace knew she should go to Eli and talk to him. She knew he was angry about Augustus being here. But Grace couldn't be the good girlfriend to Eli right now. Right now all she wanted was to be alone.
* * *