~A Once and Again series~
Life is what you make of it
Chapter 28//My own decisions
Grace knocked on the sliding glass doors. After a brief moment, Augustus arrived and let her in. He looked surprised and uneasy about her being here.
Grace smiled at him, "Thank you for the book. It's so lovely." Augustus nodded, but didn't say anything. Grace held up the bag she carried, "I got something for you too."
Augustus reluctantly took the bag. He stared at her instead of opening it however. "Grace.."
"No, don't say anything until you know everything." Grace said quickly. "Eli and I broke up. He saw the book, and he knew that I still had feelings for you. So he basically said I had to choose between him and you. I don't know what you to do. So, I thought it would help if I came and talked with you. Then maybe I could make a decision."
Augustus shook his head, "Grace you shouldn't be here." He thought of Eli and how he had just left only ten minutes ago, and of the promise he had made. He had told Eli he wouldn't interfere with him and Grace. It was a promise he should have never made, but he had. So, now he had to stick to that promise, no matter how wrong it was. He couldn't tell Grace he loved her and he couldn't reach out and kiss her. No, he had to back off.
"Augustus!" Grace smiled, "It's okay. Didn't you hear what I said? I need to talk to you."
Augustus sighed, "Grace, I *can't* talk to you. I'm sorry."
"Why not?" Grace asked in confusion. She had thought Augustus would want to talk to her. He had after all sent her that book. She thought he still loved her.
"Grace, just please go. It would be best if you just left." Augustus turned away from her.
"No!" Grace moved to him, pulling on his arm. "What are you talking about?"
"Grace, I can't talk to you. Not now. I'm sorry. Please just go." Augustus took her hand gently off his arm. "I think you have to choose Eli. Give him everything you have, one hundred percent, and then you'll be able to see if you two belong together."
"But, what if I don't want to do that? What if I want to be with you?"
"Grace, you can't. Not right now. You owe Eli a chance. Give him your whole heart and if things aren't right between you two, you'll be able to tell. That's the way to solve this, Grace. If you came back to me right now, a part of you would still be with him. No, I don't want that. You need to follow this thing through with him. See if he can make you happy. See if he's the one you really love." Augustus smiled gently at her.
Grace looked away, pained, "But what if I am happy with him? What about us?"
"Then there would be no 'us'."
"But I want there to be an 'us'." Grace pleaded. "I don't know what I would do if you were out of my life completely."
"Grace, it would be okay. If he can make you happy, then it wouldn't matter that you weren't with me." Augustus said. "The only way you'll be giving Eli and yourself a fair chance is if you forget about me and give him your all."
"You're too good." Grace whispered. "Why do you always act so right? How can you stand knowing I'm going back to him?"
Augustus allowed himself a brush of his hand against her cheek. "Because I have to. It's the only way there's a chance you'll come back to me with Eli out of your system is if you do this now."
"But, you do want me to come back, right? You still love me?" Grace asked. They looked into each other's eyes.
Finally Augustus answered, knowing he was going against the promise he had made to Eli, but there was no way he was going to hurt Grace again by lying to her. He loved her, and he wasn't going to pretend he didn't. "Yes, Grace I love you. But you have to do this."
"I know," Grace said reluctantly. She turned away, and headed for the door. She looked back once and sighed. Finally she left. Outside as she started up the car, Grace wondered how it had turned out this way. She had been sure she was going to end up back together with Augustus after she talked to him. But Augustus wanted her to give Eli a chance. What a man Augustus was, even though he loved her, he was still pushing her to be with Eli, to give Eli a fair chance. Who else would have done something that noble? But, still, Grace wished Augustus hadn't been that way. She wished he would have taken her into his arms and refused to let her go again. She wished he would have wanted to get back together, but instead he pushed her away, towards Eli.
* * *
Eli waited nervously in Grace's room. Jessie had seen him in there earlier and he could tell she wasn't happy about it. Eli heard Grace's feet on the stairs and went to the doorway. Grace looked up and saw him.
"Hi," Grace said and they went into her room. Eli closed the door behind her.
"I just went to Augustus' house," Grace said.
Eli looked at her, startled. Did Mr. Dimitri tell her everything? He waited to hear what she would say.
"And I'm ready to give us another try. I'll give you my all this time."
Eli smiled, pleased. Mr. Dimitri had kept his promise, he had backed off and now Grace was his again. "I'm glad Grace."
Grace smiled and Eli pulled her in for a quick kiss. He let go of her and went over to her bed. Grace watched in surprise as Eli picked up her book and showed it to her. "I think we should get rid of this, then."
"Eli! No!" Grace grabbed the book from him. Her heart had wrenched up in pain as she realized that Eli had wanted to get rid of the book. She loved it too much to throw it away, like a piece of trash.
Eli sighed, "I thought you said you'd give me your all. You got to forget about him, Grace."
Grace shook her head, "I will, Eli! But you can't throw this away."
"Why not?"
Grace couldn't find an answer that wouldn't upset him. "It was a gift, Eli!"
"Yeah, from him." Eli reached for the book.
"No, I'm keeping it." Grace dodged his grasp.
"Give it to me!"
"No." Grace pulled away. She knew she should give up the book, but she couldn't. It was too beautiful. It meant to much to her.
Eli stared coldly at her, "Grace, if you can't get rid of that book that means you can't get rid of him! And if you can't get rid of him, then we can't be together."
Grace knew that, but she still held onto the book. Eli waited for her to do something, but Grace was still. Eli shook his head, "This figures! You never loved me, you always loved him!"
Grace looked down at the floor guiltily. She didn't know what to say.
"Did he convince you to go back to him? Did he tell you lies? He told me he'd stay away from you!"
Grace jerked her head up in surprise, "You went to see him?"
Eli scowled and nodded. "Yeah, but I guess he didn't keep his promise."
Grace gasped. No wonder why Augustus had been so firm on the fact that she and him couldn't be together and that she had to give Eli a fair chance. Only it was Eli who was the one not giving Grace the fair chance! He manipulated the situation, so that Augustus would back away from her. Eli hadn't given her a fair chance to choose between them.
"Grace, I'm sorry." Eli said as he realized she was upset that he went to see Mr. Dimitri. "But, I had to make sure you'd come back to me."
Grace looked up at him and shook her head in anger. "You only care about yourself, Eli."
"No, I care about you too. I love you."
"Then why didn't you let me make my own decisions?" Grace stared at him, and was pleased when he flinched guiltily.
"But I did! I just asked him if he'd stay away from you." Eli insisted.
"Eli, I can't be with you." Grace told him, coming to a decision.
"Is this because I went to see him?"
"No, it's because I just can't. You're not the right guy for me, Eli." Grace said softly.
Eli shook his head, laughing bitterly. "He said that too."
Grace nodded, "He's a very smart man."
Eli snorted in disgust and he looked at Grace one last time. "I'm not going to be here if you change your mind again. I'm not going to wait on you."
"I know." Grace said, and she thought of how Augustus had been willing to wait for her while she was with Eli and she knew that she was making the right choice. Augustus was such a great man, and Grace had gotten caught up in Eli and had let herself forget that.
Eli sighed and walked out the door. Grace watched him go, and felt like a weight had been lifted off her heart. She had loved Eli, but it had never been right between them.
* * *
Life is what you make of it
Chapter 28//My own decisions
Grace knocked on the sliding glass doors. After a brief moment, Augustus arrived and let her in. He looked surprised and uneasy about her being here.
Grace smiled at him, "Thank you for the book. It's so lovely." Augustus nodded, but didn't say anything. Grace held up the bag she carried, "I got something for you too."
Augustus reluctantly took the bag. He stared at her instead of opening it however. "Grace.."
"No, don't say anything until you know everything." Grace said quickly. "Eli and I broke up. He saw the book, and he knew that I still had feelings for you. So he basically said I had to choose between him and you. I don't know what you to do. So, I thought it would help if I came and talked with you. Then maybe I could make a decision."
Augustus shook his head, "Grace you shouldn't be here." He thought of Eli and how he had just left only ten minutes ago, and of the promise he had made. He had told Eli he wouldn't interfere with him and Grace. It was a promise he should have never made, but he had. So, now he had to stick to that promise, no matter how wrong it was. He couldn't tell Grace he loved her and he couldn't reach out and kiss her. No, he had to back off.
"Augustus!" Grace smiled, "It's okay. Didn't you hear what I said? I need to talk to you."
Augustus sighed, "Grace, I *can't* talk to you. I'm sorry."
"Why not?" Grace asked in confusion. She had thought Augustus would want to talk to her. He had after all sent her that book. She thought he still loved her.
"Grace, just please go. It would be best if you just left." Augustus turned away from her.
"No!" Grace moved to him, pulling on his arm. "What are you talking about?"
"Grace, I can't talk to you. Not now. I'm sorry. Please just go." Augustus took her hand gently off his arm. "I think you have to choose Eli. Give him everything you have, one hundred percent, and then you'll be able to see if you two belong together."
"But, what if I don't want to do that? What if I want to be with you?"
"Grace, you can't. Not right now. You owe Eli a chance. Give him your whole heart and if things aren't right between you two, you'll be able to tell. That's the way to solve this, Grace. If you came back to me right now, a part of you would still be with him. No, I don't want that. You need to follow this thing through with him. See if he can make you happy. See if he's the one you really love." Augustus smiled gently at her.
Grace looked away, pained, "But what if I am happy with him? What about us?"
"Then there would be no 'us'."
"But I want there to be an 'us'." Grace pleaded. "I don't know what I would do if you were out of my life completely."
"Grace, it would be okay. If he can make you happy, then it wouldn't matter that you weren't with me." Augustus said. "The only way you'll be giving Eli and yourself a fair chance is if you forget about me and give him your all."
"You're too good." Grace whispered. "Why do you always act so right? How can you stand knowing I'm going back to him?"
Augustus allowed himself a brush of his hand against her cheek. "Because I have to. It's the only way there's a chance you'll come back to me with Eli out of your system is if you do this now."
"But, you do want me to come back, right? You still love me?" Grace asked. They looked into each other's eyes.
Finally Augustus answered, knowing he was going against the promise he had made to Eli, but there was no way he was going to hurt Grace again by lying to her. He loved her, and he wasn't going to pretend he didn't. "Yes, Grace I love you. But you have to do this."
"I know," Grace said reluctantly. She turned away, and headed for the door. She looked back once and sighed. Finally she left. Outside as she started up the car, Grace wondered how it had turned out this way. She had been sure she was going to end up back together with Augustus after she talked to him. But Augustus wanted her to give Eli a chance. What a man Augustus was, even though he loved her, he was still pushing her to be with Eli, to give Eli a fair chance. Who else would have done something that noble? But, still, Grace wished Augustus hadn't been that way. She wished he would have taken her into his arms and refused to let her go again. She wished he would have wanted to get back together, but instead he pushed her away, towards Eli.
* * *
Eli waited nervously in Grace's room. Jessie had seen him in there earlier and he could tell she wasn't happy about it. Eli heard Grace's feet on the stairs and went to the doorway. Grace looked up and saw him.
"Hi," Grace said and they went into her room. Eli closed the door behind her.
"I just went to Augustus' house," Grace said.
Eli looked at her, startled. Did Mr. Dimitri tell her everything? He waited to hear what she would say.
"And I'm ready to give us another try. I'll give you my all this time."
Eli smiled, pleased. Mr. Dimitri had kept his promise, he had backed off and now Grace was his again. "I'm glad Grace."
Grace smiled and Eli pulled her in for a quick kiss. He let go of her and went over to her bed. Grace watched in surprise as Eli picked up her book and showed it to her. "I think we should get rid of this, then."
"Eli! No!" Grace grabbed the book from him. Her heart had wrenched up in pain as she realized that Eli had wanted to get rid of the book. She loved it too much to throw it away, like a piece of trash.
Eli sighed, "I thought you said you'd give me your all. You got to forget about him, Grace."
Grace shook her head, "I will, Eli! But you can't throw this away."
"Why not?"
Grace couldn't find an answer that wouldn't upset him. "It was a gift, Eli!"
"Yeah, from him." Eli reached for the book.
"No, I'm keeping it." Grace dodged his grasp.
"Give it to me!"
"No." Grace pulled away. She knew she should give up the book, but she couldn't. It was too beautiful. It meant to much to her.
Eli stared coldly at her, "Grace, if you can't get rid of that book that means you can't get rid of him! And if you can't get rid of him, then we can't be together."
Grace knew that, but she still held onto the book. Eli waited for her to do something, but Grace was still. Eli shook his head, "This figures! You never loved me, you always loved him!"
Grace looked down at the floor guiltily. She didn't know what to say.
"Did he convince you to go back to him? Did he tell you lies? He told me he'd stay away from you!"
Grace jerked her head up in surprise, "You went to see him?"
Eli scowled and nodded. "Yeah, but I guess he didn't keep his promise."
Grace gasped. No wonder why Augustus had been so firm on the fact that she and him couldn't be together and that she had to give Eli a fair chance. Only it was Eli who was the one not giving Grace the fair chance! He manipulated the situation, so that Augustus would back away from her. Eli hadn't given her a fair chance to choose between them.
"Grace, I'm sorry." Eli said as he realized she was upset that he went to see Mr. Dimitri. "But, I had to make sure you'd come back to me."
Grace looked up at him and shook her head in anger. "You only care about yourself, Eli."
"No, I care about you too. I love you."
"Then why didn't you let me make my own decisions?" Grace stared at him, and was pleased when he flinched guiltily.
"But I did! I just asked him if he'd stay away from you." Eli insisted.
"Eli, I can't be with you." Grace told him, coming to a decision.
"Is this because I went to see him?"
"No, it's because I just can't. You're not the right guy for me, Eli." Grace said softly.
Eli shook his head, laughing bitterly. "He said that too."
Grace nodded, "He's a very smart man."
Eli snorted in disgust and he looked at Grace one last time. "I'm not going to be here if you change your mind again. I'm not going to wait on you."
"I know." Grace said, and she thought of how Augustus had been willing to wait for her while she was with Eli and she knew that she was making the right choice. Augustus was such a great man, and Grace had gotten caught up in Eli and had let herself forget that.
Eli sighed and walked out the door. Grace watched him go, and felt like a weight had been lifted off her heart. She had loved Eli, but it had never been right between them.
* * *