Grace was lucky that Jessie and Katie were the ones that had found her
there, in Eli's room. The girls were incredibly understanding, they asked
Grace nothing but if she wanted a ride back to the camp. Grace silently
took their generous offer and the girls managed to get out of there before
Lily and Rick could appear.
Once Grace was at the camp, she had to answer a lot of questions why she
had behaved so madly. The monitors even threatened to call her mother and
tell her everything but Grace cleverly came up with a lie, telling them
that it was a bet that she had lost and the payment was that scene on the
bus. She begged them to not mentioned a word of it to Lily and also
promised that something like that wouldn't happen again. Grace told them
that all she was looking for was to enjoy her summer camp.
* * *
Two months later
* * *
After Katie and Jessie had dropped Grace at the camp, no word about the event was mentioned from neither of them. They spent their summer without talking, thinking, or at least, trying not to think of it and pretending that the scene with Grace had never happened. Well, certainly that was what Jessie was doing. Katie only agreed with all that because she didn't wanted to upset Jessie even more. But now that the summer break was nearly ending and that Grace and Eli would be back home soon, Katie couldn't keep on holding her million questions inside. . . She had to say something, she had to know the truth. She had to be certain if that it really was what she was thinking it was.
"Okay! I can't take this anymore!", Katie burst out as she stopped walking. "We have to talk about it!"
"Talk about what?", Jessie puzzled, stopping as well. Katie rolled her eyes at the question and didn't have to say another word to Jessie realize what she was talking about. "I really don't think that there is something to talk about."
Jessie sated and started to walk again but suddenly Katie grabbed her arm and dragged her to sit on a bench that was a few inches away from them. "Come on , Jess! We can't ignore it forever or pretend that it didn't happened."
"Why not?", Jessie got out, looking away.
"We caught Grace, your stepsister, in your brother's room. . She was holding a picture of him as well as one of his coats. Crying, she was crying. . . And lying on his bed.", Katie poured out the facts.
"So?", Jessie played the dumb, still not looking at her.
Katie's mouth gaped in amazement, she knew that Jessie was not that naïve. The question that popped up on her head was why she was acting like that, "Isn't that obvious?? Grace certainly has feelings for Eli. And I don't mean like a sister. . I mean, all I am saying here is that considering how desperate Grace was that day, whatever it is that she feels for him. is something pretty strong.", Katie concluded and as she thought that Grace could be in love with Eli, a grin began to appear on her but it didn't last long. When she saw the expression on Jessie's face, she could that something wasn't right, "Why you're not surprised?", Jessie didn't answer, she only stared into the nothing. Katie found that behavior of Jessie's really odd. That's why she started to study Jessie's face very carefully and she kept on doing it until she came to a realization, "You knew didn't you? I mean, before we found Grace in Eli's garage, right?"
Jessie took deep breath then exhaling, she muttered, "Yes, I knew."
"How come you didn't tell me about it?", Katie questioned.
"Because it was not my secret to tell.", Jessie disputed.
"What about Eli? Does he know about Grace?? Did you tell him?", Katie insisted.
"Didn't I just say that it was not my secret to tell?", Jessie retorted a little annoyed then added. "And besides, there was no need for me to tell him. . Eli has feeling for Grace too. I caught them kissing once."
"Oh my God, Grace and Eli!!", Katie exclaimed, smiling widely. "Wait a minute! I thought Grace was with that Taylor guy and Eli was shagging up with that girl, Eva."
"It was before Taylor and Eva.", Jessie turned to face her now. "It's confusing, I know. or, I don't know."
Jessie finished and Katie remained in silence for a while, she had a look on her face that shown she was about to come up with a crazy idea or something, "I get it! Grace and Eli fought then they hooked up with those two but Grace is sorry for whatever that really happened between them, so she came back to tell Eli that she was sorry.", Jessie's brow furrowed at the fact that Katie was having too much fun with that Grace and Eli story, "You gotta tell him!"
"What?", Jessie got out in surprise. "What are you talking about?"
"Eli! You gotta tell him that Grace came back. for him!"
"No, way!", Jessie shook her no.
"But-"
"I don't want to get involved, Katie!", Jessie lightly shouted as an attempt to make Katie drop that thought and go on with their lives without even remembering Eli and Grace were once together.
"You mean, you don't want to get involved. . more than you already are, right?", Katie reasoned and Jessie snorted heavily, feeling that maybe there was no other option than her to get involved in all that mess.
~ ~ ~
Jessie and Katie went to Lily's house after that talk, they were now at the attic. Jessie was not talking much, she just kept on going through her Cds, like she was looking for something in particular but nothing seemed to please her.
"Jess?", Katie cautiously called her then she continued, "I know I sort of promised that I wouldn't talk about. about. you know. I was just wondering, when are they coming back?"
Jessie put down her Cds, tiredly ran her fingers through her hair, then looking at Katie, she answered, "Eli is coming in two days and Grace is coming on Sunday."
"So, Eli's coming on Thursday and Grace on Sunday?!. . You think you can hide from Eli what you know? Don't you think that he deserves to know?", Katie stood up and gently took Jessie's hand.
"I don't know. And about me hiding "this" from him, well, they don't really know that I know about them.", Jessie slowly walked to her bed and they both took a seat on it.
"But you said that you caught them?", Katie was now confused.
"I did, but they didn't see me.", Jessie uttered tired of that conversation, "The only thing that connect me to their story is that day we found Grace in Eli's room. I bet that she's not sure of anything, she just thinks that we suspect something, that's all."
Katie only shook her head then looked into Jessie's eyes letting her know that it was the last time she brought that subject up and that Eli wouldn't hear a word about it from her mouth. Slowly she leaned in and placed a soft kiss on Jessie's lips.
* * *
Karen and Henry were having lunch when they heard the front door opening. Karen looked at him confusedly because she knew Jessie was at her father's and that still left a couple of hours for Eli to arrive and that he was supposed to go to Rick's first to say hi to everyone and pick up Jessie. Karen grabbed the napkin and threw it on the table, when she was ready to get up and go see who was there, she was surprised by Eli entering the house, carrying a small backpack.
"Eli!!", she got out with surprise but also with excitement then she immediately held him in her arms.
"Hi, mom!!", he only breathed as the side of his mouth kicked up a little, "Hi, Henry!"
"Hello, Eli!! Welcome home!", Henry replied smiling.
"But ? . . What are you doing here ? I thought you'd be here around three or so?", Karen let go of him.
"We came early."
"Weren't you supposed to go to your father's first?", Karen frowned. Eli opened his mouth to explain why he didn't got to Rick's first but he didn't really know what to say. His mouth only kept moving and no phrase that made sense came out it. Getting the feeling that something was wrong with her son, Karen held his face and hugged him again, "I'm glad you're here!! I missed you so!!"
"I missed you too, mom!", Eli wearingly smiled then stated, "I'm starving!!!", Karen and Henry smiled as he let his backpack fall to the floor then he went wash his hands and came back to table to eat lunch.
~ ~ ~
Lily, Rick, Zoe and Jessie were all having dessert when the phone ringed. Zoe popped up from her chair and rushed to answer it.
"Hello?!!", Zoe exclaimed.
"Um. Zoe??", Karen asked on the other line. "Is Rick there?"
"Yes."
"Can I talk to him, please?", Karen requested.
Zoe walked towards Rick and extended the phone to him, saying, "It's for you. It's Karen!"
"Oh! Hi, Karen!", Rick greeted her, frowning a little.
"Hi!", she replied, going on, "Um. Eli's here!"
"What?", the frowns of confusion on his face grew after her words. "He's back??"
"Yes. And-"
Rick didn't let Karen complete her thought, he interrupted her with another question, "Why is he there with you? He was supposed to come here first then he and Jessie would go to your house."
"Rick, calm down! Okay!", Karen noticed he was getting angry with Eli.
"I am calm.", Rick disputed and Lily and Jessie gave him a puzzled look, "Let me talk to him."
"Can't, he just fell asleep. He's really tired. I don't want to assume anything before talking to him but I guess that he's in trouble. Not the kind of trouble that you're thinking. I don't know. He looks pale and very weak. He's thinner and all. There is something wrong with him.", she stated with concern.
"Maybe he's sick from too much beer!", Rick kidded, not really getting worried about what his ex-wife had just told him.
"I don't think so.", she stumbled in reply, "I gotta hang up. Can you drive Jessie here?"
"Sure!"
"Good. Bye, Rick", she hung up.
Rick put down the phone and realized all those curious eyes on him, "Eli's at Karen's.!
"He's back!", Zoe beamed at him and Jessie only rolled her eyes at it.
"Yes, he is and according to Karen, he's not very well. He might be sick or something.", Rick reported casually.
"What's he got?", Lily jumped in, concerning about her step-son.
"I don't know. But I'm sure it's nothing serious. Jessie, come on. I will take you to you mother's."
"Just gimme a minute to get my stuff, dad.", Jessie got up and went upstairs, as she gathered her stuff she couldn't help but associate Eli's sudden illness to Grace. She shrugged that thought off and went back down. Once there, she and Rick took off.
~ ~ ~
More than two hours had passed since Eli fell asleep, Henry went to work and so did Karen, Jessie was the one in charge to check if he was okay as soon as he woke up. She was worried about him that's why she went to his room and stayed there, waiting for him to wake up.
Eli exhaled heavily as he turned to the left side of the bed, his eyes slowly started to move while his lids were still shut then sluggishly he opened them. His eyes were still full of sleep, so he couldn't make out completely the image right in front of him. He blinked several times until the vision wasn't misty anymore.
"Jess?", he murmured as he sat up.
"Hey!", she softly smiled at him. "Welcome home!"
"Hugh! Thanks!", Eli hugged his sister then fell back down. "What are you doing here?", he asked, noticing a small sign of concern on her face.
"Mom said you weren't feeling very well. She and Henry went out so they asked me to keep an eye on you."
"She said that?"
"She did.", Jessie replied and Eli covered his eyes with his hand not believing that he couldn't hide his *condition* as well as he thought he could. "So?"
"What?", he uncovered his eyes as Jessie eyed him suspiciously. "I'm okay."
"Are you?"
"Of course. Just tired.", he got out but by the look on her face he could see that she didn't believe him. Sitting up again, he explained. "I had to drive all the way back here."
"You're saying that Ted let you drove his car? Well, that's weird because Ted never let you drive his car."
"Very funny. But truthfully, he didn't have another choice. He twisted his ankle so he couldn't drive. Wink was his better choice but he was to drunk to drive, so it was either me or Coop. Have you ever seen Coop driving?", he asked sarcastically and she shook her no and he continued. "Good for you! Satisfied now?!!"
"Yes!", she laughed at the funny face he made. Jessie stood up and before she could leave Eli joked a little more.
"I never thought there would come the day that I would have to explain something like that to my little sister."
With one foot out and one foot in, Jessie responded properly, "You better get used to it.", then she left. Eli breathed deeply than got up. He walked to his backpack and took something out. . . a picture of Grace. He looked at it and all the memories of them flashed through his eyes. He missed her more than anything in his life but he vowed he wouldn't come near he again. He vowed he would let her go and move on with his life but staring at her picture made him feel that it was something impossible for him to do.
* * *
"Zoe!!!", Lily called as loud as she could while she held the fridge opened. "ZOE!!!!"
Zoe rushed downstairs then into the kitchen and with a puzzled face, she retorted, "I'm not deaf!!"
Lily turned to face her as she closed the fridge, "Do you know what might have happened to the chocolate cake?"
Zoe made a funny face then lied jokingly, "I have no idea."
"Zoe!?"
"I was hungry!", she disputed giving her mother her best innocent smile.
"It was for Grace.", Lily gasped with her hand on her hip.
"There's still some."
"Ugh! What about the oth-"
"Anybody home?!!", Eli walked into the house using the kitchen's door, Jessie and Coop were with him.
"Eli! Come here!", Lily beamed at him then held her arms opened and then she hugged him tightly. "How are you!!"
"I'm good!!", Eli smiled as he pulled away. When he looked to her face she was crying. "Are you okay?"
"Yes!", she sniffed then looked at Coop and hugged hum too. "Coop!", Eli, Jessie , Zoe and Coop looked at her oddly. "Hey, Jessie! How is your mother?"
"She's fine!", Jessie almost let out a laugh when she spoke.
"What's going on here?", Eli asked as he glanced around and saw plenty of food. It seemed that she was preparing some kind of a party.
"Grace arrives today!", Lily exclaimed and Eli felt something goes down his spine when he heard her name. Coop and Jessie noticed the sad look on his face. "It's a surprise!! It's not a party or anything. It's a big welcome home lunch, that's all. We had one prepared for you too, Eli, but you didn't come."
"Sorry.", Eli stuttered lowly. "Um, there some stuff in the car that I need to-, ugh, um. I'll be in my room. Coop?", Eli excused himself then he and Coop left the scene. As they walked into the garage Coop spoke.
"What was that? I mean, your step-mother hugged me!", Coop joked as an attempt to stray Eli's thoughts away from Grace.
It didn't work but Eli answered him, "Jessie told me her emotions are . they are a little . unpredictable because of her pregnancy. Jessie said that the other day she cried when she was watching *Greg, The Bonny*"
"Gee!!!", Coop kidded again. Eli faked a laugh as the only thing he could really think of was Grace. She was about to arrive and he had no idea of what to do or how to behave.
~ ~ ~
Lily was at the dining room taking a look at the table and contemplating her work when somebody came from behind her and covered her eyes. She thought it was Zoe playing with her at first but it couldn't be Zoe, she was not that tall. Then she thought of Jessie but it wasn't like her at all and there was no chance it could be Rick or Eli, the hands that were covering her eyes were too soft and smelled like sweet perfume. A wide smile appeared on Lily's face as she realized who the person behind her was.
"GRACIE!!!!", Lily exclaimed with all the excitement that was in her body. The hands moved off her eyes and she turned to hug her daughter.
"Mom!!", Grace softly uttered as she held her mother.
"Grace!", Zoe got out as she caught vision of her sister on the corner of her eye then she rushed and hugged her too while Lily still had her arms around her.
"Hey, Zoe!!", Grace smiled.
Letting go of her two daughters Lily walked to the stairs and called Rick and Jessie, "Rick!!! Jessie!! Gracie's home!!, after a few seconds the two joined them downstairs.
"Grace!! Welcome home!", Rick happily greeted her and hugging her as well.
"Oh! Hi, Grace!", Jessie stated trying not to sound embarrassed.
Grace turned and went to her, also trying to hide the awkward feeling that hung in the air between them, "Jessie!!"
At the minute she greeted Jessie, she heard somebody else uttering her name, "Grace!", she heard Eli's voice, he and Coop heard when Lily shouted, calling Jessie and Rick and announcing that she had arrived, Eli wasn't sure if he was able to be near her again but he couldn't not go and join the rest of the family in her welcoming. Grace closed her eyes at that instant and prayed to God to give her strength to look at his face again, she let go of Jessie, turned and their eyes met instantly. She mouthed a *hello* to him and Coop, and to the others nothing was wrong with that scene but to Eli and Grace it was like heaven and hell. Jessie and Coop stood there and saw them trying to be strong and hide their true feelings.
"Grace?!!", Lily frowned as she walked around her daughter.
"What, mom?"
"You're thinner!! Really thinner!", Lily stated then added, "They didn't feed you there?", all of them laughed at her comment.
"They did, mom!", Grace snorted under an embarrassed laughter. "I just thought it would be nice to change a little. You know."
"Well, I think you look better now. I always thought you should go on a diet.", Zoe as usually, couldn't keep her comments to herself.
"Zoe!!", Grace warned and again all of them laughed.
"Well, I always thought you were perfect.", Eli spoke under his breath but it wasn't low enough. All of them heard his words and the room froze after he spoke. Jessie looked away but didn't know what to say to break the silence. Lily and Rick had a confused suspicious look on their faces and also didn't know what to say after that.
"I always thought you were perfect, Grace. You know, intelligent, mature, sweet. .. beautiful. But I have to confess. Girl, now you are just too damn perfect!! It's hot in here!!", Coop stated in a funny jokingly way that broke that awkward silence and at the same time saved Eli from answering a bunch of questions later.
All of them laughed again, "Oh! Thanks, Coop. I think.", Grace said blushing then they all went to eat.
During the lunch Lily couldn't stop asking Grace what she did at the camp, who she met, if she met anyone special. She even insinuated that Grace's changing was because she had met someone. When Lily said that, Eli almost got suffocated with the food. The woman was insatiable, now it was Eli's turned. She asked how many parties he went, what he and the guys did, if they played anywhere. The conversation was going fine, even because Coop was doing all the answering but it was until she asked Eli about girls.
"Come on , Eli. Tell me. How about the girls. I can't believe that you didn't met anyone too.", Lily smirked and Grace tried to concentrate on her food.
"Um. um- I-", Eli stammered as he tried to find the right words, he didn't want to lie or anything.
"If he met anyone??", Coop, again didn't let him talk. "Are you crazy?? This man here is a magnet to girls. All kinds of them, tall, short, sculptural bodies, fat. All of them wanted a piece of the man here."
"Mom?", Grace couldn't keep on hearing those words, so she thought of a lie to excuse herself and leave to her room, she called Lily again but her mother didn't pay attention, she was more interested in what Coop was saying.
Eli and Jessie noticed Grace was about to crack, so Eli tried to shut his friend, "Coop?! he warned out loud.
"What??", Coop played dumb and went on, "But. you are not going to believe this. I have to say, Mr. Sammler. I even thought that you son was switching sides."
"What do you mean?", Rick frowned, laughing lightly.
"He turned down each and one of them. He rejected all of those beach girls.", Coop made a sound that gave the impression he was crying. "I don't know what say. He just. None of them. Can you believe that??!!! What had happened to you man??"
Eli breathed in relief when Coop told the truth. For a minute he thought that his friend was trying to make Grace jealous, which was working, but he feared that she would also hate him. Eli decided to join Coop in joke, "I told you, Coop!! I am saving myself for God!!", for a second the family seemed to actually believe but then they remembered who Eli was so they all burst out laughing.
*
*
*
The lunch ended up being not as bad as Eli thought it would be. Things between him and Grace were still blurry and they would still be for a very long time but they managed to be near each other in public. But although he was proud of himself he made it, he also felt more lonely than ever. The truth was still there, his feelings for her were still there and there was no amount of jokes and lies would be able to change that. So, now he was sitting on the floor of his garage. no light was on, it was past midnight and he didn't need any light. Light reminded him of her, because to him she was the thing that filled his life with the brightest light.
~ ~ ~
Grace was in her room, she was still unpacking. It was really late for her to be doing that but she didn't mind, she needed something to keep her from thinking of Eli, from thinking about the way she felt when she saw him again, when her eyes locked with his. She still felt the same way and that moment she regretted deeply the decision of breaking up with him. When she was at the camp she asked herself thousand times again if she had done the right thing. She had waited so long to have him and give up on him like that, sometimes seemed stupid. But when she remembered of her mother and that they were going to have a brother or a sister in common, it terrified her. She was scared and in love. Why love had to be so difficult for her?? She couldn't say. She never really understood why she couldn't fall in love for a normal guy. So now, she was alone again and she was pretty sure that nothing in the world would change that. She was sure that was she felt for Eli was something that no man or time or anything could make go away. She wanted to see him, she wanted to talk to him but what would she say to him? She had to be near him. Grace silently made her way out of her room then down to the stairs, she didn't turn any light on, she just walked out to his garage. She stood there and stared at his closed door, her heart told her to knock or just get in and kiss him and tell him that she never stopped loving him but her brain often won over her heart. So she just stayed there, she made her best to not make any sound as she took a seat on the floor and rested her head on his door, just being there, just knowing that he was behind that door made her feel that maybe it was not the end. . even given the givens.
* * *
Two months later
* * *
After Katie and Jessie had dropped Grace at the camp, no word about the event was mentioned from neither of them. They spent their summer without talking, thinking, or at least, trying not to think of it and pretending that the scene with Grace had never happened. Well, certainly that was what Jessie was doing. Katie only agreed with all that because she didn't wanted to upset Jessie even more. But now that the summer break was nearly ending and that Grace and Eli would be back home soon, Katie couldn't keep on holding her million questions inside. . . She had to say something, she had to know the truth. She had to be certain if that it really was what she was thinking it was.
"Okay! I can't take this anymore!", Katie burst out as she stopped walking. "We have to talk about it!"
"Talk about what?", Jessie puzzled, stopping as well. Katie rolled her eyes at the question and didn't have to say another word to Jessie realize what she was talking about. "I really don't think that there is something to talk about."
Jessie sated and started to walk again but suddenly Katie grabbed her arm and dragged her to sit on a bench that was a few inches away from them. "Come on , Jess! We can't ignore it forever or pretend that it didn't happened."
"Why not?", Jessie got out, looking away.
"We caught Grace, your stepsister, in your brother's room. . She was holding a picture of him as well as one of his coats. Crying, she was crying. . . And lying on his bed.", Katie poured out the facts.
"So?", Jessie played the dumb, still not looking at her.
Katie's mouth gaped in amazement, she knew that Jessie was not that naïve. The question that popped up on her head was why she was acting like that, "Isn't that obvious?? Grace certainly has feelings for Eli. And I don't mean like a sister. . I mean, all I am saying here is that considering how desperate Grace was that day, whatever it is that she feels for him. is something pretty strong.", Katie concluded and as she thought that Grace could be in love with Eli, a grin began to appear on her but it didn't last long. When she saw the expression on Jessie's face, she could that something wasn't right, "Why you're not surprised?", Jessie didn't answer, she only stared into the nothing. Katie found that behavior of Jessie's really odd. That's why she started to study Jessie's face very carefully and she kept on doing it until she came to a realization, "You knew didn't you? I mean, before we found Grace in Eli's garage, right?"
Jessie took deep breath then exhaling, she muttered, "Yes, I knew."
"How come you didn't tell me about it?", Katie questioned.
"Because it was not my secret to tell.", Jessie disputed.
"What about Eli? Does he know about Grace?? Did you tell him?", Katie insisted.
"Didn't I just say that it was not my secret to tell?", Jessie retorted a little annoyed then added. "And besides, there was no need for me to tell him. . Eli has feeling for Grace too. I caught them kissing once."
"Oh my God, Grace and Eli!!", Katie exclaimed, smiling widely. "Wait a minute! I thought Grace was with that Taylor guy and Eli was shagging up with that girl, Eva."
"It was before Taylor and Eva.", Jessie turned to face her now. "It's confusing, I know. or, I don't know."
Jessie finished and Katie remained in silence for a while, she had a look on her face that shown she was about to come up with a crazy idea or something, "I get it! Grace and Eli fought then they hooked up with those two but Grace is sorry for whatever that really happened between them, so she came back to tell Eli that she was sorry.", Jessie's brow furrowed at the fact that Katie was having too much fun with that Grace and Eli story, "You gotta tell him!"
"What?", Jessie got out in surprise. "What are you talking about?"
"Eli! You gotta tell him that Grace came back. for him!"
"No, way!", Jessie shook her no.
"But-"
"I don't want to get involved, Katie!", Jessie lightly shouted as an attempt to make Katie drop that thought and go on with their lives without even remembering Eli and Grace were once together.
"You mean, you don't want to get involved. . more than you already are, right?", Katie reasoned and Jessie snorted heavily, feeling that maybe there was no other option than her to get involved in all that mess.
~ ~ ~
Jessie and Katie went to Lily's house after that talk, they were now at the attic. Jessie was not talking much, she just kept on going through her Cds, like she was looking for something in particular but nothing seemed to please her.
"Jess?", Katie cautiously called her then she continued, "I know I sort of promised that I wouldn't talk about. about. you know. I was just wondering, when are they coming back?"
Jessie put down her Cds, tiredly ran her fingers through her hair, then looking at Katie, she answered, "Eli is coming in two days and Grace is coming on Sunday."
"So, Eli's coming on Thursday and Grace on Sunday?!. . You think you can hide from Eli what you know? Don't you think that he deserves to know?", Katie stood up and gently took Jessie's hand.
"I don't know. And about me hiding "this" from him, well, they don't really know that I know about them.", Jessie slowly walked to her bed and they both took a seat on it.
"But you said that you caught them?", Katie was now confused.
"I did, but they didn't see me.", Jessie uttered tired of that conversation, "The only thing that connect me to their story is that day we found Grace in Eli's room. I bet that she's not sure of anything, she just thinks that we suspect something, that's all."
Katie only shook her head then looked into Jessie's eyes letting her know that it was the last time she brought that subject up and that Eli wouldn't hear a word about it from her mouth. Slowly she leaned in and placed a soft kiss on Jessie's lips.
* * *
Karen and Henry were having lunch when they heard the front door opening. Karen looked at him confusedly because she knew Jessie was at her father's and that still left a couple of hours for Eli to arrive and that he was supposed to go to Rick's first to say hi to everyone and pick up Jessie. Karen grabbed the napkin and threw it on the table, when she was ready to get up and go see who was there, she was surprised by Eli entering the house, carrying a small backpack.
"Eli!!", she got out with surprise but also with excitement then she immediately held him in her arms.
"Hi, mom!!", he only breathed as the side of his mouth kicked up a little, "Hi, Henry!"
"Hello, Eli!! Welcome home!", Henry replied smiling.
"But ? . . What are you doing here ? I thought you'd be here around three or so?", Karen let go of him.
"We came early."
"Weren't you supposed to go to your father's first?", Karen frowned. Eli opened his mouth to explain why he didn't got to Rick's first but he didn't really know what to say. His mouth only kept moving and no phrase that made sense came out it. Getting the feeling that something was wrong with her son, Karen held his face and hugged him again, "I'm glad you're here!! I missed you so!!"
"I missed you too, mom!", Eli wearingly smiled then stated, "I'm starving!!!", Karen and Henry smiled as he let his backpack fall to the floor then he went wash his hands and came back to table to eat lunch.
~ ~ ~
Lily, Rick, Zoe and Jessie were all having dessert when the phone ringed. Zoe popped up from her chair and rushed to answer it.
"Hello?!!", Zoe exclaimed.
"Um. Zoe??", Karen asked on the other line. "Is Rick there?"
"Yes."
"Can I talk to him, please?", Karen requested.
Zoe walked towards Rick and extended the phone to him, saying, "It's for you. It's Karen!"
"Oh! Hi, Karen!", Rick greeted her, frowning a little.
"Hi!", she replied, going on, "Um. Eli's here!"
"What?", the frowns of confusion on his face grew after her words. "He's back??"
"Yes. And-"
Rick didn't let Karen complete her thought, he interrupted her with another question, "Why is he there with you? He was supposed to come here first then he and Jessie would go to your house."
"Rick, calm down! Okay!", Karen noticed he was getting angry with Eli.
"I am calm.", Rick disputed and Lily and Jessie gave him a puzzled look, "Let me talk to him."
"Can't, he just fell asleep. He's really tired. I don't want to assume anything before talking to him but I guess that he's in trouble. Not the kind of trouble that you're thinking. I don't know. He looks pale and very weak. He's thinner and all. There is something wrong with him.", she stated with concern.
"Maybe he's sick from too much beer!", Rick kidded, not really getting worried about what his ex-wife had just told him.
"I don't think so.", she stumbled in reply, "I gotta hang up. Can you drive Jessie here?"
"Sure!"
"Good. Bye, Rick", she hung up.
Rick put down the phone and realized all those curious eyes on him, "Eli's at Karen's.!
"He's back!", Zoe beamed at him and Jessie only rolled her eyes at it.
"Yes, he is and according to Karen, he's not very well. He might be sick or something.", Rick reported casually.
"What's he got?", Lily jumped in, concerning about her step-son.
"I don't know. But I'm sure it's nothing serious. Jessie, come on. I will take you to you mother's."
"Just gimme a minute to get my stuff, dad.", Jessie got up and went upstairs, as she gathered her stuff she couldn't help but associate Eli's sudden illness to Grace. She shrugged that thought off and went back down. Once there, she and Rick took off.
~ ~ ~
More than two hours had passed since Eli fell asleep, Henry went to work and so did Karen, Jessie was the one in charge to check if he was okay as soon as he woke up. She was worried about him that's why she went to his room and stayed there, waiting for him to wake up.
Eli exhaled heavily as he turned to the left side of the bed, his eyes slowly started to move while his lids were still shut then sluggishly he opened them. His eyes were still full of sleep, so he couldn't make out completely the image right in front of him. He blinked several times until the vision wasn't misty anymore.
"Jess?", he murmured as he sat up.
"Hey!", she softly smiled at him. "Welcome home!"
"Hugh! Thanks!", Eli hugged his sister then fell back down. "What are you doing here?", he asked, noticing a small sign of concern on her face.
"Mom said you weren't feeling very well. She and Henry went out so they asked me to keep an eye on you."
"She said that?"
"She did.", Jessie replied and Eli covered his eyes with his hand not believing that he couldn't hide his *condition* as well as he thought he could. "So?"
"What?", he uncovered his eyes as Jessie eyed him suspiciously. "I'm okay."
"Are you?"
"Of course. Just tired.", he got out but by the look on her face he could see that she didn't believe him. Sitting up again, he explained. "I had to drive all the way back here."
"You're saying that Ted let you drove his car? Well, that's weird because Ted never let you drive his car."
"Very funny. But truthfully, he didn't have another choice. He twisted his ankle so he couldn't drive. Wink was his better choice but he was to drunk to drive, so it was either me or Coop. Have you ever seen Coop driving?", he asked sarcastically and she shook her no and he continued. "Good for you! Satisfied now?!!"
"Yes!", she laughed at the funny face he made. Jessie stood up and before she could leave Eli joked a little more.
"I never thought there would come the day that I would have to explain something like that to my little sister."
With one foot out and one foot in, Jessie responded properly, "You better get used to it.", then she left. Eli breathed deeply than got up. He walked to his backpack and took something out. . . a picture of Grace. He looked at it and all the memories of them flashed through his eyes. He missed her more than anything in his life but he vowed he wouldn't come near he again. He vowed he would let her go and move on with his life but staring at her picture made him feel that it was something impossible for him to do.
* * *
"Zoe!!!", Lily called as loud as she could while she held the fridge opened. "ZOE!!!!"
Zoe rushed downstairs then into the kitchen and with a puzzled face, she retorted, "I'm not deaf!!"
Lily turned to face her as she closed the fridge, "Do you know what might have happened to the chocolate cake?"
Zoe made a funny face then lied jokingly, "I have no idea."
"Zoe!?"
"I was hungry!", she disputed giving her mother her best innocent smile.
"It was for Grace.", Lily gasped with her hand on her hip.
"There's still some."
"Ugh! What about the oth-"
"Anybody home?!!", Eli walked into the house using the kitchen's door, Jessie and Coop were with him.
"Eli! Come here!", Lily beamed at him then held her arms opened and then she hugged him tightly. "How are you!!"
"I'm good!!", Eli smiled as he pulled away. When he looked to her face she was crying. "Are you okay?"
"Yes!", she sniffed then looked at Coop and hugged hum too. "Coop!", Eli, Jessie , Zoe and Coop looked at her oddly. "Hey, Jessie! How is your mother?"
"She's fine!", Jessie almost let out a laugh when she spoke.
"What's going on here?", Eli asked as he glanced around and saw plenty of food. It seemed that she was preparing some kind of a party.
"Grace arrives today!", Lily exclaimed and Eli felt something goes down his spine when he heard her name. Coop and Jessie noticed the sad look on his face. "It's a surprise!! It's not a party or anything. It's a big welcome home lunch, that's all. We had one prepared for you too, Eli, but you didn't come."
"Sorry.", Eli stuttered lowly. "Um, there some stuff in the car that I need to-, ugh, um. I'll be in my room. Coop?", Eli excused himself then he and Coop left the scene. As they walked into the garage Coop spoke.
"What was that? I mean, your step-mother hugged me!", Coop joked as an attempt to stray Eli's thoughts away from Grace.
It didn't work but Eli answered him, "Jessie told me her emotions are . they are a little . unpredictable because of her pregnancy. Jessie said that the other day she cried when she was watching *Greg, The Bonny*"
"Gee!!!", Coop kidded again. Eli faked a laugh as the only thing he could really think of was Grace. She was about to arrive and he had no idea of what to do or how to behave.
~ ~ ~
Lily was at the dining room taking a look at the table and contemplating her work when somebody came from behind her and covered her eyes. She thought it was Zoe playing with her at first but it couldn't be Zoe, she was not that tall. Then she thought of Jessie but it wasn't like her at all and there was no chance it could be Rick or Eli, the hands that were covering her eyes were too soft and smelled like sweet perfume. A wide smile appeared on Lily's face as she realized who the person behind her was.
"GRACIE!!!!", Lily exclaimed with all the excitement that was in her body. The hands moved off her eyes and she turned to hug her daughter.
"Mom!!", Grace softly uttered as she held her mother.
"Grace!", Zoe got out as she caught vision of her sister on the corner of her eye then she rushed and hugged her too while Lily still had her arms around her.
"Hey, Zoe!!", Grace smiled.
Letting go of her two daughters Lily walked to the stairs and called Rick and Jessie, "Rick!!! Jessie!! Gracie's home!!, after a few seconds the two joined them downstairs.
"Grace!! Welcome home!", Rick happily greeted her and hugging her as well.
"Oh! Hi, Grace!", Jessie stated trying not to sound embarrassed.
Grace turned and went to her, also trying to hide the awkward feeling that hung in the air between them, "Jessie!!"
At the minute she greeted Jessie, she heard somebody else uttering her name, "Grace!", she heard Eli's voice, he and Coop heard when Lily shouted, calling Jessie and Rick and announcing that she had arrived, Eli wasn't sure if he was able to be near her again but he couldn't not go and join the rest of the family in her welcoming. Grace closed her eyes at that instant and prayed to God to give her strength to look at his face again, she let go of Jessie, turned and their eyes met instantly. She mouthed a *hello* to him and Coop, and to the others nothing was wrong with that scene but to Eli and Grace it was like heaven and hell. Jessie and Coop stood there and saw them trying to be strong and hide their true feelings.
"Grace?!!", Lily frowned as she walked around her daughter.
"What, mom?"
"You're thinner!! Really thinner!", Lily stated then added, "They didn't feed you there?", all of them laughed at her comment.
"They did, mom!", Grace snorted under an embarrassed laughter. "I just thought it would be nice to change a little. You know."
"Well, I think you look better now. I always thought you should go on a diet.", Zoe as usually, couldn't keep her comments to herself.
"Zoe!!", Grace warned and again all of them laughed.
"Well, I always thought you were perfect.", Eli spoke under his breath but it wasn't low enough. All of them heard his words and the room froze after he spoke. Jessie looked away but didn't know what to say to break the silence. Lily and Rick had a confused suspicious look on their faces and also didn't know what to say after that.
"I always thought you were perfect, Grace. You know, intelligent, mature, sweet. .. beautiful. But I have to confess. Girl, now you are just too damn perfect!! It's hot in here!!", Coop stated in a funny jokingly way that broke that awkward silence and at the same time saved Eli from answering a bunch of questions later.
All of them laughed again, "Oh! Thanks, Coop. I think.", Grace said blushing then they all went to eat.
During the lunch Lily couldn't stop asking Grace what she did at the camp, who she met, if she met anyone special. She even insinuated that Grace's changing was because she had met someone. When Lily said that, Eli almost got suffocated with the food. The woman was insatiable, now it was Eli's turned. She asked how many parties he went, what he and the guys did, if they played anywhere. The conversation was going fine, even because Coop was doing all the answering but it was until she asked Eli about girls.
"Come on , Eli. Tell me. How about the girls. I can't believe that you didn't met anyone too.", Lily smirked and Grace tried to concentrate on her food.
"Um. um- I-", Eli stammered as he tried to find the right words, he didn't want to lie or anything.
"If he met anyone??", Coop, again didn't let him talk. "Are you crazy?? This man here is a magnet to girls. All kinds of them, tall, short, sculptural bodies, fat. All of them wanted a piece of the man here."
"Mom?", Grace couldn't keep on hearing those words, so she thought of a lie to excuse herself and leave to her room, she called Lily again but her mother didn't pay attention, she was more interested in what Coop was saying.
Eli and Jessie noticed Grace was about to crack, so Eli tried to shut his friend, "Coop?! he warned out loud.
"What??", Coop played dumb and went on, "But. you are not going to believe this. I have to say, Mr. Sammler. I even thought that you son was switching sides."
"What do you mean?", Rick frowned, laughing lightly.
"He turned down each and one of them. He rejected all of those beach girls.", Coop made a sound that gave the impression he was crying. "I don't know what say. He just. None of them. Can you believe that??!!! What had happened to you man??"
Eli breathed in relief when Coop told the truth. For a minute he thought that his friend was trying to make Grace jealous, which was working, but he feared that she would also hate him. Eli decided to join Coop in joke, "I told you, Coop!! I am saving myself for God!!", for a second the family seemed to actually believe but then they remembered who Eli was so they all burst out laughing.
*
*
*
The lunch ended up being not as bad as Eli thought it would be. Things between him and Grace were still blurry and they would still be for a very long time but they managed to be near each other in public. But although he was proud of himself he made it, he also felt more lonely than ever. The truth was still there, his feelings for her were still there and there was no amount of jokes and lies would be able to change that. So, now he was sitting on the floor of his garage. no light was on, it was past midnight and he didn't need any light. Light reminded him of her, because to him she was the thing that filled his life with the brightest light.
~ ~ ~
Grace was in her room, she was still unpacking. It was really late for her to be doing that but she didn't mind, she needed something to keep her from thinking of Eli, from thinking about the way she felt when she saw him again, when her eyes locked with his. She still felt the same way and that moment she regretted deeply the decision of breaking up with him. When she was at the camp she asked herself thousand times again if she had done the right thing. She had waited so long to have him and give up on him like that, sometimes seemed stupid. But when she remembered of her mother and that they were going to have a brother or a sister in common, it terrified her. She was scared and in love. Why love had to be so difficult for her?? She couldn't say. She never really understood why she couldn't fall in love for a normal guy. So now, she was alone again and she was pretty sure that nothing in the world would change that. She was sure that was she felt for Eli was something that no man or time or anything could make go away. She wanted to see him, she wanted to talk to him but what would she say to him? She had to be near him. Grace silently made her way out of her room then down to the stairs, she didn't turn any light on, she just walked out to his garage. She stood there and stared at his closed door, her heart told her to knock or just get in and kiss him and tell him that she never stopped loving him but her brain often won over her heart. So she just stayed there, she made her best to not make any sound as she took a seat on the floor and rested her head on his door, just being there, just knowing that he was behind that door made her feel that maybe it was not the end. . even given the givens.