~A Once and Again Series~
The Way We Were
Chapter 29//A Jump Start
"So, they're getting married?" Rick asked, surprised.
Lily sighed, plopping down on her bed next to where Rick sat. "Yes."
"Wow," Rick mused.
Lily sighed again, and Rick looked at her carefully, "Are you upset that it isn't us that's...."
"No, no of course not. I just can't believe Jake would get married so soon," Lily said, resting her head on his shoulder. "But... Tiffany let it slip to me that's she's pregnant..."
"So, you think that's why they are getting married?" Rick nudged her.
"I hate to say it, but yeah..." Lily looked up into Rick's dark eyes. "Am I a horrible person?"
"No, of course not," Rick assured her.
Lily smiled softly, "What if I told you I was a little jealous also... that that's not us..."
Rick swallowed nervously, "You want to get pregnant?"
Lily hit his arm, "No! I mean... marriage." Lily returned her head to the resting spot on his shoulder and said, barely audible, "It would be nice..."
"Yes," Rick agreed, thinking of all the times he had contemplated over whether to propose to Lily, but something always seemed to hold him back. He had bought the ring, but it still lay in his dresser drawer... Rick just couldn't seem to commit to popping the question.
[[Rick - I had had my excuses... It was too soon, she was still married, we weren't ready for it... *long pause, then looks into camera* But, now the road is clear... the way is paved, and I just can't seem to get my car to start.]]
"Maybe we should take the next step," Rick said, and Lily lifted her head, looking at him quizzically. "Not marriage... right away, but moving in together."
"You mean it?" Lily asked, drawing back so she could look at him better. "Like you move in here?"
"Yeah... it went well on Christmas-- minus the Eli and Grace thing, so yeah..." Rick said, smiling at her... glad to have made some progress, if it wasn't proposing- it was the next best thing though. "If you'll have me."
Lily thought. "Well, you stay here enough, that you practically do live here. And the place is big enough... for you and oh--" Lily stopped. "Your kids."
Rick nodded, "We could fix up your attic... you've been mentioning doing that, anyway, and put Eli up there, and Jessie could room with one of the girls."
"But, do you think they would... be okay with it?" Lily asked, concerned. "It'll be a big change."
Rick smiled reassuringly, "The kids get along great, and..." He trailed off, and Lily sighed as she shared his thought.
"Grace and Eli," Lily said for him. "What do we do about them?"
"I'm sure it would be okay..." Rick said hopefully.
Lily looked pointedly at him, "They're dating teenagers... who will be living together. Do we set up rules-- or...?"
"We'll talk to them about it," Rick said, not wanting to back away from this idea now that he had set himself to it. "They're honest kids... if we just talk to them about..."
Lily nodded, she too didn't want to pass on this idea. "I guess it will be okay."
[[Lily - Okay, I'll just say it.... Uh, Rick and his kids moving in means Eli and Grace would have plenty of opportunities to be alone and be... intimate. But, it's not like they wouldn't have these opportunities if Rick didn't move in. If they wanted to have sex--- I'm not saying they do... because this is Grace we're talking about--- but if they wanted to, they could have already done it. But still, it will be very weird to be moving TWO couples together in one house.]]
* * *
"Eli!" Grace complained as Eli stole her spoon to snag some ice cream out of her bowl. "Get your own!"
Jessie watched them from across the table with a smile. They were cute together.
"Are you done?" Zoe asked, and Jessie nodded. Zoe took Jessie's empty bowl of ice cream and brought it to the sink with her own.
Across the table, Eli and Grace shared a quick kiss. Jessie watched them shyly.
"Zoe... will you sit at the table?" Lily asked as she and Rick came into the room.
Zoe sat at the table, and the four of them turned their attention to the ones standing.
Lily and Rick shared a smile, before Rick spoke. "We've decided to take the next step..."
"You're getting married too?" Zoe asked, excited.
Lily and Rick shook their heads though, and Rick continued. "We've decided that it has come the time for us to move in together... here."
"You mean, like me and Jessie too?" Eli asked.
"Where else you go if I'm here?" Rick said.
"Fulltime with mom?" Jessie offered, and Rick was slightly hurt.
"No, I want to do this as a family... Lily and I decided that come spring break, we're moving in."
"Spring break, but that's like, a month away!" Jessie cried, then realized how upset she sounded and looked down at the table.
[[Jessie - It's not like I don't like them... I do. I never thought I would, but they've all grown on me. I mean, Zoe was pretty easy to like, even though she is annoying at times... and Lily seemed so perfect, that I was scared to like her at first, but after a while I saw she was just normal like the rest of us.... and Grace... well, I didn't know what to think of her at first, but now I really like her. *bites lower lip unconsciously, long pause* But to move in with them? Already?]]
"Yeah, we thought a month would be a sufficient amount of time for packing, and getting the attic restored-- Eli- that's going to be your room," Rick said.
"Cool," Eli said aloud, and he looked at Grace. Grace smiled in anticipation back at him.
[[Grace - To have Eli living in the same house as me... *smile*]]
[[Eli - To be living in the same house as Grace... *smiles*]]
"What's going to be my room?" Jessie asked.
Lily and Rick looked at each other. "You can move in with one of the girls," Lily said.
"Oh," Jessie said unsurely... she had never shared a room with anyone.
"You can stay in my room!" Zoe cried. Jessie managed a small smile.
[[Jessie - *forced smile* Maybe sharing a room wouldn't be that bad... *forced smile slides off, frown appears*]]
* * *
"So, you're like moving in together?" Carla asked, wide-eyed as she and Grace entered the mall. "Aren't you a little young to be so serious?"
"Carla!" Grace cried, with a smile. "It's our parents that are really moving in together-- we're just along for the ride."
Carla shook her head, "No, you're like totally going to be living together... and like seeing each other all the time, and never having any space..."
"That's a bad thing?" Grace asked, confused.
"Well, yeah," Carla reached up, scratching her neck, "I mean, what do you do if you break up? You'll have to see him every day!"
"Well, not every day--- Zoe and I spend half the week at my Dad's, and Eli and Jessie spend half at their mom's..." Grace reminded her friend as they walked. "And... we're not going to break up."
Carla laughed, "That's what you think."
"Cannot we not be discussing this-- I have to buy a valentine gift for him right now," Grace said, pulling Carla into a store.
"Oh--- how about this?" Carla said as they passed a rack of racy lingerie. She pulled out a red one, holding it up against Grace. "I think Eli would love it!" Carla said with a grin.
Grace pushed it away from her, and Carla hung it back up. "Well, so what were you thinking of getting him?" She asked as they continued walking. "Because I think that lingerie would really suit you... and I can just see Eli coming in... and you saying 'Take me! Take me!'" Carla swung her arms about as she said this dramatically.
Grace looked around the crowded store and shushed her friend. Carla grinned wickedly at her friend. "So have you done it with him?"
Grace's mouth dropped open. She couldn't believe Carla would ask such a thing. She looked at Carla in exasperation.
Carla caught her look and shrugged, "What? I'm your best friend... and you can tell me that you haven't yet... it's okay."
[[Grace - How DID Carla become my best friend so quickly? ...*shakes head, confused*]]
"How do you know we haven't?" Grace challenged.
Carla smiled at her friend. "Grace-- it's kind of obvious."
Carla stopped in the aisle and held up a pair of men's boxers that were red satin with white hearts. "How about these?"
Grace shook her head. They continued walking. "So, you could tell?" Grace pressed.
Carla sighed, "It's no big deal, Grace! Some people just need to move slowly..."
"You think Eli and I are moving 'slowly'?" Grace questioned.
"That's not what I meant!" Carla insisted, moving forward to check out a display of valentine candy.
Grace trailed behind her, deflated.
* * *
"Happy Valentine's day," Grace said as she caught Eli in the hall.
"You too," Eli said, who had always been a little unsettled by the whole idea of Valentine's day. It had always been a day when his girlfriend at the time had expected to be lavished with gifts and praise, and Eli had never felt quite comfortable with that in the past... but now, with Grace, things seemed different. Eli had been looking forward to giving Grace her gift.
They did their usual teacher-check, but the coast was clear. They kissed softly.
"Here," Grace said, shoving a wrapped present at him. "I know we didn't talk about getting each other anything, but I couldn't resist."
"Me either," Eli said, and pulled her present out of his backpack. Grace looked at him, pleased. They both opened their gifts.
Grace looked at his with a smile, "Is this...?"
"It's some songs I wrote," Eli said, nodding at the CD Grace was holding. "The band and I recorded them last week..."
Grace scanned the titles he had written on the CD cover page... some of them she already knew, but a couple were unfamiliar. Grace smiled widely as she saw one title, "No other Grace?" She questioned, reading it off.
Eli smiled. "Just listen to it."
"I will," Grace said with a smile.
Eli looked down at his gift... it was the CD by a relatively unknown band, called Tibanna, that he had recently discovered. "I thought all the stores around here didn't have any?" Eli asked, and he knew, since he had checked.
"I got it online," Grace explained, "I had to use my mother's credit card, though... but I thought you'd like it."
Eli nodded.
"I couldn't find anything good in the stores," Grace continued.
"It's good," Eli reassured her. "It's perfect."
Grace nodded, although Carla's words ran through her head, making her wish she had maybe gotten him something a little more intimate..... he had written her a song! And what did she get him.... just a CD.
* * *
"So, what did you get Grace?" Carla asked as she met up with Eli outside of school. "For Valentine's Day..." Carla prodded him.
Eli looked at her, "Uh, a CD."
Carla made a face, "A CD? What kind of gift is that?"
"Grace got me a CD," Eli informed her.
"Oh," Carla said, smiling. "Sorry. A CD is good... but I still think Grace should have gone for the sexy underwear."
Eli looked away, not sure how to respond, "I have to go pick up my sister."
"Oh, so you have the car?" Carla asked.
Eli nodded, "My Dad let me have it today, as long as I pick him up later."
"So, you have the car on Valentine's Day, and you're picking up your sister?" Carla asked with a sigh. "Where's the romance in that? Aren't you doing anything with Grace?"
"No, she had to go to her dad's restaurant's re-opening... she invited me, but, uh..."
"Yeah, I don't like things like that either," Carla said. She smiled at Eli. "So, you want to do something later?"
"Today?" Eli asked, looking at Carla in surprise.
"Yeah, today..." Carla rolled her eyes. "Yeah, it's V-Day, but you're allowed to still have a normal life. I heard John is having a party."
Eli nodded. His band mate, John, had invited him, but Eli hadn't thought he'd go... but...
"Come on, it'll be fun! Better than sitting home with your sister or something," Carla pleaded.
Eli shrugged, "I guess I could check it out."
"Great!" Carla said, and she began to walk away from him, "Just pick me up at 8! You know the place, right?"
"Yeah," Eli called after her, and Carla disappeared into the after- school crowd. Eli reached his father's car, and opened it with a confused look.
[[Eli - How did I become friends with Carla? And how did Grace become friends with her in the first place? And why do I feel I really shouldn't be doing this? I mean... Carla is... trouble.]]
* * *
The Way We Were
Chapter 29//A Jump Start
"So, they're getting married?" Rick asked, surprised.
Lily sighed, plopping down on her bed next to where Rick sat. "Yes."
"Wow," Rick mused.
Lily sighed again, and Rick looked at her carefully, "Are you upset that it isn't us that's...."
"No, no of course not. I just can't believe Jake would get married so soon," Lily said, resting her head on his shoulder. "But... Tiffany let it slip to me that's she's pregnant..."
"So, you think that's why they are getting married?" Rick nudged her.
"I hate to say it, but yeah..." Lily looked up into Rick's dark eyes. "Am I a horrible person?"
"No, of course not," Rick assured her.
Lily smiled softly, "What if I told you I was a little jealous also... that that's not us..."
Rick swallowed nervously, "You want to get pregnant?"
Lily hit his arm, "No! I mean... marriage." Lily returned her head to the resting spot on his shoulder and said, barely audible, "It would be nice..."
"Yes," Rick agreed, thinking of all the times he had contemplated over whether to propose to Lily, but something always seemed to hold him back. He had bought the ring, but it still lay in his dresser drawer... Rick just couldn't seem to commit to popping the question.
[[Rick - I had had my excuses... It was too soon, she was still married, we weren't ready for it... *long pause, then looks into camera* But, now the road is clear... the way is paved, and I just can't seem to get my car to start.]]
"Maybe we should take the next step," Rick said, and Lily lifted her head, looking at him quizzically. "Not marriage... right away, but moving in together."
"You mean it?" Lily asked, drawing back so she could look at him better. "Like you move in here?"
"Yeah... it went well on Christmas-- minus the Eli and Grace thing, so yeah..." Rick said, smiling at her... glad to have made some progress, if it wasn't proposing- it was the next best thing though. "If you'll have me."
Lily thought. "Well, you stay here enough, that you practically do live here. And the place is big enough... for you and oh--" Lily stopped. "Your kids."
Rick nodded, "We could fix up your attic... you've been mentioning doing that, anyway, and put Eli up there, and Jessie could room with one of the girls."
"But, do you think they would... be okay with it?" Lily asked, concerned. "It'll be a big change."
Rick smiled reassuringly, "The kids get along great, and..." He trailed off, and Lily sighed as she shared his thought.
"Grace and Eli," Lily said for him. "What do we do about them?"
"I'm sure it would be okay..." Rick said hopefully.
Lily looked pointedly at him, "They're dating teenagers... who will be living together. Do we set up rules-- or...?"
"We'll talk to them about it," Rick said, not wanting to back away from this idea now that he had set himself to it. "They're honest kids... if we just talk to them about..."
Lily nodded, she too didn't want to pass on this idea. "I guess it will be okay."
[[Lily - Okay, I'll just say it.... Uh, Rick and his kids moving in means Eli and Grace would have plenty of opportunities to be alone and be... intimate. But, it's not like they wouldn't have these opportunities if Rick didn't move in. If they wanted to have sex--- I'm not saying they do... because this is Grace we're talking about--- but if they wanted to, they could have already done it. But still, it will be very weird to be moving TWO couples together in one house.]]
* * *
"Eli!" Grace complained as Eli stole her spoon to snag some ice cream out of her bowl. "Get your own!"
Jessie watched them from across the table with a smile. They were cute together.
"Are you done?" Zoe asked, and Jessie nodded. Zoe took Jessie's empty bowl of ice cream and brought it to the sink with her own.
Across the table, Eli and Grace shared a quick kiss. Jessie watched them shyly.
"Zoe... will you sit at the table?" Lily asked as she and Rick came into the room.
Zoe sat at the table, and the four of them turned their attention to the ones standing.
Lily and Rick shared a smile, before Rick spoke. "We've decided to take the next step..."
"You're getting married too?" Zoe asked, excited.
Lily and Rick shook their heads though, and Rick continued. "We've decided that it has come the time for us to move in together... here."
"You mean, like me and Jessie too?" Eli asked.
"Where else you go if I'm here?" Rick said.
"Fulltime with mom?" Jessie offered, and Rick was slightly hurt.
"No, I want to do this as a family... Lily and I decided that come spring break, we're moving in."
"Spring break, but that's like, a month away!" Jessie cried, then realized how upset she sounded and looked down at the table.
[[Jessie - It's not like I don't like them... I do. I never thought I would, but they've all grown on me. I mean, Zoe was pretty easy to like, even though she is annoying at times... and Lily seemed so perfect, that I was scared to like her at first, but after a while I saw she was just normal like the rest of us.... and Grace... well, I didn't know what to think of her at first, but now I really like her. *bites lower lip unconsciously, long pause* But to move in with them? Already?]]
"Yeah, we thought a month would be a sufficient amount of time for packing, and getting the attic restored-- Eli- that's going to be your room," Rick said.
"Cool," Eli said aloud, and he looked at Grace. Grace smiled in anticipation back at him.
[[Grace - To have Eli living in the same house as me... *smile*]]
[[Eli - To be living in the same house as Grace... *smiles*]]
"What's going to be my room?" Jessie asked.
Lily and Rick looked at each other. "You can move in with one of the girls," Lily said.
"Oh," Jessie said unsurely... she had never shared a room with anyone.
"You can stay in my room!" Zoe cried. Jessie managed a small smile.
[[Jessie - *forced smile* Maybe sharing a room wouldn't be that bad... *forced smile slides off, frown appears*]]
* * *
"So, you're like moving in together?" Carla asked, wide-eyed as she and Grace entered the mall. "Aren't you a little young to be so serious?"
"Carla!" Grace cried, with a smile. "It's our parents that are really moving in together-- we're just along for the ride."
Carla shook her head, "No, you're like totally going to be living together... and like seeing each other all the time, and never having any space..."
"That's a bad thing?" Grace asked, confused.
"Well, yeah," Carla reached up, scratching her neck, "I mean, what do you do if you break up? You'll have to see him every day!"
"Well, not every day--- Zoe and I spend half the week at my Dad's, and Eli and Jessie spend half at their mom's..." Grace reminded her friend as they walked. "And... we're not going to break up."
Carla laughed, "That's what you think."
"Cannot we not be discussing this-- I have to buy a valentine gift for him right now," Grace said, pulling Carla into a store.
"Oh--- how about this?" Carla said as they passed a rack of racy lingerie. She pulled out a red one, holding it up against Grace. "I think Eli would love it!" Carla said with a grin.
Grace pushed it away from her, and Carla hung it back up. "Well, so what were you thinking of getting him?" She asked as they continued walking. "Because I think that lingerie would really suit you... and I can just see Eli coming in... and you saying 'Take me! Take me!'" Carla swung her arms about as she said this dramatically.
Grace looked around the crowded store and shushed her friend. Carla grinned wickedly at her friend. "So have you done it with him?"
Grace's mouth dropped open. She couldn't believe Carla would ask such a thing. She looked at Carla in exasperation.
Carla caught her look and shrugged, "What? I'm your best friend... and you can tell me that you haven't yet... it's okay."
[[Grace - How DID Carla become my best friend so quickly? ...*shakes head, confused*]]
"How do you know we haven't?" Grace challenged.
Carla smiled at her friend. "Grace-- it's kind of obvious."
Carla stopped in the aisle and held up a pair of men's boxers that were red satin with white hearts. "How about these?"
Grace shook her head. They continued walking. "So, you could tell?" Grace pressed.
Carla sighed, "It's no big deal, Grace! Some people just need to move slowly..."
"You think Eli and I are moving 'slowly'?" Grace questioned.
"That's not what I meant!" Carla insisted, moving forward to check out a display of valentine candy.
Grace trailed behind her, deflated.
* * *
"Happy Valentine's day," Grace said as she caught Eli in the hall.
"You too," Eli said, who had always been a little unsettled by the whole idea of Valentine's day. It had always been a day when his girlfriend at the time had expected to be lavished with gifts and praise, and Eli had never felt quite comfortable with that in the past... but now, with Grace, things seemed different. Eli had been looking forward to giving Grace her gift.
They did their usual teacher-check, but the coast was clear. They kissed softly.
"Here," Grace said, shoving a wrapped present at him. "I know we didn't talk about getting each other anything, but I couldn't resist."
"Me either," Eli said, and pulled her present out of his backpack. Grace looked at him, pleased. They both opened their gifts.
Grace looked at his with a smile, "Is this...?"
"It's some songs I wrote," Eli said, nodding at the CD Grace was holding. "The band and I recorded them last week..."
Grace scanned the titles he had written on the CD cover page... some of them she already knew, but a couple were unfamiliar. Grace smiled widely as she saw one title, "No other Grace?" She questioned, reading it off.
Eli smiled. "Just listen to it."
"I will," Grace said with a smile.
Eli looked down at his gift... it was the CD by a relatively unknown band, called Tibanna, that he had recently discovered. "I thought all the stores around here didn't have any?" Eli asked, and he knew, since he had checked.
"I got it online," Grace explained, "I had to use my mother's credit card, though... but I thought you'd like it."
Eli nodded.
"I couldn't find anything good in the stores," Grace continued.
"It's good," Eli reassured her. "It's perfect."
Grace nodded, although Carla's words ran through her head, making her wish she had maybe gotten him something a little more intimate..... he had written her a song! And what did she get him.... just a CD.
* * *
"So, what did you get Grace?" Carla asked as she met up with Eli outside of school. "For Valentine's Day..." Carla prodded him.
Eli looked at her, "Uh, a CD."
Carla made a face, "A CD? What kind of gift is that?"
"Grace got me a CD," Eli informed her.
"Oh," Carla said, smiling. "Sorry. A CD is good... but I still think Grace should have gone for the sexy underwear."
Eli looked away, not sure how to respond, "I have to go pick up my sister."
"Oh, so you have the car?" Carla asked.
Eli nodded, "My Dad let me have it today, as long as I pick him up later."
"So, you have the car on Valentine's Day, and you're picking up your sister?" Carla asked with a sigh. "Where's the romance in that? Aren't you doing anything with Grace?"
"No, she had to go to her dad's restaurant's re-opening... she invited me, but, uh..."
"Yeah, I don't like things like that either," Carla said. She smiled at Eli. "So, you want to do something later?"
"Today?" Eli asked, looking at Carla in surprise.
"Yeah, today..." Carla rolled her eyes. "Yeah, it's V-Day, but you're allowed to still have a normal life. I heard John is having a party."
Eli nodded. His band mate, John, had invited him, but Eli hadn't thought he'd go... but...
"Come on, it'll be fun! Better than sitting home with your sister or something," Carla pleaded.
Eli shrugged, "I guess I could check it out."
"Great!" Carla said, and she began to walk away from him, "Just pick me up at 8! You know the place, right?"
"Yeah," Eli called after her, and Carla disappeared into the after- school crowd. Eli reached his father's car, and opened it with a confused look.
[[Eli - How did I become friends with Carla? And how did Grace become friends with her in the first place? And why do I feel I really shouldn't be doing this? I mean... Carla is... trouble.]]
* * *
