~A Once and Again Series~

The Way We Were

Chapter 32// Drawing Conclusions, Finding Answers

"Grace?" Tiffany asked, turning on the lights in the living room to find Grace sitting alone on the couch.

Grace looked over at her and Tiffany saw the pain in her eyes. "Are you hungry?" Tiffany asked, "I think there is still some of the soup I made."

Grace shook her head. Tiffany wondered whether she should leave or press the issue. Grace was going to be her step-daughter soon. Tiffany liked both of Jake's daughter's immensely, but there had always been a distance between her and Grace. "Do you want to talk?" Tiffany asked, hopefully.

Grace shook her head, "No."

Tiffany stood unsure of what to do, and Grace looked back at her again. "Have you... has anyone ever cheated on you?"

Tiffany smiled softly, moving forward. "Well, yeah... too many times."

Tiffany sat down on the couch next to Grace. Grace looked up at her questioningly, "Did you ever forgive the person?"

Tiffany nodded, "Yes, but I tend to be just a very forgiving person."

Grace smiled sadly, "And I tend to be a very UN-forgiving person..."

[[Grace - I hold grudges... I don't forgive people easily.... and what Eli did to me is completely unforgivable... so it's over, I guess. It's done. *sad, sad look* God! Why did this have to happen! We were so happy.]]

Tiffany studied Grace's sad face. "Did Eli cheat on you?"

Grace sighed, "Don't tell my dad... he'd kill Eli or something, but yeah, I think he did."

"You think?" Tiffany pressed.

Grace nodded, "I saw him kissing my friend."

"Oh," Tiffany said, grimacing, "That's not good."

"And now I'm expected to live under the same roof as him," Grace added.

"Oh, that's really not good," Tiffany said, and was rewarded with a tiny smile from Grace.

"It sucks," Grace said simply, the smile fading as quickly as it began. Her eyes filled with tears, "And I really loved him... I still love him. So, it hurts so much."

"Oh, Grace," Tiffany said, and put an arm around the crying girl. She wished she had the words to make it better but she didn't...

* * *

"SHIT!" Eli cursed, stomping up the stairs to his attic room. He had just tried to call Jake's house, but was told coldly by Jake that Grace didn't want to speak to him. Eli fell down on his bed, and lay there, thinking.

How could this have happened in the course of one day? What could have happened that made Grace not want to speak to him, or be near him?

Eli put his hands over his face, and thought...

Suddenly Eli sat up with a jolt, his face unreadable. He grabbed his jacket, and hurried out of his room. He had someone he needed to see.

* * *

"Lily, it will be okay," Rick said gently as he and Lily sat in bed that night. Lily sat up, tensely rubbing her hands together.

"Will it?" Lily questioned.

"Yes," Rick said. "Even if they have broken up... we are still a family, and we'll make it work."

"We will?" Lily asked, no expression on her face.

"We will," Rick promised her.

"Oh, Rick," Lily said, her voice becoming over-flowing with emotions, "Maybe this was a bad idea."

"What... moving in together?" Rick asked, concerned.

Lily nodded, "We didn't think it through..."

"No, Lily," Rick sighed. "We'll make it work."

Lily turned to him, and nodded, but Rick could see the doubt in her eyes as she turned off the bedside lamp. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Rick said back, moving to put his arm around her. Lily's whole body was rigid with tension and Rick uncomfortably tried to sleep alongside her.

* * *

Eli circled the house. He was pretty sure Carla's stepmother or her father wouldn't appreciate a visit this late at night, so Eli went around the house, hoping to see the light on in Carla's room. Luck was with him, and Eli knocked on the lit window.

Carla's face appeared. She slid the window up so she could talk to him. "What are you doing?"

"I have to talk to you," Eli said.

"Now?" Carla's face twisted up in confusion, but in a few seconds she had the screen off the window (she looked like she did this a lot) and was climbing out next to him.

"We can talk in the car," Eli said and they went to his father's car, which he had taken without asking.

Carla sat stiffly in the passenger's seat and waited for Eli to speak.

"So..." Eli began, losing the driving force that had made him sneak out here in the middle of the night.

"They're doing it," Carla said with a scowl. "The bastards are sending me to rehab."

Eli looked at her uncomfortably. He didn't voice his opinion that maybe rehab would be the best thing for her.

"Hey, I'm sorry about the kiss," Carla added, looking at him with a sly smile.

"Really?" Eli asked, his tone coming out stone cold.

"Yeah!" Carla said, raising her eyebrows. "Why?"

"Carla..." Eli began, the anger rising up in him, "I know you don't like that Grace and I have a 'perfect' relationship, but that's no excuse for what you did. I thought you were our friend!"

"I am your friend!" Carla said defensively. "I said I was sorry about the kiss!"

"It's not about that..." Eli shook his head. He glared at Carla. "Why are you trying to ruin things between Grace and me?"

"I don't what you're talking about!" Carla insisted. She reached for the door handle, but Eli grabbed her elbow, stopping her.

"Grace won't talk to me... she won't see me," Eli said, the anger deflating out of him. "Something happened and now she's avoiding me."

Carla looked at him and said sincerely, "I didn't do anything. I wouldn't want to hurt Grace. She has been a good friend to me."

"Then, why....?" Eli pondered aloud.

"She's avoiding me too," Carla chimed in. "I saw her in the hall today, and she practically ran away from me. I thought maybe you had told her about me throwing myself at you."

Eli shook his head, "No." He sighed and turned to Carla, "I'm sorry about rehab."

Carla smiled, "Eh... I'll survive."

Eli smiled back, "I should get home..." Eli stumbled on the word 'home', as it was still so new to him to think of Lily's house as his home. "I kind of took the car without telling anyone."

"I should get back in there. My dad checks on me every couple of hours or so... to make sure I haven't run away," Carla said. She got out of the car, pausing before shutting the door. "Eli, you and Grace meant a lot to me. I hope you work it out..."

"Thanks," Eli said, and Carla shut the door, escaping around the side of her house to go back in her window. Eli started up the car. He was back to where he was earlier... without a clue of what was bothering Grace.

* * *

Lily awoke, and turned over to see that Rick was already out of bed. His spot next to her was empty. Lily sat up, frowning as she thought back to yesterday. Her worries about Grace and Eli, and if she and Rick had done the right thing moving in together still hung over her head like a storm cloud. This was not a good way to start a Saturday.

Lily sat up, and heard the shower running, and the faint sound of Rick's voice singing. She had to smile at that. Lily yawned; rubbing her eyes, as she slowly became more awake. She heard the faintest sound of bells... Lily shook her head, wondering if she was hearing things. But the sound remained.

Lily looked around, as it was clear to her now that the sound came from inside this room. She suddenly felt a chill and looked over, seeing the drapes fluttering... the window was open. Lily got up, and crossed the room. The sound of bells was louder and suddenly Lily saw why...

Hanging from the curtain pole, swaying in the light wind from the opened window was a string with an assortment of bells tied along it. Lily smiled at the sight of this strange anomaly. She touched the string, her fingers running down it, passing over the bells. Then, at the end her fingers touched something that wasn't a bell.

Lily lifted it up, looking at the diamond ring. She turned to the entrance to the bathroom, where Rick now stood, dripping from the shower.

"Is this how you proposed to Karen?" Lily joked.

Rick laughed, "No talk of exes when I'm trying to ask you to marry me, please..."

Lily nodded with a wide smile, and waited for the words.

"Will you marry me?" Rick asked.

"Yes," Lily said.

[[Lily - Sometimes I have to realize that not everything you want is going to have all good consequences... I want Rick-- I want to marry him... I want him and his kids to share this house with me and my kids... and so, we WILL work it out. Grace and Eli will have to work it out, because whether they're dating or not, they're still going to have to be a part of each other's lives.... I'm not going to make the mistake of regretting this *Lily holds up hand with ring on it*]]

* * *

"Oh, hi Tiffany," Lily said as Tiffany opened the door later that Saturday morning.

"Hi!" Tiffany said cheerfully. "Are you here for Grace?"

"Yeah," Lily said, stepping inside. She looked around, "Is Jake here?"

Tiffany shook her head, popping a couple of grapes in her mouth, "He's at the restaurant."

Lily nodded, and Tiffany smiled at her.

"So, uh, Grace...?" Lily reminded her.

"Oh," Tiffany smiled. "Grace! Your mom's here!" She called.

Grace reluctantly appeared in the doorway of her bedroom. "Do I have to go? Tiffany was going to show me how to make her famous strawberry delight cake."

Lily glanced over at Tiffany. "Grace, you really need to be there today. I know something happened between you and Eli, but you're a part of this family."

Grace rolled her eyes. She looked over at Tiffany, "Tiff, another time I guess."

Tiffany nodded, "Of course."

"Bye Tiffany," Lily said, and she and Grace made their way outside.

Grace was silent the whole ride home. She wasn't ready to face Eli. Right now she wished she'd never have to see him again.

* * *

Eli was eating a tasteless breakfast of soggy cereal when the door opened and Lily stepped inside. Grace was right behind her.

"Grace!" Eli shouted, but Grace avoided looking at him. "Grace, what is going on?" Still, Grace wouldn't look at him. Eli was about to try again, but caught the look in his father's eyes.

Jessie and Zoe came into the kitchen, and they both looked curiously at Grace and then at Eli.

"Good, you're all here," Lily said. "We have more news."

"Grace is moving in with Dad?" Zoe asked, not seeming the least bit upset, since she was currently very pleased with her newest 'sister'.

"No!" Grace said angrily. "I wish." Eli stared at her, upset. She still refused to acknowledge his existence.

Lily ignored Grace's outburst. She looked at Rick, and he back at her. Finally Lily just held up her hand, showing the kids the diamond ring on her hand.

"TWO weddings!" Zoe cried, absolutely delighted.

"We haven't set a date yet, Zoe," Lily warned. But Zoe wasn't going to let anything burst her bubble. She jumped up, spinning around in the air, her long brown hair flying around her.

Jessie smiled, and quietly congratulated them.

Eli continued to look at Grace in confusion. And Grace continued to avoid looking at Eli at all costs.

"That's great, mom," Grace said, although she had already noticed the ring on her mother's hand when they were driving back here... she wasn't completely dense. "I'm going to my room." Grace escaped up to her room.

Eli stood up, and ignored the look in his father's eyes. He hurried after Grace anyways.

"Grace!" He cried, knocking on her door. "Just talk to me!"

"Grace!" He tried again and again, but she wouldn't answer. Eli reluctantly went downstairs.

He found Lily and Rick cuddling on the living room couch.

"Did she tell you what's bothering her?" Eli asked of Lily.

Lily shook her head, "No... You really don't know?"

"No!" Eli cried, absolutely completely frustrated. Rick and Lily took in this with surprise. They were just beginning to see how much Eli really cared for Grace.

"Well, when was the last time she was okay with you?" Lily said, touched by Eli's obvious care for Grace.

"I don't know... the last time I saw her before-- her avoidance of me- - was Thursday, at school."

"Thursday, at school?" Lily repeated. A look of confusion crossed her face, "What about Thursday night?"

"I didn't see her Thursday night," Eli said.

Lily's brow wrinkled up, "But I dropped her off at the apartment. She said she wanted to help you pack up some things."

Eli took this in, realizing what it meant. Grace had come to the apartment... Thursday night, when he had been dealing with Carla... with Carla. Eli's mouth dropped open, "I think there's been a big misunderstanding."

Eli flew back up the stairs, and Lily and Rick just looked at each other and returned to their cuddling.

* * *