~A Once and Again Series~
Where Do We Go From Here?
***Hey all. Okay, okay... I think soon I'm going to have to do some chapters that are almost entirely memory flashbacks, so you can see what exactly happened with Grace/Eli/Deanna/Coop.
Oh, also.... Season Two of "The Way We Were" (not sure if I'm going to give it a new title...)... but anyways, I'll probably wait until I've finished writing this one before I start in on season two.
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Chapter 15//A Hard Question
"Grace?" Eli asked, coming up behind her in the kitchen.
Grace didn't acknowledge his presence... only continued to stare down at the white envelope in her hand. It was from Coop... it said so on the return address.
"Are you going to read it?" Eli asked, trying not to let his feelings show in his voice. He didn't like the idea of Cooper writing to Grace... It was just too weird. After Grace had broken up with Eli, because of Eli's infidelity... she had dated his best friend Coop. But they had broken up, and Coop had moved away.
"I never thought I'd hear from him again," Grace whispered, turning the envelope over in her hands. "I mean..." She turned around, looking at Eli for the first time since he entered. "Coop moved to Texas."
"Yeah," Eli said, looking down at the envelope she held. "AND you broke up," Eli said pointedly.
"Right," Grace said, "So... why would he write me?"
"I don't know," Eli replied. They both looked down at the envelope.
Finally Grace just tore open one end and slid the letter out. She glanced up at Eli, unsure if she should read it in front of him. Eli took the hint, and turned away, busying himself by rinsing off their dishes in the sink.
Grace read the letter:
Hi Grace,
It's been a while, huh? Yeah, well... Texas rocks. You should come down here and visit.... or move out here and go to school or something. You'd like it. I know you would.
I found a group of guys down here that were starting up a band... and they let me join. We called Angst Overdrive. We're pretty rockin. We have like, a whole following already. I'll send you a CD if we ever get around to making one.
Okay, you're probably like 'Enough with the shit already'... well, maybe not that phrase, but something close... right? Okay, I know we kind of broke up on bad terms, and I just felt bad about that. If my parents hadn't relocated to Texas, then maybe we could have cleared the air in person.
But instead I have to do it in a letter. And you know I'm not one for writing... except for lyrics sometimes... But Eli was always better at that then I was. How is E, by the way? I haven't heard from him, either, since I moved. But I figured he was just angry at me... because of you and me. I know he's all protective brother over you, so I can respect that.
But, let me get back to the point, or I'll just keep boring you with my crap... I wanted to apologize for the way everything went down. Our break-up sucked. But I guess all break-ups must suck, because otherwise... well, I think they just all suck. So, I'm sorry... for it suckin. I was hoping we could well, talk... or write, I guess, and kind of make things better... because Grace, I don't want things to be bad between us.
You meant a lot to me. So, okay... just, well, write me, call me, email me... anything. I just want to hear from you, even if it's just a postcard with the words 'Drop Dead' on it... at least then I'd known you still had function over your writing abilities which means you still have at least one of your hands, or you have learned to use your feet to write... which people can do by the way, and Hey, that's something! At least then I'd know something about your life now... Because right now, I got nothing.
- Coop
At the bottom of the page was Coop's email, phone number and address. Grace folded the letter, not sure what to make of it. Eli had turned around and watched her reaction carefully. "So, what did he say?"
Grace shook her head, "I'm not sure." She slid the folded paper make into the envelope. "He said he wants to hear from me."
Eli nodded. He had suspected the letter was something like that. He was Coop's best friend, err... he had been Coop's best friend, and he had seen the way Coop had been crazy about Grace. He had loved her. And yet... Eli had loved her too. It had been hard for Eli to watch them be together, and he couldn't stop himself from trying to break them up, and get Grace back with him.
And Eli had gotten what he wanted when the two finally broke up and Coop moved away. That had happened in March.... Eli's head snapped up. A chill went through him. "Grace?" He asked.
"Hmm?" Grace said distractedly, thinking about the letter she held.
Eli opened his mouth to say the words, but instead closed it. He couldn't ask it... he didn't even want to think it. He didn't want to think of the possibility that Grace's baby could be actually Coop's and not his.... it was too horrid to think of. So he shoved it aside, casting it out of his mind. "We have to deal with my dad, remember," Eli said instead.
Grace sighed, "Yes, we do."
"Are you ready for this?" Eli asked, taking her hands in his.
"Yeah," Grace said with a smile.
"Good," Eli said, trying to smile back. But the unwanted thought that the baby could actually be Coop's remained. The dates matched up.... it could be. Eli felt like crying.
* * *
[[[[start of memory flashback...]]]]
"Hi Eli," Deanna said with a wave as he and Coop entered Booklovers.
Eli gave her a distracted wave back and continued to head for the office, where he was going to pick up his check. Then he and Coop were going to go to band practice.
"Who's that?" Coop asked, giving Deanna a second look.
"Hmm?" Eli said, looking back at his friend. He followed Coop's eyes. "Oh, that's just Deanna."
"JUST Deanna?" Coop mocked, looking over at the attractive girl.
Eli nodded. They had reached the office. "I'll be right out," Eli told Coop. He went in and got his paycheck from Jake, and was back out in less than a minute. Coop was where Eli had left him, staring at Deanna.
"Come on," Eli said with an amused smile. "We've got practice."
Cooper followed him reluctantly out of the store. "How come you're not interested in her?" Coop asked when they were back in Eli's car.
"In who?" Eli asked, busy studying his paycheck.
"Deanna," Coop said curiously.
Eli looked over at his friend. Eli and Grace were not telling anyone about their relationship... not yet at least. It was all still too new and fresh for them to want to share it with everyone.... especially when they knew that most people wouldn't understand. So, Eli lied, "Oh, I am." He knew that was the only thing he could tell Coop that wouldn't raise his suspicions. Because Eli wasn't ready to explain about Grace and him.
"I knew it!" Coop said with a sigh. "Damn... she was fine." Coop glanced over at his friend. He went for a joking tone, to see what Eli thought of what he was about to say, "At least then that means that Grace is free."
"What?" Eli asked, startled.
"Well, I mean... I wondered if you were interested in her, but that's crazy, right?" Coop studied Eli's face. "I mean she's your step-sister."
"Right," Eli said, trying find not to sound like he was lying, "That's crazy."
Coop relaxed back into his seat, a pleased smile on his face.
Eli thought over what his friend had said and blinked. "Wait, so you like Grace?" He asked.
Coop shrugged, "Maybe."
Eli tried not to smile as he started up the car. He had had no idea that Coop was interested in Grace. But Coop had been spending more time with Grace, ever since Eli and Grace started secretly dating-- since Eli made sure to include Grace in their plans... And Coop never suspected that Eli invited Grace along so much because they were dating. And Grace was a great girl, it wasn't that weird that Coop would fall for her. But, poor Coop... he was in for a let-down, when he saw that Grace wouldn't like him back, not like that anyways-- Because she was already Eli's. He wondered what Grace would think of her having an admirer.
[[[[...end of memory flashback]]]]
* * *
"E?" Rick asked later that night, after Karen, Henry, Judy and Sam had gone home.
"It's open," Eli called, and Rick stepped into the garage apartment.
"Oh, good, Grace... you're here," Rick said, seeing Grace sitting next to Eli on the bed. "I think it's time we talked."
Grace and Eli nodded in acknowledgement. They knew their gig was up.
Rick closed the door behind him and moved forward into the room. He paused, remembering the comment at dinner about Coop being Grace's boyfriend... but Rick wasn't here to enquire about that meant... he was here to talk about Eli and Grace's relationship.
"Do you want me to just say it?" Eli finally asked as his father remained silent.
Rick nodded, taking a deep breath.
"Grace and I are dating," Eli said and waited for his father's reaction.
There was none... not really, since Rick had already suspected this. But it was nice to have it confirmed.
"Are you going to tell my mother?" Grace asked, a bit fearfully.
Rick shook his head, "No, I think that's up for YOU to do, Grace."
Grace nodded, "Yeah..." She closed her eyes, a bit painfully, then opened them again. "Just give me some time, okay?"
"Okay," Rick agreed. He hesitated, looking at Eli's and Grace's clasped hands. "There's something else I wanted to ask..." Rick began.
But, Eli knew his father and he knew what Rick was about to ask, so he stopped him. "Dad, actually it's been a long night, so can it wait?"
Rick looked a bit relieved... that he didn't have to find out the truth tonight. He nodded and backed out of the room with a 'goodnight'.
"What do you think he was going to ask?" Grace questioned when Rick had gone. She was curious to why Eli had cut him off.
Eli sighed, letting go of Grace's hand, and looking at the letter which still poked out of her pant's pocket.
"Actually, it's something I think I need to ask first..." Eli said, looking down at his hands. "Grace, this is a hard question... and understand I wouldn't ask it unless I felt the need to... but..."
Grace nodded encouragingly, waiting for him to go on.
Eli looked up, and saw her innocent face, and faltered. He couldn't make the words come out. "Actually, it's late... you should go to sleep."
Grace looked at him in confusion, "But... what did you want to ask?"
"It can wait," Eli said, leaning forward and kissing her forehead, although he knew it would bug him until he knew the answer.
Grace got up from the edge of the bed reluctantly, moving towards the door. As she reached for the handle, she stopped and looked back on Eli. "Just ask... please? Just ask me whatever it is you want to ask."
"Grace..." Eli began.
"Yeah?" Grace asked when he trailed into silence.
"Am I the father to your baby?" Eli spit it out.
Grace looked at him, shell-shocked.
"I mean... is there any chance it's Coop's?" Eli elaborated.
Grace's mouth dropped open. "Eli!" She cried.
"Grace, I have to know," Eli said, taking a deep breath, "Just tell me the truth."
Grace looked at Eli with wonder, and hurt. How could he ask her that? How could he think that Grace would lie to him about who the father of her baby was...? Did he really think she could do that? Grace opened her mouth to explain, but there came a knock on the door. Grace, being that she stood right in front of it, turned around and opened it.
It was Jessie. Jessie glanced at Eli on the bed and then back at Grace, who stood before her. "I just wanted to tell you that everyone thinks that Cooper is the father to your baby now..."
"What?" Grace asked in surprise.
"Well, Zoe kind of told everyone about whom the letter was from... and that you dated him. So, now everyone thinks that." Jessie explained. "I thought I should warn you."
"Thanks, Jess," Grace said with a sigh.
"So... did you actually date Cooper?" Jessie asked, her curiosity getting the best of her.
"Jess... Grace and I were having a conversation here!" Eli called out in annoyance.
Grace frowned and looked back on Eli, "No, I think we're done," She said coldly.
Grace stepped into the hall, closing the door behind her, leaving Eli to wonder what he had done wrong. And to wonder why she hadn't answered him.
* * *
Where Do We Go From Here?
***Hey all. Okay, okay... I think soon I'm going to have to do some chapters that are almost entirely memory flashbacks, so you can see what exactly happened with Grace/Eli/Deanna/Coop.
Oh, also.... Season Two of "The Way We Were" (not sure if I'm going to give it a new title...)... but anyways, I'll probably wait until I've finished writing this one before I start in on season two.
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Chapter 15//A Hard Question
"Grace?" Eli asked, coming up behind her in the kitchen.
Grace didn't acknowledge his presence... only continued to stare down at the white envelope in her hand. It was from Coop... it said so on the return address.
"Are you going to read it?" Eli asked, trying not to let his feelings show in his voice. He didn't like the idea of Cooper writing to Grace... It was just too weird. After Grace had broken up with Eli, because of Eli's infidelity... she had dated his best friend Coop. But they had broken up, and Coop had moved away.
"I never thought I'd hear from him again," Grace whispered, turning the envelope over in her hands. "I mean..." She turned around, looking at Eli for the first time since he entered. "Coop moved to Texas."
"Yeah," Eli said, looking down at the envelope she held. "AND you broke up," Eli said pointedly.
"Right," Grace said, "So... why would he write me?"
"I don't know," Eli replied. They both looked down at the envelope.
Finally Grace just tore open one end and slid the letter out. She glanced up at Eli, unsure if she should read it in front of him. Eli took the hint, and turned away, busying himself by rinsing off their dishes in the sink.
Grace read the letter:
Hi Grace,
It's been a while, huh? Yeah, well... Texas rocks. You should come down here and visit.... or move out here and go to school or something. You'd like it. I know you would.
I found a group of guys down here that were starting up a band... and they let me join. We called Angst Overdrive. We're pretty rockin. We have like, a whole following already. I'll send you a CD if we ever get around to making one.
Okay, you're probably like 'Enough with the shit already'... well, maybe not that phrase, but something close... right? Okay, I know we kind of broke up on bad terms, and I just felt bad about that. If my parents hadn't relocated to Texas, then maybe we could have cleared the air in person.
But instead I have to do it in a letter. And you know I'm not one for writing... except for lyrics sometimes... But Eli was always better at that then I was. How is E, by the way? I haven't heard from him, either, since I moved. But I figured he was just angry at me... because of you and me. I know he's all protective brother over you, so I can respect that.
But, let me get back to the point, or I'll just keep boring you with my crap... I wanted to apologize for the way everything went down. Our break-up sucked. But I guess all break-ups must suck, because otherwise... well, I think they just all suck. So, I'm sorry... for it suckin. I was hoping we could well, talk... or write, I guess, and kind of make things better... because Grace, I don't want things to be bad between us.
You meant a lot to me. So, okay... just, well, write me, call me, email me... anything. I just want to hear from you, even if it's just a postcard with the words 'Drop Dead' on it... at least then I'd known you still had function over your writing abilities which means you still have at least one of your hands, or you have learned to use your feet to write... which people can do by the way, and Hey, that's something! At least then I'd know something about your life now... Because right now, I got nothing.
- Coop
At the bottom of the page was Coop's email, phone number and address. Grace folded the letter, not sure what to make of it. Eli had turned around and watched her reaction carefully. "So, what did he say?"
Grace shook her head, "I'm not sure." She slid the folded paper make into the envelope. "He said he wants to hear from me."
Eli nodded. He had suspected the letter was something like that. He was Coop's best friend, err... he had been Coop's best friend, and he had seen the way Coop had been crazy about Grace. He had loved her. And yet... Eli had loved her too. It had been hard for Eli to watch them be together, and he couldn't stop himself from trying to break them up, and get Grace back with him.
And Eli had gotten what he wanted when the two finally broke up and Coop moved away. That had happened in March.... Eli's head snapped up. A chill went through him. "Grace?" He asked.
"Hmm?" Grace said distractedly, thinking about the letter she held.
Eli opened his mouth to say the words, but instead closed it. He couldn't ask it... he didn't even want to think it. He didn't want to think of the possibility that Grace's baby could be actually Coop's and not his.... it was too horrid to think of. So he shoved it aside, casting it out of his mind. "We have to deal with my dad, remember," Eli said instead.
Grace sighed, "Yes, we do."
"Are you ready for this?" Eli asked, taking her hands in his.
"Yeah," Grace said with a smile.
"Good," Eli said, trying to smile back. But the unwanted thought that the baby could actually be Coop's remained. The dates matched up.... it could be. Eli felt like crying.
* * *
[[[[start of memory flashback...]]]]
"Hi Eli," Deanna said with a wave as he and Coop entered Booklovers.
Eli gave her a distracted wave back and continued to head for the office, where he was going to pick up his check. Then he and Coop were going to go to band practice.
"Who's that?" Coop asked, giving Deanna a second look.
"Hmm?" Eli said, looking back at his friend. He followed Coop's eyes. "Oh, that's just Deanna."
"JUST Deanna?" Coop mocked, looking over at the attractive girl.
Eli nodded. They had reached the office. "I'll be right out," Eli told Coop. He went in and got his paycheck from Jake, and was back out in less than a minute. Coop was where Eli had left him, staring at Deanna.
"Come on," Eli said with an amused smile. "We've got practice."
Cooper followed him reluctantly out of the store. "How come you're not interested in her?" Coop asked when they were back in Eli's car.
"In who?" Eli asked, busy studying his paycheck.
"Deanna," Coop said curiously.
Eli looked over at his friend. Eli and Grace were not telling anyone about their relationship... not yet at least. It was all still too new and fresh for them to want to share it with everyone.... especially when they knew that most people wouldn't understand. So, Eli lied, "Oh, I am." He knew that was the only thing he could tell Coop that wouldn't raise his suspicions. Because Eli wasn't ready to explain about Grace and him.
"I knew it!" Coop said with a sigh. "Damn... she was fine." Coop glanced over at his friend. He went for a joking tone, to see what Eli thought of what he was about to say, "At least then that means that Grace is free."
"What?" Eli asked, startled.
"Well, I mean... I wondered if you were interested in her, but that's crazy, right?" Coop studied Eli's face. "I mean she's your step-sister."
"Right," Eli said, trying find not to sound like he was lying, "That's crazy."
Coop relaxed back into his seat, a pleased smile on his face.
Eli thought over what his friend had said and blinked. "Wait, so you like Grace?" He asked.
Coop shrugged, "Maybe."
Eli tried not to smile as he started up the car. He had had no idea that Coop was interested in Grace. But Coop had been spending more time with Grace, ever since Eli and Grace started secretly dating-- since Eli made sure to include Grace in their plans... And Coop never suspected that Eli invited Grace along so much because they were dating. And Grace was a great girl, it wasn't that weird that Coop would fall for her. But, poor Coop... he was in for a let-down, when he saw that Grace wouldn't like him back, not like that anyways-- Because she was already Eli's. He wondered what Grace would think of her having an admirer.
[[[[...end of memory flashback]]]]
* * *
"E?" Rick asked later that night, after Karen, Henry, Judy and Sam had gone home.
"It's open," Eli called, and Rick stepped into the garage apartment.
"Oh, good, Grace... you're here," Rick said, seeing Grace sitting next to Eli on the bed. "I think it's time we talked."
Grace and Eli nodded in acknowledgement. They knew their gig was up.
Rick closed the door behind him and moved forward into the room. He paused, remembering the comment at dinner about Coop being Grace's boyfriend... but Rick wasn't here to enquire about that meant... he was here to talk about Eli and Grace's relationship.
"Do you want me to just say it?" Eli finally asked as his father remained silent.
Rick nodded, taking a deep breath.
"Grace and I are dating," Eli said and waited for his father's reaction.
There was none... not really, since Rick had already suspected this. But it was nice to have it confirmed.
"Are you going to tell my mother?" Grace asked, a bit fearfully.
Rick shook his head, "No, I think that's up for YOU to do, Grace."
Grace nodded, "Yeah..." She closed her eyes, a bit painfully, then opened them again. "Just give me some time, okay?"
"Okay," Rick agreed. He hesitated, looking at Eli's and Grace's clasped hands. "There's something else I wanted to ask..." Rick began.
But, Eli knew his father and he knew what Rick was about to ask, so he stopped him. "Dad, actually it's been a long night, so can it wait?"
Rick looked a bit relieved... that he didn't have to find out the truth tonight. He nodded and backed out of the room with a 'goodnight'.
"What do you think he was going to ask?" Grace questioned when Rick had gone. She was curious to why Eli had cut him off.
Eli sighed, letting go of Grace's hand, and looking at the letter which still poked out of her pant's pocket.
"Actually, it's something I think I need to ask first..." Eli said, looking down at his hands. "Grace, this is a hard question... and understand I wouldn't ask it unless I felt the need to... but..."
Grace nodded encouragingly, waiting for him to go on.
Eli looked up, and saw her innocent face, and faltered. He couldn't make the words come out. "Actually, it's late... you should go to sleep."
Grace looked at him in confusion, "But... what did you want to ask?"
"It can wait," Eli said, leaning forward and kissing her forehead, although he knew it would bug him until he knew the answer.
Grace got up from the edge of the bed reluctantly, moving towards the door. As she reached for the handle, she stopped and looked back on Eli. "Just ask... please? Just ask me whatever it is you want to ask."
"Grace..." Eli began.
"Yeah?" Grace asked when he trailed into silence.
"Am I the father to your baby?" Eli spit it out.
Grace looked at him, shell-shocked.
"I mean... is there any chance it's Coop's?" Eli elaborated.
Grace's mouth dropped open. "Eli!" She cried.
"Grace, I have to know," Eli said, taking a deep breath, "Just tell me the truth."
Grace looked at Eli with wonder, and hurt. How could he ask her that? How could he think that Grace would lie to him about who the father of her baby was...? Did he really think she could do that? Grace opened her mouth to explain, but there came a knock on the door. Grace, being that she stood right in front of it, turned around and opened it.
It was Jessie. Jessie glanced at Eli on the bed and then back at Grace, who stood before her. "I just wanted to tell you that everyone thinks that Cooper is the father to your baby now..."
"What?" Grace asked in surprise.
"Well, Zoe kind of told everyone about whom the letter was from... and that you dated him. So, now everyone thinks that." Jessie explained. "I thought I should warn you."
"Thanks, Jess," Grace said with a sigh.
"So... did you actually date Cooper?" Jessie asked, her curiosity getting the best of her.
"Jess... Grace and I were having a conversation here!" Eli called out in annoyance.
Grace frowned and looked back on Eli, "No, I think we're done," She said coldly.
Grace stepped into the hall, closing the door behind her, leaving Eli to wonder what he had done wrong. And to wonder why she hadn't answered him.
* * *