~A Once and Again Series~

The Way We Are

Chapter 8//Setting the Pace

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"Jessie doesn't want to go. And Grace says she's too old for it... so will you take me?" Zoe pleaded.

Jake looked down at his daughter, "You really want to go trick or treating?"

Zoe nodded, "Of course."

Jake opened the oven door, checking on the french fries.

"Dad?"

"Okay, honey, I guess," Jake agreed. "But remember we don't eat the candy until we can check it."

Zoe nodded, smiling as her wish had been granted. "I know!" She twirled in a circle, "I'm going to be a ballerina."

"Maybe you should pick a costume you can wear a coat with honey. It may be cold," Jake said offhandedly. But Zoe was already dancing away into the living room.

Grace, who had been sitting at the kitchen table all this time, finally was alone with her father. "So, have you talked to Tiffany?"

Jake tensed, and turned around, looking at his eldest daughter. "No, I haven't."

Grace frowned, "How can you not have talked to her? She's having your baby."

Jake sighed, "Grace, it's complicated."

Grace stood up, pushing her chair back in with a fury. "Why is it always 'complicated'?" She asked accusingly. "Why can't you just be in a marriage that doesn't end up with a divorce or a separation? What's wrong with you?!"

Jake gaped for words.

Grace stormed out of the room.

* * *

"Grace?" Eli asked out the open car window as he parked in Jake's driveway.

Grace came forward, out of the shadows of the porch. She quickly got into the car. "Thanks," She said to Eli.

Eli nodded, and began backing out of the driveway, "So... you want to talk about it?"

Grace pointedly turned up the volume of the radio. Eli reached over and flipped the radio off. Grace scrunched back in her seat as silence engulfed the car.

"Grace?" Eli asked.

[[Grace - No, I don't want to talk about it. NO, I don't want to talk about it! NO, I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT!!!]]

"What's happening with us, Grace?" Eli asked, sensing she didn't want to talk about whatever had made her call Eli to come pick her up from her dad's.

Grace thought about faking ignorance. Pretending she didn't realize that their relationship was quickly going downhill. But, what was the point of pretending? "I don't know," She said sullenly.

"Well, can we try and figure it out?" Eli pleaded. He glanced over at her.

"Eli..." Grace sighed, turning her head to the window. "I've got a lot to deal with right now."

"But, if we figure out what's going on between us, then that's one less thing for you to deal with," Eli said.

[[Grace - *shakes head* I don't want to talk to him about us. *looks down* Because I'm afraid if we do talk about it... then... *looks up, tearfully* Then, we'll break up.]]

"Eli," Grace's voice was full of heartbreak. "Please, just... give me some more time."

Eli nodded, but didn't really like that idea. He turned on the radio angrily. Grace quickly put a hand up to her cheek to catch a fallen tear.

* * *

"Cilia, I'm engaged to you!" Travis cried at play rehearsal.

"I'm beginning to think that was nothing but a mistake," Grace said.

This time there was no hesitation, no nervousness. Grace was completely Cilia at that moment. And Cilia desperately wanted Milos to kiss her. Cilia needed Milos to kiss her... so he could prove that he still loved Cilia.

Travis stepped forward, grasping Grace's face gently in his hands. He leaned forward, and Grace closed her eyes as his lips met hers. Cilia got her kiss.

* * *

"You guys were amazing!" Cynthia cried after rehearsals had finished.

Grace smiled, knowing that they had indeed been great. She and Travis just seemed to work together very well. They had chemistry or whatever you wanted to call it.

"Did you like the kiss?" Travis asked with a wide smile, putting an arm around Grace's shoulders.

Cynthia grinned, "The kiss was very believable. You know... I almost feel bad that Ronda is going to steal Milos away from Cilia."

Grace jokingly pushed Travis towards Cynthia, "Take him! He's all yours."

Cynthia grabbed onto Travis' arm, "Don't mind if I do."

Grace grabbed onto Travis' other arm, laughing. "You know what? I changed my mind."

Travis closed his eyes and faked pain as the two girls yanked him back and forth between them. "Why can't the guy choose?" He asked, but was ignored.

* * *

"Grace... what are you doing here?" Lily asked as Grace and Eli came into the house. "I thought your dad had you for the next two days."

Eli backed away into the garage, leaving them alone. Grace faced her mother, "I asked Eli to drive me to practice and pick me up. I just can't stay with Dad anymore..."

"Why not?" Lily asked.

"Because I hate him," Grace said. She walked away while her mother was too shocked to come up with a response.

* * *

Rick drew Lily closer to him on the bed, "Want to talk about it?"

Lily shook her head, "I'm not even sure where to start."

Rick was silent, and Lily continued, "Grace... is just not Grace anymore. I don't know what's wrong with her. I don't understand. She walks around here like a ghost, rarely talking. She always looks so tired."

"Well, she does have a lot to deal with right now," Rick said gently, "With Jake and Tiffany splitting..."

Lily nodded, "Yeah, but I get the feeling there's more to it than that..." She turned her head a bit so she could look him in the eyes. "Have you noticed the way she and Eli have been acting lately?"

Rick paused. He had noticed. But he didn't know what it meant. "You think they have broken up?" Rick asked.

Lily shrugged, "I don't know. I don't know what to think anymore. I don't know my daughter, anymore."

"Do you think..." Rick trailed off.

"What?" Lily asked.

"Do you think Grace might benefit from some... help?"

Lily was confused, "I don't think she wants my help."

Rick shook his head, "No, I mean... like a psychiatrist."

"Oh," Lily got it. "Uh... I don't know. I'm not sure Grace would agree to see someone."

"It doesn't hurt to try."

* * *

"This wasn't my idea," Grace said sternly.

Dr. Rosenfeld gave a slight nod, "But your parents didn't force you to come?"

Grace shrugged, "Well, they didn't exactly force me... but I knew they wanted me to come."

"But you could have chosen not to come here," Dr. Rosenfeld pushed her.

Grace nodded, and squirmed a bit in leather chair. "I thought psychiatrists had those chairs that you could lie down on."

Dr. Rosenfeld smiled, "I think those went out with shag carpeting and bell bottoms."

Grace gave a smile in return, but she really didn't feel like smiling. She had been surprised when her mother had suggested Grace go to a shrink. Grace didn't think she had any serious problems, and she didn't really feel like talking about the problems she did have with some complete stranger. But, Grace could tell that her mother thought that a shrink would be the magical answer to fixing whatever ailed Grace. As if.

"So, do you want to talk?" Dr. Rosenfeld asked.

Grace looked over at him, "I thought you ask me questions... and I answer."

"It can work that way, I guess."

"So, are you going to ask me anything?" Grace asked when he was silent.

"What do you think I should ask you?" Dr. Rosenfeld asked, leaning back in his chair.

Grace shrugged, "I don't know... What's bothering me, I guess."

"What's bothering you?" Dr. Rosenfeld asked.

Grace shrugged again. "I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"Life... I guess," Grace said.

"Life?"

"Yeah."

"Everything in your life is bothering you?"

Grace shook her head, "That's not what I meant."

"What did you mean?" Dr. Rosenfeld urged her.

"I meant... parts of my life are bothering me," Grace sighed.

"And what parts are those?"

"Uh, well... my father might be getting a divorce," Grace said after a while.

"A divorce... from your mother?"

Grace shook her head, "No. He and my mother already divorced last year. And at the beginning of the summer my mom and my dad both got remarried to other people."

"Tell me about them..."

"My stepparents?"

Dr. Rosenfeld nodded, "Yes."

"Well, my mom married Rick. She started dating him after my parents separated. And my dad married Tiffany... he started dating her while my parents were still married. At least, that's what I think. No one has ever come out and told me that, though. My dad married Tiffany after he found out she was pregnant. And now..." Grace paused, and Rosenfeld gave her an encouraging nod. "And now Tiffany left my dad and went to her mother's in Madison. And my father doesn't even seem to care."

"How does that make you feel?"

Grace shrugged, "I don't know."

"You don't know?" Dr. Rosenfeld asked.

Grace sighed, "I... guess I'm upset."

"Why?"

"Because I really started to like Tiffany, and..."

"Yes?"

"And I don't why my father has so many relationship problems," Grace continued, "I don't understand why he keeps screwing things up."

* * *

Jake picked up the phone. Then put it back down. Then he picked it up, and quickly punched in the numbers. He put the phone to his ear.

"Hello?" An unfamiliar female voice answered.

"Is Tiffany there?" Jake asked.

"Who is this?" The voice became filled with suspicion.

"This is her husband," Jake said coldly.

The woman clicked her tongue... as her suspicions were confirmed. "I'm sorry, but I'm sure Tiffany doesn't want to speak to you, Jake."

"Could you ask her anyways?" Jake said.

"I would, but she's not here right now," The woman said. She paused, "This is Sherry, Tiffany's mother. I wanted to tell you I was sorry I couldn't make it to the wedding ceremony... but it looks like I didn't miss anything important, after all."

"Could.." Jake began, but the phone clicked dead.

[[Jake - That's just great.]]

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