*Thanks to everyone for the great feedback. Keep it up. Also if anyone has
any storyline ideas let me know and I'll see what I can do. I've also said
before that while I'm using some events that happened in the O&A series I'm
changing them around and most of them wont occur in the same order*
Chapter 11 | Meeting Rick
"E, your late" Rick called out as Eli walked in the door with his sister Jessie. "Jessie what are doing home? Where's Karen I thought she was picking you up today?" Rick walked into the hallway a confused look on his face. "Eli came and watched me practice" Jessie explained happily, throwing her bag on the floor. "You did?" Rick raised his eyebrows at Eli. "Yeah, well I haven't been around much so I thought it would be nice" Eli explained, a look of realisation dawning on his face.
[Eli- That's just so. . . great. I just gave him the perfect chance to start hassling me . . . I am so stupid- Hits himself on the head.
"That's just the problem E" Rick started in following Eli into the kitchen, "Your never around, how you ever get the chance to study is beyond me".
[Rick- Why is talking to Eli so hard? I can remember when he was just 8 years old, learning to ride his first bike. He relied on me so much then, he needed me. . .and now?]
"Dad, why don't you understand that studying isn't everything. I'm crap at school, I get crap marks, I always have and there's nothing you can do about it. And don't start on about just trying harder because it doesn't work" Eli shouted. "E, if you want to go to colle-" Eli cut Rick off, turning away fro the fridge which he'd just opened. "No, you want me to go to college, just back off okay" Eli slammed the door shut and stormed out of the room.
_____
[At the same time]
Jessie lay back on her bed with her CD Discman. If she turned them up high enough she could block out the shouts of her brother Eli and her father Rick. The fights had become more and more frequent lately. Eli turns up at home late, with no explanation of where his been. Jessie had been so excited when she saw Eli at practice watching her but now she felt it was her fault, this latest fight could have been prevented it if wasn't for her.
Jessie took off her headphones and sat up, her stomach growling. But before she had the chance to get up there was a knock at the door. "Come in" she called hoping it was Eli. It wasn't. "Jess, I'm going out for dinner okay? Eli will be home all night, there's money on the kitchen bench so just order a pizza for dinner or something" Rick said, noticing Jessie just sitting on her bed. "What's wrong?" he asked stepping into the room. "Nothing, I'm fine" tossing her hair back off her face. "What time are you leaving?" Jessie asked standing up. "Actually, now. Or I'm going to be late. I was waiting for Eli to come home," Rick explained. "Does Eli know?" already knowing what the answer would be. "Well, I'm going to be late. I was hoping you could tell him" was Rick's excuse. "I shouldn't be home to late," he said as he walked out of Jessie's room and back down stairs.
_____
Grace was helping Lily get ready in her bedroom. "Which one?" asked Lily walking out of her wardrobe holding 2 dresses up. "That one" Grace pointed to the more casual of the two. Lily was nervous. There was only 20 minutes till Rick would be there and she still wasn't dressed. The food was nearly cooked, the table set, everything was perfect, except her.
[Lily- What if he meets Grace and Zoe and then decides he isn't ready to be with someone who has kids. After all he does already have 2 of his own]
[Grace- What if he doesn't like us . . . What if we don't like him?]
_____
Rick took a deep breath and knocked on the front door. "Shit! He's here" Zoe stare at her mother, shocked to here her swear. "Sorry, do I look okay?" Lily asked Zoe and Grace who were in the lounge room. Smoothing her hair down Lily turned around in a circle. "You look great, now opened the door!" Grace laughed at the sight of her nervous mother, not wanting to admit just how nervous she was as well. Lily walked towards the front door. Standing there for a second she took a deep breath then opened it. "Hi Rick" Lily greeted the man standing just outside the door. Leaning forward she kissed him on the check then gestured towards the living room. "Come on in" Rick followed Lily into the house. A nervous Grace and Zoe sat on the couch with their hands in their laps taking this new man in. He was tall with Dark hair and dark eyes. Grace was surprised at just how handsome this man was, wearing jeans, a nice shirt and jacket which he'd taken off as he walked into the door "Rick, meet my children Grace and Zoe" Lily said a bit formally. "Hi" Grace and Zoe said simultaneously. "Hi Zoe, Grace" Rick said as Grace and Zoe stood up he shook their hands. Zoe who was less than half Rick's height blushed, her normal upbeat personality turned shy.
"Well dinners almost ready so if you guys want to sit down . . ."
_____
"Eli can I come in" Jessie called out over the loud music, knocking on Eli's door. "Eli! Open up!" She said banging again after there was no answer. "Alright, alright" Eli opened the door having heard the banging. "Oh, sorry I thought you were dad" Eli apologised when he noticed it wasn't his father back for another round. "Dad went out for dinner" Jessie started to be cut off by a groan form Eli. "He said to tell you that your not allowed to go out but there's money on the kitchen bench for pizza" Jessie explained ignoring the look on Eli's face.
[Eli- At least dads gone for the night. But now I'm stuck baby-sitting Jess. All I want to do is lie back, close my eyes and forget about everything. Even though every time I close my eyes I can see Grace face that look of expectation just before Carla had interrupted us. Don't get me wrong; I'm glad Carla interrupted us, but how come I can't get her out of my head]
"Pizza it is" Eli agreed. "Why don't you order for us? I'll be down in a minute," Eli said walking back into his room.
_____
"That went well don't you think?" Rick said. After saying good night to Grace and Zoe Lily and Rick had headed outside to say goodbye. "It went great" Lily sighed wrapping her arms around Rick and hugging him. "We should do it again sometime" Rick suggested looking into Lily's eyes. "Yeah, maybe its time that I met yours" Lily agreed. "Jess and E. I guess" Rick said hesitantly.
[Lily- E? that sounds familiar]
"Come on, its not that bad. It'll be good. "Okay, how about next Sunday" Rick asked, still not convinced. "Next Sunday it is" Lily agreed smiling; she leaned I and kissed Rick goodnight.
_____
Eli looked over to where his sister Jessie was sleeping peacefully on the other side of the couch. They'd been watching some old movie on TV and Jessie had fallen asleep about half way through. Getting up quietly Eli grabbed a blanket, which was thrown over one of the chairs and draped it gently over Jess, careful not to wake her.
Chapter 11 | Meeting Rick
"E, your late" Rick called out as Eli walked in the door with his sister Jessie. "Jessie what are doing home? Where's Karen I thought she was picking you up today?" Rick walked into the hallway a confused look on his face. "Eli came and watched me practice" Jessie explained happily, throwing her bag on the floor. "You did?" Rick raised his eyebrows at Eli. "Yeah, well I haven't been around much so I thought it would be nice" Eli explained, a look of realisation dawning on his face.
[Eli- That's just so. . . great. I just gave him the perfect chance to start hassling me . . . I am so stupid- Hits himself on the head.
"That's just the problem E" Rick started in following Eli into the kitchen, "Your never around, how you ever get the chance to study is beyond me".
[Rick- Why is talking to Eli so hard? I can remember when he was just 8 years old, learning to ride his first bike. He relied on me so much then, he needed me. . .and now?]
"Dad, why don't you understand that studying isn't everything. I'm crap at school, I get crap marks, I always have and there's nothing you can do about it. And don't start on about just trying harder because it doesn't work" Eli shouted. "E, if you want to go to colle-" Eli cut Rick off, turning away fro the fridge which he'd just opened. "No, you want me to go to college, just back off okay" Eli slammed the door shut and stormed out of the room.
_____
[At the same time]
Jessie lay back on her bed with her CD Discman. If she turned them up high enough she could block out the shouts of her brother Eli and her father Rick. The fights had become more and more frequent lately. Eli turns up at home late, with no explanation of where his been. Jessie had been so excited when she saw Eli at practice watching her but now she felt it was her fault, this latest fight could have been prevented it if wasn't for her.
Jessie took off her headphones and sat up, her stomach growling. But before she had the chance to get up there was a knock at the door. "Come in" she called hoping it was Eli. It wasn't. "Jess, I'm going out for dinner okay? Eli will be home all night, there's money on the kitchen bench so just order a pizza for dinner or something" Rick said, noticing Jessie just sitting on her bed. "What's wrong?" he asked stepping into the room. "Nothing, I'm fine" tossing her hair back off her face. "What time are you leaving?" Jessie asked standing up. "Actually, now. Or I'm going to be late. I was waiting for Eli to come home," Rick explained. "Does Eli know?" already knowing what the answer would be. "Well, I'm going to be late. I was hoping you could tell him" was Rick's excuse. "I shouldn't be home to late," he said as he walked out of Jessie's room and back down stairs.
_____
Grace was helping Lily get ready in her bedroom. "Which one?" asked Lily walking out of her wardrobe holding 2 dresses up. "That one" Grace pointed to the more casual of the two. Lily was nervous. There was only 20 minutes till Rick would be there and she still wasn't dressed. The food was nearly cooked, the table set, everything was perfect, except her.
[Lily- What if he meets Grace and Zoe and then decides he isn't ready to be with someone who has kids. After all he does already have 2 of his own]
[Grace- What if he doesn't like us . . . What if we don't like him?]
_____
Rick took a deep breath and knocked on the front door. "Shit! He's here" Zoe stare at her mother, shocked to here her swear. "Sorry, do I look okay?" Lily asked Zoe and Grace who were in the lounge room. Smoothing her hair down Lily turned around in a circle. "You look great, now opened the door!" Grace laughed at the sight of her nervous mother, not wanting to admit just how nervous she was as well. Lily walked towards the front door. Standing there for a second she took a deep breath then opened it. "Hi Rick" Lily greeted the man standing just outside the door. Leaning forward she kissed him on the check then gestured towards the living room. "Come on in" Rick followed Lily into the house. A nervous Grace and Zoe sat on the couch with their hands in their laps taking this new man in. He was tall with Dark hair and dark eyes. Grace was surprised at just how handsome this man was, wearing jeans, a nice shirt and jacket which he'd taken off as he walked into the door "Rick, meet my children Grace and Zoe" Lily said a bit formally. "Hi" Grace and Zoe said simultaneously. "Hi Zoe, Grace" Rick said as Grace and Zoe stood up he shook their hands. Zoe who was less than half Rick's height blushed, her normal upbeat personality turned shy.
"Well dinners almost ready so if you guys want to sit down . . ."
_____
"Eli can I come in" Jessie called out over the loud music, knocking on Eli's door. "Eli! Open up!" She said banging again after there was no answer. "Alright, alright" Eli opened the door having heard the banging. "Oh, sorry I thought you were dad" Eli apologised when he noticed it wasn't his father back for another round. "Dad went out for dinner" Jessie started to be cut off by a groan form Eli. "He said to tell you that your not allowed to go out but there's money on the kitchen bench for pizza" Jessie explained ignoring the look on Eli's face.
[Eli- At least dads gone for the night. But now I'm stuck baby-sitting Jess. All I want to do is lie back, close my eyes and forget about everything. Even though every time I close my eyes I can see Grace face that look of expectation just before Carla had interrupted us. Don't get me wrong; I'm glad Carla interrupted us, but how come I can't get her out of my head]
"Pizza it is" Eli agreed. "Why don't you order for us? I'll be down in a minute," Eli said walking back into his room.
_____
"That went well don't you think?" Rick said. After saying good night to Grace and Zoe Lily and Rick had headed outside to say goodbye. "It went great" Lily sighed wrapping her arms around Rick and hugging him. "We should do it again sometime" Rick suggested looking into Lily's eyes. "Yeah, maybe its time that I met yours" Lily agreed. "Jess and E. I guess" Rick said hesitantly.
[Lily- E? that sounds familiar]
"Come on, its not that bad. It'll be good. "Okay, how about next Sunday" Rick asked, still not convinced. "Next Sunday it is" Lily agreed smiling; she leaned I and kissed Rick goodnight.
_____
Eli looked over to where his sister Jessie was sleeping peacefully on the other side of the couch. They'd been watching some old movie on TV and Jessie had fallen asleep about half way through. Getting up quietly Eli grabbed a blanket, which was thrown over one of the chairs and draped it gently over Jess, careful not to wake her.