Chapter thirteen
Eli is sprawled out on the grass, reading a music magazine, waiting for Grace to meet him. Every day after school they drive over to the nearby park and sit and talk or do homework or Eli works on his music. It's become a routine they both cherish. However, today Grace told Eli she had to go somewhere first and she would meet him there. She had borrowed her Mums car and had promised she wouldn't be too late.
Eli puts down the magazine, takes a swig of soda and looks at the time. It is only 4:15 and yet it feels like it had been days since he had last seen Grace. Just as he is about to call her, Grace is running towards him, panting and carrying a box.
"Hey, I was beginning to think you were gonna forget about me," smirks Eli.
Eli falls to the grass and quickly kisses Eli.
"If I didn't show up, I'd never hear the end of it," gasps Grace and she takes a sip of Eli's soda.
"So, what's in the box?" Eli takes a grab for the box but Grace snatches it away from him.
"Well, it's a present for you because you've been such a good boyfriend and it's out anniversary."
"Anniversary?" Eli scratches his head and begins to feel sick inside. "It's been 6 months, hasn't it?"
Grace nods and smiles.
"I'm so sorry, babe. I feel like the biggest idiot." Eli leans over and kisses Grace softly. "I'll make it up to you, I promise."
"It's ok, E. I wasn't going to get you anything at first, but...I couldn't resist," Grace smiles and hands Eli the box.
Eli opens the card first:
"Dear Eli, this is for being my best friend, the sweetest boyfriend, the shining light in my life. I love you with all my heart and I am yours forever. Love, your Grace."
Eli smiles and kisses Grace on the cheek.
"Open the box, already!" Grace squeals.
Eli opens the box and inside is a stack of cds. On the cover is the name Anti-Inflammatory, Release Yourself. "I burned a cd of your bands music and had it copied. I then had Jessie work out a cover and title," Grace beams.
Eli picks up one of the cds and looks at it closer.
"Grace...I don't know what to say," says Eli all choked up.
"I thought that at your next gig, I could sell them for you and your friends. So, really it's not just a present for you but the rest of the band as well," Grace continues to beam. "It also has the song you sang for me..."
"This is the kindest thing anyone has ever done for me, babe."
Eli puts down the cd and takes hold of Grace. Grace kisses Eli on the nose and pulls him in tightly. She looks around to see if anyone is nearby and since it's empty, Grace pulls Eli down onto the grass with her.
Eli murmurs, "you're getting more and more adventurous, Ms Manning. I like it."
Grace runs her hands underneath Eli's t-shirt and kisses his neck. Eli begins to get aroused.
"Maybe we should go home and finish this off," suggests Eli.
"Well, we better hurry up because I don't think I can wait much longer," pouts Grace.
Eli buries his head into Grace's breasts and sighs.
"Ok, meet you back in my room in ten minutes," decides Eli.
- -
Eli and Grace race upstairs to Eli's room and start undressing each other as soon as they enter the room. Eli unbuckles Grace's bra as Grace pulls off his t-shirt and kisses him quickly.
"Hurry, it's cold!" squeals Grace.
Eli pulls off his pants and Grace throws off her shoes, socks and pulls down her skirt.
"Where's a condom?" asks Eli.
"In you're drawer, stupid!"
Eli quickly grabs one, pulls Grace into the bed with him and pulls off her underwear.
"Well, hello there, Roger. You're up nice and early!" smirks Grace and she buries herself under the covers.
Eli laughs as Grace pulls off his boxers and closes his eyes.
Grace puts on the condom and comes back up from under the cover.
"Don't you want to play with Roger a bit?" pouts Eli and Grace rolls her eyes.
"You could play with Mary a bit too," smirks Grace.
Eli and Grace laugh and Eli wraps himself around her.
- -
"We should go downstairs soon. Dinner is in half an hour and Mum will get antsy."
"Yeah, she's been a bit moody lately."
"And have you noticed she's been sick in the mornings?"
"You don't think...?" asks Eli.
"She must be," Grace smiles.
"We might have a little brother or sister."
"Do you like kids?" Grace asks, curious.
"I love them! Look at me when I'm hanging out Zoey. I could eat her!"
Grace tickles Eli a little and he tries to fend her away.
"I mean, would you like to have kids one day?"
Eli looks at Grace, shocked, "you're not pregnant, are you?"
"No, no! But I want kids one day," stresses Grace.
"So do I. I think you'd be a great Mum," Eli kisses Grace softly on the nose and pulls her under the covers.
"And you'll be an amazing Dad."
Grace takes hold of Eli's face and kisses him softly on the lips and moves to his cheeks. Eli closes his eyes and Grace kisses his eyelids.
"I will marry you one day, Grace, and we'll make a great family," whispers Eli.
"And you'll be a famous musician and I'll be a well-known actress."
Eli snuggles up against Grace and nibbles her ear a little.
"Do you really want to marry me, E?" Grace bites her lip and looks away.
"I love you, babe. Of course I want to marry you."
Grace and Eli kiss passionately and then Grace gets out of bed. She throws on one of Eli's t-shirts with The Clash written on the front and her tracksuit pants.
"I should go work on that essay now. It's due in two days and I have a lot to do."
"Want any help?"
"Nope, I can handle it, but you can come and get me when dinner's ready."
"I am your servant and I aim to please," Eli salutes Grace and she giggles.
"Then could you also talk to Mum and Rick? Reassure them you're doing ok and stuff. They seem a bit worried."
"Ai, ai, mam!"
Grace pulls Eli out of bed and ruffles his hair.
"You're my shinning light, E," whispers Grace.
"And I'm yours, forever," mummers Eli as he kisses her neck.
Grace walks towards the door, turns to face Eli and throws him some pants.
"Oh, and put some clothes on before you go downstairs, ok," smirks Grace.
- - -
Zoe is in the kitchen, drinking a glass of milk and dipping in oreos. Eli walks over and steals one.
"You're gonna ruin your appetite if you keep eating those," smirks Eli.
"Shut up, Eli," whines Zoey and she slaps him on the arm.
"Ouch!" Eli tickles Zoey and she spills over some milk from laughing so much.
Lilly walks into the room and smiles at the kids.
"So, who wants to help me make hamburgers?"
Eli ruffles Zoey's hair and turns to Lilly, "sure."
Eli walks over to the counter and Lilly hands him a chopping board, a knife and some carrots. Zoey walks out of the room with a handful of oreos.
"So, how's work, Eli?" Lilly asks as she pours the mincemeat into a mixing bowl.
"Well, Dad seems to be impressed with my office skills. So much so he now has me typing up letters," Eli replies as he rolls his eyes.
"Oh Eli, he just wants you to get a foundation and then he'll move you up to the next level."
"I know, I know..." Eli mutters and slams the knife hard on the carrot.
"We're all so proud of you. Karen was just saying the other day how impressed she is with you," smiles Lilly.
"Really? I never know with Mum, she's hard to please."
"She is very proud of you," states Lilly and she rubs Eli's shoulder.
Eli smiles softly with pride and goes back to cutting. Rick walks into the room, tosses a carrot into his mouth and Eli pretends to slap him.
"Hey, hey, no bashing up the parentals, you hear!"
Rick looks around, "where are the other kids?"
"Zoey ran away when I asked for help making dinner, Jessie is watching television and Grace is...Eli, where's Grace?"
"Working on an essay. I said I'd get her when dinner's ready."
"She's been working hard lately," murmurs Lilly.
"She wants to do well this year," Eli boasts.
"Well, I'm sure she will."
Jessie wanders into the room and pours herself some juice.
"Is it alright if Katie comes over after dinner? We have some homework to do."
"Sure, kiddo," replies Rick.
Lilly starts to fry up the hamburgers and Rick puts together a salad. Jessie sets the table and Eli goes upstairs to get Grace. He knocks on the door.
"Come in," she mumbles.
"You ok, babe?"
Grace sighs.
"This essay is killing me. How much can I write on the American Revolution?"
Eli massages Grace's shoulders and Grace closes her eyes.
"How much more do you have to go?"
"800 words."
"If you finish it after dinner, I'll work out a way for us to relax," smirks Eli.
"It must include ice cream and movies," demands Grace.
Eli kisses Grace on the forehead, "of course."
Grace gets up from the chair, turns to Eli and he snuggles.
"Come on, dinner's ready," says Eli and he takes her by the hand.
Eli is sprawled out on the grass, reading a music magazine, waiting for Grace to meet him. Every day after school they drive over to the nearby park and sit and talk or do homework or Eli works on his music. It's become a routine they both cherish. However, today Grace told Eli she had to go somewhere first and she would meet him there. She had borrowed her Mums car and had promised she wouldn't be too late.
Eli puts down the magazine, takes a swig of soda and looks at the time. It is only 4:15 and yet it feels like it had been days since he had last seen Grace. Just as he is about to call her, Grace is running towards him, panting and carrying a box.
"Hey, I was beginning to think you were gonna forget about me," smirks Eli.
Eli falls to the grass and quickly kisses Eli.
"If I didn't show up, I'd never hear the end of it," gasps Grace and she takes a sip of Eli's soda.
"So, what's in the box?" Eli takes a grab for the box but Grace snatches it away from him.
"Well, it's a present for you because you've been such a good boyfriend and it's out anniversary."
"Anniversary?" Eli scratches his head and begins to feel sick inside. "It's been 6 months, hasn't it?"
Grace nods and smiles.
"I'm so sorry, babe. I feel like the biggest idiot." Eli leans over and kisses Grace softly. "I'll make it up to you, I promise."
"It's ok, E. I wasn't going to get you anything at first, but...I couldn't resist," Grace smiles and hands Eli the box.
Eli opens the card first:
"Dear Eli, this is for being my best friend, the sweetest boyfriend, the shining light in my life. I love you with all my heart and I am yours forever. Love, your Grace."
Eli smiles and kisses Grace on the cheek.
"Open the box, already!" Grace squeals.
Eli opens the box and inside is a stack of cds. On the cover is the name Anti-Inflammatory, Release Yourself. "I burned a cd of your bands music and had it copied. I then had Jessie work out a cover and title," Grace beams.
Eli picks up one of the cds and looks at it closer.
"Grace...I don't know what to say," says Eli all choked up.
"I thought that at your next gig, I could sell them for you and your friends. So, really it's not just a present for you but the rest of the band as well," Grace continues to beam. "It also has the song you sang for me..."
"This is the kindest thing anyone has ever done for me, babe."
Eli puts down the cd and takes hold of Grace. Grace kisses Eli on the nose and pulls him in tightly. She looks around to see if anyone is nearby and since it's empty, Grace pulls Eli down onto the grass with her.
Eli murmurs, "you're getting more and more adventurous, Ms Manning. I like it."
Grace runs her hands underneath Eli's t-shirt and kisses his neck. Eli begins to get aroused.
"Maybe we should go home and finish this off," suggests Eli.
"Well, we better hurry up because I don't think I can wait much longer," pouts Grace.
Eli buries his head into Grace's breasts and sighs.
"Ok, meet you back in my room in ten minutes," decides Eli.
- -
Eli and Grace race upstairs to Eli's room and start undressing each other as soon as they enter the room. Eli unbuckles Grace's bra as Grace pulls off his t-shirt and kisses him quickly.
"Hurry, it's cold!" squeals Grace.
Eli pulls off his pants and Grace throws off her shoes, socks and pulls down her skirt.
"Where's a condom?" asks Eli.
"In you're drawer, stupid!"
Eli quickly grabs one, pulls Grace into the bed with him and pulls off her underwear.
"Well, hello there, Roger. You're up nice and early!" smirks Grace and she buries herself under the covers.
Eli laughs as Grace pulls off his boxers and closes his eyes.
Grace puts on the condom and comes back up from under the cover.
"Don't you want to play with Roger a bit?" pouts Eli and Grace rolls her eyes.
"You could play with Mary a bit too," smirks Grace.
Eli and Grace laugh and Eli wraps himself around her.
- -
"We should go downstairs soon. Dinner is in half an hour and Mum will get antsy."
"Yeah, she's been a bit moody lately."
"And have you noticed she's been sick in the mornings?"
"You don't think...?" asks Eli.
"She must be," Grace smiles.
"We might have a little brother or sister."
"Do you like kids?" Grace asks, curious.
"I love them! Look at me when I'm hanging out Zoey. I could eat her!"
Grace tickles Eli a little and he tries to fend her away.
"I mean, would you like to have kids one day?"
Eli looks at Grace, shocked, "you're not pregnant, are you?"
"No, no! But I want kids one day," stresses Grace.
"So do I. I think you'd be a great Mum," Eli kisses Grace softly on the nose and pulls her under the covers.
"And you'll be an amazing Dad."
Grace takes hold of Eli's face and kisses him softly on the lips and moves to his cheeks. Eli closes his eyes and Grace kisses his eyelids.
"I will marry you one day, Grace, and we'll make a great family," whispers Eli.
"And you'll be a famous musician and I'll be a well-known actress."
Eli snuggles up against Grace and nibbles her ear a little.
"Do you really want to marry me, E?" Grace bites her lip and looks away.
"I love you, babe. Of course I want to marry you."
Grace and Eli kiss passionately and then Grace gets out of bed. She throws on one of Eli's t-shirts with The Clash written on the front and her tracksuit pants.
"I should go work on that essay now. It's due in two days and I have a lot to do."
"Want any help?"
"Nope, I can handle it, but you can come and get me when dinner's ready."
"I am your servant and I aim to please," Eli salutes Grace and she giggles.
"Then could you also talk to Mum and Rick? Reassure them you're doing ok and stuff. They seem a bit worried."
"Ai, ai, mam!"
Grace pulls Eli out of bed and ruffles his hair.
"You're my shinning light, E," whispers Grace.
"And I'm yours, forever," mummers Eli as he kisses her neck.
Grace walks towards the door, turns to face Eli and throws him some pants.
"Oh, and put some clothes on before you go downstairs, ok," smirks Grace.
- - -
Zoe is in the kitchen, drinking a glass of milk and dipping in oreos. Eli walks over and steals one.
"You're gonna ruin your appetite if you keep eating those," smirks Eli.
"Shut up, Eli," whines Zoey and she slaps him on the arm.
"Ouch!" Eli tickles Zoey and she spills over some milk from laughing so much.
Lilly walks into the room and smiles at the kids.
"So, who wants to help me make hamburgers?"
Eli ruffles Zoey's hair and turns to Lilly, "sure."
Eli walks over to the counter and Lilly hands him a chopping board, a knife and some carrots. Zoey walks out of the room with a handful of oreos.
"So, how's work, Eli?" Lilly asks as she pours the mincemeat into a mixing bowl.
"Well, Dad seems to be impressed with my office skills. So much so he now has me typing up letters," Eli replies as he rolls his eyes.
"Oh Eli, he just wants you to get a foundation and then he'll move you up to the next level."
"I know, I know..." Eli mutters and slams the knife hard on the carrot.
"We're all so proud of you. Karen was just saying the other day how impressed she is with you," smiles Lilly.
"Really? I never know with Mum, she's hard to please."
"She is very proud of you," states Lilly and she rubs Eli's shoulder.
Eli smiles softly with pride and goes back to cutting. Rick walks into the room, tosses a carrot into his mouth and Eli pretends to slap him.
"Hey, hey, no bashing up the parentals, you hear!"
Rick looks around, "where are the other kids?"
"Zoey ran away when I asked for help making dinner, Jessie is watching television and Grace is...Eli, where's Grace?"
"Working on an essay. I said I'd get her when dinner's ready."
"She's been working hard lately," murmurs Lilly.
"She wants to do well this year," Eli boasts.
"Well, I'm sure she will."
Jessie wanders into the room and pours herself some juice.
"Is it alright if Katie comes over after dinner? We have some homework to do."
"Sure, kiddo," replies Rick.
Lilly starts to fry up the hamburgers and Rick puts together a salad. Jessie sets the table and Eli goes upstairs to get Grace. He knocks on the door.
"Come in," she mumbles.
"You ok, babe?"
Grace sighs.
"This essay is killing me. How much can I write on the American Revolution?"
Eli massages Grace's shoulders and Grace closes her eyes.
"How much more do you have to go?"
"800 words."
"If you finish it after dinner, I'll work out a way for us to relax," smirks Eli.
"It must include ice cream and movies," demands Grace.
Eli kisses Grace on the forehead, "of course."
Grace gets up from the chair, turns to Eli and he snuggles.
"Come on, dinner's ready," says Eli and he takes her by the hand.
