Chapter twenty-four
Eli walks into the office carrying a tray of coffees and a bag full of donuts. This is part of his daily routine at work but before he used to only buy 4 coffee and 8 donuts, since Mary came the quantity has increased and yet Rick has stopped eating the donuts and has started to drink black coffee, just like Mary.
B/W Eli: Her heart is as piercingly bitter as her coffee.
Eli nocks on Rick's door and Rick raises his head and gestures his hand for Eli to enter the room. Eli places the coffee on the table and places 2 donuts on a plate even though he is sure they won't get eaten.
"Thanks E," Rick smiles as he takes a sip of coffee and then makes a sigh of relief. "I needed that."
"You used to hate black coffee. You used to wince whenever you had it."
"Well, when you're as old as me, you need that extra strong kick-start in the morning."
"That's crap, Dad," Eli blurts out and Rick looks at him in shock.
B/W Rick: He used to be this little boy. (sad smile and looks into the distance)
"Eli?"
"Ever since she showed up," Eli shakes his head towards Mary's office, "you've been acting weird. Drinking black coffee, not eating your donuts, wearing smarter looking suits..."
"Eli..." Rick tries to interrupt him.
"And you're staying here later and later with Mary, while Lilly is stuck at home feeling like shit."
"Eli..." Rick tries again.
"If you do anything to ruin this family, you will be sorry," Eli mutters fiercely.
Rick sighs.
"E, I promise you, I would never destroy this family."
"You better not, Rick,"
Shock crosses over his face as he hears his son call him by his name.
B/W Rick: He has finally grown up. (proud look and looks up at the camera)
"I promise," Rick humbly replies.
Eli nods and turns to leave the room.
"You're a good man, Eli. I'm proud of you."
"I wish I could say the same about you," Eli replies and leaves the room.
B/W Rick: And it seems like I'm now the little boy. (frowns and looks down at his hand in his lap)
Rick takes a sip of his coffee and finds himself wincing.
Jessie picks up her books from her desk and leaves the classroom. When she reaches her locker she finds Katie waiting for her and she takes in a deep breath.
B/W Jessie: I still get butterflies whenever I see her. (sad smile)
"Jessie..." Katie whispers and she tries to reach out hr hand to take hold of Jessie's arm but Jessie moves back quickly and looks down at the floor.
"What do you want?" Jessie asks quietly.
"Nothing...everything...I don't know," sighs Katie and then she straightens up her posture and blurts out, "No, I know what I want. I want you back."
Jessie looks up at Katie and starts to smile.
B/W Jessie: I thought after the way I treated her she would never speak to me again. (bites her lip)
"Even if I wanted to get back together you it still couldn't happen," Jessie frowns.
"But why?" Katie pleads, "I need you."
Jessie forces herself from grabbing Katie right there and then and turns to face her locker.
"You'll thank me one day, Katie," she murmurs and as she starts to walk off, she feels a tear run down her cheek.
Katie stands still, shocked and tears start to spill down her cheeks.
Grace is sitting outside on the grass, munching on a sandwich and going over her script. Suddenly, her mobile phone rings and she picks up.
"Eli, what's wrong?" she asks with concern.
"Why should something be wrong, babe?"
"Because the only times you call me during the day is when something is wrong."
"You know me too well," he chuckles as he switches the phone to the other ear.
"Well, I have been sleeping with you for nearly a..." Grace gasps.
B/W Grace: It's been the most amazingly, surreal year of my life. (small smile)
"What is it?"
"It's nearly a year, E."
"You think I didn't know that? And I thought you knew me so well!" he declares with surprise.
"You better do something special, mister."
"You know I will, babe," he reassures her.
They both chuckle softly.
"Anyway, what's the problem?"
"Oh, it doesn't matter," he shrugs.
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure, babe."
"Oh, ok. Well, I should get ready for my next class."
"Cool. Speak to you late."
"I love you!"
"Love you too, babe," Eli smiles.
B/W Eli: How can I stay in a bad mood when I have her cheering me up? (smiles)
Eli hangs up the phone and takes a gulp of coffee.
