How you liking it? I hope you do. Here goes the next chapter. Reviews would be appriciated, good or bad

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Joan entered the house, searching wildly for Luke. She saw him still sitting on the lounge with his head in his hands. She walked over and sat next to him. She put an affectionate arm around her younger brother.
"What happened?" she asked sympathetically.

Luke explained what had just happened. "But I didn't want to break up, just, I dunno, give each other a bit of space. I mean school is so demanding at the moment. She didn't wait for me to explain. I think I've just stuffed up big time!"

Joan raised an eyebrow and said "You should NEVER tell a girl you want to 'cool it'. You may as well say: let's break up! Seriously Luke, you should know that."

Luke looked up at his sister, and he suddenly comprehended what he had done. After cursing at himself for a while, he begged Joan to talk to Grace.

"She'll talk to you. You're her best friend!" pleaded a desperate Luke.

"I can try, but I guarantee nothing. You should be the one doing the talking"

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" said Luke with a truly thankful voice

That night, Joan entered her best friends number into the phone number. She knew it off by heart now.

It took seven rings for Grace to pick up.

Grace: Hello?
Joan: Grace is that you

Grace sounded as though she had been crying.

Grace: Yeah it's me. And please don't tell me you rang for your brother.
Joan: Well… Grace: I knew he wouldn't face me. Wimp.
Joan: I only rang because he didn't want to break up.
Grace: Well I did!

Joan was taken by surprise.

Joan: You…you did?
Grace: Yeah. I was actually going to break up with him on Monday. He just beat me to it.
Joan: Oh, ok… Grace: What did he set you up to do? Win me back? Hurt me more? Well?
Joan: No nothing like that… Grace: Ok, then why are we having this conversation?
Joan: I don't know.

Grace sighed.

Grace: Well ok. I gotta go cook tea. See you on Monday Girardi.

And the next thing Joan knew, she could hear the steady beep, signaling that Grace had hung up.

Joan looked up at Luke who was waiting eagerly at the door. She just shook her head sympathetically.