Grace closed the fridge door, coke in hand, and headed into the lounge room where Jessie and Katie were sitting, watching t.v.
"You staying the night Katie?" Grace asked, and Katie turned to look at her.
"I don't know, are you?" Katie asked, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
Grace rolled her eyes and stared at Jessie, who had a smile on her face; "can you keep anything secret?" Grace growled, and took a seat on the armchair opposite them.
"I don't know, I have work tonight" Grace replied to Katie, and opened her coke, taking a small sip.
"Am I staying the night?" Katie turned to Jessie, who shrugged "If you want" she replied.
"Don't get overly excited by the idea Jess!" Katie said, and poked her gently in the stomach.
Jessie laughed out "Ok, yes you can stay!" she said.
Katie poked her again "say it like you mean it" she giggled, poking her more and more.
Jessie let out a laugh "Oh please, please, please Katie! Stay the night, if you don't I will DIE!" Jessie managed to croak out, and Katie stopped poking.
"Ok" she smiled, and sat back to watch Jerry Springer on t.v.
"You know what would be a really good theme for this show" Grace began, and Jessie and Katie both turned to look at her.
Grace took another sip from her coke "-stepsiblings in love" she said, seriously.
Jessie and Katie were silent for a moment, suppressing their laughter, but once they made a sideways glance at one another, they were in hysterics.
Grace only smiled as she watched the two of them trail off in bundles of laughter.
And that's when she was suddenly hit with one of the most brilliant ideas she'd ever had.
"Hey, Katie-" Grace began, and Katie managed to control her giggles to look over at Grace.
"Yeah" She croaked out, pausing her laughter.
"You don't have a job, do you?" Grace asked, and Katie shook her head.
"Want one?" Grace asked……….
GRACE it's time I got things sorted out.
Grace bounced into her father's office, a smile on her face.
"Hey honey! How's you're shift going" Jake asked, motioning for her to take a seat in the chair on the other side of his desk.
"Fine, ends in half an hour" Grace replied.
"Good, good- hope I'm not working you too hard" Jake said, and began shuffling through some papers.
"No, I'm glad for the money" Grace said happily, and there was silence for a moment.
Jake looked up at his beaming daughter "did you want something darling?" he asked.
Grace nodded "Actually, there was something-" Grace began, and Jake nodded for her to go on; "-Well, one of my close friends- who is a smart, committed, lovely girl really needs a job…..and I was thinking, about how much you wanted to fire Elle, because she is so completely incompetent…….."Grace glanced up at her father, who was listening closely.
"…….Well, I told her I'd put in a good word for her" Grace ended.
"Well" Jake sat back in his chair " Elle isn't a good worker, but what's so special about-" Jake left a pause for Grace to fill in with a name.
"Katie!" Grace answered, "Well, she is really smart. A lovely, polite young lady, loyal too. She won't give you a hard time, and if you don't like her I promise I will ask around at school and find someone else until you find the PERFECT waitress!" Grace smiled sweetly.
Jake made a deep sigh, and rubbed his brow, leaving a mountain of silence.
Grace shifted uncomfortably in her chair as she awaited her father's decision.
"Ahhhhh" Jake sighed again "ok!" he threw his hands in the air, defeated by his daughters tempting suggestion and charm.
"Really?" Grace beamed.
"Really!" Jake replied, smiling back- he hadn't seen Grace so happy.
JAKE she must really be over this, Eli, fella!
"I'll call Elle in here after her shift tonight-" Jake began, but Grace cut in.
"If you don't mind daddy," she said, standing up "-Elle and I have become so close over these past few weeks, and I think it'd be best if I told her the bad news" she ended.
Jake opened his mouth to protest, but Grace cut in quickly.
"Daddy! I promise I will let her down gently. Some things are best heard from close friends. No doubt she'll be devastated, and I can be there to comfort her!" Grace smiled sweetly, and Jake could only nod, knowing he couldn't change her mind.
"Thankyou so much" Grace bounced back out of her father's office, overwhelmed with revenge!
"If she's you're friend……..why do you want her fired?" Jake asked himself once Grace left, scratching his head.
10:00, closing time for the restaurant, Jake was in his office going over the books and the rest of the staff were crowding in the kitchen, talking amongst themselves, waiting for Jake to come out with their pay-checks.
Grace took a deep breath, and opened the swing-doors to the kitchen- all conversation stopped.
"Oh" Elle whispered to Andrea who was sitting next to her "this should be interesting", Andrea nodded in agreement.
Grace scanned the faces, and saw Elle's black hair towards the back of the pack, sitting with Andrea.
"Elle!" Grace said solemnly, and walked towards where she was sitting.
Elle glared at her as she approached, feeling all eyes fall on them as Grace stood in front of her.
"I have some terrible news" Grace proclaimed, still keeping a glum tone in her voice, but not making any effort to keep her tone at a whisper.
"What is it? You're stepsister turn you down this time?" Elle laughed, and the rest of the staff joined in.
GRACE make it all the sweeter!
Grace waited for the irritating noise to die down "excuse me?" Grace acted dumb about her remark "oh err, no" she began, and leaned in closer to Elle, but didn't hush her voice.
"I'm afraid we're going to have to let you go" Grace said, and shrugged her shoulders with dismay.
"What?" Elle said, feeling all the eyes on her.
"Well you see-" Grace landed a heavy hand on Elle's shoulder "-you're 'disease' is interfering with you're work" Grace said, and she heard as whispers began.
Elle laughed out, and shrugged Grace's hand from her shoulder "What goddam disease?" Elle hissed.
"Come on Elle, no point in lying about THIS too" Grace shook her head gravely.
Elle stared at her blankly, waiting for the dagger to fall.
"You're a compulsive liar Elle, and it is interfering with you're work!" Grace said the words as though it was the hardest thing she had ever had to proclaim, but she ravished in the sound of more whispers!
"Is that what you told daddy? Just because you cant hack it when someone let's the truth out about you're dirty little affair!" Elle spat back.
Grace mocked stun "What 'dirty little affair'?" she asked, shocked.
Andrea stepped forward "she told us that you and you're stepbrother were dating!" Andrea explained, and Grace dropped her jaw "and that you were carrying his child, until you had an abortion!" Andrea added, and whispers began again.
"I am not a compulsive liar! Grace DOES have a thing going with her stepbrother- I MET HIM!" Elle practically screamed.
"And you all believed her" Grace turned around; looking at the grave faces that stared back at her "well, I rest my case" Grace spun back around and stared at Elle.
"This 'disorder' or 'disease'- what ever you want to call it, it's interfering with you're work and that's why you-are-fired!" Grace smiled sweetly.
Everyone began whispering again, and Elle heard a few people say;
"I knew it wasn't true!"
"What a bitch!"
"She is totally screwed up!"
Elle felt her face redden; "you will receive you're final paycheck in the mail" Grace added, and smiled.
Elle stared at her, fury in her eyes, "FINE!" she spat back. And headed for the door, still feeling everyone's eyes burning a hole into her!
GRACE kick em' when they're down!
"Grace, I am so sorry" Andrea stepped forward, and Grace turned to look at her.
"You all believed her?" Grace crossed her arms, and stared at everyone in the kitchen, who all wore solemn, guilty faces.
"Well-" Damien stepped forward, and began to explain, but Grace raised a hand and silenced him "No, no- let's just forget this ever happened" Grace said, and flipped her hair to one side, turned and walked out the door- leaving everyone in complete, guilty, silence.
GRACE revenge is so sweet n' juicy!
Eli opened the door to his apartment, glad to be home- not that he was used to calling his dingy apartment home just yet!
It was 10:30, and after a long day at work, and dropping off demo tapes at atleast a hundred café's and bars……he was completely drained!
He stumbled over to his answering machine, and pressed the button as messages began to play.
"Eli, it's you're father here. Just checking to see that you're all right. Gimme a call, let me know if you need cash, food---bye" BEEP!
"ELI! Kevin here—thanks for dropping off the equipment today! Just ringing to say thanks for not breaking anything, and to see if you wanna hang sometimes. Gimme a buzz, check ya later!" BEEP!
"Gee, what a surprise- YOUR OUT- Again! Call you're little sis back sometime soon, ok E? You know you love me………" BEEP!
"Eli Sammler? This is Geoff Morris from 'blue collar' records. We received you're demo tape, and were quite impressed, we'd like to see you some time soon, if that's at all possible. Give us a call back on 8973-9457, and arrange an appointment. Hope to see you soon" BEEP!
Eli couldn't move. He literally couldn't move- he felt his heart beating, his breaths quicken—but he couldn't move his body- it was as though he was set in stone!
And suddenly, after what seemed like a lifetime, he walked back over to the machine, and rewound the tape.
"Eli Sammler? This is Geoff Morris from 'blue collar' records. We received you're demo tape, and were quite impressed, we'd like to see you some time soon, if that's at all possible. Give us a call back on 8973-9457, and arrange an appointment. Hope to see you soon" BEEP!
Eli held his breath, feeling as something got caught in his throat—
"HELL YEAH!" he bellowed, and he suddenly felt his entire body tingle, as though a million needles were pricking him all over- he suddenly felt alive and enthused—all his dreams were coming true!
ELI well, all except one.
AUTHORS NOTE:
Ok, this wasn't my best writing.
I know Grace's revenge on Elle kinda sucked, but it was the only idea that came to mind- and it was bugging me that Grace was still a victim- I wanted her to get her own back.
And, yes, very unbelievable about the whole 'big macho record exec' calling Eli- but I was just tying up a few loose ends in this chapter.
On a more important note, does anyone REALLY want this fic to wrap up sometime soon?
Hmmm….well, I tell you what- how about I just keep writing it, as best I can, and for as long as I see fit- and it will just end when it ends! That ok with everyone? Yeah? Good? GREAT!
Any complaints about the length of this fic, how boring it's become, how unbelievable and lame………you know what to do! Post a REVIEW! (Anyone else notice that rhymed? He he he)
Check back soon.
