Grace and Eli approached the front door, their hands still locked, and their breaths still calm and slow.

Grace waited for Eli to knock, and Eli waited for Grace to do the same.

"Go on" Grace urged, squeezing his hand.

He looked down at her and smiled, then turned back to the door, outstretching his arm, about to knock.

"Oh- wait" Grace said before he could tap on the door.

He looked over at her, and watched as she wrestled the engagement ring off her finger, and placed it safely in the pocket of her coat.

"Ready?" he asked; and Grace replied with a slow nod.

He tapped once, and was about to again, but once seemed to be enough- as he heard footsteps running towards the door- he guessed it was Jessie.

The door flung open, and, sure enough, Jessie's beaming face met them.

Eli didn't say a word; instead, he thrust her into his arms, and they shared a long embrace, all with no words being exchanged.

A moment later, Lily appeared, and once she saw Grace before her, she quickened her pace as she approached the door.

"Mummy" Grace croaked, finding her voice as Lily's smile widened.

"Grace- baby!" Lily replied, opening her arms.

Grace pushed past Eli and Jessie, who were now separated and watching as Grace ran safely into her mother's arms.

Eli smiled faintly, and swung an arm around Jessie's shoulders.

She'd grown so much, her head was now at his chest- and he guessed a lot more than just her height had changed…….and he was dying to hear all about it!

Grace pulled away from her mother, and Lily whisked away the loose strands of hair covering Grace's face- so she could get a good look at her daughter.

"I have missed you!" Lily whispered, tears beginning to fall from her eyes.

Grace rolled her eyes, thumbing away her own tears that were beginning to fall from her own eyes.

"I missed you too," she croaked.

"Where's dad?" Eli asked; both Lily and Grace turned to look at him.

"And Zoe?" Grace added.

Lily let out a little laugh, brushing away the tears.

"Rick is out the back, gathering wood to make a fire. Karen and Jake will be coming over at 8:00 and Zoe is upstairs studying!" Lily managed to say in a breath.

Eli brushed past both women, and bolted towards the kitchen- desperate to see his father.

Grace decided not to follow, and instead, headed upstairs.


Eli pushed the back door open, and found Rick, gathering logs of wood in his arms.

"Dad!" Eli beamed.

Rick dropped the logs and looked up- a wide grin spreading like butter across his face as he saw his son.

"ELI!" he bellowed, opening his arms widely.

Eli walked tentatively into the embrace, and the two men shared a short, but meaningful embrace.

"Look at you!" Rick beamed, examining his son.

He'd grown a goatee again, and it made him look much more mature.

His clothes looked expensive, and stylish- adding to the masculine, independent man he'd so clearly become……….

RICK wow.

"Good to be home" Eli smiled as Rick draped an arm around his son's shoulders, and veered him back into the house.

"And where's Grace?" Rick asked, a little timidly.

Eli smiled "getting the welcome wagon" he chimed.

The men appeared in the lounge, and Lily greeted Eli.

"Come here you!" She beamed, holding him in a long hug- he could hear as she tried to stifle her tears of joy……….

"Thankyou" she whispered.

Eli pulled away from her, "for what?" he asked curiously.

Lily thumbed away the tears, and smiled slightly "for taking care of her" she whispered.

Eli nodded slightly, and noticed two figures walking down the staircase, Grace and Zoe.

"Hey Zoe!" Eli smiled.

"Hey Eli" she replied, a little half-heartedly- he guessed she'd gotten a little to used to the lack of siblings in the house.

Grace sided up next to Eli, and he slipped an arm automatically around her waist- everyone could see, from their stance and their general behaviour between each other, that they had grown closer than ever during the 3 months………….

"Well!" Lily decided to cover the awkward silence.

"Jake and Karen should be here soon……….and Judy…….." she smiled.

Nobody knew what else to say; so Eli took the silence in his stride.

"We have photos," he declared proudly.

Everybody acknowledged this information, and hurried into the lounge room, taking seats, preparing themselves for the long show and tell of photos and stories………….