Grace brought her plate into the kitchen where her mother stood over the sink; Lily turned to her daughter and smiled, taking the plate from her hand.

"You kids were quiet tonight" she commented in a light tone.

Grace looked down at her feet, "really?" she asked, uninterested.

"You're not fighting, are you?" Lily glanced at Grace.

"No………..we've just been really busy………..me and Jessie with school, and Eli with his job……….it's probably just wearing us all out" Grace drifted off.

"Hmmm………" Lily murmured in agreement as she scrubbed at the dishes.

"You want some help?" Grace asked, picking up the wash towel from the bench.

Lily turned to her daughter and smiled warmly, "No……….Rick can do that……….you go finish off some homework or something"

Grace nodded once and headed for the door, but turned and watched her mother for a moment longer.

Lily felt her daughters' presence still in the kitchen, she lifted her head and looked at her curiously "did you want to talk about something Gracie?" she asked, in a gentle tone.

GRACE I'm sorry that I'm being so selfish……….

Grace shook her head once, and took a few steps towards her mother; she leaned forward and pecked her on the cheek.

"What's that for?" Lily asked, trying to conceal her questioning tone.

Grace smiled, "Nothing…………." She said, and left the kitchen, leaving Lily with a small smile on her face.


"So you're mum liked the dress?" Rick looked over at his daughter, and broke a bread roll in half.

Jessie looked up from her plate, "yeah………." She replied, and bowed her head again.

Eli reached for his glass of water, and took a long gulp.

"And you're suit fits ok?" Rick asked his son.

Eli almost choked on the water, "Err……….fine" he said quickly.

Rick nodded, and continued to chew on his bread roll- the only sound filling the room now was the soft clanking of dishes in the kitchen.

RICK sometimes I feel so utterly detached from my children…………..

"Good, good" Rick murmured, looking down at his bare plate, trying to think of more to say.

RICK I'm only ever on the outside………..watching them from a distance as they grow into these………….adults…………..these amazing adults living out these extraordinary lives………….that I can only ever watch from a distance.

"So……….3 more sleeps………." Rick sighed, looking to Jessie again.

She didn't reply to his reminder about the birthday party she didn't want, instead she turned to him, forced a smile and nodded once.

Then pushed her chair out from the table.

"I'm finished," she declared, walking hastily into the kitchen.

Eli did the same, noisily pushing his chair out and following Jessie into the kitchen with his plate.

Now, only Rick was left at the massive, deserted table.

He sighed and broke another bread roll in half.

RICK that was a long time ago now…………I can hardly remember it………….it seems more like a movie………..one that, I cant quite remember the story line………..but I know it was a good……….and I know I enjoyed it.


"Jessie!" Eli whispered harshly, as he followed her up the stairs.

"I don't want to talk to you right now Eli!" she replied.

"Jess, please!" he begged as they got to the top of the stairs.

"No!" she said firmly, walking into her room and slamming the door behind her.

Eli sighed and ran a hand through his hair, turning, he looked at Grace's closed door, and walked towards it.

He was about to raise is hand and knock, but hesitated, remembering Grace's words earlier "I want to be alone………."

He sighed, and headed back down the stairs.


Jessie lay on her bed, staring up at the ceiling, listening as the footsteps climbed her staircase.

Eventually they stopped climbing, and Jessie sat up slightly.

"Hey" Grace said, quietly.

Jessie didn't say anything, only continued to stare at her.

"Can we talk?" Grace asked, when Jessie remained silent.

Jessie shrugged, and watched as Grace walked over to the wicker chair beside her bed, and sat down tentatively.

"So………..your pretty angry……….." Grace said after the longest time.

Jessie huffed and allowed her head to fall back onto her pillow; she wasn't going to make any of this easy for Grace.

"That's understandable" Grace finally whispered, ignoring Jessie's heavy sigh.

"Jessie I'm sorry you think this is wrong………….." Grace finally sighed, allowing her tense shoulders to drop.

Jessie's head rolled to the side, and looked at Grace's tired face.

"I don't know how any of this happened……….. I think there's a part of me that still believes I'll wake up tomorrow and realize this was all a dream……….."

"Not a nightmare?" Jessie chimed in icily.

Grace sighed again, and leaned forward "Jessie please……….." she said, quietly.

"The thing is………….I don't know what's happening……….." Grace said softly, knowing that Jessie wouldn't interrupt her again.

"I have always had feeling for Eli…………..and I know you know that……….." Grace studied Jessie's face, but she wasn't going to show Grace anything.

"Before our parents got married………..I had the biggest crush on him……….but then Carla happened, and Mr. Dimitri……….. Our parents did get married, and I suppose I simply forgot about how I used to feel about him"

GRACE I forgot for the longest time.

"I simply put it down as a flimsy crush……….and I moved on. And when Ayden came along, I knew things were changing for me………in ways I could have never predicted. I was certain that I was falling for him, in a way I had never fallen for Eli."

Grace sighed as she thought of Ayden, but continued, none the less.

"I don't know why, but Eli realized his feelings for me, at the exact same time as I forgot mine for him, and started to develop strong feelings for Ayden. I didn't even see it coming; he was so far from my mind, I had no idea the feelings he had for me………….not until……….he kissed me……….."

"And you kissed him back?" Jessie prompted.

Grace nodded, and continued, "the thing was……….as much as I didn't want to feel it………..when Eli kissed me, I felt alive………as though everything was falling into place and I was getting what I had always wanted………….but then I remembered, I already had that……….in Ayden"

When Grace didn't go on, Jessie sat up and turned to look at her.

"And………." She insisted.

"And……….Eli and I didn't know what to do………. I tried avoiding him, but that doesn't really work when you live in the same house……….and……….. I suppose our feelings grew………..and then Ayden told me he loved me, and that was it……….I couldn't lie to him anymore and I told him there was someone else, someone I was confused about, and because of that confusion, I didn't think we should be together"

"And, here you are now?" Jessie asked.

Grace nodded again, "Today, I was in a weird place………word got out that I had cheated on Ayden, and I felt like everyone was against me……….Eli was there, and I turned to him for comfort in the worst possible way………." She sighed, and sat back in the big chair.

The room fell silent as Jessie ran Grace's words over in her mind.

"How do you feel about my brother, Grace?" she finally spoke.

Grace's eyes lifted, and studied Jessie's soft face.

"I don't know……….I don't know anything anymore. I mean, on the one hand I have always had feeling for Eli……….but on the other………I feel so strongly about Ayden………."

Jessie nodded slowly, "does Ayden know its Eli?"

Grace shook her head, "no, he didn't ask………. I don't think he wants to purposely hurt himself anymore than I already have……….and personally, I'm glad to not tell him"

"Your going to have to eventually………and Lily, and dad……….and, everybody!" Jessie stated, firmly.

"I know, I know!" Grace sighed, feeling her eyes prick.

Jessie looked away for a moment, and then whispered, "I don't want to judge you and Eli"

Grace looked up, her brow creased as she listed to Jessie continue.

"I don't want to hate you both, for following you're feelings and trying to work things out………..that's all understandable…………but at the same time, I don't want the family to be hurt"

"Neither do we!" Grace exclaimed.

Jessie nodded slowly, "If it helps………just know that I'm here for both of you………." She said, in a whisper.

Grace didn't say anything, only leaned forward, and wrapped her arms around Jessie's small body, holding her tightly.

"Thankyou" she whispered.