"Where have you two been?" Lily asked, as she heard Eli and Grace come in through the front door.

Lily wiped her hands on a tea towel and spun around to face them as they stood in the kitchen doorway.

Eli shrugged carelessly and headed to the bench, where a bowl sat with fresh cake mix, he dipped his finger in and brought it to his mouth.

Lily watched him carefully, slapping his hand away when he went back for a second helping.

"Well? Where have you been all morning?" she asked again, looking from Eli, who stood beside her, to Grace, who was still standing by the door.

"Well….we went for breakfast at the restaurant by our motel….and….there was a little wait for a table…." Grace said, a little uneasily.

Lily looked to her daughter, "you could have had breakfast here!" she declared, raising an eyebrow.

Eli looked at Grace, who quickly made eye contact with him as he mouthed the words 'good-cover!'

"Yeah…but…you look as though you've been really busy this morning!" Grace said, clearing her throat, and motioning to the fairly disgraceful kitchen.

Lily turned around, and grimaced at the mess, "hmmmm" she murmured, "Aunt Susie mentioned last night that she felt like a chocolate cake….so I started baking this morning…after she mentioned it during breakfast again…." Lily said, sighing, and rubbing her forehead.

Eli gave a small nod, "Yes….Aunt Susie and her chocolate cake fetish….used to drive mum crazy too…"

Lily sighed again and walked to the kitchen sink, throwing in a few plates and cups that were lying about the bench, "this house looks as though it's been hit by a bomb…." She muttered, as she started scrubbing.

Grace watched her mother for a moment, and then looked to Eli, who was looking questioningly at Grace, asking her what was wrong.

She gave a sad smile, and motioned towards the lounge room, asking him to leave.

He nodded, and walked to where she was standing, and, as he passed her through the door, his hand reached out and deliberately, softly, touched hers.

She smiled, and walked down to where her mother stood, washing. Grace reached out and lay a hand on Lily's shoulder, she didn't flinch.

"Mum….are you ok?" she asked, soothingly.

Lily said nothing, only gave a brisk nod and kept washing.

Grace looked down, at the dirty dishes in her mother's hands, as she dunked them beneath the grimy water.

"Mum…." She urged again, whispered this time.

LILY its hard….to keep going….some mornings I just want to roll over and never wake up…never have to feel (waves hands in small gestures)…empty…so….worthless?

Lily laughed her daughter's concern off, "Oh!" she muttered, letting the cup she held in her hand float to the bottom of the soapy water, "Jessie's wedding….its in 2 days!" she laughed, looking to Grace's sweet face, wanting to reach out and touch her daughter's soft cheek….but restraining herself.

"Things arr just a little….busy…its hard to keep up…." She finished; fishing around the sink for the cup she'd been cleaning.

Grace lowered her hand, but kept studying her mother's face; "have you been feeling ok?"

LILY (shakes head). When I had Zoe I thought; 'that's it! No more!'. I suppose I felt that way because of what Jake did….betrayed me the way he did after we'd had our second child….and then Rick came along …..we both just want something that's ours…(laughs)….oh….its hard to explain. But we both just so badly want a child….something of our own…..of our love….

Lily nodded lamely, and forced a smile; "just a mixture of anticipation and anxiety…that's all…. don't fuss…." She murmured, reaching for a tea towel to dry off a few of the plates.

Grace gave a small nod and forced a smile too, "why don't you leave this? I'll do it….you go and…sit down…take a nap…just relax for a while!"

Lily shook her head, "No….Susie's cake is still baking… I have to start lunch…Jessie needs me to go down and see the caterers today…."

Grace shushed her mother, forcibly taking the towel from her, "Mum….stop it, please? Just go upstairs and sleep for a while….I can do this, really!"

Lily was about to protest some more, but Grace's face was stern, and her eyes were kind, so she nodded and sighed, "ok…thankyou…" she murmured, rubbing a hand against her daughter's shoulder as she left the kitchen, "thankyou sweetie" she murmured again.

Grace nodded, and slowly started washing; running lukewarm water over the dishes, soap suds squelching between her fingers.

"Want some help?"

Grace didn't need to turn around, and gave a small smile and nodded, "thanks"

Eli stood beside her, dipping his hands into the sink, touching hers beneath the water, slipping together as they met while dunking plates and cups.

"Is Lily ok?" he asked after a moment.

Grace turned her head, and looked into his eyes, "I wish I knew…." She murmured, biting her bottom lip.

"Maybe it's just the wedding…"

"It shouldn't be causing her such anxiety….mum would normally love to help Jessie organize every little thing…."

"Maybe its just old age….?" Eli asked, cautiously.

Grace shrugged again, "I don't know….she wouldn't tell me…she wouldn't want to worry me…."

Eli searched beneath the soapsuds, and clasped Grace's hand; making her drop the cup she was washing, she continued to hold his gaze as he leaned in and kissed her, long and sweet, still holding her hand beneath the water.

When they pulled away, he held her gaze for a moment longer, their faces still close together, their hands still holding; "are you ok?" he asked this time, with a deep concern in his brow.

Grace didn't say anything for a moment; she looked into his green eyes, and allowed a soft sigh to escape her lips; "this feels surreal…." She whispered.

Eli gave a small smile, and squeezed her slippery hand, "it does…." He agreed in a murmur.

Their faces still close, Grace frowned sadly; "what's going to happen when this wedding is over….and this all has to end?"

Eli continued to play a sincere, warming smile across his lips, "we'll jump that hurdle when we come to it…" he whispered.

"When we come to it…in 2 days?" Grace asked, quietly, sadly.

Eli nodded, "until then…" he started, and brought his lips close to hers, "….I'm going to kiss you as often as possible…." He finished, colliding into her lips passionately.

"Lily? I'm back!" Came a shout from the front door.

Eli and Grace pulled away quickly, Eli taking his hands out of the sink and drying them with a tea towel.

"Where's you're mother?" Rick asked, standing in the kitchen doorway.

Grace looked up and gave a small smile, "upstairs….taking a little nap…."

Rick nodded, "oh ok….." he mumbled, looking to his son, who stood a few metres from Grace, standing a little awkwardly in the centre of the kitchen, "what are you kids doing tonight?" Rick asked.

Grace and Eli exchanged an anxious glance, remembering that they were going to take Katie and Jessie out for a night on the town.

"Out…." Eli replied.

Rick nodded, "out?"

"With Katie and Jessie…a little night of fun…" Grace added.

Rick nodded again, "fine, fine….I'm going to see Lil…..have fun tonight!" he said, over his shoulder, heading for the stairs.


"Lil?"

"Hmmmm….."

Rick brushed a strand of hair from his sleeping wives face.

"Lily?" he murmured again.

"Hmmm….Rick?"

He smiled, "resting up?" he asked.

She smiled, eyes still closed, she gave a small nod.

"Good!" he whispered softly.

Rick stood to his feet, about to leave his wife's bedside, when she outstretched a hand a touched his arm, he stopped, and turned to her again.

"Lil?"

"Rick….when this is all over…." She started.

"Hmm?"

"Lets really try….for a baby….I don't care what the tests say…..lets try….ok?"

He nodded, solemnly, "but Lil…" he tried, about to break it to her slowly that it just couldn't be. They'd had this discussion many times before; Lily just couldn't seem to accept their bad luck.

"Lets adopt Rick…." She murmured wearily, sleepily.

He said nothing, too shocked to think of a few words for Lily's sake.

"Maybe….maybe…." was all he said, to calm her, and send her back into sleep.

"I love you…" she whispered lastly as Rick slinked out of the room, half a smile on his lips, by the prospect, the very real prospect….of a child….