I start work tomorrow…I am so nervous! And there's nothing to do but write!

Holly had told Kori that she didn't want to be bothered. Kori didn't seem to notice. She was sitting in the chair in Holly's room reading a magazine and chatting away. "I thought your hair was pink yesterday…actually I'm pretty sure it was pink…not brown." Holly had to restrain herself from throwing a pen at Kori. "It was pink…I changed it." "Well why would you go and do a thing like that for?" Kori annoyingly asked. "I love change. Is that a good enough answer for you?" Kori popped her gum and placed the magazine back down on the table. "There's a party tonight…do you want to go?"

Holly glared up from her journal. "That's nice of you to ask me and all Kori, but I'm swamped…I have painting and writing to do." Kori got up and walked towards the door, hitting and knocking over Holly's empty suitcase. "You know I didn't even have to ask you to go. I was trying to be nice. Don't expect me to try to reach out anymore…" She walked out slamming the door. Holly went back to her journal. "My heart is really breaking."

Bridget had picked up Ella from Lena's house and had told her that she had a surprise for her. Making sure that they had enough clean clothes, Bridget and Ella got into the car and started driving. Ella turned on the radio and put it on her favorite station. "Mom, where exactly are you taking me?" Bridget was driving like a maniac. "Somewhere…just trust me on this one." Ella had been on many adventures with her mom, and she had tried to trust her on all of them…it hadn't worked. "Mom…" Bridget reached over and put her hand over Ella's open mouth. "I don't want to hear anything out of your mouth until we get to where we are going."

Ella woke up just as they were passing the New York City city-limits sign. She looked at her mom. "Are you serious? You finally caved and brought me to this place? I love you mom! Do Anna and Tibby know we're coming?" Bridget nodded her head as she maneuvered her car into a free parking spot. "Not really…but I'm sure it will be ok." Ella laughed at her mother. "I know which one it is mom…can I go on up?" Bridget agreed to let Ella go up, while she herself stayed downstairs in the lobby calling Tibby.

Anna was sitting in the living room watching a movie with Zach. Ella had been let in by one of the maids and had quietly made her way to where the living room had been pointed out. She saw Anna from where she now stood. She wanted to surprise her.

Anna felt something tickling her neck. She laughed. "Do you have to resort to tickling my neck Zach?" Zach showed Anna where his hand was. "It's not me!" A tad bit frightened, Anna slowly turned around. Ella was looking directly at her. "Holy, flipping, crap!" Anna screamed, using the term Ella herself had coined years ago. She jumped off the back of the couch and threw her arms around Ella. "What are you doing here?" Ella hugged her friend. "I don't really know…mom picked me up from Holly's…oh by the way…Holly is in Greece…Santorini...and you look damn sexy in those jeans baby!" Anna let go of her friend and led her over to the couch. "I talked to her yesterday…and thanks for the compliment. Where's Bridget?"

"I'm right here, and watch your language Ella." Bridget came walking in from around the corner. Zach turned his head when he saw her. Getting out of his seat, he ran to greet her. She gave him a hug. "Hey Zach! How's your dad?" "He's doing better…he's still in and out of the doctor's office a lot." Bridget sat down in one of the chairs and crossed her legs. "I just talked to your mom Anna…she said to make myself at home. Although I can tell that she's a little miffed that I didn't call beforehand." Anna sat back down next to Zach, and Ella sat down in the only empty seat left. "So…what is there to do around here?" Anna looked at her watch. "Zach and I are going to soccer practice in like ten minutes…Aunt Bee, are you going to want to come with us?" Bridget didn't even need to be asked. "I was going to go anyways…" She caught herself when she realized she had let that slip. "Oh so we're just coming to see Anna and Tibby, eh?" Ella mocked her mother.

Eric was talking to Nate, one of his players and Anna's partner, when he saw a figure walking down the bleachers towards him, with Anna and Zach. Eric thought he had seen Bridget. It did look like Bridget…he could remember what she had looked like that first summer, innocent and beautiful. (She was still beautiful, but not at all innocent.) The girl coming in his direction was the exact replica of Bee.

Eric snapped out of it when the three reached him. Zach sat down with Anna to put on their gear. Ella sat down on the row above them. Eric came over and stood in front of them. "You must be Ella." Eric said, reaching his hand out to shake Ella's. She was hesitant. "Yes…I'm Ella."

"You can get away from my daughter Eric. I mean I know you have this fascination with me…but please…you could go to jail." Bridget walked down the steps and sat down next to her daughter. "Ella…this would be Eric." Ella finally shook Eric's hand, which she had had a hold of for a few seconds. "I know Mom. I would recognize that smile anywhere…" Ella let herself get caught up in a whirlwind of daydreaming. Bridget hit her on the arm. "Snap out of it Ella!"

Eric looked at his watch and then looked out on the field. "It looks like everyone is here, so Anna and Zach why don't you guys go out on the field and tell everyone to start running. I'm going to be up here talking to Bridget." Anna and Zach obeyed, jumping off the edge and running towards the center of the field.

"So," Eric started as he turned to face Bridget and Ella again. "It's nice to see you here." Bridget pulled Ella closer to her and kissed her forehead. "I just wanted you to meet Ella…" She said. Eric leaned up against the railing and picked up the soccer ball. "And to see if you can still kick my butt in this game?" Bridget took her arm from around Ella and grabbed the ball. "You know me too well…let's go." Bridget looked back at Ella and winked at her. Ella grabbed her pen and paper from her book bag and began to write Esperanza a letter.

Esi girl, Andy called me…I think he got my number from your cell phone or something. At first I just thought he wanted to hear my voice…but I was wrong. How are you babe? You haven't called or written any of us since it happened. I'm just worried. I'm sitting here in New York City…Columbia University of all places. Anna and Zach are out there tearing up the field. (Along with Eric and my mom…and my mom seems to actually want Eric again…augh. Tell Carmeenabelle!) I wish I could be there to comfort you. Holly is in Greece. I'm sure you already know though…Andy probably called her too. I got an email though…it was funny. She said that Nic's daughter is annoying the crap out of her! I don't know what to say too you babes. If you need me, just call me. I'm keeping my phone on just for you.

Love you lots. Ella

Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional. M. Kathleen Casey

Esperanza paced back and forth outside Nevan's house. The memorial had just gotten done. She, Nicole, Andy, and Max had all been sitting outside on the steps. Nicole was sitting on the steps curled up, with her head lying on Andy's shoulder. Max had a hold of her hand. He let go and got up. "Esi, calm down. Do you want to go for a walk?" Esperanza nodded and let Max slip his arm around her shivering shoulders.

Max still didn't know what to say to Esperanza. And the fact that he liked her didn't make the situation any better. This was certainly bad timing, if there ever was such a moment. He pulled her in closer, as her bare shoulders kept shivering. "Are you ok?" He asked her. She shook her head. "I'll be fine. I'm just cold." "But its 89 degrees out and you don't have any sleeves…it's burning up!" Max exclaimed. She wrapped her arms around herself and tried to control the shivering. "I'm…fine…its just whenever I'm down or sad…or depressed…whatever you want to call it, I shake." "Oh," Max acknowledged. "Well I'm here if you want to talk."

Before they rounded the corner that led back to Nevan's house, Esperanza took a hold of Max's hand and squeezed it tightly. "He had told me that he had stopped using…the night before the party…" Max turned her around and pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry Esi…I'm real sorry." She let the tears come flowing out again. "All of this has just caused me pain…I was happy for awhile, but it didn't stay…he left and took it all with him."

So…Esi's part was kind of blah!(OK...reallyblah!)But tell me what you think! (I had to go buy a shirt for work today…it was horrible…but the guy behind the counter was worth giving a second look…or third…tenth…two hundred and sixty fouth…you know the drill!)

Rachel