So many questions
I need an answer
He's here. Eli's here. Why do I care? Why do I have a thousand butterflies doing flips in my stomach? I'm getting married and I am happy. Yes, I am happy...aren't I? Grace made her way down the walk to where Eli was parked. He was gripping the wheel and it looked to Grace like he was sick. Pale even. "Eli? Are you okay?" Grace asked.
Slowly, Eli turned his head and faced her. "Yeah Grace, I'm fine. Just a little weird being here and all. You know, after everything. I don't know, a long drive too. How are you? Wedding jitters?" Eli, what are you thinking asking a question like that? The last thing you want to talk about is this wedding. He let go of the wheel and got out of the car while waiting for an answer. He didn't realize the sight of her had taken the feeling out of his legs and laughed as he found himself having to lean against the car.
"Um, E, are you sure you're okay? It's quite a drive but it shouldn't have been that bad for you." Grace sounded concerned. Why should I sound concerned? I am getting married. I am getting married and dammit its not to Eli. Where'd that come from? He never wanted me anyway.
"I'm fine Grace, really. Nothings wrong. I guess my legs aren't cooperating after the drive. Must not have stretched enough when I got gas. Were you going somewhere? Or just out getting some air?" Eli was hoping she had last minute wedding stuff to do so he wouldn't have to be near her. This was simply too much for his heart right now. He wanted to find a bed and lay in it for a couple hours.
"I've got a couple errands to run. Wanna come with? Shouldn't take too long." Grace felt she had to ask even though she knew she wouldn't want to be so close to him right now. They hadn't seen one another in ages and she felt she should make the offer. Still, she couldn't handle being near him and she knew it.
"Nah, I'm gonna go in and catch up with everyone. The phone conversations and letters just aren't the same, ya know? There's something about face to face. Makes it real." Eli had begun to ramble and needed to stop before he gave his heart away and she saw right through him. He had to get away from her before he grabbed her and kissed her.
The door swung open. "Grace, can you run to the store and get some more milk and bread while you're out? I don't know how I forgot those two things. Thanks hon! Oh Eli! You're here!! Come on in! Wait, let me get your dad, we'll help you with your things. Rick! Rick..." Lily went inside and shut the door. The two looked at one another and could do nothing but laugh. "She's still the same isn't she? Face to face or over the phone, she will never change. Help me with my stuff. I only have a bag and my guitar." Eli said. Grace agreed and said, "You can't go anywhere without your guitar can you? Think you'll write anything new while you're here? Oh, um, I'd better go. Gotta get the milk and bread now too. Good luck! She's been waiting for you to get here!" Grace turned and walked toward her car before Eli was able to answer her questions. Questions she did not want the answer to. She got in, took a deep breath, and started the engine. It started up the same way her heart did the moment she saw Eli. She backed out of the driveway and with a wave to him she headed for the store.
Grace sighed. "Why is it they only play love songs on the radio? Don't other songs exist anymore? Ones about trees, flowers, birds, roads, lakes and I dunno, fish? No, they must play love songs when I'm getting married and happy with my life. Eli shows up again after all this time and I'm all nervous and I have butterflies flying around. I know I love Geoff and I'm marrying him and we are happy. So why do I continually find myself back here, playing the same games and asking the same rhetorical questions? Should Eli and I be the happy couple getting married? Oh Grace, get real. He never knew you existed. An almost kiss...a kiss on the cheek. Never a real kiss. Never a kiss to show my heart to him. Why did he fall so hard for Carla? What was it about her? Why Jennifer? Why any of them and why not me? Everyone always needed to tell me what Eli did, like I cared or needed to know. He can kiss some girl he just met while in a storage closet but he can't kiss me? Well, anywhere but on the cheek. He can easily kiss me on the cheek. So we're stepsiblings. That isn't blood and there would be nothing wrong with E and I together. We aren't even living under the same roof anymore and haven't for years. Why didn't anything happen when we did live here? Why am I such a complete and utter idiot? Why couldn't I just grab his shirt, pull him close, and kiss him instead of waiting an eternity for him to kiss me? No, nothing like that would happen to me. Not boring, non risk taking Grace. Love sucks. Jitters you ask Eli? Hell yes, I've got jitters, doubts and I've even got longings for the wrong man." Grace had finished her errands, got the milk and bread, and was driving around killing time so she wouldn't have to go back home and face Eli. "Face to face. He said it himself. Face to face is definitely more real. He is always so right."
I need an answer
He's here. Eli's here. Why do I care? Why do I have a thousand butterflies doing flips in my stomach? I'm getting married and I am happy. Yes, I am happy...aren't I? Grace made her way down the walk to where Eli was parked. He was gripping the wheel and it looked to Grace like he was sick. Pale even. "Eli? Are you okay?" Grace asked.
Slowly, Eli turned his head and faced her. "Yeah Grace, I'm fine. Just a little weird being here and all. You know, after everything. I don't know, a long drive too. How are you? Wedding jitters?" Eli, what are you thinking asking a question like that? The last thing you want to talk about is this wedding. He let go of the wheel and got out of the car while waiting for an answer. He didn't realize the sight of her had taken the feeling out of his legs and laughed as he found himself having to lean against the car.
"Um, E, are you sure you're okay? It's quite a drive but it shouldn't have been that bad for you." Grace sounded concerned. Why should I sound concerned? I am getting married. I am getting married and dammit its not to Eli. Where'd that come from? He never wanted me anyway.
"I'm fine Grace, really. Nothings wrong. I guess my legs aren't cooperating after the drive. Must not have stretched enough when I got gas. Were you going somewhere? Or just out getting some air?" Eli was hoping she had last minute wedding stuff to do so he wouldn't have to be near her. This was simply too much for his heart right now. He wanted to find a bed and lay in it for a couple hours.
"I've got a couple errands to run. Wanna come with? Shouldn't take too long." Grace felt she had to ask even though she knew she wouldn't want to be so close to him right now. They hadn't seen one another in ages and she felt she should make the offer. Still, she couldn't handle being near him and she knew it.
"Nah, I'm gonna go in and catch up with everyone. The phone conversations and letters just aren't the same, ya know? There's something about face to face. Makes it real." Eli had begun to ramble and needed to stop before he gave his heart away and she saw right through him. He had to get away from her before he grabbed her and kissed her.
The door swung open. "Grace, can you run to the store and get some more milk and bread while you're out? I don't know how I forgot those two things. Thanks hon! Oh Eli! You're here!! Come on in! Wait, let me get your dad, we'll help you with your things. Rick! Rick..." Lily went inside and shut the door. The two looked at one another and could do nothing but laugh. "She's still the same isn't she? Face to face or over the phone, she will never change. Help me with my stuff. I only have a bag and my guitar." Eli said. Grace agreed and said, "You can't go anywhere without your guitar can you? Think you'll write anything new while you're here? Oh, um, I'd better go. Gotta get the milk and bread now too. Good luck! She's been waiting for you to get here!" Grace turned and walked toward her car before Eli was able to answer her questions. Questions she did not want the answer to. She got in, took a deep breath, and started the engine. It started up the same way her heart did the moment she saw Eli. She backed out of the driveway and with a wave to him she headed for the store.
Grace sighed. "Why is it they only play love songs on the radio? Don't other songs exist anymore? Ones about trees, flowers, birds, roads, lakes and I dunno, fish? No, they must play love songs when I'm getting married and happy with my life. Eli shows up again after all this time and I'm all nervous and I have butterflies flying around. I know I love Geoff and I'm marrying him and we are happy. So why do I continually find myself back here, playing the same games and asking the same rhetorical questions? Should Eli and I be the happy couple getting married? Oh Grace, get real. He never knew you existed. An almost kiss...a kiss on the cheek. Never a real kiss. Never a kiss to show my heart to him. Why did he fall so hard for Carla? What was it about her? Why Jennifer? Why any of them and why not me? Everyone always needed to tell me what Eli did, like I cared or needed to know. He can kiss some girl he just met while in a storage closet but he can't kiss me? Well, anywhere but on the cheek. He can easily kiss me on the cheek. So we're stepsiblings. That isn't blood and there would be nothing wrong with E and I together. We aren't even living under the same roof anymore and haven't for years. Why didn't anything happen when we did live here? Why am I such a complete and utter idiot? Why couldn't I just grab his shirt, pull him close, and kiss him instead of waiting an eternity for him to kiss me? No, nothing like that would happen to me. Not boring, non risk taking Grace. Love sucks. Jitters you ask Eli? Hell yes, I've got jitters, doubts and I've even got longings for the wrong man." Grace had finished her errands, got the milk and bread, and was driving around killing time so she wouldn't have to go back home and face Eli. "Face to face. He said it himself. Face to face is definitely more real. He is always so right."