The next day, after Lillian went to work, Chase and Samuel decided to go to downtown Miami and check out the shopping there. Eli decided to pass on this, as it sounded boring as hell, instead he stayed home. He was lying on the couch, just finishing his book, and debating whether to call home, when he heard a knock at the door. Wondering why Chase had returned so soon, he opened the door, but instead found only Faith Diaz standing there.

"Oh," said Eli, taken aback. "Do you need something?"

"Hello," she said. "No, no. I just wanted to come by and visit. Are there others here?"

"No. They all left. It's just me."

"Oh," she said. "I was just hoping to, um…could I hang out for a bit?"

"Um" said Eli, "I guess…"

Eli opened the screen door and let Faith enter. She followed him to the couch, just feet from the entrance, and they both sat.

"So, is everything, um, good?" said Eli.

"Oh, yes." Faith sighed. "And is everything good with you?"

"Yeah."

It was a bad sign when one could hear a clock ticking in a room on the other side of the house.

Eli and Faith looked at each other, waited to see if either would start talking, then quickly looked away. Then Eli thought of something.

"So how are Chloe and her sisters? I haven't seen them in so long."

"Oh, they're fine. Great. Good."

Eli waited to see if she had anything for to add. When it became clear she didn't, he said, "I hear Chloe isn't planning on going back to Toronto."

"I really don't know," said Faith. "But she has a lot of other projects taking place away from there. There's not much reason to go back."

It annoyed Eli how triumphant Faith sounded to him. And why should he bother about making conversation with her, when she invited herself, and didn't have anything to say. No. Eli determined to stay quiet unless she made him talk.

"So," said Faith, finally, taking the hint, "this is a nice little place here. Caleb really praises Lillian's dedication."

"The feeling is entirely mutual."

"So, she's getting married to your friend Chase?"

"Yes. I can't say I really think it's a dream match, but I guess if they're both satisfied I really shouldn't get involved. The only thing I wonder about is where they'll end up living. Somehow, I doubt Lillian will give up her job for him, so I'll guess they'll have to settle in the States. It's too bad he'll end up leaving his family and friends with her."

"Well, he won't be going that far," said Faith.

"Not that far? He's going to another country!"

"Yes, but it's near the border, you can drive across and a plane ride is only a few hours…"

"Oh yeah, and I guess for those with unlimited resources they don't have to work for, that's just a stroll down the street."

"I think you're just not into the idea of being far from where you grew up. But you don't really think that people should never get together with someone they like if they live too far away, do you?"

He saw her red lips curl into a sly smile. Why did she do that? Was she thinking about Chloe and Jacob?

"Well," answered Eli, "it's a different situation if the two really care about each other, and are willing to compromise, and have enough money to make travelling convenient. That just isn't the case, I think, with Lillian and Chase. After all, I guess, a guy doesn't necessarily want to be too close to his family once he's married."

"And I'm sure you feel that way too," said Faith. She moved slightly closer toward him. "You don't want to spend the rest of your life in Toronto."

Eli, very confused by what she meant, just stared at her. Suddenly, Faith turned away, look down on the floor, ran her fingers through her hair and looked at the book still on the couch's arm. "Are you having a good vacation?"

"Yes, it's great."

They only had to endure a few more minutes of forced conversation, when Samuel and Chase entered.

"Oh," said a wondering Chase, looking at the scene. "I hope we weren't interrupting anything…"

"Oh, no, I just stopped by, wanted to say hello," said Faith. "I, well, I better be going. Bye."

Faith hurried out of the cabin. "What was that?" said Chase, with a huge grin on his face.

"I have no idea."

"Don't you see!" said Chase. "She likes you!"

"What!"

"That's gotta be it! Why would she come down here to see you? She likes you, Eli!"

"No, no, no," he said, though part of him wanted to believe that was possible. "She doesn't. Trust me. I happen to know for a fact what she really thinks of me. She's not interested in me, at all."

Chase was not at first convinced. He had noticed things Eli hadn't, like how Faith stared at him so intently whenever they were together. But as the days passed, it became harder to really believe it. The fact was, the beach area around December was not very exciting, and one had to find entertainment somewhere, and why not with a group of guys you already know?

Grace came to visit them as often as Faith. Sometimes they came together, sometimes apart. Sometimes they were honoured with invitations to Mr. Anderson's house. Grace obviously liked their company, nobody could be bothered by her. Eli especially liked her. She reminded him in so many ways of Genesis, although Genesis was far more beautiful. Grace, maybe, was funnier and more intelligent.

But why did Faith come? Nobody understood it. She obviously did not enjoy the company, because sometimes she'd pass time minutes without opening her mouth, and when she did speak, it always came out like she was being forced to do so. From what Grace told them, Faith could be very different in private. Chase wondered if it was love that made her shy around them. Even when she stared at Eli, it did not look like the gaze of an enamoured young woman. It was hard, cold, emotionless. Eventually Chase wondered if she was even staring, if she wasn't just looking blankly into space, thinking of other things altogether.

Chase began to look at Grace as the one Eli should go after, and he hardly had to push to get the two of them together almost every day.