A.N. – Ack, no, Chloe does not have sisters. I meant to write brothers. Don't know how I missed that.

Almost every day, usually around the time Lillian got home, Eli felt the need to go off on a walk. He soon found the best place for it was along the path of a nearby park, amidst the swaying palms, the sea breeze blowing on him, the sight of the sun setting over the ocean and the intoxicating sent of beach sand. One day, he ran into Faith Diaz here, walking in the opposite direction. He tried to get rid of her, but Faith turned around and started walking the same way as him. He told her that he had made a habit of walking here, by himself (those last two words emphasized) and hoped she understood.

It was very frustrating when Eli ran into her in the same spot the next day, and even more so when it happened again the day after that. The third day was especially annoying, as Faith suddenly seemed in the mood of talking (though not in any way that made sense).

"You like it here, don't you?" she said. "I mean, you like the scenery, the environment. You'd like to come back?"

"Yes, it's very nice…"

"I guess you don't really like who you have to stay with, since I always see you alone here?"

"I like them. But if I don't get away occasionally, that may change."

"I know you didn't really think your friend and his fiancée are a good match, but they are happy together, aren't they?"

"As happy as they can hope to be, I guess."

"I know you don't like Mr. Anderson, but I'm sure you'll get used to him. You'll have to, if you want to come back here."

"I don't…"

"I mean, once you get to know each other better, I'm sure you'll get along. You aren't as different as you think. Well, you'll have to learn to get along with him."

Eli had no idea how to respond to that. He just nodded and ranked his mind to understand what she was getting at. Then it struck him, maybe she was thinking of him and Grace. Well that would be weird. He hadn't even made a move on her, and Faith was talking about how he'd have to get along with her family! He quickly told her he had to be going.

Eli probably would not have hazarded a fourth venture in the same spot, except that that afternoon he had called home. Jacob sounded miserable, as much as he tried to disguise it. Eli could not handle sitting still when he was worried. As it happened, he did run into a woman on the park again, but this time it was Grace Griffin. However, Grace caught up with him from behind. They were already walking the same way.

"Eli! How are you? I was just on a stroll. Faith's been moody all day."

"She can get moodier?"

Grace giggled. "Are you going up ahead much further? I think I'm going until we reach Eleventh."

Eli had planned to only go on for a few more minutes and turn around back home. "Yeah, I'm heading that way."

"So, will you really be leaving after New Years?" said Eli. "I'll be here about a week after that."

"Yeah, we have to get going," said Grace. "We were supposed to leave the day after Christmas, but Faith decided she wanted to stay here a while longer."

"Oh, is that so? Well, I guess Faith always gets her way."

"Yes, she does. But we all would if we could, wouldn't we? We just don't all have the money. Yes, even me, Eli. Don't think my side of the family are rolling in it like Faith's."

"Maybe not, but I somehow doubt you badly off the way you are. I'm sure you always manage a way to get what you'd like." Eli looked at her, hoping she would look back.

"I don't ask for much out of life," she said. "Except…friendship. I value a good friend, like you, above everything else."

Eli understood. He appreciated the way she had said it, and like her, felt no need to pursue that line of conversation. He held nothing against her.

"It's so lonely, Christmas away from your family. How do you manage it?"

"I guess my family was never that close, to be honest," said Grace. "It's one of the reasons I put such a good price on friends. Faith's not like that. I can feel how much she misses her brother every time she talks about him."

"And what kind of person is he, Angel Diaz? Is he as spoiled as his big sister? I bet he's a big troublemaker?"

"No. Not even close. Please don't talk about him like that."

Grace seemed more serious than he had ever seen her. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't. I mean, everything I've heard about him has been nice. I mean, Carter Brown always had something good to say. You know him, don't you?"

"Yeah, a bit. His sister is a saint. I adore her. She and Faith are like sisters."

"Oh yeah, Faith just loves her to pieces." Eli rolled his eyes. "She's convenient for Faith to have around. She'll do whatever she's told."

Grace chuckled. "Yes, that does sound like her. Can you keep a secret? Well, Chloe Brown is very close to my brother. I think he has a thing for her. Well, we owe it all to Faith."

"What?"

"Well, she didn't give me many details, but basically, Faith helped Chloe get over some creep she was obsessed with. Yeah, Chloe couldn't stop thinking about this loser, but Faith finally got through to her and convinced her to leave him and forget all about him, and told her she should give my brother a chance instead."

Eli could barely control the emotions that were rising in him. He couldn't dare say anything right then.

"Is something wrong?" asked Grace.

"Who does Faith think she is? Who is she to interfere in her friend's life?"

"You think she was too meddlesome?"

"I don't think it's fair to be judging someone else's heart!" said Eli. He had to keep cool. "But, I guess I don't know the details. Did she say if Chloe and this guy really cared about each other?"

"All Faith told me was exactly what I just told you," she said. "But I have a feeling Faith would feel more accomplished if she managed to tear apart true love."

It was a joke. Eli knew that. But it sounded too much like Faith for Eli to let it go. He couldn't stay here. "I'm sorry, I suddenly don't feel well. Go on without me. I'm going."

Without another word he was doubling back toward the cabin. He ran directly to his room, slammed the door the fell back on the bed. He could think of nothing but Faith. That arrogant, selfish, heartless woman! All this time he thought Carter was the one holding Chloe back, but no. It was Faith who talked Chloe out of Jacob, Faith her convinced her to leave Toronto, Faith her pushed her toward Daniel. All Carter did was enforce what Faith had created! Faith, responsible for breaking the heart of his brother, the most loving and kind man who had ever met!

All he could think of were the words Grace used, the way Faith had described Jacob to her! "Loser", "creep"! Why? Because they didn't have families with huge beach houses on a guarded island, or wasn't a doctor, and didn't travel enough? Because their parents weren't wealthy, and they had no 'connections', and Jacob just didn't meet all those damn impossible standards she had. He remembered all the traits Faith demanded a man must have, at that party so many months ago. And Chloe was satisfied with Jacob as he was, but Faith wasn't, and she kept attacking Jacob until Chloe gave up!

And he thought of the words she had used against him, the first night he ever saw her, when she thought he couldn't hear. That was Faith. That was every spoiled, rich, clueless bitch in the world! Nothing mattered to them that wasn't material, that couldn't be bought or seen or flaunted! They had no emotions, no thoughts beyond themselves, no sympathy or humanity in them at all!