Skye changed into dry jean shorts and a black T-shirt, before heading outside. She saw Jane and Iantha, get into the care and drive off toward town. She sat on the steps of the back porch with her head in her hands. Everything felt, confusing. Like she was looking through a kaleidoscope. She could make out shapes, but details were fuzzy. Behind her, she heard a small tapping sound. Skye turned to see Asimov tapping softly on the glass sliding door with his paw. She opened the door for him, but insisted on pulling him onto her lap. For a reason she never figured out, the cat comforted her.

"Oh Asimov, was it mean to kiss Jeffery? It didn't feel mean though. It felt-"

"Right?" Skye looked up to see Jeffery walking on the faint path up to the porch. He awkwardly ran a hand through his still wet hair; witch caused it to stick up in some places.

"Yeah." Skye sheepishly studied the floor. "What am I going to do, my own sister hates me."

"I'm sure she doesn't." He was trying to be reassuring, but you could tell he didn't quite believe it. Jeffery stuck his hands in his pockets. Taking a deep breath he continued. "Look, this is awkward, I shouldn't have kissed you without asking first, and I'm sorry." The sentence came out in a rush, with the last three words slurring together. Skye met his gaze. "I'm not." It was so quiet, it was barely heard.

"Not what?" He asked taking two steps closer.

"Sorry." Skye's face began to blush, and a small smile spread across her face.

Suddenly, she was hugging Jeffery, and he was hugging her back. She berried her face into his right shoulder. He smelled like ocean breezes and pinewood. His arms were strong and steady around her lower back.

"Jeffery?"

"Uh-huh." His answer was barely more then a murmur.

"What are we going to do about Jane?" Skye pulled away from him, and looks at him questioningly.

"I don't know." Before Skye could answer, Batty and Ben came sprinting around the house. "Jeffery! I missed you so much!" She ran up and jumped onto him, hugging his shoulders.

"You're getting bigger, how old are you now?"

"9 Jeffery, you know that, you were at my birthday party!" She was giggling now.

"Yeah I was, hey Ben." Jeffery knelt down to be eye-level with Ben. He'd always been quiet, never saying much to anyone outside of the Penderwick family. His red hair had darkened to an in between shade of red and brown, and his eyes were almost the same shade of brown as Batty's.

"I'm good." Ben was smiling he liked Jeffery.

"Batty, how are your piano lessons coming along?" Jeffery asked., after all he'd introduced Batty to playing the piano.

"They're good. My teacher is really nice, but you're nicer, right now we're playing a Bach piece. Did Alec say I could use his piano?" She had a huge smile on her face and her eyes were practically sparkling.

Jeffery laughed, "Yup, you can use it whenever you want. Unless I'm using it that is."

"Can I play for you now?" Before Jeffery could answer, he was being dragged off for a small concert. Skye chuckled she never would understand musicians. "Lets go get a snack, okay?" With that she led Ben inside for pretzels and apple juice.

Jane and Iantha sat on a bench overlooking the sea, licking ice cream cones, chocolate for Jane and coffee for Iantha. They were sitting in silence. "Do you want to talk?" Iantha asked, in a comforting voice, her auburn hair being whipped around by the ocean breezes.

"Yes please. I probably shouldn't have yelled at Skye. It's just I always assumed that they wouldn't like each other as more then friends, Skye isn't one for romance. I always thought that Jeffery and I would be the ones kissing in the ocean. That's so romantic." Jane got the look on her face that could only mean Sabrina Starr would be making an appearance soon.

"Its hard when you're so close in age to your sisters. You can have crushes on the same guys." Jane nodded. "But," Iantha continued, "and I know this is the last thing you want to hear, you'll get used to it and eventually you'll meat someone else. In fact the only reason I met Dan is he was a friend of my sister's boyfriend. I wouldn't have met him otherwise." Jane was in awe.

"Wow, Really!"

"Yes. Now do you feel better?"

"A little." Jane finished the last of her ice cream cone.

"Do you want to stay here for a little while longer, or do you want to go back to Birches?"

"We can go back, besides I have to ask Jeffery about his friends right?"

Iantha laughed. "Yes, yes you do."