Grace was packing up her clothes. Ben already left, but told Grace she could come to visit him in Montreal.

"What are you going to do once you're there? You don't even speak French." Ellen was helping her pack, plus gossip.

"Canada has two languages. I'm sure I'll find someone that speaks English." Grace already took her time off, the beach was closed for the season, and she had vacation time at the aquarium. She looked at her suitcase. "I have to go shopping." She had sweaters, but the Canadian weather was way more unforgiving than Southern California. She took out her cashmere sweater and packed a wool one.

"I think you can relax, I heard the fall weather is quite pleasant up there." Ellen looks at her with envy.

"What? It's only for two weeks, I'll be home before you know it." Grace wasn't sure what to do if she and Ben got closer. She didn't want to lose him, but also didn't want to leave Sweet Valley.

"I know. But you have someone." Ellen had no luck with any of her matches, especially with her schoolwork, she didn't have time to balance both. "You and Ben, what if he's the one?"

Grace sighs and puts down her sweater. She asked herself that many times.

"I don't know." Her family, her friends. Her jobs. "I like Ben, a lot." He told her that he loved her, but she wasn't sure what her feelings were yet.

"But."

"But what if it works out? I would have to start all over again." She picked up her sweater and put it in her suitcase.

"So? Tamara moved to France on a whim. She didn't even know how to speak French, and she thriving! Remember when she came to visit after the class trip? She spoke better French than Lila!" They were only sophomores in high school but remembered how jealous Lila was. "She took a chance and look at her now!" Tamara was one of the lucky ones, not many made it in high fashion. "Janet. She had two failed marriages before Johnny Buck. Who can brag that they married their favourite rock star? Plus myself. I'm going to school. Not many women in their thirties attend college with eighteen year olds." Ellen used to be intimidated until she was often asked for advice from her classmates. "You might find something you never knew you needed."

"Maybe you're right. Besides it's only for two weeks. This trip will tell me what my future holds. Besides Sweet Valley is only a plane ride away." Ellen sure did give good advice. "What about you, seeing anyone special?"

"Don't have time." She didn't, between her schoolwork and her job, she barely had any spare time. "Besides I'm doing this for my future. Men could wait." At least Professor Zwerdling was okay, he treated Ellen like a regular student, and her classwork was keeping her busy. "Maybe I'll have a kick-ass job like Rachel in a few years." Advertising sounded fun.

Grace blushed packing her nightgown. Although she and Ben were dating, she and him didn't get physical yet.

"Ben would like that. I'm surprised you waited this long." The longest Ellen waited was a few months.

"I wanted to see where this relationship was going." Unlike most women her age, Grace liked taking things slowly. The furthest they came was a few heavy make-out sections. She did throw in a box of condoms. Once she finished packing, she closed her suitcase. "Okay. Do I have everything?"

"Passport?"

"Already in my purse."

"Earplugs?"

"Check."

"Gum for ear popping."

"I'll pick them up at the airport." Grace felt silly for being sad. It was only a quick visit. She hugged Ellen who looked surprised.

"I'll miss you too." Ellen teared up. What if Grace decides to stay in Montreal? She'll be by herself. "I can always visit this Christmas." Her mom and brother would be busy anyway, and her dad was halfway across the country. "You won't be by yourself up there, Elizabeth is in Vancouver."

"True." Grace and Elizabeth were good friends. "Good luck with your project."

"Thanks." Ellen had to create a safe dye for leaves using natural products, it was more complicated than it looked, thanks to Zwerdling insisting they use things from nature. "Who knows, maybe I'll get lucky and invent a new product and get rich like Lila." She read the news, Lila sold her app for a very hefty amount. She was more wealthy than her father now.

"When is your flight?"

"In two days, but I have to be at the airport at four am." It would be about six to seven hours, but she had to factor in the time zone. "I won't be seeing the city for a while." She yawned thinking about the jet lag. "When I come back, I'll be sleeping for three days."

"Hopefully I won't have much homework then. Tell Ben I said hi."

Once Ellen left, Grace looked at the picture they took at Casey's at the reunion. Except for Lila, who wasn't at the party, they all looked the same, even as adults. She smiled at Ben who was holding Grace in his arms.

"It's only two weeks." She put down the picture. She wasn't sure what her next step was, but guess she'll see when she gets back. Ben went to Montreal to see what his new job offer was like but was staying at a local AirBnB waiting for Grace. "I'll see you soon."