Downstairs, after talking to Kyle, Michael went right to his phone and started dialing. “Max,” he started a few moments later. “Yes, I know I should be sorry for ignoring all the calls and I am. I just heard about the situation. The case I am dealing with got complicated tonight and I have been running it down all night. I have barely had enough time to eat when Kyle told me, so I am sorry for not calling before now, so I have to ask… how is my son. How is Jake?
“He’s asleep,” Max said sleepily as he sat up on the cot in his downstairs office. With Elizabeth in with Grace, and Jake still in the master he hadn’t really had choice, so he rolled a bed into the office, and laid down and closed his eyes when the phone rang. “He did wake up.”
“He did?” Michael asked, hopefully.
“Grace got him to,” Max smiled. “She wouldn’t tell me how she did it. But he woke up and I have been able to deal with his head injury which wasn’t really all that serious as it looked worse than it was, and therefore his overall condition has improved. There are no signs of impairment at this point, so it looks like we dodge a big one here.”
“I do want to thank you for everything you have done for the kids,” Michael said as he felt guilty for ignoring his best friend because all he had learned since being here in Connecticut.
“It’s alright so I gather you have heard about other developments that include Elizabeth and Grace,” Max asked.
“Yes,” Michael nodded. “I can’t say I am angry with my daughter given who we’re dealing with, but it was very risky and when I get home later today I plan to have a serious talk with my daughter and deal with any issues that have arisen.”
“So, you’re coming back. Your case allows you just to come home?”
“Family first Maxwell,” Michael smiled at the nickname he used when they were a teenager.
“You sound like your daughter,” Max muttered. “I must say I never knew Elizabeth to have the capacity to show what she did tonight. She would have been a great help when we were younger,” Max laughed. “Why don’t you let me know when you get in, and I might come and pick you up.”
“You don’t have to,” Michael asked.
“It’s no bother. I am planning to work from the house to keep an eye on Jake or until Maria gets here.”
“Maria’s heading home too?” Michael asked.
“Yes,” Max acknowledged. “She was beside herself when she heard, and she wanted to be driving home right away but I figured that wouldn’t be good given her mental state and it being so late at night.”
“Thank you for that,” Michael said, and he could sense everything colliding together and even if he could prevent it, it wasn’t going to let him try.
“I will leave you something else to ponder,” Max said quietly. “Belle is the one who warned her mother that Jake was hurt, even before I could get a hold of her. Apparently your youngest had a dream of Jake hurt and she sought out her mother which made Maria call me.”
“Hell....” Michael muttered. “Belle had a dream?”
“It was very Isabel like, her namesake down to a tee,” Max commented. “It’s something you guys will need to keep tabs on as she gets older.”
“Let’s hope this is a one and done,” Michael muttered. “This is so not what we needed now.”
“Yeah you don’t. Check in with me when you know more about your flight, and I’ll let you know Jake’s condition.”
“Sure, thing and good night Max and Max thank you again for everything you’ve done for my children and Maria while I have been gone. Knowing you have been there along with Isabel has been a great help for me being so far away from my family”
“It’s really been no bother. I know you guys would have done it for Grace if the situation was reversed.”
“We would have,” Michael commented and disconnected the call and took a long look where he was standing and how it would impact his best friend when he knew the truth of what Michael had been holding for him.
“God, I hate this”
*******
“Jim, where are you? Amy Deluca Valenti asked her husband as she sat in the living room of her home that she shared with her husband of nearly twenty years. Her grandsons Colin and Liam were asleep in the spare room. And now she was frantic about her eldest grandson, Jake.
“I am still at the hospital,” Jim admitted as he walked outside of the hospital. “I was just leaving, and coming home.”
“I was waiting for news!” Amy admonished her husband.
“I am sorry,” Jim sighed. “I know, but it’s been one thing after another. I promise you I will get you some answers, and I’ll be home to give them to you in about ten minutes. Okay,” he asked.
“Okay,” Amy allowed.
“I promise you Jake is doing as well as can be expected,” Jim promised. “Elizabeth is sleeping over at the Evans home for the night and she’s perfectly safe.”
“Come home,” Amy asked. “I miss you.”
“I am almost home,” Jim smiled as he got in his truck and started the engine. Hanging up, sighing. Tommy was still unconscious, and the scans weren’t promising, but they hoped with time it will allow him to wake up.”
“He needs to wake up,” Jim admitted to himself. “It won’t look good for Grace if he doesn’t,” he told himself as he drove.
His phone rang, and he answered. “Yes.”
“Jim,” came the voice. “I tried the house, but Amy told me that you were still at the hospital are you still there?”
“Oh Max. I am headed home. How is my grandson, how is Jake?” he asked.
“Well he’s awake.”
“Thank the lord,” Jim smiled. “How is he physically?”
“Sore,” Max smiled said as he sat at the desk in his work office. “But I am not that worried about lasting damage now. Are you still at the hospital,” he asked as his smile turned into a frown.
“I am heading home,” Jim repeated into his headphones. “I need to update Amy,” he admitted. “And I need some sleep as it’s been a long night”
“We all do,” Max replied a tad weary from the emotional and exhausting evening.
“Have you been able to talk to Maria and Michael,” Jim asked as he knew the news would cause some conflict with Michael’s assignment out East, but he expected both parents would be home to their children sometime that day.
“Maria’s frantic of course,” Max admitted. “She’s planning to return tomorrow, and I finally managed to speak to Michael and he’s planning to head back whenever he can get a flight.
“Which is about what I figured” Jim nodded as he made note to contact his son and find out the latest on the case because this latest diversion had totally made him forget the Connecticut mission.
“It was good to finally talk to him,” Max sighed. “I suspect there is something in his unwillingness to check in before now. I fully know that it was only his son’s injury that actually got him to call home.”
“Well,” Jim said trying to divert Max from any suspicion on Michael’s motive. “On my front Tommy is still unconscious here at the hospital, and the initial workup isn’t encouraging for a speedy recovery,” Jim admitted.
“Damn it,” Max said as his mood turned downward. “In as much as I don’t care if he recovers or not after what he did to my daughter but for Grace’s sake then it would be better if he recovers enough to actually wake up.”
“I know the feeling,” Jim acknowledged.
“What is it like at the station,” Max asked. “Is Grace still being kept out of it?”
“It’s been managed so far,” Jim assured Max. “But right now, it’s still early, and there is no telling what the investigation will turn up especially if the Ellis family have their way.”
“I know,” Max admitted. “Well say hello to Amy and that I am sorry about Jake and get some sleep, and we’ll talk in the morning,” he hung up and turned to his sister who had come into the room while he was talking to Jim. “Tommy is still unresponsive.”
“I was coming in to say I was headed home. Jake is soundly sleeping, and there isn’t really any worry for now. But I am curious; do you think I should make a little trip to see where things stand with Tommy?” Isabel asked, about her special abilities.
“I am not sure,” Max admitted. “Do you think you can get in and out without attracting suspicion?”
“It’s been done before, and I do have to be at the hospital for a Committee meeting for the Hospital fundraiser and the shop is going to be closed in the morning. I could swing by and make sure they aren’t too suspicious, or to make a visitation to see how it’s all playing with him.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to stay as it’s pretty late?” Max asked.
“I should be getting him even though Mom and Dad have agreed to keep the kids yet again,” Isabel admitted. “I have been leaning on them a lot lately. I feel like a bad parent.”
“You’re an incredible parent sis,” Max smiled. “Mom and Dad dote on their grandkids and it’s not a hardship for them to be able to spend so much time with them.”
“I know,” Isabel said. “Call me if anything changes and I’ll let you about what I discovered from the hospital.”
“I will. I want you to try to have a good night sleep,” Max said hugging his sister.
“Good night.”
********
“Jake is sleeping,” Elizabeth said as she walked into Grace’s bedroom. Grace was already in bed, and the spare bed that resided in the room for sleepovers was made for Elizabeth’s use. When Elizabeth had gotten back from picking up her stuff, she had been so excited to hear that her brother had woken up. But then she had been disappointed when she approached the master bedroom to find Jake asleep.
“Dad says that Jake doesn’t have a concussion. He just had a bad bump on the head, and his leg injury. He should be able to sleep without any harm,” Grace admitted.
“I wonder what school is going to think with both Jake and Tommy out of school tomorrow,” Elizabeth asked as she settled in the other bed.
“I know,” Grace sighed as she could just imagine the stories going around. “Gossip central will likely have a field day with it.”
“Given everything going on tonight you didn’t tell me about your big date.”
“I don’t want to speak about it,” Grace sighed and turned over to fall asleep. “I need some sleep as it’s been an exhausting day and night. Good night Elizabeth!”
“Come on Grace, spill.”
‘Good night Elizabeth,” Grace muttered. “I need sleep.”
“Spoil sport, but I’ll let you sleep but you’re going to tell me all about it in the morning.”
“We will see,” Grace muttered before falling asleep.
*******
“This is bad, isn’t it?” Amy asked her husband as soon as he got home and filled her in. “This could be like when our kids were teenagers?” she asked.
“It could be,” Jim admitted. “And I am walking a real tightrope here. I am town Sheriff and my granddaughter is in middle of cover up of a crime,” he sighed.
“Life sucks,” Amy muttered. “I am sorry if you’re feeling pressured between family and duty.”
“Family will always mean more to me as I almost lost Kyle back in high school when the job was a higher priority to me, and when I lost my job I learned how much family means to me and the pressure I put on my son that year. So, if I must protect Elizabeth or anyone else I will, because the secret means too much to our family...the job is meaningless in comparison,” Jim nodded. “I truly don’t know where any of this goes and it’s nothing good, I can say now.”
“Have you heard from Michael or Kyle,” Amy asked as she was truly sorry for putting her husband in this position to protect her daughter’s family at the risk to career he had so painstakingly rebuilt.
“No, but it’s the middle of the night their also and I suspect I will in the morning,” Jim admitted. I plan on trying to contact my son in the morning “It’s a hell of a dilemma for Michael and I do know he did speak to Max.”
“He did?” Amy asked.
“Yes,” Jim nodded. “He’s coming back sometime later today.”
“Maria will be happy, the kids too.” Amy said. “But what does it do to the case?”
“I assume Michael feels he needs to see his son, and get a sense of the disaster that is waiting back here if both Jake and Elizabeth get implicated, but I will know more when I get a chance to talk to him.”
“Why don’t we go to bed, and talk about it more in the morning,” she said.
“That is great idea,” Jim smiled. “At least we know Jake is stable. He’s awake and already applauding Elizabeth’s instincts.”
“I bet,” Amy laughed as they headed for their bedroom
******
Hours later Grace was awake and falling asleep in her first class. She could barely keep her eyes open, and Elizabeth had to elbow her in the lecture classroom. She couldn’t sleep because she had playing the accident in her head. Jake was still asleep when she got up to get ready for school.
Jake’s absence was officially called in by Maria who had called Max first thing in the morning and was confident that her son was recovering. She had the cabin packed up, and was leaving by the time the first class would be over, and headed back to Roswell. “Did you talk to you mother?” Grace asked Elizabeth once class was over and they were walking to their next.
“For a few moments before we left,” Elizabeth nodded. “I talked to Belle and Belle said she saw Jake in her dreams.”
“Belle’s exhibiting?” Grace asked.
“She could be,” Elizabeth nodded. “Belle admitted to seeing us, Jake in the park, lying down. She wanted to know if Jake was okay.”
“What did you tell her?”
“That he would be fine,” Elizabeth sighed. “Last thing we need is my baby sister to be like us, so soon.”
“I know,” Grace nodded as they sat down in class. The last thing was another functioning alien hybrid but given Belle’s age, it was probably early exhibiting but very much dormant for the next few years until she gets older.
“How is the rumor mill?” Elizabeth asked.
“So far quiet,” Grace admitted. “So far nothing, but it’s still early.”
“We shall see,” Elizabeth nodded as the teacher came into their class and started with the lesson plan for the day and Grace found herself easily distracted from her larger problems and found herself focusing on her school work.”
After class, she was walking alone to her advance placement class she was taking that was at a senior level when she ran in Jake’s ex-girlfriend Camryn. “Hey,” she said as she had forgotten they were in the same class; AP Biology.
“Hey,” Camryn said acknowledging Grace’s entrance to the room. “Where is Jake, I haven’t seen him around today? Don’t tell me he’s skipping again?”
“No, he injured his leg playing basketball with his friends last night and he needed to see his doctor today. Whether he will back in school tomorrow, I don’t know,” Grace lied because she knew Jake had elected not to have her father aid in healing his leg. He figured he would wear the injury and just hide the true nature of it. But how he would make it to school while the injury healed, he would figure it out once his mother got home.
“I hope he’s feeling better,” Camryn nodded.
“I am sure he is,” Grace smiled. “I hope you don’t think I am the one broke you up?” she asked.
“What?” Camryn asked.
“I guess that is out of nowhere. Jake and I are just friends,” Grace said trying to ignore the implications of the kiss.
“I doubt that,” Camryn muttered. “Look Jake and I are over. I am happy with Robert whether anything goes further with him or not, I know what I have with him is real. What I had with Jake wasn’t real. We were young when we got together, and we had fun, but we just didn’t have what it took to make it. I know you two are friends but you’re kidding yourself if you don’t think you matter to him or he doesn’t matter to you. I know you’re only sixteen, right?”
“Right,” Grace acknowledged.
“You still have plenty of time and experiences left but as I know from experience that it’s foolish to deny what you want just because people might disapprove or because of experience.”
“I guess that is true,” Grace nodded as the teacher came into the classroom. “I did like you two together. So, I am sorry it didn’t work out.”
“Thanks, I appreciate that.” Camryn smiled as she went to her chair while Grace sat down in her own.
******
Meanwhile the noon bus was on the highway heading towards Roswell. One of its passengers was passed out tired in her seat. Her dreams were of the yelling kind, she was imaging what her mother would say to her when they saw each other again which at this rate could be awhile.
“I just couldn’t help myself” she thought to herself.
Alexandra knew he was tempting fate when the previous night she left the hotel room where she cornered the two newcomers. But she couldn’t help herself but turn into her wilder and brash twin sister and react to the opportunity. Instead of catching the last bus to Madison, she found herself buying a ticket to Hartford Airport, where she put her extraordinary talent to use and manufactured a ticket to El Paso, and one on a Greyhound bus from El Paso that would take her right to Roswell. She figured the unusual step wouldn’t be picked up right away. Most would have expected her to fly to Santa Fe or Albuquerque, so she changed the plan and made the last flight to El Paso on a low-cost flight so not many flags would rise at a teenager flying by herself. And because it was so late at night, she had remarkably made it on board with no questions...
Once in El Paso, she made it to the bus station and fell asleep in the bus terminal before boarding to 7 a.m. to Roswell, and now they were just a short distance from her destination. She had no idea what to do when she got there, but she was taking one step at a time.
And knew she still had time.
******
Meanwhile Michael and Kyle were awaiting their flight from Hartford to Santa Fe themselves and thinking back to the morning activities as Michael slept with memories of his family in his dreams, and his hopes that his son continued to be safe while Kyle thought back to their talk with Beth as their waited...
“I am sorry for my outburst last night,” Beth said as she saw Kyle and Michael arrive at the house. You didn’t deserve it. I know you’re doing all you can to find my daughter, and I took it out on you.”
“It’s alright,” Kyle smiled. “We understand. We put an incredible amount of pressure on you when we arrived, but we never imagined an outcome like this.
“I know,” Beth smiled as she handed her daughter a plate of pancakes and eggs which the girl immediately dumped a whole wack of Tabasco sauce on and chocolate sauce. Kyle looked at Michael who looked at the dish with fascination. “What can I say, they like the oddest creations.”
“Yeah,” Michael smiled at the image. “Thank you for the breakfast.”
“It gives me something to do,” Beth admitted. “So, what are we going to do now?”
“We hesitate to tell you this,” Michael started.
“What?” Beth asked as she handed Kyle a plate of eggs.
“We have to head back home,” Michael cringed as he said it. “I got a call last night, and my son has been injured.”
“Which one?” Beth asked. “I recall you telling me that you have several children.”
“Five of them and this time it is my eighteen-year-old and while the seriousness has tamed over night. It’s still a situation I have to get home and deal with because there are some sticky issues that are coming with his accident.”
“I understand,” Beth nodded as Carrie looked at Michael dumping some Tabasco sauce on his own eggs with quiet fascination that was ignored by her mother. “And I assume you’re going with him?” Beth asked Kyle.
“Yes, well because I am not actually a private investigator, it would be foolish for me to stay.”
“I guess,” Beth thought. “What am I going to do about Alexandra?” she asked.
“I know this is the last thing you would want given the issues that surround it but why not you come with us?” Kyle asked as Michael looked Kyle with a wary look.
“I can’t do that,” Beth asked.
“Why not,” Kyle asked as he knew he was taking a chance with his sudden offer. “If Alexandra ends up there, you can find her yourself and bring her home. I know it’s a dicey situation given what we have told you, but Alexandra would rather you come get her than have people she doesn’t know pick her up and send her back here.”
“I guess,” Beth said.
“If you’re going, I am going,” Carrie warned as she ate her pancakes after demolishing off the eggs.
“You have school young lady, and you have your dance recital on Friday night.”
“School and dance are meaningless if I can find out about your past, and maybe my own. Our dad is there right, if you are this Liz person?”
“If I go, you’re staying with Serena.”
“No way,” Carrie demanded. “If Alexandra gets even an inch to our goal in finding your past than I am not staying back here to simply go to school and dance in a recital when I could be coming with you. It’s my life too, you know.”
“I don’t know.”
“Mom, oh, Come on. Hey, you know we do have that family tree project due next week. This would be like a study trip to be able to finish that project as it’s what started all this for us in the first place and we worried we weren’t even going to be able to complete it in the first place and now we have a shot at it, with an interesting side angle of finding a lost family.
“She’s persuasive, “Michael marveled at the negotiating power of the teen.
“You have no idea,” Beth muttered as she honestly wanted to go but she knew the hornet nest that could be unleashed if she stepped foot in Roswell given everyone believed her to be dead, even though one of her daughters was already almost there, and risked setting off the bomb anyways.
“I need more time,” Beth said honestly.
“We have to go. We have our things in the car and are headed for the airport. If you do want to come, let us know, and we can plan for whenever you do come. I think I can get my father to intercept Alexandra if she’s not there yet.”
“Who is your father?” Beth asked Kyle.
“He is the town Sheriff!” Kyle admitted. “Jim Valenti”
“Really?” Beth asked.
“Yes, it’s been a life time job for him and one that he has been passionate about for several decades now,” Kyle admitted. “He can easily spot a newcomer to town, and hopefully intercept Alexandra before she does any damage or gets into trouble.”
“You mean by indicating who her parents are?” Beth asked.
“Partially,” Kyle nodded. “Let us know when you want to come, and we will figure it all out for you. We know what kind of position we put you in by coming here and surprising you.”
“I know I yelled at you about you guys messing up my life, but the truth is important. If I am this person, I need to deal with it. I can’t keep hiding from the past.”
“Yes, you do unfortunately need to deal with it.” Michael acknowledged. “We all wish we could hide from the truth, or the present.”
“Hi Dad,” Kyle said his father popped up on his son’s phone Skype. “I was meaning to call but we were in such a rush to get to the airport, and now we’re waiting for our flight as we speak as there has been a delay.”
“So, you are coming back?” Jim asked.
“Yes,” Kyle said. “Once Michael heard about Jake, we couldn’t stay away. How is he?” he asked.
“Max says he’s doing as well as can be expected and he didn’t want his leg healed, so once Maria gets here she’s going to take him to their family doctor to get it examined, bandaged up officially and get crutches,”
“Won’t it raise a red flag?” Kyle asked.
“I am pretty sure Maria can be creative or Jake will be in their explanation of the injury,” Jim smiled.
“I guess,” Kyle smiled at his step sister creative ways he was sure the novelist could find to mask a gunshot wound.
“So, I figure I need an update on how it went out there and how you left it?” Jim asked as he needed to know how to proceed.
“Before I can give all my intel and Michael has more, but I better tell you that we’ve got ourselves a problem?” Kyle said honestly.
“What?” Jim asked.
“I need you to intercept a passenger off the bus from El Paso, I don’t know when it’s expected into Roswell, but I am pretty sure of this passenger will be on the bus, and that the bus likely would be coming in this morning...”
“Tell me,” Jim smiled.
“Well we have a runaway,” Kyle sighed. “Beth Evans teenage daughter Alexandra hitched a flight out of Hartford last night, we were too late to stop her,” he thought as he wondered if he hadn’t been stopped by his wife’s call would they have been able to get to her in time or would she still been destined to be on the flight.
“Really?” Jim asked.
“Yes,” Kyle confirmed. “We’re headed back, but from what I remember of the bus schedule I am sure Alexandra will be on the one that gets in later this morning Roswell time.”
“Deputy Peterson,” Jim pushed his intercom. “Get in here as you’re needed on the double.”
“Beth Evans?” Jim asked as he waited for his deputy to enter the office, “I was wondering what you were finding out?”
“I think it’s pretty clear,” Kyle said. “We almost got her to return with us.”
“You did?” Jim asked surprised as the deputy came walking into the office. “Deputy Peterson, I need you check the bus schedule from El Paso arriving in Roswell pronto, and tell me when it’s expected and if it’s on time.”
“Yes sir,” Peterson said and left the room.
“I will be one the look out, and what is this about Beth almost coming out this way?” Jim asked as he returned to the call.
“She’s scared. I think it’s hitting her all at once what it means if she is Liz,” Kyle commented. “I almost had her convinced, but she is backed out because of the fear of what she is walking into if she even accepts her identity. So, she’s skittish which is understandable and if we do find Alexandra, we are supposed to contact her back home and then she’ll decide whether she come out and collect her daughter although I do know the household already has one vote for coming in Carrie, the other daughter so I think the chances of her coming are pretty good at this point.”
“Son, what happens if she does come to collect her daughter? Jim asked.
“The world ends,” Kyle said realistically as the intercom came on their flight was being called. “The flight is ready for boarding,” he said as he elbowed Michael to wake up. “Dad I’ll get in contact when we get there.”
“Sure, where are you flying into?” Jim asked.
“Santa Fe,” Kyle said. “We will talk to you later,” he said as he and Michael walked to the boarding gate.
“Have a safe flight,” Jim smiled and disconnected his call.
“Sheriff, that bus you were asking about, it is running 20 minutes behind, and should be arriving at the terminal around 12 noon,” came Deputy Peterson’s voice.
“Thank you, Deputy, call my wife and tell her that I’ll be late for lunch as I have to be at the hospital checking on the status of a case.”
“Yes sir.”
******
“Hey,” Grace said as she walked into her home, and saw that Jake had made his way down to the living room. “How did you manage to get down here?”
“Your father help,” Jake said as he sat against a pillow. “I was tired of being up there, and I figured when Mom gets here she didn’t need to see me in a bed.”
“That is true,” Grace smiled.
“What are you doing here?” Jake asked. “I thought you had classes?”
“I do,” Grace smiled. “Teacher out sick and there was no substitute available so free class period so because it’s before lunch, I thought I would come home early and see if you were still around.”
“I am still around,” Jake smiled.
“You are looking better than you were last night,” Grace commented.
“A good night sleep will do that to you,” Jake smiled. “You look like you have had better night sleeps.”
“It was a long night,” Grace admitted.
“I am sorry if I caused you any suffering,” Jake muttered. “It wasn’t my intention.”
“Any lack of sleep is on me because of what I did,” Grace complained. “I was warned against using my powers, and I did. And I hurt you.”
“But I am doing fine Grace,” Jake smiled. “The gunshot wound will just be a war wound that I can remember thanks to my fight with Tommy.”
“Which is another worry of mine,” Grace admitted. “I ran into Camryn....”
“You did,” Jake asked of his ex-girlfriend.
“I told her that you injured your leg playing basketball with friends, so if that is the story that gets around once you get back to school.”
“Thanks,” Jake smiled.
“And about Tommy,” Grace asked.
“You don’t have to give that creep another thought,” Jake pleaded. “He’s a loser, and what came to him is what he deserved. What he was saying last night was reprehensible, so I am not crying for him.”
“As I said, I am not either” Grace said. “But if he doesn’t get better than it’s on me.”
“The police don’t know you’re responsible,” Jake reminded Grace. “And they won’t.”
“I know the Sheriff department can be held at bay on some things, but you got to think they will be asking how the branch came down!” Grace asked.
“Mother nature,” Jake quipped.
“You always have an answer for everything, don’t you?” Grace as she smiled at Jake and finally felt good about his recovery. He seemed just like the normal Jake, and last night didn’t seem to alter in anyway.
“I didn’t have an answer for last night,” Jake admitted as he knew that it was becoming weird for them, and he didn’t know how they could make it through without it becoming uncomfortable as fantastic and memorable as the kiss was…
“Jake!” Grace said softly.
“No, it’s not for the park because you are definitely not at fault for that, but you know that other thing that happened between us,” Jake said.
“Jake, that, I am sorry. It just sort of happened and I was desperate to get you to wake up, so I am sorry if I put us in a position that is uncomfortable going forward,” Grace asked.
“Grace, I am not uncomfortable about that, but it was just a surprise that is all…a wonderful surprise, but a surprise nonetheless.”
“It was,” Grace admitted as the kiss played once again in her mind.
“The
kiss....” Jake asked as both forgotten where they were and suddenly there was footsteps that they could hear which only meant…
“Sorry for interrupting,” Max said from the doorway. “Jake, your mother just pulled into the driveway,” he told Jake.
“Oh,” Jake nodded as she looked up at Max. “Then the party is over I guess,” he said quietly, and Grace laughed and hoped her father hadn’t heard Jake or their last words.
Max did.