James chuckled, his arm still around her shoulders.

“We miss you. You can still come see us, you know?”

Elli nodded, feeling worse than she did two minutes ago.

“I know,” she said as she swallowed.

“Jenna and Mark are coming in next week, so maybe we all can do dinner. Shea will be out of town if they win tomorrow.”

“Which they will,” Elli said as James nodded in agreement, “Give me a call. We’ll see, okay?”

“Okay,” James said as Grace came back into the room.

“James, can you get everything out of Elli’s truck?”

“Sure can,” he said walking towards her, placing a kiss on her cheek before leaving the kitchen.

“Have a seat, Elli. I’ll pour us some tea.”

Elli did as she was asked, pulling out the large chair before settling in it. She watched as Grace moved through the kitchen, gathering the cups, sugar, and spoons before coming to the table, laying everything down for them. Nothing was said as they made their teas. They didn’t even make eye contact.

Finally Elli couldn’t take it anymore and said, “How have you been?”

“Good, Amelia is finally sleeping through the night.”

They shared a smile since that was one of the first things they talked about so long ago.

“Ryan is doing wonderful in school. James is working a lot, and so am I.”

“Good,” Elli said, and she meant it.

“Why hasn’t Ryan seen Shea?” Elli blurted out. Grace paused before shrugging her shoulders as she swirled her spoon in her cup.

“I’m not really sure. Shea’s been taking time for himself, I guess,” Grace said before sharing a look with Elli that took Elli’s breath away. What was she supposed to make of that? Time for himself? For what?

Grace cleared her throat, laying her spoon down before saying, “How are you doing, Elli?”

“That’s a loaded question, Grace. You know that.”

Grace smiled, taking a sip of her tea.

“Elli, there was a time when I was convinced you would be my sister. So yeah, it may be a loaded question, but I want to know.”

“For you, or for him?”

“That’s not fair. I care about you.”

“Yeah, but you care about Shea more, and that’s fine,” Elli said, warming her hands from the cup she was holding, “I’m fine, Grace. I’m starting a new chapter in my life and I have to move on.”

Sadness filled Grace’s eyes.

“Why, Elli? He told me what happened. You honestly don’t believe he kissed your sister, do you?”

“It wasn’t the first time, Grace.”

“What?”

“When I was in Tampa, a girl at the bar kissed him and he didn’t stop. He said it was because the girl sucked his lips off, and I believed him, but when I saw him with Victoria,” Elli shook her head, “I still have nightmares about it. She swears up and down he kissed her from what my mother says, and he says she kissed him. So I just cut them both out of my life.”

“And you’re okay with that?”

“Of course not. I miss him every day, but what am I supposed to do?”

“Talk to him, maybe?”

Elli shook her head, letting out an aggravated sigh.

“I can’t do what I did with the guy I was with before Shea. I always took him back, always accepted his apologies. I can’t do it this time, no matter how bad it hurts.”

“Elli, he loves you, so much.”

“No, if he still loved me he wouldn’t have been out with some woman last night.”

Grace pinched the bridge of the nose, closing her eyes as she let out a long breath, “What woman?”

“I don’t know, some blonde. I went to this event last night, knowing I would see him there. I was hoping that seeing him would-hell I don’t know what I was hoping it would do. I just wanted to see him,” a tear leaked from her eye, rolling down her cheek, “I just missed him, and to be honest, I’m not over him, no matter how much I say that I am. No matter how many times I say I’m fine. I’m not.”

More tears ran down her cheeks before Grace wrapped her arms around Elli, holding her close as they both sobbed. They stayed liked that for a long time. Elli didn’t realize how much she missed being hugged by someone. Even if it wasn’t the arms she longed for, it still warmed her from head to toe. The only reason they parted, Elli thought, was because Grace’s phone rang. Grace pulled back, grabbing her phone while explaining that it might be the pharmacy about Ryan’s meds. Elli knew by the look on Grace’s face, that it was Shea.

“Hey. Um, just having some tea, what are you doing? Oh, okay. Yeah, um, he’s awake, yeah. Sure, okay love you, bye.”

Elli finished her tea before standing up and taking the cup to the sink, “He’s on his way over?” Elli asked as she moved her fingers through her hair, pulling it up in a ponytail.

“Yeah,” Grace said, standing up, “Why don’t you stay? James and I could leave with Ryan, and, you know, maybe it will help.”

Elli shook her head.

“No, Grace. He needs to spend time with Ryan, not see me,” she said before walking up to Grace, enveloping her in a tight hug.

“I’ll come see you guys, I promise.”

When she pulled back, Grace was still crying.

“Good, but I wish you’d stay.”