63

 

After a fitful night sleep, both households awoke with intentions to make repairs for the night before.

 

The Elliotts’s had decided to be the one to make the first move, as Grace had announced to her father that she would like to go see Ty to give him a chance to explain.  Joe agreed, which afforded him the opportunity to apologize to Sav for his angry words.

 

Paige answered the door and found a sheepish looking Joe and an uncertain looking Grace on her doorstep.

 

“Good morning.”

 

“Ya think?” Joe replied.

 

“Well, I hope it’s a lot better than last night, anyway,” Paige responded.  “Seems my husband has left me in the dark about a few things.’

 

Joe knew that she was referring to the Scott and Chelsea matter.  “Yeah, well I only wish they didn’t come to the surface the way they did.  That’s what I’m here for.  And…..Grace would like to speak to Ty.”

 

Paige looked at Grace with sympathy.  After coming to bed last night, Sav had filled her on on his conversations with Ty and Scott and all that had transpired that caused the blow up in the driveway.  She knew that Grace must be feeling very hurt and betrayed over the incident with Diane.  Although Ty was wrong, she was glad that Grace was willing to talk about it.

 

“I’m sure you kids want to talk in private,” Paige said to Grace.

 

Grace nodded.  “Yes, I do.  I uh….I think I’ll go in the backyard.  Have Ty meet me out there Aunt Paige?”

 

“Sure sweetie,” she replied as she softly stroked Graces hair in comfort.  Grace smiled weakly before walking out the door and into the backyard.

 

Paige closed the door and turned to Joe.  “I take it that Grace isn’t the only one who wanted to come here today.”

 

Joe sighed heavily.  “No.  I went a little bonkers myself last night at your husband.  I’m sure he’ll want to talk to me, especially if I’m here to admit I was wrong.”

 

Paige laughed at Joe’s attempt at humor in his state.  “Come on in the kitchen, I’ll make you some tea.  Rick’ll be down in a minute.”

 

Paige set a cup of tea in front of Joe before grabbing her purse and her car keys.  “I’ve got to go run some errands.  Give you men some privacy.  Ty should be down soon so just send him out back.  If I know Scott, he’ll pretty much keep to himself today, especially with a houseful of people here.”

 

“Okay.  Thanks Paige,” Joe said as she walked out the kitchen door leading to the garage.

 

Joe got up and looked out the window over the sink that led to the backyard.  He saw his daughter leaned up against a tree, looking like her world has come to an end.  He took a sip of tea as he heard someone approach from behind.  He turned around, thinking it was Sav, only to come face to face with a horrified looking Ty.

 

“Good morning lad,” he carefully said, still trying hard to forget that he took his daughter’s innocence.

 

“Uncle Joe?  W…what are you doing here?”

 

“Grace is out in the backyard.  She wants to talk to you about last night.  I don’t think I have to tell you that she’s upset, but she wants to be fair and let you explain.”

 

Ty felt very awkward and nervous around his uncle, who was now more Grace’s dad, who knew what the two of them did.  He was just grateful that he still had all his parts!

 

“Okay,” Ty said.  “And um…Uncle Joe….I’m…I’m sorry again about what happened.  I…….love Grace.  I really do.  I just never told her.”

 

“Then maybe you should, lad.”

 

“Yeah.  Probably won’t believe me.  Especially now.”

 

“Tyler?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“I’m sorry about the scene I made last night.  That’s why I’m here too.  To talk to your dad.”

 

Ty smiled and nodded before heading out back to see Grace.

 

Joe continued to stare out the window to see Ty and Grace notice each other.  They stood apart, not touching and barely looking at one another.  He knew this wasn’t gonna be easy.

 

Just then, he heard footsteps come down the stairs and into the kitchen.  Joe greeted Sav, who looked very surprised to see him.

 

“Aye mate.  I uh…brought Grace over here.  She wanted to talk to Ty.  And…I wanted to talk to you too….about last night.”

 

Sav pulled a chair out and sat down.  “Joe, its okay.”

 

Joe raised a startled brow.  “You mean to tell me you’re gonna pass up on the chance to hear me apologize for being wrong?”

 

Sav thought about, sat back and folded his arms.  “Well, now that you put it like that, go ahead!”

 

Joe scrunched his face up.  “Fine.  I was wrong and I apologize. I let my temper get the best of me – again.”

 

“Joe, I know that whatever we said to each other last night was in defense of our children, nothing more.  I just wish it didn’t all come out the way it did.”

 

“I know, and I’m real sorry about that,” Joe said sincerely.  “I didn’t mean to upset Scott like that.  Hell, I didn’t know he snuck up behind us!  Um…did you talk to him last night?”

 

“Yeah, I did.  Seems he’s upset about a lot more than that.  Chelsea’s dad got transferred to the States.  They leave at the end of the month.”

 

“Poor lad,” Joe replied.  “Crikey, when it rains, it pours.  First both your lads are happy and in love and now Scott’s losing Chelsea and, if Ty doesn’t convince my daughter, he may be joining him in his misery.”

 

“Well, if Grace doesn’t forgive him, I can’t say I blame her.  He made a mistake, he unknowingly admitted to it and now he has to suffer the consequences for it.  As much as I don’t like to see my kids hurt, Ty’s an adult now and he has to learn how to deal with the repercussions of his actions.  He won’t be able to survive in this world if he has to have his dad come to his rescue all the time.”

 

“And how’s Scott doing?’

 

“Don’t know yet.  I have a feeling I won’t see much of him today.  He let out a lot last night, which is unusual for him.  He usually keeps things to himself, but this was to much for him to keep bottled up inside.  Crikey, with the two of them losing their girlfriends……God, its gonna be a long summer.”

 

“Well, I wouldn’t worry about Scott,” Joe said.  “I’m sure as soon as school starts that there’ll be a posse of lasses willing to help him take his mind of Chelsea.”

 

“Please, Joe!  Don’t give him any ideas.  I don’t want any more angry fathers breaking down my door!”

 

“I didn’t break down your door,” Joe stated emphatically.

 

“Well, if I hadn’t been standing in the driveway last night when you pulled in, you might have.”

 

Joe lowered his head and shook it.  “I just didn’t know how to react.  I mean, God Sav……it was like yesterday that Abby and I just got her – a little two month old Scottish orphan.  And now she’s….she’s……”

 

“Officially a woman?”

 

Joe groaned.

 

“Sorry mate, didn’t mean to point out the obvious.  I’m sure if I had a daughter, I’d feel the same way.”

 

“Thanks for understanding Sav.”

 

“Not a problem.  Hey, I gotta forgive you.  How else are we gonna work side by side with tension between us?  Its bad enough that all your other bad habits irk me.”

 

“Stuff it!”

 

“That’s one of them!”

 

Joe smirked before looking out the window at Ty and Grace.  “I just hope Grace is able to forgive Ty.”

 

                                                          64

 

Outside, Grace stared down at the grass in the attempt to avoid eye contact with Ty.

 

“Grace, thanks for giving me a chance to explain.  You know I’d never do anything to hurt you intentionally.  I wasn’t thinking at the time and I made a huge mistake.  Grace, you gotta believe me when I tell you that its been bothering me since it happened.  A lot.”

 

Ty wanted to tell her about the song, but thought best to keep it to himself for now.

 

“Ty, I’m only here because it wouldn’t be fair not to let you explain, even if I think there’s nothing to explain.  You and I had a fight at the wedding, I left and she moved in on you.  I…I guess I can’t blame you – a seventeen year old lad getting hit on by a nineteen year old college student.  I mean, how can you say no, right?  And that caused me to do a lot of thinking last night which led to a decision I made.”

 

Ty braced himself.  “Which is?”

 

Grace finally looked at him with tear filled eyes.  Her breath caught, as it always did, at his incredibly handsome face.  With a face and an appeal such as his, a situation like the one with Diane would be bound to happen again – especially with him surrounded by co-eds at university.

 

“Ty….you’re gonna be leaving in a month.  You’re gonna be living on campus and probably not come home very often.  University is a lot different from highschool.  You’re gonna be meeting all kinds of people – girls especially.  I just……I know you want us to stay together, but I don’t think I could bear you being away, wondering if…..if…..”

 

Ty took her by her arms.  “Grace, it won’t.”

 

“You don’t know that now, do you?  You didn’t expect what happened with Diane to occur.  And I was there – right inside when it happened.  Ty, I want to be able to forgive you because I know you wouldn’t intentionally hurt me.  And….and I do.  But, you’re gonna be faced with a lot of temptation at university and…and I think that….maybe it would be best if you went off to school….you know….unattached.”

 

Ty let go of her arms and put his hands in his pockets.  “What are you saying?  That you want to break up?”

 

“Well, maybe not so much breakup….but maybe put our relationship on hiaitus.  Ty, I…..I love you.  I really do…..”

 

“And I love you too, Grace.  I never told you before, and I should’ve.  I don’t want you to think I’m saying it to get you to forgive me.”

 

“I believe you,” Grace said.  “But…I don’t know if I can trust you again.  That’s why I don’t want to chance it happening.  As much as I love you, and it hurts, I…I think this may be for the best.  At least until you get adjusted at school.”

 

“Grace….you say you love me, but then you want to……I don’t understand.”

 

“In time you will.  Ty, if we love each other, and that love is true, then we’ll probably come back to each other.  Trust me, I did a lot of thinking last night and the thought of doing this upset me to no end.  I’m not gonna see you that much  anyway.  Canterbury is over 5 hours away.  I don’t think you’ll be coming home every weekend.  I’m sure you’ll make friends there and will want to hang out.  I…..I understand, Ty.  Really, I do.  I’m trying to do the mature thing.  I want you to be able to enjoy your university years without anything holding you back.  I don’t want you to pass opportunities up because of me, only to resent me later on for it.  I’d rather be without you for the meantime than have you hate me.”

 

“Grace, why are you worrying about me hating you?  I’m the one who should be worried about you hating me.”

 

“I don’t hate you Ty.  I hate what you did to me, but I could never hate you.  I love you….and…..and that’s why I’m doing this.”

 

Grace finally broke down in Ty’s arms.  Ty was relieved that she forgave him, but was puzzled by her decision.  As much as he loved Grace, he didn’t know what awaited him at university either.  He wanted to be able to enjoy himself, but he also wanted Grace waiting there for him when he came home.  He knew that was a selfish statement as soon as he said it.  Perhaps…perhaps she was right.  If they truly did love one another, they would come back to one another.”

 

“Grace, are you sure about this?”

 

Grace nodded her head as she cried against his shoulder.  “Yes, I’m sure.  I think it’s the logical thing to do.’

 

“But, by making this decision it means that…..that you’ll be free to date other guys.”

 

Ty hated the sound of that as soon as he said it, but he couldn’t be a hypocrit either.

 

“Yes, I would, but I’m not thinking about that right now.  My heart will take a while to overcome this.”

 

“Grace, don’t forget that, in two years, you’ll be going off to university as well.  You’ll be facing the same……temptations.”

 

“Ty, I can’t answer that.  I won’t know until I get there.  And, neither will you.  You know, my mum told me this saying.  She said it was an old one…..going back to the 1970’s.  It says….’if you love something, set it free.  If its yours, it’ll come back to you.  If its not, it never will’.  I’m setting you free Ty, in time for university.  If the love I have is strong enough, and yours as well, we’ll come back to each other at some point.”

 

Ty just hugged her, wondering if what she said was true.  Would they come back to each other?  And, if so….when?”

 

“Okay Grace.  If you think this is the right thing to do, then fine.  I’ll uh…see you when I come home, right?  And at holiday?”

 

“Of course.  I’m not going anywhere.”

 

Grace and Ty hugged for a little while longer, knowing that, in a short time, he’d be off to school and the relationship they had now would be changed forever.

 

                             *********************************

 

From inside the kitchen, Joe looked out the window at the embracing lovebirds.

 

“Hmm, looks like all went well, I’d say,” he said to Sav.

 

Sav got up and looked out the window as well and allowed himself a gloat of pride.  “Well, he is my son after all.  No woman can resist the Savage charm for long?”

 

“Stuff it!”

 

                         ********************************************

 

From his bedroom, Scott looked out his window into the backyard to see Ty and Grace hugging.  It was apparent that all was forgiven and they were back together.  It only made him feel worse – and…wanting to see Chelsea.

 

He went over to his computer and booted it up.  He signed onto his Yahoo account and saw that Chelsea was on.

 

SctSav:                 Chels?

Chels2018:           Hi.  I was hoping you’d sign on at some point.

SctSav:                 You could’ve called.

Chels2018:           Well, actually I’ve been busy since I got up.  You know…..packing and stuff.

SctSav:                 Oh.

Chels2018:           I know. I feel the same way.  Scott, I’m so upset!

SctSav:                 Chels, its gonna be alright.  Remember, we can IM each other everyday.  I’ll always be here for you to chat with.

Chels2018:           That doesn’t take the place of you, though.

SctSav:                 L

Chels2018:           ::grinning::  You never used those symbols before.  You…you’re really gonna miss me?

SctSav:                 Terribly.

Chels2018:           Scott?

SctSav:                 Yeah?

Chels2018:           Can you meet me at the park after dinner.  I’ll bring a blanket and we can just sit and talk.  I want to see you.

SctSav:                 Yeah, I’ll be able to.  I want to see you too.

Chels2018:           Okay.  Um…7-7:30?

SctSav:                 I’ll be there.

Chels2018:           I love you.

SctSav:                 J Love you too!

 

 

                                                          64

 

 

Scott was waiting for Chelsea at the park at 7:15.  It was a warm, late July night with a hint of a light breeze.  The sun was well on its way down as dusk prepared to fall over Sheffield, filling the sky with stars.

 

He sat on the bottom bleacher as he stared at the entrance, waiting for Chelsea to appear.  At exactly 7:30, she walked in holding a rolled up blanket under her arm.  Upon seeing Scott sitting on the bleacher, she broke into a run.  As soon as she got close enough, she dropped the blanket and threw herself into his arms.

 

“Oh Scott….you don’t know how happy I am to see you.  This was all I thought about all day.”

 

“Me too, luv,” he murmured in her ear as he hugged her tight, wondering how many more chances he’d have to do this until she left.

 

She broke the hug and picked the blanket up.  “Sorry I’m late.  I had to wait until my parents weren’t looking to sneak this out.  I thought maybe we could sit on the ground and just look up at the sky.  I just want some peace and quiet.  All the moving and packing today made my head spin.”

 

Scott looked at her with sadness.  “Chels, exactly when are you leaving?”

 

Chelsea looked at him with even more sadness in her eyes.  “The day after tomorrow,” she quietly said. 

 

“What?  But….but I thought it wasn’t for another week or so?”

 

Chelsea shook her head and began to cry.  “Daddy’s company found us a house out there and they have to be there to close on it.  They just told me this this morning.  That’s why I wanted to see you tonight.  Scott….we’ve only got tonight and tomorrow and tomorrow I’ll be home all day with mum and the movers.  Scott, I want tonight to be special.  I may never see you again.”

 

“Don’t say that, Chels.  Your grandparents are here.  You can always come back for a visit.”

 

“Yeah, I guess.  But, I don’t know when that will be.  By then, who knows where you’ll be or…….who…who you’ll be with……”

 

The thought of Scott with someone else was too much for her to bear as she started to cry again.  Scott quickly spread the blanket on the ground behind the bleachers then brought Chelsea over.  He knelt down, taking her with him as they sat, hugged and cried together for a little while.

 

As it got later, the sky became darker and the stars sparkled above.  Scott and Chelsea tried talking about other things that took her mind off leaving, but it didn’t help much. 

 

Chelsea then turned to him and touched his face with her hands.  “Scott, we’ve only got tonight.  I want it to be special….memorable.  I know I won’t ever forget you and I don’t want you to ever forget me.”

 

“Never Chelsea,” Scott said emphatically.  “I could never forget you.  You’re my first love.”

 

“You’ll be my only love Scott,” she said through her tears.  “No matter who I ever meet, even if I get married, I will never love him as much as I love you.  Never!”

 

Scott couldn’t hold back his tears anymore.  He didn’t care if he looked like a sissy for crying over losing his girl.  He loved her more than anything and it was affecting him greatly.  Just then, Chelsea laid on her back.

 

“Scott, I want you to make love to me.  Here.  Outside, under the stars.  I want it to be perfect.”

 

Her hands snaking up the front of his t-shirt to get to his bare skin made him come alive as badly as the thought of loving her.  He hastily pulled his shirt over his head as she did the same with her shirt and bra.  Both naked from the waist up, Scott laid on top of her and kissed her while his hands stroked her soft, firm skin.

 

“God you feel so good,” Scott whispered.  “So bloody good.  What am I gonna do without you, Chels?”

 

“The same thing I’m gonna do without you,” Chelsea replied.  “Die.”

 

“No, we won’t die.  I’tll feel like it, but we won’t.”

 

“Scott, I’m gonna die right now if I don’t feel you inside me,” she boldly stated.

 

Scott sheepishly looked at her.  “Um…did you bring a condom?”

 

“No, I didn’t.  Its okay.  I just finished my…….you know,” she blushed, not being able to say ‘period’.  “Which mean I’m not….you know….ovulating.  I’m perfectly safe.  I want to feel you – all of you – for the first, and the last time.  I want nothing between us.  Please….before I do die!”

 

Scott slid his shorts down as Chelsea did the same with hers.  He then came back down on her as they just stared at one another for a few seconds,  memorizing each other’s face so it was imbedded in their minds and hearts.  Just like this moment would be.

 

“Scott….please,” she softly pleaded as she parted her legs to wrap around his hips.  “Please.”

 

Not needing anything more to arouse him, Scott lifted his body slightly up to seek her entrance.  When he found it, he squeezed his eyes shut and pushed his way in.  Without the barrier of a condom to dull the sensation, Scott gasped loudly at the hot, wet feel of Chelsea surrounding his bare erection.

 

“Oh God!  Oh my God!  This….this feels incredible!”

 

“Yes!  Oh yes, Scott.  It feels wonderful!  You make me feel so good.  I want to hold you like this forever.”

 

Scott felt the same exact way as the delicious feeling of her tightened around him.  The sensation was intensified to a point where it was difficult for him to hold back.  He wanted this to last forever if he could.  But he knew it was impossible.

 

“Oh God, Chels!  Damn, you feel bloody wonderful!  I…I can’t wait any longer.  I can’t.  Oh…….Chelsea!”

 

“Yes!  Yes, Scott.  Oh, yes!”

 

Chelsea couldn’t hold back either as their young, aroused bodies gave into their releases within moments of each other.

 

After catching their breath, Scott raised his head and looked up at her tear stained face.  Chelsea reached her hands up and ran her hands all over his face and in his hair.

 

“Crikey, that was incredible,” he panted.  “Absolutley, flippin’ incredible!”

 

“Lets stay here a little while longer,” she said.  “I…..I’d like to do it again.”

 

Scott grinned wickedly.  “Me too!  I have a feeling I’ll be ready right quick!”

 

Chelsea laughed as she continued to stroke his face and hair.

 

“I’ll never love another like you Scott.  Never!”

 

Scott rested his head on her chest and felt her rapid heartbeat.  “Neither will I, luv.  Neither will I.”

 

 

                                                          65

 

Two days later, a very depressed Scott walked down the street to say his final goodbye to Chelsea.  When he got close enough to her house to see her father loading the car with suitcases, did the finality of it all begin to hit him.  As he approached the car, Mr. Stewart saw him and went over to shake his hand.

 

“Scott.  How are ya lad?”

 

“Well, I wish I could say fine, but I’d be lying.”

 

Mr. Stewart looked at him sympathetically.  “I know lad.  I can’t begin to tell you how much I appreciate you being in Chelsea’s life.  You helped her with some rough times.  Hopefully, this move is for the best.  I’ll be able to spend more time with my family.”

 

“Then if that’s the reason, then its for the best,” Scott tried to reason.

 

Mr. Stewart smiled.  “You’re a lot more mature for your years lad.  I’m uh…sure you’re here to see Chelsea?”

 

“Yeah.  Better get my final goodbye over and done with.”

 

Just then, Scott looked up to see Chelsea walk out with a small carry on slung over her shoulder.  Scott fought back threatening tears and tried to swallow his heart that was stuck in his throat. 

 

Chelsea saw him and immediately went over to him.  Mr. Stewart went back inside the house to make one last check before leaving and also to give the young ones some privacy.

 

“Scott,” Chelsea whispered when she stood before him.

 

“Hi,” he softly said, not wanting his straining voice to give his emotions away.  “I….I guess this is it, huh?”

 

“Yeah,” she said with tear filled eyes.  “I guess.  I don’t think I have to tell you again how much I’m gonna miss you.”

 

“No, but I’d like to hear it again,” Scott said.

 

Chelsea cautiously looked towards the house before flinging her arms around his neck.  “I love you Scott.  I always will.  See this,” she pulled away, showing him the beaded bracelet he made for her with his name on it, “I’ll keep this with me.  Always.  So I’ll never forget you.”

 

Scott reached up around his neck and fingered the gold ‘S’ charm.  “And….I’ll never forget you.  Promise to IM me once you get settled?”

 

“Absolutely!  Scott, I’m….I’m so scared.  Scared of a new school and new people.  Especially American.  What if they don’t accept me because I’m British?”

 

Scott cupped her face with his hands.  “No way, Chels.  They’re gonna love you.  Just as much as I do.  It’ll take time, so don’t worry.”

 

“I’ll…I’ll try not to,” she whispered back before kissing him.  Their lips just tenderly touched each other, afraid to give into what they really felt else they wouldn’t be able to finish what they started.  They both wanted their beautiful night of making love under the stars the night before to remain as their ‘final time’.

 

The sound of the front door closing signaled Chelsea’s parents we’re ready to take off.  She and Scott parted and gazed upon each other one last, long time, but not before Mrs. Stewart cleared her throat behind them.

 

“C’mon Chelsea.  We’ll be late for the airport,” she said before looking at Scott.  “Scott, you’ve been a wonderful friend to my daughter.  Thank you for being there for her.  You’re a good lad.”

 

“Thank you Mrs. Stewart.  And….good luck in America.  I hope everything works out.”

 

“Thank you lad.  Chelsea……?”

 

“Okay mum,” she said before looking at Scott, mouthing goodbye and running to the car, not wanting to look back.  Afraid to look back.

 

Scott stood there in the middle of the street as he watched their car take off.  He stayed in the hopes that Chelsea would turn around one last time so he could look upon her face, but she never did. 

 

When the car was out of sight, Scott took a deep, calming breath and walked back home.

 

When he got inside the house, his mum had just come down the stairs.  She knew where he went and knew that he must be hurting badly inside.

 

“Scott,” Paige said, putting a gentle hand on his shoulder.  “Everything okay?”

 

Scott turned away from his mum and put his hand on the stair rail, prepared to go upstairs.  All he did was nod his head.

 

Paige took the hint and proceeded into the kitchen, but not before her son’s voice halted her.

 

“Mum?”

 

Paige walked back to the bottom of the steps, staring at her sons back as he was a few steps up.

 

“Yes, luv?”

 

Scott turned around, walked slowly down the last two steps and put his arms around his mum, laid his head on her shoulder and hugged her tight.

 

Paige’s heart broke over her son’s own broken heart.  She gently stroked his back and smoothed his hair, as she did countless times when he was younger.  Between Chelsea leaving for the States and Ty and Grace splitting up, she knew that both her lads had a long road to recovery ahead of them.

 

 

 

 

 

                                                          66

 

A week later, Ty stood in his room as he filled two huge suitcases with his belongings.  He looked at the clock and saw that the tram to Canterbury left in an hour and he needed to hurry.

 

Taking a deep breath, he closed both suitcases before grabbing his accoustic and bass guitars, both gifts from his dad so long ago.  He knew that there’d be many nights till he got into the swing of things at university that would provide him with an opportunity to play and write.  He only hoped that his dorm mate didn’t object to music.

 

Just then, a knock on the door behind him caused him to turn.  Sav stood there, watching his son prepare to head off to university.  God, where did the years go?”

 

“Almost ready lad?  We’ve got to be at the station in less than hour?”

 

“All ready dad.  Um…thanks for coming with me.”

 

“Ty, I’m not gonna let my son face his first time at university by himself.  This way here we’ll do the grand tour together.  Best I know where everything is in case I want to pay you a surprise visit!”

 

Ty looked at his father with warning eyes.  “Dad…!”

 

“Dad, what?  If you’re behaving, then you won’t have to worry about me walking in on anything.”

 

“Crikey,” Ty muttered.

 

“Nevermind.  C’mon, go say goodbye to your mum.  She’s already crying her eyes out.”

 

“Okay.  I’ll be right down.”

 

Sav grabbed both of Ty’s suitcases, leaving Ty to bring down his guitars.  Ty looked around his room one last time, before walking out.  Walking by Scott’s room, he saw the door closed and heard music coming from his CD player.  He put his guitars down and knocked on the door.

 

“Yeah?”

 

Ty opened the door and peeked his head in.  “Well, I’m off.  Wanted to say goodbye.”

 

Scott threw his magazine down and switched off his CD player.  “Dad going with you?”

 

“Yeah.  Mum’s staying behind.  She’s too upset.”

 

“What’s she gonna do in two years when I go off?”

 

Ty laughed and shook his head.  “Probably have to give her tranquilizers.  Hey…have you heard from Chelsea at all?”

 

“Not yet.  Its only been a week.  I’m sure she’s helping her mum set up the house.  Probably hasn’t unpacked her computer yet, let alone set it up.  Have you uh…..talked to Grace at all.”

 

“No.  Not since she gave me the big kiss off.  I mean, I didn’t mean it like that.  I guess it makes sense for us to…you know…break off while I’m away.”

 

“Especially since you’ll be having all those co-eds swooning after you,” Scott mused.

 

Ty tried to find some humor in that, but he couldn’t.  Not just yet.  As much as he knew it was probably the logical thing to do, he knew he’d miss Grace terribly.  There’s a good chance they could come back to one another, but then there’s always the chance that he’d meet someone at university, or she’d meet someone at school.

 

“Scott….do me a favor.”

 

“What?”

 

“I know this may sound stupid but, look after Grace once you go back to school.  I mean, I know we’ve kinda officially broke up, but I just don’t want any wankers taking advantage of her when she’s like this.  Just…just watch out for her.  We’ve all been close since we were born, so she’ll trust you and…so do I.”

 

Scott felt a bit of pride and a twinge of guilt at his brothers request.  He never knew the feelings he had for Grace, long before Chelsea came into the picture.

 

“Count on me, bro.  Don’t worry, she’s got a good head on her shoulders.  Plus, she’d be having a hard time sneaking another guy past Uncle Joe.  I’m surprised you made it out alive with your ballocks intact!”

 

Ty allowed himself a chuckle.  “Yeah.  I thought I was dead for sure.  Did…did Chelsea’s dad know about…you know….you and her?”

 

Scott flushed with a bit of embarrassment.  “No, I don’t think so.  Listen, I don’t want to talk about that.  You better get out of here else you’ll be late for the tram.”

 

“K.  Hey, good luck on the team this year.  You’re varsity now that you’re a junior.”

 

“Yeah, thanks,” Scott said as he approached Ty closer.  “By bro.  Good luck yourself.” 

 

Ty and Scott embraced quickly and clapped each other on the back.  “Thanks.  Hey, maybe come up for a weekend or something?”

 

“Yeah, maybe,” Scott said as he stepped back.  Just then, they heard their father’s voice.

 

“Ty!  Sometime today, lad.”

 

“Better go,” Scott said.  “You’ll need at least another ten minutes to say goodbye to mum.”

 

Ty flashed him a grin, rolled his eyes, grabbed his guitars and bounded down the stairs.

 

                                      ************************************

 

A few blocks down, Grace sat in her room with a pillow grasped to her chest.  She knew that Ty was leaving today and wasn’t sure if she wanted to say goodbye or not.  Since they officially ‘broke up’, part of her felt it best to make it a clean break and not to look back, at least until she saw him when he came home.

 

But, part of her wanted to see his face one more time and wish him luck in school.  Her thoughts warred with one another until she looked at the clock.  She had found out what time their tram was leaving today and wondered if Ty had left for the station yet.

 

She suddenly bounded off her bed and down the stairs.  She breathlessly found her mum in the kitchen.

 

“Mum…..please…please take me to Ty’s.  I…I want to say goodbye.”

 

Abby looked at the clock and figured that Ty and Sav must be off by now.  “Honey, I think it might be too late…..”

 

“Mum….please, lets try, okay?  I’ll be in the car.”

 

Since Joe was out and J.T. was at a friends, Abby grabbed her purse and keys and headed out after her daugher.

 

Abby and Grace pulled up in front of the Savage house just as Sav and Ty were pulling out of the driveway.  Abby barely came to a stop when Chelsea got out of the car.

 

Ty saw her and got out as well.  Abby and Sav just exchanged smirks with each other over these two lovelorn teens.

 

“Grace, I…I didn’t expect to hear or see….”

 

Grace cut him off when she hugged him tight.  “I know.  I thought it would be harder.  And it is, but I can’t let you go off without saying goodbye or good luck.  Do what makes you happy, Ty, and enjoy yourself.  I mean it.  We’ll get through this and, if we’re meant to be back together, then we will be.  I just don’t want you to miss out on anything.  Okay?”

 

Ty was a mix of sadness and appreciation.  “Okay, luv.  You’ll always be in my thoughts.”

 

“Me too,” Grace said as she let him go to get back in the car.  She watched him take off before looking back at the house.  Up in the window, she saw Scott looking out at her.  She waved at him to which he solemnly waved back – a silent signal to each other that they were both gonna get through their heartache.

 

 

                                                66

 

Sav and Ty arrived in Canterbury and immediately got a taxi to the campus.

 

Sav looked around the expansive grounds.  “Do you know which dorm, lad?”

 

“Um yeah,  hold on,” Ty said, pulling out a map of the campus grounds.  “Let see….we’re here.  And the dorm I’m in is……..here.  We gotta go that way.”

 

With luggage and guitar cases in hand, they both trudged over to Ty’s dorm.  Once inside, Ty checked his papers for his assigned room and sought it out.  On their way down the hall, which was bustling with assorted students to be and their parents finding their way as well, Sav saw quite a few girls unpacking in other rooms as they passed.

 

He narrowed his eyes and looked at his son.  “Um Ty…..is this a co-ed dorm?”

 

Ty turned a bit pink and fidgeted a bit.  “Um, yeah.  Now that you mention it…”

 

“Seems you forgot to,” Sav said warily.

 

“Dad,  its not a bit deal.  A lot of dorm’s are coed.”

 

“Yeah, well, just so you know…..I’m paying for you to get an education, not to shag sorority girls!”

 

Ty rolled his eyes and gave his father an exasperated look before finding the door to his room.  And, as most university housing is, it was small, sparse and not quite clean.”

 

Sav dropped the luggage and perused the place.  “Good thing your mother didn’t come.  She’d be cleaning it top to bottom.  On second thought, maybe she should’ve.”

 

“Oh, its not so bad,” Ty said.  “Dad…it’s a guys dorm room.  Its not supposed to be neat and clean.  Who knows, maybe I can charm some sweet coed into cleaning it for me!”

 

Sav wasn’t amused by his son’s randy comments.  “Nevermind about charming lasses into anything.  This is a big step, Ty.  And, the first year is the hardest.  You’ll need to put all your concentration into studying.”

 

“I know dad, I know.  Hmm, I see some luggage over on the other side.  I wonder if my dorm mate is about.”

 

As Sav helped Ty get some things settled, a young man entered the room. 

 

“Oh, hey….you must be my dorm mate,” he said to Ty.  “I’m Mark.  Mark Shepard.”

 

Ty shook Mark’s extended hand.  “I’m Tyler Savage.  But everyone calls me Ty.  This is my dad.”

 

“Nice to meet you Mr. Savage,” Mark said shaking Sav’s head.

 

“Same here lad.”  Sav instantly took in Mark’s outgoing personality, goodlooking features and golden brown eyes and knew that he and Ty were gonna have the lasses in knots!

 

“Well, I guess its just you and I,” Mark said to Ty.  “We were supposed to have a third mate, but I guess he backed out.

 

“You mean they were gonna squash three of you lads in this tiny room?” Sav asked astonished.

 

“Yeah.  Not exactly the Ritz, eh?”

 

Ty chucked, relieved that his roommate was a personable bloke and not some stuffy, boring wanker.

 

“So Ty, what are ya majoring in?”

 

“Not sure yet.  I’m just taking general courses this year and hopefully it’ll let me decide.  What about you?”

 

“I’m pretty much in the same boat, but I was leaning towards marketing and management.  I’m gonna wait and see if another major catches my fancy. I….hey..is…is that yours?”

 

Ty saw that Mark was pointing to his guitar case.  “Um, yeah.  They both are.  You play?”

 

Mark grinned wide and went over to his tiny twin bed, bent down, and slid a guitar case out from underneath it.  Ty couldn’t hold back a smile of thanks to God.

 

“Oh, this is too cool,” Ty said.  “What is it?  Accoustic?  Electric?”

 

“Um, no.  Bass.”

 

Now it was Sav’s turn to smile wide.  “Oh really?  Excellent choice lad.  Mind if I see?”

 

“Not at all,” Mark said as he took out a beautiful, wooden Washburn bass and handed it to Sav. 

 

“Lad, this is magnificent.  Who taught you to play?”

 

“Well, my dad’s a high school music teacher.  He began by teaching me this because it was easier to learn than an accoustic.  I had a mate in school who had a used electric guitar and we used to play together for fun.  A lot of current stuff, but I also found some old sheet music my dad had of classic 70’s and 80’s stuff.”

 

“Do you play well?”

 

“Not as well as I’d like,” Mark said.  “I’m sure I could be better.”

 

“Well, I have an accoustic in here, but I also know the bass too,” Ty said as he pulled out his shiny black Washburn bass that Sav gifted him with a few years ago.  Mark’s eyes almost bugged.

 

“Wow, that’s bloody beautiful.  And you’ve got an accoustic too?”

 

Ty nodded as Mark looked impressed.  “Who taught you to play?”

 

Ty motioned to Sav.  “My dad.  The one holding your bass like it’s a precious newborn baby.”

 

“Really?” Mark said to Sav.  “Is bass your instrument too Mr. Savage?”

 

Sav smirked.  “You could say that lad!”

 

“Dad, go ahead….tell him.”

 

“Tell me what?” Mark asked.

 

Sav looked too embarrassed to say anything, so Ty spoke up for him.  “Well, I’m sure you’ve heard of Def Leppard.”

 

Mark grinned.  “Yeah sure.  My parents were fans.  Saw some cassettes that they still have.  Why?”

 

Ty casually glanced at Sav who stood there with a stupid look on his face.  Mark looked at Sav, then back to Ty, then back to Sav.

 

“You….you were the bass player!  Crikey, right…Rick Savage.  I should’ve known the name rang a bell somewhere.  Wow, this is brilliant.  And uh…wait till my mum finds out!”

 

Mark directed that comment to Sav to which Sav just rolled his eyes.

 

“This is great Ty.  Maybe we can jam together.”

 

“Exactly what I was thinking mate,” Ty replied, high fiving Mark.

 

“And, maybe you can give me some help, seeing you can play it as well.”

 

Sav felt his calling.  “Well Mark, if you’d like, perhaps I can help you a bit.  Here, take yours and I’ll take Ty’s and we’ll do a song.  Ty, grab your accoustic and lets do something with Mark.”

 

“Cool!” Mark exclaimed.  “Hey Ty, if you want, I’ve got some old sheet music in the case.  See if there’s anything you know.”

 

Ty went through the music and found an oldie, but goodie, from the 70’s that he was sure his father knew. 

 

“Hey dad…how about this?”

 

Sav looked at the song and grinned.  “Now that is one I haven’t seen in a long time.  C’mon, lets do it up.”

 

Sav and Mark sat side by side on one bed, basses in hand, while Ty pulled up a chair close to the bed so the three of them could read off the music.  Ty took it upon himself to sing the lyrics:

 

met her in a club down in old Soho
Where you drink champagne and it tastes just like cherry-cola
See-oh-el-aye cola
She walked up to me and she asked me to dance
I asked her her name and in a dark brown voice she said Lola
El-oh-el-aye Lola la-la-la-la Lola

 

Mark kept his eyes on Sav’s fingers as they plucked the strings of Ty’s bass as he simultaneously replicated it on his own.

 

By the end of the song, Mark started to feel a rhythem he hadn’t felt before as the three of them belted out the final chorus together.

 

Lola
La-la-la-la Lola la-la-la-la Lola
Lola la-la-la-la Lola la-la-la-la Lola

 

When they wound the song down, they were greeted by a bevy of applause and whistles from behind.  Sav, Ty and Mark looked up to see about 20 people, a mix of students and their parents, cramming their doorway to hear them play and sing.

 

Sav noticed a few looks of recognition on some of the parents, however, it was nothing compared to the looks on two young girls who were hungrily feasting their eyes on Ty and Mark.  The two lasses unabashadly walked into their room.

 

“Wow!  You guys were mega,” one of them asked.  “Are you in a band?”

 

“Um no we’re not,” Ty answered, feeling a bit giddy from the praise and a little randy as his eyes looked them both over.

 

“Well you should be,” the other one said to Ty, before looking at Sav.  “Is this your dad?”

 

“Um, yeah,” Ty answered, as he watched the young girl eye Sav.

 

“I can tell.  You look a lot alike.”

 

Sav blushed a bit, which Ty noticed.  Ty leaned over and whispered in his ear.  “Stop it, or I’m telling mum!”

 

Sav gave his son a warning look before the girls spoke up again.

 

“I’m Michelle and this is Erin.  We’re rooming right down the hall with another girl.  Guess we’re neighbors.”

 

“Guess so!” Mark said happily. “I’m Mark and this is Ty.  Come by and hear us play anytime, ladies.”

 

Ty gave Mark a big grin before looking back at the girls.

 

“Oh, we’ll take you up on that.  Promise,” Michelle said. 

 

“Well, bye guys and uh….you too sir,” Erin said to Sav.

 

“Goodbye ladies,” Sav said, clearing his throat.  Ty nudged him with a wink, to which Sav nudged him back.

 

“Knock it off lad,” Sav warned. 

 

“Oooooh, she liked you dad,” Ty teased.  “Must have a thing for older men.”

 

“Well, I hope they have a thing for us,” Mark said with hope.

 

“Sure looks like they did.  All we had to do was play and sing and the girls just push their way in.”

 

Ty then turned to Sav.  “Guess that’s why rock stars get all the girls, eh dad?”

 

Sav had no choice but to agree.  “Guess so!”

 

Sav had a feeling that Ty and Mark were gonna have half the girls on campus eating out of their hands.

 

Little did he know, that it was just a preview of things to come.

 

 

                                                          67

 

Two weeks passed, as another school year officially started.  Now that she was a junior, Grace had some pressure on her.  No longer could she put off making a decision about what she wanted to do after high school.  She knew she wanted to go to university, but wasn’t sure what she wanted.  It wouldn’t be long before this year went by and would have to face her final year.

 

She noticed a few lads from school being a little overly friendly with her.  She had a feeling that it was because Ty was no longer there and they were no longer a couple, officially.  Getting involved with someone else, especially so soon, was the last thing on her mind.  She still missed Ty terribly, even as she convinced herself that what she did was the right thing.

 

After school, she and her friends stayed for footie practice.  Since she didn’t have much homework and the weather was nice, she wasn’t prepared to go home.  They were having tryouts now for the new season which would start next spring.

 

As Grace sat there with Beth and Allison, a girl from her class whom she was on somewhat friendly terms with approached her.

 

“Hi Grace.  Can um…I talk to you for a bit.”

 

“Yeah, sure.  Whats up?”

 

“Um, is it true that Scott’s girlfriend Chelsea moved to the States?”

 

Grace knew just what she was after.  “Yeah, its true.  Her father’s job transferred him there.”

 

“So, Scott’s available, right?”

 

Grace let out a little sigh.  She knew it wouldn’t be long before the lasses were gonna line up to ease his broken heart.

 

“I suppose he is.  But, knowing him the way I do I think it’ll be some time before he thinks about another girlfriend.  He was really in love with Chelsea.”

 

The young girl sighed.  “Ohhhhh, really?  Oh, that is so sweet.  I always knew he’d be a romantic one.  Well, if he’s not looking I guess there isn’t anything I can do.  But, when he’s ready, let me know first.  I don’t think he knows it, but there’s several girls who would kill to go out with him.”

 

Grace chuckled a bit.  “Well, if he lets on about anything, I’ll let you know.  But, I don’t think it’ll be any time soon.”

 

‘That’s okay.  I’ve got all of this year and all of next,” the girl stated before walking away.

 

Allison nudged Grace.  “Wow, seems Scott’s picking up where Ty left off.  He’s the new hot property.”

 

“Well, I think his ‘broken heart’ status makes him all the more appealing to the lasses,” Beth said.  “Probably taking bets to see which one he’ll choose to uh….’mend it’!”

 

“Well, like I said,” Grace said.  “If I know Scott, it won’t be too soon.  He’s not a flirt like Ty is.  He’s more of a ‘one woman man’.”

 

“What?  Wait, are you saying that Ty……”?

 

Grace winced at her big mouth.  She never told her two best friends what she found out about Ty and Diane.  She was too embarrassed to tell them that.

 

“Um, no…that’s not what I meant,” Grace stammered. “Its…its just, well, you know Ty.  He’s open and shameless whereas Scott is, well, shy and reserved.  I don’t see Scott as someone who’ll ‘date around’.”

 

“Yeah, me neither,” Allison agreed. “I will say this, the next lass he does choose will be very lucky indeed.” 

 

Allison then looked on the field as her jaw dropped.

 

“Um…make that very lucky,” she added.

 

Grace looked on the field to see that Scott had shed his shirt.  It suddenly dawned on her that she hadn’t seen him shirtless since being in the pool with him at Uncle Viv’s last summer.  She was amazed at what a year could do to a lad.

 

“Wow,” Beth said.  “Gee Grace, now that you and Ty called it quits and he’s off to university, maybe you could….you know…keep the relationship in the family, you know?”

 

Grace looked at her friend appalled.   “What…..what do you mean?”

 

“I mean….you and Scott!”

 

“Don’t be absurd!  Scott’s practically my brother.”

 

“That’s what you said about Ty.  And that didn’t stop you from going after him.  And….you’re no longer together.”

 

“So!  I…I could never, out of respect for Ty.  Plus, for the same reason, Scott would never consider me.  Its out of the question!”

 

“Grace…why are you getting so jumpy about it?  Could you really be interested…”

 

“Drop it, okay.  I’m not interested in Scott that way.”

 

Grace swallowed those words as she watch the sweat drip down Scott’s naked upper half.

 

On the field, one of the junior lads trotted over to Scott.  “Aye mate.  Is uh….Grace still seeing your brother now that he’s off to university?”

 

Scott shook his head in amazement.  Didn’t take these wankers long to move in on a young lass who’s boyfriend went off to school.

 

“Um, no.  They broke it off before he left.”

 

“Scott, you’re close with her.  C’mon, fix me up.  I’m sure she’ll need a shoulder to cry on, and I’ve got two nice ones right here.”

 

Scott didn’t like where he was going with this at all.  He remembered Ty’s charge to him to look out for Grace, especially with randy lads with one thing on their minds.

 

“Aye, c’mon give her time, okay,” Scott said.  “She was really hung up on my brother so I don’t know how long it’ll be before she becomes interested in someone else.”

 

“Well, if you ask me Scott, I think you’re discouraging other lads from her because you plan on making a move on her.”

 

“What?  No I’m not!”

 

“C’mon, Scott.  You and Chelsea were pretty tight.  So was her and Ty.  Now that both of you lost your first loves, you’ll have each other to turn to.”

 

“Very funny, smart ass,” Scott snapped.  “I’m not interested in Grace that way.  She’s practically my sister.”

 

“That didn’t stop your brother, did it?”

 

“Yeah, well, all the more reason I would never consider Grace,” Scott reasoned.  “I wouldn’t do that to my brother.”

 

“Aye, who said he’d have to know?”

 

As the other lad walked away, Scott looked into the bleachers and caught Grace’s eye. At the same time, he thought of how he still hadn’t heard from Chelsea since she moved.  His broken, abandoned heart answered the lad’s question.

 

“Who indeed?”

 

 

                                                          68

 

A couple of weeks later, Grace was helping her mum with the dishes after dinner.  As she did, she stared out the window over the sink and let her thoughts wander.

 

“Grace!  You’re getting water on the floor,” Abby said.

 

Grace snapped out of her spell as she bent down to wipe up the floor with a dishtowel.  “Sorry, mum.”

 

“Thinking about Tyler?”

 

Grace frowned a bit.  Yes, she had been thinking about Ty, but her mind also found itself wandering to his brother.

 

“Um, yeah.  I was just wondering how he’s getting on at school.”

 

“Well, why don’t you ask Scott to see if he’s heard from him yet.”

 

Grace slowly smiled at the prospect of talking to Scott.  “Yeah, maybe I will.”

 

“Grace, why do you look funny?”

 

“Huh?”

 

Abby felt her forehead.  “Well, you feel okay.  Its just…your cheeks looked a little flushed, that’s all.”

 

Grace felt mortified.  God, why was she thinking about Scott like that?  She’s talked with him countless times in her life and never got giddy about it.  She had no idea where these thoughts came from.

 

Just then, Joe walked in with J.T.  “I’m bringing him over to Danny’s,” Joe said.  “They’re pitching a tent in the backyard and having a sleepover.”

 

“Do you have everything you need, J.T.?”

 

J.T. rolled his eyes.  “Yes, mum.  I’m not a baby, ya know?  I’m almost 12.”

 

“Yeah, full fledged man,” Joe mused.  “C’mon sport, lets go.”

 

As Joe and J.T. left, Grace finished up and turned to her mum.

 

“I think I’m gonna go for a walk.  It’s a nice night out.  I uh, need to clear my head.”

 

“Grace, don’t stay out too long.  Its starting to get dark early.”

 

“I won’t mum.  I’m just gonna go up the street to the soccer field.  Maybe sit for a while.”

 

“Grace….you sure you’re okay?”

 

“Yeah, just stuff on my mind.”

 

Grace kissed Abby on the cheek before bounding out the front door.

 

As she rounded the entrance to the soccer park, she looked and saw a few kids kicking a ball around.  Over by the bleachers, she saw someone sitting on the bottom bench, leaning back, legs oustretched, elbows resting on the bleacher behind.  When she got close enough she realized it was…….

 

“Scott?”

 

Scott looked up at the sound of Grace’s voice and felt his lonely heart jump a bit.

 

“Grace.  Wh…what are you doing here?”

 

“I could ask you the same thing.”

 

Scott glanced down at the ground a bit.  “Just thinking.  I’ve been doing a lot of that lately.  I didn’t realize how quiet the house was without Ty.”

 

Both of them shared a chuckle over that.  “Yeah, I’m sure,” Grace agreed.  “Speaking of which, have you heard from him?”

 

“Yeah, he’s called a few times.  Mainly for dad to send him money, what else!”

 

“So, how’s he doing?”

 

“Good, I guess.  I haven’t talked to him.  Seems he lucked out with his dormmate.  The guy plays bass just like dad and he and Ty have been playing together.’

 

“Yeah, I remember Ty telling me that he’d been playing the guitar a lot this last year.  At least they’ve got something in common.  He could’ve wound up with someone dreadful.”

 

“Yeah, I guess,” Scott said solemnly.

 

Grace eyed him warily.  “Let me guess…you haven’t heard from Chelsea yet?”

 

“No, I haven’t.”

 

“Maybe she hasn’t gotten her computer hooked up yet.  She’s probably still busy unpacking and getting situated.  Give her another week, you’ll hear from her.  I know you will.”

 

“How do you know, Grace?”

 

“Because she loves you, that’s why.  You’re not the type of lad a girl forgets too easily.”

 

Grace couldn’t stop those words from leaving her mouth even if she tried.  She bit her tongue as she registered the warm look on Scott’s face.

 

“Thanks Grace.  And, if my moron brother is smart, he won’t forget you either.”

 

“Well, my situation with Ty is different.  I suggested the breakup so he could be free to experience his college years without any ties.  It was hard, but I think it was the right thing to do.”

 

“You don’t mind if he dates other girls?”

 

“I have no choice. We’re broken up.”

 

“Will you date other guys?”

 

“That’s the last thing on my mind, Scott.  I’m still getting over Ty.”

 

“Yeah, same with me and Chelsea.  It’ll be a while before I even think of wanting to be with someone else.”

 

“Guess we’ve got something in common then, huh?”

 

“Yeah,” Scott drawled out.  “Broken hearts.”  Scott then turned to Chelsea to stare into her beautiful green eyes.  “Guess we can help each other get over it.”

 

Grace nodded her head as her eyes caught Scott’s sad blue ones.  “I guess.”

 

Then, without another word or warning, Grace leaned her head on Scott’s shoulder.  And he, without a though, put his arm around her back.  They sat like that for a while as they watched the kids on the field play.

 

When Chelsea finally lifted her head, her eyes were languid and liquid with tears.  When one slid down her cheek, Scott automatically wiped it away.  The feel of her smooth skin made him pull away as if he touched forbidden ground.  In a way, he did.

 

His sudden urge to kiss her soft lips was so overwhelming that he knew he had to get out of there – fast.

 

“Grace, c’mon.  Its getting a bit dark.  Let me walk you home.”

 

“Oh…..okay,” she said, realizing how close she was to kissing him too.

 

As they headed out of the park entrance, Grace looked at Scott with a look of thanks.  Scott couldn’t help himself from putting his arm around her for the rest of the walk home.

 

They were so impervious to their surroundings that they didn’t see Joe in his car at a stop sign as they walked by.

 

 

                                                          69

 

Joe walked in the front door after dropping J.T. off at Danny’s house.  He heard the telly on in the entertainment room and went downstiars.  Abby was reclining on the couch with a glass of iced tea.  Upon hearing Joe come down she sat up.

 

“Good, come join me.  Lets spend a nice quiet evening together.  J.T.’s gone and Grace just went up to her room where she’ll probably stay for the night.”

 

Joe walked over and sat on the couch, not one to pass up a chance to cuddle with his wife, even after all these years.

 

“Grace just got home, huh?  Did she say anything?”

 

“Like what?”

 

“Oh, I don’t know.  Where she went?  If she saw someone?”

 

“No, why?  I something wrong?  She seemed a little strange when we were doing dishes.”

 

Joe knitted his brows.  “Strange, how?”

 

“Not exactly sure.  She said that she was wondering how Ty was doing and I told her to ask Scott to see if he heard anything.”

 

“And…?”

 

“And….right after that, her face got flush.  I felt her forehead, but it was cool.  She probably just misses Ty, is all.”

 

“Don’t be so sure,” Joe said with a hint of warning.  “It may not be all that’s ailing her.”

 

Abby faced him.  “Joe..what are you talking about?  You…you don’t think she’s sweet on someone else so soon, do you?”

 

“There’s a good possibility.  And, I hope to God I’m wrong about what I saw.”

 

“What did you see?”

 

“Well, on the way home from dropping J.T. off, I saw Grace and Scott walking down the street.”

 

Abby waved him off.  “Joe, that’s nothing.  She said she wanted to take a walk, probably went down by the park and saw Scott there.  They were just walking home together.”

 

“With his arm around her and her head on his shoulder?” Joe said matter of factly.

 

Abby started to look concerned, but shook it off.  “Joe, they just lost their first loves.  They’re probably comforting one another.”

 

“Define comfort?”

 

“Joe…….”

 

“Abby, I’m just concerned, that’s all.  Scott just lost his girl whom he was sexually active with and Grace just said goodbye to the lad she gave her virtue to.  They’re both sixteen – they’ve had a taste of what its like.  They keep leaning on each others shoulder and ‘comforting’ each other, how long do you think it’ll be before they give in and…..”

 

“Joe, don’t jump to conclusions.  And don’t get on the phone with Rick and warn him either.  Scott and Grace have been together since the cradle.  Lets give them the benefit of the doubt, okay?”

 

Abby leaned her head on his shoulder and looked up at him with lovely green eyes that still shined after so many years of marriage.  Joe looked down and knew there was nothing he could deny her when she looked at him like that.

 

“Okay,” he agreed. 

 

                              ****************************************

Scott walked in the front door and headed to the kitchen.  He heard his parents in the family and went in to tell them he was home.

 

Sav and Paige were relaxing together with a glass of wine each, going through some old photos.

 

“Hey.  Just wanted to tell you I’m home.  What are you doing?”

 

“Reminiscing,” Sav said.  “Your mum’s still pining that he eldest ‘baby’ is away at school and got the urge to pull out his baby pictures.”

 

Scott just rolled his eyes as Paige gave Sav a nasty look.

 

“You men!  You’ll never understand the separation anxiety that a mother has with her child.”

 

Now it was Sav’s turn to roll his eyes.  “Will you stop it with the ‘you men’ speech?  He’s eighteen years old.  He was weened a long time ago.”

 

“Nevermind,” Paige said with exasperation.  “I’ll keep my maternal thoughts to myself.  I……..oh, remember this picture?  Scott, come here.”

 

Scott walked over to see the picture his mum was holding up.  “This was Grace’s first birthday party.  She was just getting used to walking and there you were, several months older than her with sturdier legs, chasing her around.  Oh…..and here’s the one where you caught her.  You put your arms around her and gave her a kiss on the cheek.  I can’t believe I got that shot.  Its so precious.”

 

“Yeah, you got quite a head start on kissing girls,” Sav mused.

 

Sav just smirked at he looked at the picture of him and Grace when they were toddlers.  It was so ironic that his mum showed him this picture after he just got back from walking Grace home, his arm around her the entire time.  Perhaps they were destined to be together ‘from the cradle’?

 

Scott shook his head at his foolish thoughts.  He was only thinking this way because he was missing Chelsea and hadn’t heard from her.

 

“Well, I’m going upstairs.  I’m gonna see if I can contact Chelsea.”

 

“Still haven’t heard from her lad?”

 

All Scott could do was shake his head at his father’s question.  He sadly turned and walked out.

 

“Poor thing,” Paige said.  “I feel so bad for him.  He cried on my shoulder when he got back from seeing her the day she left for the airport.”

 

“You never told me that,” Sav stated a little miffed.

 

Paige tossed her head at him.  “Then that makes us even for what you kept from me.”

 

“Wench,” Sav muttered.

 

“I heard that!”

 

Sav looked at her with a smug face.  “What are you gonna do about it?”

 

Paige tossed the pictures aside then went to straddle Sav on the chair.  “I believe I can conjure up a thing of two!!”

 

          ************************************************************************

 

Up in his room, Scott switched on his computer.  Before Iming Chelsea, he checked his e-mail and his eyes literally popped when he saw one from her.  He clicked it on and breathlessly read it.

 

Hi Scott:

 

I’m sorry that its taken me so long to finally get a hold of you.  The first two weeks in our new home was like a tornado.  Boxes, boxes and more boxes.  Dad had to start work immediately, so I had to help mum unpack and put everything away.  As soon as that was done, school started.

 

Needless to say, I’m not very happy.  I just don’t feel like I fit in, probably because I’m new and British.  Most of the kids are passing friendly, but that’s it.  I still haven’t made any real friends yet.  The only kids who showed any kind of hospitality are kinda outcasts.  They look and dress a little weird, but at least they talked to me.  I don’t want to get involved with the wrong crowd, but I’m just so lonely.

 

Anyway, somethings wrong with my Yahoo Messenger which is why I e-mailed you.  I haven’t had the chance or the time to fix it, even if I knew how, and I hate asking my dad.  Even though he’s not traveling, he works long hours, but that’s only until he gets more familiar with his new territory.

 

I don’t think I have to say that I miss you so much.  I cried all the way to the airport and most of the ride to the States.  Its times like this that I wish I had a sister – someone.  I’m just so sad.  I wasn’t ready to leave you.  Even though I want to be able to write and chat with you, part of me is wondering if its healthy for me to hang onto something I can no longer have.  I don’t want to let go of you, even all the way over here, but what am I to do.  I wish you were here to help me feel better.

 

Well, the school’s here practically swamp you with homework within the first weeks and I’m having a hard time as it is being new so I don’t want to do bad in school.  Until I get my Messenger fixed, I’ll have to settle with e-mails.  I’d call you, but I’m afraid my dad would go through the roof at the phone bill!

 

Write me back and let me know how things are going.  I’ll try to write again as soon as I dig out from all this homework.

 

I love you Scott.  The bracelet never leaves my wrist.

 

Luv, Chelsea J

 

 

Scott was relieved to finally hear from her, but was worried about the sadness and lonliness she was feeling.  How he wished he could be there for her? 

 

He immediately wrote back to her, trying to offer her some encouragement.  He then thought about her remark about ‘hanging on to something you can no longer have’.  As much as he loved and missed her, he knew that he would eventually have to ‘move on’.

 

The picture of him kissing Grace as a baby formed in his head, causing him to smile.  When he realized what he was doing, he shook the cobwebs from his brain and composed a response to Chelsea.

 

 

                                                70

 

University life was a stark shot of reality for Ty.  Although he was taking general prep courses, the schedule and atmosphere was so much more different from highschool. 

 

He wanted to do good and spent a good deal of his nights studying to a point where he was already beginning to feel burned out.  He often wondered if he’d last the year – let alone the next four!

 

Fortunately, he had a good friend in Mark who was dealing with his own study battles.  Both were in the same Business Economics class and had been lying across their beds, cramming for a test for the last two hours.  When Ty realized he couldn’t take anymore, he rolled onto his back and rubbed his tired eyes.

 

“Crikey, I’m gonna need bloody glasses if I keep this up.”

 

Mark closed his book and sat up.  “Feel pretty comfortable for tomorrow?”

 

“Yeah, I think so,” Ty replied.  “I just want to unwind a bit.”

 

“Well, I know the perfect way,” Mark said, sliding his bass out from under his bed.

 

It didn’t take too much to twist Ty’s arm as he grabbed his accoustic.  Both got into the habit of jamming just about every night.  It helped them to clear their minds from all the new stress thrust upon them. 

 

Their playing had become so commonplace, that the rest of the kids in the dorm eagerly awaited that certain time of the night that they usually began to play.  They only did about two or three songs, mainly some old stuff from the 90’s, before calling it a night.  They always left the door open so the rest of the dorm could here. 

 

Ty and Mark found a music store near campus where they found sheet music of old classics.  Mark was becoming profoundly better on bass and wanted to learn more tunes.

 

As Ty shuffled through his growing collection of music, he chose one that was a perfect ‘feel good’ song.  As usual,  Ty sang – his vocals become stronger and more resonant.  It was smooth and pitch perfect, with just a little sexy roughness found in today’s sound.  And Mark’s vocals were a perfect compliment, being able to hit higher notes which was a nice harmonal blend to Ty’s voice. 

 

Ty started out the song..

With a little love, and some tenderness
We'll walk upon the water
We'll rise above this mess
With a little peace, and some harmony
We'll take the world together
We'll take 'em by the hand

'Cause I've got a hand for you
'Cause I wanna run with you

Yesterday, I saw you standing there
Your head was down, your eyes were red
No comb had touched your hair
I said get up, and let me see you smile
We'll take a walk together
Walk the road awhile, 'cause

'Cause I've got a hand for you
I've got a hand for you
'Cause I wanna run with you
Won't you let me run with you? yeah

Hold my hand
Want you to hold my hand
Hold my hand
I'll take you to a place where you can be
Hold my hand
Anything you wanna be because
I wanna love you the best that, the best that I can

 

As soon as they finished the song, they heard the usual applause from down the hall as well as one lad yell out ‘Hootie!’

 

“What do you say…one more?”

 

Ty agreed with Mark as he shuffled through for another song, when the sound of two female voices appearing in their doorway stopped him.

 

“Aye lads, that sounded mega,” Michelle said, Erin grinning beside her.

 

Ty and Mark glowed at their praise.  Ever since their first day here, Michelle and Erin have flirted incessantly  with them.  Between their class schedule, homework and still learning to get around, they hadn’t had the opportunity to think about some female companionship.  Although several of the freshman girls in their dorm have been caught under the spell of the singing and song playing, Michelle and Erin were the only two bold enough to approach them.

 

“Thanks ladies,” Mark said with an infectious grin.  “So, what are you two about tonight.”

 

“Just came back from a late class,” Erin said.  “And now we’re famished.  Probably gonna go out and get something.”

 

“Why don’t you lads join us?” Michelle added, seeing the opportunity.

 

Ty and Mark grinned at each other.  “Sounds good,” Ty said.  “We’ve been studying for the last two hours and decided to unwind a bit on the guitars.”

 

“Well, you know what they say,” Michelle cooed.  “All work and no play….”

 

“That’s right,” Erin chimed in.  “Plus, there are better ways to unwind than playing the guitar.  So…you guys on?”

 

Ty and Mark both put their guitars away without a second thought and followed the girls out.

 

 

 

                                                          71

 

Back in Sheffield, Grace dialed Scott.  It was that time of year again and several girls wanted to ask him to the Harvest Dance, however they weren’t sure if he would want to go.  So, they tracked down Grace and enlisted her to find out ahead of time.

 

“’ello?”

 

“Scott?  Hi, its Grace.”

 

Scott flustered a bit, why he didn’t know, over hearing her voice. 

 

“Aye, luv.  What’s up?”

 

“Um, well….actually I’ve been asked by a couple of girls at school to see if you’d be up to going to the dance.  About three want to ask you, but they wanted to know if you were, you know…ready to date someone else, although it really wouldn’t be a  ‘date, date’.”

 

Scott blushed on the other end of the phone.  He noticed that he’d been getting a lot of attention from the lasses lately, but they were probably gun shy about making a move on him, thinking he were still hung up on Chelsea.

 

“Actually, Grace….I…I don’t think I’m gonna go at all.  It just has too many memories from last year.  Stupid, huh?”

 

“No, not at all,” Grace replied.  “I kinda feel the same way about me and Ty.  I’m just not up to it myself.  But I’m warning you, Scott.  Don’t plan on staying off the market for to long.  These girls are pestering the daylights out of me!”

 

“Sorry, luv,” Scott chucked.  “Didn’t think I was that much of a ladies man.”

 

“Well, I think that’s the reason you appeal to them – because you’re not a ladies man.”

 

“I guess I’m just like you,” he said.  “I mean, I know I’ve got to move on, but I’m just not in the mood for the dance this year.”

 

“Still haven’t heard back from Chelsea?”

 

Scott sighed heavily.  “No, not since I answered her e-mail.  I just hope she’s doing okay.  I felt really bad for her.  I wish I could help her in someway.”

 

“I’m sure she’d love that if you could.”

 

“So, are you gonna inquire after my big brother?”

 

“Part of me wants to, and part of me doesn’t,” she said.  “Like you, I’ve got to move on too.  After all, it was my decision to split before he went off to school.  I guess I just don’t want to hear if he’s with anyone.”

 

“Well, I don’t know if he’s with anyone, but dad said that he’s in a coed dorm.”

 

Grace was silent for a moment before speaking.  “Well, then I guess I did the right thing,” she reluctantly said.  “There would’ve been too much temptation for him to stay faithful to our relationship.  He already……nevermind, I don’t want to bring that up.  So, can I tell these girls the answer is no then?”

 

“Yeah, I guess.  Maybe next year, since it’ll be my last.  The memory of last year will be well gone by then.”

 

Grace thought a bit and decided to go for it.  “Hey Scott, if you want, since we both won’t be going to the dance, maybe…..I don’t know, maybe we could, you know….go to the movies or something that night.  Just so we’re both not home dwelling on last year.”

 

“Um….yeah…sure…that..that sounds like a good idea,” he stammered, again, not knowing why.

 

“I think it may be just what we need,” Grace said.  “Oh, but don’t say anything at school.  If those girls found out you turned them down to the dance only to go to the movies with me, they’ll flipping freak!”

 

Scott laughed.  “I won’t.  Besides, they should know that you and I are practically………”

 

“What?”

 

Scott gulped.  “Um, you know….brother and sister.”

 

Grace lowered her voice in reply.  “Yeah….brother and sister,” she said almost dejectedly.

 

Scott recovered first.   “So it’s a …….date, I guess?”

 

“Um, I guess.  I don’t think dad’ll mind.  He’ll understand our dilemma.  Plus, he’ll trust you with me.”

 

“Yeah, but will I be able to trust myself with you?” Scott thought to himself.

 

Little did he know, Grace was thinking the same thing about him.

 

 

                                                          72

 

Ty and Mark sat with Michelle and Erin in the local pizza shop.  Michelle sat next to Ty, playfully plucking pieces of pepperoni off the pizza and feeding him while she brushed her thigh up against his.

 

Across the table, Erin seductively nibbled on a breadstick as her eyes hungrily met Marks.  Mark got so flustered that he bit into a slice of pizza and left a string of mozzarella hanging down his chin.  Erin wasted no time in leaning over and grabbing the piece of cheese between her lips and taking into her mouth.

 

Both lads clearly knew that these two girls were coming onto them big time and wondered what would happen once they left and went back to the dorm.  Not wanting to waste another minute, and turned on as hell, they paid the check and went back to the dorm.

 

As the guys got to their door, they turned to the girls.

 

“So ladies,” Mark said.  “Wanna come in and hear a few tunes?”

 

Ty grinned.  “Yeah.  Be our own little private audience.”

 

“Sure.  Love to,” Michelle and Erin said in unison, a wicked look on their faces.

 

The lads let them in and immediately went for their guitars.  As they did, they saw the lights go out.  Ty turned to see that Michelle had flipped the switch off and was advancing on him.  Erin did the same with Mark.

 

“Um, don’t you want to hear us play Erin?” Mark said as she ran her hands up his chest to his shoulders.

 

“Another time,” Erin purred at him.  “Right now, I wanna play with you.”

 

Mark found himself pushed flat on his back on the bed as Erin straddled him.  Meanwhile, Ty turned to Michelle who was practically all over him.

 

“So um…I take it that you don’t want a solo performance from me, huh?”

 

“You got that right, Ty,” Michelle whispered.  “Besides, I think you’ll like my solo performance better.”

 

Ty, too, found himself on his back as Michelle knelt on the bed beside him.  She then grasped the hem of her sweater and drew it over her head.  Ty groaned when he saw that she didn’t have a bra on underneath.

 

Erin saw what Michelle did and did the same.  Mark’s hands instantly came up and fondled her firm breasts as she bent down to kiss him.

 

“I hope you lads aren’t shy around each other,” Michelle said as she leaned over Ty, unbuttoning his shirt.  “Because Erin and I are certainly not.”

 

When she got his shirt undone and opened, she brushed her breasts against his bare chest before bringing her mouth down on top of his.

 

Naked from the waist up, the four of them kissed and fonded each other wildly.  The the moonlight peeking through the window blinds provided the only illumination to the room and lent an erotic quality to what was already happening.

 

Erin began to trail her mouth all the way down Mark’s chest and stomach until she got to the waistband of his jeans.  She heard him groan and felt him arch his back a bit in anticipation.

 

“Something you want, luv?” Erin whispered as she rubbed him through his fly.

 

“Oh yeahhhhh,” Mark drawled out with a slight chuckle.

 

Erin wasted no time unfastening his jeans and pulling them down.

 

Over on the other bed, Ty and Michelle’s tongues fought inside each other’s mouths.  When Ty heard Mark groan, followed by the sound of a zipper, he broke the kiss and looked over.  In the dimness of the room, he clearly saw Erin giving him head.

 

“Don’t worry Ty, you’ll get yours,” Michelle whispered as she licked a trail from his neck to his navel with her tongue.  Ty threw his arms behind him in surrender and arched his body up.  He then let out a groan of his own when he felt Michelle undo his jeans as well, yanking them down to his knees.  However, instead of feeling Michelle’s mouth on him, he heard her undo her jeans and slide them off.

 

When Ty looked up, Michelle was completely naked and pulling the covers down from underneath him to cover them up with.  Although Mark was in his own little oblivious world with Erin’s mouth working him, she wanted a little bit of privacy.

 

Once covered, Michelle straddled him and leaned down.

 

“I’ve been wanting to get my hands on you since I saw you playing the guitar that first day,” she said, rubbing her center against his erection.  “Don’t worry about a thing – I’m perfectly safe.”

 

With that, Michelle impaled herself on Ty, causing him to let out a startled yell.

 

“Oh God!”

 

“Oh, you said it!” Mark replied with a chuckle.

 

As Michelle rode Ty, Erin sucked Mark faster and harder, his panting and groans signaling the nearing of his release.

 

“Yeah, Erin yeah,” he hissed between his teeth.  “Yeah, don’t stop!  That’s it”

 

Ty had his own words of praise for Michelle.  “Bloody hell, yeah!  Feels so good.  Yeah, Michelle.  Faster!  Ride me faster!”

 

Both girls increased their individual tempos until the lads couldn’t take it anymore.  Mark spilled himself inside Erin’s mouth as Ty climaxed hard inside Michelle.

 

After a few moments, both lads lay there sheened in sweat and breathing fast from the unexpected, but very welcome encounter.

 

As the girls slid up their bodies to snuggle next to them, Ty and Mark craned their heads back to look at each other and signaled a high five with ear to ear grins.

 

Little did they know that encounters like this was on the beginning!

 

 

                                                73

 

A few days later, Grace approached her father.

 

“Um daddy, do you think I could go to the cinema next Saturday night?”

 

“Well, that depends.”

 

“On what?”

 

“Well, that its not ‘R’ rated and who you’re going with.  Allison and Beth?”

 

“No, it won’t be ‘R’ rated and, I’m not going with Allison or Beth. Actually, Scott and I are gonna go together.”

 

Joe raised a curious brow.  “Oh.”

 

“Um, yeah.  Since we’re not going to the dance this year, we thought we’d go to the cinema that night, you know, instead of staying inside and thinking about last year and stuff.”

 

Joe saw the logic in it, but the father in him, who saw them walking arm in arm not too long ago, saw something more brewing between them.  He wondered just how innocent this ‘movie date’ was going to be.

 

“Well, I guess its okay.”

 

“Good.  If you bring us, Scott said Uncle Sav will pick us up.  We’ll probably go to the seven o’clock show then maybe to the canteen next door to get something to eat afterwards.”

 

“That’s fine, luv.  As long as you’re home by eleven.”

 

Grace kissed her father.  “No problem.  Thanks daddy.  You’re the best.”

 

“Remember that,” Joe smirked. 

 

 

 

                                      ***********************************

 

That Saturday night, Joe dropped Grace and Scott off in front of the cinema.  The mid-November night was a little chilly as they hurried inside, bought their tickets and sat down.

 

They both agreed on seeing a comedy to lift their spirits a bit and forget about everyone at the dance tonight.  Halfway through the movie Scott turned to Chelsea.

 

“You want some popcorn or something?”

 

“Um, no that’s okay.  We’ll go next door and get something after the movie.”

 

Scott grinned and nodded then went back to watching the movie.  While they were sitting, they both balanced their arms on the adjoining armrest.   When Chelsea felt her arm sliding off after a while, she pulled it off and kept I rested on her lap. 

 

When Scott saw her do that he felt bad.  Without thinking, he took her hand and brought her arm back up to the rest.  He then laid his arm lightly on top of hers and kept his fingers entwined with hers.

 

Grace shyly regarded him to which Scott returned a blush as they went back to watching the movie, their hands remaining clasped till the end.

 

Afterwards, they went next door to the canteen for a burger, chips and pop.  They were glad that no one from school was around.  Grace didn’t want word getting back to those girls that Scott went out with her that night, even if it was as friends, which, of course, it was.

 

She then thought about him holding her hand in the cinema.

 

“Wasn’t it?” she thought.

 

“So, did the movie do the trick?”

 

Scott looked up as he popped a chip in his mouth.  “Yeah, I guess.  I kinda forgot what tonight was until you just mentioned it.”

 

“Oh, Scott…I’m sorry.  I…I didn’t mean to….”

 

‘No, no, its alright.  I’m getting myself used to the fact that I’m not gonna hear from Chelsea again.  It hurts a bit, but….this has helped.  Thanks Grace.”

 

Scott put his hand over hers and squeezed it.  Grace saw a look in his eye that she couldn’t quite discern.  Was he just being friendly, thankful or….more?

 

Why was she thinking this?  They’re friends – that’s all.  Friends who’ve known each other since the cradle, friends who care about one another, friends who are trying to be there  for each other during this difficult time.

 

You don’t fall for your friends – do you?

 

“Grace, what are you thinking again?” she silently scolded herself.  “You’ve sat next to Scott, you’ve talked with him all your life and you’ve never been affected.  You’re lonely and your heart is broken – and so is his.  You’re just….comforting each other, that’s it!”

 

She then answered herself.  “If you’re just friends, then why are you thinking how darker blue his eyes are than Ty’s?”

 

As she thought that, she involuntarily rubbed his hand with her finger, taking in the feel of him.  She continued to eat her chips with her other hand as she did this, until she looked up at Scott who had a very languid look in his eyes.  When she realized that her finger was still caressing his hand, she stopped and shyly grinned.

 

“Um..we’re almost done.  Maybe you should call your dad to come get us.”

 

“Uh, yeah I guess,” Scott said as he took out his cell phone and called his father.

 

After they paid the check, they waited on the bench outside.  Since it was getting chillier, Grace automatically snuggled up next to him.”

 

“Grace.  Do you want to wait inside if you’re cold?”

 

“No, its too smokey in there.”

 

Grace suddenly wondered if Scott suggested that because he didn’t want her so close, so she pulled away and hugged herself.

 

“Whats wrong?” he asked.

 

“Oh, nothing.”

 

“Then come back here,” he said as he put his arm around her and drew her flush up against his side.

 

“Better?”

 

“Yeah, thanks,” she said.

 

After a few seconds of sitting in silence, Grace broke it.  “Scott?”

 

Scott looked down at her.  “Yeah?”

 

She looked up into his eyes that were even darker blue in the starlit Sheffield night.  “I think we’re gonna be alright.”

 

Scott smiled at her beautiful, fresh face as her green eyes began to suck him in.

 

“Yeah, I think you’re right,” he whispered.

 

They remained there for what seemed like an eternity, just staring at each others face, before Scott began to lean down towards her face.  Grace didn’t move, except for tilting her head up a little higher until she felt Scott’s lips gently touch hers.

 

He instantly pulled away as if he did something wrong, only to find Grace looking at him with pleading eyes.  He lowered his head again and kissed her more fully, his lips parting slightly causing hers to part as well.

 

Just as their tongues forbiddenly touched each other, they faintly heard a car pull up in front of them and the sound of an electric window going down.  And then, the sound of a clearing throat.

 

Scott and Grace parted lips to look right into Sav’s face.

 

 

                                                74

 

Scott and Grace stared at Sav like deer looking into headlights.  Sav just kept an expressionless look on his face as not to make the situation more awkward than it was.

 

Both flustered youngsters got up off the bench and went to the car.  Grace got in the front seat and Scott got in the back.  It was silent for a few minutes until Sav tried to break it with some small talk.

 

“You kids have a good time?”

 

Sav instantly bit his lip as soon as those words came out.  He just caught them kissing – of course they had a good time!  He immediately retracted.

 

“I mean, how was the movie?”

 

“Good,” Scott mumbled.

 

“Funny,” Grace replied.

 

Sav decided to keep his mouth shut till he got Grace home, which, fortunately, wasn’t too far.  Before she got out, she kissed Sav on the cheek.

 

“Thanks Uncle Sav,” she said before sheepishly looking in the back at Scott.  “Um, bye Scott.  Thanks for tonight.”

 

“Bye Grace.  I’ll uh…see you at school Monday.”

 

Grace quickly got out and trotted to the front door.  Sav waited until she got inside before taking off. 

 

In the back, Scott slithered down in the seat, waiting for his father to say something.  When it was silent for a while, he looked up to see Sav staring at him in the rearview mirror.

 

Scott rolled his eyes and groaned.  “Dad, please!”

 

Sav raised his brows.   “Please, what?  Please don’t ask you about what I saw?  Please don’t lecture you?”

 

“I’d settle for ‘please don’t tell Uncle Joe’,” Scott replied.

 

“Don’t worry – I learned my lesson from the last time,” Sav said.  “But Scott, I will say this.  Don’t play with fire.  You lost your girl and Grace broke up with Ty.  Its natural to, you know…turn to each other.  Just use good judgement, okay?”

 

“Yeah, okay,” Scott replied quickly, not wanting to talk about this anymore.

 

Sav picked up on it and dropped it.  When they got home, Scott went straight to his room and Sav to his.  Paige was curled up in bed watching the news.  She sat up when Sav came in.

 

“That was quick,” she said. 

 

“Um, yeah,” Sav replied as he began to change for bed.

 

Paige noticed his reluctance.  “Something wrong?”

 

Sav turned to her with a blank look.  “No, why?”

“Because when you’re hiding something, you always give two-word answers, that why.”

 

“I do?”

 

“You just did.”

 

Sav squeezed his eyes shut.  “Paige, its nothing.”

 

“Oh, now I know something’s up.  When a man says its ‘nothing’, its usually ‘something’.”

 

Sav removed his shirt and replaced it with a t-shirt, trying to avoid the unavoidable.

 

“Well?”

 

He blew out a frustrated breath.  “Okay, fine, since you complain that I never tell you anything.  When I pulled up in front of the canteen, Scott and Grace were on the bench outside waiting for me.”

 

“Yeah, so?”

 

Sav climbed into bed beside her and leaned against the headboard.

 

“They were um……kissing.”

 

Paige’s eyes widened and her mouth dropped.  “Oh..my..God!  Were they just kissing, or were they ‘kissing’ kissing?”

 

Sav looked at his wife as if she were from another planet.  “What’s the bloody difference?”

 

“A lot,” Paige stated.  “This is kissing,” she said as she leaned over to him and placed her lips gently, but firmly on his for a few seconds before pulling away.

 

“And……this is ‘kissing’ kissing,” she said, leaning into him again and giving him a very passionate open-mouthed kiss.  As soon as Sav began to respond to her, she pulled away and looked at his dazed face.

 

“Any questions?”

 

Sav was clearly turned on by his wife’s surprise actions.  “Um…yeah…could…could you show me that ‘kissing’ kissing again?”

 

Paige smirked.  “Not until you answer me.  Which one was it between Scott and Grace?”

 

“Well, since I couldn’t see if their tongues were in each other’s mouth, I’d say it could very well be inbetween.”

 

“Think its something to be concerned about?”

 

“I’m not sure,” Sav replied.  “They’re probably turning to each other because they lost their first loves.  I didn’t get into too much of it was Scott, it was awkward and embarrassing enough.”

 

“Well, maybe it was just a curious thing,” Paige said.  “Lets give them the benefit of the doubt instead of worrying.  Now that they’ve been caught, they might not give into it again.”

 

“Or sneak around instead,” Sav added.  “I don’t know…we’ll just wait and see.  I can’t monitor these kids 24/7.”

 

Paige snuggled into him and began to slide her hand up the front of his t-shirt. “So….you liked ‘kissing’ kissing, huh?” 

 

Sav slid down until he was laying flat, giving her better access.  “Yes I do.”

 

“So…..you in the mood to fool around?”

 

“You mean fool around…..or ‘fool around’ fool around?”

 

Paige ran her hand down until she felt some very hard evidence through his pajama bottoms and stroked him.

 

“Does it matter?”

 

Sav growled before pulling her on top of him.  “Nope!”

 

 

                                                          75

 

Grace yelled a quick “I’m home” through her parents bedrom door before sequestering herself behind her own.  Her face was still on fire from Scott’s kiss – and from his dad catching them.

 

She only prayed that he didn’t tell her father.  It was bad enough that her dad threatened Ty’s manhood on occasion.  She didn’t want him chasing Scott all over Sheffield with a pair of sharp gardening shears in an attempt to do the same!

 

As she began to wonder what that kiss meant, and where it would lead to, there was a knock on her door.

 

“Grace?”

 

“Yeah mum?”

 

Abby opened the door and walked in.  “I just wanted to say goodnight.  Did you have a good time with Scott tonight?”

 

Abby remembered Joe telling her about seeing Grace and Scott walking arm in arm down the street and wanted to see if she could discern if there was something going on.

 

“Um, yeah, we had a good time,” Grace replied softly.  She busied herself with getting a pair of boxers and tank top out for bed to avoid looking at her mother.

 

“Did you get something to eat after the movie?”

 

“Um, yeah.  We went next door to the canteen and had a burger.  Nothing special.”

 

Grace flitted around, turning down her bed, fluffing her pillow and putting her earrings and watch away.

 

Abby noticed her nervousness and raised an eyebrow.  Maybe her husband was right.  Maybe something was going on between her and Scott.  She never saw Grace like this, even with Ty.

 

“How’s Scott, luv?”

 

Grace turned on her mother.  “Why are you asking me about him?  What are you trying to find out?”

 

Abby stepped back a bit startled.  “I’m only asking a question, Grace.  Why are you so snippy?”

 

“I’m not, its just….I’m tired.  I just want to get changed and go to bed.”

 

Abby walked forward and kissed her on the forehead.  “Goodnight, then.”

 

“Goodnight, mum.”

 

Abby walked back to her bedroom where she found Joe lying on his side, head propped up in his head as his elbow rested on the mattress.  An inquisitive look graced his face.

 

“Well?”

 

Abby leaned against the door, folded her arms and rolled her eyes.  “Okay, I agree.  I think somethings going on between them.”

 

“So…..I was right?” Joe asked with a smug twinkle in his eye.

 

Abby sighed heavily.  “Yes.”

 

“Yes, what?”

 

“Yes, you were right.  You just love hearing that, don’t you?”

 

Joe jumped up on his knees, reached across the bed to take Abby’s hand to pull her down.

 

“Yes, but right now I’d love something else a whole lot more!”

 

 

                                               

 

                                                          76

 

Two weeks passed by as November turned into December.  Paige stood in the kitchen pouring hot water into her teacup when she heard Sav come in behind her.  She turned around and smiled at the frown on her husband’s face.

 

“And what, pray tell, could you be down about, birthday boy?”

 

Sav winced as he sat down at the table.  “Didn’t I just turn 57 like…..last year?”

 

“Rick, you’ve been doing this every year since you turned 50.  Look on the bright side – at least you get to rib Joe good and proper next August when he turns 60.”

 

“What for?  Only so he can give it back to me tenfold when I turn 60?  Sixty?  Crikey, why am I thinking about that when I’m just getting used to saying 58?”

 

Paige came over and ran her fingers through his curly hair.  “Well, at least you still have all your hair!  And….you know….everything still works!”

 

“Is that all you women care about?  That it doesn’t die out?”

 

“Kinda ironic, don’t you think?”

 

“What?”

 

“You know….older men worrying about ‘getting it up’, while the younger men worry about ‘keeping it down’!”

 

Sav gave her a sly, sarcastic look.  “Speaking of which……I wonder how Ty’s doing.  Haven’t heard from him in almost two weeks.”

 

                                      *******************************

 

In Canterbury, Ty sat in class as the professor went around passing out corrected exams.  Although he and Mark crammed hard and felt confident, he was a little nervous.  It was bad enough that they were 10 minutes late to class that day.  If it weren’t for Michelle and Erin wearing the two of them out the night before, they would’ve been on time and alert.

 

As much as he was trying, he was becoming less and less interested in school and found himself playing and writing more and studying less.  At first, he turned to music as a way to relax, unwind and cope with the pressure of university, but it was becoming more than just a hobby.  It was the first thing he felt serious about since playing soccer in highschool.  When he thought of all the times his guitar just lay there in the corner of his room untouched, he was amazed.

 

When the professor got to him, he handed him his exam.  Ty squeezed his eyes shut and looked at his grade.  C+.  Not bad, but not great either, considering he felt as if he was ready.  He then looked back at Mark to find out how he did. 

 

Mark was sitting at his desk, head in his hands, shaking it back and forth.  Ty figured he didn’t do too well.

 

After class, Ty approached Mark.  “Well?”

 

Mark held up his test that had a big, red ‘F’ on it.  “I can’t believe it!  I can’t bloody believe it!  Man, I know we had a wild time with the girls the night before, but you know how hard we studied and quizzed each other.  I hope this isn’t how the rest of my year’s gonna go.”

 

“Maybe we shouldn’t  be staying in a coed dorm,” Ty mused.

 

“Maybe I shouldn’t be in university altogether,” Mark answered, clearly dejected.

“Mate, its your first test.  Don’t be so hard on yourself.”

 

“Ty, you mean to tell me that you haven’t been having seconds thoughts about school?”

 

Ty looked stunned.  “How do you know I’ve been thinking that?”

 

“Because, I see it in your face everytime we play and sing, which we’ve been doing a hell of a lot more than studying.”

 

Ty had no choice but to agree.  Mark knew him too well by now and their passion for music was equal.

 

“I know. You’re right,” Ty agreed.  “So…how do we handle this?”

 

Mark crumpled up his graded exam in his hands then clapped Ty on the back.

 

“Well, we can start by getting ourselves a drummer and guitarist!”