Just Rose

Chapter Thirty *Last chapter!*

Krista's art show was on Tuesday. By Wednesday, it struck me that Julie hadn't purchased a bus ticket for me. The things I had heard her and Lisa saying at the art show hit me again.

Wednesday evening and Thursday passed by in a blur. I went to dinner with James and Jane, which was more than a little awkward. Timothy, Veronica, Josh, Max, Sarah, and I went to the beach for a few hours. Krista attempted and failed miserably to make pizza rolls for dinner so Christopher, Steven, and I made grilled cheese for everyone instead.

It was a wonderful two days, and I should have enjoyed it. All of my favorite people, all together and enjoying themselves.

But what Julie and Lisa had said wouldn't leave me alone.

What was going to happen to me when the week ended?

The things I had said to Josh on the first day in California about Julie and the boys being my family started to sound less real. They didn't have a reason to take me back with them now that I was with James, and I knew I would feel guilty living in their house and eating their food while I could be living with him.

Was I going to have to move back to Texas and pretend I was comfortable there for the rest of my life?

James was a great person but I didn't really want to move back to Mountain View. He apparently agreed and pretty much told me so on Thursday evening.

"Elisabeth, can I talk to you?" he asked, walking into the guest room where I was drawing pictures with Ella.

I nodded. "Ella, go find your mommy, okay? She says its bath time," James said, picking up Ella and lifting her into the hallway. "Whee! There we go," he said, sitting her down.

"Goodnight grandpa," Ella said. She gave James a hug before running off down the hallway.

"Night, Ella," James said, closing the door behind her and sitting down on the floor next to me. "What are you drawing?" he asked, studying the piece of printer paper I was doodling on.

"Um, you know," I said awkwardly. "Flowers... rainbows. I was mostly helping Ella," I explained.

James nodded. "Right. Of course you were. You're too big to color with markers now, aren't you?"

I nodded, smiling. "A little bit," I agreed.

James nodded too, then cleared his throat. "So, Elisabeth. I've been thinking, and... I'm not sure how to say this. You're my daughter. You have your mom's laugh." He paused. "Okay. The thing is, I've been thinking. And... soon this week is going to be over. You've probably realized that." I nodded. "And I've been thinking. You're going to have to live somewhere. It could be with me. You're my daughter, like I said. I'm your dad. It makes sense for you to live with me. I could try to make you live with me. But I've been thinking- wow I've said that a lot- and the reality is, you've run away twice in your life. One was from Sharon, which was completely justified. The other was from... well, it was from me."

"It wasn't like that," I began. "I just-"

James held up a hand. "I wasn't done," he said. "The other was from me. And it was completely justified. If- no, when- the end of this week comes and you go back to Seattle with Julie, or stay here with Lisa- I'm sure you've worked it out already with them- I won't be offended. Will I miss you? Of course. I missed you this year. But you're independent. You do well on your own. Maybe Mountain View is too small for you. I don't think you should come back with me.

"But I love you," he continued. "I'm glad I got to know you and that you turned out the way you did, and I'll be visiting for Christmas and walking you down the aisle at your wedding- don't even think of trying to replace me- and your kids will call me grandpa. Or if you don't get married, I'll expect a dedication in the book you publish or a line in the credits of your movie or whatever great thing it is you do with your life. Okay?" he asked.