“Are you sure your parents won't freak out if you don't come home from school right away?” Dirk asked as he and Lilith entered his house.

    “They're at work,” Lilith replied. “They're not going to notice.”

    “Would you like something to eat?”

    “Yeah, I'm hungry.” Lilith placed her backpack next to Dirk's. “They didn't really have anything good for lunch today.”

    “I could make us some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches,” Dirk offered, leading her into the kitchen. “Sorry it's not anything special, but I don't like using the stove.”

    “No,” Lilith answered. “Peanut better and jelly's fine. I don't need anything fancy.”

    Dirk gave her a quick kiss and Lilith couldn't help but smile as Dirk went over to the fridge. It had been happening more and more lately. Ever since that first kiss over a video game a couple of months ago, they had found themselves kissing every once in a while. Some were just light kisses, some weren't, but all of them left Lilith feeling warm inside. At first, Dirk had always asked her if it was okay, which while sweet, started to take her out of the moment once Lilith realized that she didn't care when or where he kissed her. Dirk understood when she told him that. If she didn't want to be kissed, she had told him, she'd let him know. But the truth was, she didn't think she'd ever not want his touch, let alone kisses. In fact all that she wanted was his presence, a need that she discovered was growing along with her feelings for him. And when she thought that they couldn't get any stronger, they did exactly that.

    “Do you want some help with that?” Lilith asked as Dirk set the peanut butter and jelly on the counter.

    “No, I'll make them,” he said, putting his hands on her hips, lifting her up and setting her down on the counter next to the food. “You just sit back and watch.”

    Lilith sat on the counter, her heart fluttering as she watched Dirk spread peanut butter over the bread. His kiss still lingered on her lips, and she couldn't deny that she wanted him to kiss her more passionately.

    She heard him sigh and put down the butter knife.

    “What's wrong, Dirk?” she asked. He sighed again and looked her in the eyes.

    “Lilith, all I really want is to be with you,” he said, “but I don't want to get into a relationship that's just going to fail. I want it to last.”

    “But it won't fail,” Lilith replied, taking his hand in hers,”not with the way I feel about you. I know we decided to see what happened, but my feelings for you have only grown, and I want to be with you too. I can't imagine being with anybody else. I don't want to be with anybody else.”

    “Are you sure?” Dirk asked, getting closer to her.

    “I've never been more sure about anything, Dirk.”

    He moved his hand up to her face and brushed her bright, red hair out of her eyes.

    “Then, will you be my girlfriend?”

    “I'd love to,” she said against his lips. Then came the kiss she had been waiting for, the passionate one she had been craving. It was perfect, just her and her boyfriend sharing a romantic moment over a partially made meal.

    “I'd better get back to these sandwiches,” Dirk said, his lips still lingering over hers. “I don't want my girlfriend to go hungry.”

 

    “I still can't believe you actually bought that painting,” Cassandra said from the seat next to Lilith.

    “Well, would you rather have some random person end up with it?” Bella asked.

    “Not really, but what are you actually going to do with...”

    Lilith was only half listening. As she gazed out the car window at the familiar scenery, she went through everything she was going to say when she got home. Was the place that she had done so much to escape from really going to welcome her back with open arms? Or would it be like the last time she had returned when it felt like her parents weren't even happy to see her?

    After what felt like an hour, Bella pulled into the driveway of the Pleasant family home, and Lilith picked up her backpack and suitcase from the floor of the car. Her mother and Angela were waiting on the front porch, and once everyone had gotten out of the car, they came down the front walkway to greet their guests. Lilith couldn't see her father. Perhaps he was too ashamed of himself to show his face. But it wouldn't have surprised her if it was because her parents didn't want her return to be filled with arguing. Was her father even sorry for what he had done? Or was he just trying to give Lilith and her mother some space? Her thoughts were interrupted when her mother pulled her into a hug.

    “Lilith,” she said as they entered the house, “I'm so glad you're home. I know I was the one who sent you away, but I didn't tell you I was happy to have you back home when I should have, and I thought you needed to hear it. How was the art show?”

    “Eventful,” Lilith replied.

    “You'll have to tell me about it later,” her mother told her. “Right now, I owe you an apology. I didn't realize how much of this whole thing was my fault. Even what's happening between me and your father.”

    “Mom, it's not your fault that he was running around with Kaylynn.”

    “No, it's not,” her mother agreed, “but I did have a part to play in why our marriage fell apart, and while it's too late to try again with that, it's not too late to try again with you. Lilith, I'm so sorry for everything. And I know it hasn't seemed like it, but Lilith, I do love you. I've loved you since I got to hold you in my arms that first time, and I love you as much as I love Angela. I'm sorry I never told you that when it mattered. I'm sorry I never showed you that.” The tears falling from her mother's eyes told Lilith that she was being sincere, and Lilith gave her another hug.

    “Mom, I love you too,” Lilith said, realizing that she meant every word. She still felt resentment, but if her mother was willing to forgive her for all the trouble she caused, Lilith figured she could forgive her mother as well.

    Lilith turned to Angela next and gave her a hug as well.

    “Lilith...” Angela responded.

    “I'm sick of all the fighting Angela,” Lilith told her. “I'm sick of feeling mad every time I look at you. I was jealous of you Angela, and I'm sorry for all of those fights I started when none of this was your fault to begin with.”

    “And I'm sorry for all the fights I started,” Angela replied. “I'm sorry for hating you Lilith. I should have realized that you were going though your own problems.”

    “Can we start over?” Lilith asked. “I know we won't be best friends right away, but I don't want us to be enemies. We're sisters. We should have each other's backs.”

    “I'd like that,” Angela said. “By the way, something funny happened when I went to take out the trash this morning. This couple I didn't know came walking by and told me how lovely it was to see me again. Turns out you had met them at the art show last night.” The girls laughed a little. “That's the second time this week someone has mistaken me for you.”

    “That's got to be a new record,” Lilith said. “How's Dustin holding up?”

    “His mom just started getting unemployment benefits. That should be able to hold them over until he can get into the program.”

    “That's good to hear.”

    “How was Mr. Dreamer's art show?”

    “It went really well. He actually sold quite a few paintings.”

    “Lilith,” her mother said from where she was talking to the Goths, “there's a gift for you in the living room. I know this won't make up for everything we've put you through, but think of it as an apology.” Lilith entered the room and her eyes widened as she looked at a brand new game console. She stood there for a minute, not sure what to do next. Could she finally zip though her favorite race tracks whenever she wanted? Play with Dirk even when she was stuck in her own house? “Your father bought that for you,” her mother explained as she followed Lilith into the room. “We know you've been eying that for some time.”

    Her father then came out of his bedroom and Lilith forgot all about his bad behavior and threw her arms around him. In that moment, it didn't matter to her that he had been the one to unravel her family. Maybe, she realized, he did want to be her father after all. She wasn't exactly sure if she could completely forgive him, but she might be able to have a somewhat good relationship with him.

    “Thank you so much!” she said.

    “That's yours Lilith,” her father told her. “That means Angela has to ask you if she wants to use it.” Lilith couldn't help but smile at that.

    “Can I call Dirk and ask him to help me set it up?” Lilith asked her mother.

    “I don't see why not,” Her mother replied, “but wait until after lunch.” Lilith took out her phone and placed the call anyway. As she waited for Dirk to answer, she overheard her mother talking to Cassandra. “I don't know what you did, but thank you.”

    “Don't thank me,” Cassandra said. “My mother was one that connected with her.”

    And then Lilith realized she had one more person to talk to. Sure her new friends and Dirk had helped her out but it was Bella who began to show her what she really wanted for a home - A loving one just like what Bella and her family had, and if they all worked to make it better, she may finally get it. So when she ended her call with Dirk, she walked over to Bella and gave her a hug.

    “Thank you,” Lilith told her. “I can't thank you enough.”

 

Bella

 

Bella stood on the flat portion of the roof of the manor, looking out over the backyard. They would have to leave to catch their flight in 30 minutes or so, and she decided to enjoy one last cup of coffee before they left. This was her favorite part of the house. Mortimer had grown up here and Bella had spent quite a bit of time here as a child as well. She remembered the day she and Mortimer found this place, and since then there had been a lot of kisses, emotional breakdowns, and almost everything else here.

    “Enjoying the quiet while you still can?” came Mortimer's voice. Bella smiled as her husband put his arms around her.

    “It will be hectic again before long,” she said. “I talked to Lauren. She told me they made it through the night just fine and the girls are excited for us to come back home. It will probably be complete mayhem when we return.”

    “I don't know whether to be happy about that or concerned.”

    “I'm happy. It means they love us.” Mortimer gave her a kiss on the cheek and Bella's heart fluttered a bit. She loved the way he was holding her. It was intimate, but not so ridiculous that it felt out of place outside the bedroom.

    “Every time something like this happens I'm always in awe at how you've embraced our new normal. I've had a lot of struggles with that.”

    “It's not easy when things change,” Bella reassured him, “but I know, that as long as our family's together, we'll all be happy no matter what comes our way.” Bella turned her head to let Mortimer give her a light kiss.

    “I'm glad we did this,” Mortimer said, giving her waist a little squeeze.

    “Going to the art show?”

    “No, taking in Lilith. You really helped her this week.”

    “I'm not the only one,” Bella reminded him. “Didn't you go over a semester and a half's worth of science with her?”

    “Yes, but I meant with her family. It looks like things will get better for her.”

    “Even so, I think it will still be hard on her. It won't happen over night and her family's going through some big changes. That's why I suggested that Mary-Sue take them to see a therapist as a family.”

    “Yeah, I hadn't really thought about that, but it sounds like a good idea.”

    “Well, we had success with Anne,” Bella reminded him.

    “Yes, but that was different,” Mortimer replied. “We didn't have any hard feelings about each other.”

    “But as long as they're willing to try, they should keep making some progress.”

    “It's just too bad Lilith doesn't have that big of a support system.”

    “Well, I'm sure Dirk Dreamer can help her in that regard.”

    “I know he will. Darren has certainly raised him well.”

    “You know,” Bella said, “when I saw them together, it reminded me of us.”

    “How so?”

    “They way they look at each other. The way they've helped each other out. The connection they have.”

    “The way they spend so much time kissing in the car?”

    “I seem to remember spending a lot of time kissing you in that exact same driveway.”

    “But not when I was taking you home after a date.”

    “We both know what it's like to be young and in love. Cut them some slack.”

    “They do have the odds stacked against them, though.”

    “So did we,” Bella said, turning around in his arms. “Multiple times. But we're still together, as strong as we've ever been.”

    “For us it's been far from typical, recently, and although it probably won't be on the same scale, it won't be typical for them either. ”

    “But I can see it Mortimer. They are able to overcome all of that. I'm rooting for them.”

    “Well, you were right about this whole thing, so I won't doubt you. In fact, I should trust you more often.”

    “Oh honey,” Bella said, touching the side of his face, “you already do.” She pulled him to her and they kissed with a passion so strong the world around them disappeared. It was just the two of them enveloped in intimacy and love, but in her heart, Bella knew that this was exactly what Lilith was feeling right now.