Generation 1, Chapter 45

Elliot was moping around the house on Saturday, wondering what he could, he was so bored. Everyone was busy doing stuff they said he was too little to do. He was tired of being the youngest and too little to hang out with the older kids. Adam tried to include him but he'd been depressed since Windy left and Elliot didn't want to bother him.

He thought about setting up his lemonade stand but he didn't want the lonely old lady to come over. He felt bad that Adam had been really mean and rude to her the other night. He didn't understand why no one liked her, he tried to ask Adam but he just told him to stay away from her. That only made him more curious. Why should he stay away from her? Who was she? What did she do that caused everyone to not like her? Maybe he could be her friend and prove to everyone that she could be nice.

Elliot smiled at the thought. He liked the idea that he could accomplish something that no one else could do. He got up from the couch deciding he would bake some muffins and bring them over to the sad old lady across the street.

Meanwhile the twins had a bet going between them to see who could get a boyfriend first. This was especially important since there was a school dance coming up and neither one wanted to go without a date. Brian and Adam suggested they go with them since neither one of them had dates. But how embarrassing would that be to go to their first high school dance with their brothers!

Dakota Fox happened to come over to hang out with Adam but was enticed into a conversation with Corina. He had thought she was a cute kid and was unprepared for the pretty young woman she had become. He had always thought of her as being quiet and shy but there was nothing shy about her now.

"So Dakota do you have a date for the dance yet?"

"Why? You volunteering?" Dakota asked.

"Mmmmmaybe," Corina said as she ran her fingers up his arm. She smiled up at him. Corina thought to herself, I've got you now, hook, line and sinker all I've got to do now is reel you in. She was pretty pleased with herself, she was going to win the bet. It didn't matter that Dakota wasn't exactly what she'd call handsome but that would only make her look better.

Dakota was completely captivated by her. He was thinking he was pretty lucky that this beautiful girl wanted to go to a dance with him. Trying to play it cool he said "What are you going to do to convince me that I ought to take you to the dance instead of someone else?"

In response Corina giggled as she moved in close and kissed him quickly on the lips. As she took a step back Dakota grabbed her hands and pulled her close to him and kissed her again. As he let her go he whispered in her ear "Yes I'll take you to the dance."

Doloris was disappointed that she ha lost but didn't give up the search. She had an opportunity when Ethan Parrott came over to see Brian. Doloris thought he'd be perfect, not bad looking and a senior. If she could get him to take her to the dance then losing wouldn't be that bad.

"Are you going to the dance?" Doloris asked.

"Not sure yet"

Taking that as a hint to ask him Doloris said "Would you like to go to the dance with me?"

Ethan scowled at her and said "No."

"But you said ... I thought," stumbling over her words Doloris was becoming upset and blurted out "Why not?"

"Look kid, I have a certain reputation to maintain. I can't be seen with a kid, even if she is cute."

"I'm not a kid," Doloris shouted at him. How dare he say she was a kid! She turned and stormed into the house, slamming the door in Ethan's face.

Ethan stood there a moment debating whether he should knock again to see if Brian was home or not. He decided to leave and send his brother back with the book he wanted to return.

When Elias came over Peter invited him inside while he went to get Brian. While Elias waited he started to move to the music that was playing on the radio. Doloris came out of her room, curious as to who had come over. Well he's kind of cute, Doloris thought as she watched him sway to the music.

"Not bad, could use a little practice though," Doloris said as she entered the room.

Embarrassed Elias quit dancing, looking around to see who spoke to him, he felt his face reddening as he said "uh hi."

"Don't stop on my account," Doloris said waving her hand towards the stereo.

"Naw that's ok. I should be going," Elias said as he backed towards the door.

"Don't go. I mean unless you have to," Doloris said as she changed the CD to something better to dance to. Turning around she said "I love this song. Dance with me?"

With a rueful smile Elias joined her.

"You're a pretty good dancer," Doloris told him.

"Thanks. I just kind of move to the beat," he said "Um Doloris do you have a date for the dance yet?"

"Why?" Doloris asked thinking this was some sort of set up after that embarrassing episode with Ethan.

"Well I, um thought that, maybe we could go together. That is if you don't already have a date."

Doloris smiled in relief thinking that being asked was so much better than having to do the asking.

Noticing her smile Elias asked "so is that a yes?"

"Yes, yes it is"

"Good. My brother's an idiot."

Choking on a giggle Doloris asked "Why?"

"I wanted to ask you for a while but I never got up enough courage to do it. When Ethan came home complaining about you asking him to the dance I thought he was an idiot for turning you down. Don't get me wrong I'm glad he said no but it gave me the boost I needed to ask you myself before someone else did or you asked someone else and they said yes."

"Maybe Ethan said no because he knew you wanted to ask me," Doloris suggested.

"I doubt it," Elias said "But whatever. His loss, my gain."

They were both happy with how things turned out and Doloris felt that she had won despite having lost the bet. It was so much better to be going with someone whom you liked and who liked you. Although she knew it was too soon and she was too young she wondered if this could be her prince charming.

While Doloris and Elias were dancing, Elliot came home from visiting the old lady across the street. He was pretty pleased with how the visit went. She had enjoyed the muffins he baked and he had been able to make her laugh. Although he wondered why she wouldn't tell him her name. It was strange that she wasn't upset with him for calling her ma'am all the time.

"Dad who is that old lady that lives across the street from us?"

 "What old lady?" Peter asked.

"You know. The one that always comes over but no one likes."

"Yeah I know. What about her?"

"What's her name?"

"Vallari," Peter said "Elliot why are you so interested in her?"

"She seems so sad and lonely. She doesn't seem like she's as mean as everyone says."

"Son, trust me, she's as mean as everyone said and more. If she's nice she wants something."

"But she's nice to me," Elliot protested "Besides what would she want from me? I'm just a kid. I don't understand."

Sighing Peter knew he had to explain to his young son who Vallari was. His heart ached at the thought of Vallari getting her hands on his son and turning Elliot against him. He knew in his heart Vallari had a new scheme in the works and it centered around this innocent little boy.

"Elliot I know you don't understand. I don't think anyone understands why Vallari is the way she is. At one time I thought Vallari was beautiful and I wanted to make her happy. So I married her and we started a family_"

"My brothers and sisters?"

"Yes Vallari is their mother. However over time I came to realize that Vallari had only married me for the money she thought I would some day inherit. When she found out I was disinherited by my parents and wouldn't inherit anything she became upset and started to do things to make everyone miserable."

"But I thought you and Grandpa liked each other?"

"We do now. This was before we apologized to each other. But once we did Vallari tried to make amends and started to be nice but it was only so she could get the money not because she liked us. I realized that I couldn't trust her and I disliked the way she treated our children."

"Did you give her the money she wanted so that she'd go away?"

"No I didn't have enough money for what she wanted and I still don't. Since then Vallari has tried everything in her power to cause me and your brothers and sisters to be unhappy."

"Is that why no one likes her?"

"Yes Elliot. I know you feel sorry for her but she brought this upon herself. She likes being mean and hurting people. So that's why I don't want you going over to her house again, alright?"

"You knew I went over there?"

"No but I had a pretty good idea you might have when you started asking questions about her."

"Oh, ok Dad. I won't go over there again I promise. But what if she comes over here?"

"If she does come over here, come and get me or your mother and we'll talk to her." Peter reached over and gave Elliot a reassuring hug. As he hugged his small son he wondered what Vallari was up to, trying to befriend Elliot. He didn't know why but he had alarm bells going off in his head and he hoped he would be able to keep his son safe.