Link: Lost Faith Title Page and Description

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The two were startled awake by knocking on Faith's door.

"Up and at 'em, Faith!" Franchesca barked through the door. Trying the knob, she'd found it locked. "Open up! I need to get the laundry started early, girl!"

Sitting up, Erica's eyes were the size of saucers. "Shit!" she whispered.

"Be there in a sec!" Faith shouted. Giggling as Erica scrambled to get out of her bed, Faith slid out calmly and tossed Erica her robe. "Here!" she whispered.

Catching it and tiptoeing towards the bathroom just as the maid knocked again, she closed the door a moment before Faith unlocked her door.

"Good morning." Faith said calmly as Franchesca swept into the room, making a beeline to the hamper.

"Morning." the woman scowled as she transferred the previous day's dirty clothes to her own basket. "I'll be up to collect the linens after you head down to breakfast." Seeing the teen standing in her robe and fidgeting, she narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "What're you up to?"

"Nothing!" Faith shrugged. "Just not awake yet." she forced a yawn.

Examining her a moment, Franchesca started toward the bathroom door. "Alright, you stick to that story!"

"Franchesca!" Faith drew in a breath. "What do you need in the bathroom? I put all my laundry in the basket! I haven't left any of it in the bath for the last two weeks!"

Stopping short, she sighed. "I need to check the linens to see what you need!"

"Can you do that later?" Faith asked as she quickly headed for the bathroom. "I need to use it right away!"

Squinting at her as Faith ran in the bathroom and closed the door, Franchesca huffed. "I don't know what's gotten into you, but be quick about it! I'll be back in five minutes!"

Listening at the door, Faith heard the maid depart her room. Breathing a sigh of relief, she turned around to see the room empty. "Erica?" she whispered. She was startled for a moment when she saw the shadow move in her tub.

"I hid in here!" Erica whispered with a slight giggle as she climbed out. Running into one another's arms, the two held one another and shared a brief kiss before Erica started toward the door. "I... I need to get back."

"I know." Faith sighed.

"Faith..." Erica stammered, pausing a moment at the door. "I... I love you."

Closing her eyes, Faith took a slow deep breath. "I know. I love you, too."

Reaching the door to Faith's room, she cracked it open and saw the hallway clear. Quickly making her way across the hall, she closed her bedroom door behind her, sighing in relief that no one had seen her, until she turned around to see Franchesca staring at her. "Fran!"

Her normally stern face was cold and hard. "How could you!" she asked just above a whisper. "How could you cheat on April! With your own cousin!" About to storm out, she was stymied when the teen backed against the door.

"Fran! Please! I can explain!"

"Explain what?" she growled quietly. "I loved you and took care of you! And this is the result? You sneaking around behind April's back?"

"It's not behind my back." April said calmly as she came out of the bathroom wearing a terrycloth robe. "I knew where she was last night. Only you, Cook, and Fredrick weren't supposed to know." Looking at Erica, April sighed. "I'm sorry, honey. I forgot to set an alarm to make sure you were back here before six. By the time I realized it, Franchesca was knocking on our door."

"I fell asleep before setting mine." Erica sighed. "Not that it would have done any good. I left my phone here on the vanity. That's the first time I've slept past six in a couple years."

Stunned, Franchesca looked back and forth. "You... you knew about this?"

Shrugging, April stepped closer only to have the maid step back. "Actually, I encouraged it." she admitted. "They're in love. Have been for years."

Her mind racing, Franchesca tried to grasp it all. All those years she'd known that Faith was lovesick over the loss of Erica, but she'd never even suspected that the feelings were reciprocal. Looking at Erica, the girl's head hanging guiltily, she stepped closer to her and whispered, "Erica! She's your cousin! It's wrong! What if your aunt found out! It'd be the death of her!"

"She knows." Erica mumbled. "She's known since the day April and I went back to Concord." Looking up at the woman she loved like family, the teen took a ragged breath. "I... I can't help it!"

"You most certainly can!" Franchesca barked quietly. Turning to April, her eyes turned soft. "I... I've been where you are, miss. My George cheated on me right before Heather and Richard moved in here. That's why I moved with 'em instead of staying there and being a happily married woman!"

"Erica isn't cheating on me!" April insisted.

"What do you call it then?" Franchesca asked with a hand on her hip and a laundry basket under the other arm. "They aren't passing the time of day!"

"It's not like that!" April explained, stepping forward again. "Erica has my permission to be with Faith!"

Turning back to the girl blocking the door, Franchesca shook her head sadly. "I thought I knew you better. How could you have sex with your cousin?"

Swallowing hard, Erica looked away from April. "Well, we haven't actually done that. We just slept together... like when we were little."

"What?" April and Franchesca said together.

Confused, Franchesca stepped closer to the door. "Erica? Look at me." As the girl's head and eyes moved up to look back into her own, Franchesca scrutinized them. "Alright, maybe I don't know what's goin' on, and maybe I don't wanna know! You say nothing happened. Fine. You look awful guilty for a girl that did nothing, though." Taking a breath, the maid tightened her lips into a line. "Move out of the way of the door, girl! I got work ta' do!"

Stepping forward, Erica came up to the woman with a pleading look in her eyes. "Please, Fran! Don't say anything to anyone about this! It's private!"

"Say what?" Franchesca scoffed. "I don't know what goes on and I don't spread rumors! Until I do know something I don't have anything to say!" Moving around the girl, she opened the door. "Don't dawdle getting ready for breakfast!" she snapped before closing the door harshly.

"Erica?" April looked at her love standing near the door. "Are you OK?"

"No!" the girl answered through restrained tears.

Moving close, April took her hand and led her to the bed. Sitting together, April continued to hold it while petting Erica's head with the other to calm the hysterical girl down. "Do you want to talk about what happened?"

Nodding, Erica got up to get a tissue before sitting back down next to her. "We... um... we didn't... we just went to bed."

"Why?" April asked incredulously. "What happened?"

"I don't think we're ready to cross that line!" Erica explained. "I mean, we want to, but last night was just too... it felt... forced. Like we were expected to. It would have been all wrong."

Wrapping her arm around Erica, April sighed and shook her head. "I guess it's partly my fault. I... I was being pushy... like always!"

"You aren't always pushy!" Erica rebutted as she dried her eyes and sniffed. "Just when you want your way!"

"Oh, very funny!" April laughed.

Getting dressed, the rest of the day passed happily, if awkwardly on a few occasions. Franchesca didn't say anything, but just kept looking at the two. Meanwhile, Heather was trying to read their perplexing body language. She was sure Erica slept in Faith's room, but the way they moved, sat, stood, and talked only spoke of quiet frustration instead of the relaxed attitude of lovers.

After a brief trip down to the Dempsey ranch to visit, the four sat down to dinner with Brooke and Jenny, Heather saying the prayer of thanks before looking up to smile at the five seated at the table.

"Well, I know what I'm thankful for this year!" Heather sighed happily. "Having my girls back! Both of you! That, and getting to know April! These last few weeks have been wonderful, being a family again!" Turning to Faith, she waited expectantly.

"Well, I guess I'm thankful to have Erica back in my life, our lives I mean, that we're all still here to be a family again, to April for making Erica happy, for getting into nursing college, and... um... to you Mamma, for being so forgiving. I haven't been as good as I should have been."

"Forgiven and forgotten, Faith!" Heather smiled, still noticing the girl's pensiveness. "Erica?"

"Yes, Mamma." the visibly tense teen answered. "I'm thankful that you all still love me, unconditionally." Looking at those at the table with her before turning her attention around the room to Fredrick, Cook, and Franchesca last with a mildly embarrassed blush. "I'm also thankful to be here, to have April back in my life, and... to be me again." Turning to April, she waited.

Looking at the five others sitting at the table looking at her, it took the girl a moment to realize they were waiting on her. "Oh! Me? Um... I guess I'm thankful to have Erica back, too... don't get a swelled head though!" she laughed along with the others. "Um... I guess that and getting to meet you all, knowing that Erica was loved and cared for after she left. That's all."

Taking a cleansing breath, Brooke looked at the three teens sitting across from her. "I'm thankful for a lot of things, but I think the one that stands out is getting to have a chance to know Erica." Her voice faltering, the retired Marine looked down. "I... I have a lot to make up for. When she lived here, I didn't take the time to know her. I didn't want to know her. When I see him, your dad's gonna give me an a... he's gonna have some words for me!" Looking up as the others at the table giggled, Brooke smiled. "I'm thankful of the chance, anyway."

Beaming happily, Jenny looked at the assembled family. "I'm thankful to have all of you in my life! April? You're a doll! I'm glad you two found each other! I'm also thankful that tomorrow I get to see my parents! They're finally coming back home from Asia, this time to stay!" Turning to Brooke, she smirked. "You're coming with me this time, love! Mom and Dad missed you last time!"

Rolling her eyes, Brooke sighed resignedly. "Yes, dear."

"Well then!" Heather smiled. "Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!" Diving into the meal, the six chatted and ate until they at last retired to the living room.

Looking over at her best friend's only child, Brooke smiled. "You look so much like your mother, Erica. There are times though that you're just like your father! You have his sense of humor... and his wisdom."

Blushing as April squeezed her hand, Erica looked back at her. "I'll take that as a compliment, Aunt Brooke."

"I meant to tell you, I read your book." she continued. "It's good."

"Which one?" Erica asked curiously.

"Your autobiography."

"Oh." she said as she looked away with her cheeks flushing. "I... um... I wrote that when I thought you all hated me... the real me, I mean. I tried not to make anyone look bad, but..."

"It's OK!" Brooke smiled. "You were right, and you made us all look good in the end, better than we were, anyway. I know you made it so no one would recognize that the person you wrote about in chapter twelve was me, but I knew. I... I wasn't very nice to you, and not nearly as understanding as I should have been. You're a remarkable young woman, Erica. I... I should have seen that sooner."

"It's alright, Aunt Brooke." Erica consoled her. "It all turned out the way it needed to."

Listening to the two, Jenny spoke up. "Erica, I just want you to know that Brooke felt very bad about how she treated you when you lived here. It ate her up inside for years afterward." Looking at her wife, she took a deep breath and got a stern look on her face. "I told her that you didn't seem like any boy I ever knew, but she had a lot of trouble accepting it."

"If it's any consolation Brooke," April offered, "I had a lot of trouble at first, too." Turning to Erica, she sighed sadly. "The first time I saw her I made her cry, I hurt her so badly. I... I didn't even stay a week. I flew back to Arizona early and tried to forget her, but she... she didn't give up on me."

"How did you two reconcile?" Heather asked.

Smiling wistfully, April shrugged a shoulder. "When I got back, I found out my boss replaced me. I got a call from her the next day. Her detectives hadn't been called off the job yet, so they told her what happened. Erica didn't just offer me money like I thought she was going to do, she... she made some calls and got me a job interview. She said she knew I didn't want anything to do with her, but she had to help in some way. That's when I knew she was the same person I grew up with. She offered to 'lose' my contact info after helping, but I felt bad that I'd treated her so mean and then when I got in trouble she was right there for me. We kept talking, and after a few weeks I realized that I was still in love with her."

Brooke looked at April guiltily. "I appreciate you trying to make me feel better about my own problems accepting Erica, but I had a year to accept it and still refused to see what was right in front of me." Turning to Erica, she grimaced. "I... I wanted Erica to be just like Jack. I missed my best friend so much that hoped I could get some of him back in his son. I'm sorry, Erica." Smiling, she added, "Turns out that's exactly who she is anyway... a little bit Jack... a little bit her mother Erica... and a lot just herself!"

When the evening turned late, the Hathaways headed for their own home while Hargrave House wound down for the night. Once more, Erica sat at her vanity brushing out her hair with April reading on the bed when Heather knocked lightly. "Come in, Mamma."

Silently, Heather made her way across the room to her niece. "Just came in to say goodnight and say Happy Thanksgiving once more!" she said softly. Seeing Erica smile as she brushed herself, Heather remembered the many times she'd seen the child Erica doing the same thing. "Could I help you, sweetie?" she offered as she'd done so many times five years earlier.

"I'd love that, Mamma!" she smiled. When Heather took the brush and ran it through her auburn hair, Erica sighed contentedly. "That feels so nice!"

"I remember you used to love me brushing your hair!" Heather reminisced. "Unless you had a bad tangle!"

Laughing lightly, Erica closed her eyes. "Yeah! You always made it better though, Mamma. Faith brushed out my hair most nights though, until..." An uncomfortable silence sprang up between the two as they remembered when Heather had forced the two girls into separate rooms.

Hearing the awkwardness unspoken, April got up. "You'll have to excuse me. I... I need to use the restroom." she lied as she headed toward it, closing the door behind her.

After a moment alone, Heather broke the silence. "Erica, I couldn't help but notice you and Faith seemed a little... pensive... today. Is everything OK?"

Shrugging, Erica wasn't sure how to answer.

"You... you don't have to talk to me about it." her aunt offered. "If you want to though, just know that I'll try to be understanding."

When Heather began brushing her hair once more in silence, Erica gathered her nerve. "Um... I slept in Faith's room last night. You know that, right?" Seeing her aunt nod in the vanity mirror, Erica closed her eyes and took a breath. "We... um... we didn't do anything. Just slept next to each other... like when we were little. It was nice."

Listening, Heather tried to keep her feelings in check. "I see. Well, that's fairly harmless. I take it you wanted... well... more?"

"We both did." Erica admitted. "But we... um... we couldn't."

Hearing the unspoken, the older woman stopped brushing. "I... I made you two feel guilty about your feelings for one another, didn't I?"

"It's not just that." she noted. "It was like we were expected to, so it wasn't just because it was what we wanted. We just couldn't. It didn't seem... right."

Resuming her useful distraction, Heather nodded in understanding as she worked a tangle out gently. "That makes sense, sweetie. You know how I feel about it. It's dangerous. That having been said, I don't want you two to feel that you need to deny your feelings for one another, so long as you abide by your agreements. No one can know about it, I won't help if it does get out, you must be discreet, and everyone has to agree."

"About that." Erica offered shyly. "Um... Franchesca saw me come back to my room this morning. She knows and we haven't even done anything."

Stopping her brushing as she processed the information, Heather resumed after a moment. "Well, she didn't seem disturbed today and she didn't say anything, so she might not know as much as you think, but it would be best if you three call this whole thing off. If you can't keep it a secret a day, it's inevitable that it will get out, and you all agreed that no one would know."

Looking down sadly, Erica nodded as a tear fell. "You're right. I'll tell them."

Seeing her niece quietly crying and just giving in like a broken child, Heather nearly cried herself, from guilt. "No. I'm sorry, sweetheart. I... I let myself use the situation to push my own agenda. I never had the right to demand anything of you three. It was wrong of me to try. It must be your decision." Putting down the brush, Heather gently laid her hands on Erica's shoulders reassuringly. "Ignore your old and inflexible aunt! You're all adults. You should do what you think is best." Kissing the girl on the top of her head, she started toward the door. "Goodnight, Erica. I love you."

"Love you too, Mamma." the girl echoed confusedly. "Goodnight."

Fifteen minutes later, Faith's door opened and closed, Erica locking it behind her just like the night before. "Hi." she said timidly.

Faith smiled at her weakly from her side of the bed nearest the door. "Hi. I... I thought that maybe you might not come tonight."

Approaching slowly, Erica nodded. "I... I almost didn't. I... I need to tell you something." Sitting at the vanity, Erica looked away as she continued. "Franchesca knows." she said simply.

"Oh God!" Faith gasped. "How?"

"She... she caught me going into my room this morning. I told Mamma about it when she came to say goodnight. At first, she said that we had to call it all off, and then said we should do whatever we want. She released us from our promises. She said she didn't have the right to make us promise anything."

"Do... do you want to call it off?" Faith asked nervously.

"No." she answered with a shrug. "Do you?"

Faith shook her head slowly. "What about April? What did she say?"

Smirking, Erica looked away again bashfully. "What you'd expect from her! 'Not a chance!' I think she likes the idea more than we do!"

Giggling together, Faith nodded toward the far side of the bed. "Coming?"

Taking her phone out of her robe pocket, Erica put it on the nightstand next to her side of the bed before disrobing and climbing in. "No more chances!"

Snuggling up against one another, the two settled into a comfortable position before resuming their conversation.

"Erica?" Faith began, her hand nestled once more between the girl's breasts. "Do you think we'll ever..." Her voice trailed off, knowing that her cousin already knew the rest of her question unasked.

With a sigh and a shrug, Erica took a moment to answer. "I... I don't know, Faith. We can... if you want to. When I'm here, I'm yours... always."

Smiling, the older teen sighed contentedly as her naked body pressed more firmly against Erica's. "Just knowing that is almost enough to make me not even need it. Almost!" she giggled.

Giggling with her, Erica felt Faith's hand begin to wander. "Almost!"

The next two days were much more relaxed. Each night, Erica would go to Faith's room, returning to her own just before six. When Sunday morning came, Erica woke before her alarm as usual and turned it off.

"Faith?" she tried to rouse the girl. "Faith, it's time."

"No!" she grumbled as she pulled Erica in tighter. "Just a few more minutes?"

Prying Faith's arms from around her, Erica sighed sadly. "Sorry, love. I have to get back to my room before anyone gets up."

Groaning, Faith struggled weakly before giving up. "I know. It's just that Christmas is almost four weeks away! I'm spoiled by you, now! I don't want you to go!"

Slipping out of bed, Erica picked up her robe and slipped into it. "I know, but we'll be staying through New Years, so we'll get ten days together!"

Smiling wickedly, Faith reached out and took Erica's hand, pulling her back close again to wrap her arms around the girl's waist. "I'm looking forward to the ten nights together!"

Loving the feel of Faith so close, Erica sighed happily. "Mmm! Only eight nights though, love. Remember? April gets me on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve."

Pouting, Faith released her. "Not fair! She gets you all the rest of the time!"

"I promised her that our first Christmas and New Year would be ours, love. You agreed!"

"I wanna take it back!" she smirked.

"Sorry, love." Erica sighed. "See you at breakfast!" Leaning down, she kissed Faith lovingly and tenderly, letting it linger a moment before pulling away and heading toward the door.

Groaning, Faith flopped onto her bed. "Oh... I'm gonna miss that almost as much as you being next to me all night!"

Smiling from the door, Erica waited until Faith turned to face her. "I love you." she intoned seriously. "Remember, right now, I'm yours... always."

"Mine always." she sighed wantonly. "I love you, too!"

Erica slipped into her own bedroom, seeing April splayed out across the bed and giggling at the sight. Quietly, she made her way into the bathroom, showered, and was out just as April started rousing. "Good morning, dear!" she sang.

"That's debatable." April growled. "It's freezing in here!"

"Go get in the shower." Erica offered. "Water's warm for you!"

Smiling weakly, the older girl stumbled toward the bath. "Thanks." Stopping as she passed Erica, she wrapped her arms around the girl's waist, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Have a good night?"

Shrugging, Erica smiled. "A lady doesn't kiss and tell!"

"Uh-huh!" April smiled back. "I'll want details later! No secrets, right?" Letting the girl go, she swatted Erica gently on the rear as she headed for the warmth of the bathroom.

After breakfast, the ladies sat in the living room chatting while Franchesca re-packed Erica and April's bags. When Erica's car showed up at a quarter to three, they moved to the entryway to say their good-byes.

Holding Erica tightly, Heather sighed in both happiness and sadness; happy to have had the time together, but sad to see it end and lose her niece again for four weeks. "I miss you already, sweetheart!"

"Me too, Mamma!" she nearly cried. "Four weeks isn't that long though, and we'll be here from the twenty-third until the second, so we'll have lots of time together!"

"Take care of April, sweetie!" she lightly lectured. "To paraphrase something that your father used to say, 'That girl still needs you!'"

While Heather and Erica said goodbye, Faith and April did as well. With a brief embrace, the two smiled at one another.

"Have a good weekend?" April probed quietly.

Nodding with a smile, Faith looked down shyly. "Very! Thank you!"

April shrugged. "I'm just happy for you two, whatever you did."

Blushing, Faith stepped back. "Looking forward to seeing you two over Christmas!" she said in a normal tone.

"Me too." April nodded. Switching places as Fredrick and Eddie loaded the bags into Erica's car, April hugged Heather fiercely. "Thanks for having us, Heather!"

Returning the hug, she was slightly taken aback by the girl's affection, a change from the previous visit. "You two are always welcome at Hargrave House, April! Anytime!" Breaking off the hug, she regarded the young woman that she'd come to hold dear. "You'll take care of her, won't you?"

"Always have and always will, Heather!" she promised.

Holding Erica as though her life depended on it, Faith didn't want to let go. "Four weeks. I can last four weeks." she whispered in her cousin's ear.

"You better!" Erica whispered back. "Because I still need you!"

"Mine!" Faith nearly cried, kissing Erica's cheek tenderly.

"Yours always." she answered back.