Opening Up

Eliza quietly scampered down the hall to intercept them. "Hey, I'm going to help the boys prepared dinner, so can you prepare the rooms upstairs? I'm sure they could use a touch-up."

Both Daliea and Keela agreed to help as they turned and made their way upstairs, leaving Eliza alone as she went back to the edge of the hallway and listened in on the rest of the conversation.

"Out with it Jack, come on." Rydel gave Jack a nudge to try and jumpstart his brain.

Jack grumbled, "It's different than it was before…"

"And why is that?"

"Because… Because I…" Jack shook himself, trying to find the last bit of sense still inside him. "Because I care about you guys…"

"What… What do you mean?" Bewildered by that strange statement, Rydel gave Jack a goofy look.