They stood in front of the biggest, most beautiful house they had ever seen. All around them were flowers, fountains, and wide-open spaces of green. Way off in the distance, they could see horses roaming the acres of pasture and rolling hills. This place was a sanctuary, a paradise.

Maria began leading her awestruck friends up the walkway to her grandmother's Victorian mansion. As Maria walked up the white marble steps to knock on the gigantic door, it suddenly swung open to reveal an elderly woman.

She had curly, white hair that was cut to just abover her ears. She was slightly heavyset, and petite, even shorter than Maria. But her face held the laughlines of years, and her smile glowed, as did her blue eyes.

"Maria, darling." The woman opened her arms wide for a hug.

"Grammy!!!" Maria set her bags down quickly and flung herself into her grandmother's waiting arms. They hugged each other for a long time. It was obvious to the five friends that these two people loved each other very much. Finally, they let each other go, both with enormous smiles on their faces.

"And who are your friends?" Nell asked Maria.

Before she could make the proper introductions, Liz stepped out from behind Max, and Nell did a double take.

"Lizzy? Is that you?"

Liz nodded, and ran up to hug Maria's grandmother.

"Wow. I didn't even recognize you. You two," she embraced both her granddaugh ter and surrogate/adopted granddaughter, "are so beautiful. Absolute visions."

Both girls blushed at the compliment.

"Now, before I was so happily interrupted," Liz smiled,"you were introducing me to your friends."

Maria stepped out to her friends.

"Grammy, this is Isabel, Max, and Michael. And you know Alex."

"Alex? Oh, you've become so handsome!" Nell exclaimed.

Alex blushed. "It's great to see you too, Grammy."

"And it's wonderful to see that Maria has brought you three," she gestured to Isabel, Max, and Michael, "whom she has told me so much about. It's great to finally meet you. Now," she waved for all six of them to follow her inside, "you must be famished. I'll have the cook make enough for us all."

******

"Geez, I'm stuffed. That was great food," Alex said, as he slumped in his chair from his satiety. Everyone else just nodded, too full to respond verbally.

Grammy Nell just laughed. "I'm glad you liked it. Now, if you want, I'll show you to you're rooms. Just go grab your stuff and I'll be there to show you the way in a second."

Everyone made their way out of the dining room very slowly, practically waddling, all the while voicing their praises of the wonderful food. Maria began to follow them out, when she heard her grandmother call to her. "Maria?"

"Yes, Grammy?" They approached each other.

"I noticed how you sat next to Michael during dinner. Is there something going on between you two?"

Maria blushed. Nothing ever could get passed Grammy. "Well, there's something."

"I knew it. He's very handsome. You know, I could see by the way that he looks at you, that he cares for you very much."

"I hope so, Grammy. I hope so."

They walked arm in arm over to where the five were waiting to be shown to their rooms.

Maria shared a little smile with Michael.

"Now, my children," Nell joked, "thine rooms are up these stairs and the hall to the right. My knees have become bad over the years, so I'll just leave Maria to show you where to go. Goodnight," they all called goodnight to her t oo, but then Nell turned around to address them once again. "Oh, and one more thing...There are three rooms up there to use. I don't care about the sleeping arrangements," she winked at them, "as long as I don't know about it." Then she turned around to go to bed.

Maria smiled and looked at her friends blush. Grammy Nell must have noticed more than just Michael and Maria making eyes at each other, because when Nell mentioned the "sleeping arrangements" Max and Liz, Alex and Isabel, and even Michael, blushed.