Saving Grace

by JL Hallow

  It had been three days since Dana had passed. Three days since Grace had eaten without being reminded, since she had slept through the night, if at all. “Come on, let’s go to the kitchen.”

  They were stopped four times on the way to the tiny kitchen in the farmhouse. Four more ‘I’m sorry about your mother, she was a great woman.’ Four more forced smiles and mumbled thank you’s.

  By the time they reached the kitchen, she was felt weak and broken.

  Grace approached the kitchen sink, hands resting on the edge of the counter as she sucked in a breath. “You know, I always thought they would find a cure. That she would beat it. She lived so much longer than they said she would… She fought. She wanted to live.” She spoke without turning to face him.

  Aaron’s hand found her back, rubbing a soft circle. “I know.” The words were so simple, but the only thing he could force himself to say.

  What exactly did one say to their girlfriend grieving the loss of a parent? He certainly didn’t know.

  Grace turned around slowly, leaning back against the counter as her arms crossed over her chest. She said nothing, chewing on the inside of her cheek as she stared at the crowd of people.

  “I’m going to make you one of these sandwiches. And you’re going to eat before we go back out into the crowd. When did you eat last?”

  “This morning.”

  “Grace.” His voice came out like a whip crack, so sharp it had her head snapping around to face him.

  “Yesterday, I think. I don’t know. It’s all been a blur.”

  Aaron frowned, grunting as he moved to make the sandwich. Behind him, Grace turned back to the crowd. It was large for their small living room, but not too large to fit in their average-sized farmhouse.

  But it wasn’t the people that caught Grace’s attention.

  Tucked in the darkest corner of the room was her father, beside him, a woman Grace only knew in passing. She worked in the same building her father did, but what her job title was? She couldn’t remember. That wasn’t the issue. The problem was the way her hand rested on her father, the care that went into the way her hand rolled over his shoulder, the closeness of her body.

  It was more than a caring friend offering comfort and immediately it made Grace bristle.

  “Aaron…” She glanced at him, beckoning him back to her with a curled finger. “Look at that.” She spoke through gritted teeth, eyes narrowed.

  Aaron sucked in a breath, one hand running through his buzz cut while the other shoved the plate of food at Grace. “Best stick to your own on that one. Here, eat this.”

  “Stick to my own? Mind my business?” She had half a mind to slap the plate from his hand. “People will talk.” She hissed. “You can’t look at that and tell me something isn’t wrong with that picture.” She said with a shake of her head, grabbing the plate from him finally.

  “I’m going up to my room. You’re welcome to join me but I’ve had just about enough socializing for one day.” Grace said.

  And more than enough of the sight of Eileen Beaumont wrapped around her father’s arm.

  Too bad it wouldn’t be the last time she saw that.

  Chapter Thirteen: Not Her Biggest Fan

  Grace & Greg: present day

  “So they were officially dating three months later. Three months after that, she was moving in and I was moving out. Aaron already had a place of his own. I was angry and didn’t want to stay there while some other woman moved in and tried to play mommy. That was part of the problem. Even at twenty-one, she believed she had a right, a say in what I did and didn’t do.” Her laugh was bitter.

  “You guys never got along?” Greg asked. “Not even later?”

  “Nah, and I’m not sure that we ever will. Even now, we don’t get along well. She thinks I should stop the court proceedings, just let Aaron have what he wants. She threw a fit about the divorce. It took me so long to get him to sign the divorce papers and the only reason that happened was because a few friends forced it. I can only imagine how much harder the fight for Victoria is going to be. Plus he has a good lawyer. Granted, he’s a criminal lawyer but Mark isn’t known for losing cases. I don’t have anyone on my side.” She shook her head.

  “Anyway, back to Eileen. My kid called her grandma from the very beginning. Unfortunately, she’s the only grandmother she’s ever known on my side so I can’t really take that away from her, you know? Especially if things stay the way they are with Aaron’s parents. They haven’t been talking to me since the divorce. But I’m not happy about it either. She brings up things in front of Victoria that she has no business bringing up. Ever. She just doesn’t know how to respect her place in my life. Mostly that she doesn’t truly have one. She made a fool of my father. Talk of the town after she moved in and then after he died, she got the house.. Not that it mattered, it wasn’t about that. I had a home of my own by then, but he left her the house. My mother’s house. It was her parents’, two generations of us lived there and I wanted to make it three. I just…” Grace fell silent.

  “Do you believe she loves your father? Or was it all just some kind of…ploy of sorts?”

  “Loved.” She corrected. “Loved him. And I’m not sure. I don’t know if I ever will know. We weren’t rich by any means but Eileen, she had never been married. Her age, in a small town? I think she just wanted a ring, a new last name so the heat was off her. She never had any kids of her own. I’d say it was a blessing.”

  “What happened to your father?” Greg asked.

  “He died.” She said simply. “Eileen and my dad got married after a year. They married before Aaron and I ever talked about it. Crazy right? Maybe it was their age, maybe it was because my gut was always right and they had been together longer than they claimed, I don’t know. But they were married after the first year, he changed his will and everything. Two years after that, he died of a heart attack. They call it a widow maker. He was at work when it happened, just…dropped dead on the job site.”

  Grace felt like she was rambling again but the dam had broken. “I just…couldn’t believe any of it. I still think he died of a broken heart. Whether he jumped into another relationship or not, my mother was the love of his life. Highschool sweethearts, that kind of love. The love that should have lasted forever. I truly believe it weakened his heart.”

  Greg nodded. “You know, I think they have studies that talk about that. People dying from broken hearts. I know you said you never confronted them or spoke about your suspicions, but do you forgive him? If he was seeing this woman before your mother died, do you know if she allowed it? Pushed him to find another woman because she knew she was dying?”

  “I forgave him a long time ago. I did. I loved my father and he loved me. He was a kind soul. Never did bad by anyone. But I doubt my mother would have been one of those people; The kind in Hallmark movies that write letters for their families after they die, begging them to move on. I don’t think she even liked Eileen. They went to high school together. My mom was the one you found in the library. Eileen was a soccer player. They never saw eye-to-eye, at least from what I was told.” She shrugged a little. “I just…the one thing I wish? Even with the way things ended up, I wish my dad had been there for the wedding, to see me in my dress and walk me down the aisle. It was the one thing I wanted and couldn’t have.”

  “Who walked you?”

  “Aaron’s father. He adored me but I don’t know if he still does. I’m too afraid to reach out to them. I’m scared they’ll think I’m trying to ruin their son’s career and I don’t blame them, I guess. I’m protective over my child but I wish… I wish they would have a relationship with Victoria. They’re missing out on so much and it’s not fair to any of them.”

  A soft sigh escaped her, tears brimming her eyes. “I hate all this. I really do. I never wanted a broken family and I still love him. I hate who he turned into and had he gotten help for the drinking, things would have never gotten this far. I just want my daughter to have the best an
d safest life she can. Until he stops drinking? That’ll never happen. But he’ll never get help. Too prideful.”

  “I bet your father was there that day. I bet he was walking along your side as you made your way to Aaron at the altar. A father wouldn’t miss that and maybe you couldn’t see him but I believe he was watching over you that day. Your mother too.” He offered her a genuinely warm smile. “You’re doing the best you can for Victoria, it seems. If they won’t put things aside for her sake, you’re right, they are the ones missing out. I know it doesn’t seem like it right now but things will change. It will get better.” It was his turn to pause.

  Old, wisdom-filled eyes scanned over her, taking note of the slight tremor in her body. Was she cold or was talking about Aaron filling her with fear? He wasn’t quite sure.

  “Tell me about the happy times…the wedding? Your wedding. Paint me a picture.”

  Chapter Fourteen: Picture Perfect

  Grace and Aaron’s wedding

  The wedding had been everything every little girl had dreamed of. Well, every little farm girl. Picture perfect, one would say. They had picked a date in the middle of summer, when everything was in full bloom. The farm they chose had a pond just beyond the barn, surrounded by lilies; Grace’s favorite flower. It was where they said their vows with just fifty people watching from their seats on the covered hay bales.

  Their reception was in the barn on the property. It had been turned into something magical, strung with hundreds of strands of little white lights, white ribbons criss-crossing from the ceiling from one end to the other. Below, picnic tables were covered with white table clothes. She had picked pink lilies for the center pieces.

  It was beautiful.

  Simple, magical, exactly what she had hoped for. The only problem was that it was missing two things; her parents.

  Even as the sun set and the party continued, Grace didn’t grow tired. She and Caroline danced to the blaring country music, her boots stomping on the makeshift dance floor as she laughed, twirling in her best friend’s arms. At some point, Aaron had cut in, taking his new wife back from Caroline.

  Grace smiled, hand falling to his hip as the music changed and a slow song played. “This has been…”

  “An incredible day?” He finished.

  “Yes.” Grace laughed, beaming up at him. “Thank you, for all of this. Thank you letting me have everything I asked for. The lilies, this place, my friends. It’s perfect.” Grace leaned up on her tiptoes, kissing him gently. “I love you, Aaron.”

  Aaron returned the kiss, pulling her closer as they swayed to the music. “I love you too, Grace. I love you too.”

  Behind them, the distinct sound of fireworks disrupted the music. Grace’s broke apart from Aaron and moved to the barn doors. Her head tilted back slightly, green eyes on the sky as the first firework exploded in the air. A giggle escaped her as she lit up with the sky. “Aaron!”

  “Do you like it?” He smiled, pulling her against his side as they stopped dancing to watch the show.

  “You did this?”

  “I thought you might like it.” He said with a grin.

  “Like it? I love it. How…”

  “My dad helped me with it. Found a company that would do it. I wanted it to be a surprise. I know how much you like them.”

  Like he had heard their conversation, Aaron’s dad approached them with sparklers in his hands. Passing them to the two kids, he grinned. “To add to the show! I hope you’re enjoying it all, Grace.”

  Grace had to tamper down the childish squeal of joy as her sparkler was lit, crackling to life before she drew a heart in the air. “Enjoying it…I love it! Thank you.”

  The last few hours seemed to fly by and saying goodbye to their guests had brought a twinge of sadness. The night was coming to an end and it had been one of her happiest moments, surrounded by people she loved and those who loved her back. Despite the missing pieces.

  When the last person left, Aaron turned to her. “I hope you packed because we’re leaving from here. I brought the truck earlier and I wanted to get a head start…”

  “Where are we going?”

  “You’ll see when we get there, come on.” He was grinning like a fool.

  “Am I supposed to wear my wedding dress there?”

  “I told you, you should have packed.”

  “I did! I left the bag on the bed, I thought we were heading back home!”

  Aaron laughed. “I know, I’m kidding. I grabbed your stuff, it’s in the backseat and since it’s so late, I brought you some extra comfy clothes. A pair of flannel pants, a t-shirt…fluffy socks.” He smiled. “You can change in the truck.”

  “Fluffy socks?”

  “Fluffy socks.”

  “I knew I married the right man.”

  ~

  The honeymoon

  The drive to the cabin had taken three hours but as they started to travel north toward Canada, she knew exactly where they were going. The cabin had been a frequent spot they traveled to, usually late in the fall. It was hard to get it for a night let alone five days during this time of year. It was always rented out for the men fishing the river nearby.

  “How did you pull this off?” She asked as they pulled into the drive.

  Her body settled almost immediately. This place? It was like a second home to her. It was a place of peace. Some of her fondest memories were curling up in the rocker on the front porch with a book and a mug of tea, watching Aaron fishing in the river a few hundred yards away.

  “Hey, I have more skills than just looking pretty. Come on, let’s go get settled.” Aaron hopped out of the truck and moved to open the back door.

  He grabbed his bag and hers, leaving the wedding dress behind. Heading to the front door, he produced the key and slipped it into the lock. He opened the door and stepped to the side, allowing Grace to enter before him. “Welcome to our temporary home.”

  “It smells better in fall.” She said with a smirk. “But it’s perfect. So perfect.”

  “I was hoping you would like it. It was this or Hawaii.”

  “Hawaii-Sawaii.”

  “Sawaii?” Aaron’s brow quirked up slightly.

  Grace shrugged. “Best I could do on short notice.”

  “You should work on that.” He teased.

  Aaron moved through the familiar house, stopping at the main bedroom they favored. All in all, the cabin had four of bedrooms. This particular one overlooked the river on the other side of the bend, while the other three had more wooded views. They preferred the water view, especially on the foggy autumn mornings. It was beautiful. Serene and peaceful. And when they were lucky, they could catch a glimpse of some of the local wildlife.

  Grace moved in behind him, shutting the door as he lowered their bags to the ground. “You’re amazing, you know that?” She said as her hands fell to his hips, slowly turning him around to face her.

  Coming up on her tiptoes as her hands glided up his chest, Grace kissed him. Aaron’s hands moved to her hips, pulling her body close to his. “Mhm.” The word was murmured against the kiss.

  His lips moved to her jawline, then to her neck. His hands moved to the hem of her shirt, toying with the fabric before he eased it up her body. Aaron broke the kiss long enough to remove her shirt, tossing it to the floor. His breath hitched, taking her in. Had she ever looked so beautiful?

  He was quick to remove his own shirt next, throwing it to the side. Reaching for her again, he pulled her close and kissed her. His hand moved to her hair, tangling in it as he tilted her head slightly to meet his kisses.

  Grace’s fingers found the button of his jeans, popping it open and sliding the zipper down slowly. Her next motions were rushed, fingers hooking around the waistline as she tugged downward and let them drop to the floor. Her hand moved to wrap around his length, a groan echoing against the kiss.

  Aaron nudged her backward toward the bed until the backs of her knees bumped against it. Grace released him, moving to wiggle out
of the flannel pajama pants, leaving her naked for him. She felt…vulnerable under his stare. Grace swallowed and reached for him, the tips of her fingers gliding along his chest down across his stomach.

  Grabbing her hand, Aaron guided her down to the bed. He nudged his way between her thighs, leaning down to kiss her as he lined up with her slit. With a gentle thrust, he entered her with a groan. Grace let out a moan of her own, hands moving to his back as her body moved with his.

  She broke the kiss, lips moving to his neck as he thrust. Those deep, demanding strokes had her quivering below him, desperate for more. The sex had always been good with him but this? This was something different.

  Aaron’s hand explored her body, traveling over her soft skin as he tilted his head to accept her kisses at his throat. Grace’s fingertips traced the muscles on his back as each thrust drove her closer and closer to an orgasm.

  Aaron’s strokes got harder, went deeper, driving her to the edge and straight over it as her orgasm ripped through her. Her body squeezed around him, falling apart as heat spread throughout her body.

  Aaron’s own climax followed soon after, the feeling of her body squeezing around him too much for him to hold back. Burying deep, he let his orgasm take over. His moans matched hers, struggling to catch his breath.

  Withdrawing slowly, Aaron rolled off her and landed on the mattress next to her. Sucking in a breath, he turned to look at her. Grace was smiling, inching closer to him until she was snuggled into his side, one arm lazily wrapped around his waist as her head moved to rest on his chest.

  “I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  Chapter Fifteen: Truth

  Grace & Greg, present day.

  Of course, Grace left out the bit about the lovemaking at the cabin, but she told him about the wedding and their honeymoon location. It was something that brought her the smallest bit of happiness, but that happiness was met with an equal amount of confusion. Perhaps more than just an equal amount.