Finding Gracie's Rainbow

by Deborah A. Price

  Finding Gracie’s Rainbow

  Book One of the HEA Series

  Smashwords Edition

  Deborah A. Price

  Copyright 2011 Deborah A. Price

  DEDICATION

  Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. . .

  It is about learning how to dance in the rain.

  I would like to dedicate this book in memory of my mother, Betty Jean Shinault Cobb, who encouraged us never to give up when we have a dream.

  Characters and occurrences are fictional.

  Chapter 1

  The calculator was busy spitting out numbers in red ink while the bills were being added together. Gracie stared at the numbers trying to figure out which bill wouldn't get paid that week. She laid her head down on the table trying not to feel the anger and frustration she had felt ever since she had taken that phone call from her ex-husband. As he had for the past year, he wasn't going to be able to pay his child support. It was getting to be a regular phone call, and she was beginning to hate the sound of the phone ringing.

  She lifted up her head and tried to smile when her daughter danced into the room.

  “Do you believe in romance, Mom?” The little girl asked as Gracie wanted to laugh at the word. The question was asked by a tiny eight-year-old girl with huge brown eyes and strawberry blonde hair that was put up in pigtails.

  “Why?” Gracie hugged her after Bea had danced the rest of the way to where she was sitting. “Have you been watching Cinderella again?”

  Bea nodded her head glancing up at her mother’s swollen eyes.

  “It’s alright, Bea.” Gracie stood as she grabbed the stack of bills and stashed them into a drawer before she started to fix supper. “How was your visit to Granny’s?”

  “It was alright.” Bea was watching her mother as she talked. “Aunt Kim was there with Sammie.”

  “And just how is my sister?” Gracie looked into the pantry and pulled out the last box of macaroni and cheese.

  “She and Granny talked in the kitchen while Sammie watched Cinderella with me.” Bea took the two plates her mother handed her while she talked. “Aunt Kim was upset about something.”

  Gracie laughed. “Aunt Kim is always upset about something.” She saw the look that Bea gave her, “What Bea?”

  “Your name was mentioned.” Bea sat down and stared at the macaroni and cheese in front of her.

  “Don’t worry about it, Princess.” Gracie held her hand while they said grace. They both pushed the food around of their plates. They were both sick of eating macaroni. “How was Sammie?”

  “She says she's dating Prince Charming.” Bea rolled her eyes toward the ceiling before she excused herself from the table. “It’s just a fairy tale. There isn't a such thing as ‘Prince Charming’.”

  Gracie stared at her daughter and frowned. “Bea, you're a little young to believe that.”

  “Then where is my father?” Bea had tears falling down her face. “Aunt Kim says. . .”

  “Aunt Kim talks too much.” Gracie stood and looked down at Bea.

  “Is it my fault?” She looked back up at her mother with the question burning in her eyes.

  “No, and don’t ever think that it is.” Gracie hugged her tightly to her, wiping the tears with the cloth she held in her hands. She glanced at the clock. “Time for bed, young lady, you have school tomorrow.”

  Bea looked at her sadly before she walked to her bedroom. The little girl couldn't remember her father, and Gracie never mentioned him. Gracie would always look sad and then angry whenever Bea asked questions about him.

  Gracie walked into the bedroom with a half-hearted smile on her face to tuck her daughter into the bed and listen as she said her prayers. “Good night, Bea. I love you.”

  “I love you, too, Momma.” Bea cuddled with the little teddy bear she had ever since she was an infant and pretended to fall asleep as her mother turned off the light and shut her door.

  Gracie walked back to the drawer where she had stashed all the bills. She placed them on the table and stared at them. She had no more corners to cut. Everything had to be paid, and Bea had to have food. She felt the anger start to sting her eyes as she remembered the conversation with Bea’s father earlier.

  “Mark, it's been over a year since you’ve paid any amount of child support, and I really need that money.” She had listened as he had come up with every excuse he could. “Whatever, Mark, but Bea has got to eat, and I've cut everything I could. She’s your daughter, too.” She had hung up the phone and started looking at the classified ads in the paper. There was no choice; there was going to have to be a second job.

  Gracie stood and walked to the bathroom where she took a good hard look at herself. “Well, Gracie, this is a fine example you're setting for your daughter.” The blue eyes looked back at her, not showing any emotion as she talked out loud to herself. Bea had looked so serious when she had asked her about romance and told her that there was no ‘Prince Charming’.

  Gracie brushed the strawberry-blond hair that looked like her daughter’s, except it was curly as she thought. She had started dating Mark in her freshman year of high school. Back then she had believed in fairy tales and in Prince Charming. They had married a week after she had graduated and found out that she was pregnant six months after that. They had moved in with his parents in Pennsylvania, and he had never let her do anything but write to her parents. Mark’s parents had helped her get home, and he'd managed to find her forcing her to move back in with him. The night that Bea was born, he had come home drunk and beaten Gracie until she couldn't stand. He had apologized on their way to the hospital where he just dropped her off and left her. He had called her mother and left, never returning.

  Gracie was still remembering as she walked to her bedroom. Her mother had seen the bruises on her daughter the minute she had walked into the hospital room. Gracie had cried as her mother had held her tight. That was the last time she had even thought about fairy tales. She laid down on the bed and sobbed, crying herself to sleep.

  Bea heard her and walked into her mother’s room, sliding underneath the covers to lie down beside her.

  ~

  Gracie dropped Bea off at school and headed to work. Work would always take her mind off the bills that were piling up at her apartment. It would keep her busy enough not to think of anything. She was the office manager at Salem Publishing Plus, and there were always problems. Usually, one thing after another. She laughed as she sat down behind her desk. Why was she able to solve everybody else’s problems but her own?

  There was a knock on her door, and Gracie looked up to see her sister. “Kim?”

  “In person,” her sister shut the office door and studied her, shaking her head before she spoke. “You look like crap.”

  Gracie raised her eyes. “Thanks. Did you come here to give me grief?”

  “No, I came to have lunch with you.” Kim looked at her then. “I went down to the cafeteria, but Addison said that you haven’t been down there since Christmas.” To her eyes, Gracie had gotten smaller and the blue eyes looked too big for her face. “You aren't eating.”

  Gracie stood and walked to the windows that faced the pond at the back of the building. “I haven’t got the time to eat.” Gracie caught herself starting to lie. “Let me rephrase that. I haven’t got the money to eat.”

  “Honesty. I like that.” Kim watched her. “Why don't you have the money to eat?”

  “I guess you want me to be honest, Rev.?” Gracie turned towards her. “Fine. I'm broke.”

  “That’s not a reason to avoid me. You used to tell me everything, but in the last several months, I've barely seen you.” Kim stood and watched as Gracie started to turn towards th
e desk.

  “All the money that I have is going to groceries so that I can make sure that Bea eats. My rent is late, and now they're threatening to cut off my electricity.” Gracie stared at the wall hard trying to force back the tears that she felt stinging her eyes.

  “Oh, my God.” Kim was shocked as she watched Gracie sit down. “What happened?” She started to pull her mousy brown hair into a ponytail.

  “Mark hasn't paid any child support for over a year.” She put her face in her hands. “I thought I could handle it.”

  Kim walked around to where Gracie was sitting. “I don’t know whether I should sympathize with you or be angry that you didn’t think enough of me to talk about your problems.”

  Gracie looked up and narrowed her eyes. “I should be angry with you.”

  “Why is that?” Her sister glanced down at her.

  “Bea was listening when you were talking to Mom yesterday.” Grace saw the color drain out of her sister’s face. “I didn't have enough on my plate without Bea asking me if it was her fault that Mark left me.” Gracie stood. “My lunch hour is over.” She hugged Kim before she opened the door. “I can figure this out by myself so there’s no need for you to talk about it to Mom.”

  ~

  Kim stared at her brother after she talked to him about Gracie. “She told me not to go to Mom; she didn’t say anything about coming to you.”

  Steven walked towards her as he picked up a picture and then placed it back down. “That’s Gracie, always trying to solve things on her own.” He finished walking to her. “Do you still have that extra key to her apartment?”

  “I haven’t thought about that, but, yes. I do.” Kim watched as her sister-in-law walked into the room from the kitchen. “I don’t guess Gracie has talked to you either.” Stephen had married Gracie’s best friend.

  “About what?” Paige had been fixing supper while Kim had talked to Steven.

  Steven sat down on the couch counting money as Kim watched him. “Gracie is in trouble.” Steven handed Kim the money. “Go shopping tomorrow and fill up her pantry and fridge.” He stood and pulled his keys out of his pocket. “I'm going to find Mark.”

  Paige looked over at Kim. “Why is he going to look for Mark and what kind of trouble is Gracie in?” She listened while Kim told her everything that she had told Steven.

  “It sounds like she closed herself off from everybody.” Paige looked at the door. “I’ve called her a couple of times, but she’s always too busy to talk.”

  “She hasn’t been eating either.” That bothered Kim more than anything else. “She’s given everything that she has to Bea. I don’t know how much more she can give.”

  “Where is Bea?” Paige asked after she looked at the same picture that Steven had picked up before. It was one with Gracie holding Bea right after they had come home from the hospital.

  “She's at Mom’s house.” Kim answered as Paige picked up the phone. “I promised her that I wouldn’t talk to Mom about this.”

  “You’re not.” Paige invited her mother-in-law over and asked that she bring Bea with her. She called and left a message with Gracie’s secretary. “I always fix too much food for just Steven and me.” She smiled at Kim.

  Kim hugged her before she left, “Good luck.” She frowned before she walked out to her car as she wondered how Gracie had withdrawn from them without any of them noticing.

  ~

  Paige opened the door after she heard the knock and stared at Gracie with concern.

  “That good, Paige?” Gracie tried to smile at the look that was on her friend’s face.

  “I’m sorry. You just look different.” Paige hugged her.

  “There’s been a lot of stress at work.” Gracie wasn’t aware that Kim had talked to them before she caught the look that Paige had shot at her when she spoke. “Kim’s been over here- hasn’t she?”

  “Yes, but I invited you over for supper. Your parents are here, too.” Paige watched as Bea went running over to Gracie.

  “How’s my Princess?” Gracie knelt down and hugged her.

  Bea looked into her mother’s eyes before answering. “I’m fine, Momma.”

  “That’s great,” Gracie stood as she felt her own parents studying her. “Where’s Steven?”

  “He’s on his way.” Paige went into the kitchen to set the table.

  “You’re nothing but skin and bones, Gracie.” Her mother said as she looked Gracie over. “What?”

  “Not now, Mom,” Gracie watched as Bea stared at her. “How was school, Bea?”

  “It was great.” Bea sat down on the floor and took some papers out of her backpack before Gracie sat down beside her.

  Gracie’s parents looked at each other before glancing towards the door when Steven walked in. Steven glanced at Gracie solemnly before he walked over and hugged his mother. “How are you, Mom? I didn’t realize that we were having company.”

  “I think that Paige called us at the last minute.” Janet answered noticing that he hadn’t taken his eyes from his sister.

  “That’s right,” Paige was smiling when she came back into the room. “And it’s ready. Bea would you like to help me set the table?”

  “Sure, Aunt Paige.”

  Steven watched as his niece left before he focused on Gracie. “I assume that you know that Kim came to see me.”

  “I figured that much out.” Gracie looked up at him. “I told her not to tell. . .”

  “Mom,” Steven finished for her when he grabbed her hand, making Gracie stand so that he could look at her. “You told her that you could figure it out all by yourself. Gracie, you’re not healthy enough to look after yourself. How do you expect to take care of Bea or anything else, for that matter?”

  “Steven!” Gracie saw Bea standing at the door of the kitchen. “Will everybody just leave me alone?!”

  Paige walked over to Bea and took her back into the kitchen so Steven could finish talking to her mother.

  “I found Mark.” Steven took out a wad of cash from his pocket. “He promises to do better.” He handed the cash to his sister when Janet walked back from the kitchen. “Now about your eating habits. . .”

  “I’m eating just fine.” Gracie counted the money. “This is every bit that he owed me.”

  “Don’t change the subject, Gracie.” Steven went into the kitchen when he felt his anger start to escalate. Paige saw the look on his face and frowned as she pointed to Bea. “Hey, Princess,” he smiled when he finally noticed her. He grabbed her, swinging her up into the air as she giggled at him.

  “Hey, Uncle Steven,” Bea kissed him on the cheek.

  “You’re all grown up.” Steven placed her down on the floor. “Spitting image of your mother when she was your age, all except for those eyes.”

  “Really?” Bea placed the last fork down and grew serious when she glanced at him. “Did she believe in ‘Prince Charming’ at my age?”

  “Boy did she ever.” Steven smiled at her before Gracie walked into the kitchen with their parents. “My friends used to tease her, but Kim was always there to make them stop.”

  Gracie smiled as she sat down tiredly at the table. “Your friends were mean. Sit down and say the blessing, Bea.”

  Steven watched as Gracie served Bea and then herself. Frowning he stood up and put more food on Gracie’s plate as she protested. “For Pete’s sake, Steve, I’m not a child.” She looked up at him angrily as Janet frowned.

  “Why didn’t you ask for help?” Her mother looked at her squarely, feeling guilty that she hadn’t seen what was happening before her eyes. “And why is it that I never noticed what was going on?”

  “This is my problem, and I didn’t want you to notice.” Gracie looked at all of them before she tried to stand before Steven pushed her back down into the chair. Tears were starting to come down her face as Bea just stared. “Eat your supper, Bea.”

  “Only if you eat.” Bea looked almost grown up when she talked back to Gracie.

  Gracie picked
up her fork and took up some potatoes while she looked back at Bea. Steven sat down next to Paige and grinned. Gracie managed to eat a little before she started feeling sick. She pushed away from the table and ran to the bathroom as Paige watched her.

  “Maybe we should take her to the hospital.” Paige put down her utensils and went to check on her friend while Steven watched.

  “Eat, Princess.” Steven watched as Bea was studying the bathroom door.

  “Momma’s really not healthy. I heard you tell her that.” Bea started to tear up. “She cries all the time, too.”

  Janet looked over at her husband who hadn’t said a word before he stood. Steven watched the anger cloud his father’s face.

  “Pop?” Steven stood and went to stand next to him.

  “If I’d known this was going to happen, I would’ve never allowed. . .” Chandler McBride stood tall as he looked at Janet. “I never liked him.”

  “Hush, Chandler.” Janet moved her eyes to Bea.

  Gracie walked out of the bathroom with Paige beside her as she noticed her father. “Oh, God,” she looked over at Bea, who was openly crying. “I really can’t take anymore tonight.” She grabbed Bea’s backpack. “Come on, Princess, we have school tomorrow.”

  Chandler snatched the backpack from her. “You’re going to take some more tonight. Bea can watch some cartoons while we talk.” Chandler took his daughter’s hands.

  Gracie sat down while watching Bea walk towards the back of the house to the spare bedroom. She rested her head in her hands when Janet sat down beside her, hugging her tightly.

  “From the beginning,” Janet said as they all sat there looking at her very concerned. “When did you start having problems?”

  “On and off for the past five years but he always came through at the last minute.” She glanced up, and her look scared everybody as she stared at nothing. “Before Christmas he started calling and telling me that he couldn’t make the payments, and I was alright until tax time and the car insurance came due. Everything just started snow balling from there.” She paused for air. “Then Bea got pneumonia and there were doctor bills along with the hospital bills.”