Page 91 of Fall From Grace

I’ve planned and waited for us to grow up, to win her heart and accept mine, and live happily ever after. Even as a boy, I knew the kind of man I was. I don’t give up. Ever. Not on the things I hold dear. Not on the one that holds my heart in the palm of her dainty hand.

N.P.

I went up and down the stairs a hundred times that next day, telling myself not to go to Janet’s house. I called work and fibbed, and suddenly feared my own choices. I had no idea what I was doing but staying here and calling into work weren’t smart choices…

But they felt like the right ones.

Dad finally got tired of me pacing around the house and just told me to go see or do whatever it was that was causing me to wear down the floors.

Even on the drive to her house, I kept telling myself that this wasn’t a good idea then I remembered that I already drove this far because of Noah so anything else I did, couldn’t hurt. I was invited, and I told myself I was only going to see what she wanted to show me. But that was kind of worse because I knew the only thing she would have to show me would be about Noah.

Did he still live with them? Or did he move out?

I didn’t see his truck when I pulled in and the disappointment was thick in my throat. I also brought Gus with me because I didn’t want to leave his care on Dad. I didn’t think Janet would mind, considering she watched him at the hospital while her husband was going in for surgery.

The bad idea got even worse when I knocked on the door and a younger version of Dean answered the door, holding a baby in his arm. “Um,” I started, not sure what to say as I held Gus, “is Janet home?”

He looked me over once then smiled. “You’re Noah’s Grace, right?”

Noah’s Grace?“I am Grace, I don’t know about being Noah’s,” I corrected him, and he smiled, although I wish my heart would stop fluttering like it enjoyed the sound of being Noah’s.

“I’m Janet’s son, Jeremy,” he told me, extending his hand out to take mine.

“The army, right?”

He nodded. “Yeah, one of them.” A petite blonde moved in the doorway with him. “This is my wife, Sarah,” he told me then smiled at the baby in his arms. “And this is our little miracle baby, Sammy.” They looked so perfect, the three of them together, that it made my teeth hurt.

“Come on in,” Sarah offered.

I didn’t make it one step when Janet yelled, “Keep your shoes on, Grace, we’re leaving.”

Oh, boy.

I stood there awkwardly as they both smiled at me. Janet shoved herself between them. “Mamaw will be right back,” she cooed to the baby as she kissed him on the forehead.

“It was nice to finally meet you,” Sara yelled as Janet hurried me to her car.

“It looks like one of your sons and his family are in to visit, are you sure you want to leave?” I asked, then watched as she opened the car door and climbed in. “Wait, where are we even going?”

“Both of our sons are in, and they will be for two weeks, so stop making excuses not to be here,” she mumbled as she looked up at me from the seat. “Well, come on, I have a husband laid up on the couch that wants to be petted after his surgery so let’s make this quick.”

“I brought Gus,” I went on.

“He’s fine.”

I ran around and got into the passenger side seat. “I wouldn’t have come if I knew I’d be bothering you guys,” I said again as I buckled up.

She started the car and grunted. “Stop. You’re still trying to make up every reason as to why you shouldn’t have come to see me today but guess what, Grace?” She was grinning as she pulled out of the driveway.

“What?”

“You came anyway.”

“If there’s something you want to ask me about Noah, ask away,” she said softly. “We have a few minutes before we get there.”

“Where are we going?” I asked.

“The garage.”

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