Page 88 of Falling for Grace

“What, why?” Theresa says. Ava pulls out her mobile and throws it to me.

“I’m making a long distance call,” I say, holding it up and checking—not that she can’t afford the bill.

She waves me off. “Are you going to help?” she asks.

I nod as I type in the number that I memorised as a teenager.

“I’m going to write down where I’m staying. You can give the phone back to me on the plane.”

“Huh?”

“Don’t worry about the ticket, I’ll sort it. You just need to go and help the man you love before he no longer exists.”

I nod, my respect for her growing. It takes a hell of a lot of courage to do what she has done tonight. She has been the bigger person all to help Brandon and for that, I respect her greatly.

“I’ll be waiting for you, I’m staying at an Air BNB, I’ll get my driver to text you the address. Bring your things, I’ll sort the rest.”

Ava stands and breezes out the apartment and I glance at Theresa as I hold her mobile to my ear, listening to it ring. And ring. I’m about ready to hang up when Sue’s soft voice finally answers. Her British accent immediately makes me think of home.

“Hello.”

“Sue, it’s me, Grace,” I say almost shamefully down the phone.

“Oh God, Gracie,” she cries. “Have you seen him? Is he okay? He won’t answer my calls. I’m just stuck watching and reading papers for updates. Have you seen what they’ve been saying? And the pictures. Oh, Grace, the pictures. What’s my boy doing to himself?”

“I know, Sue.”

“I can’t take it, it’s shameless, the things he’s doing. That’s not our Brandon.”

Our Brandon—still, after everything I’ve done, she still includes me in their family.

“I wanted to call and make sure you’re okay.” God, how pathetic was that. I know she’s not okay.

“No,” she says, her voice cracking. “We can’t lose him as well. We can’t go through that…not again.”

“I’m going to fly out to L.A.,” I say. “Ava… she’s…helping me.”

“How he treated that poor girl… I didn’t like her, that ridiculous arrangement, but no one deserves to be treated how she was. I didn’t bring my son up to behave in that way,” she says crossly and I know when this is all over Ted and Sue will be sitting Brandon down and ripping him a new one. He may be a grown man, but he will never be too old for an ear-bashing from his parents.

“I know you didn’t. She knows you didn’t, either. He’s lost, Sue. I’m going to help him. I’m going to help him like I wish I had helped Danny.”

“No one could have helped Danny, Grace. You know that.”

I nod, the tears spilling over. “I know, but still. He shouldn’t have done it alone.”

“No, but…” She pauses. “You and Danny were so alike. Always thinking you could face it all on your own.”

I feel sick to my stomach. “Well, Brandon isn’t going to do this alone. I’m responsible for this, I’m going to fix it.”

“Fix it? Responsible? Grace, you listen to me.” Her voice has firmed up in an instant. “In no way are you responsible for this.”

“But how can you honestly think that? If I had told him sooner…”

“Shoulda woulda coulda,” she says. “Isn’t that what you used to say to Danny? Now go and knock some sense into that bloody child of mine and bring his ass back home. He doesn’t need to be on his own, and neither do you.”

“I’m not on my own,” I say to her.

“Yes, you are. You’ve flown thousands of miles to escape. I think it’s time you both face it together and move on together. I’ve watched my son for years look over at you wanting more, I’ve watched for years him rising to fame and fortune but never being truly be happy. You need each other.”

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