Finding Gracie's Rainbow (9 page)

Bea glanced at Jackson
sadly before looking up at her mother. “Can we go home
now?”

“
Are you ready to go
home?” Gracie asked noticing the look on Bea’s face as she had
looked at Jackson.

“
Yes, I am.” Bea patted
her puppy who had been chewing on her shoelace. She stood and
kissed Jackson on the cheek before she left with Gracie, who was
carrying her plate.

“
Okay, go on out to the
car, and I’ll be right there.” Gracie looked over at Kim. “She
doesn’t look too happy.”

Kim grimaced. “She
overheard us when we were telling Mom what she wanted to
hear.”

“
She did and what did you
tell Mom?” Gracie glanced over at Sammie, who was biting her lip as
she looked at Kim.

“
Just about everything
that has happened since Jackson told Steven about you kissing him.”
Sammie was smiling at Gracie and Jackson as the color drained off
both of their faces.

Gracie closed her eyes.
“Thanks for the heads up. I guess I had better talk to her.” She
took her plate and headed out to the car where her daughter was
waiting for her.

Gracie noticed that Bea was
reserved while they drove quietly to their apartment. She didn't
push her daughter to talk as they entered into their home. Gracie
figured that Bea would talk when she was ready.

She sat down on the couch,
feeling all the weight caused by that day’s actions at the
barbeque. Gracie looked up when she heard Bea come back into the
living room after putting on her nightgown.

Bea handed her the
hairbrush acting like she wanted to ask a question before sitting
down on the floor in front of her mother. Gracie stared at the
little pink brush causing Bea to turn around and look at her.
“You’ve been mighty quiet, Bea.” Gracie finally broke the
silence.

“
Where did you go, Momma?”
Bea looked at her with those big brown that could melt Gracie’s
heart.

“
I looked at a house.”
Gracie smiled. “This way we can keep your little fuzz ball with
us.” Gracie said as she thought to herself. “And I won’t have to
see Jackson.” She saw the excitement wash over Bea’s face before
she turned serious again.

“
What about ‘Uncle’
Jackson?” Bea finally asked. She watched Gracie turn the brush over
in her hand.

“
What about him?” Gracie
asked as she looked down.

“
Is he your ‘Prince
Charming’?” Bea watched the amusement in her mother’s
eyes.

“
Absolutely not,” Gracie
motioned for her to turn around so she could start brushing her
hair.

“
I saw you kiss him.” Bea
started to relax as she felt the brush sliding easily through her
hair.

“
He kissed me to make your
uncle mad.” Gracie informed her. “Now off to bed, Princess,” she
watched as Bea frowned at her. “Is there something
else?”

“
I guess not.” Bea took
the hairbrush from Gracie and walked to her bedroom.

Gracie sat there thinking
about the kiss before going into Bea’s room to listen to her say
her prayers.

“
Momma?”

Gracie sat down on the bed
next her. “Yes, Bea.”

“
You don’t believe in
fairy tales- do you?” Bea was watching her mother as she
asked.

“
For you, I believe in
fairy tales.” Gracie answered while she pulled the comforter up to
be Bea’s shoulders.

“
What about for
you?”

Gracie thought about that.
“No, Bea, I don’t; that ended for me a long time ago.” She kissed
her cheek. “Now go to sleep. I love you.” Gracie walked out of the
room, shutting the door softly behind her.

~

Kim was relieved when she
saw Gracie walk into the church with Bea following close at her
heels. She walked over to Gracie and hugged her. “I need you to
sing.”

“
No, Kim,” Gracie sat down
on the pew where her parents were already sitting. “I really am not
in the singing mood.”

“
I’m serious. I'm not
asking you to do a solo. I am, however, begging you to fill in for
one of the members who has laryngitis.” Kim smiled at Bea, who was
listening to them talk. “Wouldn’t you like to hear your mother
sing?”

Bea nodded as she caught
Gracie’s attention. They didn't see Jackson come into the church
and sit on the opposite side of Janet and Chandler.

“
That isn't fair, Kim.”
Gracie moaned at her sister. “You know I can't tell her
no.”

“
Figured that out a long
time ago,” Kim smiled as she led Gracie back to the choir
room.

Bea noticed Jackson when
she glanced over at her grandparents and gave him a big smile
before going over and sitting between him and her
grandmother.

The pianist had seen Kim
take Gracie to choir room and called her over; asking if they could
change one of their selections. Kim just smiled. Gracie was going
to sing solo, and she had nothing to do with it.

Gracie listened as Kim
introduced her at the same time she heard what music was coming
from the piano.

Jackson listened intently
as Gracie sang. He never knew she had a voice like that. Janet
looked over at him and saw his eyes starting to tear up as Bea took
his hand.

Gracie looked for her
daughter after she finished and was shocked to see her sitting with
Jackson. She walked over to them and coolly greeted
Jackson.

“
How can somebody sing
like that and then be so cold?” Jackson asked as he whispered into
her ear.

“
Sing like what, Jackson?
Anybody can sing like that.” Gracie was ready to leave.

“
If you say so.” Jackson
looked down at Bea. “I was wondering if Bea would like to spend
some time with her puppy.”

“
Fine. I'll drop her off
at Mom’s house.” Gracie started to walk away from him and was
irritated that he was walking beside her. “Haven’t you caused
enough damage, Jackson?”

“
I have?” Jackson smiled.
“Steven and I made up.”

“
I don’t want to see you.”
Gracie turned to him after they walked out of the church. “Bea can
see all of you that she wants. I won't keep her away from you.” She
started walking to her car. “But that doesn’t mean I have
to.”

“
So that’s it,” Jackson
held the car door, so she couldn’t shut it. “I can be Bea’s friend
but not yours.”

“
I think that's what I
said.” Gracie grabbed at the door handle. “Thank you for all that
you’ve done for me though.”

Jackson let go of the door,
looking at it in disbelief. He watched as Bea came running to the
car, and he smiled at her before they left.

He walked back into the
church and was sitting in one of the pews as Kim looked over at
him. “Jackson, I'm glad you came. I don’t think I've ever seen you
in here before.”

“
Your father invited me.”
Jackson looked up at her as Robert came over to them. “Your sister
doesn't want to friends anymore. That sounded kind of childish,
didn’t it?”

Kim motioned for Robert to
hang back for a minute. “When did you find this out?”

“
When I walked with her
out to the car.” Jackson stood up. “How confusing can one person
be?”

“
Gracie can be very
confusing.” Kim smiled at him, “What about Bea?”

“
I can be her friend.”
Jackson smirked. “You have a nice church.”

“
Thanks, Jackson. I hope
we'll see you in here more.” Kim stood and kissed him on the cheek
before Sammie came out of nursery carrying a bag of diapers while
holding her nose. Jackson laughed at her as he walked out of the
church.

“
What’s wrong with
Jackson?” Sammie asked through her pinched nose.

“
Nothing that time won’t
work out.” Kim was frowning as Robert came over to them, and she
locked up the church. “It was nice to hear Gracie sing
again.”

Robert smiled nodding his
head in agreement.

Chapter 5

Gracie glared at Steven
when he asked her to go out with them again on Friday. “Don’t you
think last Friday was enough? If I wanted a date, I’m more than
capable of finding one by myself.”

“
You're doing a fine job
of that.” Steven stood and paced the floor. “What if I promise it
won’t be Richie again?”

“
What difference would it
make?” Gracie asked opening her office doors letting him know that
it was time for him to leave. “I have plans for Friday.”

“
Liar.” Steven walked to
the doors. “I'll pick you up at seven and dress nice this
time.”

“
Ugh!” Gracie threw down a
file folder on her desk after Addison walked into the
office.

“
That good?” Addison
smiled at the anger on Gracie’s face. “Your next appointment is
already here.”

“
That’s great,” Gracie was
agitated. “Give me a few minutes to calm down. Who is
next?”

“
Mr. Johnson again,” her
secretary handed her the file they had been working on. “What did
brother dearest want?”

“
Another blind date with
one of his friends,” Gracie was mentally counting as she answered.
“God help me.”

“
I'm sorry.” Addison was
laughing at her inside. “Can’t you get out of it?”

“
Believe me when I say I'm
going to try really hard.” Gracie stood as she studied the folder
in her hand. “What does Mr. Johnson want to change now?”

“
I guess we'll find out.
Are you ready for him now?” Addison started to walk out the doors
as she spoke. “Oh, Gracie, a realtor called about a house, but you
were busy with Steven. I just took a message.” Addison handed her
the message before walking out to call in Mr. Johnson.

Gracie laid the note down
and pulled herself together as Addison walked in with their client.
“Mr. Johnson, it's always a pleasure to see you.” She led him over
to the conference table as Addison grabbed her pad and
pen.

“
The pleasure is all
mine.” The gray-haired gentleman sat down at the table, and they
took care of the final changes that he wanted on his
contract.

Addison and Gracie both
breathed a sigh of relief after he left. “Do you think that he’s
happy now?” Addison asked after she looked down at her
notes.

“
Some people you can never
make happy.” Gracie walked over to her desk. “Was the last
appointment for today?”

“
That was it,” Addison
answered after Gracie sat at her desk and called the
realtor.

Gracie made an appointment
to look at the inside of the house before calling to tell her
mother that she would be late picking up Bea.

She looked at the clock
before she closed up her office. She never left early if she could
help it, so she would have to rush to get over to the house for the
appointment. Gracie looked shocked when she saw Jackson standing
with the realtor in the driveway.

Gracie greeted him in a
detached manner wondering what he was doing there.

“
Chilled aren’t you,
Gracie?” Jackson glanced over the realtor to ask.

“
I was just wondering what
you were doing here.” Gracie answered him short and
sweet.

Jackson said something to
the realtor who left as Jackson looked at the house. “My parents’
house so I'm going to give you the grand tour.”

“
Okay, give me the grand
tour.” Gracie entered into the house after him. “It’s beautiful.”
The colors were brilliant and different from the white walls that
she was accustomed to having at the apartment.

“
Down the hall there are
four bedrooms.” Jackson mentioned as they walked. “This one was
mine, all done up with the sports theme. Definitely not Bea.” He
walked to a door that was shut and opened it showing the pink and
yellows as Gracie looked at him. “This one belonged to my
sister.”

“
You have a sister?”
Gracie saw the change of expression on his face.

“
I had a sister.” Jackson
looked sadly around the room as he took out his wallet to show
Gracie a picture of a young lady in a formal gown. “This is the
last picture she took. Her prom date wrapped the car around a light
pole.”

“
I’m so sorry, Jackson. I
didn’t know.” Gracie spoke softly while looking at him
sadly.

“
Only a few people know. I
never talk about her.” Jackson shut the door. “That room is Bea.”
He walked to the room that was never used. “Guest bedroom and
further down; we have the master.”

Gracie looked as she had
fallen in love with the house. “How much are you asking for
rent?”

“
For you and Bea, my
parents have agreed on five hundred a month.” Jackson
answered.

“
You knew I was coming?”
Gracie asked raising her eyes.

“
The realtor called and
mentioned your name.” Jackson smiled with amusement as he studied
Gracie. “I'm doing it for Bea.”

“
Of course you are and
thank you.” Gracie looked around the kitchen while they
spoke.