Saving Grace (3 page)

Little Mercy had been watching Grace for a few minutes debating on whether she should ask to play.  Being new to the area, she didn’t have very many friends. And when she heard the little girl laughing at the ocean’s spray, it was almost too much to bear.  She wanted to have that kind of fun too.  She looked to her mom with inquisitive eyes, to which her mom nodded in return.

It was all the invitation she needed.  Mercy attacked the water in front of Grace, jumping in feet first.  Since the tide just receded, it sent wet sand splattering in all directions. 

“Hey, watch it!”  Grace wiped a combination of sand and seaweed from her face.

“Sorry.”  Mercy sat down carefully.  “I just wanted to play too.”

Before Grace could get a word in, Mercy instantly began hurdling a handful of questions at her, to which Grace didn’t even have time to answer before Mercy was chatting incessantly about her first trip to the Hamptons.

After wiping more grains of sand from her face and neck, she went from irritation to amazement.  With every sentence this other girl uttered, Grace quickly realized she’d been missing this … someone her own age to talk to.

She didn’t even mind the fact that she was still trying to work the sticky mess from herself, in result of Mercy’s rash arrival.  She just liked hearing the sound of her voice.  It was joyful … and Grace could use some joy in her life.  If she could get a word in edgewise, she might like talking back to this girl.

To visit with someone other than her sister or her housekeeper, would be heaven.  Although Anne did the best she could to comfort Grace – Grace really needed someone her own size to relate to. 

Mercy, whether she knew it or not, rescued Grace from a desperate loneliness, and both girls felt it was a friendship, which was meant to be. 

When Mercy finally wound down, she realized she’d not even asked her new friend her name.  She dragged a deep breath in and paused before saying, “So, what’s your name?  I’m Mercy.”

“Grace.”  She smiled, only to break into a giggling fit at Mercy’s response.

“Your name is Grace?  And, mine is Mercy!  Wow!” 

Mercy quickly popped an arm around Grace’s shoulders.  “Those are both powerful names.”

Grace’s giggles finally settled down. She reflected on Mercy’s words, and frowned, saying, “I don’t feel very powerful.” 

“Well…” Mercy slowly leaned in and squinted into Grace’s eyes, trying to convince her.  It was then that she saw the sadness in them.  Mercy took note of it, and continued, “We both have names that mean something, like we were meant for something bigger.  Don’t you see? You’re special … like me.”

Grace slowly smiled at the thought.  She hadn’t felt very special in a very long time, but she did in that moment.  Her heart warmed at the thought. 

She turned to let the warmth of the sun hit her face and knew her mom must have brought her this gift … a new friend, whom she needed to make her feel special.

The two were inseparable for many years, until Mercy’s family lost their small fortune and were forced to sell off all their properties, including the one in the Hamptons.

Although devastating for both girls, they were determined to keep in touch.  And now, here they were shopping in Los Angeles at LaPerla for Mercy’s upcoming honeymoon. 

Since she couldn’t afford much, Grace offered to treat her friend to a special girl’s weekend.  It was a gift for Mercy, but also a gift that Grace gave herself as she could get away from the madness her life held.

“I still can’t believe your grandmother let you off your leash.”  Mercy giggled, sneaking up to her best friend’s side and breaking Grace’s train of thought. 

Grace sadly smiled to her friend, and lied. “She’s getting older and I think a little softer.” 

Mercy almost snorted.  “I’ll believe it when I see it.  If she knew you were treating your broke best friend, I bet she’d be after you with the royal hounds,” she said in a regal tone, which made Grace belt out a loud laugh.

“She has no royal hounds.”  She mimicked Mercy’s tone.  “But I did have to tell her a white lie about what I was doing this weekend, so I wouldn’t get an ear full of what was proper of an ‘Aundine’.”

“Ha!” She scrunched her face. “I knew it.  I knew she still had you in her clutches.” 

Mercy had tried to pry her friend loose from the family chains for years.  She used to sneak up to her house when they were kids, to encourage her to slip out after bedtime just so Grace would have some freedom. 

Although Anne did a lot to shield Grace, Mercy recognized how dependant she was becoming on her grandmother. 

“So what did Phillip think of our trip?”  Grace asked.  “Am I on the approved list?”

Mercy smiled at the thought of her fiancé, and said mischievously, “When he found out you were taking me here, you became high on the approved list.” 

She lifted the discarded purple baby doll and held it up for Grace’s approval. 

“Nice one girl.  You want it?” She asked.

Grace shook her head, pushing it back toward Mercy, who smiled and quickly handed it to the sales girl. 

She then took Grace by the hand, and led her to an overstuffed chair. 

“The only concern Phillip had about you was your money.  He was afraid that I would miss that lifestyle.”  She smiled.  “He likes you.  Honest he does!”

Grace met Phillip only once, while at Mercy’s graduation from the med school.  She flew in right before the ceremony in support of her best friend. 

Mercy was going to work in medicine, like she’d always dreamed.  And, she and Phillip had plans to specialize in cardiology. 

Grace thought Phillip seemed like a very genuine guy, but very guarded and protective of her friend.  She liked that about him actually.  Everyone needed someone to watch out for them.  A small part of her was jealous of her friend.

Mercy put her hands over Grace’s, before peeking out the storefront window.  “Look.  I see a few photo hounds out there.” 

Grace slid her sunglasses on, and parted the curtains to peeked outside.

“You’ve been spotted.” Mercy frowned outside; where a few photographers were poised capture a shot when they left. 

Grace nodded.  “It sure gets old, but it’s part of the package.”

“You asked about Phillip’s approval?”  Mercy slid the curtain back in place, and turned to pull Grace away from what waited outside. 

“Yes.”  Grace really wanted to have a relationship with whoever was in Mercy’s life.

“Well, this is why Phillip was concerned about meeting you the first time.  The weekend you two met, it was just too much for him take in … the notoriety, the photographers …” Mercy cocked her head, and gently took Grace’s sunglasses from her face. “But once he got to spend real time with you and saw me with my best friend – he saw how special you are.  He knew why I loved you so much.”

Grace pulled Mercy in for a hug.  “Don’t make me cry.”  She beamed down at her friend, feeling the warmth spread through her chest at what Mercy had shared.

Once the girls pulled back from their embrace, Mercy saw the tears in her eyes.

“Everything okay?” 

Grace waved her off, put a cool smile on her face, and took the sunglasses from her friend’s hands.

“Yes, besides we’re here for you today!  You’re getting married!!”  Grace shrieked a little too loudly, but she didn’t care.  They had the store to themselves.

Mercy sensed she was putting her off.  She always did this.  Anytime it got too personal, she knew her friend would shift the focus a little too emphatically.

              “You know we need to shop for your bridesmaids dress today.”  Mercy kept the focus on her friend.  “Are you going to bring your boyfriend to the wedding?” 

Grace noticed she didn’t call Zach by name. 

“You don’t like him?”  She waited.  Mercy’s opinion meant everything.

“Honey if you do – that is all that matters.”  Mercy stayed neutral. 

She didn’t want to hurt Grace’s feelings.  Beside she couldn’t put her finger on what it was she didn’t like about him, and without something specific it wouldn’t do any good to say anything. The fact that he had a weak jaw line and gave her a bad vibe wasn’t good enough.

Grace sighed.  “I think I do.  I know Grandmother

does.  I mean, …” She stood to pace the dressing room area, and started counting the reasons on her fingertips.  “He’s handsome … his family has a good name … he pays attention to me.”

Mercy laughed, and abruptly cut her off, saying, “Honey.  You only got to three and … you sound like you’re reading a resume.  Tell me how he makes you feel!”

“Well how does Phillip make you feel?”  Grace shifted the focus again, but this time Mercy was going to use it to her advantage.

She jumped at the chance to list the reasons she’d chosen Phillip.

“Like my skin is on fire.  My heart jumps every time he looks into my eyes, and I can tell what he wants with just one look.  He makes me melt when he tells me something sweet, but I know his heart and see the truth behind his dark tempting eyes.” 

Mercy grinned and spun around to sit back in the chair, before continuing, “And more than anything … he makes me feel like I’m the only one in the room – even with all the other cute med students we were in school with.  And trust me – you don’t want to know what really goes on in med school.” 

Mercy let out a sound, before leaning back and grabbing a pillow to hug.

“Wow.”  Grace should have felt inspired, but she felt empty.  “That sounds pretty amazing.”

“Grace, if your guy – who ever you are with – doesn’t make you feel any of those things … he’s not worth your time.  Okay?” 

Mercy pulled her closer, forcing her to look into her eyes.  That was as bold as she was going to make it.  She said what she needed to without bad mouthing Zach.

Grace quickly nodded her head. “You’re right, but for now I’m not the one looking to get married.  You are.” 

She stood and led her friend to the shelves behind them.  “And I see a few little numbers that Phillip will love.”

There her friend went again, changing the subject back to her.  Mercy knew, however, that she got through to her.  It was like a little seed, waiting to sprout.  And she hoped Zach was stupid enough to make it grow, because something about the guy didn’t sit well with her.

Chapter 4

As Lilah Aundine opened the windows in her sunroom, a cool breeze filtered through.  She lowered the shades to cut the sun’s glare, and sat quietly at her breakfast table, tea in one hand and her paper in the other.

After setting her delicate teacup down, she ran her hand along the smooth wooden table top, which was hand crafted in Milan. It gave her delight to be surrounded by such beautiful high-end pieces, to which most others had no access.

Each morning was the same routine.  She sat in her sanctuary, surrounded by some of her favorite things.  As she looked around the large room, she could tell you which pieces were crafted where and how much they cost. 

“Anything interesting in the paper today?” 

Andrew Aundine quietly stepped up behind his wife and dutifully kissed her on the cheek.  She in turn, out of habit, lifted her chin to receive it before burying herself back into the news.

“Hmm-umm.”  Her singsong hum was one of disappointment.  “Nothing out of the ordinary.  I’d find out more at the ladies club from the girls.”  She dropped the local paper on the table and lifted an eyebrow.

Andrew sat down across from his wife and quietly smiled in return.  The glow, from the sun, backlit her small frame and gave her a radiant glow.  He always thought his wife was pretty, but in this light he almost remembered why he married her.

“You look especially beautiful this morning dear.”  Andrew patted her hand, before reaching for a scone from the center of the table.

“You’re complimenting me this early in the day?  You must want something.”  Her radar went off.

He exhaled in exasperation.  “Don’t.  I can’t compliment my wife without you suspecting something?”

Lilah leaned back and stared at her husband with a knowing look.

“This is me you’re talking to.”

Andrew chewed slowly; while he felt the brunt of her words take their toll.  After all this time he tried not to let her get to him, but she did.

While fifty years of marriage gave them plenty of familiarity, it was a marriage of convenience … although it didn’t start out that way. 

At one point, he was madly in love with his wife.  But within a year of their marriage, it became very apparent that Lilah was only in love with his money and the status it brought her.  His obvious affections weren’t returned, and in turn caused a very bitter rift between them … until they had their daughter, Elizabeth.