Saving Grace (4 page)

As neither, Andrew or Lilah, could stand to be in the same room with one another, it was a miracle they ever conceived.  But when Elizabeth was born, the love they both shared for their daughter was enough to bind them for the duration.  Neither wanted their daughter to be the product of a broken home.

Andrew shook off the memories, and sighed in response to his wife’s accusation. 

“Okay, don’t throw a fit.”  He dropped his scone and tossed the latest gossip rag, which he’d been hiding behind his back, on the table.  “I figured you’d better see it before the ladies in your gossip mill did.”

Lilah looked to the front page, which showcased a large photo of Grace, linked arm and arm with another girl as they walked out of a club.   In the picture, there was also a young man, who been caught kissing her on the cheek.  The headline read, ‘Grace Aundine lights up L.A.’

Andrew watched his wife’s eyes squint.  “I thought she was going to Miami for a spa weekend with the Lawrence girl.  At least that’s what she told me.  Is this the little ragamuffin from the Thomas family? And who’s this man kissing her cheek?”  She spewed in outrage.

“Now, Lilah. It shouldn’t matter who our granddaughter’s friends are.  It’s just a stupid article that speculates on her trip.  You know she’s a good girl, so whatever is said shouldn’t matter.”  He came to Grace’s defense.

“It shouldn’t matter, but it does.  After I’ve told my friends where Grace had already gone and with whom.  And now, she’s shown up in another part of the country with a social zero and some guy kissing her check.  She’s dating Zach for goodness sakes.  How will this make him feel?”

“No one pays attention to these things.”  He stood to leave, but she had to have the last word.

“They certainly do, or you wouldn’t have tried to prepare me before my bridge game today with my friends.”  Her voice raised an octave.

“No, the only reason I told you was because I know you care.  And you care too much about what other people think.”  He shook his head.  “And to answer your question – the story is crap.”  He picked the paper up and tossed it across the room.

“Andrew!” 

He sighed in exasperation, and walked across the room to pick it back up.  He gently laid it back on the table and leaned in toward his wife. 

“The story is a stupid piece of fiction.  It speculates on Grace’s romantic relationship with Zach – and for what … because one person kissed her on the cheek?” Andrew spun on his heel, and counted to ten.

“Listen … they list out where she had been during her weekend, which included a lingerie store.  And you think that will implicate problems for her?”

Lilah opened her mouth to speak, but was pre-empted once more.

“You’re borrowing trouble … and as far as the mystery woman, the one you call a social zero … classy Lilah … real classy.  They think it may be her personal shopper.  Trust me – it’s nothing newsworthy or worth getting your blood pressure up.” 

Andrew stood back up thoroughly disappointed in Lilah, and his tone told her so. 

“I only wanted to warn you incase it came up because I knew there’d be hell to pay if you were caught off guard.  Heaven forbid if the great and almighty Lilah Aundine didn’t know exactly what her family was up to at all times.”

With that he turned to leave, wishing he’d kept the news to himself.  When would he learn that she was nothing more than a control freak, and any heart he thought she still had died a long time ago?

Lilah watched her husband’s back; aching to tell him he was wrong about her.  She knew what he was thinking, but couldn’t bring herself to call out to him.  That would mean showing more of her than she was prepared for.  No, she let him go and wished he could only understand her for what she really was … alone.

Chapter 5

Grace stared down toward her feet, as she sat in church with her grandparents.  She set her new shoes on a kneeling pew down below, until she heard a noise of disapproval.  She looked to her grandmother who gave her a stern look.  She promptly put her feet back on the ground and sighed.

She got in late last night from her short trip with Mercy, but knew she’d still be expected to make church today.

Her eyes wandered the room, taking in all the brightly lit stained glass, and then trialed up the massive pipes of the organ, which sat her right.  Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a small child in her best Sunday dress, circling her feet around. 

Grace smiled.  She reminded her of herself at that age, struggling to stay awake.  Grace hid her giggle from her grandmother, and struggled to sit a bit more still to pay attention. 

By design, she sat closest to the aisle, in order to have faster access to leave.  It’s not that the sermon bored her … well, maybe it did a little.

As a child, she used to be enthralled with the high ceilings and glorious sermons.  They were so very different than what she’d been used to at smaller churches, which she would attend with her sister and parents.  Her grandparent’s church, however, was so grand, that it was almost like attending a show.

Her sister used to complain about being dragged each Sunday, as it was so different than what they were used to. Anne would complain that it was time for
grandma’s high-church
experience, as she begrudgingly donned her required Sunday best.

Grace would giggle along with her sister as they dressed, while defending her grandmother in her own mind.  She knew it wouldn’t do any good to defend grandmother to Anne anymore.  Her sister was determined not to like Lilah.

However the older Grace got, she realized that Anne wasn’t too far off.  Going to church with her grandmother was more about the experience of being seen … like a show, versus attending to benefit from the value of the sermon.  And now, as she looked around her, she noticed the familiar faces tuned into the Priest, but also recognized that her grandmother’s head was held a little too high. 

Although she didn’t remember many details of life with her parents, she did remember a few smaller churches they attended from place to place.  And there, she could easily remember warmth, where people smiled and had you over for Sunday dinner.  She never saw any of that here.  It was almost like a duty to attend each week, with none of the fellowship she remembered.

Grace cleared her mind as the Priest released them of their duties.  She quickly stood to break free, but Lilah grabbed her hand before she could step away.

“Would you be a dear?  And help me up?”  She smiled, but the steel behind her eyes still showed. 

Grace could feel how upset her grandmother was.  She had yet to say anything to her about her trip, but knew it wouldn’t be too far off into the future before she received an earful.

“Yes, grandmother.”  Grace smiled warmly and helped her up. 

Lilah lifted one hand to reach for Grace, and held her hat in place with the other.  Andrew ushered them both to the aisle but motioned for Lilah to move out first.  He gently pulled Grace to his side.

“Don’t let her get to you, dear.  She’s on a tear about the story that hit the paper.”  Andrew lovingly leaned down and kissed Grace’s cheek.

Her face lit up.  She loved her grandfather so.

“I knew that going in, grandfather.  But she needs to know I have my own life, and I have a right to be friends with whomever I want.  I am almost twenty-one now … not a baby,” Grace said firmly, and squeezed her grandfather’s hand.  “I’ll see you later?”  She asked trying to break free while the rest of the crowd flowed out the door.  

Andrew nodded.  He would never forgive himself for not having a relationship with his daughter, Elizabeth, and tried to make it up by being there for his Grace.

After Elizabeth ran off and got married, Lilah forbid any contact with his daughter to which he obliged.  The news of her death about broke him.  Then when Anne left for college, never to return … he vowed to never make that mistake again. 

In recent years, with Grace, he did what he could to build a relationship.  He’d shut down for so many years after his daughter’s death, that he didn’t get that chance with Anne.  He knew he had to be a better parent for his late daughter’s sake … and a better grandparent before it was too late.

Andrew smiled as Grace tried to slip away unnoticed, but Lilah quietly and firmly caught her by the arm.

“Are you going to join us for brunch?”  Lilah smiled. 

Grace felt her firm grip upon her forearm.  It was time to face the music.  Grace lovingly patted her grandmother’s hand.

“I’d love to.  Let me go home and change.”  She leaned in and kissed her on the cheek.  It was genuine affection, but Grace knew her grandmother appreciated it for a bigger reason.  Affection was nice but keeping up appearances of a happy family was better.

“Good.  I’ll see you in an hour.”  Lilah said, as Andrew stepped in to join them. 

              A little over an hour later, Grace pulled the door quietly behind her and stepped into the Aundine’s kitchen.  Sophia, their cook and care taker, smiled from ear to ear.

              “Ah, Ms. Grace.”  Sophia opened her arms.  “I don’t see you very often anymore since you moved into your own house.  Since you’re off doing your own thing - it’s been quiet here.”

              Grace relaxed into her embrace.  Her arms were like soft pillows. 

“Your hugs are always the best, Sophia.”  She pulled away to give her a once over.  “Are you getting enough rest?”

Sophia had been with the family since before the girls moved in with the Aundine's.  She was forty-five then, and had to be at least sixty-five now.  Her grandmother still ran Sophia ragged, expecting her to cook and clean their home.

              “I’ll get enough rest soon enough as soon as your grand-parents leave to go back to their home in New York.”  Sophia looked to her calendar and chuckled.  She had the date circled.

“You coming for lunch?”  Sophia continued to stir her pot, and looked up under her eyebrows to Grace.

“Yes.” Grace wondered why Sophia’s tone

suddenly changed, and looked to the housekeeper with intrigue.

              “I just wanted to make sure your grandmother wasn’t going to be entertaining that young man all to herself.  Something about that boy …” Sophia clicked her tongue and frowned.

              “Who?” She curiously peeked through a crack in the swinging door, and saw Zach leaning toward her grandmother with a wide smile.  It was as if he was hanging on her Lilah’s every last word.  Grace got a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach, but blew it off.

              She pulled back from the door and turned to Sophia once more. 

“Zach?  You don’t like him? He’s harmless.”

              “Are you serious about him?”  She asked.

              “You’re nosy.”  Grace laughed and grabbed a spoon to sample her masterpiece.

              “No, I just don’t get a good feeling.  I don’t like his eyes.  They’re too squinty.  They remind me of someone, but I can’t put my finger on it.”  She put a lid back on her pot, and leaned against the counter.  She watched for Grace’s reaction. 

              “Well, I’m a big girl.  And grandmother feels we make a good pair.”  She grabbed a roll from the basket and took a bite.  “How do you know if you’re in love?”

              Sophia belly laughed.  “By not having to ask my dear.  If you’re in love … you just know.  And if you have to ask … you’re not.”  Sophia grabbed the roll from Grace’s long fingers.  “Now don’t spoil your lunch.  Shoo!”  She pushed her toward the door.

              Grace giggled and gave her a quick peck on her cheek.  She wrinkled her nose and turned to leave. 

              Sophia spied through the crack in the door and questioned if young Grace knew how elegant she really was.  She looked as if she glided on air as she walked. 

              The housekeeper took a deep breathe in and turned back to her duties.  She loved that girl and wanted only the best for her.  She hoped her grandmother could say the same.

              As Grace entered the room, Zach and Lilah had their heads together, as if they were plotting.  Zach’s eyes diverted the instant he saw Grace, and he scrambled to stand, lifting his hand to help her sit. 

When her hand slid in his, she felt … nothing.  She’d had truly hoped by now she’d feel something.  The truth was … the magic had been fading for weeks.  And after her conversation with Mercy and now Sophia, she wondered if she should just move on. 

The hard part would be getting grandmother on her side.  Her happiness had always been of utmost importance to her.

              Zach thought Grace looked like a vision, as she walked in the room.  She was smiling and looking into his eyes, like she never had before.  He was surprised actually, since after months of dating, it seemed that his charms had gotten him nowhere.  And in the last few weeks, he’d been questioning if she still was going to fall for him at all.