Finding Gracie's Rainbow (11 page)

“
Thanks for the warning.”
Kim smiled as she entered into the office. She didn’t say a word as
she sat down.

Gracie looked over at her,
“Kim?”

“
Just came by to have
lunch with you and see how you were doing since you didn’t come to
church yesterday.” Kim was studying her.

“
I haven’t been sleeping
well.” Gracie told her.

“
Funny.” Kim scrutinized
her. “That’s the same thing that Jackson said.”

“
What are you implying?”
Gracie looked at her hard as she asked. “I can assure that you that
nothing. . .”

“
Whoa, girl, I wasn't
implying that it was.” Kim laughed at her. “Sammie thinks that
Jackson has a crush on you.” She saw Gracie’s fingers go to her
lips. “And Robert agreed with her.”

“
Gee, that’s too bad for
him.” Gracie stood. “Are you coming?”

“
Of course,” Kim stood to
accompany her to the cafeteria. “So what is the house
like?”

“
Absolutely charming,”
Gracie smiled as she pictured it from memory. “Bea already has her
room picked out. It used to Jackson’s sister’s bedroom.” She
noticed that Kim didn't look shocked.

“
Michelle.” Kim picked a
couple of things of the cafeteria line. “What?”

“
Jackson said he never
talked about her to anyone.” Gracie looked at her sister as they
sat down. “He never even told me her name.”

“
And he didn’t talk about
her.” Kim informed her. “You weren’t born yet, so you wouldn’t have
met her. Jackson’s parents used to come to the church we attended.
Steven wouldn’t have known her because all he ever paid attention
to was whatever sport was in season.”

“
Go on.” Gracie watched as
her sister paused.

“
Michelle was, I guess you
could say, like a big sister to me, and she absolutely doted on
Jackson.” Kim looked at Gracie seriously as she continued. “It tore
him up when she died.”

“
I can imagine.” Gracie
picked up her bottled water.

“
Would you like to know
something else?” Kim smiled.

“
Why not,” She placed the
bottle back on the table.

“
On second thought, I'd
better not. It was told to me in confidentiality.” Kim looked down
at Gracie’s tray. “You still eat like a bird.”

“
But I'm eating.” Gracie
said as she lifted the tray up. “I don’t guess you know who Steven
has lined up to terrorize me this week.”

“
Actually, I do.” Kim
looked at her apologetically. “Buck tooth Billy.”

“
Why do you call him
that?” Gracie smiled at the look Kim gave her.

“
As a reverend, I would
tell you to keep an open mind.” Kim smiled. “As a sister, I would
tell you to wear a blind fold.”

“
That bad, huh? Thanks for
the warning.”

“
Any time. Are you coming
to service on Wednesday?” Kim asked as they put their trays
up.

“
I’ll try.” Gracie walked
back to her office thinking about what Kim had told her about
Michelle.

~

Jackson already knew that
Bea would be at Kim’s and drove over there a little after seven. He
was shocked to see Gracie still there and looked her over before
she knew he was standing there.

Gracie laughed at him when
she saw him. “Do you think that it will meet with Steven’s
approval?”

“
I don’t know about
Steven, but it meets with mine.” Jackson looked around for Bea as
to take his attention away from Gracie. The dress she was wearing
managed to set off her eyes and her hair. “Steven is running a
little late, isn’t he?”

“
Maybe he canceled and I’m
off the hook.” Gracie looked very serious. “What do you know about
Billy?”

“
Billy?” Jackson saw Kim
come into the room. “Billy is a bore, unless he has a couple of
drinks. Do you have a longer dress?”

“
Why?” Gracie picked up a
bottle of Tylenol. “I have a feeling that I’m going to need this
tonight.”

“
Billy is very fresh with
the ladies.” Jackson saw the headlights shine on the wall. “There’s
your ride. Have fun.” He watched her leave before looking over at
Kim. “What is your brother thinking?”

Kim frowned. “What did you
say about Billy? How fresh does he get with the ladies?”

“
Let’s just say that his
hands don’t stay in his own lap. Gracie might be a little ticked
when she comes to pick up Bea.” Jackson went off to look for
Bea.

“
Uncle Jackson!” Bea ran
over to him and hugged him before he showed her the movie he had
picked up for that night.

“
Hannah
Montana
?” Sammie glanced over at them.
“Couldn’t find a date, Jackson?”

“
I have a date with
Princess Bea, smarty pants. You can join us if you want.” Jackson
smiled as he walked with Bea down into the living room.

Sammie sat down next to Kim
and whispered into her mother’s ear. “I was wrong. I think Jackson
has a crush on Bea.”

“
No, you were right.” Kim
watched Jackson with Bea. “He has always been Bea’s father figure,
and Gracie has let him.” She hugged her daughter. “Imagine what her
life would be like without his influence.”

Sammie looked over at them
as she tried to imagine her life without Robert. “Aunt Gracie is
smart.”

~

Gracie was growing
irritated when she felt Billy’s hand on her leg. She kicked him as
it started traveling upward. Looking over at Paige, she excused
herself politely. “I need to freshen up. Would you care to join
me?”

Paige caught the look
Gracie sent her and after excusing herself from the table and
followed her into the bathroom. “What’s up?”

“
Your friend Billy has
roving hands, and I’ve had enough. That is what's up.” Gracie was
leaning against the sink as she talked. “Jackson warned me that he
was fresh, but I think Billy graduated to repulsive.”

“
I’m so sorry.” Paige
looked at her. “Are you ready to leave then?”

“
You can bet your last
dollar. You can tell Steven that this so-called date is officially
over.” Gracie walk out of the bathroom and left the restaurant as
Paige went back to their table.

“
Steven, Gracie has come
down with a serious headache.” Paige stood beside Steven as he
continued to sit there. She whispered in his ears, and he stood up
apologizing to Billy for cutting their evening short. Gracie was
standing beside one of the benches as they came out.

“
Why didn’t you tell me
what was going on?” Steven asked watching Billy come out the door.
He walked them quickly to the car, frowning as he heard Billy call
out to them.

Gracie continued to walk to
the car with Paige as Steven had turned to Billy. “Gracie really
isn't feeling well. I need to get her home.”

“
I need a moment with her
before she goes.” Billy walked past Steven and walked to where
Gracie was standing next to the car.

Steven balled up his fists
as he watched Billy run a hand up Gracie’s arm bending down to kiss
her. Gracie pushed him away and slapped him in the face when he
tried to kiss her again before Steven could grab him.

Steven walked him to his
car, “Good bye, Billy.”

“
I could press charges on
your sister for slapping me.”

“
And she could press
sexual harassment charges against you.” Steven watched as Billy
turned on him. “You don’t want a piece of this, Billy. Not after I
found out about what your hands were doing under the table. Just
go.”

He watched Billy drive off
before getting into his own car. “Go ahead and let me have it,
Gracie.”

“
I’m too angry with you.”
Gracie sat in silence until they pulled up into Kim’s driveway. She
ran into the house almost knocking Jackson down in the
process.

“
Whoa, where’s the fire?”
Jackson stopped her.

“
I just want to go home.”
Gracie was mad enough to spit nails. “Where’s Bea?”

“
Sammie’s room,” Jackson
studied her face and smiled. “I got it right, didn’t I?”

“
Yes, you did, and I don’t
want to talk about it.” Gracie walked away from him.

Kim had been sitting down
watching the two of them talking. “Go get her back here, Jackson,
and find out what happened to cause her to be so
uptight.”

Jackson walked down the
hall to Sammie’s room and motioned for Gracie to come back out.
“Kim wants to see you.”

Gracie sat down in the
living room and told them the whole story. “I slapped him. I
actually slapped him.” Gracie laughed.

“
Wow!” Kim stood. “Steven
will set you up with slum like that but won’t even consider
Jackson.”

Gracie looked over at
Jackson and shrugged her shoulders. “Honestly, if I was Steven, I
wouldn’t consider any of those guys my friends.” She smiled sweetly
at Jackson. “You could give him lessons in kissing.”

“
I'm sorry you went
through that.” Jackson yawned as he stood. “Are you calm
now?”

“
I think so.” Gracie felt
herself relaxing as Jackson started to the front door. She looked
down at the puppy that had lain down at her feet.
“Jackson?”

“
Huh?” Jackson turned back
towards her and saw her pointing down at the puppy.

“
And please don’t forget
to tell Bea that you’re leaving.” Gracie mumbled as his hand
touched her leg. She frowned down at him as he looked
up.

Jackson stood with the
puppy in his arms as they stared at each other. “I won’t sleep
again tonight.” He whispered to her before he walked down the
hall.

Kim studied them and smiled
as she stood and walked towards the kitchen. “I'm going to start
Robert’s supper. Did you eat at the restaurant?”

“
I don’t think I did.”
Gracie stood before Jackson came back into the room. “Good night,
Jackson.”

“
Where is Kim?” Jackson
placed the puppy on the floor.

“
Kitchen.” Gracie was
hushed as Jackson kissed her. “This is getting to be a habit.” He
pulled her closer to him, and she kissed him back before Robert
walked into the house.

“
Wish I had a camera.”
Robert watched as Gracie pulled back quickly and blushed. “Or a
video camera,” Robert laughed as Jackson picked up the puppy.
“Here's an even a better idea. Why don’t you two start
dating?”

“
No!” Gracie snapped as
Jackson looked over at her in astonishment.

“
No?” Jackson asked her.
“At least two good reasons and Steven don't count.”

“
One, you haven’t asked
and two, what happens to your relationship with Bea. . .” Gracie
glared at Robert for even suggesting it. “I really need to go home
now.”

Robert looked over at
Jackson. “Sorry, I didn’t expect that kind of reaction from
her.”

“
Gracie, aren’t you
forgetting a certain little girl?” Jackson wasn't amused when he
saw the confusion on her face.

“
Bea!” Gracie called her.
“Do you know now why I didn’t want to be your friend?”

Bea walked into the room,
dancing around as she saw Gracie waiting for her at the door. “Tell
Kim that I'll see her later.”

Robert walked into the
kitchen. “You’re right, Kim. Those two are very confusing
people.”

“
What are you talking
about?” Kim placed a plate in front of him as Sammie came into the
room.

“
They were kissing when I
walked in.” He smiled as he saw the look on Kim’s and Sammie’s
face. “So I asked them why they just didn’t start dating. Gracie
went off like a stick of dynamite.”

“
Oh, oh,” Kim sat down at
the table with him. “That wasn’t a smart thing to do,
Robert.”

“
I know that now, but I'm
afraid the damage has been done.” He looked up when Jackson came
into the room. “Are you alright?”

“
I’m fine.” Jackson told
them both goodnight before he picked up the puppy again and
left.

“
He looked hurt.” Sammie
spoke up. “Maybe it is more than a crush.”

Chapter 6

Gracie was busy packing the
clothes that were out of season the next day when Steven and Paige
came over. Steven looked around Bea’s bedroom as there were clothes
all over the bed. “I heard you're moving into Jackson’s parents’
house.”

“
That’s right,” Gracie
really wanted Steven to leave so she could get back to work. “It'll
be cheaper than renting this apartment and Bea can keep her puppy.”
She taped up one of the boxes. “With Mark in jail, I don’t have
that extra income to help with the expenses.”

“
I didn’t think about
that.” Steven looked concerned for all of a second before launching
into the real reason he was there. “Friday night?”

“
You're kidding right?”
Gracie stared at him in disbelief. “Three strikes and you’re
out.”

“
Two strikes and one
foul,” Steven corrected her as he smiled. “I don’t think that we
could actually count Terry as a strike.”