Letting go of Grace (12 page)

“Beast.” I pet his little head.

“Mommy I want to name mine Charlie.”

“I like that, Hunter. Charlie.” I put my hand up to his nose and he licks me.

“You’re the best mommy ever! We got a bounce house and dogs. Thank you Mommy.” I hug them and debate telling them they are from Grant. Oh fuck it, I will take credit for them.

“You’re welcome, I love you guys.” They are off and running around with the puppies and their friends are all over them. I get up and walk back into the house to get the food ready. My mom wants to ask me millions of questions, but doesn’t. I know she will call me tomorrow and talk me to death. I hear a knock at the door and go answer it. What is this Grand central? When I open the door I stare in surprise.

“Hello.” I look at Shane and Annie, then find my manners and invite them in.

“I heard it was your birthday and the kids. I thought we would stop by quickly. We were on our way out to the Hamptons.” I feel guilty because I never apologized to Shane for what I said at the hospital, and I feel even guiltier because I haven’t talked to Annie since I visited her.

“Come in.” I step back and let them in. We stand there just looking at each other and I see they brought the kids gifts. Now I really feel like an ass.

“Shane, I’m sorry for…”

“Hannah, no need. It was a rough night and we all said things we didn’t mean. You are exempt from ever apologizing to me. You saved my mom’s life and you’re family to me.” He hugs me and I know he means it. I pull away in shame and hug Annie.

“How are you feeling? What’s going on?” I rub her belly and she smiles.

“We are doing well. I have to take it slow, but we will be just fine.”

“I see you got Grant’s present.” Shane puts his hand in Annie’s and she smiles at me.

“Yes, elaborate as usual.”

“He really is lost, Hannah.”

“I thought you were team Aiden?” I smirk at him as he leans on his heels.

“Well, Aiden is Aiden. He met someone and seems happy.” The words stab at me a bit. He found someone. Jealousy began to infiltrate my body. My chest began to pound harder. I had shut down after our tumultuous argument. He made no attempt to apologize and that hurt. But then again, I never did anything either. He isn’t in your face like Grant. It wounds me on a level that I had been denying up until now.

“I’m happy for him. He deserves the best.” I try to believe what I just said.

“Shane, Annie!” Becca walks over and hugs them, bringing me out of my tormented thoughts.

“Good to see you.” They all greet each other.

“Come on back to the chaos of kiddie land.” They walk out back and Richard walks over to say hello. Shane goes further into the backyard and starts playing with the dogs and Ella runs over to him. She is drawn to the Graces like I am. She immediately looks at his charm and starts looking around for me. I see her take hers out of her shirt and show him she has the same one. They all have strength and courage. I smile at them and start bringing food out.

“Mommy, Grant has another brother and he is here. Do you know him? He has the same necklace as me.” I kiss her head.

“Yes, Shane is Grant’s brother. Did you meet his wife Annie? She has a baby in her belly.” She looks over at her and leaves running back to them. Shane is animated with her. I can tell he will be a great father by the way he is talking to her and interacting with all the kids. I begin to wonder what it would be like if Aiden or Grant were here.

EVERYONE EATS AND I START
to clean up to get ready for cake. I look over and observe Shane on the trampoline. All the kids are being bounced around by him and I think the mothers are drooling over him. I laugh at the thought and get the cakes ready.

I have two cakes. They each get their own because I don’t think you should ever have to share your birthday cake. I light the candles and gather everyone around. We sing to Ella first because she is older, then we sing to Hunter. My heart begins to ache as I think of Chase. I watch them blow out their candles and I force a smile while holding back the tears. I quickly remove myself and head back into the kitchen for plates and utensils. When I come back out I notice everyone standing around a cake with thirty something candles on it. I stop in front of it and listen as everyone sings to me. I hold the tears back but one slips through. I wipe it from my face as Becca takes my hand. I lock eyes with her and I can tell she knows what I’m feeling. I think everyone here knows.

I blow out the candles and make a wish. I wish that all the wrongs in my life will be made right. It’s a vague wish, but I hope God knows what I need and I hope he leads me to it. I start cutting the cakes and handing out pieces. I’m happy Shane and Annie have stayed this long. Annie is talking to a few of the mothers and Shane is mingling with everyone. They fit in here. For a split second I wish Aiden here, but the thought fades as fast as it came. I have one of the Graces here for my birthday, my favorite one. That’s good enough for me. Kids start to leave and Hunter, always the social butterfly, hands out the goody bags. It’s just family left with a few friends lingering. I finally sit and talk to Shane and Annie.

“So, how long are you staying out East for?”

“A week, I finally have some time off. Grant actually gave me off two months for after Annie has the baby.”

“Don’t you own the company, too?”

“No. Grant owns it all. I work for him.” I look at him confused.

“I thought you all owned it.”

“No, it’s the family name. We all work there, but Grant started it. It was his baby from the start. He built it all himself. You didn’t know that?”

I shake my head at him and watch as he takes his phone out.

I feel like it all happens in slow motion. It’s like when I watched Aiden hear the news about his father all over again. I hear Richard say my name and I turn to him.

“Everyone is getting called into the hospital. There was some kind of explosion on the expressway.” I turn and look at Shane who is as white as a ghost.

“What’s wrong?” Annie grabs his hand.

“There was an explosion in one of the trucks.”

“On the expressway?” I stand up because I know I have to go into work.

“Yeah, everyone was on their way to the Hamptons.”

“Who?” I whisper. I hear panic in my voice.

“John, Autumn, Aiden, Sara, Grant, my mom, and Addy,” he answers in a distraught tone.

“I will find out what I can when I get in.” I rush into the house to inform Becca of what just happened. I’m going to need her to stay with the kids. After a quick change, I kiss the kids goodbye and grab my keys. Richard is out the door and I follow closely behind him. When I get outside I see my truck is blocked. I look at my new present. I run back inside and grab the keys. Shane is running out behind me.

“I’m going with you.” I nod at him and he gets in the car. I pull out and enjoy the speed of the car as I take off down my block. Shane is on his cell and I listen to his every word. He hangs up and I can tell he still knows nothing.

“I still have no idea whose car and what is going on. I think they all went separately, but I have no idea.”

“Who called you and told you about the accident?”

“Sam.”

“He was driving the extra car out. He was way behind them and he said he saw it and drove the shoulder till he was close enough to see it was one of our cars.”

I drive faster, not caring if I get pulled over. All the nearby cops are at the accident. Speeding into the hospital parking lot I find a spot easily in the employee parking. We start to run into the hospital when suddenly we are thrown to the ground. My ears begin to ring from the loud explosion. I can feel the heat surrounding me. Shane is the first to get up and rush over to me. We were side by side seconds before the explosion threw me ten feet in front of him. He helps me up, and we look each other over noticing only minor scratches. Uneasiness begins to take over my body as we look back.

“Was that my car?” I stare at him in horror.

“I don’t think this was an accident, Hannah.” He puts an arm around me directing us to a safer place.

“What is going on Shane?”

“I think someone is after my family,” he whispers.

“Then why my car?”

“That car has been parked in our garage for the last week. Along with all the cars that were sent out to the Hamptons.”

“Who could want to do this?”

“I don’t know, but I will sure as hell find out.”

We run through the sea of security. Sirens are blaring with all the ambulances, police cars, and fire trucks. It is chaos every way you turn. Shane tells the police it was his car. I think he does this to protect me. I shudder in shock as I listen to Shane explain it was his family’s cars that exploded on the expressway. A storm is brewing and it scares the hell out me. Who would want to hurt them?

Shane is too impatient to stand there any longer than he has to. I watch as he tells the police he will be inside looking for his family and if they need him to come and find him. We run up to my office first so I can get my jacket and ID badge.

“You can stay in my office and wait if you want. They aren’t going to let you into the ER to look around.”

“I’ll wait in the waiting room then. I want to be close.”

“I think Annie should stay at my house tonight.”

“I called our security team to do a sweep of our car and to get rid of it. I think I might take you up on the offer. I’ll have security all around your neighborhood.” I nod my head at him, but my heart drops as we get into the elevator. I hope he is OK. I wonder which one of them I’m wishing for, but I don’t know. I start to feel the sadness creep over me and I try to stop it. Walking into the overcrowded emergency room, I weave through the throng of staff members. People are screaming, crying, and some are silent from being traumatized. I spot Richard and he waves me over.

“I have all the Graces being directed up,” he tells me.

“Who has come in?”

“No one yet. I haven’t heard if anyone survived the blast.” Fear takes over me and I feel bile rising in my throat. It can’t be. They can’t be gone.

“Hannah, you check every person who is brought in.” Taking my orders, I snap out of it and walk directly to the ambulance entrance. I run to the first.

“Who do you have?”

I look over the person and see it’s not one of them, it’s not him.

I walk over to the next and inspect the person. Fuck. It’s Autumn.

“She has no ID. She is burned pretty badly,” I hear a paramedic say and jump into action.

“Her name is Autumn Spencer and she is a part of the Grace family. The director wants all of them sent right up.” He looks at me in wonderment but follows my orders. I walk to the next truck and find John. My heart stops when I see him. I take his hand and he looks at me. I know he is in shock, but a calm look comes over him.

“Hannah?”

“You’re going to be just fine, John.”

“Take him upstairs. The director has staff waiting for him. Hurry!” I rush to the next few ambulances and still no sign of Aiden or Grant. I head back in and find Richard who is attempting to calm this whole debacle.

“I found John and Autumn but no one else.”

“Mrs. Grace was sent upstairs already.” How did she get by me? Who else got by me?

“I need to tell Shane.” I run into the waiting room and it is filled to the brim. People are standing everywhere waiting to hear about their loved ones. I find Shane and he jumps up.

“Go upstairs. Your mom, John, and Autumn were just brought up.”

“Are they OK?”

“Yes, for now. Go.” I walk away and find myself walking around looking behind every curtain hoping I will find what I’m looking for. I have no idea what I’m doing, and then I feel it. I feel the pull that’s always been there when he is near. I look up and see him standing a few feet away from me. He looks bloody and beaten. I stare at him like he is a mirage. Is it really him? I run towards him and see the deep brown come back in his eyes. With no hesitation I wrap my arms around him and realize my birthday wish came true. He is what I have been missing. I nuzzle into his neck and it feels like forever before he talks.

“Hannah, just have a little faith in me. I swear I will make everything right. All the wrongs I will right them, I promise.” I pull away from him and look into those brown sugar eyes. The words he spoke couldn’t be any more perfect. God has really answered my prayers.