Chapter 23 Gracie
Gracie
Ten days later
The grandfather clock in the grand foyer has always been loud, but right now, each second that passes sounds like a thunderous boom.
Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
I’ve only been here for fifteen minutes, but the urge to leave is crawling along my skin, my irritation climbing as I watch my mother pick up her delicate tea cup, eyeing me with mild disinterest as she sips.
“I’m surprised you only stayed one night with us.” Her tone is mild, but doesn’t hide the reprimand buried within the words.
“I didn’t want to impose on you and Dad,” I say, ignoring the fact that they have four bedrooms in this house, and not a single one of them actually belongs to me. I shouldn’t have even stayed that first night, but Elyse had been at work when I flew in, and it seemed like the easier option.
Wrong.
My mother’s brow furrows—as much as it can.
“Well, it’s beginning to feel like I need to schedule an appointment just to see my own daughter.
” My face doesn’t even twitch, my expression smooth and unreadable, but the irony is hysterical.
“It’s bad enough that you moved over six hours away.
Now you’re back in the city and refusing to visit us?
You must think about how that looks, Grace. ”
“I’m not back.”
“You know what I mean.” Mom smiles tightly, her fingers clenching the handle of her cup. “I don’t actually remember the last time you visited.” There’s a hint of reproach in her tone, even though she’s never once come to Sterling Creek to see me either. “You shouldn’t be such a stranger.”
I cross one leg over the other, making a concentrated effort not to jiggle my ankle. I shouldn’t have come here, especially with how heartsore I still am, but when she reached out with the invitation, I felt obligated.
“It was the year before last,” I say quietly. “That was the last time you saw me. I flew in for Dad’s birthday party.”
My mother stares at me for the longest time, her mouth slightly parted and her mind working furiously as she tries to sort through her memories and place me there that night.
Considering she spent a whole ten minutes parading me around the room before forgetting I existed for the rest of the evening, it’s no shock she can’t.
“That doesn’t seem right,” she says, voice stiff. “It definitely hasn’t been that long.”
I don’t bother arguing, because seeing the truth of her own behavior is never going to be something my mother does. I don’t hold it against her—much. If anything, I should be used to their indifference, but I think it hurts more after spending so much time with Raewyn and Stephen.
“Where is Dad?” I ask, changing the subject.
Mom’s nostrils flare when she sighs—loudly. “He’s at the club, apparently. I did tell him you were coming over today, but he—” Her mouth pinches as she cuts herself off, but I hear her loud and clear. He forgot. “Some kind of poker tournament that he absolutely could not miss.”
“That’s okay,” I say easily. “I actually have somewhere I need to be in…” I check the time on my phone. “Thirty minutes, so I need to get going shortly.”
My mother’s lips purse, and I know it’s because I’ve changed the steps on her mid-dance. But if my relationship with Braxton has taught me anything—especially the last seven weeks—it’s that I don’t want to keep exposing myself to the same old pain.
My parents made a choice about me a long time ago, and I’m finally deciding to respect myself enough to accept it.
I don’t need people who callously inflict pain on me just because they didn’t see me as important enough not to.
And I don’t need someone who inflicted pain because he was too blind to see the damage he was inflicting.
My mother leans forward, carefully setting her cup back down on the saucer. “I received a phone call a couple of days ago, Grace.”
I raise a brow at the change of subject, but when her words fully register, my breath hitches in my throat. Outwardly, I don’t react, waiting her out.
“It was Braxton.” Her nose wrinkles. “Not sure what happened to normal names. Braxton. Very strange. Anyway, he was looking for you, and he wanted to know if you were here or if I had seen you.”
My mouth is bone dry, but I don’t reach for my own cooling tea on the low table in front of me, knowing that putting anything in my churning stomach is a terrible idea.
I half-expected Braxton to look for me, but I convinced myself he wouldn’t. Maybe he just doesn’t feel right that we ended without another conversation, but it’s pointless. There was nothing he could have said to make this better, and right now, I’m still not prepared to hear him out.
I haven’t spoken to anyone else in Sterling creek except for letting Bridget know I was safe and to give my spare key to the apartment to Maryann. Raewyn has called a couple of times, but I still don’t know how I’m supposed to handle what comes next.
When I feel like I can speak without my emotions leaking into my voice, I ask, “What did you tell him?”
My mother’s frown deepens, even as her brow stays almost wrinkle-free. “That I hadn’t seen you, just as you asked me to do.”
The air leaks out of me rapidly, my shoulders slumping as I close my eyes in relief. Past experiences have taught me to have low expectations when it comes to my parents honoring any kind of request.
“I just did as you told me, Grace,” Mom says frostily. “It’s normal for relationships to end. You’re only twenty-four, which means you have all the time in the world. And, you know, I think it’s for the best that you’re not in that little town anymore. Maybe you could go back to school—”
“Sterling Creek is my home,” I cut her off, ignoring the disapproving glower she levels on me. “I’m happy there.”
“A person can be happy and stagnant, Grace. Those two things do not cancel each other out. I just think that if you had a little more ambition…”
“Mom—”
“You know, if you did move back here, your father would consider reinstating your trust.”
In other words, if you want any part of our money, you’ll do what we say forever and always.
I abruptly stand. “Well, this was fun, but I’m actually meeting Elyse for lunch. If I don’t leave now, I might hit traffic. After being in Sterling Creek for two years, I’ve forgotten how congested the roads can be.”
“Elyse Hartley?” My mother asks, the disapproval impossible to miss. “That’s who you’re staying with?”
“Yes.” I smile winningly before I start gathering my things. “Now, this was lovely. Let’s do it again.”
My mother, for how intelligent she thinks she might be, doesn’t pick up on the sarcastic undertones. “Yes, well, maybe we can make it a weekly thing now that you’re back where you belong. Did you know that Martine and Faith have lunch together twice a week?”
How would I know that? I don’t voice the question, just sliding my bag over my shoulder with efficient movements. “Faith. She’s the lawyer?”
“Yes.” I look over just as Mom’s eyes widen. “I’ve just had the most brilliant idea. We could have lunch with them. It’ll be lovely.” Wait for it. “And maybe you could pick Faith’s brains, hm? Ask some questions about becoming—”
I cluck my tongue in mock disappointment. “I’m busy that day. Too bad.” I turn and head for the door, leaving her gaping after me. “Gotta run. Tell Dad I said hi.”
“Grace! I didn’t even tell you a day.” She says something else, but it’s lost when I shut the door behind me a little harder than necessary. I rush down the steps to my hired car, feeling only relief at escaping the suffocating house.
I’ve dreamed of having a place in this family my entire life, but now I’m learning that I don’t have time for people who don’t have time for me.
I’ve given so much to my parents over the years, desperate for even an ounce of affection or approval, but I’m finally seeing that it’s never going to come, and these visits aren’t worth the emotional toll they cost.
Elyse is waiting for me at the Sugar Spoon, having commandeered a table on the outside patio. She looks up as I approach, her smile bright. “I wondered whether you even remembered where this place was.”
“How could I forget?” I counter, sliding into the seat across from her. “This place makes the best damn cupcakes. I still haven’t found anything that comes close to beating their strawberry cheesecake ones.”
Elyse and I have known each other for almost a decade now, having met in middle school and immediately clicked. She’s the person who kept me sane during our teen years, and while life has meant that we don’t talk as much as we used to, our friendship always feels exactly the same when we do.
“You look like you’ve been run over by a truck.”
“A Mack truck full of emotional damage,” I inform her dryly.
“Mom was just about to start in on why I shouldn’t be wasting my life playing with flowers when I made an escape.
” A server appears, efficiently filling our water glasses before taking our order.
When she’s gone again, I look back at Elyse.
“There’s probably still smoke coming off my heels. I got out of there so fast.”
“Did she figure out you’ve been staying in my guest room?” Elyse’s auburn eyes are fairly twinkling with delight. “Does she know you’re back within my corrupting influence? Please tell me she does.”
I pull my brows together in an exaggerated frown. “Of course she does. I couldn’t lie to my dear mother, could I?”
Elyse laughs. “God, I can imagine that constipated look on her face. That woman has always hated me.”
“She thinks you were the one who introduced me to drinking and weed.” I chuckle. “And she’ll never know the truth.”
Elyse lifts her water glass, waiting for me to raise mine before clinking them together. “Cheers to always taking the heat for you. It gives me a tingle in my secret place to know how much I get on her nerves without even trying.”