Chapter 25
Danny
Seventeen Years Old
Idon’t regret calling Mae.
Sitting in my bedroom at my desk, focusing on anything but the homework in front of me, overwhelming relief still pumps through my veins.
I hadn’t realized how much I feared for Gracie’s safety until I saw Mae get out of that taxi yesterday.
Even if there’s a chance she might move to Florida, I’m convinced we’ll always find our way back to each other.
I’d rather she be safe and far than injured and close.
The thing is, she’s lost both of her parents now. I haven’t seen my dad since I was seven, and I hope it stays that way. My mom is more than enough. But losing her, too? I can’t even imagine.
But I do wonder how Gracie’s feeling about all of this.
Would she be happy that I took the necessary steps for her safety, or blame me for her dad’s arrest?
I know I crossed a line, but I wouldn’t take it back.
He wasn’t fit to breathe the same air as her, let alone live in the same house.
I shove my homework to the side of my desk and stare out the window at Gracie’s house.
It would’ve been impossible to miss the police car outside last night. I’m just thankful Mom and Tessa were at the movies. If Mom saw it go down, she’d have a lot of questions that aren’t mine to answer.
Gracie and I left things in a weird spot, so I doubt I’ll hear from her.
No matter how much I want to run over there and wrap her in my arms, I know she needs some time with Mae.
Even though she didn’t show up to school today, I tried not to worry too much, reminding myself over and over again that she’s safe.
Gracie’s finally safe now. Gracie’s safe now. Gracie’s safe.
The affirmations sound like a lullaby in my head, soothing a tightness in my chest. Gracie is the best thing in my life, and I’ll always protect what we have.
I just hope I haven’t already ruined it with the Almost Kiss.
I bet she’s already forgotten about it, and I don’t want to be the one to bring it up.
With everything she’s going through, the last thing she needs is me acting clingy.
I’m anxiously clicking up the lead in my mechanical pencil when I hear a crackly “Danny? Are you there? Over,” coming from the walkie-talkie on my nightstand. I jolt up and snatch it before accidentally dropping it on the floor.
I pick it up and fumble with the volume buttons like I hadn’t already turned it all the way up. I finally find the right one to push. “Gracie? Yeah, I’m here. Over.”
“Glad to see your walkie-talkie still works.”
I scoff. “Everyone knows these are the real bad boys of modern communication.”
“The last time I had to replace a battery, I felt like a pioneer on the Oregon Trail.”
“At least the journey between our houses never results in dysentery.”
Gracie giggles through the static. After everything that happened, hearing her laugh feels like a privilege.
“I’m sure you saw the police lights outside yesterday, so I wanted to let you know I’m okay, at least physically. I’m not hurt.”
“I’m so glad. I was worried.”
“And Danny, you’ll never guess. Mae is here! I’m just so happy. You’ll have to come and see her.” She sounds elated.
“That’s great, Gracie!” I wince as I feign surprise, feeling a trickle of guilt slide down my spine. “I’d love to see Mae again. Do you want me to come to your house tomorrow? I can drive us both after school.”
“Um, I won’t be going to school again for…obvious reasons. But you can still come over after school and hang out with us.”
My body tenses as I imagine how her head looks right now. It must be really bad, because she never misses school if she can help it.
“But I was wondering if you might actually come over tonight…to hang out for a bit.”
My heart starts pounding. Does she want to talk about the Almost Kiss? Or maybe what I said to her?
My girlfriend.
You’d be mine.
I meant every word.
Shit. Maybe she’s freaked out. She has so much going on, and her emotions are likely running high. It was terrible timing to blurt out some of what I feel for her. Mom told me I’d only get one chance with her, and I blew it. Gracie probably just wants to move past this.
“Okay, Gracie girl. I’ll be tapping on your window in a few, over.”
“That sounds perfect. See you soon…over.”
On the way to her window, I tell myself, she needs her best friend and don’t make things weird about last night over and over again.
Tap, tap, tap, tap.
Gracie opens the window with a hesitant smile on her face and a dark bruise on her forehead. I grimace at the sight of it.
But through the surface level injuries, her expression is almost relaxed, and her colorful eyes look bright and vibrant. Even her curly hair looks shinier and springier.
“Hey, Danny.”
“Hey, Gracie.”
We start talking at the same time.
“Listen, I—”
“I wanted to—”
She sits on the inside windowsill, smiles, and gestures toward me. “You go first.”
I lean against the window frame and gather my thoughts.
“I know I can’t fully understand what you’re going through.
I feel like I made things weird the other day, when we were watching the movie…
and, well, I’m sure you want time to process what happened with your dad, and we don’t need to talk about it right now.
I love being your best friend, and I’ll always be here for you, no matter what. ”
I expect to see relief on Gracie’s face after hearing what I had to say. Instead, there’s a flicker of disappointment in her eyes.
She pauses, then starts nodding, her curls bouncing with the movement. “Uh, thanks. I guess you’re right. It has been a long day, and I’m getting a little tired. I appreciate you coming over, though.”
My heart sinks as I watch her bite the inside of her cheek. Is she mad at me for what happened with her dad?
Her eyes don’t reflect the comfortable smile on her lips when she adds, “I love being your best friend, too.”
The word “friend” settles in my stomach and leaves behind a weight, growing heavier with every passing second. Refocusing on what she needs, my stinging disappointment fades away. I promised to support her, and I will. Always.
I force a smile. “Sounds good. Should I still stop by tomorrow to see Mae?”
Gracie nods. “Definitely. She remembers you from when we were kids. She’s obviously heard a lot about you over the years.”
I run my hands through my hair to prevent myself from hugging her. I don’t want to make anything weirder. “Great. See you both tomorrow.”
She gives a small wave. “Yep, see you then.”
As I walk across the lawn to my house, I can’t help but feel that our conversation seems incomplete. Is this all she wanted me over for tonight?
I rush home from school as soon as the final bell rings. I’m excited to see Mae again, and I’m anxious to check on Gracie. I stop home quickly to cut some red tulips from the flower patch in my backyard. Hopefully, the flowers will cheer her up.
Where my house is lined with begonias and tulips, Gracie’s has rocks and green plants that don’t require any water.
When she was growing up, her mom had loved to garden.
Two big, yellow rose bushes had framed their porch, with rows of red flowers blooming down the sidewalk in front of their house.
After her death, her dad had landscapers remove everything, even the roses.
It feels odd walking through Gracie’s front door in pure daylight instead of climbing through her bedroom window in the dark.
All of the windows in her family room are open, letting in sunshine that lights up the foyer.
Usually, there’d be beer stains on the carpet, but it must’ve been professionally cleaned.
I check the ends of the flowers I tied together to make sure they’re not dripping on the floor and close the door behind me. The sound of Gracie’s laughter fills my ears, seeming lighter and airier than normal, no doubt from Mae’s slightly unhinged personality.
“Danny, is that you? We’re in the kitchen!” Gracie shouts.
“If he can’t use basic judgment to deduce we’re in the kitchen, Bee, he better pray for a football scholarship to college. He ain’t getting there on smarts,” I overhear.
Laughing at my own expense, I walk into the kitchen with a genuine smile.
Their hands are dusted with flour, messy from making bread.
An open mason jar sits on the counter, and the goo inside looks like oatmeal’s evil step-cousin.
Mae must’ve brought her legendary sourdough starter all the way from Florida.
Gracie looks like spring incarnate in a pale yellow, knee-length sundress.
Her curls are tied back in a low ponytail with a matching yellow ribbon.
I crane my neck to examine her head and see how she’s healing.
The swelling is down completely, but the lingering bruise around the small cut is still dark brown in color, turning a greenish-yellow around the edges.
In contrast, the bruise circling Mae’s eye is fresh and bright purple, and her lip is swollen.
I only let my eyes linger briefly before the guilt overwhelms me.
I know it was the right decision to call her, but I feel awful that Mae went through the same abuse as her granddaughter before that asshole was taken away in handcuffs.
Bruising aside, Mae looks nice, dressed in a classic white button down shirt and brown linen pants. A honey-colored ring sits safely on the countertop, away from the sticky dough, and it brings a smile to my face. I shake my head, giving a soft chuckle. Mae and her bees.
“Hi, Gracie. Hey, Mae, good to see you again. These tulips are for both of you from my mom’s garden.”
Gracie beams. “Aw, my favorite color. You didn’t have to do that, Danny, but it’s so sweet of you. Thank you.”
I hum, giving her a soft smile. “Unfortunately, I don’t have a vase though. Do you have one here that we could use?”