She looked around the room unable to focus on anything. There was people everywhere and she didn't know what to do in her own home. She grabbed and apple and walked out of the kitchen, avoiding the files all over the counter and dodging the two lawyers shouting at each other over the sink. She rolled her eyes and walked through the even busier living room. She leaned against the door frame and just watched them all bustling around the place. It was like watching a hive of bees milling around each other. She laughed lightly, now imagining them all carrying honey pots around.
"What wha wet.. when?" she heard her mother stuttering. She didn't like eavesdropping but it just tended to happen around here lately.
"I'm reading your body language here and you're in like warrior princess mode." That was definitely her uncle's voice. There was a crash from the kitchen and she saw reams of paper fall to the floor. She sighed and turned her attention back to her mother's conversation.
"i also know why you left and it has nothing to do with starting your own firm." Her uncle was still talking and her ears twitched.
"Oh Owen can we not do this now" that was her mother's defensive voice. The one she used when she didn't want to tell them something.
"What? You were afraid of getting close to Will!" Grace's heart stopped for a split second, that couldn't be true.
"Do you want something to eat?" her mother interrupted almost immediately. Her voice raised in pitch. Grace turned and went to walk into them, interrupt this conversation.
"Will you admit it!" her uncle pleaded and she froze again. "You were afraid of leaving your marriage for Will and..." she took a deep breath and walked into the room "Oh hey grace..." she took in his shocked face.
"Hey what's up." She said calmly trying to slow her heartbeat.
The rest of the conversation was a blur. She was just thinking again and again about what her uncle had said. What her mother hadn't denied. When she finally got to her room she closed the door and collapsed down onto the floor, finally letting it hit her. Her mother was in love with someone else. Her mother wanted to be with someone that wasn't her father.
She waited to feel upset. Waited for something to hit her almost. Crush her. But it didn't come. She realised she was more upset for her mother than for her parents relationship. Her mother was hurting, she'd changed her whole life again to escape her feelings. At that second she just knew it was because of them. She knew her mother was holding herself back because of them and that broke her heart.
Now she couldn't relax in her living room, kitchen or, because of this webcam thing, her own bedroom. She sat in the bathroom that joined her and her brother's room and sighed. Today had been crazy. All she could think about all day was her mother and what she'd heard. She slid into her room and grabbed a post it from her desk. Moving quickly she stuck it over the webcam and sat at her desk, she turned on her music and finally relaxed. Zach may have sorted out the ratting but she still didn't feel comfortable. Now that no one could possibly watch her she was starting to relax. Clicking into the internet she waited the brief few seconds it took for the Chumhum screen to appear. She faltered before she typed in her search, was this wrong? She knew her mother valued trust in their family, however little there seemed to be now a days. Was she betraying her mother's trust? Her wave of consciousness passed just as quickly as it arrived and she started typing.
Will Garner
She frowned as dozens of facebook profiles came up, none of which matched her mother's old boss.
"Oh no!" she shook her head an back tracked.
Will Gardner
This time the search was a lot more profitable.
Did you mean disbarred lawyer Will Gardner
She skipped the correction and read down through the links that followed it. The first few were just links to the law firm. A few news articles about the mass exodus of associates in the last few days. The next link caught her eye.
Number 16 moves up
She followed the link and tapped her fingers on the keys as the webpage loaded. A large picture loaded showing her mother's old boss sitting on a couch laughing. She'd only met him twice but her mother had told them loads about him. She scrolled down past the picture and started reading the article which came from an online magazine.
Last year we published the list announcing Will Gardner was the sixteenth most eligible bachelor in Chicago. This year we revealed that he had moved up the list to the tenth position, an extremely large jump in a year. Our reporter Lucy Mae sat down with the man himself to see what he thinks of this accolade.
L.M.: Well Mr Gardner, thank you for coming in to see us!
W.G.: Thank you for having me.
L.M.: So tenth most eligible bachelor in Chicago! How does that feel?"
W.G.: I won't lie, at first I was flattered, but then after a while I was very confused! Have you seen the other men on that list! What am I doing on there.
L.M.: Don't sell yourself short! Top ten in the district, that's not something to be sniffed at.
W.G.: I'll take it as a compliment anyway!
She smiled and continued reading. He was funny and came across very well.
L.M.: So Will it's time for that question. You're a successful man, smart, handsome
W.G.: Oh stop.
L.M.: How have you never even been nearly married? I mean have you really never almost popped the question?
W.G.: I... no. I never have. That's the truth. I've...
L.M.: Please go on. You obviously want to say something.
W.G.: I am a true believer in love being the driving force in a marriage, and I can say I've never been in a relationship that was worthy. Don't get me wrong I have had some great relationships with women I am proud to consider my friends.
L.M.: So are you saying you've never been in love.
W.G.: No. That is definitely not what I was saying.
L.M.: Oh you can't stop there! You have to tell us more.
W.G.: No I don't think so. It was a long time ago.
L.M.: What did she ruin all other women for you?
W.G.: well... (he paused) I guess she did. I've never really spoken about this before, but yes she did. She was amazing, one of my best friends.
L.M. So you could have been snapped up long ago.
W.G.: No, I was too afraid to tell her how I felt. She's still in my life though, we're great friends.
L..M.: Any chance of a romance now then? Will you be taken off the list next year?
W.G.: No, that chapter of my life is closed now. I thought maybe there was a chance whe... no that's over. She's married.
Grace sat back in her chair and heaved a sigh. If that wasn't referring to her mother she didn't know anything. He loved her too and she had to do something. She loved her mother more than anything in the world, even more than their family as a unit. She had to make her happy. She had to let her be happy.