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After what seemed like hours the door opened and Marissa came in. She looked concerned.

"Honey, are you alright?"

Grace looked up, weeping quietly. She hastily nodded.

Marissa sat down next to her and laid an arm on Grace's shoulders.

"Honey, what's wrong? Something with school? Your new friends?"

Grace shook her head. She didn't know how to start.

Slowly she looked up, her eyes meeting Marissa's.

"I saw you today", she sniffed. She didn't want to act like a child but she couldn't help it.

Marissa's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?" Her voice became tense.

"You and Ryan. I saw you sitting in a restaurant. I heard what you said." Grace wiped away the tears from her cheek.

Marissa let go of her and leaned back. "What exactly did you overhear?", she whispered.

"I didn't overhear. I just listened. You weren't exactly whispering, were you?" Grace noticed her voice becoming colder. "I heard you saying that… that you wanted to come back to Newport and be there for your friends and family and you wanted Ryan to introduce you to them but he refused because he didn't want to lie to them. That's mainly it, I think."

Marissa's face had become white but she stayed silent.

Grace raised one eyebrow. "So? Do you want to explain it to me eventually? Or am I supposed to find it out by myself?"

Marissa sighed deeply. "Alright, honey. I'll tell you what the meeting with Ryan was about. But don't expect anything you don't already know. I told you that I'd made some… mistakes seventeen years ago here in Newport. I made some… bad decisions. When Ryan broke up with me after the death of a friend of mine I… thought I was in love with Kevin. He was… we drank way too much but I didn't care. I didn't care about anything. I just wanted to show Ryan, my family and my friends that I could take care of myself. But I couldn't. They wanted to show me but I didn't listen.

Finally I broke up with Kevin. When Ryan drove me to the airport after our graduating party I thought we were okay again. But then Kevin came and dragged us off the road with his car. Our car landed upside down. I… wasn't hurt badly but Ryan said he'd go get help.

While he was away I managed to get up and hid in the trees. I stopped a car and the driver brought me to the airport. I rented a room and the next day I bought a flight to Boston. I called Ryan that morning and told him I was okay. He was angry at first and said he'd go fetch me but I told him to stay where he was. I told him I wouldn't be coming back, that I wanted to live my own life and not the one of a spoiled New Port kid. I know it wasn't fair. I was… so young.

I went to Boston and bought a cheap flat. I found a cheap job and met new friends. I was happy. I missed my own life sometimes, but not so much that I'd have gone back.

But now… you're almost an adult, honey. You have to live your own life and I told myself I wouldn't let you go till you know the truth about what happened. But when I was here I… I couldn't. I took a false name to apply for jobs so I'd have more time to decide when to tell you. I guess in the end you chose the time for explanations."

She sighed again. "I hope you don't hate me now. I know I acted more childish than you could have imagined but I want you to know that I cared for you, Gracie, all the time. You're my baby."

Slowly Marissa bowed towards her and gave her a kiss on the forehead. She smiled a sad smile and left the room.

Grace spread out on her bed and looked at the ceiling.

Then everything Ryan had said had been true. She couldn't understand. When her mother had cared for him and the others, why had she left them? It didn't make sense.

But then, Marissa had admitted that she had acted childish. Even thought that wasn't an excuse. But she had explained everything to her daughter, even though she hadn't had to.

Grace sat up and grasped her cell phone. She dialed Ben's number.

His cell phone was off. Grace decided to leave a message.

"Here's Grace", she said, "Ben, I gotta tell you some things. I talked to my mom and she explained it me. Well, if you still wanna talk to me, let me now, right? Then I'll tell you. Um, alright, see you then."

She hung up. She had to talk to Ben. Maybe, with his help, she could get Ryan to confirm everything her mother had said. And maybe he would tell her the last part of the puzzle that was missing.


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