Demi POV
I picked up the magazine from the rack at the checkout as I put the last of my groceries on the conveyor belt. 'Vultures' I thought as I saw one of the stories splashed on the cover. It was a photo of Grace and I holding hands, photo-shopped to appear as if the photo had been torn down the middle. 'Trouble in paradise?' read the title. The world, and I guess by their very nature the paparazzi, hadn't seen Grace and I together for two months. My silence on the matter had caused people to speculate what had happened between us. Sure, I could put out the usual statement about mutual separation and what not but the truth was Grace didn't need anyone snooping in her private business, not now, not when her family was in such a fragile state. I would protect her as best I could, even if it meant a hit to my reputation.
8 weeks of touring had left me exhausted. The long days, and even longer nights, took a toll on my body, my voice, and my general stamina for everyday activities. Missing Grace though, well that took the biggest toll of all. It left my heart aching and lonely. I was naïve to think that Grace would return to Australia, help her Mom through treatment, and then we would be reunited. Days turned into weeks which turned into months, and soon Grace and I were talking less and less. The reasons were many; Grace needed to spend time with her family, I got tied up in the tour; the time change made communication more challenging too; and then of course it was just hard to talk to one another while knowing in the back of our minds that our situation wouldn't allow us to be together anytime soon.
Grace and I had officially ended our girlfriend status at the one-month mark. She had told me that there was just too much on her plate for her to commit to anything right now, especially long distance. I was hurt, of course, but I didn't want to protest when I knew what she was going through. I'd been on a few dates in the weeks following that conversation. Nothing serious, just a dinner here and there with people I was loosely associated with in the industry. I wonder if Grace appreciated the fact that I had only dated guys as I didn't think any girl could hold a candle to her. I wonder if she knew or if she cared at all.
As I crawled into the hotel bed in New York, in what would be my home for the next couple nights, I wondered what her life was like. How was her Mom doing now; was she at home or in a hospital? Did Grace regret not being there when her Mom first found out about the cancer? I'd certainly hate to think that she regrets what we had once had. That would hurt. The last question I remember asking myself as my eyes closed for the night was whether Grace had met anyone special.