Author's note: Sorry it took me so long, I have midterms coming up, fundraising, and between all this, I haven't had any time to write. I also forgot to mention in the disclaimer that my characters of Sean and Maryn are also my creation. Anyway, enjoy, and uh, don't forget to review!
4
Tossing her purse and keys onto the table, Laura picked up the cordless phone and dropped onto the couch tiredly. Though the time she usually settled comfortably into bed alone was fast approaching, Laura doubted she'd be able to sleep without knowing that her daughter was safe and sound. She sighed as she leaned her head back on the edge of the couch and cocked her ear to listen for any sound other than that of the crackling of the logs in the fireplace. The house was eerily quiet without either of her rambunctious children; she mused as she realized it was something that she had taken for granted in the past.
Laura almost picked up the phone to call Luke just to hear his voice, but a quick glance at the clock told her Michael had already put him to bed. Usually it was her job to tuck both kids in at night, going from Gracie's room after the reading of a very large chapter book to Luke's to read a simpler stepping stones book. Michael had never participated in their nightly routine and never expressed an immense interest to join in, but it seemed that perhaps now, while they hovered at the brink of getting a divorce, he wanted to try.
Despite the general warmth of the room and the heat radiating from the bricked fireplace, a tingling chill ran up Laura's spine, causing her to jump as the phone let out a shrill cry. Crossing and then uncrossing her fingers, Laura reached for the phone and said, "Hello?"
"Hello Laura," answered the voice on the other end softly. "I believe we have something to speak about."
She wasn't quite sure whether to be angry or grateful for the distraction, so she chose the route that would keep anything personal from seeping into her voice. "I'm not sure what name you go by now, but whatever it is, this is not a good time, so you'll have to call back in a few weeks," Laura stated in a cold and impersonal voice.
"Don't hang up, please. I know what's going on and I believe I know where Grace might be. And I go by Harry now, I suppose."
Not only did hearing his voice spark Laura's interest, but the mention of her daughter in the same sentence…she wouldn't hang up, she decided. "Alright. I won't hang up. What do you know about Gracie?" she asked with a hint of curiosity lingering in the undertones of her voice.
"Gracie?" Harry asked as a tiny smile lit his otherwise frowning face. "Nickname?"
"Yes," Laura answered as her eyes fluttered shut and she tried to picture what he looked like so many years later. "What do you know about her?"
"I don't think we ought to get into this on the phone. It's much more personal than that, wouldn't you agree?"
"So you do know?" she asked, more of a statement than a question.
"Yes," came the quiet answer.
Laura bit her lip and rolled it around with her tongue. "Then we really do have a lot to talk about. Where are you?"
"Let's just say that I can be over to your house in a matter of a few hours."
"Fine. Do you need the address?"
He shook his head. "You never do learn, do you?" he chided gently as he hung the phone up and smiled. The smile, however, quickly disappeared as he again thought of Grace, or as Laura and Mildred, he recalled as well, called her, Gracie. Harry had faith in her, because, though he didn't know her as of yet, if she was Laura's and his daughter, the child had the best chance with Sean possible.
Harry lifted a lightweight jacket off the coat rack and opened the front door, preparing to step out into the dreary night, all the while detailing in his mind the plans for the rest of the night. He would stop for coffee, or better yet tea, he decided, because it seemed that the night would definitely be one of the longest of his life.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Gracie woke with a start and twisted around uncomfortably on the wiry cot. Suddenly, she wasn't so tired anymore. The blankets were damp, with sweat or water she didn't know, but it was even worse than the ones she had used to sleep on at camp. The green padding was thinner than her favorite security blanket at home, which was very used by itself. The man had long since gone up the stairs, stumbling to walk with his cane, as the stairs were very steep and slippery.
He had turned off the light and given her one last warning about any noise, besides pointing out that it was useless. Gracie wasn't terrified of the dark, however; she was definitely less than thrilled with it in such a strange place. Calm, she thought, almost hearing her mother's reassuring voice saying it to her, pressing a cool washcloth to her forehead like she did when Gracie had a fever. In a weak and feeble voice, Gracie started a favorite bedtime song from her younger years, before Michael and Luke.
It came out as a whisper at first, "And Hennessy Tennessee tootled the flute and the music was ever so grand." Her voice broke as she tried to continue without homesick tears trailing down her face. "It's a credit to old Ireland is McNamara's band." She hummed along the next part until her voice came back. "My name is McNamara, I'm the leader of the band. Although we're few in numbers, we're the finest in the land."
Gracie sniffled a few times before regaining control. Wonder where mom heard that song, she thought, because the song had always been one they sang together at night before bedtime. She could remember many nights listening to her mother's beautiful voice lolling her to sleep. Disregarding the song, Gracie laid back and noticed that the knot in her stomach had lessened somewhat. "I knew that song would help," she said out loud to no one in particular.
Suddenly, a sound perked her ears and stopped her in mid-breath. Gracie looked up to the ceiling to see where it had come from. The door swung open and the old man bumped his way down the stairs angrily.
"I 'aven't even gotten to the best part yet and 'e takes off. Thinks I don't know where 'e's gone. 'Ave the cell number too," he mumbled to himself. He dialed the number and tapped the cane next to Gracie's bed, where she lay pretending to be safe in her sleep.
It rang once before the fast and furious answer came, "Hello?"
"Well, 'arry, my boy, I told you I'd be calling on you again."
"What is it you're after Sean?" he asked cautiously.
"That's somewhat of a complicated answer, now isn't it? 'Ave you ever heard your daughter's voice before? I suppose it might change things for you. Never thought you'd be a daddy, did you?"
"Put her on the phone," he replied forcefully.
Sean chuckled. "Did you really think it was that easy?"
"Put her on," Harry said as Sean could hear him pull the car to a stop in the background.
"Hello?" he heard the trembling voice of a young lady say. "Is this Harry?"
"Yes, this is Harry," he said, letting out a breath of relief he hadn't known he was holding. "Are you Grace?"
"Gracie. Are you my dad?" she asked bluntly. "Cause the man said you are and Michael isn't my dad and I have your picture," she said hurriedly.
Before Harry could answer, Sean took the phone back and said, "Now, you know the drill. No cops if you want her safe, and I'll be in contact with you later. And one thing," he said as he paused to get rid of a hacking cough, "Tell Laura that 'er daughter is safe when you see her."
Harry silently swore as he heard the click in his ear. He hit his hands on the steering wheel, causing the horn to blare from the side of the road and other drivers to look his way. Another half an hour and he'd be at Laura's, so he decided against reporting the latest over phone. He wanted to see her before telling her anything. She'd always been strong, but she was no longer the same Laura he'd known and he would do anything to keep her from getting hurt again. Anything.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Laura finished cleaning the living room as she placed the magazines in the cabinets that they opened about once a year only to shove more things inside. She tossed down the dust rag, then placed her hands on her hips and surveyed the room. The last time she'd been possessed to clean…Laura couldn't actually remember when she'd cleaned as well. It always seemed hopeless to clean in the morning because the kids would spill something just as the cleaning got finished, so she didn't do it often.
A knot formed in her stomach as she again glanced at the clock. She pressed a hand there, trying to relieve the excited, nervous feeling lying in the pit of her stomach. Laura would be the first to admit to herself that she was terrified of facing Harry again, terrified of feeling the hurt she had the last time she'd seen him, and terrified of making any realizations that might complicate her life any more than it already was.
Laura got an uneasy frown upon her face as she thought about the last time she'd seen him in person. Willing herself not to think about, she took a shuddering, deep breath in and realized she was shaking. What had happened to the Laura Holt who had almost never let anything or anyone penetrate the invisible walls surrounding her entire self?
Giving in to the inevitable, Laura plunged her thoughts into memories and prepared to face the hurt head-on, because it was due time to start the healing process.
