"Saving Grace"
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Thanks for all the positive reviews—I really appreciate it!
This is the fourth chapter. For those of you just reading for the first time the story is LG centric. It takes place after the season finale. Adam found a dead body at work and his father made him quit his job. The body is one in a string of strange suicides that Kevin's paper is blaming on the police department. Luke and Grace have introduced their families at Grace's Bat Mitzvah and everyone is accepting, accept Grace's stereotypical Jewish mother. Grace's married and pregnant sister, Faith is working with Kevin and the two are developing a friendship. Grace's oldest sister, Hope is in town and proves to be an interesting addition. Joan has finally worked out her issues with God and is helping Him by going to work with Kevin.
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It is Monday morning and the Girardi family is sitting down at the breakfast table eating pancakes. Will is reading the newspaper, Kevin is drinking some coffee and Luke is washing his dishes. The room is peacefully quiet and relaxed. Adam and Joan are on the couch in the living room talking quietly to each other.
"Adam, I... I spoke to God yesterday," Joan says with a tinge of fear in her voice. Adam reaches out and touches her hand to encourage her to continue speaking. "He... He's real and He wants me to keep helping others."
Adam sighs, "I knew it Jane! I knew that you weren't crazy... that you did see Him. Jane, this is amazing... you're like a profit or something. Wow!"
Joan laughs sarcastically, "Yeah, I don't think so because actually, you've seen Him too." Adam eyes her suspiciously. "Remember the cute guy I danced with at my party?" Adam grumbles a yes and Joan playfully hits his arm. "That was God," she says laughing.
Adam's eyes turn into the size of saucers. "What?" he asks her.
"I was also talking to God when I talked to that little red headed girl at Iris' children's help group," Joan continues, ignoring Adam's astonishment. "So, um, you've seen Him too. I don't think that seeing Him makes you special... because He's always around... it's just your response to Him that counts."
Adam continues to stare, gape mouthed and Joan is interrupted as Grace runs into the living room drawing his attention. "Luke!" she cries. Luke drops his plate with a crash into the sink and runs for Grace, holding her as she uncharacteristically sobs I his arms. Luke gives her a frantic glance and she sobs, "It's Abe, he's... dead." Forks, plates, and papers fall as the house is stunned by this revelation.
Kevin sets down his coffee cup and frantically rolls over to the couple who are standing in the dining room. "Faith's husband is dead?" he asks, "How do you know?"
Grace brushes off a tear with the back of her hand and faces Kevin. "Faith got a telegram today from Washington DC. Abe was caught in the crossfire of two rebel groups and was shot to death." Kevin shakes his head in sympathy.
Helen rushes over to Grace, "Oh, dear, is there anything we can do?"
Grace held on tighter to Luke, "No." Luke, knowing how embarrassed she will be if his family continues to watch her act vulnerable, escorts her out of the kitchen and upstairs to his room. Helen tries to protest this move, but can't find it in her heart to do so. Kevin rolls to the front door, "I'd better go let Rebecca know that Faith won't be in today."
Joan jumps up, realizing that she is supposed to go with Kevin to work today. "Yeah, I have to go too. Thanks for breakfast Mom!" Adam gives Joan a curious glance and she points up and mouths "Orders" to him. Adam smiles and waves her off as Joan leaves the house behind Kevin.
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Joan reaches Kevin as he turns over the engine to his car. "Kevin! Wait! I'm coming with you!" Joan shouts as she jumps over to the passenger side door. Kevin stops and looks over at his sister, annoyed.
"Joan, I can't drop you off at school today. I really need to get to work..." Kevin protests. Joan starts to say something, but she is cut off by a ring on Kevin's cell phone. He answers the phone, "Hello? Hi. Yeah she told us. I'm so sorry. Okay! Jeeze! Yeah... Are you sure? Okay! I'll be there in five minutes. Yes. Bye."
Joan looks at Kevin suspiciously, "Was that Faith?"
He nods as he pulls out of the driveway. "I don't have time to drop you anywhere so you're coming with me. We have to get Faith. You'll just have to deal with Mom when you miss school."
The two speed away toward's the Polonski's house in silence.
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Up in Luke's room, Grace and Luke sit on his bed, holding each other. Grace chokes back sobs as Luke strokes her hair with comfort. "Grace, it's okay. Everything is going to be okay." Luke says as he tries to console her.
Grace leans away from him. "Really?" she defies him. "How do you know smart boy?"
Luke flushes, "I don't. I just..."
Grace interrupts, "Stop lying to me then and actually help me!" she demands.
"What do you want me to do?" Luke asks, but before he gets an answer, Grace has pushed him down on his bed and is attacking him with breathless kisses. Luke looses himself for a moment, kissing back, but stops and tries to pull away as he realizes that what they are doing is wrong. "Grace," he pleads as she tries to kiss him again.
"What?" she asks angrily.
Luke pushes her off of him, "We have to stop this."
Grace leans forward, "Stop what?" she asks innocently.
"Molesting each other," Luke spits as he puts a pillow between them. "This is irrational and way too fast."
Grace jumps off the bed, "Too fast? Irrational?" she shouts. "This coming from Mr. Five-More-Minutes!"
Luke stands and takes her hands, forcing her to look at him. "Grace you are doing this to make yourself feel better right now. But if we keep doing this, it's only going to make you feel worse later." Grace looks down, defeated. "Talk to me," Luke instructs as he leads her back to his bed and the two sit.
Grace swallows, hard. "It's just that... Faith's pregnant. And now she's alone." Grace stands and starts to pace. "I mean, I know she has us, but we're not her husband. Abe was her... everything." Grace looks at Luke and then looks down. "They were best friends, lovers, partners, everything. And now he's dead." Grace stops and stares out the window. "And my parents, they're like... acting as if it's no big deal, just another dead soldier. It's ridiculous. I hate them." Grace walks back over to Luke and sits next to him on his bed. "God, Luke, Faith's sick with grief. I've... I've never seen anyone look like that before. She went from smiling and laughing to silent horror. It was... awful. And there is nothing I can do about it." Grace begins to cry again as Luke holds her, shedding a few tears of his own.
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Kevin and Joan arrive at the Polonski's finding Hope on the stoop, smoking a cigarette. Mascara streaks ran down her face as she shuddered against the cold of the morning. Joan and Kevin went to her as fast as they could. "Hey Hope," Joan says as Kevin lifts himself into his chair.
"Hey," she replies flatly, picking up two suitcases and handing them to Joan. "You mind putting these in your brother's car?" she asks.
Joan stares at the woman with curiosity. "Um, no," she said taking the bags as Kevin rolls up.
"Hope," Kevin greets her with a soft smile.
Hope nods and the front door opens. Faith stumbles out, waving her hand in front of her face to clear the smoke, taking the cigarette from Hope's hand, smashing it out on the stoop and handing a bag to Kevin. "Thanks for picking us up," she said weakly as she walks to his car. "You can drop us off at the Holiday Inn."
Kevin snickers as he follows the sisters to his car. "Faith Cooper, I am not dropping you off at some hotel," he says loftily. "You can stay at my house until you return to New York."
Hope shakes her head, "She can't fly Kevin."
"What?" Joan asks worried.
"I'm too far along," Faith reassured her. "I'm actually supposed to deliver in a month, so I'm supposed to take it a little easier. My blood pressure hasn't been so good and my doctor's been threatening to put me on bed rest and now with Abe... I... I just need to be more subdued is all."
Kevin slams his car door as everyone piles in, "That settles it then. You're definitely coming home with us where my mother can pamper and smother you."
Faith attempts to protest, but Kevin points his car in the direction of his house, which is the opposite direction of the Holiday Inn.
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