"Saving Grace"
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Thanks for all the positive reviews—I really appreciate it!
This is the fifth chapter. For those of you just reading for the first time the story is LG centric. 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 helping Kevin with Faith who just lost her husband.
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Kevin pulls up to the Girardi house with a livid Faith, an amused Hope, and a confused Joan with him. Kevin and Joan leave the car, but Faith and Hope remain. Kevin opens Faith's door, "Are you coming in or do you plan on living in my station wagon?" he asks sarcastically.
Faith glares at him. "Kevin Girardi, get your ass back in this car and take me to a hotel!" she shouts.
Kevin ignores her and opens the back of the wagon and removes her luggage. "Faith, yelling at me is doing nothing for your blood pressure," he said smoothly.
Faith screams in frustration and finally relents, exiting the car. Hope giggles slightly and follows her sister and Joan into the house.
The house appears empty as the group enter the living room and Kevin, Hope and Joan put down the bags.
"Where is everyone?" Hope asks suspiciously.
Joan laughs, "School, work, you know... Monday morning and all."
Kevin smiles at Joan's sarcasm and rolls into the kitchen. "Can I get you ladies anything to eat or drink?" he asks suavely.
"No thanks," Hope and Faith shout as they sit on the couch. Joan sits next to them and Kevin rolls back into the room.
"I called Rebecca and told her that I wouldn't be in today and you'd be out for a while," Kevin states calmly. Faith bristles, but says nothing.
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Upstairs, Grace lay sleeping motionlessly in Luke's arms as he strokes her hair. Grace looks ragged as if hours of talking, fighting and crying had exhausted her beyond measure. Luke also looks tired, but determined and compassionate as he watches his girlfriend sleep.
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"Are you sure that your parents won't mind our being here?" Hope asks Kevin as they lounge in the living room. "Because I don't want to bother them."
Kevin sighs, "Too late. They're a cop and a teacher; they have three kids--one is crazy, one is handicapped, and one is super nerd; they're in financial lawsuit; they're already bothered, so don't worry."
"But Kevin," Faith protests. "I would prefer to be alone right now."
"And I'd prefer that you were in the hospital," Hope interjects, "But it's not going to happen now is it."
Joan coughs uncomfortably, "Faith, are you sure that you shouldn't be in the hospital, especially after the news you got today?"
Faith's face paled and she closes her eyes to repress her bubbling emotions. "I'm fine!" she shouts, standing up quickly. As quickly as she stood she fell back onto the couch, passing out. Hope a tight scream as her sister lay unconscious on the couch. Joan ran for the telephone and dialed 911 and Kevin rolled to Faith, trying to rouse her.
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The scream woke Grace and she shot up on the bed. "What the Hell was that?" she demands.
Luke shrugs and the two stood and ran out of the bedroom and down the stairs looking for answers.
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In the living room, Grace and Luke found Kevin gently tapping the lifeless Hope on the cheek trying to wake her. Grace immediately panics, "What happened?" she asks, her eyes wide with fear. No one answers and Grace walks over to Hope and the two embrace.
Luke helps Kevin by taking Faith's pulse. "That's way too fast," Luke says with concern. "We need to get her to the hospital."
Joan runs into the room, "I called 911, the ambulance should be here any minute."
Kevin blanches, "God I hope she's alright."
Hope jumps at the sound of sirens outside. Joan opens the doors as three paramedics and a fireman walk up the sidewalk. "She's in here," Joan directs them. Three men surround Faith and one stays with Joan asking her questions.
"What is the victim's name?" the older Italian paramedic asks.
"Faith Cooper," Joan replies.
"Age?"
"20," Grace mutters.
"And does she have some sort of history of loss of consciousness or something?" the man asks on.
Hope swallows, "No, but she does have Pre-eclampsia and is starting bed rest."
The paramedic purses his lips, "Then what was she doing that caused her to get out of bed?"
"Her husband died yesterday and she was kind of busy freaking out, man. Can you just hurry up and take her to the hospital already?" Grace demands.
From behind Grace a paramedic shouts, "Bp 180/110, pulse 110, temp 101.5, and respirations 22."
"What's wrong with her?" Hope asks fearfully.
The paramedic sighs, "Well the extra stress from today probably caused her blood pressure to get too high which lead to lack of oxygen in the brain which caused her to pass out. We'll just take her in and run some tests. She might need to be on some Magnesium and be admitted to the hospital."
Grace and Hope shuddered as Faith was rolled onto a backboard and carried out of the house by two of the paramedics. "Thanks," Joan sighed to the paramedic.
"No problem Joan, good job," Paramedic God replied smiling.
Joan stared at him gape mouthed as Luke walks up with his arm around Grace. "We'd better get going Joan," he states simply.
"Would someone like to ride with her?" a young paramedic asks.
Hope walks up to him, "Yes, I would."
"Okay, get in," he directs. "We're headed to County," he tells Kevin as he closes the doors and the ambulance and fire truck clear the scene.
Kevin loads Luke, Grace and Joan into his car and the four head off to the hospital in a panic.