Author's Note: Sorry for the long delay. I got wrapped up in another story.
Chapter 4: Letter
The next morning Grace found the Goth Kid gone. There was no trace of him, nothing to suggest he was ever there. She prodded Luke with her finger. He snapped awake, mumbling something about Mars and being naked. He took off his glasses and slowly rubbed his eye. Grace found this amusing and found it hard to stifle a laugh, she kissed him on the cheek and stood up. She was standing at the caves entrance when Luke finally freed himself from sleeps tight grip. Without talking they walked out. The air and the world around them felt new from the thunderstorm. The morning sun, being filtered through the forests roof, made it felt good to be alive.
Walking away from the Cave felt odd, partly because it reminded her that the uncertain future she had loomed just beyond the caves mouth. Still she walked on, knowing that Luke will be with her every step. She also found the ground treacherous to walk through. Where ever she walked she felt her shoes slide in the mud. Several times she had to grab onto Luke for support, but more often it was Luke grabbing onto her. It didn't take her long to realize something. If that Goth Kid hadn't shown up she would have been lost. She felt shivers run through her body. She would have been lost in the thunderstorm, trying to fight her way through the mud and rain. She stopped suddenly and when Luke noticed he looked back.
"Whats wrong?" Luke asked, adjusting his glasses. Grace slowly stepped forward, careful of where she was walking, and kissed Luke passionately.
"Thanks," She said quietly.
"For?" Luke said startled.
"Caring about me." Grace smiled and pecked his nose. She felt girly and stupid for doing that. "Tell anyone what I said and I'll personally dig your grave." Her smile faded as she said this and in its place a scowl. Luke simply smiled and nodded, knowing she would never go through with the threat.
They easily found Luke's car, which was exactly as they had left it. The ride to her house was long and silent. They were simply happy to be together, there was no need or desire to speak. Grace watched the cars and the houses fly past, she wondered what they were doing today, and when she realized she had spent the night with Luke, her parents were going to be furious.
"Dude we need a cover story." Grace said.
"What?" Luke asked glancing sideways. Grace pointed towards the windshield. He took the hint and stared forward.
"If you haven't noticed, its morning." Grace said patiently,.
"Yeah, so?" Luke said, still not understanding.
:"dude when we left it was night. They are probably going to think we slept together." Grace said starting to grow annoyed.
"But we did sleep together," Luke said teasingly. Grace was about the slug him in the arm, but hesitated at the last second. No point in getting in a wreck over his stupidity. "But nothing happened, do you really think your dad is going to think you slept with me when your mother..."
"Just go with whatever I come up with? Take a left here." Grace said, Luke followed obediently and without question. When they arrived at her house there were cars, some were familiar and belonged to the neighbors while others were familiar only because they belonged to friends and family. She squirmed in her seat. The whole street was packed full of them. Luke drove around the block and parked. They sat there for a few moments, unsure what to say.
"Will you..." Grace whispered. She almost hated herself for what she was about to ask. "Walk me home?" Luke looked at her, wondering if he was being tested. He thinks its a trap, Grace mused.
"Yeah sure." Luke smiled. He got out of the car and when Grace didn't he made a move to open her door. Grace beat him to it, the car door swung open slamming against Luke's right hand. Luke shouted in frustration, using some scientific term as a curse word but Grace was oblivious to this. Something was wrong at her house, and she felt it in her heart.
Grace and Luke walked into her house and found the normally large empty house packed with people. Grace found she knew everyone there. Either from the Synagogue, school, family, or friends of the family. All of their faces casted in darkness brought on by mourning. Grace's heart sank.
"Dad!" Grace shouted, almost screaming. Somewhere from the sea of people she heard her father call to her. Slowly the crowd divided, allowing a large girth. Finally he came into view and Grace saw how old and worn his ancient face looked. His eyes were bloodshot, from crying.
"Oh honey," he sobbed as he grappled his daughter into a tight hug.
"Daddy," Grace whispered childishly, her voice small. It unnerved Luke to hear his girlfriend like this, she was always strong, but now she seemed... weak.
"She died the other day," Grace's father said. Grace began to cry and began mumbling the word no softly. Luke stood there a little stunned. He hated his mind at that moment, but what the Rabbi had said bothered him. Grace had pointed out that they had spent the night together, so why didn't the Rabbi say last night?
"Sir, I mean no disrespect." Luke said slowly, "but did you say your wife died two days ago?" Grace broke away from her father and with swift movements pinned her boyfriend against the wall. Luke didn't flinch, in fact he didn't show any sign of fear or anger. He knew this was one of the only ways Grace knew out to unleash her feelings. He would accept it willingly.
"Grace!" The Rabbi shouted, the crowed around them began mumbling quietly to themselves. She eased a little, but with her tear blurred eyes she dared Luke to speak. "You are correct Luke, why?" Luke slowly struggled against Grace, but slowly Grace was catching on. As she realized they had been in that cave for over a day, she felt her stomach grumble. Grace let go of her anger and released Luke. She turned to her father and explained where they had been and why. She even mentioned the strange Goth Kid they had met.
"Joan said you got caught in the storm and found shelter." The Rabbi said thoughtfully, "She assured me that you were safe and that Grace needed her space." Grace looked at her father, wondering how Joan had known this. They hadn't seen or talked to her since the hospital. Another Joan mystery, Grace thought.
The following days were tough on Grace. There was a lot she wanted to tell her mother. She wasn't startled by the anger she still carried, still wanted to shout at her mother. But these feelings scared her nonetheless. How could she still hold a grudge to a person who was dead?
Her father told her that mother couldn't handle the stress caused by the fire, the destruction of the synagogue had been immense. After pledging to her daughter that she would become sober she wrapped herself in her religion, but she saw the burning as the burning of her support system. Her system, already weak from years of alcohol abuse, couldn't handle it. Her body slowly shut down , but went peacefully. The funeral was peaceful and all her friends attended
"I met a strange goth kid" Grace said to Joan. They were sitting in Joan's room listening to music. Joan was flipping through a magazine, but quickly dropped it at the mention of the Goth Kid.
"Did he have spiky black hair?" Joan sounded concerned, "pale skin, dark eyeshadow and a ton of piercings?" Grace nodded. "Did he mention me?" She started to sound desperate, "say something I should do?"
"Nope," Grace said, a part of her enjoying the discomfort on her friends face. She turned one of the lamps Joan had made at Gentle Acres around and set it down.
"Oh good," Joan sighed.
"You are not dating him are you?" Grace asked suddenly remembering Luke's concern.
"God no!" Joan said nearly shouting. Grace let the subject drop.
When Grace left the Girardi's she reached into her back pocket for her cellphone. Instead she felt a piece of paper. "Gross," she said aloud, realizing she hadn't washed the jeans since she found the paper. She pulled the letter out and slowly unfolded it. She felt a dull anger beat in her temples.
Dear Grace, my only child
If you are reading this then I truly have failed. I want you to know that I love you with all my heart. I tried desperately to be sober. I wanted to be the mother that a young lady could be proud of. I remember a lot of the things you told me while you nursed me while I lay there hungover or drunk. I remember this place from those stories. But mostly I remember it from when Mrs. Grove and I were little. Did I ever tell you those stories? When we were teens we would go there just like you an Adam. I am glad you found a friend in Adam and Joan. I figured if I fell off the horse, you would find your way here to find this note. I wanted to tell you how much I love you. I hope someday you and I could be friends. Not just mother and daughter, but best friends.
Love,
Mother.
Grace stared at the words as her mind devoured them. Reading this letter eased her pain. She regretted not being able to be friends like her mother wished. But she now knew that her mother loved her, that even in her drunken state she listened to her. Grace began to cry, not tears of pain or sorrow but of love.
The End
Authors Note2: I sorta borrowed the idea of Grace's mom and Adam's mom being friends from CharlesTheBold.