Chapter 12
Fighting the urge to lean and gently wipe Grace's tears, Lucas settled for taking her fingers in the palm of his hand.
"It takes a good heart to heal other people' wounds", he said, his thumb brushing over her knuckles.
Grace gave him a wobbling smile.
"Sometimes I think I don't do enough", she whispered "My heart breaks everytime I hear about siblings being apart due to adoption. We had two little girls, we barely managed to move both of them to our orphanage", she let out a breath "Millie was so traumatized after they lost their parents that she stopped talking. The orphanage where they were just got a new director and she didn't want to hear us taking both girls. We got permission to take her sister Charlotte to our orphanage, but not Millie. Unbeknownst to us, Charlotte hid Millie under the blanket in the wagon. Lillian and I almost got arrested once they discovered that Millie was also with us" she talked, her fingers still in Lucas' warm grasp.
Lucas watched her, completely amazed.
"What happened?"
Grace took a deep breath in.
"The new director and I argued. She lectured me that the fact that I grew up as an orphan didn't qualify me to be in charge of the other orphans", she sniffed.
Lucas shook his head.
"I disagree. You could understand the pain of those kids better than anybody else", he said warmly, giving a gentle squeeze to her fingers.
"She didn't even flinch at the sight of Millie and Charlotte holding onto each other once they thought she will take Millie away! She just said that Charlotte could come to be with her sister once there is a place in her orphanage, but that Millie needs to learn sign language and that's why she can't go with us", Grace swallowed "But, the most glorious thing happened right then, Lucas. All of a sudden, Mille started to talk! We were able to bring both of them at the end!", she smiled through her tears.
Seeing pure happiness in Grace's teary eyes, Lucas felt something move deeply inside him.
"Where are they now?", he asked.
"They live in New Orleans with new parents. Lillian and I set up a rule that siblings must not be separated for adoption. Either the couple adopts them all or they stay with us", she grinned "It became a bit crowded here because of that, but the children are calm and happy because they are certain that nobody will pull them apart", Grace smiled as she finished.
Lucas' eyes shone with wonder.
"That can't be an easy thing to do, but good things never come easy. That doesn't mean that we should just give up without a fight, no matter the circumstances", he took a napkin from his suit pocket and placed it on her palm.
"Thank you", Grace gave him a small smile and used the napkin to wipe her eyes and cheeks.
A scent of pine, masculinity and something that was just Lucas hit her senses as she dried her tears…
…And she could feel that unique scent from that little piece of cloth washing over her with peace, as well as awakening something peculiar inside her heart.
"You said that your cook and kitchen helper quit. What about the others?", asked Lucas.
"The others?", Grace shook her head, not understanding.
"Yeah, the other workers", the look in Grace's eyes gave him an answer "There are no others", he spoke slowly.
"We can't afford it. It is more important to keep the kids that need to be together in one place than to pay more people to take care of home tasks", Grace explained.
Lucas leaned in his chair, deep in thought.
Grace watched him, confused.
"Lucas?"
He glanced back at her, his face serious.
"Grace, I wanna help", he said.
She watched him, confusion clear on her face.
"You did. I don't know what we would have done if you didn't offered to help us with preparing meals today. And you said that your cousin.. ", she drifted silent as he took her fingers between both his palms now.
"No, Grace, I really wanna help. You should find people to hire them, delegate jobs, maybe even move to the bigger building. You two will be in charge of everything. Leave the finances to me", he said causing her to gasp.
"Lucas!"
"Grace, just hear me out! Next week, I will have my first meeting with my cabinet where I would have to present goals and projects as a new Governor…", he explained, but Grace interrupted him.
"And you have a goal and programme - to prevent little places losing water", she vaguely remembered hearing about it in the market, long before she even met Lucas Bouchard.
"That's true, but there's no reason that it has to be the only project my office has", he smiled.
"But, what if you decide you don't want to be in politics anymore once your mandate is over? Who is going to support us then?", she could barely talk, completely amazed by this man.
Lucas smiled, his whole face transforming. He looked like a kid on Christmas morning, eager to open up his presents.
"That won't change things. My business is doing great and I have enough money. More than enough, actually. Why not invest it in something that can change people's lives for better?", he warmly asked.
Grace watched him without a word, her throat tightening
She could feel warm tears pooling in her eyes.
"You would do that?", she whispered.
"Of course I would", he gave her a gentle smile "I wannna help these kids. They've been through a lot. It's hard enough for them to lose their parents or be unwanted and abandoned. We will make sure that they get everything they need, to have at least a little bit of peace and to feel loved. Investing in children is investing in better future, wouldn't you agree?", he offered.
Grace smiled, her tears becoming too heavy and rolled down her cheeks.
"Yeah", she whispered "Yeah, I would", she wiped her eyes and cheeks and shaking her head, she gently squeezed Lucas' fingers, whispering "You are an amazing man, Lucas Bouchard".
His smile widened.
"So, we're on?", he pulled back his palms only to offer her his hand for a formal shaking.
Grace's smile mirrored his as she accepted his hand.
"Lets change the world, Governor Bouchard", she said warmly and they shook hands, closing up a deal with a smile full of hope.
