"I love you, Grace…I love you so much."
Lucas' words sounded like the most beautiful song Grace had ever heard. She never wanted to pull away from his warm body, from her haven snuggled deeply between his neck and shoulder.
He made her feel so much, so many new feelings that she could barely think straight… It turned out to be hard to stand on her own feet. His kisses and caresses flamed something inside her and she thought she would burn down by the time he had to leave…again.
Not for too long now.
Her breathing slowly calmed down and she pulled back a bit to look at him.
And at the sight of his face, her heart wanted to sing.
He was watching her with so much love and tenderness, his eyes warm, his dimples showing as he gave her a closed lips smile.
Will he still love me tomorrow?
Cold sweat broke on her hairline and Grace took a shivering breath in.
Did I cross the line?
Grace swallowed hard, hanging desperately at his facial expression at the moment.
What if it changes tomorrow? What if he leaves me?
She blinked fast and Lucas creased his eyebrows slightly as he noticed a change in her countenance.
"Grace, what's wrong?", he asked.
She took a shaky breath in.
"Nothing. It's nothing. I am just feeling a bit under the weather", she babbled nervously.
She could see that he didn't believe her, but didn't want to push.
Instead, his hands moved and her breath got hitched as she felt his hands slowly closing her bathrobe and tying the belt.
All the time he held her gaze, making it hard for Grace to breathe.
"You should get some sleep", he whispered, his fingers lingering just a bit on her bathrobe before they went up to her upper arms. He leaned in and kissed her lips gently "Are we still up for a lunch tomorrow at the mansion? I will have Gustave make your favourite meal."
Grace swallowed, trying not to cry.
She gave him a weak smile.
"I will be there", she took a breath in "Thank you."
Lucas watched her carefully, still not assured that it was only tiredness she dealt with. He held her gaze for a few moments, thinking that she may say something.
But, she didn't.
He didn't want to press, maybe she really wasn't feeling good and just needed a rest.
So, Lucas gently squeezed her upper arms and let her go to put his coat back on.
She watched him silently as he put his coat on and walked back toward her.
"Get some rest, angel", he gently kissed her forehead "I'll see you tomorrow."
Don't go. Please, don't go.
Lucas let her go and walked toward the doors.
He opened them and stepped outside in the night…
And as the cold air hit her Grace snapped out of her trance.
"Lucas!"
He turned around, his face growing concerned as she ran toward him and catapulted into his arms, burying her face in his chest.
He looked down at the wonderful woman in his arms and quickly wrapped his coat around her to protect her from the cold, kissing her hair.
He was just about to ask her one more time what's wrong when she looked up at him and he was almost certain that he saw tears glistening in her eyes.
But, before he could open his mouth, she spoke:
"Lucas, always remember that I love you. That I would do anything for you", she talked fast, worrying him even more.
What was going on?
"Grace…", he started to talk, but she interrupted him:
"Even if I do something…something…something crazy, just remember that it is done out of love for you and…", she rambled on until Lucas pulled away a bit to be able to look at her face.
"Grace, what is going on?", he asked "You are worrying me", he put a strand of her hair behind her ear.
She gave him a wobbly smile and shook her head.
"Nothing…just…remember, okay? Remember that I love you, my Lucas", and with those words she cupped his face and kissed him.
Lucas kissed her back, slowly, gently, trying to calm her down with his love for her. He felt her clung desperately to him before she suddenly pulled away and whispered "Good night, my love."
And with those words, she ran back in the orphanage, closing the doors behind her before he could react or say anything.
Lucas stood there, completely confused. He almost knocked at the doors again, but decided not to. It was really late. And she obviously wasn't ready to talk about it now.
He buttoned his coat, put his hands in pockets and slowly walked away, turning around once again to look at the doors of the orphanage.
And decided that tomorrow he will try to talk to her again once she comes to his place for lunch.
With those thoughts, he turned around and walked toward his car.
Grace locked the doors and placed a palm on her lips, her eyes slowly losing a battle with tears. She quickly ran upstairs, entered her room and closed the doors, finally allowing her tears to fall.
What if I crossed the line?
What if he leaves me?
What if I lose him?
The tears kept on running and Grace rushed to her bed, laid down and buried her face in the pillow to hush her crying so she doesn't wake up Lillian or the children.
Please, God. Don't let him hate me. I just want him to be happy.
Her sobs turned into silent hiccups. After a few minutes, sleep finally had mercy on her.
—--
Lillian woke up at the dawn, her mind quickly realizing something was off.
What was that noise outside?
Still sleepy, she got up from her bed and, putting her robe and slippers on, she walked out from her room.
The noise was coming from downstairs. It sounded like…clattering?
She quickly went down following the sound that led her to the kitchen.
Grace was inside the kitchen, so into her work of baking that she didn't even notice Lillian coming in.
"Gracie?", Lillian softly called, but her sister still flinched, startled.
Concern squeezed Lillian's heart as she saw black circles under Grace's eyes.
She walked toward her and stopped her hands that placed freshly baked chocolate chip cookies on the plate.
"Gracie, it's five in the morning", Lillian whispered gently "What are you doing?"
She watched as her little sister avoided her eyes and swallowed hard before replying:
"I'm baking. I am not sure what Jack likes, so I made a few kinds of cookies. Chocolate chip, muffins and…", she swallowed again, her voice shaking "Lucas' favourites. Blueberry cookies."
Lillian watched her sister ramble on and grew even more concerned.
"Did you sleep at all?", she silently asked.
Still avoiding her gaze, Grace shrugged.
"An hour or so", she mumbled silently.
Lillian gently tugged at Grace's palms to stop her fingers working on cookies.
She waited until Grace looked up at her.
"Gracie? What's wrong?", she asked warmly.
Grace's lower lip trembled.
"Lillian…what if he hates me?"
Lillian creased her eyebrows.
"Who? Jack?", she asked.
Grace shook her head.
"No", she mumbled tearfully "Lucas."
Lillian's mouth opened in surprise and she shook her head.
"Why would Lucas hate you?!", she asked, trying to figure out what was amiss.
And watched in painful surprise as a few tears rolled down Grace's cheeks.
"What if I crossed the line, Lillian? What if I overstepped? What if he is not ready to see Jack? What if Lucas leaves me?", her voice broke down in silent sobs "What if I lose him, Lillian?"
Lillian quickly hugged her sister, her hand brushing down Grace's long hair as she held her tightly.
"Gracie, calm down. Lucas is not going to hate you, nor leave you", she gently kissed her sister's hair "He will be so happy to see Jack. And he's got you to thank for that. Don't you understand?", she pulled away a bit to look at Grace's tearful face "What you are doing is such a proof of your unconditional love for him. He would be a fool not to see that."
Grace sniffed, wiping her cheeks.
"But, what if he doesn't? What if he leaves me?", she mumbled silently.
Lillian narrowed her eyes.
"Then I will strangle him. I already have his permission to do it", she deadpanned, causing Grace's head to shot up in shock and then laugh a bit.
"What?!", Grace chuckled through tears.
Lillian's eyes softened.
"Gracie…he came to me to ask my consent and blessing to marry you", at Grace's eyes widening in surprise, she smiled gently and, wiping her sister's cheeks, she continued "He was a nervous wreck, he told me that he needs to talk to me about something, but kept on checking where were you so you wouldn't hear him. And I misunderstood, I thought he hurt you and so I threatened that I will kill him if he did. Do you know what he said when he asked for your hand?"
Grace wiped her cheeks.
"What?", she silently asked.
Lillian smiled gently.
"He told me that he would go to speak with our Father if he was still alive, but considering the fact that I am the only family you got left, he invited me to come to the mansion to ask me for your hand in marriage. He told me he loves you more than his life, that he needs you like the air that he breathes. He promised me that he will always love you and look after you", she chuckled as she went on "And he said I can have his permission in written to strangle him if he ever does you wrong!", she playfully tweaked Grace's nose, causing her little sister to yelp in surprise and giggle "THAT doesn't sound like a man who will hate you and leave you, Gracie."
Grace pressed her lips tightly together.
"I hope you are right, Lillian. I just want him to be happy. I love him so much", she whispered.
Lillian smiled gently.
"I can tell you that the feeling is mutual. In fact, I could even make it a wager and put my money on my soon-to-be brother-in-law loving you even more because of this", she smiled as she gently squeezed Grace's shoulder.
Grace sniffed slightly, her lips curling up in smile.
"I would do anything for him, Lillian", she whispered.
Lillian gave her a pointed look.
"Anything?", at Grace's nod, she added "Good. Then scram. Shoo. Go get some sleep NOW", as Grace tried to protest, Lillian picked up her index finger in warning "Unless you want to greet Jack looking like a vampire and scare that poor little boy to death", she quipped, but her face remained serious.
Grace's eyes widened, but just for a second, until she saw behind Lillian's facade.
In the next moment, Grace hugged her sister tightly.
"Thank you. So much", she whispered.
—--
People walked all around her, talking, struggling with their suitcases, pushing nervously through the crowd as the trains kept on coming and going. The steam from the locomotives hovered above the train station, mixing with a fog that the weak sun still didn't manage to break through.
Grace stood at the train platform and watched as the crowd increased and dispersed with every new train. The wind was playing with her long hair as she waited, her eyes fixed at the railroad that will bring the train from Hamilton to Capitol City.
She looked down at her hands and swallowed hard, trying to smile. Her fingers held a stuffed Teddy bear and she rested it against her chest, trying to stay positive.
She wanted Jack to feel welcome from the moment he arrives. She wanted that little boy to smile again, to see his buddy again, to get better, to heal. She hoped that this reunion will help both Jack and Lucas to get closure and find a way to be in each other's lives.
Grace was ready. Ready to face today. Ready to welcome little Jack. And ready for Lucas' reaction.
Because whatever he says or does, the most important thing is that he is happy.
Even if that means that I will loose him.
"Train from Hamilton to Capitol City arrived at the platform three. Train from Hamilton to Capitol City arrived at the platform three", the voice from speakers was heard.
In that moment, the sun finally broke through the fog and shone down on the magnificent locomotive pulling over close to Grace. A few suntracks touched her hair and face, causing her to squeeze her eyes a bit and smile.