Chapter Two
Jamie felt so tired that next night. So tired, He didn't even want to take a bath, and to be honest he didn't take one. He would in the morning though.
He ate supper with JT and Netta. Once again Gracie Anne's seat was empty. Since Gracie Anne got shot thirteen months ago, Jamie could only count on one hand the number of times she had supper with them.
You would think Jamie would've gotten use to that seat being empty by now. But he hadn't. Every glance at the empty seat felt like the most horrendous gut punch. Jamie knew gut punches he'd endured them numerous time. These felt worse, despite the fact that they weren't physical.
Jamie let Gracie Anne have her space. Everyone had. But she had spent enough time ignoring her loving family.
As Jamie and Netta went to bed that night. They both agreed to have a long talk with their daughter when she came home.
The next morning Jamie got up before Netta. He took a quick bath.
As he was putting his boots on by the door, Gracie Anne came in moving like lightning to get upstairs.
"Hey Honey How…" before Jamie could barely finish his sentence Gracie Anne was already upstairs.
As discretely as humanly possible , Jamie followed her upstairs. By the time he reached the upstairs hallway. He could already hear Gracie Anne making two horrific sounds through the bathroom door.
Gut Wrenching sobs and Projectile vomit.
Jamie waited outside the bathroom. It seemed like forever before Gracie Anne exited the bathroom. A bit of vomit was dripping from a lonely strand of hair. And the sobs were even more gut wrenching.
When Gracie Anne happen to glance over her shoulder and see her father standing there, she attempted to dart off to her room. But Jamie lovingly caught her in his embrace. Without thinking his lips landed on the top of her head.
"Talk to me Gracie Anne ." Jamie whispered softly and lovingly
Gracie Anne stepped back for his embrace and looked her Pa straight in his eyes. Her face suddenly twisted from desperation into a ball of grief.
In a wail she uttered "I'm Pregnant."