47 Destinies: Finding Grace

by Perez, Marlies Schmudlach

  Grace was startled when Derek said, “Let go! Let go!”

  “I don’t want to let him go. I want Todd in my life,” Grace turned away. She was ashamed to admit to Derek that she wanted another man.

  Derek moved closer to Grace. “Let go of me.”

  Grace bit her lip to keep from crying. Derek didn’t want her to let go of Todd, he wanted her to let go of him.

  Grace fiddled with her wedding ring. “It’s time,” Derek whispered in her ear. “I have to go.”

  Tears welled up in both of their eyes. It was difficult to let go. Derek bent down and whispered, “I will always love you, Grace.”

  “I love you too, Derek,” Grace called out.

  “I know.” Derek smiled and slowly faded away.

  Grace took off her wedding ring and put it in her jewelry box. It was time to move on. She felt sadness and a strength wash over her at the same time. Even though Derek was physically gone, he would forever live on in her heart. Nobody would ever replace what they had together. She understood that now.

  Grace turned off the light and placed her head on her pillow. Everything now seemed clearer. She was finally resolved to stop living in the past. It was time to create her new destiny. As she started to drift off to sleep, Grace heard her doorbell ring. Her heart leaped. Who was at her house at 11:00pm? Grace walked cautiously down the stairs with her phone in hand. She went to the front door and looked through the peephole. It was Todd.

  Grace quickly pulled open the door. “Todd!!!”

  “Grace, I am sorry it is so late. I couldn’t wait until the morning. It took everything within me not to come sooner. Cora made me promise to wait until the morning. You can see how well I listened to her.” Todd looked down at his feet like a little kid in trouble.

  “I am so happy to see you! Please come in and sit down. The kids are still in Georgia. I just got in less than an hour ago.”

  “Thank you.” Todd had his hands in his pockets. He wanted desperately to pull Grace into his arms, but he wasn’t sure if she would allow it. She said she wanted to talk to him, but she didn’t give him any clue if it was good or bad news.

  Grace walked over to the couch. Once he was seated, she fidgeted for a moment. Todd caught her off guard. Her tongue was tripping over itself and her mind was going a mile a minute. “I don’t know where to start. You surprised me tonight.”

  “Do you want me to go?” Todd asked, unsure how to read Grace. She looked confused.

  “No.” Grace fidgeted with her hands again. “You have taken me by surprise ever since we first met. When Derek died, I thought my life ended that day. It wasn’t until you walked into my life that I began to live again. You have given me the encouragement to discover myself. You helped me see my talents that go beyond being a good mother. You gave me a reason to be happy again. I am not the same woman I was when we met and I cannot thank you enough for that.”

  “But then, I threw it all away. What I did to you was completely wrong. I am so sorry. I acted out of fear of my past. I never once stopped to think how you were feeling. I was so caught up in myself that I just lost it. I am not trying to justify what I did because it wouldn’t be fair. I just want you to understand. When you told me about the cancer, it triggered a similar conversation Derek and I had years ago. All of the hurt came flooding back and I panicked. Instead of facing this fear, I ran away from it. Even though I went halfway across the country, I still felt your presence. You were in my thoughts and dreams. There is nowhere I could ever go that you wouldn’t be right there,” Grace said sincerely.

  “What are you saying?” Todd didn’t want to get too excited. He needed to hear what Grace wanted.

  “I am asking for forgiveness,” Grace shyly admitted.

  “I forgive you. Is there anything else?”

  “Yes. I want you back. I want us to be together for the rest of our lives, no matter how long that is. Even if things take a turn for the worse, I will never leave you again. I promise,” Grace said lovingly. Todd knew she meant every word. He let out a huge sigh of relief.

  “You have no idea what those words mean to me, Grace. I want exactly the same thing. I knew it would be hard for you when I received the news from my doctor. I hated hurting you so much.”

  “It wasn’t your fault. None of this is your fault.” Grace searched his eyes to see if he understood.

  “I know that now. I went crazy when I thought I lost you. I even poured out my heart to Brent. He must really hate me now,” Todd said as he ran his hand through his hair.

  “I love it when you do that with your hair. I missed it. And Brent doesn’t hate you. In fact, he came to Georgia to talk sense into my thick head. Brent helped me see that I had to choose love instead of fear,” Grace said proudly.

  “What? Brent flew to Georgia to get us back together? Wow! Now that is a miracle. I thought the news the doctor gave me today was good.”

  “What news?” Grace asked hesitantly.

  Todd smiled. “The doctor says the MRI shows that the tumor is localized and it hasn’t spread anywhere else in my body. Once they do the surgery next week, I will be fine. They caught it in plenty of time.”

  “Oh my gosh! That is such great news!!!” Grace shouted. Todd picked her up and twirled her around the room.

  “I’m going to be fine, Baby. You are stuck with me for a very long time.” Todd grabbed both of Grace’s hands in his. As he played with her fingers, he noticed her wedding ring was missing. “Where is your ring?”

  “I saw Derek tonight before you came over. He said it was time that I let him go and that he wouldn’t return again. I am at peace with his departure. So, I took off my ring. A wise man told me that I would know when the time was right to take it off.”

  “Wise? Was he strong and handsome too?” Todd inquired with a raised eyebrow knowing she was referring to him.

  “Extremely. Did I mention he was really good in bed?”

  “Oh, really? I bet I can give him a run for his money.”

  “It’s worth a shot, but you need to know, he was really good,” Grace taunted, pulling his leg.

  “Thanks for the compliment! I have heard tales that everyone should experience make-up sex at least once!” Todd smirked.

  Todd took off Grace’s clothes and set her gently down on the couch. He made sweet love to her unlike any time before. They both basked in the bliss of their love. Unbeknownst to them as they slept on the couch, Derek peered in at them through the window. He smiled, turned and then walked away. His precious Grace had found the man he sent for her. It made Derek happy to know that Todd would love Grace for the rest of his life.

  Chapter 14

  Todd’s surgery was successful. The doctor removed the tumor and the subsequent MRI’s showed that he was in remission. Throughout the process, Grace tended to Todd faithfully. She wanted to be sure he was in perfect health.

  After his recovery period was complete, Todd asked Grace and the kids to join him on a trip to England. He wanted Grace to meet his parents and see where he grew up. Grace was thrilled to go. Todd also invited Grace’s parents to join them. Her parents were eager to come along. In order to accommodate everyone’s schedules, they planned the trip during Christmas vacation. Todd took care of all of the arrangements, which pleased Grace to no end. Grace’s role was to secure passports for the children and pack warm clothes. Todd gave her no indication as to where in England they were going. He told Rose, but asked her to keep it a surprise for Grace.

  Leslie was severely disappointed that Grace and the children would be away over Christmas again. She pouted and grumbled to Brent as often as possible. Leslie still did not know that Brent had brought Grace and Todd back together. They all decided it was something that would be kept between Brent, Cora, Todd and Grace. There was no need to needlessly upset Leslie. She seemed to do enough of that on her own.

  The flight to England went smoothly. Grace and Rose brought plenty of activities on the plane to entertain Mattias and Bella. It wa
s their first trip to Europe and they were full of energy. Todd was slightly apprehensive about the trip. However, his brush with death made him reconsider his distant relationship with his parents. He wanted the two families to meet before Grace and Todd took their next step forward in their relationship.

  When the plane landed, everyone was tired but also full of anticipation. England was green and very old, Mattias commented several times on their drive to Todd’s hometown. Bella enjoyed looking at all the farmhouses, cows and horses.

  Within no time, the group arrived at their ‘secret’ location. When they turned off the main road, Todd asked Grace to close her eyes so she wouldn’t read the name of the town on the sign. Grace giggled. Todd was going to great lengths to keep his childhood home a surprise. Grace enjoyed humoring him. Regardless of his upbringing, Grace was in love with the man.

  The village was quaint and had a middle-ages-renaissance feel to it. The roads were made of a mix of dirt and sandstone. The period of the architecture had to be several hundred years old. Most of the buildings were constructed of stone and a type of thatch roofing. Dark wood framed out the thick hand blown glass. Chimneys puffed up trails of smoke to ward off the damp winter chill. Expansive fields of wheat encircled the village. Ponds and moats were commonplace. Trees dotted the landscape. Farm animals looked up from the ground to catch a glance of the car as it drove by. Small wooden fences kept them in their pens.

  Grace stared and marveled at the immense history contained in the village. She half expected to see knights walking the streets with swords and shields. There was so much to observe and process. It was hard to imagine Todd living there as a little boy.

  Todd parked in front of a tavern. “Grace, there is somewhere I want to show you while everyone else gets a bite to eat. It won’t take long,” Todd stated as he reached his hand out to Grace.

  She gladly took it in hers, “I want to learn everything about you. Your past has been quite the mystery.” Rose offered to take the children into the tavern.

  They walked through the village in silence for about ten minutes. Todd stopped in front of a huge two-story manor. Grace counted close to 30 windows. The roof was made of terra cotta clay. Flower gardens flowed throughout the front lawns. Sculpted bushes enclosed some of the flowers while also creating a natural fence. A four to five story tower rose up behind the manor. Grace felt like she was walking through a fairy tale.

  “I’ve never seen anything like it. Where are we?” Grace asked with curiosity.

  Todd did not reply. He walked up to the manor, took out a key and unlocked the door.

  “We’re home,” Todd announced as he walked through the door.

  “I don’t understand,” Grace was more than a little confused. “Did you rent this place for us?” Grace looked around the room. Elaborate paintings hung on the walls. Medieval artwork sat on intricate pieces of furniture. The manor was like a living museum.

  “No, Sweetheart. This is my childhood home. It is called the Manor of Stanton Harcourt. It has been in our family since 1191.”

  “I still don’t understand.” Grace shook her head slightly and squished up her nose.

  Todd pointed to a large seal on the wall. It had three red horizontal stripes with two yellow stripes in between. “This, my love, is the shield of the House of Harcourt. The Harcourt lineage traces back over a thousand years. This village is called Stanton Harcourt. My family bloodline contains dukes, earls and several other prestigious noble titles. I grew up here until I went off to college. A few blocks from the manor is the primary school I attended. I used to walk there with my mother up these roads,” Todd said with pride.

  “I don’t know what to say. I am astounded.” Grace continued to stare at the shield and then back to Todd. “My mother is going to be floored.”

  “Well, actually, she already knows. I told your mother and father about my upbringing at Cora and Brent’s wedding. I wanted them to know that my intentions with you were noble and that I wasn’t with you for your money. I needed them to understand that I want to be with you because I love you. I had every intention of telling you the first night you came to my place. Do you remember? But then we got a little caught up in extra-curricular activities. Then I got sick and you know the rest of the story. I hope you are not upset with me. I asked your parents to keep my secret so I could tell you myself. I thought coming to England would add a dramatic flair to it all,” Todd eagerly explained.

  “Your mannerisms and style have held an element of class which didn’t correspond to your line of work. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. When Leslie claimed that you married Melissa for her money, I thought your means came from Melissa. But it is really your money, isn’t it?” Grace asked.

  Todd heaved a large sigh, “I met Melissa after I graduated from Berkeley. We fell in love. She was the first person I revealed my heritage to. I thought she understood me. Unfortunately, what she understood were the dollar signs. Much to my dismay, my mother and Melissa got along wonderfully. They both tried to trap me into doing something ‘more noble’ with my time: running for office or spending time in one of our vacation homes. It just wasn’t me. I left England so I could make my own name. I wanted to explore my talents and see who I was on the inside.”

  “When you explained to me last year that you were on a quest of self-discovery, I could relate. I had been on my own quest years prior and had discovered myself. Well, that Todd Harcourt was not what Melissa had in mind for me. She tried everything to change me, but I wouldn’t budge so one day she left. Of course, she took as much money as possible. I kept the apartment complex in San Francisco where I currently live. It’s been in my family for years and I love the view from the deck.” Todd grinned when he thought about what he did with Grace the last time he was on his deck with her.

  “Melissa was ticked-off when she found out that she couldn’t touch the majority of my money since it is tied up in my inheritance. Regardless, she got a very comfortable settlement.” Todd smiled as he told his story. It no longer caused him any pain to remember it.

  “Todd, hearing your story helps me put together some of the missing pieces of your life. Thank you for trusting me with your heart. I hope you know that I love you just the way you are, regardless of your possessions or your profession.” Grace moved toward Todd, put her hand in his and touched the shield together.

  “Well, now that you know, you are going to have to refer to me as Lord Harcourt.”

  “Hmmm… so you’re higher than a prince? How about Your Majesty instead?” Grace teased.

  “Lord Majesty also works for me,” Todd proclaimed as he picked up a sword from over the fireplace.

  Grace twitched her mouth and began to have fits of laughter. She was laughing so hard that she couldn’t catch her breath.

  “What’s so funny? Aren’t you impressed with my swordsmanship?” Todd asked, showing off his limited skills.

  “I was just thinking how Leslie claimed that you prey on wealthy women. Her remark was truly an assault on your character and your family name. If she would have made that comment a hundred years ago, she would have wound up in the stocks. Can you imagine Leslie in jail? She wouldn’t last a day,” Grace pictured a scene from The Scarlet Letter.

  Todd joined in on the joke. “True, but she would have given them hell the whole time. She would permanently be in solitary confinement with that sharp tongue of hers.”

  “I can’t get over how ruthless she can be when she wants her way,” Grace commented, still overwhelmed by Leslie’s attitude.

  “Truth be told, I can relate to her just a tad. When I lost you, I would have done anything in the world to get you back,” Todd revealed, putting his arms around her waist. He began to kiss her while placing his hand up her shirt.

  “Are your parents here? I do want to make a good impression,” Grace asked, looking around the enormous room. The fire was lit and the place was decorated with old-fashioned Christmas items.

  “You’re safe for a
few more days. My parents only stay here a few times a year. They have homes all over England. The staff came early to prepare the house for us a few days ago. We even have our own cook so you get a well-deserved break from the kitchen.” Todd enjoyed spoiling Grace. “I thought you might want separate rooms since your parents and children are with us. However, I did put us right next to each other in case we want to sneak back and forth during the night. I also put your parents at the far end of the hall. I can move them closer to us if you like. It’s just that you might moan some when we make love,” Todd shared with a twinkle in his eye.

  “Not me! Fine…I may on occasion be a little vocal.” Grace folded her arms across her chest like a little child.

  “Now I see where Bella gets her temper,” Todd jabbed.

  “Temper? I’ll show you temper!” Grace grabbed a pillow and smacked Todd. He picked up another and they began a pillow fight. They raced around the room assaulting one another with pillows. Between fits of laughter, Grace thought more about what Todd had told her. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner about your background?”

  Todd pondered her question. It was something he thought about a lot over the last few months. “I was scared. I wanted you to like me for me and not my family ties. I had to be sure that you would take me regardless of what I own. I once trusted Melissa and she let me down. I feared it would happen again. I’m sorry it took me such a long time.”

  “Please don’t concern yourself with it. I am not upset. It took me a long time to let Derek go. Nobody can force us to heal. It has to be within our own time.” Grace laid her head on his shoulder. She couldn’t remember a time when she had ever been this happy.

  “I was thinking that since tomorrow is Christmas Eve, we can go cut down a Christmas tree. There are tons of ornaments in the attic. We can get everything ready for Christmas. I have a few presents for the kids and maybe one or two for their beautiful mother. We have over 12 acres of property and a pond where your father, Mattias and I can go fishing. There are plenty of poles if you and Bella want to come as well.”