Chandler looked up and smiled as he looked at Jackson. “Watch out, Jackson. That tone of voice means you need to back off and let her be.” He looked back down at his cards as Jackson just stared at him.
He turned his attention to Janet after Gracie had marched down the hall to her bedroom. “What is she looking for?”
“The fantasy, the hope, the fairy tales, all the things she needs to find in order to finish Bea’s story.” Janet smiled as she looked at him. “One day she's going to realize that all that is in one package and is usually standing beside her.”
Jackson stared at her before he walked to the kitchen to start the first pot of coffee for Gracie while she worked through the night. “I won’t tell her.”
“Why not?” Paige asked him as they watched him. “If she's the only one that doesn’t realize it, somebody has to tell her. Why shouldn’t it be you?”
“Because I’ve already tried and failed.” Jackson turned to her as she took in what he had said. “The day that Steven and I got into the fight. I told her how I felt again, and it met with a brick wall and tears.” Jackson noticed that he had Steven’s attention as well as everybody else’s in the room. “I'm not putting myself through that again.”
“So you want to be miserable, my friend?” Steven looked at him in bewilderment. “Neither one of you have your heads screwed on too tight.”
“I didn’t think you wanted us to get involved.” Jackson had walked over to the table. “Why are you so interested in what is going on with us now?”
“Because you believe in the same things that she used to.” Steven stood as Chandler had finally beaten him at cards. “Maybe you should write the ending for her.” He looked at Paige and smiled as he turned back to Jackson. “Maybe you are the ending.”
“You sound cheesy.” Jackson sat down on the couch and turned on the television. “I don’t think I'm the ending to her story.”
“You'll never know, you big chicken.” Kim had been listening to the whole conversation. “How many nights have you driven from here to my house so torn up you couldn’t stand it? I never understood why you keep coming back to her house to put yourself through more.”
“We’re friends.” Jackson was looking at her then. “And everything that I’ve said to you was in the confidentiality of a reverend.”
“And I have kept your confidence.” Kim looked hard at him as Sammie walked into the room. “But you have to understand that she is my sister.”
“I've never forgotten that.” Jackson tried to block them from his mind as he looked at the clock. “Sammie, tell Bea it’s time to come in and take her shower.”
Steven looked over at him after Sammie had left. “You are Cinderella’s fella. When are you going to make her believe that?”
“When it's time for her to believe that.” Jackson stood as he saw Bea running towards the house from the window. “Now let’s change the subject.”
Gracie had been standing behind the wall between the kitchen and the hall; listening to the conversation her family was having with Jackson. She walked silently back down to her bedroom as she heard Jackson ask that they change the subject. Gracie knew how Jackson felt, but it was her own feelings that she was fighting because she knew or thought that one of them would end up being hurt as she thought about her marriage. ‘If you want the rainbow, you have to put up with the rain’. Did that mean more than hope? Gracie was mulling that saying she had heard from mother over in her head as she took the manuscript out of its box and started to read as she heard Bea start to take her shower.
She glanced up when Jackson brought her the first cup of coffee. “Well, have you made up your mind?” He asked as he placed the mug on her desk.
“You can stay.” She mumbled as she looked back down at the papers in front of her not wanting him to see the expression in her eyes.
“I’ll be in the living room if you need anything.” He looked down at the code she was writing on a pad next to her. “Your family is ready to go, but I thought you might want to say good night to them.”
“I’ll be there in one minute. I just need to finish this paragraph.” Gracie still didn't look up as he left.
Annie waited for Jackson to walk into the living room and asked him one question in front of Gracie’s family. “Why don’t you just tell her that she told you that she loved you?”
“Because she was a little drunk when she said it.” Jackson glared at her as Gracie had walked into the room and heard her. He looked over at Gracie and saw the look on her face. “I told you she had a big mouth.”
“It sounds like I had a big mouth.” Gracie saw the looks her family had shot her. “Before anybody asks, I don’t remember saying that and like Jackson said I was drunk. I just came in to tell everybody good night because Jackson said you were about to leave.” Gracie turned away from them. “Have Bea come to me when she’s through with her shower.”
She picked up the coffee that Jackson had brought to her and took a sip as she started pouring through the rest of the chapter as thoughts about the conversation kept popping into her head. She needed to push it to the back of her mind if she wanted to accomplish anything, and she was about there as Bea came into her room.
Gracie smiled when Bea brought her the hairbrush, and they sat down on Gracie’s bed while she brushed her daughter’s hair. “Did you enjoy your party?”
“It was the best.” Bea answered happily as she sat there. “I got a new movie that we can watch after church tomorrow.”
“That sounds like a plan,” Gracie could hear the happiness dripping from her voice. “Annie is going with you tomorrow. I have to work tonight, but you can wake me when you get back.”
“Work at night?” Bea turned to her as they stood to walk to Bea’s bedroom.
“Yes, there's something I have to finish.” Gracie pulled the covers down as Bea slid into her bed. She listened to her say her prayers and then kissed her on the cheek before she left the room. Jackson looked up from the couch as he watched Gracie walk to her own bedroom again.
Gracie never left her room again as she concentrated on the task before her. She knew that Jackson had walked in a couple of times during the night to refill her coffee cup as she continued to work. She had forgotten how easy it was to zone out as she wrote, letting herself into the fantasy world that she had developed a long time ago. After she finished reading, she wrote two different endings in which she would make the decision as to which one she would send in to Mr. Foster. Gracie found herself stifling yawns as she printed them out and glanced at the clock noticing that it was already five-thirty in the morning. She stood to stretch and take a break from sitting in the chair.
Gracie caught herself looking longingly at her bed as the noise from the printer was not helping her to stay awake. She started pacing as she watched one page after another come out of the printer and started pondering how the printer actually worked. Shaking her head, she realized the printer was through with the first rough draft, and she then sent the other version to the printer as she started to read. She took out her red pen and started proofing it as Jackson walked back into the room.
“How’s it going?” He asked as he watched her making corrections.
“It’s going.” Gracie mumbled as she continued to fight the sleep that was threatening to take her over. “I'm printing off the last of it now.”
“Want a refill?” He noticed that her mug was empty as he watched her work.
“No, I’m good.” Gracie said as she finished the copy she held in her hand. She laid that one down and picked up the one that had finally finished printing. She caught herself smiling as she read that one, and it made her choice fairly easy. “All done,” she put a rubber band around that one and laid it on her desk as looked at the bed. “Time to sleep. Good night, Jackson.”
“Good morning, Gracie.” He walked out of her room and headed to the couch where he had no problem heading off to sleep.
Chapter 12
Gracie look
ed over as Addison finished faxing the final chapters that Gracie had handed to her first thing Monday morning. She was done with it and wanted nothing else to do with the book. Picking up the phone next to her computer, she returned the calls from Saturday; watching while Addison started to read the papers she held. In between phone calls, Gracie scolded her friend. “Never read the ending before the beginning, Addie.” Gracie went back to her calls after she walked over to take the papers while giving Addison a stern look. She pointed to the box giving her permission to start at the beginning as she mouthed that she was to read it on her own time.
Addison walked out of the office, smiling as she carried the box away. She sat down at the desk and answered the phone. Glancing towards the office, she buzzed Gracie on the intercom to let her know that it was Bea’s school calling.
“Hello?” Gracie answered after she had picked up the phone.
“Gracie, I hate to be the one making this phone call, but we have a bit of a problem here.”
“Who is this? Terry?” Gracie tried to remain calm as she asked. “Is Bea alright?” She didn't like the hesitation in the principal’s words.
“Your ex-husband came and took Bea.” Terry had already called the cops. “We had no paperwork here saying that he wasn’t allowed to take her.”
“But you know what the deal is.” Gracie stood as the panic started to take her over. “Where did he take her?”
“I don’t know.” Terry answered her honestly. “I called the police but without the paperwork. . .”
“There was nothing you could do. Thanks, Terry.” She hung up and immediately called Jackson without thinking. By the time he came to the phone, she was already crying, and he could only make out bits and pieces of her conversation.
He told her to stay where she was and to stay on the line. Jackson talked to his partners and came back onto the line to tell her that he was on the way to her office.
Addison had been watching her through the window and immediately walked into the office sensing that something was amiss. Watching as Gracie paced the floor with tears streaming down her face, Addison sat down at the desk.
“He took her!” Gracie stated gulping for air. “He took my baby.”
“Who?” Addison didn't know what to do for her.
“Mark.” Gracie watched the doors for Jackson as she tried to calm down. “Why did he take her?” She continued to pace as she remembered the way Mark had beaten her before Bea was born.
All Addison could do was watch and listen to her. She stood up walking towards the doors of the office. “I'm going to cancel all of your appointments for today. Did you call somebody?”
“I called Jackson.” Gracie looked at Addison through her tears. “My family needs to know.”
“I’ll call Kim, so she can let everybody else know. Is there anything I can do for you?” Addison watched as Gracie started to turn white as a ghost.
“Find out why he wasn’t in jail.” Gracie said wondering how long it would be before she heard from her ex-husband.
“I’ll find out what I can.” Addison walked out of the office as Jackson marched in, going directly to Gracie.
He took her in his arms as she cried. He tried very hard to try to calm her down as they stood there.
“What do I do now?” Gracie tried very hard to stop crying as she thought about her daughter. “What if he beats her?”
“Don’t think about that, Gracie.” Jackson had thought the same thing as he drove from across town. “I called a detective friend of mine, and he's working on this right now.” He rubbed her back as he saw the panic in her eyes. “Steven went over to the school to find out everything he could from Terry and Bea’s teacher.”
Gracie’s cell phone rang as he talked, and she took it out of her pocket staring at it as she tried to compose herself. “Where are you?” She had steeled her voice when she heard Mark’s voice. Jackson watched as Gracie sat down behind her desk and started writing. “I don’t have that kind of money lying around, Mark.” She flipped the phone shut and looked up at Jackson while opening her desk drawer. Taking the check that Mr. Foster had given to her for her manuscript, she turned it over and endorsed it.
Jackson watched as Gracie stared at it. “Gracie. . . Don't. We'll find her.”
“Before or after he lays a hand on her?” Gracie picked up her purse, dropping the check into it. “I have to protect her, and this is what he wants.”
“Did he give you a meeting place?” Jackson stopped her before she made it to the door.
Looking at him, Gracie handed over the sheet of paper where she had written the information. He started dialing his own phone as he read it. He gave the detective the information that Gracie had given him and then turned back to her after he hung up. “Sit down.”
He shut the door and spoke out of concern. “There is no such place. I have a feeling that he was going to meet you at the bank.” Jackson knelt down in front of her. “He was setting you up. Hand me the check.” He took the check from her and folded it as he stood. After placing it in his wallet for safekeeping, he looked down at her. “The police can do something now because you just received a ransom call.”
“Kidnapping.” She started to feel the tears start again as Jackson motioned for Addison to come back into the office.
He explained to Addison of what had just happened and told her where he was taking Gracie. Addison hugged Gracie tightly before she left as she cried inside for her.
After Gracie had left with Jackson, Addison called a quick staff meeting to inform her coworkers what had just happened in the office as she had Mr. Foster on the speakerphone. Mr. Foster was flying down to handle the office while Gracie tried to deal with the blow that had presented itself. Salem Foster was a rare breed and treated his staff like his family.
~
Steven drove over to his mother’s house in a fog as he remembered everything that Terry had told him. Jackson had called while he was in Terry’s office and Steven had put the phone on speaker so they could all hear what was being said.
He knew that Gracie was torn up about what happened, and he was extremely grateful that Jackson had thought to take her to Janet’s house.
Gracie looked up when Steven walked in and went directly to her. He hugged her in support. They didn't say one word as Gracie held her phone tightly in her hand. She glanced at him, and he saw a look of defeat in her eyes as he pulled her closer to him.
“What did you find out from Terry?” Gracie finally broke the silence as she asked in a voice cracked with emotion.
“They were on the playground when Mark took her. Mark told Mrs. Dalton that he was Bea’s father, and that he had already signed her out, but he didn’t.” Steven glanced away from her eyes as he continued. “Mrs. Dalton said that Bea acted like something was wrong, and she radioed up to the office to find out what was going on. By the time she had found out that Bea hadn’t been signed out, Mark was already gone.”
Gracie looked at the phone in her hand willing it to ring. “Bea was scared.” She squirmed away from her brother and stood while Janet watched her helplessly. “I should've just let them have the book.”
Kim walked in the front door with Robert and Sammie as Gracie talked. “We’re praying for all three of you.”
“The three of us?” Gracie looked at Kim strangely through her wet eyes.
“Jackson is outside crying.” Kim informed her sister. “We just talked to him.” She watched as Gracie headed to the front door. “Where are you going?”
“To see Jackson.” Gracie was still clutching her phone as she walked out the door. She watched him unsure of herself as he had his hands over his face. “Jackson.” She walked over to him.
He looked over at her not trying to disguise his emotions. “How are you holding up, Gracie?” Jackson was surprised when he felt her arms go around him.
“I’m fine, well considering everything, oh, never mind me. You're attached to her, too, and I forgot about that.” Gracie’s
eyes were haunted by the grief she was feeling as she talked before she noticed the police cars in front of the house.
“I would've been disappointed if you had put my feelings first.” Jackson admitted as he wiped his eyes. “I feel so helpless.”
“But. . .” Gracie stopped as her phone rang, and she flipped it open quickly to answer it. She listened as Mark ranted because she hadn't shown up with his money. “Let me talk to Bea.” She was growing mad as he first refused her as she looked at her watch. “Let me talk to her, Mark.” She was listening for any type of background noise as she waited for Bea to come to the line. “Hey, Princess,” she was trying not to cry as she heard her daughter’s voice. “I love you.” Mark took the phone back and hung up after giving Gracie more instructions. Gracie had put the phone on speaker so Jackson could hear everything that was being said. “I want to go home.” Gracie tried to hold her tears at bay as she longed to see or hold anything that belonged to Bea.
Jackson nodded his head as he figured out what Gracie wanted to do. They walked into the house, and Jackson told them that Mark had called again. “I’m taking Gracie home.”
“But. . .” Kim looked like she was in shock.
“She won’t be alone, Kim.” Jackson spoke before Kim could dispute their decision any further. “She needs to be around Bea’s stuff.”
“Stay with her, Jackson,” Steven looked at him seriously before glancing over at his sister. “If you hear anything at all, you let us know. We love you, Sis.”
Gracie nodded as she hugged her own mother before following Jackson out the door. They walked into Gracie’s house well after dark so Annie and Garrison were already asleep.
Jackson looked over at Gracie. “You should really go lay down.”
She walked to Bea’s room and sat down on her daughter’s bed, picking up the worn teddy bear. Jackson stood in the doorway and watched.
“He's evil when he doesn’t get his way, Jackson.” Gracie mumbled as she looked at Bea’s brush. She loved brushing out Bea’s hair before she went to bed.
Finding Gracie's Rainbow Page 18