Restoration

by Loraine, Kim

  She lifted his hand and kissed it, hard.

  With one last look, he turned and jogged off in the direction of his house and waiting car.

  Grace came home to a still, cold house, and a French press full of acidic and over-brewed coffee. She set about cleaning up the coffee and re-brewing while she waited for the fire to catch for the fourth time that morning. When the fire was burning steadily and her coffee was ready, she poured a large cup and sat in the living room with her phone resting on the arm of her chair. An hour had passed without word from Drew and every minute that ticked by made her heart sink. She knew that more time meant bad news in most cases. Her fingers drummed against the arm of the couch impatiently.

  When she couldn’t stand it anymore, she got up, walked purposefully to her room, and put on her running clothes. Lacing up her shoes, she grabbed her phone and zipped it securely in her jacket pocket, threading the earbuds from the inside.

  She ran at a punishing pace, music blasting, her joints protesting the forceful jarring and the lack of any warm-up time. The cold bit at her ears and cheeks, but she didn’t care. She ran until she thought her chest would burst and finally, heaving for breath, she leaned over, hands on her knees. When she’d leveled her breathing, she started walking, consciously trying to lower her heart rate slowly.

  As she surveyed her surroundings, she found herself in front of the Braley Anglican church doors. Since losing John, her faith had disintegrated. Raised in a household of lapsed Irish Catholics, her knowledge of religion was spotty at best. Her father would suddenly become devout during the Easter and Christmas seasons and they would attend mass each week until he was tired of going. She tried to go at least once a month up until John’s death. After he was gone, she felt nothing but anger and resentment while she sat through mass.

  Despite her crisis of faith, her feet led her to the doors of the church and to the altar rail. She crossed herself and knelt to pray for the first time in over a year.

  Please, please give them more time. Please don’t take her from him yet.

  As she left the church, her heart felt marginally lighter. She’d done what little she could for Drew and his family. Now all she could do was wait. Her phone rang as she was walking back home.

  “Drew?”

  “She’s stable.” His voice was shaky.

  “That’s wonderful. Oh, Drew, I’m so glad.”

  “They’re talking about Hospice care. The doctor said she’s only got a few weeks. She might make it through Christmas.”

  “Do you need anything? What can I do?”

  “No . . . no. I’m coming home now.” His voice trembled, thick with tears, breaking her heart. “She’s being kept overnight and possibly for one more day while they level off her calcium. Once that’s back to normal, she’ll come home.”

  “Can I come to you?”

  “I’d like that very much.” His voice was soft, more controlled.

  “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

  “Yeah. Quite right,” he said, and the line clicked.

  The weeks that followed were rough on Drew. His mother was deteriorating before his eyes. Grace was frustrated as she could do nothing but stand by and watch. He spent most of his time with his parents, leaving the store to be tended by the assistant manager. She visited Mary when she could. Quite often, the two of them talked over tea and biscuits. With each visit, Mary’s energy dwindled, reminding her of the slow burn of an ember, gently fading until it was cold.

  “I’m heading out to see Mary. Do we need anything from Ten’s on the way home, Val?” Grace called up the stairs from the entryway.

  “No . . . Ouch . . . Oof, damn.”

  “Are you all right in there?”

  “I’m fine. Just . . . decorating my tree.”

  “Sounds like the tree’s winning.” Grace chuckled, glad for a little levity.

  “So far.”

  December was in full swing. With just a few days left until Christmas, there were festivities going on all over town. The town square was decorated with a towering evergreen, filled with lights and ornaments, awaiting a coating of powdery snow. Grace always loved this time of year, and the sight of Braley, decked out and in full holiday mode, made her smile as she walked the few blocks from her cottage to the Tensley home.

  As she approached the house, she could make out Drew’s figure, balancing precariously on a ladder and hanging Christmas lights on the gutters.

  “Bollocks,” he muttered as the lights slipped and he bent to reach them.

  Her eyes lingered on his backside, encased in well-worn faded jeans.

  “Oi! You. Stop ogling my boy,” David’s voice called from across the street.

  Grace turned to find him walking toward the house with a smile on his face and an armful of grocery bags. She rushed to help him with the bags as Drew stepped down from the ladder.

  “Hello, love.” Drew took the grocery bag from her and placed a kiss on her cheek.

  “How’s Mary today?”

  His sad smile and light shrug was all the answer she needed.

  “Decorating finally?” She gestured to the roof of the house.

  “Yeah, Mum loves the lights, even though she won’t really be out to see them. The tree is up though. Presents are under it and all. Father Christmas, be damned.”

  “I’m sure she loves knowing they’re there,” Grace said, resting her hand gently on his cheek.

  “Right, well, let’s not stand here like a couple of dolts. She’s been asking when you’d be coming round.”

  Mary was seated in a recliner, wrapped in a heavy quilt, with a hat on her head. The room was stiflingly warm and Grace began shedding layers as soon as she walked through the door. Mary smiled the moment she saw them.

  “Oh, you both are such a sight. Come here to me.” She reached out slowly, but let her hand drop with fatigue.

  “Mum?”

  “It’s Christmas, isn’t it? Can we have Christmas now? Please say we can. I’m so tired.” Her eyes fluttered and rolled back in her head.

  Drew’s eyes were wide with panic. “Mum, let me get Dad.” He turned to Grace, his face ashen. “Stay with her?”

  She nodded and gently took Mary’s hand in hers. The skin felt thin and cold, but her fingers squeezed slightly.

  “Love him, Grace.” Mary’s eyes were clear and focused. “He needs you.”

  Grace’s throat worked to push away the lump that had formed. Her eyes filled with tears and she swiped at them with her free hand.

  “I will.”

  Mary smiled and went still, eyes open, but empty. Panic rose in Grace’s chest as she listened for any sign that Mary was still alive.

  “Mary . . . Mary?” She shook her lightly. “Drew! David!”

  Both Tensley men rushed in. As if in slow motion, Grace stepped back and watched as their hearts broke. David stood next to his wife, cradling her head in his hands, silent tears rolled down his cheeks. Drew pressed his fingers to her wrist and neck trying to find any sign of life. As he realized she was truly at peace, he stopped, pulled a chair close to his mother, and laid his head in her lap.

  They sat in silence, weeping over the woman they both loved so deeply. Grace ached to go to Drew and comfort him in some way, but held back. She knew he’d need time to let her go before he could be comforted. She stood quietly and slipped into the kitchen where she did the only thing she could think of to offer support.

  She made tea.

  After weeks of making and drinking tea with Mary, she’d learned the Tensley tea ritual well and set about warming water in the kettle. The teapot was special, Mary had said. It was only made in a little shop in Scotland. They’d bought it on one of their visits with Drew. Her eyes focused on the pattern of roses and thistle intertwining. She was
just pouring the milk when she felt two large hands wrap around her arms and gently turn her.

  She stared into his eyes, red-rimmed and filled with anguish. Her hands went to cup his face and his lips trembled with the effort of hiding tears. A stray tear slipped from the corner of his eye before she was able to pull him to her.

  “Drew, I’m so sorry.” Her voice was thick with her own tears.

  His head fell to her shoulder and deep shuddering sobs ripped through his tall frame. His arms wrapped tightly around her with crushing intensity.

  Grace stayed with them until the early hours of the morning. David finally called Hospice care, who arranged for Mary’s remains to be taken. Drew walked her to the door, eyes tired and face drawn. She hugged him tightly and turned to face the prospect of Christmas Eve with a heavy heart.

  “Please call if you need me?”

  Drew nodded. “I’m glad it was you. With her, I mean. She loved being with you. Thank you.”

  She walked slowly down the cobblestone street of the town square, staring at the festive decorations and hating them for the first time in her life.

  As she turned the corner to her cottage, as if to add insult to injury, a light beautiful snow began to fall.

  Chapter 15

  The funeral was held two days after Christmas, on Grace’s birthday. She didn’t sit with the family during the service, but chose to let them grieve privately. She and Valerie stayed to the back of the church, her eyes watching Drew move through the service. His face remained stoic during his eulogy, though she could tell he was working hard to control his emotions. His voice broke only once when his eyes, searching the crowd, found her from the pulpit.

  “Why aren’t you sitting with him?” Valerie whispered as the congregation rose to sing one of Mary’s favorite hymns.

  “I’m here. He knows I’m here. He needs to be with his dad—his family.”

  “From the look on his face, I’d say he needs you.”

  Grace shook her head. “The last thing I wanted when John died was someone clinging to me.”

  “You are his person. This is completely different from John.”

  The service concluded and the family was escorted out, trailing behind the casket. Grace gathered her coat and purse in preparation to join the congregation as they filed out. She watched David, somber and weeping, walk mournfully behind his wife’s casket, while Drew followed in his wake.

  Tears welled in her eyes at the sight of the broken men. Memories of John’s funeral swam in her head. The remaining family, Mary’s sister and brother-in-law, came last, looking sad, yet peaceful, as if they understood Mary’s suffering was finally over. Grace’s eyes found Drew’s as he came down the aisle. His expression shattered all of her walls.

  He does need me.

  She walked purposefully from the row of pews she was standing in, took his hand, and joined his family.

  “Thank you.” He leaned his head against hers and kissed her temple softly.

  Ten’s closed for the week of Mary’s death and reopened on the second day of January. A month had passed since, and the town was back to normal.

  “How can they all be so happy?” Valerie asked as they navigated the icy sidewalk leading to the cottage.

  “Life goes on, people would rather forget than be sad.”

  “How’s David doing?”

  “He’s coping. It’s tough. I used to think it would be easier if you could see it coming. I was wrong. It’s just as hard.”

  Both Drew and David were still raw, but healing slowly. Grace, all-too-familiar with grief, tried to be what they each needed. She brought meals to David twice a week and even sat to eat with him every once in a while.

  “How is Drew?” Valerie, observant as ever, clearly knew Drew was more of a challenge.

  “I don’t know how to get through to him.” Grace shook the light snow from her hair as they entered their little house. “He’s so distant. It seems like for every step David makes forward in the healing process, Drew falls further back. He’s angry, but won’t talk about it.”

  “Maybe you need to make him talk. Everyone grieves differently. You can’t expect him to deal the same way you did.”

  Grace opened her laptop and sat at the table, mulling over Valerie’s words.

  “Mmm. Maybe.”

  Grace glanced at the clock as she put the finishing touches on yet another reworked blueprint for the construction crew. It was just after five o’clock, the crew would be packing up to head home for the evening. There was no point in her trudging to the site to give Mick the changes tonight. She would have to do it first thing in the morning.

  “Changes done?” Valerie asked with a glance at the rolled-up blueprint Grace was sliding into a protective tube.

  “Yes, and I think it’ll be the last of them, actually.”

  “Do you need me to take them over to the crew?”

  “Nope, I’ll do it in the morning. I’m going that way anyway.”

  Valerie cocked her eyebrow. “No, you’re not. I have to see Mick sometime. Things didn’t work out between us. That doesn’t mean I stop doing my job.”

  “If you’re sure. I really don’t have a reason to go that way at all, but I don’t mind taking them.”

  “I’ll make sure they’re there by eight.” Valerie took the tube. “Now, on to other business. Your birthday.”

  “That was a month ago.”

  “Yep, and we went to a funeral. It’s time to celebrate. I’m taking you out for a night in London. We’re going dancing, Grace McConnell. See if Drew wants to come, but either way, this Friday after work we’re heading out.” She turned on her heel and clomped up the stairs to her room. “Wear something hot!” she called down before her door shut.

  Grace’s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water for a moment. She actually liked the idea of getting out and playing a little. She loved dancing, even if she was awful at it.

  She pulled her phone out of her pocket and dialed Drew’s number, but got no answer. He was probably still at the store. She pulled on her sweater and heavy coat to keep out the frigid January wind.

  Ten’s was quiet, with the exception of a handful of after-work shoppers picking up a few things for their dinner. Henry, the sole cashier, looked bored, ready to close up. Grace smiled to herself as she thought of the remaining three hours he had left until closing time.

  When he saw her, he waved and smiled. “Hi ya, Grace. Drew’s upstairs.”

  “Thanks, Henry. Is it all right if I go on up?”

  “Should be fine.”

  She walked up the flight of stairs to the business office and rapped on the door.

  “What?” Drew shouted from inside the office.

  She opened the door and stepped inside. “Drew? Is this a bad time?”

  He peered up at her over his computer. He was wearing his black-rimmed glasses and his hair stuck out wildly. His face softened when he saw her. “Did I forget we had plans?”

  “No. I was actually hoping to make some.”

  “Really? What do you have in mind?”

  “Well, Valerie wants to take me to London on Friday night to go dancing for my birthday.”

  Drew’s brow furrowed. “Your birthday? Oh, Christ, Grace! I’m such a tosser. Of course we should celebrate. I’m not much of a dancer, though.”

  “That’s fine, you can watch,” she said, with a wicked gleam in her eyes.

  He closed the distance between them, pulling her into his embrace. “I’m sorry I forgot.”

  “Are you kidding? It was your mother’s funeral. I really didn’t think you needed to worry about me.”

  He quickly pulled away from her. “Wait right here.” He strode quickly to his desk and pulled open the bottom drawer. He produc
ed a simply wrapped present and handed it to her with a sheepish grin. “I didn’t completely forget.”

  As she opened the small package, excitement bubbled inside her. The box was small with a tartan lid. She lifted the top and saw a beautiful pendant of sterling silver designed in the style of the Scottish thistle emblem. She ran her fingers lightly over it and pulled the chain and pendant out of the box. She slipped the necklace over her head and smiled up at him.

  “It’s the thistle, the flower of Scotland. I thought it could be a reminder of our trip.”

  “I love it . . . so much, Drew.”

  She pulled him down for a kiss, their lips brushing softly at first. A spark ignited as they touched and it grew before they could contain it. They hadn’t been together since Mary’s death and the tension built quickly between them. She moaned against his mouth and pressed forward, but his glasses bumped her nose.

  “Oh, bloody hell!” he exclaimed, pulling back and ripping his glasses off his face.

  His hands went around her waist and he pushed her to his desk. She obliged by hopping up to sit on top of it, twining her fingers in his hair.

  “I’m not used to the glasses. You don’t wear them much.”

  “I’ve not gotten my new lenses ordered. Things have been busy.”

  She reached around and pulled him down for another kiss. His hands ran up her sweater and under the cups of her bra. The phone on the desk rang, interrupting the passion that was just beginning to build into something more.

  Drew gave her an apologetic look and reached to answer. When he laid the phone back down, a disappointed frown colored his features. “There’s a problem with a delivery I need to tend to. Can we pick this up again soon?”