Going Solo: Grace Gen 4.18

Life was getting back to normal, or as normal as it could be. Hope was being extra vigilant in calling me weekly. We talked often anyway, but since Grams funeral and my melt down she and my parents have all started to hover in a way. Last time we talked, Hope shared exciting news, she was pregnant. She was eyeballs deep into renovating their house since Caleb didn't want to move. They apparently lived next door to his brother and he rather stay there but being the kind person he was he would have understood if Hope didn't want to live in the house where his first wife occupied, especially after she just showed up one day. Hope told him she was fine with staying, but she was on a mission to eradicate every trace of the other woman.

I laughed when she said the only original thing that would remain was the outer shell. Mom and Dad were excited about the idea of becoming grandparents which was strange, especially for Dad. Sometimes it's hard to image him as my father and now he was about to be a grandfather. They were already making plans to go visit. Dad had to stop Mom from going out to Aurora Skies the day she got the call. She was ready to move in and be there for every minute of Hope's pregnancy. I was happy for her and Caleb and couldn't wait to meet my new niece or nephew. Jonas was excited for them when I told him and he offered to keep Vor again if I was planning on making the trip out with my parents. Things were going as well as they could for everyone.

The creepy feeling I had of being watched was still with me sometimes, but not all the time so that was good. I still hadn't told my parents about it. Dad has been lobbying hard for me to make the change saying he'd worry less about me and he didn't like the idea of having to bury me some day. I understood his point, but something held me back. When Jonas and I talked, he told me I shouldn't make that important of a decision unless I was 100% sure. Since that night I showed up at his house things had felt different with us. I couldn't exactly pin point what though.

Vor and I were headed into town to meet up with him. There was an outdoor farmer's market being set up at the town festival like every year and he convinced me to set up a booth. I'd made more of the jams and jellies at his request. Some he kept for himself but the rest were going to be sold along with some of my extra produce that I'd not sold to him. As Vor and I arrived, I noticed Jonas outside talking with a police officer and some of his workers were putting boards up on the front window. When I pulled into the side parking lot, I saw workers pressure washing away what looked to be graffiti of some sort.

The police officer was finishing up as I approached. "What happened?"

"Um, best guess teenage vandals. I arrived to find the front windows smashed in and when Carol got her she spotted obscenities spray painted on the brick."

"Oh no! Vandals?"

It made no sense, Barnacle Bay was a small town and most people I saw Jonas interacting with seemed to like him. Why someone would target him and do such terrible things was beyond me.

"It's not too terrible. Mostly they made a bit of a mess that we've been cleaning up. The store will be closed today though. Good thing I'm not hurtin' for the extra business."

"I can help, what needs to be done?"

Jonas took Vor into his office to keep him from getting hurt since there were bits of glass everywhere. We didn't want any getting stuck in his paws. It took us about two hours to clean everything up with his employees helping and being the generous man he was, he promised to pay them for the hours lost.

"Well let's go set up your booth, hopefully you didn't lose out on too many sales."

I shook my head. "I really rather just sale through you. Setting up a booth means I'm going to have to talk to people. I was only doing it because you asked me too, but I prefer the indirect approach."

Jonas didn't argue the point, instead he helped me get the items I brought out of my truck and stored them in his place before we headed to just enjoy the festival. It was a fun afternoon.

Jonas even convinced me to go through the haunted house, but he ended up having to practically carry me out of there with the way I clung to him. We spent the whole day together, and it was nice.

I could relax around Jonas in a way I didn't think I'd ever be able to around anyone outside of my family. Every time he smiled at me, made me feel good. Happy.

"I've had fun, but I need to go. It's getting dark."

"Oh...I was hoping you'd stay a while longer. I'll admit I'm not ready to leave you company yet."

"I'm sorry. It's just, being out at night alone, well it makes me nervous. Really nervous."

" But you're not alone. You'll be with me so, if you can grace me with your presence a while longer, I promise to escort you all the way home."

Everything in me said to turn him down. I needed to be in the safety of my own house. I knew this, but he smiled at me and his eyes were pleading for me to stay. I was out of my comfort zone. I hated being out of my comfort zone, but normal people, adults, aren't afraid of the dark. Then it hit me, he didn't ask me why, he didn't laugh at my crazy excuse for wanting to leave or make fun of me. He just offered up an alternative solution to the problem I'd given him.

"Okay...but you won't need to drive me all the way home. My parents live closer, I'll just stay with them."

Just when I didn't think he could smile any bigger, he proved me wrong. Taking my hand he led me and Vor across the street to the beach.

"Have you every watched the sun set?" he asked. I shook my head. "It's a beautiful sight."

We took a seat and he was right. Watching the colors that filled the sky as the day turned to night was beautiful. I felt his hand wrap around mine. I turned my head expecting to see him smiling, but he had a very serious look on his face. His free hand reached out to caress my cheek.

"You are an absolutely beautiful woman, Grace."

He'd paid me compliments before, calling me pretty or saying I was sweet little, things like that. The way he looked at me this time, however, felt different. His violet eyes roamed my face and I felt it heat up from embarrassment. My eyes dropped to stare at our joined hands. The sun had set and I was still out, with him, and not afraid.

"There's something, something I've wanted to do for a while, but I wasn't, or I'm not sure how you'll react."

That moment of contentment I'd just had was quickly being replaced with anxious flutters. "Wh...what?"

He smiled and ran his thumb lightly across my bottom lip. "Kiss you."

My mouth went dry and my heartbeat sped up. I should have pulled my hand free. I should have ran away but I sat frozen. Kiss me? He's wanted to kiss me? Did he want more? Why? Why did I agree to stay?

"May I?" His voice interrupted my panicked thoughts.

"Ma...may you what?"

"Kiss you."

He was asking permission...

**Okay, don't hate me. I'm sorry, really I am, but this chapter was getting long so I had to cut it off. I promise tomorrow you will get the answer to his question.**

*Perfect Plants*
apple
lettuce
tomato
grape
basil
plasma fruit

Level 6 gardener