Fall from Grace Bonus Scene

Some time in the future—Grace

“Anne, you’ve done a fabulous job with this installation. I’m so impressed with the usage of negative space,” my mother gushed as she walked to the exit of the gallery.

“Thank you, Jacqueline. I appreciate you stopping in. Noelle’s very excited about you picking her up from school in the limo. I think she told the whole town.” Anne laughed, moving a canvas to the right to straighten it.

“We’ll see you at the bar, right?” my mother asked, and Anne nodded before we said our goodbyes.

As we walked toward my car and my mother’s limo, a nasally voice stopped us in our tracks. “Grace? I didn’t believe the tabloids when they said you were still with the same guy and helping the homeless. Oh, what’s this I hear about you being a stepmom?” she shrieked, laughing to a woman next to her I didn’t recognize.

I spun to see none other than Savannah Foster, one of my former “friends” in high society. She had stopped by the gallery and rattled me about Julia’s death when Caleb’s and my relationship was still fresh.

Before I could speak, my mother’s eyes narrowed and she warned, “Savannah.”

Now my mother wasn’t perfect, not by any means, but the leaps and bounds of changes she’d made since our reconciliation were incredible for her.

“What, Mrs. Harrington?” Savannah asked innocently, but she was anything but.

“Watch what you say to my kid. I’m sick of people like you thinking you know my family. Grace is an incredible person and she’s an even better stepmom. I can’t wait until…” She trailed off when I squeezed her arm, not wanting her to announce my secret before I could tell Caleb. I did only just find out yesterday, and by accident, I blurted the news to my mom over brunch this morning.

“Let’s go, Mom,” I announced, feeling nothing toward my former friend. “Enjoy your stay in Grand Haven.”

“I’ll see you at the bar with Noelle later tonight,” my mom assured, climbing into her limo. After saying our goodbyes, my phone started ring.

I smiled when I saw it was Caleb. “Hey, hubby.” We got married six months ago in The Grand’s backyard and I was still reeling.

“Hi, babe. I’m on my way home,” Caleb informed me. “The meeting with the new distributor was a bust. Is your mom still going to pick up Noelle from school?”

When my mom first suggested picking up Noelle from school in the limo, Caleb said no. He was not her biggest fan after everything that went down with her, but thankfully, he trusted my judgment and caved when I said this would be good for family bonding. 

My mom and I were closer now than ever, even though I lived two hours away. I liked to think in the coming months, we would become even closer.

“I should be home soon. I have a surprise for you,” I admitted nervously.

“Sounds good, Grace,” Caleb placated, but after a moment, he asked, “You’re not cooking anything, right?”

I giggled, domestic goddess I was not. Cleaning I had down pat, but cooking was still a work in progress. One where our local fire department was called frequently because of my “experiments,” as Caleb called them.

“Hurry home,” I muttered, as I whispered goodbye, parking my car in the driveway.

I was still shocked that I was a licensed driver with a car and a house. Caleb insisted my name went on the deed as soon as we were engaged. I had a family and a community who accepted me. And I had one of the greatest gifts on the way. I just had to tell my husband about it now.

I made my way inside, lighting a few candles for ambience. Then I sat at the kitchen counter and waited. My stomach was turning for a multitude of reasons.

The door hinges squeaked. “Grace?” Caleb called as he made his way into the house.

“In the kitchen.”

He sauntered over to the barstool where I sat, turning it so I was facing him. His lips locked with mine, nipping and kneading. This happened anytime we had a moment alone without Noelle.

His mouth moved from my lips down to my neck and I let out a moan before remembering my mission here. I pressed my hands to his chest, pushing him back gently. He looked at me questioningly, knowing I was just as hungry for him as he was for me.

“The surprise,” I reminded him, gulping nervously and looking away from his intense stare to study the marble countertops.

Caleb waved his hand and gave me room as though I needed to go and get the surprise. Joke was on him. 

I grabbed his hand, squeezing it once before placing it on my still flat stomach. “Meet Jules.”

He gasped, his eyes watering and filling with raw emotion before he locked his lips with mine once more. It didn’t take long before we christened the kitchen counter. Celebrating our baby-to-be.

***

“What took you guys so long?” Noelle grumbled, crossing her arms. Noelle and my mother were sitting at a table with a variety of snacks and gift bags my mother bought her. She said she wanted to spoil Noelle, but I told her that her presence was enough. 

Before we had to answer Noelle’s question and confess the news about her new sibling, which she had been pestering us about since we got back together, Dirty Al came over to the table and shoved past me and Caleb to grab my mother’s hand. “I never got to introduce myself last time you were in town, but I’m Alexander.” My eyes widened, ridiculously wide, as Dirty Al kissed my mother’s hand.

My mother, Jacqueline, better known as the Ice Queen, blushed. She fucking blushed like a schoolgirl with a crush.

“I have a thing for Alexanders,” she confessed, standing up and following Dirty Al’s lead toward the barstools.

Caleb and I exchanged a stunned look before Noelle started barking questions on our whereabouts once more.

“What’s going on?”

My eyes widened in panic. This wasn’t how I wanted my stepdaughter to find out I was pregnant.

I envisioned getting one of those cliché onesies with “promoted to big sister” written on it. “I’m pregnant,” I blurted nervously.

Caleb laughed and shook his head, as he often did with Noelle’s and my antics.

“Oh my God, are you kidding?” Noelle asked, practically jumping up and down with excitement.

“Not kidding.” I gulped and looked to Caleb once more, who was zeroed in on Noelle.

“This is the best news ever!” Noelle threw her arms around Caleb and me so feverishly, I stumbled backwards.

“Oh no, I didn’t hurt the baby, did I?” Noelle bit her lip. “I’m going to suck at the big sister thing.”

I held my hand up to stop her. “I’m fine. Baby is fine,” I reassured her, rubbing my hands up and down her shoulders. “You’re going to be the best big sister ever.”

“I’ll give him or her Mr. Snuffles,” Noelle started to plan. “Oh, no matter if it’s a boy or girl, we are getting them a charm bracelet.” 

Caleb kissed the top of my head and then side-hugged our daughter.

“Hey, lovebirds, a toast for the new baby!” Jena proposed as Keith’s arms wrapped around her from behind.

It would never get old seeing the mayor of our town in plain clothes, having a drink in the bar. Also, our baby news was never gonna be a secret in this town. I would be lucky if it lasted the day the way everybody talked.

“I’ll do it. These kids don’t know shit!” Fiona took the microphone from Max behind the bar, giving him the stink eye. 

“Oh no, you don’t. You old bat, give me the damn thing,” Ms. Kenzie admonished. She attempted to reach for the microphone. 

Finally, Anne came up behind them and grabbed the microphone, smiling knowingly at me.

“Cut it out, girls. I’m gonna be a grandma again. For goodness’ sake,” Anne scolded her two friends, patting the microphone so the now crowded bar got the drift to be quiet.

She then handed it to me, and my eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Anne shook her head and walked farther away after I took it from her.

I glanced around the room at friends and family, both new and old. I tried to hide my shudder from seeing my mother in the corner kissing Dirty Al. 

“Mom!” I scolded, and she broke away from him. Her smile was sheepish, and I couldn’t help but laugh at her smudged lipstick.

Life was full of surprises. We had no guarantees for anything but change. 

My life since arriving in Grand Haven had shown me every part of myself, the good, the bad, and the really ugly.

I’d learned to love all versions of myself. To stop hiding and surviving, and start really living. All these vibrant people helped bring me back to life after a period of darkness. Julia’s passing was horrific, and I missed her every day, but I knew she was here with me. She would be proud of me for embracing the unrefined things in life. The mess. The chaos. The falls.

“Thank you. I love you. Every single one of you. A toast to living ‘grand.’ And to having people who will catch you when you fall.” 

Thank you so much for reading Fall from Grace! If you haven’t read my other stories, you can find them here.