Finding Gracie's Rainbow (2 page)

“
Yes, but I invited you
over for supper. Your parents are here, too.” Paige watched as Bea
went running over to Gracie.

“
How’s my Princess?”
Gracie knelt down and hugged her.

Bea looked into her
mother’s eyes before answering. “I’m fine, Momma.”

“
That’s great,” Gracie
stood as she felt her own parents studying her. “Where’s
Steven?”

“
He’s on his way.” Paige
went into the kitchen to set the table.

“
You’re nothing but skin
and bones, Gracie.” Her mother said as she looked Gracie over.
“What?”

“
Not now, Mom,” Gracie
watched as Bea stared at her. “How was school, Bea?”

“
It was great.” Bea sat
down on the floor and took some papers out of her backpack before
Gracie sat down beside her.

Gracie’s parents looked at
each other before glancing towards the door when Steven walked in.
Steven glanced at Gracie solemnly before he walked over and hugged
his mother. “How are you, Mom? I didn’t realize that we were having
company.”

“
I think that Paige called
us at the last minute.” Janet answered noticing that he hadn’t
taken his eyes from his sister.

“
That’s right,” Paige was
smiling when she came back into the room. “And it’s ready. Bea
would you like to help me set the table?”

“
Sure, Aunt
Paige.”

Steven watched as his niece
left before he focused on Gracie. “I assume that you know that Kim
came to see me.”

“
I figured that much out.”
Gracie looked up at him. “I told her not to tell. . .”

“
Mom,” Steven finished for
her when he grabbed her hand, making Gracie stand so that he could
look at her. “You told her that you could figure it out all by
yourself. Gracie, you’re not healthy enough to look after yourself.
How do you expect to take care of Bea or anything else, for that
matter?”

“
Steven!” Gracie saw Bea
standing at the door of the kitchen. “Will everybody just leave me
alone?!”

Paige walked over to Bea
and took her back into the kitchen so Steven could finish talking
to her mother.

“
I found Mark.” Steven
took out a wad of cash from his pocket. “He promises to do better.”
He handed the cash to his sister when Janet walked back from the
kitchen. “Now about your eating habits. . .”

“
I’m eating just fine.”
Gracie counted the money. “This is every bit that he owed
me.”

“
Don’t change the subject,
Gracie.” Steven went into the kitchen when he felt his anger start
to escalate. Paige saw the look on his face and frowned as she
pointed to Bea. “Hey, Princess,” he smiled when he finally noticed
her. He grabbed her, swinging her up into the air as she giggled at
him.

“
Hey, Uncle Steven,” Bea
kissed him on the cheek.

“
You’re all grown up.”
Steven placed her down on the floor. “Spitting image of your mother
when she was your age, all except for those eyes.”

“
Really?” Bea placed the
last fork down and grew serious when she glanced at him. “Did she
believe in ‘Prince Charming’ at my age?”

“
Boy did she ever.” Steven
smiled at her before Gracie walked into the kitchen with their
parents. “My friends used to tease her, but Kim was always there to
make them stop.”

Gracie smiled as she sat
down tiredly at the table. “Your friends were mean. Sit down and
say the blessing, Bea.”

Steven watched as Gracie
served Bea and then herself. Frowning he stood up and put more food
on Gracie’s plate as she protested. “For Pete’s sake, Steve, I’m
not a child.” She looked up at him angrily as Janet
frowned.

“
Why didn’t you ask for
help?” Her mother looked at her squarely, feeling guilty that she
hadn’t seen what was happening before her eyes. “And why is it that
I never noticed what was going on?”

“
This is my problem, and I
didn’t want you to notice.” Gracie looked at all of them before she
tried to stand before Steven pushed her back down into the chair.
Tears were starting to come down her face as Bea just stared. “Eat
your supper, Bea.”

“
Only if you eat.” Bea
looked almost grown up when she talked back to Gracie.

Gracie picked up her fork
and took up some potatoes while she looked back at Bea. Steven sat
down next to Paige and grinned. Gracie managed to eat a little
before she started feeling sick. She pushed away from the table and
ran to the bathroom as Paige watched her.

“
Maybe we should take her
to the hospital.” Paige put down her utensils and went to check on
her friend while Steven watched.

“
Eat, Princess.” Steven
watched as Bea was studying the bathroom door.

“
Momma’s really not
healthy. I heard you tell her that.” Bea started to tear up. “She
cries all the time, too.”

Janet looked over at her
husband who hadn’t said a word before he stood. Steven watched the
anger cloud his father’s face.

“
Pop?” Steven stood and
went to stand next to him.

“
If I’d known this was
going to happen, I would’ve never allowed. . .” Chandler McBride
stood tall as he looked at Janet. “I never liked him.”

“
Hush, Chandler.” Janet
moved her eyes to Bea.

Gracie walked out of the
bathroom with Paige beside her as she noticed her father. “Oh,
God,” she looked over at Bea, who was openly crying. “I really
can’t take anymore tonight.” She grabbed Bea’s backpack. “Come on,
Princess, we have school tomorrow.”

Chandler snatched the
backpack from her. “You’re going to take some more tonight. Bea can
watch some cartoons while we talk.” Chandler took his daughter’s
hands.

Gracie sat down while
watching Bea walk towards the back of the house to the spare
bedroom. She rested her head in her hands when Janet sat down
beside her, hugging her tightly.

“
From the beginning,”
Janet said as they all sat there looking at her very concerned.
“When did you start having problems?”

“
On and off for the past
five years but he always came through at the last minute.” She
glanced up, and her look scared everybody as she stared at nothing.
“Before Christmas he started calling and telling me that he
couldn’t make the payments, and I was alright until tax time and
the car insurance came due. Everything just started snow balling
from there.” She paused for air. “Then Bea got pneumonia and there
were doctor bills along with the hospital bills.”

“
Gracie.” Janet felt
sadness in her heart as she listened to what her daughter was
saying. “When did you stop eating?”

“
I didn’t stop completely.
I just downsized my portions, so I could make sure that Bea got
enough to eat.”

Steven looked at her as he
shook his head. “Kim said you weren’t eating lunch.”

“
No lunch money, I gave
that to Bea.” Gracie swiped at her eyes when she looked at Steven.
“It’s not her fault that Mark is what he is. She’s never even met
him.” Gracie stood. “This is my fault for believing in fairy
tales.”

Steven stood angrily and
grabbed her arms. “Just so you know it’s not your fault either.
Mark was always a jerk, but I thought you were happy with him.” He
watched his sister look down at the floor. “’Prince Charming’ is
out there somewhere. I think that it’s high time you started
looking for him, Cinderella.”

“
Cinderella?” Gracie
smiled at him. “When do I have time for that nonsense?” She wiggled
out of his grip. “You think you know everything- don’t you,
Steven?”

“
I know you need help, and
since I’m much older than you, I’m going to advise that you take
what we offer.” Steven walked over to Paige. “And we’re going to
start with your eating habits. Are you aware that you’re
anorexic?”

“
No, I’m not anorexic.”
Gracie looked at Paige, who was nodding her head. “Fine, I’ll work
on that. What other brotherly help are you going to dish
out?”

Steven just smiled at her.
“One thing at a time with your health being the first priority, you
need some meat on those bones.”

“
Fine, can I go home now?”
Gracie took Bea’s backpack from her father.

“
One more thing,” Chandler
looked down at his daughter from where he stood. “Fairy tales do
exist.”

“
Right, pop,” Gracie
hugged him. “I’ll let you know when I start believing in that
again.”

“
Always believe, Gracie.”
Janet hugged her tightly before Gracie left with Bea.

~

Kim went to the grocery
store right after she dropped Sammie off at the high school and
bought foods that she knew Gracie loved. Maybe that would help her
sister start to eat like she should. Kim also picked up a couple of
treats for Bea before heading out to Gracie’s apartment. Steven had
called her last night after Gracie had left and mentioned that he
had gotten up with Mark obtaining the money that he owed in child
support. Kim knew better than to ask her brother how he managed
that; feeling that she was better off not knowing.

She unlocked the door and
picked up the bags she had just sat down and headed into the
apartment straight to the kitchen. Placing the bags down, she
opened the cabinet doors. There wasn’t one box or can of food in
sight. Gracie’s situation had been worse than any of them had
thought. She put the groceries away and went to get another load.
Smiling after she stocked the pantry and refrigerator, Kim drove
down to the office building where Gracie worked. She knocked on the
door before she entered.

Gracie smiled at her as she
looked up from the papers lying on the desk. “Well, if it isn’t the
world’s sneakiest sister.”

“
I always find the loop
hole.” Kim sat down in front of her desk. “Your cupboards were
bare.”

“
I’m aware of that. I’m
going shopping after work.” Gracie stared at her. “You said
‘were’.”

“
They’re full again.” Kim
looked at the clock. “And now I’m going to have lunch with
you.”

“
That’s fine and thank
you.” Gracie glanced at the papers in front of her. “I guess I
should’ve said something sooner.”

“
Do ya think, Gracie?” Kim
asked sarcastically before adding. “Next time I won’t be so
nice.”

“
Consider me warned.”
Gracie stood as Kim got the full impact of what Gracie had put her
body through.

“
Amanda Grace!” Kim used
her full name, which was a sure sign that she was upset. “Okay, I’m
going to calm down.”

Gracie could see her sister
counting in her mind. “My baby had to eat, Kim.” That was all she
said before Kim followed her out of the office and down to the
cafeteria.

“
Gracie,” Kim wanted to
say something but backed off while they were in line so nobody else
could hear. After they sat down, she looked over at Gracie. “Baby
girl, if you ever pull this stunt again I’m going to come down on
you with the Wrath of God on my side.”

“
Baby girl?” Gracie picked
up a saltine. “You haven’t called me that since Sammie was
born.”

“
Um. Sammie is actually
bigger than you are now.” Kim glanced at what was on Gracie’s tray.
“And you would know this if you ever showed up when I invited you
over.”

“
No more lectures,
please.” Gracie smiled at her. “This feels good. I’m actually not
stressing over my bills.”

“
So does this mean, next
time you’ll talk to somebody?”

Gracie thought as she
looked at her sister. “I pray, Reverend Kim, that there is no next
time to talk about.” She put down her utensils. “I hate to eat and
run, but lunch is over. I’ll see you at Church tonight.”

“
I hope so. The
congregation misses you.” Kim smiled as her sister left.

~

Bea ran over to her mother
almost as soon as she walked into the door. Gracie smiled down as
she hugged her. “Princess Bea, how are you doing?”

“
I love to see you smile.”
Bea hugged her back.

“
I’ve missed smiling.
Where’s Granny?” Gracie looked over Bea’s homework while
asking.

“
She's in the kitchen.”
Bea started to twirl around as she talked. “Uncle Steven and Uncle
Jackson are here.”

“
Uncle Jackson?” Gracie
tried to remember when Steven’s friend had earned that title. “Why
do you call him ‘uncle’ again?”

Bea laughed at her. “He
asked me to.”

Gracie walked into the
kitchen to let Janet know she was there. Steven and Jackson looked
up as Gracie hugged her mother.

“
Sit down, Gracie. I was
about to feed Bea.” Janet pointed to the table.

“
And there is that tone we
all know and love. Better do what she says.” Steven was laughing at
his sister when she glared him.

“
Steven. ‘Uncle’ Jackson.”
Gracie greeted them as she sat down.

“
You're not allowed to
call me ‘Uncle’.” Jackson smiled at her sweetly as the blue eyes
speckled with green flakes laughed at her. “Only Bea can do that.”
He felt his heart give a jolt when he saw how little Gracie was and
looked at Steven with a question on his lips.