Saving Grace (7 page)

“…And didn’t pass them on.  Just gave you a new phone, and left you wondering why you sister gave up on you?”  Mercy finished for her – and then whispered to Philip, with her hand over the phone.  “Philip – Google Anne LaSal and see what pops up.”

“Yeah,” she groaned.  “My poor sis.  This whole time I’ve been listening to Lilah’s input on how my sister was just like my mom – running away and not looking back.  And here she was trying to reach out and getting nothing in return.”

“Honey, I hate to ask this.  But - if she didn’t hear from you … why didn’t she just come to visit?”  Mercy treaded lightly. 

“I don’t blame her for that.  As of right now, I’m never going back.  I finally understand my sister.  I always defended Lilah.”

Mercy recognized that Grace used her first name forgoing the term grandmother.

“Mercy, I’m done.”  Grace drew from her initial anger and stood up.

After a few drinks, Zach’s anger turned to rage.   He stood in his doorway staring daggers at her closed door, thinking of ways to repay her. He’d had just enough alcohol that it overrode any common sense in the matter.

He heard her crying through her door and smiled.  Good, he liked her better that way.  He took a swig of the last of his scotch and set down the glass with a hard thud.  He turned to stare across the suite and narrowed his eyes at her doorknob.

Grace was just about to hang up, when she heard him banging on her door and trying to force open her door.

“Open up!  We need to talk.”  He pounded harder.

“Grace!” Mercy hollered into the phone. “Is that Zach?”

“Yes,” Grace whispered and shied away from the door.   “But don’t worry.  I have my own room and the door’s locked.” 

“Honey, that doesn’t sound good.”   Mercy’s heart beat picked back up.  She was truly scared for her friend.  “Can you get out of there?”

Although Grace was just as scared, she reassured her friend.  There was no point in alerting her friend of the monster she thought Zach really was.  What could Mercy do from there?

“I’m okay.  It’s okay.  He’ll calm down and I’m locked in safe and sound.  He won’t hurt me.  I promise.”  Grace said as light-hearted as she could.

Mercy let out a deep breath and said, “Okay.  Please call me though when things have calmed down and let me know you’re okay.”

“Promise … but I have to go for now.”  Grace ended the call as Zach started banging on her door again.

“Grace!  I’m not kidding … open up!”  He yelled in a tone she’d never heard.  It made her skin crawl.

              “Go away!  I’m not opening the door.”  She quickly grabbed for her bag and started tossing her clothes inside.

              “You’re not going to do this me, you bitch!”  He yelled, hitting the door one more time.

              “I’m going to call security if you don’t stop!”  She flinched at the scandal it would stir. Her Aundine instincts kicked in again.

Silence greeted her in return.  She hoped he’d gone to sleep it off in his room.  They were set to leave that evening, and she was thankful she wouldn’t have to spend any more time with him than necessary.

Her gut still told her to run, so she kept packing with the intent of calling for a cab. 

Zach was tired of being locked out of his girlfriend’s room.  He deserved access.  He’d spent enough time and energy on her, that locking him out was an insult.

He took a few deep breaths and walked up to front desk with the most charming smile he could muster.

“Excuse me.  I’m in the suite on the 25
th
floor.  And my girlfriend’s dead-bolted her door and locked us out from outside her room.  The one that has access from the hall?”  Zach looked sweetly into the woman’s eyes, behind the desk.

“Yes, sir.  May I see some ID?” 

“Absolutely.”  Zach handed over his driver’s license and waited. 

She checked her registry and verified Zach’s name on the suite along with his guest.  “And your guest’s name?”  She double-checked.

“Grace.”

“Okay.  Here you go sir.  Have a nice day.”  She handed him an additional key card to Grace’s room.

“Oh I will … thanks a lot.”  Zach turned back to the elevator.  His casual smile turned into a look of sheer determination.  His mission was clear as he entered the elevator.

Zach walked down the hall with purpose to Grace’s door, and slip the key card in place.

Grace’s heart dropped at the sound, knowing Zach was probably gaining access to her room.  She dropped the rest of the clothes and took a step toward the door, hoping to slide the security lock in place, but it was futile. 

He threw open the door, before she could even get near it and what he saw sent his system was in overdrive.

“What are you doing?”  His sneered, taking another slow premeditated step forward.  His eyes dropped to her luggage, and he lunged toward her as she leapt backwards just out of his reach.

“You think you can leave me?” He reached for her overnight bag, and tossed her belongings across the room.  Like a madman, he swept his arm across the bed sending her suitcase to the floor.

Grace yelped and leapt across her bed hoping to make it out the door, but Zach had her pinned within seconds of reaching it.  She pushed him away as hard as she could to get some distance, but it didn’t do any good.  Zach threw her back on to the bed like she was a rag doll.

“Why are you acting this way?  You’re the one who betrayed me!”  She scooted off the bed and scurried once more toward the door. Grace could see the hatred in his eyes, and knew she was in trouble. 

Zach sprinted to the door to slam it shut, trapping her in place. He shoved her backwards, placing his arms firmly on either side of her head. 

As she shrunk away from him, she could smell the alcohol on his breath.

“You’ve been drinking.” Her voice shook, as she whispered.  “That’s why you’re acting this way.  Just calm down.” 

She tried to reason with him.  She had always thought he was easy-going … harmless, but now she had no idea what he was capable of.

Zach saw the fear in her eyes and grinned.  This is where he wanted her.

Grace desperately looked around her, in efforts to find something she could use as a weapon.  Nothing was in arms reach.

Zach watched her eyes frantically bounce around the room, and leaned down to force a hard kiss on her unwilling lips.  She struggled to turn her face, which lodged his face into ear. 

He grabbed her by the hair and forced her to face him, and leaned down again to kiss her.

With no other viable options, Grace did the only thing left she could think of.  She brought up her knee and hit as hard as she could.

As Zach doubled over in pain, his hands slid down her body to grab her arms, keeping her in place. He leaned into her, taking few deep breaths and grunted in pain. 

“You little …” His voice trailed. Zach blinked in pain, and stood as much as his body would let him.

When he came back up, she looked into his murderous glare.  It was then that she truly feared for her life.  Grace winced, bracing for the worst.

              “You think you’re better than me?”  He shook her in a rage.  “You think you can desert me?  Like your mom deserted my dad?  You’re nothing.”

              Zach let go of one of her arms to raise a free hand.  Grace saw it coming but could do nothing to prevent the punch as he hit her across the cheekbone.

She tumbled and landed on the floor, holding her face.  Grace saw stars and cried harder than she knew she could.  This was the worst pain she’d ever imagined. 

She felt herself being lifted back up and braced for round two.

So this is how it ends,
she thought.

Zach was about to hit her again, but fell short. He saw the strawberry that was already starting to form across her face, and his gut kicked in.  How would he explain this to her family?

Grace saw him lift his arm, and then drop to his knees.  Instead of hitting her, he reached out to touch her face, where he hit her.  Grace recoiled as far as she could.  This time Zach didn’t close the gap. 

              “Stay away from me,” she breathed, panting between the waves of pain.

              She watched the myriad of emotions rip across his face.  It went from anger to misery.

“Grace,” he whispered.  “I’m sorry.  I’m sorry.  I don’t know what came over me.  Grace – I’m sorry.  This never was about our parents…it’s always been about us.  I need you.”

              Grace’s survival instinct kicked in. 
Tell him what he wants to hear and get him out of here.
 

“Okay.  I believe you.”  She lied and tried to smile through the pain.  Her head felt like it was going to split in two.  “Can you give me some time to rest?  And then we’ll go to the airport tonight?”

Grace gave him the most adoring eyes she could, even as one was threatening to swell up. 

Zach nodded, as if in a fog, and squinted his eyes.

Grace had the weirdest sensation come over her. It was almost as if he was a different person from that of ten minutes ago.  She didn’t understand any of it.

“Can I get you something?  Anything?”  He begged and tried to slide closer to her.  He reached for her head and stroked her hair. 

Grace was repulsed but put a smile on, anyway.  This is where her Aundine training came in handy and for a split second she was thankful to Lilah for the years of training to put on a happy face, regardless of the situation.

She donned her social mask and said slowly, “Yes, Zach.  I’ll need some ice for the swelling, please.  But leave it outside my door.  I’ll need some privacy as I try to repair the damage.”

Zach stood as if in a trance.  He nodded his head and walk away mumbling something that made no sense.  She could have sworn she heard him say her mother’s name.

Grace, still sitting on the floor, tucked her head into her arm and cradled it on the hotel bed.   As soon as she heard the door open and close into place, she jumped up and locked it.  This time, even as her hands were shaking unmercifully, she slid the privacy bolt in place. 

She stood in place frozen, not able to take her eyes off the privacy lock.  She was sure if Zach truly wanted to get past that, one angry shove would do.  It wouldn’t take much for him to barge in with the rage she’d seen just a few moments ago.

Finally, she slid against the wall and recalled the last few minutes.  They seemed like hours to Grace.  Tears quietly slid down her cheeks.  She muffled her cries, as he could come back any second.  She didn’t want him to hear how grateful she was to be alive.  Battered was a blessing considering how today could have ended. 

Grace looked to her clock.  She still had five more hours before they had to be at the airport.  Her original plan was to call a cab to get to the airport early to change her flight.  Now, she was afraid to leave her room.  She felt trapped, as he could get to her if she tried to leave.

Grace heard Zach outside her door, and went stiff.  She looked to the door and inched away, and covered her mouth.  Her lungs constricted in fear.

“Here you go, Grace.”  He said quietly, through the door.  “Be ready to leave by 5 p.m. tonight.  I’ll have your bags sent for.  Get some rest and call me if you need anything.”

And with that, she heard him turn and leave.  She waited until she heard him enter back through the suite and close his own door.  In haste, she unlocked the door to the outside hallway, grabbed the ice, and quickly locked herself back inside. 

Once her door was bolted, she reached for the overstuffed chairs to once again slide them in front of both her hallway door and the door that led to her suite.  They weren’t much but they gave her a sense of security, as they provided an extra barrier between her and Zach.

She grabbed for her Motrin and downed a few with some water, before making an ice pack for her face.  How was she going to get out of this?  She knew playing the game was the only way.  And if she kept acting like nothing happened, maybe she would get home safely.

Both Zach and Grace slept the day in their rooms.  Zach slept off his alcohol and Grace slept through the pain.  Both awoke that afternoon with their minds racing.  Her thoughts were occupied with how she was going to get away, and his on how he was going to win her back.

Chapter 9

The ride to the airport was nothing less than excruciating.  Grace continued to smile at Zach, pretending everything was fine.  He in turn, acted as if nothing happened, fawning over her … helping her with her bags and putting his arms around her once in the taxi.