The Falling of Love (5 page)

“I don’t want to date you anymore,” he says abruptly.

Grace smiles up at him. “I don’t want to
date
you anymore either.”

“You wanna go out? I mean, will you be my girlfriend?”

He appears nervous as he speaks. Grace has no idea why he is so nervous, but she finds it adorable.

Grace leans up to kiss him again, and then breaks away from their kiss. “Of course I will,” she says, smiling.

They spend hours talking about Ian’s music and Grace’s art as they lie by the shore, going from conversation to kisses as effortlessly as music goes from note to note.

They return to the campsite where she hears Brandon and Bailey goofing off in their tent. They have gone out of their way to make a comfortable space. Grace glances at the two tents set up by a fire pit.

She looks back at Ian with a smile. “Only two, huh?”

Ian smiles back. “The intention is for you and Bailey to share.”

“Oh,” she says, blushing.

“But if you’re more comfortable sharing a tent with me, you’re more than welcome,” he says, with a snicker.

“I’d like to sleep with you,” she says, frankly, but only meaning that she will actually sleep with him. She has no deviant intentions.

Ian takes off his shirt, walks over to a large fallen tree trunk, lifts it up, and carries it over to the campsite.
Holy shit
!
Grace thinks,
he is so hot
!

Grace sucks on her bottom lip as she checks out Ian. She turns her head and sees Bailey staring at her. Bailey bursts into giggles. Grace puts her hand over her mouth, and giggles as well.

“Your brother is
so
hot!” She leans in whispering to Bailey.

“Gross!” Bailey teases.

The four of them sit around the campfire later that evening and to Grace’s amazement she is completely relaxed outdoors. She feels utterly safe with Ian and his family. Brandon strums the guitar while Ian and Bailey sing.

“This family is talented!” she says, as she sings along with them.

They spend hours by the fire singing, telling ghost stories, and roasting marshmallows. Bailey and Brandon start to get tired and head to their tent. Once they are out of sight, Ian pulls Grace close to him and wraps her in a blanket.

“Are you having a good time?” he asks, as he softly kisses her on her head.

“Wonderful.” She smiles.

“Even with all the bugs and scary forest animals?” he teases.

“I haven’t seen one bug! Those candles really work!”

“I told you I would take care of you, baby.”

Baby.
The word rushes over her body like silk.

The next morning the sounds of birds chirping in the trees wake Ian from his peaceful slumber. He has his arms wrapped tightly around Grace. He is perfectly content staying right here, in this moment for the rest of his life.

At the sound of her breathing, he shifts his body so he can see her better, and she stirs, but does not wake. He cannot take his eyes off every distinct feature of her beautiful face. Her flawless skin shines without the aid of makeup and her cheeks glow a pinkish tone. His eyes fall on her mascara free, thick, long eyelashes,
then
follow the slope of her nose to the perfectly shaped tip. Ian cannot decide which of her looks he prefers, with makeup or without. He appreciates that she can pull either of these looks off effortlessly. The adorable, soft snore that comes from the slight part in her lips makes him fall for her even more.

An hour later, Ian climbs out of the tent. His goal is to find a tree to relieve himself on. In the glowing morning light, drinking delicately from the lake is a mama deer and her fawn. He pokes his head back into the tent and quietly says, “Grace, come and see this.”

Grace crawls from her sleeping bag and pokes her head out the tent. She looks at him with the most remarkable glowing smile. He cannot help but smile back at her. She makes him forget all the troubles he has in this world. He wraps his arm around Grace and they watch the beautiful scene unfold.

All of a sudden, Brandon yells, “Wow!” and the deer run off into the forest.

Ian glares at him and Brandon shrugs before climbing out of his tent.

They spend the day playing by the lake, lying in the sun, playing music, and singing.

Grace sits in a lounge chair, lakeside painting a watercolor of the landscape.

“Can I have that?” Ian asks, as he stands over her while she puts the finishing touches on her painting.

“Yeah. Consider it yours.” She smiles.

“You’re really good!” he says, carefully holding the wet painting in his hand.

Grace lowers her head, embarrassed.

“You really are, baby. Don’t be shy.”

“I’m not sure the colors are right.”

“Gracie, it looks exactly the same as what I’m looking at,” he says, as he points toward the lake. “You’re an incredible artist. Not only can you paint, but I’ve seen your drawings too. My girlfriend is a master!”

“Don’t be silly,” she says, flattered by all of his compliments.

“If you sucked, I’d tell you. Trust me. I’m not one to boost someone’s ego just to make them feel better. If you have talent I’m not going to shut up about it, and you
have
talent. Real talent.”

“Thank you.” She bows her head and smiles. “I’ve always loved art. I love the feeling I get when I’m creating something. It’s so relaxing.” She laughs. “As long as it’s not a super frustrating project. You have real talent, too, Ian.”

“I know.” He laughs.

His honesty shocks her. “Modest much?”

“Not really. I know I can sing. There’s nothing wrong with me saying that. You need to have more confidence in yourself. It will only make you a much better artist. I can’t wait to see what you do once you’re in college and taking serious art classes. Not these crap, stick figure drawing classes at Lincoln.”

“Hey, Mr. Martin teaches those classes. He’s my favorite teacher. You should see his clay work.”

Ian shrugs. “Yeah, I guess he’s cool and all, but, Grace, just think of the possibilities that college will offer you.”

Grace’s stomach spins with excitement. The enthusiasm in Ian’s voice makes her even more motivated about her future.

That night Ian holds Grace tightly while they lie in their tent together. Talking about her parents’ death with Ian is emotionally difficult. She rarely opens up to anyone about how devastating it was to lose them.

“They loved sailing,” Grace says, with tremendous sadness in her voice. “Their boat capsized and well, they both drowned.”

Ian only shakes his head, not knowing how to respond.

“It was for sure the hardest thing I have ever been through,” she says, as a tear falls down her cheek.

Ian wipes her tear away, kisses her on the forehead, and pulls her tightly against his body.

“I’m so sorry, baby. I can’t imagine how terrible that must have been,” he says softly, his voice filled with empathy.

She is comforted in his arms. Usually she does not like to talk about the details of her parents’ death. There is something about Ian that pulls every emotion from her. She longs to share her entire life and all her secrets with him. Grace finishes telling the story of how she lost her parents. She is terribly upset from recalling such a horrible time in her life. He kisses her head again and softly caresses her arm.

“I’ve only lost my Grandparents,” he says, softly. “I’m so sorry that you had to go through such a horrible thing. I wish I would’ve known you then so that I could’ve been there for you.”

She sniffs, buries her head into his chest, and smiles up at him. “They were phenomenal parents. It was so hard to lose them, but I’m so lucky to have James and Michelle.”

Ian squeezes Grace tightly and leans in to kiss her.

“And you have no other family members left, right?”

“None that we talk to. I’m sure there are some out there somewhere, but we don’t know them. Both my mother and father were only children, and all my grandparents had passed away before my parents did. All I have is James and Michelle,” Grace whispers, feeling grateful for the love and support of her siblings.

“You have me now, too, Gracie,” Ian whispers.

They spend the rest of their night kissing each other until they drift off to sleep.

Grace walks in her front door and into her empty home, sad that the weekend has already come to an end. Michelle is out with one of her friends and James has been gone since Friday. She leaves the door open for Ian, who has insisted on carrying all of her things in by
himself
.

“I’m going to miss you,” she says, as she kisses him goodbye.

Ian puts his hand over his heart. “It already hurts, and I haven’t even left you yet,” he says before kissing her one last time. “I’ll talk to you tonight?”

“Please.” She smiles.

She waves to Brandon and Bailey who are still in the car. Unable to resist she gives Ian one last kiss. She throws her arms around him and holds him tightly. The feeling of not wanting to let go of him overwhelms her.

“Talk to you later,” he says, as he waves to her and walks backwards down the walkway.

Grace closes the door and falls onto it, holding her heart. She lets out a deep breath, “I’m so in love.”

Ian and his siblings turn into their driveway. He fills with horror at the sight of his father's car.

“I’ll go in first,” Ian says.

“No, we’ll all go in at the same time,” Brandon says firmly.

“I don’t understand why he’s home already, it’s only noon!” whimpers Bailey.

They all pile out of the car with a sense of doom about them. Ian opens the door to their house, and sitting on the couch with an infuriated look on his face is their father. Ian turns around. Brandon stands directly behind him and Bailey is in the doorway, looking terrified and too afraid to come inside.

“Get in this house now, young, lady!” screams their father.

Ian looks at Bailey and nods at her that it’s okay to come inside, although he’d rather she run away and never come back. Bailey comes inside and shuts the door behind her, carefully.

Ian’s mother is sitting on the couch next to her husband. Her posture is perfect and her hands are folded on her skirt. Her red hair is pulled back into a tight bun, and she wears a light blue cardigan sweater over a white blouse. She does not look up at her children.

“Where have you little fuckers been?” demands their father, as he stands up and walks over to Ian.

“We just went to the lake, sir,” Ian replies before either of his siblings has time to.

“You just went to the lake! Who gave you permission to do such a thing?” he growls in Ian’s face.

Ian looks at his mother, who has not changed her position and sits immobile on the couch.

“Mother said we could go!” Bailey cries out.

Ian’s father walks over to his wife and smacks her across the face. Ian rushes at him and beats him on the face and shoulders, to which his father responds to by lashing out his fist. His father takes a few good blows from him, but he is much larger than Ian. He pins Ian to the ground with his knee, causing him to gasp for breath.

Brandon sprints at his father as his mother cries out, “Please stop, John!”

“Stay out of it, Rose!” his father screams.

With one swift backhanded motion, his father hits Brandon. Brandon goes flying and hits the fireplace, which knocks him to the ground. Ian watches Bailey cradle herself in the corner by the front door, where she is crying hysterically. Ian is still gasping for breath and becoming pale as his father pushes harder into his chest with his knee. With his fist, he pounds into Ian’s ribs.

“John,” his mother pleads, “I told the children they could get fresh air at the lake!”

“You should know better!” he snarls at her as he rises to his feet and then grabs her by the hair, making her tight bun come loose in his fisted hand.

His father overpowers his mother’s tiny frame as he drags her by the hair, down the hall to their bedroom. Ian lies on the floor grabbing at his chest and choking for breath. Brandon slowly lifts his body up from the ground. The home fills with their mother’s screams while Brandon and Bailey huddle close to Ian.

That evening, sitting at the dining room table, Grace cannot wipe her smile from her face.

“You’re annoying when you’re in love,” Michelle says, as she reaches for the salad dressing.

James looks at Grace, confused. “You’re in love?”

Grace cannot contain her excitement. “James, Ian is…he is simply amazing!”

James just laughs at her. “You’re right, Missy. She is annoying when she’s in love.”

Grace sits on her bed staring at her telephone. It has been seven hours since Ian dropped her off after their camping trip and he still has not called her. She bites her nails as she continues to win the staring contest with her telephone.

“It’s seven o’clock,” she says to Michelle, who is lying on the floor reading a fashion magazine.

“Maybe they’re having dinner or something. Geez, are you going to be this impossible the entire time you’re with Ian?” she asks, rolling her eyes.

Grace frowns at Michelle. “Why are you being so mean to me today?”

“I’m not. You’re just annoying me.”

Grace throws a pink lacey pillow from her bed and whacks Michelle right in the head.

“If I annoy you so much, then go to your own room,” Grace says, shrewdly.

Michelle gets up and stomps out of Grace’s room with the magazine in her hand.

“And leave my magazine!” Grace hisses.

Grace cannot figure out why Michelle has been on her case since she came home, but she has had it with her. She returns to her ritual of staring at her telephone, waiting for Ian to call.

Hours pass and he still has not called. She slowly becomes frustrated with him.

The ringing of the telephone wakes her from her peaceful sleep.

“Hello,” she grumbles in a sleepy voice.

“Babe,
it’s
Ian. Did I wake you?”

“Umm yeah, but
it’s
okay. How are you?”

“I’m fine. I’m sorry I didn’t call earlier. This was the first chance I’ve had to get to the phone.”

“Everything okay?” she asks.

There is a long pause from the other end of the phone and Grace wonders if something is wrong, something that kept him from calling her sooner.

“Everything’s fine, except for the fact that I really miss you,” he says in a hushed voice.

“I miss you too, but I already said that huh?”

“I wish we were back at the lake, and I was holding you.”

Grace broods at his words.

“I’m sorry I woke you.”

Grace stretches and makes a tiny groan. “I’m glad you did. I waited for your call for hours. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine, babe. My dad is just really strict about the phone, so I’m sneaking the call to you.”

Grace ponders Ian’s words, and they seem so strange to her. “Strict about you using the phone?”

“Yeah, he’s just weird like that, but let’s not
talk
about that. Let’s talk about how much I can’t wait to see you tomorrow at school.”

Ian is not able to stay on the phone long because his father may wake up and catch him, so reluctantly he tells Grace, “Goodnight,” and retreats to the safety of his room.

“He’s going to beat your ass if he catches you on the phone this late,” says Brandon, as Ian crawls into the bed across from his.

“I know, but I had to hear her voice.”

Brandon just shakes his head and turns over in bed.

Ian slips under his covers and rolls onto his side. Visions of the horrific afternoon replay in his mind. He can hear his mother’s screams so clearly that it almost seems as if it is happening all over again. He puts his hands over his ears, but cannot block the terror in his head.

Out of nowhere, Grace’s face appears and chases the darkness away. He closes his eyes and concentrates on a much happier memory. The memory of making out with Grace at the lake. Her scent has burned its place into his mind and her smile frees him from his nightmares. Letting out a deep breath he grabs onto a pillow and holds it in his arms, wishing it was Grace he was holding.

After school the next day, Ian asks if he can walk Grace home.

“Where’s your car?” she asks.

Ian kicks at a rock as they walk along the sidewalk.

“I kinda got in trouble for leaving this weekend, so my dad took my keys.”

Grace looks at him, confused.

“I don’t really want to talk about it,” Ian says, in a quiet voice.

“Okay.”

Although she is concerned and does not understand, she is not going to pressure him into talking about something he does not want to talk about.

“Hey, can we go downtown real
quick
?” Ian bursts out.

“Sure, it’s not that far.”

Ian and Grace walk hand in hand into the convenience store and he walks straight to the prepaid cell phones. He holds it up and grins at Grace.

“Now I can call you anytime I want,” he says, with a smirk.

Grace smiles. “You, my love, are a genius.”

They continue their walk to Grace’s home, as Grace
points
out her favorite Victorian homes.

“Ian?”

“Yeah?”

“Would you like to stay for dinner? I am making chicken parmesan. I’ll have to ask James, but I’m sure he’ll be fine with it.”

Ian looks up at her and gives her a warm smile, “I would love to, as long as your brother says
it’s
okay.”

Hours later Grace sets a plate down in front of Ian. On it is a large piece of crusted chicken with mozzarella cheese and sauce oozing off it. Under the chicken is pasta drenched in marinara sauce. To the side of the chicken and pasta is a small pile of broccoli.

Grace points to the broccoli. “I don’t know if you like that stuff. They do, but I don’t.”

Ian laughs at her. “I love broccoli!”

James focuses his stare on Ian. “Ian, you’re in for a treat. My sister is quite the cook.”

As she sets her plate down at the place setting, Grace wonders what Ian thinks about dinner. He examines his plate with an indecipherable look, and Grace would give anything to be able to read his thoughts. The anticipation of what he might say about her cooking overwhelms her. She just wants him to like it.

“Well, dig in!” Grace says.

A sense of pride engulfs her while she watches Ian plunge his fork into the meal she has prepared. She wants to impress him with her cooking skills. Her father used to say, “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”

Ian takes a bite and throws his head back. With a mouth full, he mutters, “Oh, man, this is good!”

Grace smiles widely, so glad that he likes the food.

“Missy, you seem crabby today,” James says, as they all enjoy their dinner.

“I’m fine!” she snaps.

Grace looks at her and wishes that she knew what was bothering her sister. They choose to leave Michelle alone and instead James talks baseball with Ian.

“We don’t have a TV in our house. So, I don’t watch much baseball,” Ian says, ashamed.

“What!” Grace says, as she whips her head over to look at Ian. “No television? I would go mad!”

“My father thinks that TV is a useless waste of time.” Ian clears his throat, a scowl crosses his face, and he changes the tone of his voice. “Your time is better spent studying and doing your chores,” he says in a stern tone. Then shrugs, takes his fork back into his hand, and resumes eating.

“So, you’ve never watched TV?” Michelle asks, rudely and sarcastically.

“I used to watch it over at my friend Jaden’s house back in Massachusetts, but I have not made many friends here.” Ian shrugs again.

“We’re your friends,” James says, kindly. “You can watch TV here.”

Once they finished eating, Michelle helps Grace clean up the table. “Missy, are you mad at me?”

“No!”

“Then what’s wrong with you? You’ve been rude to me, James, and even to Ian, who is our guest!”

Michelle looks at her for a moment before she speaks. “I just don’t want him to take you away from me.”

Grace grabs her baby sister and gives her a huge hug.

“That’ll never happen!”

“You didn’t even ask me to go camping with you guys.” Michelle sulks.

“Oh, Missy. I’m so sorry, sweetie. I was so nervous, I honestly forgot until we were halfway there. Ian offered to come back and get you, but you had already left for your friends. It’s not that we didn’t want you there. I would’ve loved for you to come.”

Michelle only looks at Grace trying to figure out if she is being truthful with her or not.

“I wouldn’t have gotten in your way.”

“Missy, that’s not it, I swear. I told you everything that happened at the lake. It would’ve all happened with or without you being around, so I would’ve had no reason not to want you there.”

Grace pulls an unwilling Michelle to her again. “I swear. I missed you, and I honestly wished I had asked you to come with us.”

Michelle huffs and walks away. Grace is consumed with guilt as she turns to the sink and finishes the dishes.

James and Ian are sitting on the couch watching television when Grace walks into the living room. Grace sits next to Ian and puts her hand on his leg. James looks at her and raises his eyebrow. James frowns in her direction, so she removes her hand from Ian and puts it on her own leg. James returns his gaze to the television.

“Michelle is upset because we didn’t ask her to go to the lake,” Grace blurts out.

“Oh no,” Ian says.

“She’ll get over it,” grumbles James.

Ian looks at Grace then looks at his new cell phone to see the time.

“I better get going.”

“Shoot, I should’ve waited to do the dishes till after you left,” she whines.

“Better luck next time.” James laughs. “And I hope there will be a next time, very soon,” James says, looking at Ian.

“Yeah, man, I would love that,” Ian says, as he rises to his feet.

“Is it okay if I walk him up to the corner?” Grace asks.