At Last (The Idle Point, Maine Stories)(105)

"Thank you," he said, as the bitter taste of broken dreams filled his throat. "I couldn't have—"

"We're still a great team," she said, her voice breaking with emotion.

"It's not enough. I want us to be together. I want—"

"I know," she whispered, "but we can still be a part of each other's life, Noah. Maybe not the way we wanted but—"

He leaned forward and kissed her one last time, long and sweet and desperate. "I love you, Gracie. Nothing they throw at us will ever change that."

"We'd better get Sophie home," Gracie said, taking a step back from the dream. "She needs some warm dry clothes and a cup of hot chocolate."

He took her hand and they made their way back to the house.

Storm set up a cheer when she saw them dashing across the driveway with Sophie and the next thing they knew they were surrounded by people, all thanking God and good fortune that Sophie was safe. Ruth stepped out of the shadows near Laquita's car and touched a gentle hand to her sleeping granddaughter's cheek. She had touched Gracie's cheek that way, too, a long time ago.

"Look at the lot of you!" Rachel exclaimed. "We need to get you all into warm tubs and dry clothing."

"I'm fine," Gracie said. "I think I'll just head home."

"You can't go home yet," Rachel said. "You're drenched and shivering."

"I really should get back," Gracie said. "Ben will be wondering where I am."

"No, Gracie!" The voice was loud and clear; the tone brooked no argument. "You're not leaving yet."

Everyone turned to stare at Ruth. They had never heard her use that tone of voice before.

"What I mean," Ruth said, "is that I'd like you to say a little longer, Gracie. I want to talk to you and Noah once you've changed into dry clothes."

"I don't think that's necessary," Gracie said, edging toward Laquita's car.

"Please," Ruth said, looking from Gracie to Noah. "There is something I need to say."





#





Ruth took a steadying sip of whiskey while she waited for Noah and Gracie to change into dry clothes. There was no turning back this time. She had made a pact with God and God didn't look kindly on people who reneged on a deal. No matter what else she had done wrong in her life, this was one thing she intended to get right.

"There's hot chocolate for you on the desk," she told Gracie when she arrived. She repeated the same to Noah two minutes later.

They looked so bereft, so terribly sad that she thought her heart would break. What had she done to them? What had she allowed Simon to do?

She took a deep breath then went straight to the heart of the matter. "You asked a question before, Noah, one about paternity. I had started to answer when the commotion with Sophie began. I'd like to finish my answer, if you don't mind."

"That isn't necessary," Gracie said and Noah concurred. "We know the truth. Now we have to find a way to live with it."

Ruth arched a brow. "Will you let me tell my story?

Gracie's cheeks reddened. "Of course."

"You asked me a question, Noah," she continued, "and the answer is no. Simon was not Gracie's father." She turned to Gracie. "He lied to you, honey, and I'm so sorry I didn't tell you this a long time ago." Simon died. Gracie and Noah left Idle Point. The years flew by and after awhile Ruth convinced herself that anything Simon might have said or done no longer mattered. Surely her son and Mona's daughter had moved onto other loves by now.

But then Noah returned with Sophie in tow and Gracie came home for Ben's wedding and only a bitter woman, blind to the ways of the heart, could miss seeing that their love for each other had never died.

Gracie leaned forward and rested her forehead on her knees. She was having trouble taking in the enormity of the statement as a thousand what-if's pummeled her emotions into suspended animation. If only she had stayed long enough to ask questions. If only she had demanded that the adults in her life account for their actions. If only she had been a little older, a little tougher, a little harder to undermine. Oh, Simon had read his opponent well. She had been too young, too brokenhearted to do anything but exactly what he had wanted her to do: walk out of Noah's life—and his—forever.