DRAGONJULS Storybook
Disclaimer and Acknowledgements: See Part One
Part 3
Chapter Five
Clarissa Hudson watched the numerous people wander in and out of the various storefronts in the airport terminal; she was one flight and a cab ride away from her destination and her access to revenge!
Her personal fortune had dwindled with the court case and the final payments she had made to Xianthos in an out of court settlement that made her relinquish control of Union City Productions back to a 100% holding to Xianthos. That had left a bitter taste in her mouth and she wanted compensation in a way that couldn't be dealt in a court of law. Her reward would be fashioned outside the law. Her associate had coincidentally come up with the ideal candidate to carry out her plans, someone who had an equal hatred of Devonshire and who would be willing, she was sure to participate in her little plans. 'Oh Catherine if you thought I had dealt all my aces ten months ago, you just didn't realise what kind of person you were dealing with! And you said you would bite me back, well, I'm still waiting and so far you haven't even sunk your gums into me yet.' She smiled as she scanned the screen for her flight to Munich it would be one of the few trips out of American, she was going to really enjoy.
Relaxing back in her chair, she waited for the call to the gate.
A month had passed since Jace arrived on the ranch and her presence brought a feeling of both laughter and contentment back into the family life in the house.
There had been the odd skirmish with Danni, who still had an antagonistic attitude to Jace, who in turn gave back as much as she got from the fiery therapist. Catherine deemed to either ignore the situation or smirked at it, but she never got involved.
Grace finally accepted that she wasn't to blame for Andrew Simpson's explosion at the Ranch three weeks previously, and attempted to gain some of her composure that had been lacking in recent weeks. Although her quiet attitude to everyone had severely wrecked any plans she had been formulating in her seduction of Colin. Seems he had taken it upon himself to start dating a local girl from the town; that had hurt Grace profoundly but she knew she only had herself to blame and she was certainly taking her fair share of that on her shoulders of late.
Lisa was her usually bubbly self, more so now that she had an adult who was totally in tune with her as she found Jace to be. The child just became more and more precocious and even Catherine had the odd worried look at her lack of discipline.
Jake had taken a back seat now that Jace had arrived back in Catherine's life and it was clear to anyone watching that it was something he wasn't happy with, but no one appeared to be watching.
Catherine had welcomed Jace back into her life to every extent except her bed; she was still very cautious about going that final hurdle with Jace only two months away from having her baby. It seemed prudent to her to wait until that event had occurred and then they could move on. It also, meant that Catherine would be free of the constant physio she needed and her final operation for the scar tissue on her face that was due in a week's time. Her only concern would be her sight and she wasn't going to let that become an obstacle in her renewal of love for Jace.
Jace had loved every minute of her stay at the ranch; it really had been like coming home, her days were full of light chores to help out Grace, who was heavily involved in matters with the trust fund that she administered with the Reverend. She had also signed on for prenatal exercise classes at the local town hall; she had even convinced Catherine that it would be a good idea for her to attend the classes with her as her second. Jace still had to have that particular conversation regarding whom she wanted at her bedside when the baby was born, and where would also be a contentious issue.
All in all, the entire situation was looking good, what could possibly go wrong?
Catherine watched in exasperation as Jace went to the bathroom for the third time in a short space of time, it was entirely frustrating when they were in a full-blown conversation about the future.
Striding purposefully around the room she walked into a chair and shouted out an expletive, as her attention had been on Jace, rather than the make-up of the room furniture. Passing a hand over her shin she scowled and was rewarded with a tinkling laugh from the doorway.
"Honestly it wasn't my fault I never moved a thing!" Jace said her voice filled with suppressed laughter.
Catherine turned her head in Jace's direction, she maintained her scowl and moved to sit down with a marked thump on the chair she had walked into. "Humph," was her only reply.
Walking with a heavy gait towards the chair that Catherine had taken she stopped in front of her friend. "You know a month ago I could kneel down and get close to you, but I'm afraid I will either have to sit on your lap or you will have to get up for me to kiss it better. Or I could go and sit about four feet away from you in the other chair if you're mad at me?"
Catherine looked up at the shadow she could see in front of her and a wry smile crossed her face briefly before she gave Jace another scowl but without any menace behind it. ""Come here." She held her hand out and felt a smaller one place itself within hers. Tugging her gently onto her lap, she felt her friend immediately snuggle into her shoulder.
"I'm not too heavy for you am I Catherine?" Jace asked not really caring deep down if she was, she loved to be this close to the woman who held her heart.
"No, you're a light weight, but that child of yours must be soaking up all the stuff you eat, are you sure you're not eating for more than one?" Catherine gruffly replied as she laid her chin on the top of Jace's head.
"The doctor says not, so I have to assume he knows what he's talking about. Although it is getting bigger and moving like crazy on a night, sometimes I get no sleep at all!" Jace said feeling a little sorry for herself.
Catherine heard the tone of her friend, smiled and placed a kiss on her blondes' head. "Doesn't Taz take care of the sleepless problem for you?" Catherine had been pleased at a comment by Lisa that Jace slept with a large stuffed toy that looked really funny with a wicked grin on its face. 'So she had kept that particular gift.'
"Oh no! He can't seem to manage to clear up that problem, but I get to hug him at least when I can't sleep."
"Not quite the same I imagine?"
"No, it's not, are you offering an alternative?" Jace could feel the smirk cross her lips at a wicked thought.
Catherine had considered offering her services as a human pillow again, but she wasn't sure if she could keep it platonic and she really wasn't sure if she was ready to go the final round with Jace, not yet anyway. "If you keep your hands to yourself, I might consider volunteering."
Jace masked a smirk as she thought of that idea and knew it would be impossible. "We could try?"
"Yes, we could." Catherine stroked the hair on top of Jace's head in an absent fashion.
"I wanted to ask......." "I wanted to know......" They both talked at the same time. Laughing together Catherine inclined her head for Jace to finish.
"I wanted to ask if you would be with me when the baby is born?" Her tentative voice asked.
Catherine drew in a deep breath and a smile slowly travelled over her face as she thought of the event. "And I wanted to know where you wanted the baby to be born?"
"Wherever you are Catherine, is where I want my baby to be born." Jace said seriously, as she felt Catherine tighten her hold on her bulging waist gently at the words.
"Do you want to go home?" Catherine asked quietly.
"Would you come with me if I said I wanted the baby to be born in America?" Jace waited with baited breath for her answer.
Catherine digested the information, and considered her own feelings, and simply said, "Yes."
Jace this time put her hands round Catherine's neck and placed her lips on Catherine's in a tender kiss that conveyed all she felt in one simple act. "I love you," she whispered after she released her from the kiss.
Catherine smiled happily, the happiness clearly etched on her features and to Jace it was like falling in love all over again but with much more meaning. "Okay, where are we going to have this birth?" Catherine finally managed to ask.
"Would it be a problem if I said right here?" Jace snuggled back into her shoulder.
"Well....... No, no I think I would be honoured to see your child born here. But not right this minute okay?" Catherine chuckled softly.
"Okay, I think junior wants to keep mummy irritated for a little while longer." Jace looked deep into the ice blue eyes-only inches from her own and smiled sadly at the lost look they held.
"You're starring at me!" Catherine said with a slight frown.
"Yes, I am actually. Do you know you have the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen in my life?" Jace whispered into her ear as she gently nipped it for good measure.
Catherine purred in sensual delight as Jace refused to stop her gentle assault on her left ear lobe.
"I think I get the message."
"Good, wouldn't want you to forget about them now, would we?" Jace continued to move her mouth from Catherine's ear down her cheek to the base of her neck. It was driving Catherine to distraction.
"If you carry on with this action on behalf of my eyes, then I can't guarantee the outcome." Catherine rasped.
"Who wants a guarantee? Damn!" Jace suddenly stopped her close inspection of Catherine's neck and moved off her lap and made for the door. "Sorry Catherine, I need the bathroom." She exited the room quickly.
Catherine gave out the biggest sigh she had ever done in her life at the frustration of the sudden withdrawal of Jace from her person. "Christ, has this woman got a death wish, she's driving me insane."
Getting up from the chair she walked over to the window and put her forehead on the cold glass and took several breaths to calm her nerves and her reactions to Jace's touch.
Jace walked back into the room a little embarrassed and noted Catherine's new position at the window and her head on the panel of glass, she felt ashamed too. Catherine heard her approach and moved self-consciously away from the glass.
"I'm really sorry Catherine, guess the baby could be construed as a nuisance in some situations huh?" Jace's tone was apologetic.
Catherine shrugged her shoulders and continued to look out of the window. Jace walked up to her and placed her smaller hand inside one of Catherine's larger ones and gripped it tight. "Will you sleep with me tonight?"
Catherine stiffened at the words and moistened her lips to reply, only Jace's lips followed up her question and she gently explored the full lips and the slowly opening mouth to engage in a fully passionate encounter. Gradually disengaging from this timeless pursuit Catherine managed to weakly answer the question posed. "Sleep with you tonight? That's a foregone conclusion Jace; you share my bed for as long as you live on my property from today! Anyway how else are we ever going to finish a conversation?" With that, she enfolded her in a long tender embrace that conveyed the message better than words ever could.
Jace laughed happily and considered her words. 'How else indeed!'
***********
Chapter Six
Lisa ran crying into the kitchen and was enfolded in a hug by Grace as the distraught child sobbed uncontrollably into her shoulder. Grace knelt at a level where she could see what was going on with the child.
"Hey. Come on now Lisa, nothing can be that bad now can it?" Grace soothed the child as best she could, drawing on her own mothers consolation techniques when she was a child and fallen out of a tree or off her bike or some other such calamity.
Lisa just sobbed even more and was inconsolable, giving Lisa a few more minutes to cry out whatever was wrong, Grace tilted up the girl's head and looked into her blue eyes awash with tears. "Lisa come on Princess, tell me what's wrong?" Grace pleaded.
Gulping back more sobs the child looked at her with a forlorn expression. "She's gone!"
Grace quirked an eyebrow in question as tried to work that little statement out. "Lisa who has gone?"
Tears streamed down the pale cheeks. "She never said goodbye." the child accused.
Grace was perplexed what was the child talking about? Taking Lisa's chin in a firm grip she managed to get the girl's total attention. "Okay, something has happened, I can understand that Lisa, but please tell me who she is? Maybe I can help you then," Grace requested patiently.
"Jace." Lisa gave her a woebegone face.
"Jace? But she's still here Lisa, a little late for breakfast I know but to the best of my knowledge she is definitely on the property and in the house." Grace told the child and gave her a smile.
"But she's not Grace, she's not!" Lisa became agitated and started to cry again.
"Right! Hold on Lisa, why do you think she's left?" Grace was slowly losing patience with the girl.
"She's not in her room and she hasn't slept in her bed, it's far too tidy for Jace," the child pointed out.
Grace smiled and had wondered when that particular event would take place, guess she should have known; they had been getting closer every day it had only been a matter of time. " How about you and I go to Jace's bedroom and check on her clothes?"
The child looked at her and gulped back her tears and gave a watery smile. "She really hasn't left us again Grace?" Lisa asked in a small voice.
"No baby, she really hasn't left us, when Catherine comes down for breakfast Jace will be with her I promise." Grace held the child's hand and they left the kitchen for the top floor.
Walking into Jace's bedroom, it was noticeable that the bed hadn't been slept in and it could be taken in a couple of ways from a child's point of view she supposed, the worse case scenario being one of them. Glancing around the room, Grace noticed the giant Taz and she chuckled softly as she recalled the day that arrived here. Grace then went over to the wardrobe and opened it and saw all of Jace's clothes neatly stored inside. "See Lisa, everything is okay, I don't think Jace would like to travel around naked now do you?" Giving the child a grin.
Lisa looked inside and then went over to the giant Taz and picked him up and hugged him; she turned a brilliant smile on Grace and it brought an answering smile from the older woman.
"Hi, is this a private party or can anyone join in?" Jace smiled brightly from the doorway, she was casually leaning against the doorjamb dress in a large T-shirt, which obviously belonged to Catherine.
"Jace!" Lisa shrieked and rushed headlong into the woman at the door, who looked at Grace, puzzled.
"She thought you had deserted us." Grace answered tongue in cheek and was tempted to giggle at the embarrassed face in front of her.
"Ah........Well I can explain." Jace said in a weak voice, realising what Grace meant.
"I'm sure you can Jace, how about breakfast first and maybe you can enlighten us, it's not everyday I get a member of the family to make up their bed." Grace teased the younger woman.
Jace cheeks turned a flame red and she gave Grace a withering look at her teasing, "Come on Lisa, help me pick out something to wear and then we will go and make Grace's life a misery for a short while." Jace smiled sweetly at Grace as she headed out of the door.
Lisa walked back over to the wardrobe and started to look through the clothes. Grace
patted Jace's cheek as she passed her
and gave her a warm smile. "You look great, does she?" Jace had no doubt at all
to whom Grace referring.
Jace gave her a look of censure but it didn't reach her eyes, they sparkled with happiness. "Yes she does, and thanks."
"You're welcome, see you shortly." Grace went down the hall to the stairs.
Jace walked into her room and went towards Lisa, her mind on the problem of explaining this new situation to two children.
Seated around the rectangular table Jace, Lisa and Grace all waiting patiently for Catherine to arrive for breakfast.
It was a normal Sunday morning, Colin had taken Jake over for his soccer match at the town hall ground; the boy had a passion for the game and his youthful ambition was to go to England and see Manchester United play at Old Trafford their home ground. He was also a very talented player who's talent had been nurtured over the past six months now that he had settled down at 'Destiny'. Colin had been a great influence in the sporting part of Jake's life with Jake discussing his dreams with Colin on a few occasions.
Lisa looked at Grace and pulled a face, breakfast was really late today and all because Catherine had decided to make a couple of phone calls before she came into the room.
"Hey Lisa behave, Catherine wouldn't be happy about you pulling faces like that before breakfast." Grace teased the child and watched a grin appear on the child's countenance before she looked down again at her empty plate.
"Oh, but Grace, at this rate Jake will be home and it will be lunchtime!" Lisa said petulantly.
"Tell you what, I'll start the eggs and if she doesn't arrive when they're done, we will start without her, okay?" Grace finally took pity on the girl, she had been patient for over half an hour and it was unusual for Catherine to keep them waiting.
"Good idea Grace, I'm starving also, if she doesn't appear by then, I'm going to go look for her. How does that sound Lisa?" Jace smiled at the child, her thoughts on trying to work out how to tell the children about the new situation in the household.
"Cool." The child replied and began reading one of her books she had taken from the library in the study. Grace looked at Jace and they both laughed, Lisa ignored them and carried on reading.
"You know something Grace, I feel as big as a house some days. Must be all this good home cooking I'm getting here." Jace said conversationally, although there was an element of irritation behind the statement.
Grace stopped, looked her over at the younger woman and smiled. "Well.....Catherine did say when you arrived that we would be feeding the five thousand, maybe she was right?" Grace innocently replied.
"Grace......how can you say that!" Jace chuckled at the remembered expression.
"I was only quoting my boss." Grace lightly replied.
"Then you can unquote her please. It's kind of embarrassing now that I can't even bend over properly." Jace admitted ruefully.
"Oh, well I guess I wanted to know that," Grace said suggestively.
"Hades, Grace I didn't mean anything like that! I was referring to trying to tie shoelaces and stuff. God you can be so......" Jace felt herself turning red for the second time that day.
"So?" Grace asked with her head turned in interest to the flushing blonde.
"Oh, just watch the eggs Grace, I'm going to find Catherine." Jace said exasperated.
"Find me? Am I lost?" Catherine asked from the door, her tone happy and contented.
"How long have you been there? No, don't answer that, the way it's going this morning, I think I'll change my name to red with the two of you." Jace said in irrational anger and looked out of the window.
Catherine sauntered into the room as she quirked an eyebrow in question. 'What did she say now? More to the point why was Jace upset with her?'
Lisa took the opportunity to move towards Catherine and put her arms around the tall woman's legs in a hug. "Good morning princess, how are you today?" Catherine bent down and deposited a kiss on the child's head.
"I'm hungry, you have been ages," the girl accused her.
"Ah, sorry Lisa, bet you and Jace are ready to hang me for keeping you waiting? I know how you both like to eat." Catherine smiled at the idea and thought that maybe it could be the problem with Jace; they had kind of worked up an appetite last night.
"Yeah, maybe hanging would be to good for you!" Jace said in a cool voice. Grace looked at her and gave her a puzzled frown.
Sitting close to Jace, Catherine felt around for one of Jace's hands and gently captured it in one of her larger ones. "Are you mad at me for something, other than a late breakfast that is?" Catherine asked her in a voice only she could hear.
Jace heard the uncertainly in the low voice and realised she had been over reacting and didn't know why. Maybe her hormones were really hot-wired today, as if the baby didn't cause enough problems in her renewed relationship with Catherine. Looking into the concerned face of her friend, she brought her free hand up to touch Catherine's cheek in a gentle entreaty. "I'm so sorry, I don't know what's got into me today. Will you forgive me?"
Catherine was entranced by Jace's touch it didn't matter what she'd said, as soon as Jace touched her in any way the problem disappeared as if by magic. "Nothing to forgive." She turned her face into the gentle touch and her lips fleetingly caressed the fingers in a slow sensual promise.
Grace took that moment to clear her voice loudly. "Breakfast ladies, I'm sure you could do with something to eat?" Grace had seen the puzzled look on Lisa's face as she watched the two adults opposite her, who appeared oblivious to anyone else's presence.
They both looked in Grace's direction, one saw the nod of her head towards Lisa, the other in acknowledgement that indeed she was ready for breakfast.
"Lisa, what do you want to do today?" Jace asked the child and squeezed Catherine's hand in acknowledgement of her feelings.
"Can we go for a picnic?" Lisa looked at Jace and then towards Catherine.
"Yeah, sure, anything to do with food I'm up for it!" Jace chuckled happily, Catherine's fingers threaded through hers and she felt the happiness flowing through the woman at her side.
"Yes, we know you can eat Jace! Grace better get us a big picnic basket." Lisa said in all seriousness.
"I'm not that bad!" Jace replied in an affronted tone, although the laughter sparkled from her eyes. Grace and Catherine both gave out loud laughs in answer to that one.
"Think we have settled that particular topic, how about we eat and save the rest of the conversation for afterwards." Catherine said lightly.
"Yeah, because I want to know where Jace went." Lisa said as she tucked into her breakfast with gusto.
"What?" Catherine asked puzzled and turned in Jace's direction.
"I'll explain after we've eaten, okay?" Jace whispered to her and almost gave into the temptation to nip her ear lobe, but it wasn't fair on Lisa, at the moment anyway.
Catherine shrugged and started her morning meal. As far as she was concerned everything was great. No, it was better than great it was simply marvellous.
It had been a difficult decision as to the destination for the picnic, but finally they had all agreed that with warm clothes and the weather suitably behaving for the time of year, Cutters Ridge would be the ideal place. Anyway the kids had promised to cut the grass at the burial site and so they stored the mower inside Grace's jeep to enable the kids to accomplish the task.
Around mid-day, Jake ambled in looking like he'd been tossed in the mud on more than one occasion. He was looking pleased with himself, so, it probably looked like it had been worth it!
"Hey Jake, take a quick shower and get some warmer clothes on, were off for a picnic lunch." Grace told him as he snatched a cookie from the ever-present tray on the kitchen table.
"Great, have you cooked all my favourites Grace?" He asked cheekily as he snatched another cookie before heading off down the hall.
"Sure boy, and what isn't your favourite. Did you win by the way?" she asked him as an after thought.
"Yes, 2-1, I scored the winner." He said triumphantly from the top of the stairs.
"Way to go Jake." Grace said to the empty room.
"He's a good player." A voice spoke softly from the kitchen external door. Turning startled at the presence of someone else in the room, Grace saw Colin leaning against the wall, a speculative smile on his face.
"That's good news. Catherine will want an update you know? She misses not being able to see how he gets on in person." Grace said quietly, her eyes drinking in the sight of the tall ranch foreman.
"I'll do that, where is she?" He smiled at her and moved further into the room.
"She's with Jace in the study, they wanted to be alone I think." Grace advised him with a tender smile.
"Guess it's not a good time to disturb them, I can see her later, it will wait," he finally said after taking a few minutes to decide on what action to take.
"Do you want to come on the picnic with us?" Grace asked him tentatively, her heart beating fast waiting for his answer.
He turned directly to her and sent her an apologetic look. "I'm sorry Grace, I've been asked over for lunch with Fiona's parents. Another time perhaps?" he looked at her and almost reached out a hand to touch her cheek. Moving away swiftly he made for the external door. 'It was no use she certainly didn't want him, hadn't she made that abundantly clear in the last few months,' he left her without another glance.
Grace couldn't answer him, she knew that deep down she'd blown it and sometimes chances didn't come a second or was it a third time in her dalliances with Colin? Watching him walk away from her she felt as if there was nothing left for her at 'Destiny', 'Maybe I should go home? It's not as if Catherine needs me now! Hell, she had Jace and soon they would be a great family unit, they didn't want her around as a third wheel.' Turning back to her picnic preparations, she would ask Catherine to let her go home, for good this time!
"Well, I'm not sure what to say or how to explain our situation to twelve and eight year old children! It was hard enough explaining my feelings to my father!" Jace finally faced up to the fact she for once didn't have the words for this situation.
"Was that so difficult?" Catherine turned her head and she was almost touching Jace's forehead with hers.
"I guess not as hard as I anticipated, my father is a very astute man." Jace couldn't resist the temptation to kiss the lips so close to hers in a quick unsatisfactory peck, which left them both wanting more.
"Do you miss your parents?" Catherine sighed and leaned back against the tree truck, where the bench they were sitting at was situated.
Jace felt her heart rip a little at the question, however compassionately framed. She looked over at the children finishing off the mowing of the grass around the fenced off area, with Grace supervising. All three looked like they were enjoying the change from the ranch house. "They have almost finished." Jace said absently.
Catherine pursed her lips at the change of subject and decided to broach it further, there was no merit these days in keeping secrets, however painful. "You haven't answered me, are you going too?"
Jace turned her head and locked her green gaze on the sightless one in front of her and wished that Catherine could see what she was feeling without the need for words. "Yes!" a dual-purpose reply.
"Then call them and tell them your sorry and clear the air." Catherine said practically.
"It's not that easy, they didn't understand why I married Peter, you think they will understand what I'm doing now?" Jace said almost forlornly.
"Well, to be honest they're not the only ones who didn't understand that little episode." Catherine couldn't help the tinge of bitterness in her voice, however hard she tried to mask it. They had talked briefly about it but it had never been fully explained, if it ever could be to Catherine.
Jace got up from the bench they were seated at and she walked a few feet away from Catherine the words ringing almost like a death knell in her heart and the sting that it brought with it, almost bringing her to her knees. "I guess the acid test is making youunderstand, if I can do that I can sure convince my parents," finally accepting that it was a topic long overdue for the sensitive chat scenario.
"This might not be a good place for this conversation." Catherine shrugged and leaned forward, placing her hands limply between her denim clad thighs. Suddenly nervous at the thought of finally hearing what she still had nightmares about.
"I suspect Catherine that there will never be a good place for that conversation, even if we were on a desert island together, am I right?" She'd heard the hurt in the low voice of her friend and lover and it almost broke every emotional tract she had in her body.
"Did you love him?" Catherine's voice was clipped and unemotional, it defied all the bubbling emotions that threatened to erupt at any moment.
Jace re-seated herself next to Catherine and looked at the rest of their 'family' and a small smile crossed her lips. "He offered me a solution to my problems, I took it," she finally offered as a reply.
"Oh Jace, don't prevaricate with me for gods sake. Did you love him?" Catherine rasped out her voice trembling with emotion.
"Love? If you accept the fact that I loved him as a friend, then yes, the answer would be yes." Jace had tears welling up in the corner of her vivid green eyes; it would be only a matter of time before they cascaded down her face.
"Isn't that how it starts with everyone, friendship?" Catherine muttered quietly.
"No, no it isn't how it always starts," she replied in agitation.
"So where did it start? It wasn't exactly a platonic marriage, you have living proof of that!" Catherine could be like a dog with a bone at times.
Jace had seen the war waging in the older woman next to her, she wanted to battle, well if that was the fine line they had to cross she would do it, Catherine had to understand. "From the first moment I saw you, I loved you! I have never in my life felt so alive as I did when you vaulted off Tralargon and gave us the famous Catherine Warriorson lecture. Your eyes spoke volumes and I wanted nothing more than to see them again. When I did, well, you have held my heart from that moment on and no matter what happens from now on, there will never ever be anyone who can come close. Peter was my friend and I loved him but he never held my heart, as you do! You are my life, the reason I want to get up every morning and see a new day. The reason I want you to experience the birth of my child with me, the reason I will give up my country to be here with you, if that's not enough of an explanation, then I will just have to try harder to convince you." Jace continued to look towards the fenced area holding the other participants in their life.
Catherine was overcome with the impassioned plea Jace had just given her. 'She never answered my question but I don't give a damn, I don't deserve that kind of devotion, but I want it, I crave it and I'm not letting it go again.' "I see!" Her voice clipped, unable to tell Jace how she really felt.
Jace looked at the quietly controlled profile next to her and sighed heavily; it hadn't been enough.
Grace chose that moment to deposit her body on the grass next to them, she had noticed the radiated tension coming from the two of them even at a distance and thought it better to leave them for a while. "Have you decided what you're going to tell the kids?"
Jace looked at Catherine's profile and shook her head at Grace. "I think I'll go see how they're doing," she walked off in the direction of the fenced area without further comment.
Catherine remained silent she had picked up the negative vibrations from Jace, but hadn't managed to get her emotional upheaval cleared up in time to complete what she wanted to say. 'I'll do it later, when were in bed, at least we will be alone with no possible interruptions.' Then a smirk crossed her face as she thought of the baby and it's habit of waking Jace up on frequent occasions to go to the bathroom.
"Have you had a fight?" Grace finally asked the pensive woman.
"What makes you think that Grace?" Catherine's profile turned in the direction of the hillside, rather than directly at her friend.
"Well, body language for one, but you look sad and believe me that's a first today." Grace chuckled and leant her body against the denim-clad legs of her friend.
"I never realised how difficult it was to fall in love Grace, why is that? Every book you read, every poem that's written tells about the wonders of love, but it hurts too!" Catherine whispered the words and they almost got carried away with the wind.
"Yeah, I know, believe me Catherine, I know how much it hurts." Grace quietly agreed in a solemn tone.
"I'm sorry Grace, I forgot about Colin. Is he still seeing......?" Catherine had forgotten Grace's unrequited love.
"Yeah he is. I wanted to talk to you about something Catherine, not sure if this is place or the moment." Grace leaned further into Catherine's legs and felt Catherine place a gentle hand on her hair and ruffle it.
"Go for it, what the hell, the place is great for sensitive chats." Catherine chuckled, her mood becoming more upbeat.
"I'd like to leave soon and go back to Auckland." Grace stated flatly.
Catherine put a hand on Grace's shoulder, hearing a note of finality in the voice of her friend. "For good?"
Feeling rather than hearing the answer with the nodding of Grace's head, "No! I can't allow that Grace, this is your home! Go back for a visit but come back to me!" Catherine howled the words into the air, Jace and the children turned around in a look of surprise and uncertainty.
"You don't need me here Catherine, you have everything you could possibly want. I need to get away, find out if I can function away from here and away from him! You have to let me go." Grace concluded sadly.
Jace had walked over with the children cautiously bringing up the rear.
"Are you giving me any options here?" Catherine finally answered, her face streaked with tears this was way too much emotional crap for her to handle in a day.
Placing a hand on Catherine's knee Grace gently squeezed it and smiled with tears in her own eyes. "Not really, but I will wait until you get back after the surgery, you know I love you Catherine, it's for the best."
"The best for you maybe, but not for me!" Catherine gave one of her petulant looks that would have melted most other people's hearts.
"Hey Jace, come over here and tell the kids, how much you love Catherine and how you're all going to be a family together. Hell, you can even plan for the new addition together too!" Grace motioned for the three of them to come over and sit by Catherine, who hadn't managed to stop the flow of tears, but was scrubbing a hand across her eyes to remove the evidence. She hated showing weakness in front of the children and Jace too come to that!
Jace looked at her in surprise and gratitude in a short sentence Grace had bridged not only the gap between her and Catherine but also the means to tell the children. She would find out soon enough what the tears were about.
Grace stood up and limped towards the jeep and the picnic items, as the new family finally got around to discussing details. Her hands shook as she reached for the basket and she had to wait for the trembling to stop. 'Hell of a way to exit Thornton, wonder if it's a good day to drive fast through a mountain range.' She collected the basket and set up the mobile table and chairs. 'It really was a fine day for a picnic.'
Continued In Part 4
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