Saving Grace Read Online Free PDF Page B

likely.
    Chord opened the door and stepped out onto the cement floor. The world swayed a bit so he grabbed the hood for support. After the black dots turned back into his garage he staggered to the house door. Before opening it, he punched the button next to it to close the garage door. The ear-splitting noise of unoiled hinges unrolling the garage door had him covering his ears. Leaning against the wall and pressing his palms to his ears was all he could do to keep upright.
    The house door swung open, and Grace stared up at him.
    “What happened to you? You look terrible.” Her almond-shaped brown eyes analyzed him from head to toe. She had pretty eyes when they weren’t all scrunched up in anger.
    “Nothing, I’m fine. I just have a headache.” The world started spinning again, and he grabbed for the wall.
    Grace slid one arm around his waist and touched his forehead with the other. “You’re burning up with fever. Let’s get you in bed.”
    “But the kids.”
    “I’ve got them.” She took his weight and together they shuffled into the kitchen. “We were waiting to eat dinner until you got home. After I get you into bed, I’ll feed them and put them to bed. I’ll sleep on the couch—”
    “We have three guest rooms and a guest house.” His throat was so dry, he needed water and lots of it.
    “Of course you do. You strike me as an overachiever, I would expect that your house would be an overachiever as well.” She laughed and the sound eased some of the anxiety he felt about not spending time with his kids. “Where’s everyone?”
    “We stopped by Goodwill on the way home. CoCo got some cool retro clothes for sixties day next week at school, HW got the Harry Potter Boxed set, and is almost a quarter of the way through book one. And Cart got a vacuum that doesn’t work he’s currently taking apart in the blue living room. He swears he can fix it.”
    “The blue living room?” He didn’t know CoCo’s school had a sixties day. He did know HW liked to read, and Cart loved taking things apart. He’d found out the latter when Cart was two and took the apart the remote. He’d had to buy another TV because he couldn’t get a replacement remote. After a few hours, she knew his kids better than he did.
    “As far as I can tell, your house has four living rooms so I’ve named them based on color.” She slid her other arm around him for support. “Where’s your room?”
    “Up the stairs and at the end of the hall.” It felt like his body weighed a thousand pounds. “Thanks for taking them today…and for staying tonight.”
    They took the stairs one at a time.
    “If I didn’t, they’d just track me down tomorrow.” She leaned into him trying to take more of his weight.
    Her hair smelled like oranges and coconut and he couldn’t help but notice her breast mashed against his side. He glanced down. It was the same one that started Nipple-Gate on The Voice . Her breasts weren’t large, but they were girl breasts, which made them interesting. His body may be sick, but his libido worked just fine.
    “CoCo instigated their little field trip today. She needed some female advice.” Grace said.
    “Why? We talk. If there’s a boy issue she usually comes to me.” He had a great relationship with his daughter. This didn’t make any sense.
    “She started her period today. She had some questions you aren’t equipped to answer.” Grace shrugged. “While the boys road the train, we discussed the changes in her body. It’s a hard time for girls and somewhat embarrassing.”
    “Started her period.” The words sank in. It seemed like yesterday she’d been a newborn he’d cuddled in the hospital. “I’m not ready for that.”
    “Almost fifteen makes her a late bloomer. Mother Nature has her own time table.”
    They made it to the top of the landing and slowly walked down the hall.
    “If it’s okay with you on your next day off, I’d like to take her for a ladies day. My aunt did that for me