Free Finding Gracie's Rainbow by Deborah A. Price

Gracie glanced over at Sammie, who was biting her lip as
she looked at Kim.
    “ Just about everything
that has happened since Jackson told Steven about you kissing him.”
Sammie was smiling at Gracie and Jackson as the color drained off
both of their faces.
    Gracie closed her eyes.
“Thanks for the heads up. I guess I had better talk to her.” She
took her plate and headed out to the car where her daughter was
waiting for her.
    Gracie noticed that Bea was
reserved while they drove quietly to their apartment. She didn't
push her daughter to talk as they entered into their home. Gracie
figured that Bea would talk when she was ready.
    She sat down on the couch,
feeling all the weight caused by that day’s actions at the
barbeque. Gracie looked up when she heard Bea come back into the
living room after putting on her nightgown.
    Bea handed her the
hairbrush acting like she wanted to ask a question before sitting
down on the floor in front of her mother. Gracie stared at the
little pink brush causing Bea to turn around and look at her.
“You’ve been mighty quiet, Bea.” Gracie finally broke the
silence.
    “ Where did you go, Momma?”
Bea looked at her with those big brown that could melt Gracie’s
heart.
    “ I looked at a house.”
Gracie smiled. “This way we can keep your little fuzz ball with
us.” Gracie said as she thought to herself. “And I won’t have to
see Jackson.” She saw the excitement wash over Bea’s face before
she turned serious again.
    “ What about ‘Uncle’
Jackson?” Bea finally asked. She watched Gracie turn the brush over
in her hand.
    “ What about him?” Gracie
asked as she looked down.
    “ Is he your ‘Prince
Charming’?” Bea watched the amusement in her mother’s
eyes.
    “ Absolutely not,” Gracie
motioned for her to turn around so she could start brushing her
hair.
    “ I saw you kiss him.” Bea
started to relax as she felt the brush sliding easily through her
hair.
    “ He kissed me to make your
uncle mad.” Gracie informed her. “Now off to bed, Princess,” she
watched as Bea frowned at her. “Is there something
else?”
    “ I guess not.” Bea took
the hairbrush from Gracie and walked to her bedroom.
    Gracie sat there thinking
about the kiss before going into Bea’s room to listen to her say
her prayers.
    “ Momma?”
    Gracie sat down on the bed
next her. “Yes, Bea.”
    “ You don’t believe in
fairy tales- do you?” Bea was watching her mother as she
asked.
    “ For you, I believe in
fairy tales.” Gracie answered while she pulled the comforter up to
be Bea’s shoulders.
    “ What about for
you?”
    Gracie thought about that.
“No, Bea, I don’t; that ended for me a long time ago.” She kissed
her cheek. “Now go to sleep. I love you.” Gracie walked out of the
room, shutting the door softly behind her.
    ~
    Kim was relieved when she
saw Gracie walk into the church with Bea following close at her
heels. She walked over to Gracie and hugged her. “I need you to
sing.”
    “ No, Kim,” Gracie sat down
on the pew where her parents were already sitting. “I really am not
in the singing mood.”
    “ I’m serious. I'm not
asking you to do a solo. I am, however, begging you to fill in for
one of the members who has laryngitis.” Kim smiled at Bea, who was
listening to them talk. “Wouldn’t you like to hear your mother
sing?”
    Bea nodded as she caught
Gracie’s attention. They didn't see Jackson come into the church
and sit on the opposite side of Janet and Chandler.
    “ That isn't fair, Kim.”
Gracie moaned at her sister. “You know I can't tell her
no.”
    “ Figured that out a long
time ago,” Kim smiled as she led Gracie back to the choir
room.
    Bea noticed Jackson when
she glanced over at her grandparents and gave him a big smile
before going over and sitting between him and her
grandmother.
    The pianist had seen Kim
take Gracie to choir room and called her over; asking if they could
change one of their selections. Kim just smiled.