Saving Grace

Chapter 10

Gracie goes to change into something more comfortable and joins me on the sofa a few minutes later. She flicks the TV on and finds some crime show. She snuggles up next to me without hesitation and my arm just goes around her shoulders so naturally. She gives what sounds like a contented sigh. I start dozing off, the wine and food taking their toll on me. Gracie snuggles up even more and I'm out for the count.
I wake up to her mumbling.
"You'll keep me safe. I can feel it. They won't find me if I'm with you."
Someone's after her? No wonder she has nightmares. I notice there's a blanket over us both. She must have fetched it after I fell asleep. I find my phone and check the time. It's just after midnight. I gently kiss the top of Gracie's head before my eyes close once again.
I wake up near 10am and Gracie is gone. There's a note on the coffee table in front of me.

'Hey sleepy head. Had to go work. Hopefully see you later? I finish at 5.'

I decide to head home to grab a shower and some food and generally catch up on stuff at home. I haven't really been there much recently. I call a cab - my car is still at home after Jaime driving us last night. I can't help but wonder at the stuff Gracie mumbles in her sleep. It has me slightly worried to be honest. Not for myself but for her. She's so sweet. Who could honestly want to hurt or harm her?

I notice the light on my landline flashing, telling me I have a message. It's my mom. I haven't seen her in a few days so I ring her back and tell her I'm coming over. I have a quick shower and head out to my car. It's a half hour journey and I blast some music to make time go faster.
My mom is cooking something delicious by the smell and as I give her a hug and grab a can of soda from the fridge, she asks me why I haven't been in touch. I tell her I've met someone and she starts quizzing me.
"We're only friends at the moment but I do really like her. She's so beautiful but she's really smart and sweet too" I say. My mom makes up the quesadillas she's been cooking and we sit down to eat, chatting away. I help her clear up and collapse on the sofa, shocked at how much food I've consumed in the last 24 hours. I see one of my moms magazines on the coffee table and start flicking through it. I think I've read it before but what the hell. There's those stories of couples overcoming the odds and having babies, stories of unsolved murders and stories about missing people. And there's a girl in one of those stories who reminds me of Gracie. But her name is Georgina Elizabeth Scott-Smith. She went missing from her home in England 5 years ago, aged 18 and her passport was used for a flight to New York but after that she was never seen again. In the accompanying photo, Georgina has short brown hair and blue eyes. Gracie has long blonde hair and green eyes. Gracie's nose is a slightly different shape but the resemblance is bizarre. I ask my mom if I can take the magazine and she nods, looking slightly puzzled but agreeing anyway. I stay a couple more hours and seeing it's just gone 4:20, I say my goodbyes and go off to meet Gracie from work.