Anna's Grace

Chapter One

     Anna sighed heavily, she didn't know if she was ready to enter the church just yet. But she had waited outside for long enough now, knowing that Pastor Michaels would never start the ceremony without her. Without a backwards glance she wiped the fresh tears from her cheeks and entered the church.

     Her mother, Amelia beckoned her over towards her. She was sitting next to Noah's grandfather, he was silently crying looking down at his hands. She could feel the tears piercing her eyes as well but tried to hold it back.

     Yes, she thought, today was the worse day yet. She was starting to feel the splitting heart break... She knew it must've looked weird, her not crying, but she felt spent. She had cried herself to sleep this past two weeks. She had never in her life felt so numb as she did when her sweet Noah disappeared.

      No, she was lying. It got worse. She had felt dead when they had found his body, more than dead – if you could believe it possible. She sat down next to her mother who held onto her hand, Anna was thankful for it even if it felt as though her whole world was ending one day at a time.

     As Pastor Michael started his preach she thought back on her whole life, how did she come to this place? How come this had to happen to her? She was a child of God, she praised him, and even made sure that little Noah knew his gospel. And then... she thought bitterly... he allowed an evil person to take away her little Noah.

     The small town in Michigan was turned onto its back by the brutal double murder of Noah and Cathy Grace. What made it worse was that the Grace Family had lost two grandchildren in one awful day.

     Cathy was Noah's cousin, she was older by three years but better friends you could never find. Cathy was raised by Noah's grandfather because her father – the eldest of the Grace sons – had asked his parents to help him. Cathy's mother had overdosed a year ago and it was still a very difficult time for Elijah, and then with this tragedy... nobody knew if he would be fine after this.

     Anna whipped a tear as Pastor Michaels continued, "Anna, Elijah, Noah..." but she drifted off not really listening, she felt very empty, how did one become whole again after such a tragedy? Her mother gave her hand a small squeeze as the Pastor asked that Anna, Adam and Elijah brought forwards the candles.

     "The candles is a symbol of God's grace," he said as Anna, Adam and Elijah walked forwards, "Remember them, in their good times... Catherine and Noah are safe in God's arms, and we light their way forwards and our own towards healing... God always has a way to heal a broken heart..." he finished and lighted the baby blue and baby pink candles.

     Tears were streaming down Anna's cheeks now, she looked up and saw that Elijah was openly sobbing. Her heart broke in that moment. He had lost his wife only a year ago and now his only daughter. How cruel could this world be? She thought sadly as she whipped away her own tears.

     Noah's father stood behind her, his eyes blank and dry. He had not shed a single tear since he heard that their son was gone. That was the worse, Anna thought. Phoning Adam after they decided to end their twelve year relationship, Adam had always said that he didn't want her and Noah to be on their own, he was livid to say the least when she had announced that she had bought her own house a few blocks away from their old family homes.

     They placed the candles on the table next to Pastor Michaels, bowed their heads and returned to their seats. Amelia placed a comforting hand on her daughters shoulder and fresh tears streamed down Anna's face.

     Adam felt empty, he hated not knowing what had happened to his son or to his niece. He had walked around aimlessly the previous night dreading this day, dreading to bury his son. Little Noah was only 8 years old, how could Anna allow him to go out on his own, he was angry with her... But as Elijah had explained, it was no one's fault that the two children had snuck out to ride on their bikes.

     But still Adam was angry at Anna, he had always expected that they would end up married and as a happy family. Little Noah always brought them together regardless of all the fights they have had. He was now angrier at Anna than he was with his own father.

     Elijah sat down next to his father, who hardly looked up the entire time, his hands were clenched on his lap and tears spilled down his face. What made everything worse was that Adam was angry with the only woman he had ever loved, believing that she had neglected to watch over the two willful children.

     Elijah placed his hand in his fathers' and gave it a small squeeze, putting into the gesture that he knew that everything that had happened was an accident. Elijah looked over at Anna and saw fresh tears streaming down her cheeks. He wished that Adam could console her, she too after all has lost her child.

     The thing was that after everything the Grace and Granger Family had lived through, this was probably the one thing that was going to end everything... now when they needed each other more than ever.

     Anna looked up feeling eyes on her, her eyes met with Elijah's blue eyes, he gave her a small sad smile as though thanking her for keeping his fathers' secret.

     I know what you are probably thinking, but no, Noah Grace did not murder his grandchildren. He was supposed to look after them, but he had fallen asleep and the two kids had snuck out to ride their bikes. What happened afterwards no one knew... But Anna was taking the responsibility since Adam was still blaming his own father for his mothers' death. She didn't want him to blame his father more than he already did.

     "Now let us pray," Pastor Michaels said and everyone bowed their head as he started the prayer.