Grace (BWWM)

Chapter Seven

"You're lucky I know how to cut your hair," I say, snipping away at his shaggy locks. He shrugs, grinning.

"Weren't you the one who insisted on cutting it?"

"Only because you keep walking around looking like a certain cartoon character," I huff.

"You mean the tall one from the shows the kids used to watch?" he asks, and I roll my eyes. Of course he knows that character I'm talking about. I honestly believe that Joe is still a child on the inside even though he looks like a man on the outside. A large man. All that working out and eating right has been paying off, and ladies just can't help but to look at him. He was good-looking before, but since he started taking better care of his body, he's even better looking. Not to mention his warm personality and that great smile of his.

It's been a little over a year since he called me that night. I worried about how he sounded. Although there are certainly days that are harder than others, Joe has been doing better and it's a delight to see. When those hard days come, I try to remind him to be gentle on himself. It can be frustrating at times to find yourself seemingly stuck in a never ending cycle when you think you should be further ahead, healing more than you are. Losing a loved one is no small thing and the sadness will always be there, but the way we manage it is very important. We remember our loved ones and we miss them, but we've still got a life here that we must live as well.

"Are you almost done with Uncle Joe's hair, Aunty?" I look to the doorway to see Austin. He used to be bigger, but he's shed most of his weight and taken on a leaner and taller frame. He brushes aside the bangs that cover his blue eyes, and I nod.

"Almost. You can continue playing with the others, I'll call you once I'm done," I say, and he looks to his right and smiles as Rose pops in next to him. Even though she's grown a few inches, she's still petite. He takes her hand and looks back at me.

"Okay," he says before rushing away with her, making her laugh. I watch as they disappear.

"So they're pretty close," Joe says.

"Mhm," I say, and we exchange a knowing look in the mirror. The twins are fifteen, but Rose and Austin are just a few months shy of that, and I know I'll have to keep an eye on them. They seem like they're still in that innocent stage, but that's just for now.

"It's nice of you to care for Austin like you do, Grace," he says as I reach for another lock of hair. The strands fall on the towel I've placed on his shoulders, and some drift to the ground.

"He's like a son to me," I say simply.

"I can tell, and it's obvious he cares for you." My eyes meet Joe's warm ones, and his words make me smile. I shrug, trying for casual, but he knows how I feel. "I'm sure you'll see the fruits of the seeds you've sown when he's older."

"I hope so." Austin has been doing well, and I know a huge part of that is because of Rose.

"You will. Have you heard from Ayana or Dave in a while?" he asks and I sigh.

"Not at all." Speaking of inseparable, Dave and Ayana used to come here at one point. They are classmates with Austin and the twins, but they haven't been coming for almost two years now. The two had a puppy love that they seemed to be unable to see. Ayana had been getting bullied and Dave took it upon himself to protect her. Sometimes I worry about her.

"I think she'll be alright," Joe says, knowing my thoughts. "She's got her bodyguard afterall," he adds, which Nova has joked about. Dave honestly is like a bodyguard for her.

"That's true," I say. We fall silent and listen to the kids hanging out in the living room, joking and speaking loudly. They've all got each other, and I don't know how things might turn out for each and every one of them, but I always pray for them and trust that God will lead them right.