Saved By Grace (Grace Walker Series Book 3)

Chapter 12:

Mason didn't really talk much about his mom the next few days and I waited until he opened up to ask. It was almost as if it never happened.

Mom had told me that Mark had asked her if the three of them could have dinner. That apparently was what their fight was about Friday night. Mom still hadn't made a decision.

We were supposed to go to another dress fitting with Deb from L.E. this week and Mom hadn't even mentioned it.

I decided rather than sit around the house to go over to Reni's and see if she may want to go to the mall or something. I needed to get out of the tension-filled house.

I pulled up to the house and Reni was outside, sitting under the tree by the house, where she was under the shade, tapping away on her phone.

"Hey." I said as I walked up. She looked up and smiled.

I sat down next to her on the bench.

"What do you have going on today?" I asked.

"Not too much. Sierra is acting up again and Mom has grounded her, so the house is pretty much quiet. She hasn't come out of her room for hours." She shook her head. "I wish she'd give up the rebel act already."

"Let's go to the mall or something. I'm bored and my house is tense too." I said.

"Alright, let me tell Mom I'm leaving." She said.

She ran inside and I walked around the front yard waiting for her to come out. The day was very hot, but cloudy. I'm sure there will be a storm brewing soon. Whether it was going to be nature or man-made, there was definitely something ominous hanging around.

We drove to the mall and decided to get something to drink before we did anything else. "Today is a beast." She looked at me, wiping her forehead off on her shirt sleeve. We walked to the smoothie shop. The mall was a little busy, but not too bad. Neither one of us had a particular place in mind to go to, so we walked and talked for a little bit.

"Mason's real mom came back the other day. Wants to spend some time with him before he goes to college." I said.

Reni almost spit her smoothie out. "What?!?"

I told her about the other day and how Mark wants Mom and the two of them to sit down and have dinner and talk.

"What is your mom going to do?" Reni asked with a startled look.

"Not sure. I know they got into a heated discussion the other night, and I haven't heard another word." I added.

"Sounds fishy to me. Mason deserves better. I just think it's awfully weird she's coming back now, before your mom's wedding." She said.

I hadn't really thought about that. I didn't say anything else and we ended up passing a boutique that had jewelry and hair accessories I hadn't been in in ages.

We both picked out a few pair of earrings and I got some new scrunchies, seeing since I wore my hair up all the time. We paid for our stuff and walked out. The solar windows were showing dark clouds outside, so she and I decided to go on home.

Sure enough, when we walked out the storm clouds were starting to roll in.

I dropped her off at her house and drove home.

Soon as I pulled in the driveway my phone rang. It was Jaxon.

"Hey, I haven't heard from you. Just making sure everything was okay. " He said when I picked up.

"Yeah things are okay. What are you up to?". I asked.

"Nothing much. Waiting out the storm."

I walked in the house while trying to protect my phone from the now falling raindrops.

Mason,Mom and Mark were sitting at the kitchen table talking. They all looked in better spirits than they had all week.

I hung up with Jaxon and told him I'd call him later.

"How's everyone?" I said. I walked to the fridge to grab a soft drink.

"Things are okay. I am going to go ahead and have dinner with my mom. I have to at least hear her out." Mason said. I felt bad for him, because I had just recently developed a relationship with my dad again.

"And I have agreed to have dinner with Mark and her as well. But, it's going to be a family thing, so you're invited, Punkin." Mom said searching my face for some reaction.

"Okay, I'll do what it takes." I said and I meant it. I just wanted things to be fine and everyone to be happy.

We sat for a while and talked. It'd seemed like forever since we had done that. Just then, a large lightning strike showed in the window and a loud clap of thunder followed. The lights began to flicker and then went off. Man, I hoped they came on quick as hot as it still was outside. Mark called the electric company while Mom, Mason and I opened the windows.

"They won't be out for a few hours, so we have to make the best of it for now." He said.

We decided to raid the pantry for some snacks and things that wouldn't take the stove or microwave to cook. Since the fridge was still relatively cold, we grabbed cold cuts and cheese for sandwiches. Mom had some leftover pasta salad too. We decided to eat on the family room floor, since there was more light coming in there than the kitchen.

The food was just enough considering that it was so hot and no one felt like cooking. We sat around for a while outside. The rains did bring in cooler weather and it wasn't as muggy as it had been earlier this afternoon.

I looked at my phone to check to make sure I had enough battery power and decided to excuse myself to call Jaxon back.

"Hey, did you lose power?" I asked when he answered.

"Yeah for a little bit, we just got them back on though." He said. "What are you doing now?"

"Nothing really, waiting on our power to come back on."

"Well, Mom is working late and I have no one to talk to seeing since Darcy stays held up in her room most of the time. You wanna come over?" He asked.

"Well, of course I do." I said with a smile.

I walked back over to where Mom was sitting. The guys must have went back in.

"Jaxon wants me to come over. I do have to ask, when is this family dinner?" I asked.

"The day after tomorrow. I desperately need you there honey, and I'm sure Mason does too. I'm really apprehensive about meeting her." She said.

"I'll be there Mom." I said. The rain and let up, so I decided to go ahead and head to Jaxon's.

I got in my car and backed out. I could see the utility company and the end of the road so I shot my mom a quick text that the lights should be back on soon.