Saving Grace #Wattys2016

Chapter Seven

GABRIELLE UNION AS ABIGAIL STEWART

Despite my brother's wishes to stay away from white including Hardy, I was still intent on going to see him and his sister today. Going into town, I was extra careful, knowing Danny, he had the Boys watching out for me. Nevertheless,

I got to town and into Maybelle's like normal.

"Well, if it isn't my sunshine walking throughout that door." Her booming voice called from walking. "Hi, honey. Ya looking for Hardy?"

"Is it that obvious?" I winced.

"Like a mouse looking for cheese. Let's get you off your feet." Maybelle escorted me to the table where the small part of the Hale family sat all perfectly; I had a tendency to feel all wrong being next to any of them but Hardy spotted me and was already getting up. The girl. I remembered her standing next to Hardy in the Social Section newspaper. A slight relief came over me to know that wasn't his girlfriend but his sister.

"Hey, you." He came to hug and kiss my cheek; yes, in plain sight. From all the way on the other side of the room, you could hear Maybelle hollering.

"Remember what I said 'bout them kids." She yelled. We both gave her the look of 'shut up' before I sat down.

"Grace, my sister, Emmalee."

"I also go as Emma. Hi." She had the same accent as me but with her it sounded more elite Southern Belle like. "So you're the wonderful Grace my brother keeps talking about; nice to finally meet you."

"Likewise." I smiled as Hardy allowed me to his stool and got another. "We

gotta be careful." I said to him. "Danny was serious 'bout me staying away from whites."

"This Danny doesn't like white people?" Emma asked.

"Not recently." Her brother explained. "He's the one I was telling you about Hayden's goons trashing their clubhouse."

"Yes, Danny Stewart," Emma remembered then looked sadly at me. "Your father was the Will Stewart that died years ago, wasn't he? I'm sorry."

"Don't be." I tried to reassure her. "Those things happen sometimes." Hardy covered my hand with his and I looked at him. His sister gave a skeptical look at us before talking again.

"So Hardy tells me you guys first meet just from bumping on the street?"

"I had to found you again." He sheepishly grinned at me. "The way we just looked at each other made it impossible not to." That was a good thing to know.

With the way things were going and the way I wanted them to, that was a very good thing.

"He likes you." Emma told me later as we walked down Main Street later. Hardy sadly left us to pick up James from school so he left us to do some quality time. Emma was a surprise; even though I never thought white people wouldn't talk to me, it was like we were friends for years. We laughed about the things we shared on ourselves and basically loved the same common things.

"What?" I snapped out of my daydream. "Who? Hardy?" She nodded. "Why would you say that?"

"I see the way he looks at you; almost like he just wants to lock you up from the world for himself. And the way you look at him. It's like he's the only person around." Part of me wanted to tell her it wasn't true, but the other part said she would be the only person that understands me now.

"You think?" Her eyes glowed when I said this, almost like in her eyes, that was a 'yes, I'm in love with your brother'. "So you do like him!" Emma screamed and I sighed. This was the beginning of the end. "I know it! You two would look gorgeous and the town really needs some diversity. In New York, people of all races mix together; my English professor's white and she married a Chinese. Very cute couple."