Grace Taylor Hudson

Chapter 5

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"Johnnyyyyyy, my darling bff, let's go get something to eat! I'm staaarrrving!"

"Okay, ummm... Let's go to that one French place down on the boulevard?"

"Mmm... Okay! Let's leave in like an hourish? So tell them to be expecting us around 7... I'm not really in the mood for paps today."

"Yes, master." He added a sarcastic bow at the end. I muttered smart ass under my breath and went upstairs to get ready.

I came back down 30 minutes later and we left. Messing around on the car ride over to the restaurant.

"Ughhhh, look at all the paps Johnny... They're such assholes."

"We'll run in really quickly, come on," he said after parking the car and handing the key to the valet.

"Ready? Go!" We barrelled through with more ease and less chaos than we expected thanks to restaurant security, but that didn't keep people from staring.

I skimmed the restaurant for the most private looking booth or table. Then I saw two familiar faces looking at me...

Ones I'd never forget. Bug eyed and shocked. Then the third person turned around and that was when time, my heart, and breathing stopped at the same time.

She was here. And she was looking straight at me. Living and breathing. Less than 40 feet away from me. All I wanted to do was speak to her. She's my spitting image.

I felt like I was looking at the 16 year old version of my self again. Only she's a thousand times more beautiful than I was and ever will be. Grace Taylor Hudson. Her name running through my mind the way it does every morning when I wake up and every evening before I fall asleep.

Only she's not a Hudson. She's a Brant. And I can't go to her. I still have two days to wait. Two days leading up to her accepting me or pushing me away. 48 hours until I could call her my daughter right to her face.

"Hey, Katy. The table's re- Whoa, are you okay?" My face was white as a sheet and he clearly noticed. "Johnny. She's here. M-M-My Grace is here."

It took him a second to get it, but he started scanning the restaurant and when he saw her his jaw dropped. "K-Katy. Sh-she's beautiful. She looks just like you."

I nodded. "I know... The only difference is the fact that she has Jason's hair."

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She's staring right at me. Actually, it looks more like I'm staring at my own eyes. Who is she talking to? Wait, I think that's Johnny, yeah it's definitely Johnny. And why did she go so pale...

I can't look away. There's something keeping my eyes locked on hers. Some pull stronger than anything I've ever felt in my life, a bond that for some reason pulls me to her.

"Mom, Dad. I need to go to the restroom. I'll be right back." And before they could say anything I got up and made my way to the back of the restaurant.

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As soon as she turned back around I ran straight to the bathroom. I desperately needed a moment to gather myself and get my color back.

Not 30 seconds after I walked in, the door opened causing me to jump and stand up straight. I didn't look up. Not until I heard the words,

"You. You're my mother." And when I did look up, for the second time in 5 minutes my whole world stopped.

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I opened the door to the bathroom and saw her quickly right herself, but she didn't look in my direction. How do I handle this? I know it's her. I've never been so sure of anything in my life. What do I say? But before I could think the words we spilling from my mouth.

"You. You're my mother." And I kept going. "Don't deny it. I can feel it in my heart and in my bones. Why? Wait. No. I know why. Because you were and are selfish. Because you needed to live the life you wanted. Because you never loved me."

Tears were spilling from my eyes and down my cheeks causing my mascara to run. The emotions on her face were raw. Shock. Hurt. Pain. Awe. And love. After everything I had said to her I saw love.

"Never loved you? I did this because I loved you." Katy's voice broke and she continued on barely above a whisper, tears steadily streaming down her face. "I couldn't even feed myself. How was I going to feed you? Pay for diapers? Who would watch you when I went to perform? How could a starving artist care for her daughter?"

"Grace? Grace, sweetie are you ok-," my mom walked in on cutting Katy off. "Oh, I see you've met your biological mother... Ummm..."

"Yup. We've become acquainted. Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to attempt to finish my food." I pushed between my mom who was still in shock and walked quickly to our table to attempt to finish my pasta. My dad noticed my puffy eyes but didn't say anything, which I was grateful for.

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"Well... I guess we know how she feels. Looks like we didn't have to wait until Thursday after all." Sarcasm was dripping from my voice, only because I was trying to mask my sadness and hurt. But Laura clearly saw through it and came over to give me a comforting hug.

"Katy, she's strong. Just like you. She's also very independent which can be challenging sometimes; I take it she also got that from you?"

I gave her a watery smile and sniffled; she continued on, "She'll need time to think it over and she'll probably want to talk about it with you. Be prepared for an entire range of emotions. I know she'll come around and I also want you to know that Marshall and I are completely willing to give you custody if she wants to stay with you. She's yours and I understood that the first time you and I talked after adopting her. There's no denying that you love her more than life itself. Thank you for sharing your beautiful daughter with us for the past 16 years. She's absolutely perfect."

"Laura- she clearly doesn't want me. She's right, I'm selfish. I always have been. She's known me for 2 minutes and can see right through me. I have no idea what to do! Is it okay if I take her to talk somewhere? I'll bring her back to your house when she's ready to go. If she even wants to go..." The last part of my sentence turned into a barely audible whisper, my nerves suddenly getting to me.

"Yes, I'll go ask her. But didn't you come with somebody?"

"Oh shit!" I slapped my forehead "Johnny! Oh fuck. Umm.. I'll get him a cab. He saw Grace when we walked in as well... He'll understand." With that we both left the bathroom and went to our separate tables to execute our plan.

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"No. I'm not going." My face blank as my mother told me what was going on.

"Grace. Please. I need you to go with Katy. You need to speak to her about this."

"Once again, no. She's had 16 years to explain. She's done nothing."

"Actually, that's not true." I had a puzzled look on my face but she continued talking. "I'll let Katy explain that. Grace I'm begging you. You both need to talk to each other. Please?"

I sucked my breath in and exhaled for a few seconds, pretending to consider, when I already knew my answer.

"Fine. I'll talk to her."