The Harper Generations

When did my life turn into a three ring circus?

Misty

"Pop a squat because I have one hell of a story to tell you." Grace pointed at the empty chairs around the kitchen table.

"Wait. Can we invite River and Ryan over?" Chelle asked.

"Why don't you invite everyone? I'm sure they will want to hear the story, too," Grace said.

"Works for me." Chelle grinned before texting everyone.

We sat with Chelle and Lena at the table and waited for the others to show up. It didn't take long since we all lived in the same neighborhood. The girls and Tino's cousins found a seat. If they didn't find one, they made one with their laps.

"Would anyone like a drink?" Grace asked.

"No, we want to know why you messed with our afterlife. Wasn't it bad you messed with our lives when we were alive?" Preston asked.

"If it weren't for me, you would still linger in the afterlife." Grace arched her brow.

"Preston, stop pissing off Grammy before she sends us to hell," Ryan said.

"It wouldn't be the first time we survived hell." Preston shrugged.

"Are you done?" Grace asked.

"For now."

Grace rolled her eyes and mumbled before telling us a story. "Okay. When I was a child in my previous life, my mother told me I had this light around me. It drew people to me like moths to a flame. I could make friends easily, and people loved me. I didn't put any stock into what she said. When I met Gray, I felt this unexplainable pull to him, which was odd. We were the polar opposites. He was serious, while I loved to have fun. But somehow, it worked between us. Well, when he wasn't acting like a jackass. I caught him with a floozy at a bar while he was drunk."

Our brows lifted in surprise. Grayson never struck me as the type to cheat on anyone. But then again, you never know with people.

"Anyway, I gave Gray an ultimatum. Straighten up and fly right, or he would lose me. You can't have a marriage without trust. I also found out Gray had a nasty temper when we got into a terrible fight over me working. It wasn't the 50s. Women did work outside of the home. The problem with tempers is they can be very destructive. Gray learned to keep his temper in check. No one should put their hands on someone they love. If you're that angry, walk it off."

"So, how does this fit into what we want to know?" Tino asked.

"I'm getting to it. You're so damn impatient." Grace waved Tino off.

We snickered because it was true.

"When I was pregnant with Nathaniel, a male customer kept coming to the beauty salon. He was a little odd, but nothing I couldn't handle. The customer's behavior didn't sit well with Gray. It wasn't until I was locking up alone one night that the customer showed up with plans of his own. Gray was late picking me up from work. Adam chased me around the salon with a knife. He tore my clothes and tried to assault me. Gray arrived in the nick of time and beat the hell out of Adam. The police arrived and hauled Gray down to the police station. Luckily, nothing happened to me or the baby. But that was the first time I looked pure evil in the eyes. Adam's rage knew no bounds. And he didn't care what he did to me or the baby."

Our brows furrowed at this revelation. How could someone go after an innocent life?

"I thought that was the end of it until Patty showed up at my door after a guy assaulted her. Again, the guy seemed friendly until he wasn't. The fear in her eyes was the same one I had when Adam attacked me. Then I noticed the same thing happening to different women in this family. This entity doesn't care. It's cold, bitter, and has unbelievable rage. It will break someone until it destroys them, including your fathers."