Saving Grace #Wattys2016

Chapter Twenty One

        "I can't believe you did this." My head was still spinning as we drove to Dallas.

  "It's was nothing big." He replied nonchalantly. "They owed me favors anyway."

  "You just got Hardy a guaranteed job at Brandon in San Francisco with an apartment. A big, nice one with a view. What did you do to make that a brush off?"

  "Something along the lines of building a major chain hotel without any notice." My eyes widened as he laughed. "Don't worry 'bout it, Grace, it was my pleasure. And they've been trying to get their hands on someone as young and fresh as Hardy with new ideas; I just pointed them to the right direction."

  "Still, thank you, thank you so much; this means so much to me for him."

  "You know, he loves you." Parker smiled at me. "He asked if they would mind if you came along and if the money would be enough to help you with college."

  "He did?" I smiled and felt my eyes getting watery; so he wasn't gonna leave me, he wasn't gonna leave me in this town. "And what'd they say."

  "I said I think it's a fine idea and he won't need to help you with college; I will. Maybelle's husband said all you need to do is take the final exam." True; Mr. Davis was a professor at the town's college and was tutoring me for a really small fee. Each year, the college provided a free scholarship for young adults with a small income and he recommended me. "I don't want to lose one of the perks of being a dad."

  "You really like the idea of being a dad, don't you?" Eyeing him closely, I said. "I do, especially of you and Danny and most importantly, with your mother as her husband. Even though we aren't blood related, you're still my kids." That made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside that he thought of us that way. "Here we are; Dallas." It was the same as Houston, but a bit more hip whereas Houston was richer. Parker pulled into a street spot and turned off the car in front of a jewelry shop with a bright smile on his face: he was really serious about marrying Mama.

  "I'm scared out of my trousers right now." Parker laughed nervously.

  "Come on, it'll be fine." I grabbed his hand, surprised that it felt so comfortable and pulled him to the cool air and shade of the shop.

  "Hi, how may I help you?" A woman behind the counter was clearly checking Parker out who wasn't looking back at her. His eyes were pointed to the millions of rings laid out behind the protected glass.

  "Where the hell do you start?" Parker blurted out.

  "We are looking for a ring. He's proposing to my mother." I saw her. I saw her look at my skin then his like they all did.

Typical.

  "Well, I'm sure we'll find something here that'll fit her." We went through so many rings, I was getting tried, but Parker insisted on finding the perfect one. Me, as his future stepdaughter, thought it was the perfect test to show how much he loved my mother; he wanted nothing to be wrong.

  "This is it." Parker grinned as bright as the diamond. "This is her." It was simple but at the same time, had amazing detailing.

  "Oh, Parker, it's perfect; she'll love it. Are you sure 'bout this one?"

  "Absolutely. And we have to be at the site in ten minutes." We swiftly paid for the ring and got back into the car where I looked down at the bright future before looking at the man that would provide it.