State of Grace (Complete)

Trouble Ahead

EIGHT GRADE THREE

For my eight birthday, Maggie takes us to play mini-putt. Daddy has something at work and Mommy isn't feeling well. She gave Maggie a bunch of money and told her to take us where we wanted to go.

"So Grace, your mom's pregnant again, huh?" Maggie points out as we watch the twins.

I didn't really consider this before, but it makes sense. She's been in bed more, but isn't sad or angry, plus Daddy's been home more. "Maybe. I don't know. They wouldn't tell me if she was."

"Do you want a brother or a sister?"

"I don't know, I have you guys, so I don't really need either."

"Yes but we're older and not blood relatives."

"I don't know, a girl I guess," but the idea of another baby is really bugging me. I want Mommy and Daddy to be happy, but Daddy's not home too much and I don't really want to share him, plus if something happens with Mommy again, who would take care of the baby? Aunt Jem and Uncle Paul live too far away to come, and I don't know how to do baby things.

"Don't worry about it now, Gracie." Maggie senses my unease and tries to distract me, "Where do you want to go after we finish here?"

"Wherever Chris and Ian want," I answer.

Maggie gives an annoyed sigh, "Don't be like that, Grace, it's your birthday, not theirs."

"I know, but Ian's so upset about Missy and Steve, I just want him to be happy again."

"You do enough, Gracie," she gives me a pat on the back. "It's not your job to make him happy, you know."

"I know, but I don't like to see him so upset."

We spend the rest of the day at a playground arcade place—Chris and Ian both win me a stuffed animal. Maggie gets us an ice cream cake and we eat it in the park right by the duck pond. It's a perfect day, and I am so glad we're all together again.

I am in Chris and Ian's class again in grade three, and it is fantastic to have them right with me. I still make friends with some of the other kids in class, especially Melody, because she's really nice, but Ian seems to behave better in class when I'm around, so that makes me happy, too. He and I spend a lot of time passing notes and pictures back and forth. He's especially good at drawing cartoons of people in class, and I have to try really hard to keep from giggling.

Mommy is getting a bit thicker around her middle, although she hasn't told me about the baby yet, and Daddy is home a lot more to help out. For the twins birthday, I get them movie passes so we can all go together because Mommy didn't take me shopping, but Daddy and I got the gift card at the grocery store. The twins decide to have a sleep over party, so Mommy forbids me to go.

"It's one thing to have a sleep over with the neighbours, it's a whole other thing to sleep over with all the boys in your class," she says, firmly.

"Why?" I am confused.

"Because boys and girls are different, that's why," she says firmly.

"I know, but it's just a party."

"No, Grace, and that's final!" She clutches her stomach and gives me a dirty look. "If you make me angry and it hurts this baby, I'll never forgive you." Mommy storms from the room and goes to lay on the couch. Maggie was right again. I burst into tears. I don't want to make Mommy sick, and I definitely don't want to hurt the baby, so I don't bother her about it again.

The day of the party I stay in my room sitting on my window seat watching the all boys run around out back and in and out of the trees. A few times Ian or Chris looks up and waves, and I wave back, trying to tamp down my disappointment in being left out. As it gets darker, the boys all go inside and I go downstairs to watch tv. Mommy is curled up on the couch with a cup of tea and some toast watching something boring, so I open my book to read. A knock on the front door shatters the silence, so I get up quickly to answer it before Mommy has to move.

"Hi Gracie," it's Maggie smiling down at me. "I was wondering if you could come over and help me with the cake for a few minutes because it's pandemonium over there." Maggie looks over at my mom on the couch. "Hi Mrs. Yardley, how are you feeling?"

"I'm a little sore, and Grace has been making enough of a racket that I have a headache." Her comment is really unfair, spitefulness spiking inside me, I haven't bothered her all day. I didn't even ask to go out to play with the boys because I knew it would annoy her. Sometimes she's just so unfair.

"Well, how about I take her off your hands for a little while? I could really use the help." Maggie offers. My eyes widen, I know what she's doing and I am so excited I am trying not to jump.

"Oh, fine, but don't let her stay too long. I don't want her hanging around with all those boys."

"No problem, Mrs. Yardley, thanks so much."

I dash over to Mommy and give her a light kiss on the cheek, "Thank you, Mommy."

"Don't forget their present," she calls as I take the card for them off the counter—as if I could forget! I run back and take Maggie's hand and we quietly close the door behind us on the way out.

I wait until we are nearing their front door before I give Maggie a huge hug. "Thank you so much Maggie! She wouldn't have let me come if it wasn't for you!"

"I just know how difficult it was last time she was pregnant and I felt bad for you. Plus my brothers were missing you."

"Really? I mean they have everyone else over." I try not to sound too eager, I didn't want to be jealous, but it hurt that they were having so much fun without me.

"See for yourself." Maggie opens the door. "I'm back, guys," she calls into the room.

"Did you get her?...GRACE!" Chris almost tackles me, followed by Ian.

"Where is everyone?" I ask, looking around.

"We're eating in the basement, but we wanted Maggie to bring you over before we have cake," Ian informs me.

I hand him the card and we go downstairs. I stay for cake and a movie, and all the boys from school are fine with me being there. After two hours, Maggie comes down to take me back home.

"I can walk myself, you know." I don't say it rudely, just as a matter of fact.

"I know Grace, but I am what is called a buffer. If your Mom is mad, she won't say anything in front of me and I can go on about what a big help you were to keep her from getting angry."

"I wish I was as smart as you, Maggie. Thank you so much!"

"No problem, kiddo, you deserve to have some fun, too."