Grace

Chapter 50

The atmosphere was nearly back to normal the next day. It seemed that the school grieving together had helped us all to heal together somewhat. Goodluck smiled a little in class and even Claude looked a little better even though the only person he really cared about right now was in a mental hospital. There was a busily happy buzz in the air rather than an air of forced distraction. We all got given the usual amount of homework and life was thrust forward with its usual gusto.

Dad managed to get the paperwork for Clara pushed through in record time – he knew people who owed him huge favours – and before long I had an adopted sister. There wasn't much news from the hospital though other than she used her manners but that was the only time she talked. She slept soundly. She ate a normal amount. She was independent and took herself out for long walks in the hospital grounds. Mum assured me that it was all helping her and she was going to get better. Even though Mum had no idea what she was talking about, I trusted her words more than the doctors'.

Thus the weeks passed fairly quickly and almost before we knew it, we were all packing up the majority of our things to go home for Easter. I had to pack with my phone between my shoulder and ear because Gabriella was asking me a lot of questions about how I was getting on with the music and did she need to pull me in for a week of intensive practice before the concert and all sorts of questions. The biggest one was did I have my dresses to which I had to reply that not yet but that I was a standard size and knew I'd be able to get something.

"Grace! The concert is fourteen days away! How are you going to get anything?" she cried.

"When you go to the right shops they always have something that will fit you," I said. "Oh god, I sound as rich as I am."

She chuckled. "Well, for a week you get to hang out with normal people. Make sure you get those dresses. I've got to go, got a million and one things to sort and a rehearsal to do. See you soon!"

"Bye."

"And I know just where we can get those dresses, o' daughter of mine," Mum said grandly.

I turned around with a grin and gave her the biggest hug in the world.

"How's Clara?" I asked.

"She's ok. Improved a little."

"Really?" I asked and felt a bigger smile come to my face.

"Only a little, but yes."

I sagged in relief and let her hug me. After the couple of months I'd had, I needed a hug for a million different all very good reasons, but Clara was the top of my list. "Where are we going shopping?"

"Cardiff. There's a new posh dress shop over there that I ducked into a few weeks ago when I was down there. Let's load the car and go."

"Ugh, you brought Dad's car didn't you?"

"Your stuff won't all fit in mine. Anyway, the shop has a valet service and its own car park. Dad didn't give me a two hour lecture before I left the house."

"Hour and a half?"

She picked up a box. "Hour and forty five."

I whistled a low note and picked up a box too. "Hell hath no fury like Dad once his car's been scratched."

"I know. I might ask them if I can park it myself."

I laughed and we headed outside. It was raining a little, but it had been doing that on and off for three days between bursts of pale sunshine. It least it wasn't cold. Dad's car was getting some interest from other parents and someone was even taking a photo of it. Mum and I gave each other funny looks and then slid our boxes into the back of the car.