Saving Grace | ✓

Chapter Eighteen

{ Chapter Eighteen }

"Grace? Alexis?" I hear Eliza call us from downstairs. "Can you come here for a minute?"

I roll off the bed and grab Noah from his play pen, going to the dining room where everyone is waiting for me. I sit across from Caleb and smile as I start to rock my son in my arms. 

"We have decided that, for Grace, Alexis and Noah's safety, we will be moving. The new house is only about a ten minute drive out, but it is in a different town." Michael says. Caleb rests his head in his hands, letting out a hard breath. "We will still go to the same church."

"That's awesome!" Alexis says cheerfully. "When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow." Eliza says with a soft smile. 

"Tomorrow?" Caleb exclaims, his head jerking up. "Why so soon?"

"The sooner, the better. It's just in case." Michael tells his son. His voice is a lot calmer than Caleb's.

Caleb pushes back from the table and leaves out the front door, muttering under his breath. I raise an eyebrow at his parents. "Should I...?"

Eliza shakes her head sadly. "He just needs a few minutes to cool down. He'll just walk around the yard and rant until he's ready to-"

 A car starts outside, and I watch as Caleb backs out of the driveway and speeds away. "Is that normal?"

Michael sighs. "No. But this is a big change for him. We've never lived in another house except for this one."

"Well, I don't want to cause you to leave everything that's close to you for me." I say. Alexis nods in agreement. 

"Oh, sweetie, don't worry about it. He'll be okay." Eliza says, touching my hand before going into the kitchen.

I follow Alexis back into her room and lay on the bed beside her. Noah lays asleep in my arms. "Are you okay with this?" Alexis says. "I mean, with moving and all."

I nod. "Of course. I think it's very nice of them. I'm just not sure if Caleb is."

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Caleb comes back into the house at about ten-thirty that night. He thinks I'm asleep. He kisses my forehead and Noah's before going to take a shower. I listen as the water runs for about ten minutes before he shuts it off. It is eleven o'clock when he climbs into bed beside me and falls asleep immediately. 

After laying there for about an hour, I stand, grabbing a blanket and the baby monitor, and go outside into the backyard. As I lay down on the blanket, I look up at the stars and sigh. They're changing everything for me. Their lives have been turns completely upside-down and it's my fault.

The sliding door opens and closes behind me, and I watch as Caleb sits on the blanket as well, Noah in his arms. My baby is crying softly. I take him in my arms and rock him for a moment before he falls asleep again.

"I'm sorry for just running off like that earlier." He says quietly. 

"I know. It's okay. You had every right to leave." I reply, staring at Noah's face.

"I just-" He sighs. "There's a lot of memories here, and I don't want to leave them behind."

"We don't have to leave because of me-"

"No, I know we have to move. I respect my parents' decision. But, I just wish we didn't have to leave so soon. I need some time to reminisce, you know?"

I nod slowly, even though I don't know.

He pulls me to his chest, kissing my forehead, and sighs again. "I love you, Grace. I really do. And I love Alexis and Noah, too. I love you all so much."