Minding Grace

22: You make me strong

Grace woke up again but this time there was no nightmare to rouse her from her sleep.

This time it was simply her own body waking her naturally.

However, when she turned her head to the other side, it was empty.

Harry wasn't there.

She felt her heart constrict as memories of the last few hours came flooding back.

Lucy.

James.

Harry.

What a fucking shitstorm.

Grace threw an arm over her eyes and sighed.

"I really am starting to lose my mind," she huffed.

She suddenly felt like she was on a train that was gradually gaining speed as it approached a junction and she had no power to choose which set of tracks to divert it to.

The thought of Lucy betraying her in such a way and for what?

Everything you have is supposed to be mine!

Apart from Tilly and Dottie she had nothing.

Sure, she was surrounded by wealth, nothing but the best for her even though she'd never asked for it.

She had nothing else.

Or did she?

She thought for a moment to think what she had that Lucy didn't.

Harry.

Did she have Harry?

Is that what Lucy really wanted?

Grace narrowed her eyes at the thought.

Even if nothing more transpired between herself and Harry, there was no way she wanted Lucy to sink her claws into him.

He deserved better and not some hoe bag that had been ridden so many times she should rename herself Malvern Star.

But the thought of her had Grace's stomach churning and anger washed over her at the actions that couldn't be undone.

Lucy had drawn a line in the sand.

But instead of choosing to simply step over it, she'd thrown a bomb at it and blown it up.

She'd essentially started a war.

However, as Grace threw the covers off the bed and stood up she resigned herself to one thing.

She was not going to go down without a fight.

No one pushed her around and she wasn't about to let anyone, let alone Lucy, start doing it now.

Grace showered and dressed, feeling full of determination as she took one last look at herself in the mirror.

In her reflection, a small bottle next to her bed caught her eye.

She felt her determination slip a little as she bit her lip.

She walked over to the side of her bed and picked up the bottle and although it was small, it weighed heavily in her hand.

Grace felt that she hadn't needed to take them, but after last night...

Just to keep the boat on an even keel for a little bit.

Grace shook one out of the bottle and swallowed it.

There was a storm brewing and she needed to be ready for it.