Stronger Together

~1~

On her way home Gracelyn thinks about her dad, as usual, her dad is the most hardworking person she knows he is so driven that sometimes even she thinks he's a little insane but that was ok he was keeping her alive after all at least that's what she tells herself as she's walking home from her first day of first grade. Grace goes for the key that's in the front of her book bag and then pushes it back behind her and quickly realizes that she hit someone. "oh I'm so sorry let me help you" She speaks rushing the words out and helping the lady pick up her groceries.

The lady looks at me with a questioning look "Aren't you too young to be out here all alone?" she asks examining the little girl in front of her its a little strange seeing her come or leave without an adult especially in Queens.

"I guess so " She just shrugs "I'm used to it though." deciding its best to push away the subject as quickly as possible she hands the lady her things back and smiles exposing her one missing front tooth with her other one growing back in nicely "I'm Gracelyn it's nice to meet you."

May yet again looks over the small girl who had to be as young if not younger than her nephew but decides to let it go for now "I'm May Parker it's nice to meet another neighbor too" she speaks smiling at the younger girl.

Gracelyn looks a little confused by what May said but then May points to the door behind her and she gets that May lives right across from her she nods and then returns to put  the keys back into the door behind her

May feels a little pity for the young girl who seems used to walking around Queens all alone "Sweetie are you going to be home alone ?" she asks

Gracelyn turns around again facing May "Yeah my dad normally doesn't get home until late" she finally gets the door open and begins to walk in

"Wait do you want to come to my apartment until your dad gets home ?" May asks not wanting the little one to be all by herself

Grace thinks this over her dad does have some chores and schoolwork waiting for her in there but Mays offer was very tempting no matter how much she was alone she couldn't seem to get used to it she node and then speaks "Thank you that's very nice of you"

May smiles relieved that she can help Gracelyn out so she unlocks the door and walks into her apartment motioning for Gracelyn to follow behind her and then she goes to put the groceries away.

Grace walks into the Parker apartment and it instantly feels warm not just temperature-wise but it has something her apartment is missing even though she can't quite put her finger on it. When she sees May start to put her groceries away she quickly goes over there "Here' she speaks while putting the milk in the fridge "Let me help you"

May laughs at her eagerness "Sweetie your the guest here you don't have to help" May shakes her head and laughs at the little one

"It's fine I want to help plus I do it all the time at home anyways it's no biggie" she shrugs and continues to help May put away her groceries stopping to ask where things go every once in a while.

May is just trying to figure out Gracelyn she's so mature her age is alone a lot and is used to house chores and she can't be any older than 7 or 8 is she being neglected she seems like such a sweet girl and May knows right away the treatment she being given that's all that's  running through her mind  while putting groceries away and that she wants to help her all that she can "Gracelyn your welcome here anytime sweetie ok if your dad isn't home or if you just need some company feels free to just walk over."

Gracelyn looks over at May realizing that she probably said something to make May pity her she can see that the woman genuinely means what she's saying but she also knows that it might be a burden for her so she just nods and decides then and there that she will only rely on May for companionship when she is desperate "Thank you May that means a lot." she wasn't lying it truly did it's just that she's been in many situations like this before where people offer her things because she reveals too many things about her home life she makes a mental note not to do that anymore.

May can tell the little girl is thinking hard about something and she can tell that it's not unicorns or butterflies like it should be at her age so may decide to slip over to her piano and play songs that her mother taught her that always tended to calm her down and hoped Gracelyn would calm down too

Gracelyn didn't even notice May go to the piano but then she heard her play and immediately snapped out of her little spiral of thoughts and walked in front of the piano that was in the middle of the kitchen and living room which were connected she begins swaying to the beat a little bit fighting back the urge to dance around how she imagined a princess would "That's very pretty " she speaks smiling at May.

May smiles back beaming at the girl happy that she successfully got her out of her head "do you want me to teach you to play?" she asks nodding her head towards the piano.

"Yes." Gracelyn doesn't hesitate the music was so pretty and she wanted to be able to make something that pretty maybe it would give her father something to be happy about and that was what she wanted to do and possibly in the process make herself

For the next few hours May taught Gracelyn how to play piano and May had to hand it to her the girl was natural then Ben came home around 7 with Thai for 2 so Gracelyn politely tried to excuse herself to go home but when May told Ben what was going on with her they both immediately insisted she stays for dinner May even pops a TV dinner in the microwave and insists that if she leaves there would be food wasted so Gracelyn stays and gets to know the couple and she feels more cared about and wanted than she has in a long time.

AN~Hi I'm new to this whole writing thing so please don't go too hard on my punctuation I'm mainly focusing on the story which speaking of all rights got to marvel accept the storyline and characters I add anyways if you liked it you know what to do if you didn't please stop reading and yea (1195 words)