Grace (BWWM)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

"What kind of life do you want to live, Gracie?"

I look up at Joe as we sit in front of each other at a bakery shop. We're both working today, but we're on break. Sometimes our schedule works out this way, but not usually. So it was nice to see that we could get together today.

"Do you mean once we're married?" I ask, a cup of hot water in my hands. It's October and getting coldly. Our wedding is still months away. "Yes. I mean in terms of city life or a more quiet life." He gazes at me intently.

"I would rather a quiet life."

In true Joe fashion, he thinks that over before responding. I like his careful, thoughtful nature.

"Do you mean you want to stay at your house then? Or just move away from the hustle and bustle of city life?"

His question causes me to laugh lightly.

"Move?" I laugh again. "Where would I even move to?"

He studies me."So if I told you that I have a place in the quieter part of town, you wouldn't be interested in that?"

My smile falters at his words.

"A place?"

"Yeah," he responds, and I just stare at him for a while.

"Are you referring to the home that you were building years ago?" I ask and he nods, still studying me. I can only look at him in surprise. Joe is someone I can talk to freely and we talk about just about everything together. We've been like that for a while now, but there is one topic that I did not go out of my way to inquire about, and that's the house he was building.

The first year after Sherry passed he was not taking good care of himself and it truly almost seemed like he wanted to join her in the afterlife with his level of neglect. I wouldn't doubt that there were days he wanted that. Working and exercising were an outlet for him, as well as building the house. When I would bring it up, just inquiring as a friend, it seemed to cause him to grieve more and push himself harder as he reminded himself of why he was building it.

So after bringing it up a few times, I stopped. I understood his reaction; there were topics others would bring up after Lance passed that would cause me to spiral further into despair. He's brought up the home here and there throughout the years, but I never pushed or prodded about the subject.

It was two and a half years after Sherry passed that Joe invited me to the home. I went to support him as it was just completed and I remember the way he just kept staring off, silent. He had planned to give me a tour, but had been unable to say anything at all. I never went back since then as I felt at the time it was a treasure that he had brought to life and it was for him and Sherry alone.

Yet, here he is four years later talking to me about the home.

"How about I take you out tomorrow to see it?"

"Joe . . . are you sure?" I know it's been years, but some subjects are still sensitive even when time has passed. But he only smiles in reassurance.

"I am; let's go and see it tomorrow, Gracie." Yes, he is sure; his demeanor is calm and collected. Because of that, I agree and so we go the next day.

#

I stand in front of the beautiful, custom-made home. It's been so long that I've forgotten how wonderful it is. It's not huge, it's not even what I would call large, but it's not small either. It's like a largecabin; it left me speechless then, and it leaves me speechless now as well.

"I don't recall how much I told you years ago, but I bought this land years after Sherry and I moved here several decades ago. I wanted to build a house for us, but I gave up not long after buying the land, having planned terribly. I didn't know what it entailed to build a house. I was a young man with dreams but no plan. But then after she passed, I got to work again. After all these years, I guess you could say that the second time was the charm.