She Keeps Me Warm | Hartbig

Chapter Twenty Four

The minute Grace's mom sees her daughter, she's shocked. Grace is asleep, her face relaxed and breathing slightly uneven. Hannah is sitting beside her, holding her hand and tenderly running her thumb over Grace's knuckles. Hannah looks up to see Theresa and tries to give a smile.

"Hey Theresa." Hannah says quietly. Theresa comes over to Hannah and hugs her, trying to give comfort to the girl she's considered another daughter since the day Grace called her mom to tell her she and Hannah were dating.

~
"Grace?" Theresa asked when she picked up the phone. "You don't usually call on Thursdays, is everything alright?"

"Everything is perfect." Grace replied, her excitement and joy practically gushing through the speaker. "I have good news."

"Oh really?" Theresa said, wondering if Grace had heard something about the pilot or a second book deal.

"Well, I'm seeing someone. And I think I might be in love." Grace told her mother.

"Oh my gosh, Gracie!" Theresa squealed. "Do I know this someone?"

"Actually yes..."

"What's his name?"

"Um well that's the thing."

"What do you mean dear?"

"It's not a him."

"It's not-wait Grace, are you-?"

"I'm dating a girl."

"Oh, that's lovely. Whatever is going to make you happy. Who is it then?"

"Hannah." Grace waited nervously for her mother's response.

"Hannah as in Hannah Hart, My Drunk Kitchen extraordinaire?" Theresa asked in a teasing tone.

"Of course that Hannah." Grace answered with a giggle.

"Well I'm glad. She obviously makes you very happy." Theresa remarked. "You'll have to bring her over here soon, you know."

"Of course, mom."

~

"Do you want me to wake Grace, so you can talk to her?" Hannah asks. Theresa shakes her head.

"Oh no, it's fine, let her sle-" she begins to reply.

"Hi mom." Grace's low, hoarse voice says from the hospital bed.

"Oh sweetheart." Theresa says, going to hug Grace gingerly. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired." Grace answers. "The chemo makes me feel really sick, but it's not worse than a hangover. I'll be alright." Hannah leaves to let Grace and Theresa talk, and ends up meeting Mamrie in the hospital lobby.

"Come here mini Hart." Mamrie pulls Hannah into yet another hug. All Mamrie had done the day before was hug Hannah and gently embrace Grace. Everybody seems to be gentle with Grace right now; like she's frail and could be broken in half at any minute. In a way it's true. One thing Hannah noticed is that Grace's hugs have gotten longer and tighter since she started treatment.

"Hey Mames." Hannah mumbles.

"How are you doing? And I mean for real, none of the 'I'm fine' bullshit you had yesterday. Grace isn't around, you don't have to pretend." Mamrie insists.

"Can we go somewhere else to talk?" Hannah requests. Mamrie nods and they walk the halls until they come upon the waiting lounge in the oncology ward.

"Let it all out." Mamrie instructs.

"I'm just terrified." Hannah whispers. "I'm so fucking scared Grace is going to die."

"Hannah, you know Grace. She's going to beat this thing." Mamrie assures her.

"How do you know that, Mames?" She asks.

"Because, it's Grace. When has she ever given up on anything? You know how goddamn competitive she is. She'll be damned if she doesn't outlive Tim, I mean hell those two are dangerously competitive." Mamrie tries to lighten the mood but Hannah can't help the tears prickling in her eyes. "Hey hey, I'm sorry. Come here Hannah." Mamrie mutters, pulling Hannah into a comforting embrace. Hannah sobs quietly against Mamrie's shoulder.

"I don't know what I'll do if she dies." Hannah admits. "I don't want to be alive without her."

Mamrie says nothing, just rubs Hannah's back and lets her calm down. Mamrie is struggling too, I mean this is her best friend, but she knows Hannah has it worse. Hannah's been in love with Grace for years and loosing the love of your life would have to be the worst thing imaginable. And that's why Mamrie thinks Grace will never give up fighting.