State Of Grace

Chapter 20 - Forever & Always

Gracie finally managed to convince her foster parents that she was ready to go back to school on Thursday morning. She'd been studying and doing all of the homework that she could, she had a few more assignments to finish to ensure she wouldn't have to spend vacation in summer school.

"Okay kids, I have a meeting after school so you'll have to walk home," Lilah said as the kids got out of the minivan and headed into school.

Riley and Maia each linked their arms through Gracie's, "We're gonna ask them tonight," Maia said with a beaming smile.

"About the adoption," Riley added, her smile just as bright, "If that's still what you want," it was pretty clear that Gracie's foster siblings wanted her to be a part of their family.

"Yeah, of course," Gracie said. She was nervous about what Lilah and Stella might say. With her track record, she didn't have a hope in hell of getting adopted, but there was no harm in asking.

She wondered what life might be like if she got adopted.'Would I change my name?' She asked herself, 'Would my dad be okay with it if I became Graciella Francesca Tucker?' It sounded silly in her head, but still, it made her smile.

She had a million questions, but she tried her best to focus on something else. There was no point in planning for a future that she probably wouldn't get to have.

Gracie had been fairly quiet since she and Riley were discharged from the hospital, she was trying to remain positive but it wasn't coming off that way, most of the family just thought she was tired, or still recovering, but Danny could tell something more was going on. Gracie could feel him staring at her in homeroom that morning.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, you seem a little off," Elle chimed in.

"I'm fine," Gracie lied and tugged at her sleeve under the desk where her newest wounds were, "I just forgot how boring school is," she faked a smile.

At lunch, Gracie came up with an excuse to skip out on eating with her friends so she could go somewhere private to call her girlfriend. Gracie was aware that Danny knew something was up, she was just counting on him to stay out of her business after everything that happened with Jason.

"I hate this," Rachel's pacing could be heard through the phone, "I hate not seeing you."

"I know, me too, but it won't be long until I'm on the lifeguard deck waiting for you," Gracie and Rachel texted every spare moment they had, but they were few and far between with how busy they both were.

"How are things at the Tuckers? Have they mentioned me at all?" It was clear that Rachel was worried about their perception of her.

"No," Gracie sighed, "Not since the whole thing at the hospital, they're pretending like you don't exist, and as much as it sucks that I can't talk to people about you, about us, at least it means that we can still be together in secret. If I'm lucky, and they do decide to adopt me, maybe someday we can come clean."

"They're going to adopt you?" Rachel sounded confused.

"Probably not, but the other kids are going to ask their moms tonight, I've been trying not to get my hopes up."

"You really want that?" Rachel asked, "I mean, I thought you just wanted to get out of the system, so we can start a life together, just you and me."

"I mean yeah, that would be great, but I'm only sixteen, I still have two years to go, and that's only if Anita doesn't recommend extended foster care which could keep me in the system until I'm twenty-one."

It wasn't uncommon for kids with mental health problems to be kept in the system for a few extra years.

"This way, I'll have a permanent home and a family and no social workers checking up on me. It'll be good for me to have their support," Gracie didn't understand why Rachel was so against it.