State Of Grace

Chapter 24 - Nothing New

Gracie had what felt like the best sleep of her life in her new bed over the last few days, and once she was adopted she'd never have to worry about being moved to a group home or an emergency placement where she was lucky to even have a bed. In many homes, she'd slept on an old sofa or sometimes the floor. She never understood how these unfit foster parents continue to get away with it. Though she was grateful to be where she was, her heart still ached for the millions of children who were trapped in the system.

Once she'd had breakfast with her family, Sarah, whose car was finally out of the shop after the incident with the cyclist, came to collect Gracie to drive her to group therapy, "Hey," Gracie said as she got into the passenger seat, "The car looks great."

"It was finished like a month ago, but my dad claimed the paint didn't match, so he kept sending it back, it was a whole thing," Sarah rolled her eyes as she pulled out of the driveway.

"So, how's school? How's everything? I've barely seen you these past few weeks."

"Yeah because you're always with your girlfriend or new friends from school," Sarah was only kidding, but Gracie started to realize she'd been neglecting her friendship with Sarah, and she vowed to make more of an effort.

"I know, I'm sorry, it's been crazy with school and the adoption coming up, and-"

"Lying to your moms about your girlfriend," Sarah wasn't kidding anymore.

"Sarah, you know why I can't tell them. And they're not my moms, not yet anyway," they'd had little spats before, but this was the closest the two girls had ever been to an actual argument, and Gracie was not going to let it get that far.

"But you have to tell them, Gracie. Before they adopt you," Sarah was trying to be a good friend, but Gracie thought she understood that she needed time.

"Why? So they can change their minds?" Gracie scoffed. She dreaded telling them, she imagined the look on Stella and Lilah's faces if they found out she'd been keeping such a big secret from them and it stung. The last thing she wanted to do was let them down, but with Gracie's track record, that was inevitable. "Wait, you're not going to tell them, are you? Because you promised," she panicked.

"No, I'm not. It should come from you, but you've been with Rachel for almost three months, don't you think they deserve to know?"

"Well, yeah, but they're not ready to hear it yet, not after everything that happened at the hospital. I have a plan to ease them into the idea. But I haven't even officially come out to them yet. I mean, they know, I'm sure they do after that mortifying dinner with Jason."

Sarah parked her car in the hospital parking lot and turned to her best friend with a pleading stare, "You promise me you'll tell them soon?"

"Yes, as soon as I can. You know what? I'll get the ball rolling tonight, I'll come out. Now, can we go? Or all of the good snacks will be gone," Gracie got out of the car to avoid the conversation going any further.

She'd avoided setting herself a deadline, but she knew it would have to be after the adoption. It was a horrible feeling knowing she'd be keeping the secret for so long, but she had faith that even if they did know the truth they would still want to adopt her. After all, they knew what it was like to be in love, she just couldn't take the chance. There was also the risk of the judge finding out, which could stall things even further.

In therapy, Gracie opened up again. She told everyone about the Tuckers asking to adopt her, and almost shed a tear when they all clapped for her again. But she knew she couldn't just tell them the good things, she had to talk about the bad stuff too. Just not all of it.