Joshua's Grace

Chapter 14 (3)

"Thanks everyone." Sasha grouched facetiously when she strolled into the study to see her parents, Grace and Joshua sitting and calmly talking. "I finished unloading the car, loading the washing machine, refilling the pantry and sorting the trash. Shall I make the beds, hoover the hall and get dinner on, or would you all like to contribute?" She had expected to find herself amidst a full scale fracas between her sister and parents. That's why she had left them to it. But when she passed the study there hadn't been a sound. "What ever happened to everyone pulling their weight in this family?" She queried, as she flopped onto the settee beside Grace.

"Sash don't exaggerate."

"Says someone who didn't have to carry in three dozen plastic bags, six holdalls, and two boxes of rubbish." Sasha exaggerated wildly. "Says someone who is sitting around drinking gin and tonics while I lugged all the stuff into the house."

"Thank you Sasha." Ben got to his feet, ruffled his younger daughter's hair and walked over to the bar to get her a drink. "I knew I could count on you."

"This isn't a g and t." Corrected Grace blithely raising her glass aloft.

"So?" Sasha prompted, ignoring her sister's teasing, she wanted to know what had happened, and no one seemed to be in a rush to tell her, "Is anyone going to tell me what happened?"

"No." Angie, Grace and Ben chorused at the same time and then fell about laughing. Joshua smiled at Sasha's grimace.

"Hah-hah." She pouted. "Come on. You guys always do this to me. Tell me."

Ben poured Sasha a drink. Joshua gave her a potted account. By the time they had rehashed things it was almost dinner time.

"I think it will have to be takeaways." Angie said regretfully. Joshua got to his feet, thinking this was his cue to leave. "Where are you going?" Sasha stalled him.
"I'd better make tracks."

"Not yet." Angie smiled, "It's no trouble, Sasha will get takeaways, stay and join us. Unless someone is expecting you back soon?" 

"No." Zac was out with Shelley. Joshua hadn't got as far as thinking about dinner.

Sasha started grumbling again. "Why me?"

Joshua grinned at her. "I'll go."

"Mum's already told you to join us." Grace frowned at him.

"I meant to get takeaways."

"Oh." Grace shrugged nonchalantly and ignored his teasing smile. "I'll come with you."

Ben flicked Angie a smug smile as Joshua and Grace got up to leave.

As they walked to the car Joshua said, "Sorry about dropping that bombshell." Acknowledging his part in letting the cat out of the bag. "I wasn't thinking too clearly."

"I should have told them earlier." Grace finally admitted, "I'm relieved they've got him."

"So am I." Joshua opened the passenger door, "I just knew you were going to make life difficult. Probably insist on going back to the cottage even if they hadn't caught him."

"Not necessarily." He quirked a brow. "Well, ok, I was." She conceded, "I do have a job to do. I can't hide forever."

Joshua closed the passenger door and quickly walked to the driver's side. That was exactly what he thought she'd do. 

"You're too stubborn." He said as he got in.

"I know. I can't help it." She sounded so forlorn that Joshua had to laugh.

He leaned over and kissed her briefly on the lips. "Happy New Year." He'd finally collected a kiss, even if he was the one who had to initiate it. The Chinese takeaway was five minutes away from their house. "You had a good break?"

Grace nodded. "Yes. We all needed the time."

"Must have been quite busy."

"No, we just lazed around. Let me clarify that, mum, dad and I read, and pottered, Sasha surfed till the waves got flat, took the canoe out when that happened, came back for a quick bite to eat, then caught up with all her old flames. Typical Sash, that girl wouldn't know how to take things easy." Grace finally picked up on his tone. "What's up?"

"Nothing."
"Joshua, if you're upset about the way I dealt with things say so." 

"I'm not. Though you weren't exactly diplomatic."

Grace ignored that red herring, "Well then, what's the problem?" 

He reversed the car into a parking bay, "You didn't phone me."

"You missed me?
He turned off the ignition and faced her. "Yes." He nodded. "I did."

Grace smiled at him slowly, then leaned closer to him. "I'm sorry I didn't phone." She'd thought about it several times. 

While they waited for their order to be met he asked her on a date next friday. Without any hesitation, Grace agreed. They returned to the house twenty minutes later with several cartons.

Grace was still on holiday, but she wanted to go into the University to sort out next terms lectures so Sasha and Grace drove to Hamilton the next day.

"You didn't ask him?"

Grace knew exactly what her sister was talking about. "I haven't had time." She stated offhandedly.

"Hmm." Total disbelief.

"Well, I haven't. I couldn't just say, in the middle of dad's lecture about the letters, oh by the way, Josh, do you love me?"

"You went for takeaways." Sasha reminded her.

Grace groaned. "And you think that was the right time? I'll have a lemon chicken, beef in oyster sauce, sweet and sour vegetables, two fried rice, eight dim sims and, oh yeah, Josh do you love me? Yeah right Sash."

"What about the drive? You're stalling." Grace snorted at that suggestion. Sasha grinned, "For what it's worth, I think he does."